The Three-College Collaboration

1. The Three-College Collaboration

2. Why Collaborate? • Major challenges continue to be interdisciplinary and complex, require input from many directions . • Unique combination of liberal arts/sciences, engineering, entrepreneurship. • Programs and projects that could not be carried out at a single institution. • Potential to address issues associated with the high cost model of higher education.

3. Goals of the Collaboration: • Expand educational opportunities for all students. • Develop interdisciplinary approaches to teaching and problem solving. • Facilitate faculty research and teaching projects across the campuses. • Assist one another in administrative services. • Finding innovative ways to increase impact of each institution.

4. Where are we now? 3-1/2 years later:Major accomplishments • First completers insustainability certificate; • Successfully closed a grant from the Mellon Foundation (to Wellesley) in support of Three-College activities; • Continued the innovation fund, with support from the Mellon grant and the three presidents. The 2nd round of proposals in fall 2012 resulted in 9 projects funded: 2 student-led, 2 staff-led, and 5 faculty-led for a total of $30,040.00. This year all proposals involved all 3 colleges and multiple constituencies; • 3rd iteration of two-week January program for students, entirely student-directed. 2013: consulted with start-up using social media to encourage sustainable practices; • 67 faculty attended 3rd iteration of annual one-day faculty workshop in January. 2013: Student engagement in the classroom.

5. On-going Initiatives • Website http://www.bow3colleges.org; • Cross-registration and procedures streamlined; • Total of 361 students from all three colleges cross-registered at one of the Three-College campuses in 2012-2013; • Library/IT Collaborations on libguides and databases; • Collaborations around arts events, including “Provisional Aesthetics art exhibition and speaker series organized by Wellesley and Babson faculty members at Babson College and Davis Museum; • Collaborations amongst staff, faculty and students around student mental health and wellness issues: Student Thriving , College Mental Health and Wellness in Context.

6. On-going Initiatives • New courses, current and in development; • Research collaborations; • Events for new faculty, regular lunches/receptions for faculty/staff; • Expansion of shuttle bus schedule; • Winter session program: this year, Practically Green; • Musical collaborations.

7. New Initiatives: • Virtual University Project; • Three-College Collaboration Center for Social Innovation • A white paper proposing the creation of a Center for Social Innovation that was first discussed at last June’s Three-College Retreat was accepted by three presidents and next steps are under discussion by the Provosts; • Three-College Collaboration Student Advisory Board • Officially recognized by all student governments; • Research into federated identity management for the Collaboration; • Introduction to Three-College Collaboration at faculty, staff and student orientations.

8. Olin, Wellesley and Babson students in Babson’s Summer Venturing Program, 2013 Winter session program students’ presentation to Practically Green, January 2013

9. Jubilee Trio (Robert Honeysucker, Wellesley Prof. Marian Dry, Leslie Amper) Concert with composers Babson Prof. Toni Lester & Olin Prof. Diana Dabby, October 2012