URI joins with 10 Northeast colleges, universities to form first-of-its-kind humanities consortium

KINGSTON, R.I. – Sept. 18, 2018 – The University of Rhode Island’s Center for the Humanities is joining with 10 other Northeast colleges and universities to form the New England Humanities Consortium, which will promote intellectual collaboration, interdisciplinary exchange and innovative programming for faculty, students, and the regional, national and global communities they serve.

The consortium, a first of its kind in the region, was established with the support of a $100,000 grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and will focus on programming in such fields as history, language, art, literature and philosophy. Along with URI, the founding institutions are Amherst College, Colby College, Dartmouth College, Northeastern University, Tufts University, the University of Connecticut, the University of New Hampshire, the University of Vermont, Wellesley College and Wheaton College.

“The consortium and the Mellon grant offer new possibilities and collaborations that we haven’t even imagined,” said Annu Palakunnathu Matthew, director of URI’s Center for the Humanities. “Collectively our voices are stronger to elevate our disciplines’ dialogue and their impact in society.”

“The Northeast is a worldwide center for research in the humanities and this consortium will allow us to do something genuinely new — to embark on initiatives that no single institution could accomplish on their own,” said Michael Lynch, director of UConn’s Humanities Institute (UCHI). “UCHI is tremendously proud to be a part of this important endeavor.” Lynch will serve as the consortium’s first executive director.

The Mellon Foundation funding will support initial programing and assist in the development of administrative practices as well as future projects. The grant supports two pilot projects:

  • A working group to aid in supporting, mentoring and creating research collaborations for faculty of color in New England.
  • A lecture series – “Time’s Up: What Now?” – that will move among students, faculty and speakers across three campuses to serve as a model for future joint speaker and faculty events.