To improve the Academy is the annual publication of POD, the Professional and Organizational Development Network in Higher Education. This growing alliance of professionals promotes excellence in teaching and learning through faculty and organizational development. Members of POD include college and university administrators, faculty developers, instructional technologists, educational consultants, and full- and part-time faculty from all disciplines who are involved in research and teaching. Each fall, POD members gather for the annual meeting. Some of the chapters in this volume were inspired by presentations or conversations at the 2003 meeting held in Denver, Colorado. More information about POD can be found at podnetwork.org.

The production of To Improve the Academy, Volume 23 was a yearlong process involving collaboration of ideas, thoughtful writing, submission of manuscripts, peer review, multiple revisions, and careful editing. More than 100 people were involved and all were volunteers who care about the improvement of teaching and learning. I particularly want to thank Associate Editor Douglas Reimondo Robertson, whose wisdom, dedication, and diligence added immeasurably to the quality of this volume. The initial decisions concerning the appropriateness and choice of chapters were made by the reviewers. For their thoughtful and timely work, I would like to thank Mary J. Allen, Danilo Baylen, Donna Bird, Peter Bishop, Phyllis Blumberg, Debra Busacca, Darcey Cuffman, Cynthia Desrochers, Michele DiPietro, Sally Barr Ebest, Peter Felton, Tara Gray, Eric Hobson, Wayne Jacobson, Trish Kalivoda, Heidi Holst Knudsen, Emily Lardner, Jean Layne, Vilma Mesa, Sue Neeley, Megan Palmer, Judy Silvestrone, Margaret Snooks, Lydia Soleil, David Starrett, Ian Stewart, and Patricia Valley. Ultimately, the decisions among many excellent manuscripts regarding inclusion and arrangement were mine.

Carolyn Dumore, of Anker Publishing, was most responsive and helpful with my many questions. I want to thank President Rita Bornstein and Dean Roger Casey of Rollins College for encouraging me to work on this volume. And, as always, I am grateful for the good ideas and constant support of my husband, Professor Erich C. Blossey, D.J. and J. M. Cram Chair of Chemistry at Rollins College.

  • Sandra Chadwick-Blossey

  • Rollins College

  • Winter Park, FL

  • April 2004