Call for Proposals: 2026 ACS Summer Collaborations | Associated Colleges of the South

The ACS Summer Collaborations Program supports cross institutional projects that advance residential liberal arts education through shared learning, innovation, and peer exchange. We invite proposals that bring together faculty and staff from ACS institutions to address timely challenges and opportunities in teaching, learning, and campus practice. Projects should emphasize collaboration, experimentation, and the exchange of ideas, with the goal of developing strategies, resources, or models that strengthen work across ACS.

This year ACS will prioritize support for collaborative proposals across four thematic focus areas: (Please click on each item to expand it.)

1. AI & Technology as Tools for Human Learning.

1. AI & Technology as Tools for Human Learning. This theme invites proposals that explore thoughtful and ethical uses of AI and emerging technologies to support academic, administrative, and student-facing work. Projects should examine how institutions can leverage technology to improve effectiveness and access while remaining grounded in the human-centered mission of liberal arts education.

2. Career Development, Vocation, and the Liberal Arts.

2. Career Development, Vocation, and the Liberal Arts. Proposals under this theme focus on integrating career development, vocational discernment, and transferable skills into liberal arts curricula and co-curricular experiences. Collaborative projects may explore faculty/staff partnerships, curricular models, or assessment strategies that help students connect their education to meaningful work and lives of purpose.

3. Belonging, Accessibility, and Inclusive Learning Environments.

3. Belonging, Accessibility, and Inclusive Learning Environments.
This theme centers on fostering inclusive, accessible, and supportive learning environments that promote student engagement. Proposals may address inclusive pedagogies, accessibility and neurodiversity support, first-year experience initiatives, or strategies for responding to evolving student needs across classrooms and campus communities.

4. Interdisciplinary Learning and Creative Collaboration.

4. Interdisciplinary Learning and Creative Collaboration.
This theme encourages projects that break down disciplinary silos to create integrated learning experiences for students and partnerships for faculty and administrators. Proposals may explore interdisciplinary curriculum development, cross-departmental partnerships, team-teaching, or creative collaborations that connect academic and co-curricular spaces.

We invite collaborative proposals on these and other topics in three different formats:

1. Workshop Teams to develop an individual workshop for virtual delivery across ACS.

1. Workshop Teams to develop an individual workshop for virtual delivery across ACS in fall 2026. Each team must include representatives from at least 2 campuses. Collaborators will receive stipends up to $1500 each. Workshops must include specific learning objectives, a plan to engage attendees via an interactive session, and a takeaway resource. We anticipate supporting 2-3 workshop teams.

2. Working Groups to develop proposed ACS programming for spring and/or summer 2026.

2. Working Groups to develop proposed ACS programming for spring and/or summer 2026. Each team must include representatives from at least 2 campuses. Collaborators will receive stipends up to $2500 each. Working groups must include a specific problem statement and proposed program objectives. Final deliverables will include a program outline and budget. We anticipate supporting 1-2 working groups.

3. Reading Groups to facilitate peer reading and discussion.

ACS also invites participation in our Summer Writing Accountability Groups, which meet weekly for goal-setting and peer support. Learn more and sign up to advance your writing goals here by April 3.

Application process:
Submit collaborative proposals via this form by April 3. ACS will communicate decisions by April 17.

Questions? Click here for our FAQ Page.
You may also contact Shiree Williams at swilliams@acsouth.edu.

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