While each member institution has a distinct history and identity, all share a strong commitment to the kind of intense, challenging, and personalized education provided by small, residential, liberal arts colleges. Further, we believe such colleges offer extraordinary professional opportunities to those who wish to integrate scholarship, teaching, and community involvement in their careers. There is much to be said for teaching on a small liberal arts campus.
Professors enjoy close working relationships with bright and highly motivated students.
Interdisciplinary and collaborative projects bring colleagues together in lively intellectual partnerships. In a small faculty, each individual enjoys recognition, support, and easy access to resources, colleagues, and administration. Faculty members on our campuses also have the opportunity to play significant roles in extracurricular life on campus, participating in the life of the campus community. At the same time, consortial activities create a larger community in the upper Midwest, enlarging the opportunities for colleagueship and support. Regular GLCA activities include course design and teaching workshops, disciplinary meetings, Women's Studies and Black Studies conferences, and technology workshops.