2009 National Symposium

Conference Topic
When Charles Dickens opened A Tale of Two Cities with his now famous words - "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times" - he captured the ambivalence of a society in upheaval and transition. The 21st century academy is also experiencing the best and worst of times. The growth of higher education provides the potential for greater access and expanded opportunity. Our students are now more diverse, more technologically savvy, and more globally aware than any previous college generation. Yet all members of the educational community - students, faculty, and administrators, - are currently experiencing the challenges of uncertain times. These challenges have come in the form of financial difficulties, closer scrutiny and accountability, and mismatches between faculty and student expectations. In this time of difficulty, how are educational institutions responding in a manner that benefits all of their constituents? How are we turning challenges into opportunities?

The Faculty Resource Network at New York University is pleased to announce the 2009 National Symposium Challenge as Opportunity: The Academy in the Best and Worst of Times. This event also provides an occasion to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Network, reflect on its past accomplishments, and look forward to how it can energize our academic community in the years to come.

During the two-day symposium, through keynote presentations, plenary panels, and breakout sessions, attendees will have the opportunity to consider a range of issues related to our collective mission of identifying and shaping the future priorities of higher education. In this time of transition, the role of the academy becomes even more essential as a source of insight, innovation and inspiration.

 

Breakout Presentation and Poster Session Topics
We invite breakout session and poster session submissions in all areas related to the topic of this symposium. We particularly encourage submissions that illustrate how participation in an FRN-sponsored activity (e.g., Network Summer or Network Winter, Scholar-in-Residence, National Symposia) has impacted classroom practice, scholarly development, or administrative innovation.

Challenges and Opportunities within the Classroom

• Facilitating students' transition from high school to college
• Exploring and promoting tolerance in the classroom
• Embracing the diverse classroom as an educational opportunity
• Teaching the crisis: Dealing with natural and human-made disasters in the curriculum
• Using classroom assessment as a resource for teaching and learning

Challenges and Opportunities within the Institution

• Defining and refining our academic mission in a time of change
• Addressing the impact of financial difficulties on student enrollment, retention, and diversity
• Establishing productive partnerships with wellness and student services
• Managing institutional goals at a time of financial crisis
• Changing roles and responsibilities for faculty in the 21st century academy
• Creating relationships between the academy and the community
• Increasing college access for under-represented students
• Strengthening the academic pipeline from postgraduate to professor

Proposal Submission Guidelines

We request a one-page abstract (between 300 and 500 words) of the intended paper, presentation, or poster that outlines the proposed structure, content and intellectual merit of the session.

Breakout session: Abstracts must be submitted by a group of 2-4 presenters per session for a one-hour group presentation that should also include a 15 minute period for questions and answers. Proposals submitted by individuals and accepted may be combined with at least one other accepted proposal to form a group.

Poster Session: Poster proposals may be submitted by individuals or groups of any size. Posters will be presented at a reception on the afternoon of Saturday, November 21.

Clearly indicate whether your submission is for a breakout session or poster, including the names and institutional affiliations of all presenters.  Abstracts can be sent as an e-mail attachment to frn@nyu.edu, faxed to 212.995.4101, or mailed to the Faculty Resource Network:

Faculty Resource Network

Attn:  2009 National Symposium

194 Mercer Street, 4th Floor

New York, NY 10012

Abstracts must be submitted to the Faculty Resource Network by Friday, April 10, 2009 for consideration.  Presenters will be selected and notified by May 31, 2009. 

Symposium Registration Fee

Participation in the National Symposium is free of charge for faculty members and administrators from Faculty Resource Network and Leadership Alliance member institutions. To see if your institution is a member of the Faculty Resource Network or Leadership Alliance, please click here. For participants outside of the FRN consortium, there will be a $150 registration fee.

Contact Information

Please direct inquiries to the Faculty Resource Network (frn@nyu.edu, or 212.998.2090).