Change or Be Changed: Designing Solutions for Challenges Facing the Humanities and Social Sciences

On Thursday, February 10, 2022 the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) held a virtual discussion that brought together teams from six schools who developed practical solutions to the challenges we face, from declining undergraduate enrollments to faculty diversification. Our lesson: great experiments are going on around the country, but change must be ambitious, connected, systemic, and swift. This event showcased their results and set the stage for further exchange and collaboration. The aim of the event is to make our work visible, to invite collaboration and exchange with others trying to bring about change in the academy, and to determine together what collaborative work is needed (transcending any single organization or initiative) to bring about systemic change.

The discussion was moderated by Joy Connolly, ACLS President and featured the following speakers:

• Jasmine Alinder, Dean of Humanities and Professor, Department of History, University of California, Santa Cruz
• Amy Cook, Associate Dean for Research and Innovation, College of Arts and Sciences and Professor, Department of English, Stony Brook University
• Ari Kelman, Chancellor’s Leadership Professor, Department of History, University of California, Davis
• Maria J. Donoghue Velleca, Dean, Faculty of Arts & Sciences, Professor, Department of Biology, College of William & Mary
• Claire M. Waters, Professor and Chair, Department of English, University of California, Davis
• Christopher Heath “Kit” Wellman, Dean of Academic Planning for the College of Arts & Sciences and Professor, Department of Philosophy, Washington University in St. Louis

Special thanks to Treviene Harris for her work and assistance.