The American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) hope a national dialogue on the role and structure of liberal arts education will help educators better prepare college students for life after graduation. To support this dialogue, UMBC will host Greater Expectations, a discussion of the AAC&U's recent report on how best to blend liberal arts study with undergraduate professional education. The conference will be held on October 22 from 8 to 11:30 a.m. in the Library Gallery.

"Americans like to believe in shortcuts, and in some ways that has worked against the idea of an education that is both broad and practical," explains Tom Field, director of the Center for the Humanities. "We can be proud that the enduring and exciting implications of 'liberal education' are something that UMBC is committed to in our mission statement and in our daily practice. Today the AAC&U argues that it is time for universities, business, nonprofits and the media to go on record together about the importance of a real education. I believe that UMBC should and will be in the forefront of this movement."

Greater Expectations will feature presentations by members of AAC&U's Greater Expectations National Panel, including Carol Schneider, president of the AAC&U and Ronald Williams, president of Prince George's Community College. Freeman Hrabowski, president of UMBC, will also speak. Following the presentations, participants will engage in small group discussions.

"I truly look forward to the opportunity this forum provides to meet with persons within the academic setting and beyond to discuss the purposes of education," says Diane Lee, vice provost for undergraduate education. "It should be a most lively conversation. We so seldom get together to share ideas about what ought to be taught and why."

The conference is sponsored by the UMBC President's Advisory Council on Business Outreach (PAC) and the College of Engineering's Industrial Advisory Board.

For more information, e-mail Andrea DeSantis at x56805 or desantis@umbc.edu. Information about the Greater Expectations National Panel Report is available at www.greaterexpectations.org.