Notice: For information and registration for this year's conference at UNC-Asheville please visit their site at http://www.unca.edu/henc.

This conference gathered humanities educators from across the state of North Carolina to discuss the present and future role of the humanities in our public higher education system. Speakers came from all levels of the system, and topics included changing demographics, instructional technologies, existing and emerging curricula and degree programs, and connections to K-12 public education.

The goal was to bring together a community of educators who had never met before as a group and to foster discussion around issues of common interest, thus forging links for future cooperation. The conference format provided ample time for small group discussions and audience participation.

The conference began Friday night the 15th with a keynote address by Annette Kolodny, former Dean of the College of Humanities at the University of Arizona, followed by a reception. Saturday from 9 to 5 were devoted to work-shop style sessions on various topics and to a concluding session for assessment of what we accomplished and where to go from here.