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CASLS staff gather each year to reconnect with the center's mission – improving world language teaching and learning – and to set goals and strategic priorities for the upcoming year. The retreat used a hot air balloon theme as a metaphor for the importance of connecting ideas and vision with action and results.

During the first portion of this year's annual meeting, staff articulated their vision for the center's direction and shared their hopes for the future. The second half of the retreat included discussions on how to define results for each project and put concrete action plans in place.

The strategic directions for CASLS include work focused around four cornerstone areas.

• Place-based Learning: The place-based learning cornerstone provides a research-based model for the use of place-based experiences in language teaching and learning contexts. Projects within this cornerstone area increase students' access to language interaction outside of the classroom.
• Articulation and Collaboration: The articulation and collaboration cornerstone seeks to enhance collaboration between two- and four-year higher education institutions and articulate language program outcomes between Lane Community College and the University of Oregon, both located in Eugene, Oregon.
• Innovative Assessment: The innovative assessment cornerstone expands available assessment instruments and provides resources their effective integration into the classroom.
• Professional Development: The professional development cornerstone provides educators with practical, research-based information and resources about language instruction.