Year Long Learning Communities

Peace Building and Human Rights
January 31, 2007

The Peace Building and Human Rights, convened by Matt Berg (HS) and Richard Clark (SOC), held three meetings in Summer, 2006. One was devoted to a discussion of two books all members received and read. Since then, the PBHR faculty learning community has been meeting monthly (sometimes twice monthly) to: 1)discuss readings submitted by individual members; 2)plan foundational courses for a program in human rights and peace building and 3)design and offer new summer institutes. The learning community, with the support of the Program in Applied Ethics, invited Dr. George Lopez from the Joan B. Kroc Institute at the University of Notre Dame to visit campus and offer suggestions about program development. Dr. Lopez also gave a public lecture. The Learning Community expects to present its proposal for a program in Human Rights and Peace Building in AY 2007. More information about the Peace Building and Human Rights Program soon will be available on their new web page. Applied Ethics also supports this learning community.

Sixteen faculty members participate in the PBHR learning community: Matt Berg (HS), Rich Clark (SOC), Lauren Bowen (PO), Jeanne Colleran (EN), Mary Ann Flannery SC (CO), Julia Karolle-Berg (CLML), Tom Kelly (ED), Paul Lipold (SOC), Pamela Mason (PO), Phil Metres (EN), Mindy Peden (PO), Dianna Taylor (PL) Shirley Seaton (Community Liaison), Andreas Sobisch (Global Ed.) John Spencer (RL) Wendy Weidenhoft (SOC).


Poverty and Solidarity Learning Community
January 31, 2007

During the 2006-2007 academic year, the group will meet four times each semester to engage in discussions of readings, meet with local speakers with expertise in issues of local, national, and global poverty, and visit local organizations whose missions address poverty. The group will also discuss community-based learning with JCU faculty who have used this approach. The Poverty and Solidarity Learning Community is led by Jim Lissemore (Bl). Faculty members are engaged in designing poverty-related courses in their disciplines. More information about the learning community and the larger program is available at: http://www.jcu.edu/poverty. The learning community is also supported by the Program in Applied Ethics.

The fifteen faculty members of the Poverty and Learning Community are: James Lissemore (BL): Lauren Bowen (PO), Ruth Fenske (Lib) Margaret Finucane (Center for Community Service) Theron Ford, (ED), Katherine Gatto (CLML), Sharon Kaye (PL), Thomas Kelly (ED), Graciela Lacueva (PH) Mariana Ortega (PL), Chris Roark (EN), John Soper (EC), Elizabeth Stiles (PO), Sheri Young (PS) , Debra Rosenthal (EN). Adjunct members are Paul Lauritzen (RL), Jeanne Colleran (EN) and Penny Harris (SOC).

Entraprenurial Learning Community
January 31, 2007

The Entrepreneurial Learning Community is an outgrowth of a May faculty workshop convened by Jack Soper and Mark Hauserman of the Muldoon Center. More than a dozen faculty attended the workshop, led by K. Mark Weaver, an international expert on fostering entrepreneurship across the curriculum. The workshop explores how concepts derived from creative entrepreneurship can be applied across disciplines as a new approach to problem solving, innovative design, and decision-making. Interested faculty members have continued to meet regularly, and this learning community remains open to new members. More information may be obtained from Jack Soper (jsoper@jcu.edu). The Entrepreneurial Learning Community is supported by the Muldoon Center.