Source: Ann Arbor News

http://www.mlive.com/news/aanews/index.ssf?/base/news-16/113853331373980.xml&coll=2

On January 29, 2006 the Ann Arbor News released an interview with Matthew L. Kaplan, associate director of the University of Michigan Center for Research on Learning and Teaching. In December, the University of Michigan received a $100,000 grant from the Difficult Dialogues program at The Ford Foundation. When asked how the grant money would be appropriated, Kaplan responded, "The work will happen both inside and outside the classroom: courses, dialogues and resources. A Ford Foundation Faculty Fellows Program will involve 15 to 20 faculty members working on curriculum units for courses... In the next 18 months, we'll both collect and generate web and print resources on the role of religion, especially in civic life, and also guidelines for teaching. There's also that other, very important chunk: creating dialogue. The Ginsberg Center for Community Service and Learning might place people in faith-based organizations. Roundtables will bring together students, faculty and members of those organizations to talk about the relationship between community service and spirituality... The Life Sciences and Society Program will have roundtables on ethical issues in the life sciences. Not only students and faculty, but members of the different religious traditions. Also, the Program on Intergroup Relations is going to have dialogues between students of different religious backgrounds."