Indiana University’s College Arts and Humanities Institute (CAHI) provides a forum for creative and research initiatives for faculty of the College. CAHI offers an intellectual base and meeting place for faculty interested in developing disciplinary and interdisciplinary activities in the arts and humanities. One of the Institute’s most important goals is to forge links among arts and humanities groups as well as to develop cultural cooperation which leads to innovative performances and research.
The Institute is financed by the College of Arts and Sciences and is located just south of campus, at the corner of Atwater and Ballantine Avenue. Its center can host up to 40 people for cultural events, and arts and humanities groups are welcome to reserve it for meetings and seminars. Many departments and interdisciplinary groups including, Renaissance Studies, the 18th Century Study Group, American Studies, etc. utilize the Institute’s facility for their meetings.
CAHI, however, was conceived to be much more than a mere meeting place. It is a symbol of the multifaceted aspects of intellectual exploration, and its programs and activities encourage partnerships amongst the various arts and humanities disciplines, and reach out to other IU schools and units, as well as to the Bloomington community and beyond.
The Institute has an Advisory Board composed of senior arts and humanities faculty. Members of the Advisory Board serve for a renewable two-year term and advise the Director on programming and planning. The Associate Dean for Research in the College is an ex-officio member of the Board. Current Advisory Board members are Susan Gubar (English), John Bodnar (History), Jeff Wolin (Fine Arts); Mark Kaplan (Philosophy); Annie Lang, Associate Dean for Research (ex-officio).
CAHI sponsors events and lecture series related to topics of multidisciplinary interest. Every year, CAHI invites well-known guest speakers and artists; it supports conferences and workshops; and offers both a Fellowship program and Travel Research grant opportunities for faculty in the College of Arts and Sciences. For the biennium 2008-10, special attention will be given to applications addressing the following topic: Cultural Conflicts (which includes Politics and the Arts, the theme proposed by the Office of the Vice Provost for Research for ArtsWeek 2008-09). Faculty members from the College are encouraged to apply regardless of the thematic events that CAHI is currently supporting.
The Institute has a rigorous screening system with set deadlines for its internal competitions. Applications to each competition are evaluated and ranked by separate review boards each consisting of no fewer than three tenured or tenure-stream faculty who are appointed by the director, in consultation with the advisory board, and serve a two year term. Departments, programs and study groups are welcome to apply for emergency funding during the calendar year. Decisions about emergency funds are made by the Director in consultation with the Advisory Board.