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The stage is set for a robust discussion today, as nearly 400 leaders in business and higher education gather to attend ������’s symposium at the TimesCenter in New York City.  (The symposium begins at 8:30 a.m., and can be .)

The high-level crowd includes 15 college presidents, online education providers, career services professionals, high school counselors, and trustees and faculty members representing more than 20 higher ed institutions.

, Kim B. Clark professor of business administration at the Harvard Business School and co-founder of the innovation consulting firm Innosight, will deliver the keynote address titled “The Innovative University,” after which ’77, executive producer of 60 Minutes and chairman of CBS News, will moderate a panel discussion called “Seizing the Initiative in the Digital Age,” with six college presidents.

������ President is hosting the event. Along with , Williams College; , Grinnell College; Georgia Nugent (emerita), Kenyon College; , Pomona College; and , Hamilton College, Herbst hopes to explore not only the threats but also the opportunities the digital age presents for higher education.

Viewers are urged to join the discussion via Twitter by using the hashtag .

Jeffrey Herbst is president of ������.

In addition to the panel of presidents, the Innovation + Disruption event features two presentations on the topic of the liberal arts classroom in the digital age.

Karen Harpp, associate professor of geology at ������, will discuss her course The Advent of the Atomic Bomb, which is currently being offered online to more than 350 alumni, along with 30 undergraduates on campus.

Erland Stevens, professor and chair of chemistry at Davidson College, will speak about his online course Medicinal Chemistry. Both and Davidson are affiliated with the edX platform.

In the afternoon, career center counselors, academic leaders, and human resources professionals will attend a set of presentations around the theme “Are liberal arts graduates ready for launch?”