Lawrence G. Dotolo, Ph.D.
Executive Director

The Association for Consortium Leadership (ACL) is the national organization for consortia that actively promotes cooperation in higher education. ACL is a proactive association that provides professional development, which includes monthly webinars (professional development workshops) on important issues impacting cooperation in higher education; consulting services; a list serve for discussion among ACL members; and an annual conference. ACL is the only association of its kind that serves higher education consortia.
ssssACL is comprised of sixty-two consortia members representing over 1,000 colleges and universities nationwide. These consortia are located in almost every region of the United States and have a significant impact on higher education. For forty years, ACL has provided valuable resources for its membership, including its Consortium Directory that includes many of the active higher education consortia in the United States.
ssssThe Directory contains valuable information on each consortia, including a list of activities, member institutions, consortium staff and operating budgets. ACL has also developed a guide to assist consortia and institutions of higher education in reviewing the missions, goals, operations and planning of cooperative programs.
ssssThis instrument can serve as a self-assessment guide that provides consortia and institutions of higher education with a way to assess the effectiveness of cooperative activities. As a service to the higher education community, ACL has, in cooperation with several consortia directors and Jossey-Bass, published three books on cooperation in higher education: Best Practices in Higher Education: How Institutions  Can Work Together, 1999; Leveraging Resources Through Partnerships, 2002; and Access to Higher Education Through Consortia, 2007.
ssssThese books emphasize the importance of cooperation and the major impact institutions working together can have on the efficiency and the effectiveness of higher education. The Higher Education Consortia Magazine is another example of ACL’s effort to promote cooperation in higher education and to make more individuals aware of the extent and impact of cooperation.
ssssIn addition, ACL has dynamic and resourceful web site that provides information on the organization’s services, programs, and upcoming events. To learn more about ACL, visit www.acl.odu.edu  or call the main office at 757-683-3183.