Offer a safe, supportive environment for discussing and solving the pedagogical, methodological, and situational problems of teachers and trainers;
Facilitate the professional groth of all full and part-time faculty and staff as both teachers and learners;
Foster innovative instructional/teaching pratices that improve and enhance learning;
Orient teachers and trainers to focus on evaulating the effectiveness of their instruction;
Network the college community's collective expertise and the richness of its differences into productive collaborations;
Sponsor, promote, and keep a calendar of training and learning oppportunities college-wide;
Provide the physical space, technology, resources, and services to support these activities; and
Conduct its activities freely in an inclusive non-threatening setting
This 2008 collection of twenty-three essays takes the reader all over the world investigating the power of stories "to generate hope and engagement, personal dignity and active citizenship, the pride of identity, and the humility of human connectedness." It suggests that the 21st century is a historical moment in the recognition of the power of story. Using dance, music, ancient scrolls, theater, newspapers, community meetings and computers stories call us to listen and to respond in new ways to old challenges. Calling attention to urgent matters, "people everywhere are telling stories to change the world."