The Association of American Colleges and Universities has launched its newest initiative, "Liberal Education and Global Citizenship: The Arts of Democracy." Eleven institutions will come together in this curriculum and faculty development network to create new curricular opportunities for undergraduate majors to think about the intersections of global issues, diverse and multiple histories, questions of justice and equality, and democratic practices and principles.

The following institutions will participate: Albany State University; American University of Paris; Beloit College; Brooklyn College CUNY; Heritage College; John Carroll University; Pacific Lutheran University; Rochester Institute of Technology; University of Alaska- Fairbanks; University of Delaware; University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

The three-year project will support faculty and administrative teams with a series of activities: a four-day faculty institute in May 2002, an online faculty development seminar in June 2002, grant funds to support campus-based faculty development activities, and working forums at AAC&U's regional and annual meetings. An advisory board of leading scholars will also serve as campus consultants.

"Liberal Education and Global Citizenship" is the first funded project in AAC&U's ongoing initiative, Shared Futures: Learning for a World Lived in Common. It aims to prepare future college graduates to become more informed, socially responsible, and engaged citizens of the nation and of an increasingly interconnected but unequal world. Funding is provided largely by The Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE). The Mellon Foundation is funding the participation of the American University of Paris. Caryn McTighe Musil, AAC&U vice president for Diversity, Equity, and Global Initiatives, will direct the project.

FIPSE is providing a grant of $609,497 to support this project. This represents 62 percent of the total cost of the project with the remaining 38 percent funded by institutions and the Mellon Foundation. AAC&U continues to seek support for the Shared Futures Initiative to enable more schools to participate in projects like Liberal Education and Global Citizenship. Updates and information about the project can be found at AAC&U's Web site (www.aacu-edu.org).