Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision. The ability to direct individual accomplishments toward organizational objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results. -Andrew Carnegie

COPPER Leadership Purpose Eight diverse institutions have partnered to create an evolving, interdisciplinary community of practice focused on the scholarship of teaching and learning. Our mission is to create communities of practice that are vital, collaborative, connective, and communicative within and across institutions. By traversing the boundaries that are perceived to exist between different levels of higher education, we seek to focus on the common mission of student learning. The COPPER initiative is consistent with the recommendations of the Association of American Colleges and Universities National Panel Report, Greater Expectations: A New Vision for Learning as a Nation Goes to College as well as with the missions of the member Colleges. Through work on common themes and joint projects, we anticipate that pooling the rich array of resources from our diverse settings will create a synergy enhancing the collective experiences of all. Goals Support the engagement of faculty in the practice of teaching and learning. Aid faculty in becoming adept at demonstrating evidence of student learning. Collect and analyze evidence of learning within and across institutions. Design means by which institutions can collaborate to enhance work in SoTL. Establish a coordinating service for faculty engaged in similar or complementary research or practice. Community Activities and Events Summer Institute: 3-day series of workshops addressing varied levels of SoTL and exploring new approaches for communities of practice COPPER Weblog: Meeting place for exchange of resources and ideas, opportunity for all campus members to contribute to ongoing dialogues Winter Retreat: January gathering of cluster members Newsletters: Individual institutional showcase and campus updates Monthly Conference Calls: Ongoing discussions of cluster work Cluster Campus Site Visits: On site collaboration with cluster members Profile of COPPER Cluster Institutions COPPER WebCenter Connecting with the Cluster COPPER BLOG: "A place to get your 2 cents in." MCC SoTL Website: Collection of resources and activities COPPER Addresses: Contact information, links to cluster institutions and campus resources