News for the Smith College Community //December 9, 1999
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Rally Day to Honor Five Alums Rally Day 2000, which will take place on February 23, will welcome back to campus five outstanding alumna, who will be the recipients of Smith College Medals. Also returning will be the college's seventh president, Jill Ker Conway, as Rally Day speaker. The five medalists, all but one of whom graduated in the 1960s, were chosen for the honor because they have demonstrated, "in their lives and service to the community or to the college the true purpose of a liberal arts education." Conway, who was Smith's first woman president, serving from 1975 to 1985, is the author of the bestselling memoirs The Road From Coorain and True North. She is a visiting scholar and professor in the Program in Science, Technology and Society at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. And now, meet the five outstanding women who will return to Smith to be honored on Rally Day: Helen Edelstein Freedman '63, a supreme court justice in the unified court system of New York, New York, has become known for her skill, intellect and steadfastness in presiding over complex legal cases. In 1987, all personal injury asbestos cases in New York City were assigned to Justice Freedman; her supervision of asbestos cases has resulted in more than 1,500 dispositions and millions of dollars in settlements and judgments as well as the formation of the State Mass Tort Litigation Committee, a committee of judges from around the country that manages mass torts. For almost 15 years, Justice Freedman has also utilized the authority of her office to hold the city of New York to its legal obligation to house homeless families with children. In so doing, she has withstood personal attacks from politicians and the New York media, but has never relinquished her commitment to uphold the law. A book by Freedman was published in 1998 about trial objections. She serves on state committees working on gender bias, jury instructions and alternate dispute resolution. Diana Eck '67, a professor of comparative religion at Harvard University and a member of the Divinity School Faculty, has devoted her professional life to exploring the religious landscape of India and more recently, of the United States. Eck's nationally renowned program, the Pluralism Project, which has documented religious pluralism in America in light of post-1965 emmigration, has resulted in the publication of the multimedia CD On Common Ground, used as an educational tool in libraries, schools and universities nationwide. Eck was awarded a National Humanities Medal (from the National Endowment for the Humanities) at a White House ceremony in November 1998, partly as a reward for her work on the Pluralism Project. Eck's most recent book, Encountering God: A Spiritual Jouney from Bozeman to Banaras, won the prestigious Louisville Grawemeyer Award in Religion and the Melcher Book Award of the Unitarian Universalist Association. Eck was also elected one of the presidents of the World Conference on Religion and Peace. Elisabeth McLane-Bradley '42, as a lifelong volunteer and tireless advocate for social and economic justice, has set a remarkable example of civic participation and efficacy, while dedicating her energy, commitment and community spirit to improving life in New Hampshire and Vermont through the causes of education, land conservation, housing and mental health. Working with the Tucker Foundation at Dartmouth College, McLane-Bradley helped establish the first public school ABC (A Better Chance) program in the U.S. In 1994, she led the effort to establish the Upper Valley Community Foundation, a project that combines the community foundation resources in Vermont and New Hampshire. As its founding chair, McLane-Bradley has moved the organization well along toward the goal of raising a $20 million endowment by this year. Marilyn Carlson Nelson '61 has been called an innovator, pioneer, community activist and is one of the most prominent businesswomen in the country. As chief executive officer and vice chairman of the Minnesota-based Carlson Companies, Inc., a $6.6 billion enterprise that includes holdings in a national network of travel agencies, hotels, and restaurants, she has set a formidable example for future women in business. At Carlson Companies, Nelson increased the number of female vice presidents from 15 to 42 during a five-year period. While taking time away from full-time employment to raise her children, Nelson immersed herself in community activism. She chaired Scandinavia Today, a nine-month celebration that brought dignitaries and royalty to Minnesota, as well as Minnesota's Super Bowl '92 task force. She also served as campaign chair and president of the United Way and is on the boards of Exxon and U.S. West. Ruth DeYoung Kohler '63, since becoming
the third director of the John Michael Kohler Arts Center in
Sheboygen, Wisconsin, in 1972, has raised the center's reputation
to its current level as one of the most highly regarded arts
organizations in the United States-not a museum, but an activist
organization that in commissioning, producing and presenting
dance, theater, music, photography and the like brings together
artists, art and the public. Her exhibitions, catalogues and
related educational programming have won national attention for
their imagination and excellence. Kohler conceived and developed
Kohler Company's Arts/Industry Program, which brings outstanding
artists to the company, a leading plumbingware manufacturer,
for residencies during which they work side by side with factory
workers. As volunteer president of the Kohler Foundation, she
has spearheaded a highly successful and widely emulated program
to preserve the environmental works of self-taught artists. She
has served on numerous NEA panels and task forces and chaired
the Wisconsin Arts Board. In 1997, Kohler was awarded the Wisconsin
Governor's Award in Support of the Arts. Shuttles Aim to Increase Campus Safety At 5 p.m. November 18, only a few days after a Mount Holyoke College student reported being grabbed by a strange man at a PVTA bus stop in front of John M. Greene Hall, hundreds of Smith community members filed into the hall to discuss safety and security on campus. As various administrators and staff members addressed the audience, the message was clear: in response to alleged attacks around the Five College area, Smith College is listening to students' concerns and taking action. Evidence of that action was already apparent that evening as Smith's new shuttle service, managed by Steve Campbell, assistant to the director of the Physical Plant, made its campus debut. According to Sue Briggs, administrative assistant in the Office of the Dean of the College, the new shuttle service was "commissioned by the president and the dean of the college to address student concerns on safety." The new shuttle is not to be confused with the Smith College Campus Shuttle, which is student-run, student-driven, and operated out of the Office of Student Affairs. The campus shuttle, which has operated for more than a decade on campus, runs from 8 p.m. to midnight Sunday through Thursday, and from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays. While there is no specific pickup time, the shuttle runs on a continuous loop, beginning at Ainsworth Gymnasium, then driving to Green Street, Neilson Library, Unity House, Davis, and the Quad. The new shuttle service employs drivers from the college's custodial, grounds, garden, and garage staff who have signed up to work overtime. The shuttle, meant to serve as a supplement to the campus shuttle, is operated on a mostly on-call basis. "We're dispatched through Public Safety," Campbell says. "When they have a request [for a ride], we'll page a shuttle and have the shuttle go pick them up." Campbell's shuttle makes a particular effort to be available around "areas of increased activity," he says. "If there are a number of people at Davis Center, a group at the Gamut or the Unity House, a party -- you know, somewhere there's a large congregation of students -- the shuttle will make a trip up there and be visible." The Physical Plant shuttle service is available seven days a week, from 8:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. The shuttle is not limited to students, points out Sharon Rust, director of public safety. "This is available for everyone in the [Smith College] community." Almost a month since its first run, Campbell says the new service has been successful. "In the beginning, the response was very heavy," he said. "Now it's pretty consistent." Rust concurs. "Right up until [Thanksgiving] break, the shuttles and our department were very busy with transports," she says. "And I hope that people will continue to use our shuttles." Y2K The Y2K Coordinating Committee has posed a series of questions to campus administrators that are designed to elicit information about Smith Y2K readiness. This is the final installment in the series. Q. Could interterm be affected by Y2K problems? How? What are the contingency plans? A. The Office of the Provost/Dean of the Faculty, in conjunction with the Office of the Dean of the College, has determined that neither credit-bearing nor noncredit interterm courses will begin before Tuesday, January 4. We expect that the campus will be beyond any Y2K disruptions by that time. However, if for some reason the start of credit-bearing courses is delayed, faculty members who are teaching those courses will be encouraged to use a January Saturday as part of their instruction period. Updates on these issues will be provided to department chairs and program directors, as well as to the faculty at large, during late-fall faculty meetings. Low-Pressure Learning in the Year 2000 After the semester winds to an end, holiday festivities have come and gone and the Y2K hoopla has died down somewhat, many Smith students will leave behind their calculus, chemistry, and Chaucer books and turn their attention to an education of a different sort. Beginning Tuesday, January 4, students, along with some staff and faculty members, can be found in a range of classes studying anything from epée fencing and Japanese bookbinding to specialized knitting techniques. It's Interterm 2000, and in its third straight year, it will give students, faculty, and staff (along with members of the Five College and Northampton communities) a chance to experience "risk-free learning" while "investigating a special area of interest," says the Interterm catalogue. Course offerings for this year's Interterm are divided into nine sections: Auto Mechanics; Arts, Crafts, Cooking; Computer Technology; Sports, Outdoors and Health; Cultural Studies; Personal/Social Development and Finances; Writing, Reading, Languages; Music, Dance, Theater; and The Complete Student. There'll be "Overcoming Writing Anxiety," counseled by Jacobson Center staff members Debra Carney and Mary Koncel ("Bring your angst!" the course description urges). Matthew Daube, a graduate student in play writing, will illustrate a course called "The History and Theory of Comic Books," and SGA president Katrina Gardner '00 will jog through a course for people who "hate to run" called "Road Rules: The Non-Runner's Guide to Having Fun on a Run." There's something for everyone. And best of all, there are no grades. The registration deadline has passed, but if you are still interested in taking a class, you may contact the instructor. Prepare for the Last Party What's the best way to celebrate the end of the 20th century? By attending the Last Great (Smith) Party of the 20th Century, of course. It'll take place on Saturday, December 18, from 8 to 11:30 p.m. in the Indoor Track and Tennis facility. The party will feature a retrospective jaunt through the past 100 years (sure to show your age), focusing on the Victorian Age, the Roaring '20s and '30s, the '40s war period, the Fab '50s, Psychedelic '60s and Disco '70s. Of course, there will be a smorgasbord of culinary delights from some of the area's finest caterers, including Black Sheep Deli, Portabella Catering, and (our old favorite) Herrell's Ice Cream. Sample some pumpkin and white bean chowder. Dine on Caesar salad, vegetable stir fry, chicken breast and artichokes in brandied cream sauce, salmon encrusted with fennel, coriander and peppercorns, to name just a few. Top it off with fresh fruit and six flavors of ice cream with assorted toppings. Wash it all down with Coors Light draft beer, Northampton Brewery's own pale ale, merlot and chardonnay wines from the Lindeman Vineyards, and various soft drinks and coffee. Then dance it all off to the sounds of Don Bastarache's Big Band and DJ Ali Glaiel spinning your faves from decades past. To brush up on dancing skills, check out dance lessons offered at the Northampton Center for the Arts Wednesday evenings. For an experience you won't find anywhere else, don't miss the Last Great Party of the 20th Century. Calling All Artists for Staff Visions Janet Morris, an administrative assistant in the registrar's office, is already a seasoned member of the artistic community. In addition to her years of experience as a professional singer, Morris has held leading roles in community theater musicals and performed in murder-mystery dinner theater. Now she's decided to branch out in a new direction: she clips magazine pictures to create collages. Inspired by the beauty of the human form and that of the hills surrounding the Pioneer Valley, Morris says "the running theme" of her work involves the "incorporation of women's body parts into scenery."
"Staff Visions," which runs from January 24 through February 4 in Hillyer Gallery, provides an opportunity for staff members, ranging from novice artists to experienced professionals, to display their artistry in mediums such as oils, watercolor, embroidery, silk screen, pastel, pencil, wood, photography, and of course, collage. The popular exhibit will feature about 20 staff members' works. "One of the things that's interesting about the show is watching Smith people get to know each other in a new way," says exhibit co-organizer Patricia Czepiel Hayes, who will display her own work at "Staff Visions." "We may not have the opportunity to work together in the course of our Smith careers, but when we share our creative endeavors we immediately find common ground." "Staff Visions" will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturdays, and noon to 8 p.m. Sundays. A reception for the exhibition will be held January 25, from 4 to 6 p.m. in the gallery. Two Grants for SSW Faculty Two grants have recently been awarded to faculty members in the School for Social Work, one that will indirectly benefit minority children and one that will train social workers to assist people who are near the end of life. Mark Horwitz, project manager in the SSW's Center for Innovative Practice and Social Work Education, coauthored a grant proposal that garnered an $834,000 award, from the Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families, to fund the three-year Kinship Connections Project. The grant will be given in three parts to the School for Social Work, Lutheran Social Services of New England and the Massachusetts Department of Social Services (DSS). The Kinship Connections Project, through the advocacy of Lutheran Social Services in conjunction with DSS offices in the Fitchburg and Worcester areas, will find permanent homes for minority children in central Massachusetts who cannot live with their biological parents. Participating families in the project will receive legal advice regarding guardianship, adoption and the range of entitlements they and the children in their care may be eligible for. Horwitz, who has been awarded a $124,000 portion of the grant, will team with SSW faculty member Joyce Everett to complete the research and evaluation component of the project which will in part determine if the project's children experience more successful home placements than do children in a control group. SSW faculty member Joan Berzoff received a $60,000 award from the Project on Death in America program of the Open Society Institute to fund the two-year development of a certificate program in end-of-life care at the school. The grant will fund Berzoff's creation of a curriculum, establishment of professional collaborations and production of a textbook for the certificate program, which will be oriented toward post-master's level social workers who provide services to terminally ill patients and their families. A Healthy Deal for You If you're a Smith employee, eligible for benefits, and interested in staying healthy and fit, then Charlene Correa, work and life coordinator in Human Resources, and the Northampton Athletic Club have a deal for you. A program started by Correa and the health club in August offers a 20 percent discount off membership for Smith employees interested in joining the club. And an additional 15 percent rebate is available to employees who visit Northampton Athletic Club two or more times a week during their membership. "We felt there was a need for a partnership with a health and wellness club that would provide state-of-the art information, classes, and workout opportunities for our employees," Correa explains. The Northampton Athletic Club seemed like the perfect fit for that need, she said. "They don't just provide a place to work out. They provide a place for people to be educated about how to work out. We really liked that about them. If you're going to devote that much time to staying healthy, it's good to do it the right way." Among the features and facilities available at the athletic club, located at 306 King Street, are weight-training and cardiovascular equipment, a rock-climbing wall, basketball court, aerobic room, and steam-and-sauna-equipped men's and women's locker rooms. The club also offers "a very wide variety of aerobic and fitness classes," says Correa, including martial arts, kickboxing, yoga, and stationary cycling classes. Health-related professionals are also available on site, offering free initial training-and-fitness programs tailored to members' specific needs, massage therapy, professional training and nutritional counseling. Almost 60 Smith employees are already involved in the program and Correa hopes many more will join. "We want all our employees to be healthy and well," she says. "The healthier we are, the better." New Web Site Features Smith In the News If you're curious to see the many references to Smith College in the local and national media, check out a new Web site called "In the News" that profiles and summarizes Smith-related news stories from across the country. It's linked to the college's main Web site and is also available at <https://www.smith.edu/collegerelations/inthenews/home.html>. The Web site is maintained by Media Relations Director Laurie Fenlason, who hopes it will "serve as a resource for those speaking or writing about the college, as well as those who simply want to keep up with Smith's appearances in the public eye." "In the News," which is catalogued by month, offers a wealth of news stories from throughout the fall. Featured, for example, are articles from the New York Times and Fortune Magazine profiling Smith alumna and prominent businesswoman Shelly Lazarus, a WBUR "The Connection" interview with '92 Ada Comstock scholar Eleanor Morrisey, and Smith's entry in the Boston Globe's "College Guide '99." Faculty members are mentioned prominently on the Web site, including Michael Gorra, professor of English, for his Boston Globe review of Edward Said's Out of Place, and Eric Reeves, professor of English, for his editorials regarding US involvement with conflict in Sudan and Rwanda. Consulted and quoted in articles dealing with sports economics in the New York Times, the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Kansas City Star, Wall Street Journal, Business Week, Associated Press, and the Washington Times, economics professor Andy Zimbalist is also mentioned quite a few times. Following is a sample of news items currently accessible on "In the News": August 25, 1999 September 1999 September 14, 1999 October 17, 1999 Y2K Alert Beginning Sunday, January 1, 2000, at 10 a.m. (Northampton time): * Students may call 800-735-7800 to
learn whether there are changes to the January opening schedule. ScoreBoard Basketball Swimming/Diving Squash Senior Gianna Muir-Robinson and sophomores
Jessica Schafer and Anne Goj joined Assistant Professor of Psychology
Stefan Bodnarenko at the 29th Annual Society for Neuroscience
Meetings October 23-28. At the meeting, which was held in Miami,
Florida, the group presented a research project, "Retinal
Ganglion Cell Dendritic Field Expansion as Regulated by N-Methyl-D-Aspartate
Receptor Mediated Activity." The presentation was "well-received,"
says Bodnarenko.
New Hires Departures Sources of further information, if any, are indicated in parentheses. Notices should be submitted by mail, by e-mail (mstanton@colrel.smith.edu) or by fax (extension 2174).
Scheduling Items The college events office is collecting preliminary information about events being planned for 2000-01. If you know of conferences, symposia, lectures or other important events that are being planned for the next academic year, please e-mail dates and times and any other available information to cforgey@colrel.smith.edu. Library Hours
(January 3-23, 2000) Mid-December Scheduling Museum of Art Closing Information Systems Hours Gym Interterm Hours ITS Availability Exam-period and Interterm hours for resource centers and labs will be posted. The User Support Center will be open 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. during exam period, and 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m. during Interterm. The computer store is open regular hours during exams and Interterm. College Switchboard Hiatus Central Services Break Five College Calendar January Orientation Faculty & Staff Winter Holiday Break Faculty Meeting January Faculty Meeting Students Examination Workers Final Examinations Grade Reports Teaching Evaluations January Graduates Submission of Papers Faculty members, as always, are empowered to grant extensions to students, such as in the case of technological obstacles. (Extensions beyond the end of the exam period may be granted only by the class deans.) However, a faculty member may require confirmation of technological problems from a staff member. Or, a faculty member might ask a student to submit a diskette with the relevant file (along with information about the platform and the word- processing program) as a substitute for written work. The board urges students to prepare work in a timely manner (and back it up) to avoid technological problems. However, when problems occur, staff members at the computer centers may be on hand to provide assistance. Health Services Study-Abroad Deadlines Winter Break |
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Sources of further information, if any, are shown in parentheses at the end of event descriptions. An asterisk following a listing indicates that the event is open to the public. Admission charges, if any, are listed when known. Items for this section must be submitted on Event Service Request Forms. Monday, January 3 Interterm begins Tuesday, January 4 Performing arts/films Meetings/workshops Wednesday, January 5 Performing arts/films Other events/activities Thursday, January 6 Performing arts/films Friday, January 7 Performing arts/films Saturday, January 8 Other events/activities Sunday, January 9 Lectures/Symposia Religious Life Other events/activities Monday, January 10 Performing arts/films Tuesday, January 11 Performing arts/films Meetings/workshops Meeting Weight Watchers. 1 p.m., Neilson Browsing Room Wednesday, January 12 Performing arts/films Meetings/workshops CDO workshop "Inside Out." First of three sessions that will examine ways of making effective internship and job decisions based on knowledge learned at Smith. Sign up in advance at the CDO Help Desk. Space is limited and participants are expected to attend all three sessions. 10 a.m.-noon, CDO group room |
Thursday, January 13 Performing arts/films Meetings/workshops CDO workshop "Inside Out." Second of three sessions. See 1/12 listing. 10 a.m.-12 p.m., CDO group room CDO workshop Interview
preparation and tips. 1:30-2:30 p.m., CDO group room Friday, January 14 Performing arts/films Meetings/workshops CDO workshop "Inside
Out." Last of three sessions. See 1/12 listing. 10 a.m.-noon,
CDO group room Saturday, January 15 Other events/activities Basketball v. Tufts.
2 p.m., Ainsworth* Sunday, January 16 Religious Life Monday, January 17 Performing Arts/Films Meetings/workshops Tuesday, January 18 Performing arts/films Meetings/workshops Meeting Weight Watchers. 1 p.m., Neilson Browsing Room CDO workshop Job search.
3-4 p.m., CDO group room Wednesday, January 19 Performing arts/films Other events/activities Thursday, January 20 Performing arts/films Meetings/workshops CDO workshop Internship search. 10 a.m., CDO group room HR workshop "Weight
Loss: Help & Hype." Open to Five College faculty and
staff. 1 p.m., Dewey common room Friday, January 21 Lectures/Symposia Performing arts/films Religious Life Saturday, January 22 Interterm ends |
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