The Stewardship of Public Lands: Faculty Seminar in Yellowstone National Park, July 30 – August 4, 2012

By George Mehaffy, Vice President of Academic Leadership & Change, AASCU

Registration is now open for the American Democracy Project’s 8^th summer Faculty Seminar in Yellowstone National Park.  This program, a Civic Engagement in Action series imitative with The Yellowstone Association, is open to faculty from any discipline who are teaching at an AASCU college or university.

Program Highlights:

• We spend six (6) days in Yellowstone National Park in a combination of classroom and field activities, examining four key political controversies:  bison, wolves, snowmobiles, and grizzly bears.  We begin the week examining the science and history of the controversies, listening to scientists and Park rangers.  Then at the end of the week, we interview local citizens on both sides of the issues, including political activists, business people, ranchers, and other citizens.

• The goal of this project is to develop new strategies and new approaches that colleges and universities can use to help undergraduates become thoughtful, informed, and engaged citizens.  In a world too often filled with bitter partisan politics, this non-partisan project seeks to move beyond rhetoric and confrontation, providing students with new models that promote understanding and resolution.  In a political environment where special interest groups tend to push people to polarized positions, we seek common ground.  The key question of this initiative is: How are competing but equally legitimate interests about public lands resolved in a democracy?

• Family members or guests are welcome to come to Yellowstone with the faculty participant.  However, space does not allow for guest participation in the program except for some classroom lectures, a few field trips, and evening films and presentations.

• The cost of the program is $1,295, which includes five (5) nights individual room lodging at Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel (in Yellowstone National Park; single occupancy hotel room or cabin); all instruction and instructional materials, AV rental, classroom rental; in-park transportation; and a number of meals, including reception and dinner the first night, lunch Tuesday, and breakfast Wednesday.

For details, see the Program Announcement 2012.  For registration, see the Registration Form 2012.

I hope some of you will join us for this program.  Please also pass this along to anyone who you think might be interested.

To read more about ADP’s Stewardship of Public Lands Initiative, click here.

You can also read about the 2011 Yellowstone Seminar on the ADP national blog, here.

Copies of the monograph Stewardship of Public Lands: A Handbook for Educators are available for purchase.