Technology has unlocked remarkable possibilities for remote teaching and collaboration. Still, in-person interactions can form lasting bonds and cultivate a shared culture. To strengthen those connections, instructors in the Basic Program of Liberal Education for Adults gathered this past August for their first retreat in seven years.
The instructors spent three days at a house in Sawyer, Michigan. The event provided a rare opportunity for in-depth conversations about what makes adult education in the Basic Program uniquely rewarding and how they can preserve and build on the program’s strengths as their community grows.
“We have faculty meetings every month, at which we attend to urgent business of a logistical nature, but we rarely have time to discuss the first principles animating the program,” Noah Chafets, the Cyril O. Houle Chair of the Basic Program, said. “For the sake of holding conversations of this kind among the faculty, there really is no substitute for a retreat.”
Against a scenic backdrop, instructors were able to take the time to reconnect and share ideas for advancing the program’s mission. Through serious and rigorous engagement with vital issues, they emerged from the weekend with even more ideas for helping students of all ages and from diverse backgrounds experience Great-Books education.
Preparing for the Basic Program’s Future
The retreat gave instructors the time and structure to explore the concepts and pedagogical approaches that will inspire the next cohorts of Basic Program students. Participants shared their thoughts on fundamental questions like:
- Why and how does the Basic Program continue to matter in the current moment?
- What makes a book a “Great Book?” How do instructors decide what texts to include in the curriculum?
- What is the nature of the relationship between the Core Sequence and the Alumni Sequences (curated courses of study for those who have studied in the program for at least two years)? What is the nature of the relationships between the various Alumni Sequences?
- How many Alumni Sequences should be available, and what topics will best supplement the Basic Program curriculum?
- How should instructors approach our teaching in online courses and offline courses?
- What challenges could interfere with the Basic Program’s mission, and how can instructors address them?
“The retreat is for making sure that the special thing we do, which is rare in the higher education landscape — and even rarer in adult education — continues in its best possible form,” Noah said.
Fostering Personal and Intellectual Connections
For the instructors who attended the retreat, personal interactions are just as meaningful as the big-picture discussions. Noah felt that some of his most memorable experiences were the spontaneous conversations that occurred as participants traveled in carpools on the way to and from the rental house, touching on topics that ranged from ancient Chinese philosophy to current events to the state of academia.
Cynthia Rutz, a Basic Program instructor who attended the previous retreat in 2018, greatly appreciated that she could once again spend time with her colleagues in an informal environment.
“This opportunity to get to know each other again in person was so valuable,” Cynthia said. “On the first night we had a bonfire in the backyard of our rental house. Just the act of collectively building a fire and then sitting around talking and laughing with each other was terrific.”
For decades, the Basic Program has invited curious minds to think deeply, read closely, and engage in meaningful conversation. Events like the August retreat, made possible through the Securing the Future fundraising initiative, serve to cultivate the thoughtful, highly engaged teaching that will carry on the program’s tradition.
“Those who attended are deeply grateful to our donors who made this wonderful faculty development opportunity possible,” Cynthia said.
Years of Transformation
A great deal has changed within the Basic Program and in the world at large since instructors last gathered for a retreat in the Summer of 2018. The COVID-19 pandemic compelled the program to further embrace online learning and opened doors to learners beyond the Chicago area.
At the beginning of the 2017 school year, the Basic Program welcomed 73 new first-year students in the Core sequence and offered just three online classes. By Autumn 2025, the number had grown to 42 online courses (along with 10 in-person courses), with about 80% of students attending virtually. Now that the program is accessible from anywhere, 198 people have just enrolled in their first year, a testament to the curriculum’s enduring and expansive appeal.
As more learners discovered the Basic Program’s distinctive approach to inquiry, the community naturally grew. New offerings, such as an expanded slate of Alumni Sequences, also called for additional instructors to guide the discussions. At the time of the last retreat, there were 16 instructors in the program; now that number has nearly doubled to 30. Yet amid this growth, the Basic Program’s commitment to critical thinking, deep reflection, and respectful dialogue remains the same.
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“In a period when the programs, faculty, students, and courses we offer are growing rapidly, we have to make sure that the culture of the program retains its distinctive character and strengths,” Noah said.
For eight of the new instructors, this was their first opportunity to gather in the same room with colleagues who have more experience in the program, all participating in the free exchange of ideas and perspectives that defines UChicago. Seasoned instructors brought a deep understanding of the program’s remarkable, 80-year history, while newer faculty members offered fresh ideas for the curriculum and classroom experience.
“The staff retreat is more important than ever as we introduce these new instructors to the Basic Program teaching culture,” said Zoë Eisenman, the director of Academics at the UChicago Graham School and a Basic Program instructor.
The Securing the Future Fund provides the resources that ensure Basic Program courses will continue to be taught by instructors who possess expertise, experience, and passion that are unparalleled among adult education programs.
