The Intercollegiate Studies Institute Lecture Program assists in sponsoring lectures each year at the college, university, and preparatory school levels. ISI makes available top scholars and nationally known speakers to lecture at campuses across the country. These events examine both popular topics, such as affirmative action and core curriculum controversies, as well as perennial concerns, such as the nature of freedom and the best forms of government. ISI's lectures are rooted in fundamental principles and the enduring Western intellectual patrimony.Mark Bauerlein is the Director of Research & Analysis for the National Endowment for the Arts. He is responsible for identifying research needs relevant to the agency and the arts community and developing a research, evaluation, and analysis program to address those needs. He earned a doctorate in English at UCLA in 1988. The following year he joined the faculty of Emory University in Atlanta.