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SUNNY Temp: 78 °F Wind: SSE at 5 mph Friday, August 1, 2003 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone Wellness Connection Real Estate Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend July 21, 2003 SOU identified as notable provider of liberal arts by national council By TONY BOOM Mail Tribune ASHLAND — Southern Oregon University has become the 20th member of a national organization designed to identify and support quality public liberal arts and sciences institutions. The Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges selected SOU following a review that included a site visit in the spring. SOU is the only COPLAC institution in Oregon. Sonoma Sate University in Rohnert Park, Calif., and The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Wash., are the nearest members to SOU. Characteristics of council members include a concentration on education for undergraduate students and a strong emphasis in liberal arts and sciences combined with professional studies. "It’s a supporting group. We are looking at ways we can work on institutional assessment," said SOU President Elisabeth Zinser. "We’re obtaining information about enrollment, curriculum, structure, retention and advising practices. Not only can we compare and learn from them, we can contribute what we do well." Advertisement Faculty members from the schools may be able to work together on specific topics that will help advance their passions for change and improvement in curriculum, scholarships and learning, Zinser said. "Besides having prestige value, it’s a way to work with institutions that are working hard to become truly outstanding in public liberal arts education," said Zinser. COPLAC creates a community that’s trying to answer the same questions, said Earl H. Potter, SOU’s new vice president for academic affairs. "We face different kinds of issues from the larger universities and research institutions," said Potter. " Potter and two SOU faculty attended COPLAC’s annual meeting in New Jersey during June. Potter will lead a committee to look at ways to increase faculty exchanges among member institutions. "Given Internet communications, you can get an awful lot of things together without having to travel," said Potter. Besides preparing students for professions, schools in the organization are committed to getting them to think about issues that affect the nation and to participate in the life of their communities, Potter said. Typically, member schools are in rural or small-town settings. Enrollments range from 800 to 12,000 students. The organization was founded in 1987. Reach Ashland bureau reporter Tony Boom at 482-4651, or e-mail [email protected] Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Rogue Valley Auto Finder Rogue Valley Job Finder --> Rogue Valley Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Real Estate Showcase Food for Thought Hike of the Week Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Openings Prime Times