30th Annual AIS Conference
Dates: October 23-26, 2008
Location/Institution: University of Illinois at Springfield
Theme: Interdisciplinarity and the Engaged Citizen: Integrating Higher Education, Public Policy, and Global Action
Keynotes: "Comments on Interdisciplinarity, Higher Education, and Public Policy on the 30th Anniversary of AIS," delivered by Raymond C. Miller, past AIS president and founding editor of Issues in Integrative Studies (Friday); and "The Problem of Wrongful Conviction: Students Linking Theory and Practice," by Dr. Larry Golden, co-director, Downstate Illinois Innocence Project, and professor emeritus, University of Illinois at Springfield (Saturday).
Special events: "Centennial of Fire: Reflections on the Springfield Race Riot of 1908," lecture by Roberta Senechal De La Roche, professor of history, Washington and Lee University; and dinner/reception at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum.
Conference workshops: "Nuts and Bolts of IDS Development and Assessment," presented by Pauline Gagnon, University of West Georgia, and Allen Repko University of Texas at Arlington; "Experiential and Service Learning Programs," presented by Elaine Rundle-Schwark, University of Illinois at Springfield, and Kathie Guthrie, Florida State University; and Center for State Policy and Leadership workshop on approaches to engaging students in public policy processes, presented by Tony Halter, Barbara Van Dyke-Brown, and Kent Redfield, University of Illinois at Springfield. Fee for each workshop: $25.
Other special sessions: GUIDE Sessions, small group discussions with AIS Board members on topics relating to interdisciplinary education and/or AIS. Topics included: Administration (James Hall and Stuart Henry), Assessment (Allen Repko and Don Stowe), Curriculum (Pauline Gagnon and William Newell), Hosting an AIS conference (Roslyn Abt Schindler), Issues in Integrative Studies and IDS Research and Scholarship (Joan Fiscella and Francine Navakas), Scholarship of (Interdisciplinary) Teaching and Learning - SoTL (Rick Szostak), Securing Positions in IDS (Tanya Augsburg), and IDS and Honors (Karen Moranski).
Registration fees: $300, member; $350, non-member; $150, student; $200, retired; $75, single day registration.
Conference Coordinator: Karen Moranski, Associate Vice Chancellor for Undergraduate Education and Associate Professor of English, University of Illinois at Springfield.
Number of registrants: 160, including 94 first-time attendees. Attendees came from 26 states, Washington, DC, the Netherlands, Australia, and Canada.
Number of presenters: 124 for 96 submitted proposals.