Abstract
Since 2003, the Creighton Physics Department has organized an annual meeting of
physics departments from Marquette, Loyola of Chicago, and Creighton to
consider issues particular to physics departments at Jesuit universities.
Representatives from St. Louis University and Rockhurst are also regular
participants. Normally about 20 faculty members attend. Retreats have been held
in central locations (Dubuque, IA, Sinsinawa, WI, Wyoming, IA) with the most
recent in Woodstock, IL. Collaboration among the schools has improved. The
meetings have resulted in the development of common seminars shared over the
internet. More significantly it initiated a series of voluntary departmental reviews.
As these reviews were not mandated by the administration and were carried out by
individuals who already were aware of issues in the department, they were able to
confront issues that might remain hidden to an outsider.