College consortia have grown in the last two decades. Their potential lies in five areas: enriching or supplementing academic programs, often with new technologies, developing partnerships with new audiences, particularly through continuing education and partnerships with schools; maintaining faculty vitality; and using collective economic…

Successful interinstitutional partnerships have common elements, including strong presidential commitment, administrative support mechanisms, faculty and staff involvement, periodic evaluation, integrated cooperation in each institution's day-to-day work, and communication. Care in choosing areas of cooperation, and the use of a joint advisory…