SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Under the direction of its chief academic officers, the Southern Conference Academic Exchange has targeted three specific initiatives in its continuing efforts to highlight and promote the accomplishments of students, faculty and staff.

The Academic Exchange, formed in January 2015, recently established plans and timetables for the collaboration of international study programs, the creation of a leadership development program for faculty and staff, and an undergraduate student research forum.

Chaired by Dr. Scott Davis, provost at Mercer University, the Exchange has also led to the establishment of an all-conference faculty team and a section of the conference’s website dedicated to academic news and achievements.

A subcommittee chaired by Dr. Julie Strecker of Mercer has met three times to put together a framework to permit students from various SoCon institutions to participate in the same study programs abroad beginning in the summer of 2016. The Southern Conference currently conducts study programs in 96 countries around the world.

Another subcommittee, chaired by Dr. Connie Book, provost at The Citadel, is planning a summer 2016 seminar and program designed to share best practices for leadership development among faculty and staff on each campus. The goal is to establish efficient patterns of identifying and mentoring potential department deans and provosts.

A third subcommittee, chaired by Dr. Alison Morrison-Shetlar, provost at Western Carolina University, has triggered preparations for the first SoCon Undergraduate Research Forum (SURF), scheduled for Oct. 28-29, 2016, on the campus of Wofford College. Plans call for approximately 150 students, faculty and staff to participate in a two-day event that will feature projects in the arts & humanities as well as the STEM disciplines.

The Exchange is the first unified effort by the Southern Conference in its 95-year history to have members work collaboratively on academic and research matters.