WHAT'S NEW!!
AACU Resource Database Association of American Colleges and Universities' Program for Health and Higher Education Launches National Leadership Resource Database Information on Courses that Integrate HIV/AIDS and Other Health Concerns January 17, 2001 -- New Orleans, La. -- Colleges and universities that want to educate students across all disciplines on HIV/AIDS and other related health issues now have a new resource available on the World Wide Web at www.nlrd.aacu-edu.org. The Program for Health and Higher Education (PHHE) launched the National Leadership Resource Database (NLRD) at the 87th annual meeting of the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, New Orleans, Louisiana, January 17 - 20, 2001. "The National Leadership Resource Database is the latest example of AAC&U's commitment to help build what we call an engaged academy," said Carol Geary Schneider, president of AAC&U. "This new resource will strengthen learning while supporting campus efforts to address HIV disease and other health issues that have profound local and global dimensions." NLRD provides campus leaders with relevant resources on HIV/AIDS-related courses as well as the ability to communicate with each other on this complex, social problem. The database is designed as a resource for academic and student affairs administrators, faculty across all disciplines, student health services leaders, and students interested in helping the campus and community understand HIV/AIDS. NLRD currently contains information on more than 200 courses in a wide variety of disciplines, including public health, sociology, law, history, biology, education, psychology, English, economics, chemistry, philosophy, and anthropology. The resources in the database include course descriptions and syllabi, bibliographies and reading lists, special program descriptions (web pages, class listservs), research, laboratory, writing assignments, course evaluation materials, course staffing structures and other categories. "This will greatly enhance our collective ability to improve learning and to address HIV/AIDS and other matters that affect our common health," stated Wm. David Burns, AAC&U senior policy director and director of the Program for Health and Higher Education. "Providing a vehicle for leaders to exchange information and view examples of how health is being integrated in the curriculum, the NLRD aims to encourage new courses and strengthen current ones," Burns added. The HIV/AIDS information and courses in the database cover a wide range of learning and social objectives cited as priorities by college and university leaders in a PHHE national survey of more than 3,000 presidents and chief academic officers. More than 800 presidents and chief academic officers representing almost 4 million students responded to the PHHE surveys. Of those who responded, more than 70 percent said that including HIV/AIDS courses in their curriculum was "very important" or "essential." In addition, these leaders wanted examples of successful curricular models and campus/community programs, and a theoretical framework to help them understand and develop the theory behind this work. Some of the colleges and universities indicated that such studies were already offered to their students. For complete results of the Surveys, visit www.aacu-eduorg/PHHE/sopf.html The Program for Health and Higher Education is an AAC&U initiative supported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Its goal is to provide leadership to American colleges and universities to improve undergraduate education by integrating HIV/AIDS and health issues into the curriculum. More information on AAC&U and the Program for Health and Higher Education can be found at www.aacu-edu.org/PHHE/phhemainpage.html AAC&U is the leading national association devoted to advancing and strengthening liberal learning for all students, regardless of academic specialization or intended career. Since its founding in 1915, AAC&U membership has grown to over 700 accredited public and private colleges and universities of every type and size. AAC&U functions as a catalyst and facilitator, forging links among presidents, administrators, and faculty members who are engaged in institutional and curricular planning. Its mission is to reinforce the collective commitment to liberal education at both the national and local levels and to help individual institutions keep the quality of student learning at the core of their work as they evolve to meet new economic and social challenges. Christopher Dyer dyer@aacu.nw.dc.us (e-mail)
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