More than 600 people from a wide cross section of academia, journalism and the Jewish community will participate in "Imagining a More Civil Society: The Summit on the University and the Jewish Community" sponsored by Hillel, March 24-26. The event will be preceded by Symposium for Hillel lay leadership.

Summit-goers include: 15 current and former university presidents; more than 125 campus administrators and faculty members; 90 students. A total of 128 universities will be represented, including 14 law schools. In addition, more than 150 people representing 50 campuses and communities will attend the Lay Leadership Symposium.

Among the speakers are:

Lawrence S. Bacow, President, Tufts University
Nancy Cantor, Chancellor, Syracuse University
Richard M. Joel, President, Yeshiva University
Ruth Messinger, President, American Jewish World Service
Robert D. Putnam, Peter and Isabel Malkin Professor of Public Policy, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University
Morton Owen Schapiro, President, Williams College
Donna E. Shalala, President, University of Miami
Judy Woodruff, Senior Correspondent, News Hour PBS
Ruth R. Wisse, Martin Peretz Professor of Yiddish Literature, Harvard College

Hillel will be posting daily updates about the Summit on the Hillel Web page. The complete conference program is available for review.

"The Summit will undoubtedly strengthen Hillel's partnership with the university community and promote a more civil society on campus and beyond," says Hillel President Wayne L. Firestone.