Assembly LIX: The Tercentennial of Yale University
Thursday, October 4  through Friday, October 5, 2001
Executive Summary
Educational and Assembly Programs Breakout

Moderators: Edward Dennis '63, Chair of the Committee on Education, Assembly, and Long Range Planning; Steve Victor, Associate Director for Education; and Alisa Masterson, Assistant Director for University Relations

The session began with an open opportunity to suggest possible Assembly topics. Suggestions included:

• Religion and its role in society, especially as it relates to conflict. Areas of the world to examine would be the Middle East, the Balkans, and Ireland. A corollary question would be to ask what organized religion is doing to prevent or reduce religious strife. 
• Biotechnology. Use the resources we have such as Nobel Prize winner Sid Altman; examine topics such as the Genome Project. Use science as a jumping off point to explore its relationships to other areas such as religion, the environment, business, agriculture and law. 
• Evolution of the social contract. What do you expect society to give to you; what is your responsibility to society?  
• International Studies

The larger question was raised of how we widen the audience for Assemblies beyond those who attend or receive reports so that others may benefit from the sessions. Suggestions included webcasting, audio tapes, video tapes of edited highlights, and taking the Assembly sessions on the road like the "Day With Yale In _____" program, as well as opening the Assembly programs more broadly to alumni. There was a question about better ways to communicate the Assembly reports, but no concrete suggestions were made. In the area of educational programs, a number of ideas were suggested:

• Offer two-day intensive seminars in professional fields of interest so that those in the field can update their own education and those who are interested in the field can get a taste of it. 
• In a related suggestion, offer professional continuing education programs to graduates of the graduate and professional schools that are also open to Yale College alumni in those fields who may have gotten their professional degree elsewhere. 
• Offer remote graduate degree opportunities for alumni 
• Re-introduction of the June Seminars. § Again, a traveling "Day With Yale in _____" type program 
• Master classes in the arts § Program on theater and its value for our lives 
• Picking a day to be an annual "Yale Day," perhaps a federal holiday such as Columbus Day that many people have off should be held for Yale Day" each year. Educational programs can take place in New Haven on that day, or even in many places around the country. 
• Create an Aspen Institute or Cambridge Lectures type program, a weeklong educational experience that also includes opportunities for children so as not to exclude younger alumni with school-age children. 
• Travel opportunities for families. 
• Broadly surveying alumni to see what types of topics about which they would be interested in learning more.

Steve Victor also provided general information about our online programs and the new Alliance for Lifelong Learning programs. The alumni in attendance seemed interested in these offerings.

Executive Summary Contents
I. Home
II. Opening Plenary
III. Class Breakout
IV. Club Breakout
V. G/P Breakout
VI. SIG Breakout
VII. Ed. Breakout
VIII. Reception