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News of the Week – November 13, 2026
This week’s issue is curated by Mark Bollman. Mark is the 1835 Endowed Professor of Mathematics at Albion College.

Teaching & Learning (AI Edition)

Less Time, Less Learning: Lessons from Research of AI on Student Learning (Dave Kung, Math Values, Mathematical Association of America, 26 October 2026.) It’s difficult not to hear about how AI is either going to destroy us all or become a tool for great things–and there doesn’t seem to be a middle path yet. As someone who remembers how calculators were going to destroy mathematics and math teaching, and then how computers were going to be the destructor, and then how the Internet was going to upend everything, I am inclined toward a less-panicked view than many–we figured out how to navigate those, and we’ll figure this one out. Dave Kung has some thoughts on how this looks for mathematics in light of the recent document drop by OpenAI.

At colleges, the AI boom means everyone wants to dabble in computer science (Heather Hollingsworth, APNews, August 3, 2026) Here’s a story from one corner of campus where AI is already having an effect: increased interest from students in computer science courses. How that plays out in the CS departments of America is a tricky thing. There’s a quote from a music professor in Virginia that kind of aligns with my own thoughts (above) about the effect of AI down the line.

Does an AI-Powered Grade School Belong on a College Campus? (Shea Vance and Haley Zimmerman, The Chronicle of Higher Education, 10 November 2026.) In case there was any doubt that things are changing rapidly in and around artificial intelligence and teaching, we have this idea which would not have made much sense 5 years ago. Something about a grade school “based on computer-generated content for the students” brings The Jetsons to mind. (Of course, we still don’t have the fold-up flying cars that that cartoon promised.)
That said, the phrase “The adult in the classroom’s job is now to facilitate that learning” is language that is familiar to a lot of us who pay attention to trends in education.

The Big Picture

What Should Educated People Know About Science? (Chad Orzel, Counting Atoms Substack, 2 April 2026.) In 1968, a report from the Hazen Foundation asserted, reasonably, that “one of the great indoor sports of American faculties is fiddling with the curriculum”. Often, this takes the form of tweaking or totally modifying the general education requirements for students. Chad Orzel, a physicist at Union College in New York, has some food for thought (as is appropriate here in the runup to Thanksgiving) about what the core requirements in the sciences should look like.

What Should Educated People Know About Not-STEM? (Chad Orzel, Counting Atoms Substack, 7 July 2026.) In equal time for other fields, Chad also weighs in on what every student should study outside the sciences.

The AP quandary and how to resolve it (Chester E. Finn, Jr. and Michael J. Petrilli, The Thomas B. Fordham Institute, 5 November 2026.) Going in the other direction–what students do before they get to our classrooms–here are some thoughts on how Advanced Placement courses might have changed and might consider changing in light of recent developments in colleges.

Tidbits
On The Lighter Side…because there should be some fun among all this serious stuff

An Ode To Overhead Projectors (Eric Fournier, Inside Higher Ed, 26 October 2026.) Back in the day (for some of us), the overhead projector was an indispensable piece of teaching technology. Now, it’s hard even to find one. At Albion, we had a colloquium speaker request one in 2024, and it was a challenge across several College buildings to track down one that worked. A challenge which ultimately succeeded, I might add–we have it securely stored in case we ever need one again. Eric Fournier has some thoughts on this bygone device. Trivia nugget: The technical term for an overhead projector is “epidiascope”, which is not a word that Fournier uses. A missed opportunity, that.

Willis Opinion: Division III’s Five-Year Eligibility Debate Deserves More Nuance (Steve Ulrich, D3Playbook.com, 4 November 2026.) While college sports probably qualifies for the “lighter side”, this looming decision is perhaps a little less light than fun musing on older technology. GLCA schools are Division III schools for sports, and so discussions of athlete eligibility in the division will affect all of us in one way or another. Steve Ulrich offers some thoughts on how “5 in 5″ might look–or not look, depending on which way the division chooses to go. I’m not convinced that new graduate programs designed specifically so athletes can use a fifth year of eligibility without changing schools will be regarded favorably by the wider market.

How many NCAA schools are 44 percenters? (Steve Dittmore, Glory Days Substack, 11 November 2024.) Also in the sports section, some thoughts on the “right” percentage of student-athletes on a college campus. Steve Dittmore advances the argument that 44% is an inflection point for this percentage, suggesting that exceeding 44% is a danger sign. This is a bigger concern in Division III than in Divisions I and II. The data are a couple of years old, but the analysis is interesting at a time when athletics is under consideration at many colleges similar to GLCA schools as a means to drive enrollment higher. (There’s a follow-up article for subscribers, that focuses on Division III and names some names, here.)

Grant Funding for Workshops

Students regularly protest and rally; but have they read the Constitution and do they understand their rights, and the importance of voting?

Fringe Benefits Theatre wants college-aged youth to understand how the social justice causes they’re fighting for are supported by our founding documents and get the word out to their peers.

Through the “Constitutional Crash Out!” Initiative, they are offering free online workshops with nationally recognized writers, comedians, activists, and artists who help students understand the founding documents on a personal level and brainstorm ways to articulate their ideas in thoughtful, engaging videos in a variety of genres. Students across the nation are invited to share their work online and compete in a national short-form video competition to win cash prizes.

Grant funding is available for an honorarium to lead a couple workshops to help students script “Pay Attention to Democracy” video shorts. To find out more about integrating Constitutional Crash Out! into your classes or clubs, contact Norma Bowles at [email protected] or Amy Sarno at [email protected].

Editor: Colleen Monahan Smith, GLCA, [email protected]

Students and staff from across the Great Lakes Colleges Association gathered at DePauw University Nov. 6–8, 2026, for the annual Students of Color Leadership Conference. Centered on the theme “Forward Motion: Strategies for What Comes Next,” the conference brought together DEIAC members and approximately 150 students for a weekend of leadership development, networking, reflection, and community-building across GLCA institutions.

The Students of Color Leadership Conference is designed to provide students and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Access Committee staff with opportunities to strengthen leadership skills, expand knowledge, and build meaningful professional relationships. For students from historically underrepresented backgrounds, the gathering also offers an important space to share experiences, discuss common challenges, including racial inequities, and cultivate a stronger sense of community and belonging within and beyond their home campuses.

This year’s conference emphasized community-centric leadership, strategic connections, and preparation for next-generation challenges. Participants explored the relationship between individual leadership, institutional change, and community advocacy, while also building networks intended to support collaboration and shared growth after the conference. The event continued a long-standing GLCA commitment to creating spaces where students can learn from one another and from staff across member colleges.

The weekend opened Friday with registration, guided campus tours, dinner, and an opening ceremony, followed by an evening bowling activity designed to help students meet one another and begin building connections. Saturday’s agenda included concurrent conference sessions led by Dr. Ivelisse Rodriguez, Dr. David Evans, Bryan Cotton, and Dr. Michelle Gaines, as well as a keynote session with Miguel Avila. Participants gathered for meals in Hoover Dining Hall and an evening Pandemonium event in the Percy L. Julian Science and Mathematics Center. The conference concluded Sunday with a light brunch and recap.

One of the weekend’s highlights was a passport activity designed to encourage students to actively and intentionally connect with peers from other institutions. The activity was a huge hit, providing an engaging way for participants to meet new people, expand their networks, and build relationships beyond their home campuses. The activity reinforced one of the conference’s central goals: helping students develop meaningful connections and a stronger sense of community across institutions.

For GLCA colleges, the conference represents both a student development opportunity and a shared institutional investment in inclusive leadership. By bringing together students and staff from participating institutions, the event created a regional learning community focused on belonging, advocacy, and the practical skills needed to navigate what comes next.

As participants return to their campuses, the relationships established and experiences shared at DePauw provide a foundation for continued collaboration, leadership development, and community-building, reinforcing GLCA’s commitment to strengthening connections and shared learning opportunities across liberal arts colleges.

News of the Week – October 30, 2026

This week’s issue is curated by Kara Morrow. Kara is a Professor of Art History and Museum Studies at The College of Wooster.

Teaching & Learning

Don’t Worry About Professors’ Rules, AI Executive Tells Students (Delilah Brumer, Chronicle of Higher Education, October 22, 2026): AI tutoring company, which had partnered with the SUNY university, sent hundreds of students an email, raising concerns about faculty control over AI policies in their classrooms.

Overcome reading reluctance with in-class tasks (Noam Schimmel, University of California, Berkeley, Times Higher Education, October 22, 2026): “While no replacement for tackling long texts, short reading sessions build confidence, boost students’ learning and improve their analysis, synthesis and discussion.”

Campus Talks: Teaching strategies to get students reading and speaking up in class (David Gooblar, Eliza Compton, University of Iowa, Campus Talks by Times Higher Education [Podcast], October 22, 2026): Eyes need a break from the screen? Take a listen to this podcast with a thoughtful conversation on “ways to create more equitable classrooms, build students’ trust and support academic skills development.”

Connecting Through Chat ([John Kane &] Rebecca Mushtare, Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching at SUNY Oswego talking with Greg Campbell, English Dept., Community College of Baltimore County, tea for teaching, October 21, 2026 [Podcast]): “Discussion boards in learning management systems, particularly in the age of AI, rarely capture the authentic voice of students. In this episode, Greg Campbell joins us to discuss how the use of a chat application can motivate conversation and build community.”

Budgets & Higher Ed’s Business Model: What They’re Reading & Saying “Off-Campus”

How College Leaders are Navigating Federal Pressures (Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and Stephen Henriques, Time Magazine, November 11, 2025): As someone who is deeply invested in understanding higher ed’s business model and the particular economic, political and cultural challenges we’re currently facing, I’m often surprised at the characterizations of our industry “off campus.” More and more frequently students call on faculty to explain these dynamics. This article appeared in Time Magazine almost one year ago and provides an interesting view into our experiences from the perspective of our students’ and their families.

The Business Model of College Is Broken. It’s About to Get Worse (Jeffrey Selingo, Time Magazine, July 2, 2026): Following up on the Time article above, this succinct follow up frames current circumstances and campus conversations, especially in light of additional federal pressures.

Tidbits: The Fate of College Teaching Collections

The Price of Closing a University Museum (Kathryn Palmer, Inside Higher Ed, October 26, 2026): Nearly all GLCA member colleges maintain formal art collections, and multiple institutions depend on academic, teaching-focused museums for pedagogical support. Yet academic museums across the U.S. are threatened. With a $2.4 million state budget cut looming, Fort Hays State University’s Sternberg Museum of Natural History was slated to close despite its 125-year history.

Fort Hays State Rescinds Natural History Museum Closure (Kathryn Palmer, Inside Higher Ed, October 28, 2026): Oh, wait! “Word of the Kansas university’s decision to close the Sternberg Museum of Natural History sparked community outrage. The reversal offers hope to others fighting to keep the Academy of Natural Science at Drexel alive.”

Embarking on the Academy of Natural Sciences’ Next Chapter: Protecting a Legacy (Academy of Natural Sciences, September 25, 2026): “For more than two centuries, the Academy of Natural Sciences has helped people understand our natural world though its extraordinary collections, groundbreaking research and commitment to discovery and learning.” The public exhibitions are slated to close.

Preparing for the Election

There’s Still Time to Prepare for the Morning After Election Day (Nancy L. Thomas, Inside Higher Ed, October 26, 2026): Consider this checklist for the days—and weeks—after.

Election Resources for Higher Education from the Constructive Dialogue Institute: As November 3 approaches, CDI’s election resources offer practical guidance for campus leaders, faculty and staff, and civic engagement and dialogue centers. An on-demand webinar also features three administrators reflecting on what they learned preparing for 2024.

About the Art

Amy Karle, Hatcher, (Triceratops), Deep Time and the Far Future, 2020.

Artist Amy Karle created nine sculptures in two series examining the possibilities of reconstructive technologies and the potential and the pitfalls of future evolution that come with technological advancements. The sculptures are based on the 66-million-year-old Triceratops at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, which made history as the first “digital dinosaur”—the first 3D scan of an entire dinosaur skeleton executed by the Smithsonian’s Digitization Program Office.”

News of the Week – October 16, 2026
This week’s issue is curated by Amy Jo Stavnezer. Amy Jo is a Professor of Neuroscience and Psychology at The College of Wooster.

Teaching & Learning

The problem with grades (Jessamyn Neuhaus, Ashley Cambareri & Cole Bailey, Tea for Teaching podcast, Aug 26. 2026). This podcast, again, asks us to consider the goals of traditional grading systems. The experts discuss the benefits of alterative grading, how they might help students focus more on learning than grades, and also invite students to share their experiences with different grading systems.

How Nicholas Ferroni is rewriting his classroom for human connection (Nicholas Ferroni, School of Practice podcast, Aug 25, 2026). As a high school teacher, Ferroni discusses how he is trying, bit by bit, to take his classroom back to “before technology” days. This discussion aligns well with many recent posts on returning to oral exams, blue book exams, and digital free spaces that are popping up on many campuses. His message is completely applicable for college educators.

Career Readiness Needs an Architecture, Not an Add-On (James Devaney, Inside Higher Ed, Oct 15, 2026) Is your campus talking about career/world readiness, durable/transferable skills and a student population that knows how to relate those things to their future? Mine is. This article reminds us that readiness can, and should, come in a variety of forms, experiences and class years.

Self-Help opportunities, as we are nearly at mid-semester and you might be tired

How to be a realistic optimist (Mark Williamson, Action for Happiness, Sept 30, 2026). In this editorial, of sorts, the author invites us to find ways each day to see goodness around us, but also recognizes the reality of forced optimism. By combining these ideas, he suggests options for being a realistic optimist by being real in the process of finding the good. Might be a nice read for a small pick-me-up at this crunch time of the semester.

Who are you when you teach? (Elysia Sokolenko & Matthew Arnold, Times Higher Education, Oct 14, 2026). “As we cultivate our educator identity, we lay the foundation for the transition from being a professional who teaches to a teaching professional.” The authors ask us to consider how our educator and non-educator lives align and how we might consider blending our identities with a set of 3 recommendations to consider.

Why care for faculty and staff in higher education is critical (Tracie Addy, Care in the Academy, Apr 13, 2026). Addy shares with us her experiences in needing and building care structures in higher education institutions. Perhaps some of her ideas can spark needed change for you, your department or division, or even your whole college.

NEXT WEEK: CTL Event with Lindsay Masland

Over the past few years, college instructors have been surprised, confused, and occasionally outraged by the students who show up in our classrooms. Lamentations over missing skills, low attendance rates, and disappointing work quality are centerstage in many pedagogical discussions. Not surprisingly, the recommended antidote is to double down on the use of student-centered teaching. In the quest to be student-centered, though, we can end up making choices that can overwhelm us with their unsustainability. Does this sound familiar? If so, join us:

A Permission Slip to Say No:
Sustainable Teaching in Unsustainable Conditions
with Lindsay Masland

Lindsay is the Executive Director for the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning for Student Success and a Professor in the Department of Psychology at Appalachian State University. Register HERE for the event on Thursday, October 22, 2026 at Noon EST.

GLCA/GLAA Students Participate in Athens Democracy Forum (pictured below)

For the 10th year, the GLCA/GLAA had the opportunity to bring an all-star student delegation to participate in the Athens Democracy Forum Sept 29-Oct 1, 2026. Students interviewed journalists, scholars, leaders of NGOs, politicians and others and produced videos that were shown during the Forum.

Front Row (L-R): Maria Eduarda Arêdes Brasil de Mendonça (Saint Mary’s College), Prince David Dwamena (Allegheny College), Daria Minhas (American University of Paris), Sofia Stefanova Mihaylova (American University of Paris), Sayoko Yamada (International Christian University), Leylany Rivera (Saint Mary’s College), Rise Saiki (International Christian University), María Alejandra Núñez Padilla (University San Francisco de Quito)

Back Row (L-R): Noufil Asif (Albion College), Yogesh Kumar Gupta (Allegheny College), Inderias Samson (Forman Christian College), Karam Ezzeddin (American College of Greece), Clarady Brooks (Oberlin College), Sara Filali (Al Akhawayn University), Willona Asare Ayesu (The College of Wooster), Rhennystella Anthony Wankya (Franklin University Switzerland), Madeleine Barbar (Kenyon College), Rebeca Silva Sucilla (Franklin University Switzerland), Thelma Reyes (Hope College), Nour Al-Tzaratli (American College of Greece), Jenny Yakarta Perez Alejandres (Earlham College), Eshaa Setty (FLAME University)

Thank you to the American College of Greece for the warm hospitality! The first two pictures above are from the student’s visit to the Acropolis and the last is on site at the Forum in the Athens Conservatoire.

Editor: Colleen Monahan Smith, GLCA, [email protected]

News of the Week – October 2, 2026

This week’s issue is curated by Amy Jo Stavnezer. Amy Jo is a Professor of Neuroscience and Psychology at The College of Wooster.

Teaching & Learning
Don’t Wave the White Flag on Reading Just Yet (Austin Sarat, Inside Higher Ed, Aug 7, 2026) Austin Sarat suggests that we stop assuming students know that reading is a good thing, and being frustrated when they don’t do it, and instead help them build not only the skill but an understanding of what that skill provides.

Are Office Hours Pointless? (Tim Franz & Lauren Vicker, Inside Higher Ed, Aug 26, 2026) Here the authors argue that office hours can still be successful and helpful, if we alter our practices a bit to better meet our students where they are. They provide 5 easy to incorporate suggestions to make students feel more welcome and, hopefully, to increase their use of this important opportunity.

What Five Years of Listening to Students Taught Us About Learning (Amanda Ervin interviews Chris Gallagher, Kristi Girdharry and Kevin Smith, Dead Ideas in Teaching and Leanring Podcast, September 17, 2026). This podcast welcomes three faculty who overview the research they present in their recent book Getting Learning Right. They discuss what a group of undergraduates do know about learning, opportunities, and experiences and also how gathering this knowledge helped these faculty shift their own pedagogical practices.

Trending Tips – Alternative Assessments
Still considering alternative ways to assess knowledge, critical thinking, and understanding outside of a written exam or paper? Try some of these ideas that follow-up on the Return of the Oral Exam post from 9/18 NoTW

The Teaching Newsletter (Beth McMurtie, Chronicle for Higher Education, Sept 24, 2026) Discussion, Graded presents a clear application of scaffolding peer engagement and communication which then becomes a small group graded discussion twice in the semester. While the group is talking, the professor is assessing: professionalism, understanding of the course material, and critical engagement.

The Teaching Newsletter (Beth McMurtie, Chronicle for Higher Education, Sept 10, 2026) This post draws together several benefits and implementation strategies for oral exam. Examples come from a variety of fields and additional resources are embedded.

I’m a College Professor. Writing Isn’t as Important as We Think (Joe Cruz, NYTimes, Sept 29, 2026). In this opinion piece, Joe Cruz argues that we might do better to return to oral exams to truly assess what a student understands and how they are able think and reason. He recognizes the impact of AI, believes that we can work with it, and suggests that writing assignment provide a convenient grading mechanism for faculty, but that it might not be the best was to assess thinking.

Tidbits

Short snippets by AAC&U Liberal Education editors to inspire, engage and maybe bring a smile. Good Morning (Summer 2026) provides personal notes on what wakes educators up and motivates them every day; a moment of Snoop Dogg Affirmations, anyone?

Free to Imagine (Spring 2026) asks what you would do if barriers magically disappeared. There are some aspirational, if lofty, ideas here that could really make a difference. Wondering how we could implement just one part.

When Delight is the Goal (Winter 2026) offers simple ideas to excite students in their learning.If you like these ideas, take a look at this Edutopia piece as well.

Editor: Colleen Monahan Smith, GLCA, [email protected]

News of the Week – September 18, 2026

This week’s issue is curated by Jen Adams. Jen is the Assistant Dean for Academic Projects and Chair/Professor of Communication and Theatre at DePauw University.

Teaching & Learning

The Return of the Oral Exam (Beth McMurtrie, The Chronicle of Higher Education, September 2, 2026): Prompted by concerns about AI, faculty are rediscovering oral examinations, and finding that they can encourage deeper learning, authentic assessment, and stronger faculty-student interaction.

Teaching Controversial Topics When Information is Incomplete (Ahlam Lee, Inside Higher Ed, September 15, 2026): Offers practical strategies for helping students move beyond emotional reactions to unfolding controversies by slowing down discussion, examining bias, distinguishing among types of claims, and expanding context before reaching conclusions.

The Power of Prequestioning (Michelle D. Miller, R3 Newsletter, September 8, 2026): Drawing on recent research in cognitive psychology, Miller explores how asking students questions before they encounter new material can focus attention and improve learning, offering faculty a simple, low-stakes strategy for helping students engage with challenging readings.

Student Connection & Belonging in the Classroom

Learning and Being: Building Belonging Through Relational Teaching Practices (Brianne Morettini, Belonging, July 14, 2026): Examines how relational teaching practices, including seeking student input, demonstrating care, and treating students as co-creators of the learning experience, can foster students’ sense of belonging, well-being, and engagement in the classroom.

Belonging Should Not Mean Only That Students Feel Welcome (Sunah Cho, Times Higher Education Campus, September 14, 2026): Drawing on universal design for learning, Cho offers practical ways to move beyond simply making students feel welcome toward creating classrooms where all students can participate meaningfully in the learning experience.

The Liberal Arts in Practice

How the Liberal Arts Became Countercultural (and Essential) in the Age of AI (Deseree Probasco, Jason Gulya, and Bethany Smith, EDUCAUSE Shop Talk, June 1, 2026): Explores how liberal arts capacities such as critical thinking, curiosity, imagination, and the ability to translate between technical and nontechnical worlds become increasingly valuable in an age shaped by artificial intelligence.

Memorable Teaching Doesn’t Just Transfer Knowledge – It Transforms Perspective (Andrew Gipe-Lazarou, Times Higher Education Campus, September 15, 2026): Explores how authentic learning experiences can move students beyond disciplinary knowledge toward deeper perspective, professional judgment, and a stronger sense of responsibility.

GLCA is hiring!

The GLCA is hiring a Senior Program Director to help lead collaborative academic and administrative initiatives across our thirteen liberal arts colleges. This hybrid role is an opportunity for an experienced faculty or faculty-adjacent administrator to convene faculty and academic leaders, strengthen professional development and leadership programs, and help institutions respond creatively to a changing higher education landscape. Review of applications begins October 30, 2026. More information about the position and the application process can be found here.

Editor: Colleen Monahan Smith, GLCA, [email protected]

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