DESCRIPTION

An Interdisciplinary Course with Residency, Online Discussions, and Independent Projects
Location: The Rensselaerville Institute
Dates: April 4 - 6, 2008
Online Discussions begin January 22, 2008

Empire State College is pleased to announce the Spring 2008 Keep-Mills Symposium on Ways of Knowing. This annual symposium offers students a special opportunity to engage in serious and extended dialogue and debate focusing on different ways of knowing about a critical issue or problem of the day.

This year's residency will take place at the Rensselaerville Institute in Rensselaerville, located near Albany, on April 4 - April 6, 2008. It will be guided by a team of faculty mentors inlcluding Eric Ball, Cindy Conaway, Susan Forbes, Alan Mandell, and Mark Soderstrom. Credit can be earned at the undergraduate (introductory or advanced) or graduate level.

The Keep-Mills Symposium on Ways of Knowing is funded by alumnus and ESC Foundation board member Stephen Keep Mills in honor of his parents. Thanks to Mr. Mills's generosity, lodging, meals, and some travel costs for 20 students will be covered in full.

THEME

We invite 20 undergraduate and graduate students to participate in the exploration of this year's theme: "Living the Creative Life in the Contemporary World." This year's topic invites participants to take a broadly multi-disciplinary, historical, and cross-cultural approach to understanding creativity. Specifically, we will ponder and explore various and alternative ways to approach the question: What does it mean to "live the creative life"? In thinking about an issue like this, we will consider whether creativity can be approached broadly, so as to include not only activities like "art" and "creative writing" but also such things as innovative contributions at work, or the invention of a lifestyle. (Is there even any such thing as an activity which is not creative?) We will ask: How does creative activity, or approaching life creatively, contribute to how we "know" or understand our world? How do we know when we (or others) are being creative? How do the constraints of the "real world," or of our own biology or psyches, enable and constrain living a creative life? For some people, creativity might be something they see as integral and pervasive in their lives. For others, it might be something they yearn for, even secretly desire, but feel they are unable to attempt or achieve because of the rigid demands put upon them at home or work, or because they believe they are without "talent." Thus, participants will also be asked to consider what living the creative life means in their worlds and ways of knowing. Participants will ask themselves: "What opportunities are available to me to live the creative life?" "What obstacles make it difficult for me to be creative, or as creative as I'd like to be?"

LEARNING ACTIVITIES

This residency involves a combination of face-to-face and online activities. Interdisciplinary readings, online discussions, and writing assignments will provide an opportunity before the face-to-face residency to begin exploring the questions and ideas described above. Our face-to-face meeting together (April 4 - 6, 2008) will provide diverse activities for addressing them further in creative and exciting ways. Dialogue will continue online after the residency. Finally, students will submit a final project which is expected to pull together various threads from the residency and their pre-residency activities.

HOW TO REGISTER

Students may register for this study online on a first come, first served basis, just as they would for other studies. As the term begins, each student will be assigned one of the five participating faculty mentors as his/her official mentor for the study. Also, students will be contacted to confirm exactly what level they need to be registered for: graduate, introductory-level undergraduate, or advanced-level undergraduate. (Students are welcome to take this study at any level, and should therefore first consult with their own primary mentor about whether one particular level is especially appropriate for their degree plan.) Undergraduates typically register for this study at 4 credits. Graduate students typically register for this study at 3 credits. (Exceptions to this are possible, and students will be contacted about any adjustments after they have registered.) Graduate students should discuss registration with their advisor.

For more information about the residency accommodations, travel, etc., students can contact Connie.Crandall@esc.edu.

• April 19:
  Requests for Empire State College Foundation loans may be made.
• May 5 - May 9:
  No appointment period for faculty.
• May 5 - May 16:
  Late registration for May 2008 term.
• May 15:
  Spring March and Spring Combined Time Payment Plan # 3 is due.
• May 16:
  Study outcomes due for January 2008 term.
• May 19:
  Summer Terms A and B start.
• May 30:
  Student evaluations due for January 2008 term.
• See all term dates
• Go to Calendar