Annual ACCA Opportunities

Over the course of an academic year, the Associated Colleges of the Chicago Area has a variety of opportunities to engage with colleagues from member organizations. For more information on any of these activities, contact the executive director at srobbert@accachicago.org.

October Dinner-Meeting

This dinner-meeting occurs usually on the first Monday of October on the campus of one of the member institutions. All academic administrators and faculty from STEM and social science disciplines are invited to attend.  At the dinner, we will hear updates about the annual ACCA events, from our ACCA partner institutions, and have a chance to connect with disciplinary colleagues from other ACCA institutions. After dinner, faculty attendees will break into disciplinary groups to plan events for the upcoming academic year and academic administrators will conduct the fall board meeting.  There is no cost to attend this dinner; expenses are paid out of the dues of member organizations.

Fall Faculty Pedagogy Symposium

On a Saturday in the fall, usually late October or early November, all faculty (STEM, social sciences, and all other groups!) from ACCA institutions are invited to a symposium focused on pedagogy. The event includes a plenary address from a distinguished guest who can speak to current issues related to instruction at the collegiate level. Issues such as inclusive education, AI, and memory have been the focus of recent events. In addition, faculty are invited to share research and experiences related to the scholarship of teaching and learning in break-out sessions throughout the day. Lunch is provided.  There is no cost to attend this symposium; expenses are paid out of the dues of member organizations. For more information see https://accachicago.org/acca-scholarship-of-pedagogy-symposium/.

Spring Student Research Symposium

On a Saturday in the spring, usually mid to late April, students from STEM and social science disciplines at an ACCA member institution are invited to present the results of research conducted as part of their academic experience. Up to 100 student poster presentations and 40 oral presentations occur during the day. The event is anchored by a distinguished guest who gives an engaging presentation on a topic relevant to students in STEM and social science programs. Past speakers have addressed issues in decoding AI, scientific integrity, and researching race. Faculty are encouraged to attend to support students from their institution and discipline. Lunch is provided.  There is no cost to attend this symposium; expenses are paid out of the dues of member organizations. For more information see https://accachicago.org/student-symposium/

Student Vocation Event

One morning afternoon in the academic year, students and faculty/staff guides are invited to learn about STEM vocations at a local organization. At the event, students will hear from professionals about what their career is like and how they navigated the academic and professional journey to arrive at their current location. Past events have been hosted at the Morton Arboretum and Shedd Aquarium. In the time surrounding the panel presentation, students and their guides were invited to explore the facilities of the organization. There is no cost to attend these sessions to attendees from ACCA member universities. Details of this annual event are released during the academic year.

Disciplinary Sessions

ACCA funds STEM and social science divisions to host discipline-specific events during the academic year. Disciplinary activities include hosting guest lecturers, student engagement events such as competitions or explorations, professional conferences for faculty and students, seminar lecture series, and book discussion groups. These events are planned by faculty in the relevant discipline, usually at the October dinner-meeting. Funded disciplines currently include biology, chemistry, computer and data science, mathematics, physics, and psychology. Other social science disciplinary groups are invited to request ACCA funding to hold events.

Specialized Courses with Partner Organizations

ACCA partners with two non-profit organizations to offer courses in biology and ecology. Shedd Aquarium offers two courses per year; a fresh water ecology course in the fall and a marine ecology course in the spring. Morton Arboretum offers two courses per year on a variety of topics; past topics have included soil science, forest ecology, and woody plants of the great lakes region. Tuition for these courses is paid by member organizations whose students enroll in the course. For more information see https://accachicago.org/shedd-aquarium/ or https://accachicago.org/morton-arboretum/.