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(03/09/06 12:00am)
Author: Zmira Zilkha Alex Hay '05 recently received an exclusive internship opportunity at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, Dc. The reputable institution, founded in the early 1970's, produces a variety of theater and musicals, dance and ballet, multi-media performances and all kinds of music that ranges from orchestral to folk. Hay is currently profiting from the myriad resources offered by the Center, but is particularly focused on the place of dance in the professional world of arts. While at Middlebury College, Hay was heavily involved with the dance department and was known for her technical and creative mastery of both choreography and movement. The Middlebury Campus: You demonstrate incredible dedication to the performing arts, and especially to dance. From where do you derive your inspiration?Alexandra Hay: I was first introduced to the arts through dance. I started classes when I was three years old and I have not stopped taking classes since. My love for the arts quickly expanded beyond dance to all different art forms. My artistic inspiration comes from the human experience. I am particularly fascinated by the ability of any art form to transcend language and communicate in new and innovative ways.The Campus: How did you learn about the Kennedy Center internship?AH: Through the Middlebury College Career Services Office. MoJo is truly an amazing resource.The Campus: How would you describe your experience at the Center thus far? What have you learned?AH: I have been here about six weeks now, so I have learned quite a bit. We have a seminar with a different Vice President or Kennedy Center Executive each week, in which we learn about marketing, press relations, institutional affairs and accessibility. It is a wonderful opportunity to ask questions and learn about the different positions within arts administration from some of the leading arts administrators in the nation.The Campus: The internship has provided you with hands-on experience in the administrative and technical spheres of the arts. Do you see yourself further pursuing this kind of work in the future?AH: I'm not certain at this point where I want to go from here. In addition to my interests in arts administration, I also want to be able to exercise my creative abilities and perhaps attend graduate school for dance criticism. I'd also like to teach at the college level.The Campus: You spent the months leading up to your internship sailing in the Pacific Ocean, from San Diego to New Zealand. That's quite a remarkable experience. Do share your experience with us .AH: It was absolutely incredible. I was aboard a ship named the R. Tucker Thompson, with five crew and eight other trainee-passengers. We sailed the homeward voyage to New Zealand, which took us two months. It was liberating to be out in the open ocean. I had quite a few adventures with the others on board, which included snorkeling with manta rays in the Marquesas, discovering a recent shipwreck in Minerva reef and dancing and singing at a local barbecue with Rarotongans. For the most part, we had beautiful and sunny weather, although we did hit some rough seas and cold rain squalls on the last leg of our voyage.The Campus: While at Middlebury College, you were an English major and your time was divided between your love of literature and your passion for dance with the dance department. Do these interests remain separate, or have you discovered a way in which to combine them?AH: One of my Middlebury courses, entitled "Writing in the Arts" and taught by [Lecturer and Tutor-in-Writing] Barbara Ganley - who is an incredible teacher - first introduced me to the many possibilities for marrying the two. While I love the arts for their ability to transcend language, I find the most satisfaction in describing them through writing. I will continue to pursue each passion separately while always searching for opportunities to combine them.
(03/09/06 12:00am)
Author: Penny Chen Walking out on stage in an oversized button-down shirt on top of a black t-shirt, dress pants and shoes, Vusi Mahlasela, seemed just as poised and at ease as any of the usual guests of classical music performing at the Middlebury College Center for the Arts. After settling in on the piano bench with his guitar, he broke the silence with a series of arpeggiated chords. However, it was not until he began humming with a voice resonant and powerful, yet gentle-sounding like a lullaby, did the audience come to full attention to the man on stage. It was no surprise - back home in South Africa, Vusi is known simply as "The Voice."For the next hour and a half, Vusi Vusi performed songs in English and a variety of African languages, joked around with the audience, recounted stories of the Apartheid Movement in South Africa and emphasized the importance of human rights, forgiveness and compassion. His wide display of vocal textures and range captivated the entire audience.The majority of the songs that Vusi's played were politically infused, describing the injustices being done in South Africa with "the police playing with dead corpses," as well as other global ramifications of cross-national injustices. He sang about the effects that the influence of the United States, the country that "[speaks] of Texas and Oil…" had on their neighbors. They also gave voice to those who wanted to heal after the bloody apartheid movement, which gripped South Africa from 1948 to the early 1990's. Apartheid, which means "apartness" or "separateness" in Afrikaans, one of the many languages spoken in South Africa, was a system of racial segregation that began when the National Party in the country won the national election in 1948. It included legislation prohibiting mixed marriages and interracial sex, as well as laws splitting schools, buses, hospitals, beaches and many other facilities by race. During this period and until the 1990's, black South Africans were relocated into "colored neighborhoods," and if they were caught without a valid pass in a white neighborhood, they would be deported back to the their "homeland." After decades of underground resistance, violent uprisings and multiple attempts by the government to crush anti-apartheid insurgencies, the oppressed people of South Africa finally began to see change, beginning in December of 1991 with the Convention for a Democratic South Africa's draft for a multiracial transitional government. While Vusi's songs have been played many times over in movements against apartheid and at political rallies, they are not aimed at placing blame on anyone. Rather, through them, he hopes to raise awareness of the suffering he has seen and experienced. He conveyed the feeling of being overlooked and ignored when he sang, "Did they even look at your face, or ask you your name? Who died last night? Who died this morning, and why?" Later, he beckoned the audience to consider his statement that "People choose not to care." Such messages, deeply ingrained in Vusi's music, have meant that he has been in high demand with a whole range of activism groups and movements, from anti-apartheid campaigns to political rallies to independent films. One of his compositions is featuring in the Oscar-nominated film, "Tsotsi." In 1994, he played at the inauguration of South Africa's newly-elected President Mandela. He has performed with other big-name talents from South Africa, for example, poet Lesego Rampolokeng and Dave Matthews, who was born in Johannesburg. In 2002, not least, Malhasela's music for the documentary film, entitled, "Amandla! A Revolution in Four-Part Harmony," won him two awards at the Sundance Film Festival. The four songs from this documentary were compiled alongside some twenty protest songs that played a definitive role in South Africa's liberation struggle. What is particularly striking about them is that they do not evoke violence as the answer to their oppression - they emphasize the need to respect fellow human beings and the wisdom of forgiveness and humility. Vusi's display of strong-willed optimism shows itself not only through his words but also through his music, as the Middlebury audience experienced on Monday evening. It is rare, indeed, to hear a song about the pain of separation be sung predominately in a major key, but for Vusi, that was the best way to sing it.
(03/09/06 12:00am)
Author: Justin Golenbock What's the deal with baseball fans in this country not buying into the World Baseball Classic?Okay, yes: it's a blatant MLB pitch designed to promote their product to an international audience. Is that a bad thing? Yes. Many of the top MLB stars from the two favorites (the American and Dominican teams) skipped out on the exhibition. They were quickly replaced by younger stars who might actually care enough to lay out for a ball or two. Who is not more excited to root for a young stud like Jeff Francoeur than an aging crank like Bonds? And with a rotation fronted by Roger Clemens, Dontrelle Willis and Jake Peavy, no one's exactly in any danger of seeing Al Leiter pitch an important game for Team USA.At best, the WBC becomes baseball's answer to the World Cup. It's not so far-fetched. Baseball has not gone as international as "football," but it's catching up as quickly as any sport in the world. There are at least a dozen thriving leagues scattered around the west and the far east: Mexico, Cuba, the DR, Venezuela, Colombia, Panama, Canada, Japan, South Korea and of course the U.S. The top MLB teams pay for the top international talent just as the best of the Spanish, English, and Italian soccer leagues do in Europe. At worst, hey, we can still throw steroid accusations at the stars (read: Bonds) who skipped the contest and (coincidentally) its Olympic-style testing regimen. Admittedly, some of the roster decisions have been a tad curious. Team Italy was forced to reluctantly withdraw its offer spot to Mike Mussina when he informed them his family was actually of Slavic descent. Andruw Jones (Curacao) qualifies as Dutch for the same reasons that Sidney Ponson (Aruba) does, and Vegas is already taking bets on how many innings South Africa will play at all before they cave to the new mercy rule.For me, the WBC is a chance to watch top American players like Dontrelle, Teixera and Brad Lidge go up against the world's best: Ichiro, Pedro, Pujols, K-Rod and the immortal (Canadian?) Matt Stairs. If you doubt the intensity and competitiveness of these games, watch any non-Red Sox/Yankees game in March, then watch any non-Red Sox/Yankees game in July. Other than the names on the jerseys, think there's a difference? If you do, then you've never seen Jose Lima pitch in March; on Monday his patented angry-dialogue-with-the-imaginary-man-in-my-glove was on by pitch three. Already, rivals Japan and South Korea breezed through the Tokyo bracket, but not without a tense 3-2 South Korea victory that came down to Chan Ho Park popping up Ichiro with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. So for what's it worth (not very much - thanks, Bode Miller), my money's on Venezuela - Johan Santana against Dontrelle in the deciding game, with Miguel Cabrera walking off just over the outstretched glove of Junior Griffey. Aren't these dreams the very reason for this tourney?
(03/02/06 12:00am)
Author: [no author name found] To the Editor:Around March 6, Middlebury first-year and senior students will be invited to participate in the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). The NSSE is a questionnaire that is being given to students at hundreds of colleges and universities. Collective results from Middlebury students will allow the College's faculty and staff to evaluate and compare experiences at Middlebury College with those of students throughout the country. In other words, you can help the faculty and staff further demonstrate the value of a Middlebury education. The results are also covered by major media as a measure of national trends in higher education. The Dean of Student Affairs Office and the Alliance for Civic Engagement have offered further incentives for students to participate in the NSSE. Five $50 gift certificates for local restaurants will be awarded by lottery to students who complete the survey by Friday, March 17. First-year and senior students should receive e-mails next week with survey links to the NSSE. When you receive an invitation, please complete the survey. If you have any questions about this project on our campus, or our interest in using the results, please contact Jane Kimble at jkimble@middlebury.edu or at x5351. Thank you in advance for your participation!Sincerely,Jane KimbleInstitutional ResearchTo the Editor:I wanted to add a few points to your recent article on U.S. Senate Candidate Rich Tarrant ["Surveillance sparks senate debate", Feb. 23]. Mr. Tarrant recognizes unaffordable health care as the number one issue facing Americans. Tarrant is a candidate who has a solution to the health care crisis in the United States and will put his extensive knowledge in the health care industry to work, once in office, to make sure no one suffers without the health care that he or she needs. Tarrant is truly the independent candidate in the race, he is only taking donations from in-state individuals. His opponent, Rep. Sanders, raises 95 percent of his donations from out of state individuals, PACs and special interest groups. Rich will not be taking money from out of state voters, political parties, PACs, businesses or special interests, and will be able to provide an independent voice in the U.S. Senate. Tarrant is also concerned about the many young people who have to leave the state yearly because of limited job opportunities and high living costs. Rich brought hundreds of quality jobs to Vermont as the owner of a successful business, and will continue to foster environmentally and economically responsible job growth in the state of Vermont as a U.S. Senator. I encourage all of you to attend a spaghetti supper with Rich Tarrant the next time he's in Middlebury and ask him about his issues. He has hosted many around the state in his energetic efforts to meet voters and hear what's on their minds. Check out his website at www.tarrant06.com.Sincerely,Allison Kennedy '07Gillette, WyoTo the Editor:I write to point out that your article headed "Student-Faculty Ratio Expounded" contained a number of errors that could have been eliminated by routine fact-checking. Professor Bill Hart's name, for example, is not "Heart." The President of the College does not spell his name "Leibowitz," as appears three times on p.4. Finally, the article states: "Faculty members like Vice President for Academic Affairs and Professor of English Alison Byerly voiced skepticism of the rather sudden, extremely positive change in the reported ratio." Perhaps a faculty member like me expressed this view, but I myself was not present at the meeting. Sincerely, Alison ByerlyProfessor of EnglishV.P. for Academic Affairs
(03/02/06 12:00am)
Author: Matt Kunzweiler I attended high school in Canada, where a "university" is a four-year institution and a "college" is a two-year community college. So on the day I graduated from high school, when asked by my friends' parents about my post-secondary plans I told them I'd be attending Middlebury - and I carefully omitted the word "College". But since none of the parents had heard of this Middlebury, they asked, "And is that a university?""Well, technically speaking, it's a college - but in the US, you have to understand that 'college' doesn't necessarily mean-""A college, well good for you, Matt. Good for you. We know you tried hard in school.""No. It's not a college in the sense you're thinking of. This place has a good reputation in the States.""We're sure it does, Matt. We're sure it does."And over the last break, I was faced with that same brand of patronization when these same parents asked me what I was "doing for work these days.""I don't have a job right now; I won't be graduating until this May.""It's sure taking you a long time to graduate from that college of yours.""Okay, seriously. Listen to me. It's a four-year-""As long as you get that diploma, Matt, it doesn't matter how long it takes.""You know what?" I said, realizing they'd always regard me as being slower than the average bear (and with good reason - my high school behavior wasn't exactly refined). "You're right. I mean, I try my darndest, but it's probably taking me so long to graduate because I'm only enrolled in one class at a time. The College officially considers me a 'special student.' I even have special parking privileges. But one day I'll get that diploma and then I'll show 'em.""Bless you, child."But when these parents find out how much tuition costs for me to study English (which, come on, I should've learned by now), all their suspicions are confirmed: without question, I must be a very special boy at a very special institution - "special" being used in the most remedial sense possible. So with everyone's expectations of me set so low, I might as well play the role of idiot…just like all my friends at the Canadian universities. But most of these friends - at least the male ones who study engineering - are idiots because they drink so heavily. But I can't blame the poor number-crunching geeks. In Canadian universities you're pretty much confined to the faculty you have chosen - academically and socially. And the typical faculty of engineering boasts an 18 to 1 male to female ratio. So romantically crestfallen dudes just sit around and get drunk. Occasionally, one or two grow up and channel their romantic frustration through Freudian sublimation and create an impressive cultural achievement such as a tower, obelisk, skyscraper, rocket ship, zeppelin or some other phallic feat of engineering. But knowing my friends, I'd be impressed if one designed a bike horn. At least when all is said and done, the parents of my high school friends will still champion the kids who attended university - and I'll always be the very special boy who took four years to graduate from college.
(02/23/06 12:00am)
Author: Lisie Mehlman Admissions data affecting the College's national ranking was hotly contested among the faculty, who also discussed grade inflation and the Starr Restoration Project at a meeting on Monday in John M. McCardell, Jr. BiCentennial Hall. The first order of business presented in the packed auditorium was the issue of the faculty's role in the admissions process. Associate Professor of Psychology Barbara Hofer spoke about the Admissions Office's interest in the input of professors while formulating their decisions about which student candidates to accept. Comments from professors such Charles A. Dana Professor of Political Science Murray Dry and Stewart Professor of English and Environmental Studies John Elder proved particularly helpful to admissions officers deliberating about students who were really on the brink. Hofer, asked if this was a practice that faculty members felt should be continued.?Following Hofer's address, the meeting turned to the topic of the newly released student-faculty ratio, which has improved from 11:1 to 9:1. Faculty members like Vice President for Academic Affairs and Professor of English Alison Byerly voiced skepticism of the rather sudden, extremely positive change in the reported ratio. President Ronald D. Liebowitz and Dean of Planning and Secretary of the College John Emerson explained that, in the past, the College's method of calculating the ratio had differed greatly from the method outlined by U.S. News & World Report and followed by the College's peer institutions. Leibowitz explained that although the College's previous method is one that the administration considered more honest and accurate, it has now adopted the more common method, which has yielded a lower student-faculty ratio. Leibowitz claimed that by reporting the 11:1 ratio, the College was "handicapping" itself. Emerson explained that the old method was "more preferable and relevant. The problem is that there is no way of getting comparable data from peer institutions." The primary difference in calculations results from how part-time faculty is accounted for statistically. The school feels it is important that it compare "apples to apples," according to Emerson.Another significant change in reporting is one that is less positive for the College and has been advised against. For the first time, the College will release all the reported SAT scores of admitted students rather than the scores of only those who chose to use them in their application. This will significantly widen the SAT score range of admitted students, a range that was previously smaller than those of both Williams and Amherst.When a professor inquired as to why the college cannot simply forgo participation in the U.S. News & World Report rankings, President Liebowitz explained that the journal would obtain the necessary information anyway, and added that in the past, Reed College made the decision not to participate and, as a result, found itself ranked 64th. Next on the agenda, Bill Heart spoke about the Ad Hoc Education Affairs Committee on Grading that formed in response to discussions regarding college grade inflation. The Committee, headed by Associate Professor of Biology Andrea Lloyd, has made recommendations for policy changes that it will share electronically with the faculty. Soon after, the Committee will convene open meetings to discuss its recommendations, and those recommendations will be brought to the floor and voted upon in April.Finally, Leibowitz took the floor and reported on the two primary decisions made in a previous board meeting. He updated the faculty on the Starr Restoration Project, which has recently seen an increase in estimated costs from $20 million to $36 million, as well as on the College's Comprehensive Fee, which saw the lowest increase this year in comparison to all peer institutions. Lastly, he informed the faculty about conversations he had in Student Government Affairs meetings regarding student consumption of alcohol. He said that it was "astounding to hear" how much alcohol students are consuming and that, in his view, it was "out of control."
(02/16/06 12:00am)
Author: ERICA GOODMAN As has historically been the case, American immigrant populations are often left with the work that we natural-born citizens would prefer not to do. I visited a 2,000-cow dairy in Turlock, California this past August. The day was brutally hot and in the ranching world of NorCal, where fields run acre after endless acre, there was not a tree for shading anywhere in sight. In the 90-plus degrees of heat, a middle-aged Mexican immigrant diligently worked beneath the noon sun, T-shirt discarded in the camel colored dirt as sweat covered his bare, brown chest. We visitors stopped in our air-conditioned Ford pick-up truck and witnessed the man swiftly moving around, cutting twine from hundreds of square hay bales and stacking the loose hay in a massive pile. The Mexican immigrant worked through hundreds of small bales before breaking for lunch. Cut. Cut. Lift. Toss. Over and over, beneath the August sun. When that work was done, the man was scheduled to scrub the water troughs throughout the entire complex - a much cooler, but no more glamorous of a job. Our tour guide, a student intern named Nate, explained how the worker spoke just enough English to work in the United States for a few months. When he had earned enough money, the man would quit and bring his earnings to his family in Mexico - 12 children, according to Nate - only to return to the dairy farm and the hot California sun when the money runs out.The migration of Hispanic farm workers has stretched beyond the Southwest borderlands. According to the U.S. Labor Department, almost 80 percent of farm workers in the United States are Mexican-born. Workers from all parts of Central America have settled and continue to settle in rural communities in the Northeast, diversifying predominantly white communities. Lacking a decent education (including only 40 percent reporting that they could speak English), migratory workers are often left dependent upon their hosts. Bi-weekly ventures into town for groceries or entertainment are usually chauffeured in a large van by the farmer's wife.Overall, rural communities do offer some resources and are generally open to immigrant laborers willing to take the jobs that no one else wants. Yet despite the increasing diversification, there remains a lack of ethnic interaction. Many community members think of Hispanic immigrants as migrants who come and go with the seasons, even if they have settled and begun to raise a family. In fact, the settlement of immigrants could renew community development in rural areas suffering from population loss and economic stagnation. Before any social advancements can occur, we must understand not only the impediments to economic opportunity that immigrants face, but also that the language barrier goes both ways.
(01/26/06 12:00am)
Author: [no author name found] To the Editor:The Middlebury Campus' recent color spread highlighting the Middlebury men's hockey team brought to light a disturbing trend that I've noticed over the course of the past two years: the exploits of the men's team are well documented, and the two-time defending National Champion women's team gets the short end of the stick. While the men's recent success received full attention, last week's edition of The Campus did not feature a single story on the women's team, despite the fact that the women hold a better record at this point than do their male counterparts. The women were relegated to one of the last pages of the sports section, and received a measly photograph for their efforts. The Campus' coverage is slanted and the women's squad deserves much better.Biased coverage contributes to the problem of sparse attendance at women's hockey contests. The Middlebury women have five of the Top 10 teams on their schedule this season. Yet, the games against national powers Elmira and Plattsburgh were poorly attended, and the crowd at last week's overtime tilt against Wisconsin River-Falls would have been even smaller had the Falcons not brought a group of supporters. With top western teams such as St. Thomas and Gustavus Adolphus on the remaining schedule, I'd expect attendance to improve, but I don't think this will happen. The editors of The Campus only perpetuate this problem, and they should be equal in their coverage so that all of our National Champions get the respect they deserve.Sincerely, Nick DeSantis '04WRMC Sports BroadcasterTo the Editor:My first excess of political correctness in Middlebury was at the door of the library: I held it open for a girl who told me that I was playing an aggressive stereotype. My answer had none of the gentle manners that I had exhibited before, but she could immediately tell that I come from a Spanish speaking country because of my strong accent, and said "you're in America now".So, being in "America" (which, by the way, is an offensive term to all the other countries of the American continent), I was really surprised by the library's campaign for silence during December: all the signs depicted an overtly sexist message, that the joker that taped a piece of paper saying, "women are to be seen not heard" criticized in the previous issue only made explicit. The original text was: "She realized too late that she shouldn't have tried to talk to him while he was studying for his chemistry midterm;" so, she talks, he studies and, of course, he studies science, because he is intelligent. Another sign, displaying a girl talking by the phone, said, "she couldn't see that no one around her was interested in her trip to the mall." So, girls can do more than talking, they can shop! Two more: "She loved him for being the strong, SILENT type" and "it was hopeless… she knew she'd never finish her English paper on time-she just couldn't concentrate!" Guys respects the rules, girls don't.I am not defending that joker, but the joke worked because the signs were already offensive.Sincerely,Pablo Martínez-GramugliaSpanish Teacher Assistant
(01/12/06 12:00am)
Author: Liz Campbell The Planning Steering Committee convened during the holidays to make final revisions to the planning process report, officially releasing its Strategic Plan Draft on Jan. 4. Relying on reports and recommendations from 15 task forces and committees, surveys of several groups in the Middlebury extended community, meetings with groups and students on campus and more than 80 hours of its own meetings throughout the summer and fall, the Committee has completed a comprehensive report with specific recommendations for the future of the College. The framework for a new strategic plan, the first since 1992, was established shortly after Ronald D. Liebowitz became president of the College on July 1, 2004, and has aimed to reevaluate the educational mission, identity and aspirations of the College."Perhaps the major point is that the College is at a stage in its history where we need to emphasize what we have called our 'human dimension,'" said Dean of Planning John Emerson. "Our most precious resources are our superb students, distinguished faculty, committed staff members and loyal and supportive alumni and parents. Together, these human beings create and support a rich array of educational opportunities that make the Middlebury experience unique and quite wonderful."In order to focus to a greater extent on the human dimension of the institution's life, the Committee outlined several major recommendations centered on a primary objective, the College's commitment to the personalized education of undergraduates. More specifically, the planning process is seeking to strengthen the curriculum, attract an increasingly diverse student body and expand upon the Middlebury's financial aid contributions to foster access to the College for all admitted students.The first major recommendation addressed by the Committee in the draft is to continue to foster the strength and experience of the student body. This initiative includes enhancing the College's financial aid programs in order to ensure a stronger and more diverse student body that will support the best possible educational experience for all students. In addition to this proposal, the Committee also recommended improving opportunities and support for the faculty and staff. Among the top priorities are increased research funding and staff support and a greater integration of faculty and staff members into the educational life, including the commons system, at Middlebury. The draft states that "by focusing on the important human dimensions, we will ensure that members of our community stay connected with each other and with the College's educational mission."Essential to the enhanced interaction between students and faculty and staff is a reduction in Middlebury's current student-faculty ratio from nine to one to approximately eight to one. This proposal would allow every academic major at Middlebury to pursue some independent senior work as a requirement in the curriculum. Residential life at Middlebury was also discussed by the Committee as an essential aspect of the undergraduate experience. The draft emphasized the development of a more vibrant residential atmosphere and a more seamless connection with the College's academic programs. Emerson said, "We recognize that a very significant part of the education takes place outside the classroom. At Middlebury, the residential commons should support both our formal educational programs and the rich array of special programming and informal interactions that contribute to the college experience. It should also support student leadership opportunities, and contribute to a vibrant social life for the community."Conversely, the Committee also examined its graduate and specialized programs, including the Language Schools, Schools Abroad, the Bread Loaf School of English, the Bread Loaf Writer's Conference and the newly affiliated Monterey Institute of International Studies, that distinguish the College from other liberal arts institutions. Focusing on the challenges relating to these programs, the Committee made specific recommendations that seek to bring these programs into a more cohesive relationship with one another and with the undergraduate program. While the Steering Committee has made significant progress in outlining objectives for the future of the College, it has been somewhat constrained by limited resources. As Emerson emphasized, "I would acknowledge the challenge that is inherent in trying to support the very high aspirations of our community, using resources that are not infinite. We have needed to choose from among many imaginative proposals and initiatives those that will best support our mission and our future strength."The draft has nonetheless considered the opinions of faculty, staff and students in the decision-making process and has thus developed a comprehensive and collaborative report reflecting all attitudes throughout the College. Planning Committee member J.S. Woodward '06 said, "The biggest point throughout the process was to emphasize the importance of involving the members of the community in the decisions that are made, both currently and in the future. In order for change to be effective, it must be accepted by all of the stakeholders, whether student, faculty, staff or neighbor."Emerson remarked, "I think we take pride in reaching this milestone of having a draft as a basis for engaging the community, but our task is certainly not yet completed."
(01/12/06 12:00am)
Author: Caroline S. Stauffer The Middlebury College Faculty voted for the creation of a new department and major in English and American Literatures and a new program in American Studies during its December meeting on the afternoon of Monday, Dec. 12. The final count in paper ballots for the proposal sponsored by the Educational Affairs Committee (EAC) was 101 votes in favor, 41 against and six abstentions. A simple majority was required for the proposal to pass. The vote followed 90 minutes of discussion during the meeting in John McCardell Jr. Bicentennial Hall, but the restructuring of the American Literature major has drawn attention at the College since the proposal was introduced in October and engendered heated debate from both sides since the issue was first raised in the fall of 2003.President of the College Ronald D. Liebowitz served as meeting chairman and moderated the discussion. Liebowitz adjourned the meeting after proclaiming the resolution a chance for the faculty to engage the difficult issues that had been raised throughout the process."I hope that after this we can convene as a group to continue to do what's best for our students and faculty," Liebowitz said. Under the new proposal, the major in American Literature and Civilization will cease to exist, and the departments of English and American Literatures will be combined into a single department, while American Studies becomes an interdisciplinary program.Associate Professor of Classics Jane Chaplin presented the EAC proposal. Chaplin emphasized the Committee's belief that both new programs can be staffed for the foreseeable future using existing faculty resources and that the creation of the new programs can also be seen as "restructuring existing departments." A steering committee will oversee the new American Studies Program and will take responsibility for any future modifications of the program. Majors in American Studies will have to take five required courses, three electives and five courses in one of four possible areas of concentration. Chaplin said the EAC believes the new program represents a "huge opportunity for interdisciplinary study" at the College. In the view of the EAC, the Department of English and American Literatures is an "intellectually strong and coherent major in literature written in English," according to Chaplin. Students will be required to take introductory courses in English literature, American literature and one course emphasizing close reading. Chaplin noted that all but two requirements for the major could feasibly be completed by taking classes focusing on the American canon. The new programs will be fully integrated into the curriculum beginning with the Class of 2010. Students currently majoring in American Literature and/or Civilization can finish their majors at the status quo. During the ensuing discussion, Frederick C. Dirks Professor of Political Science Michael Kraus pointed out that voting on the restructuring of a department in which that department's faculty did not give unanimous consent is an unprecedented job for the Faculty Council. Kraus urged his colleagues to consider the repercussions of their votes. "We are about to put an end to a department," he said. "This is setting a precedent. From now on a department that is divided five to four can be dissolved." A motion to postpone further consideration of the proposal until either all of the Faculty that were directly involved can bring forward a unanimous proposal, or failing that, for a period of at least one year to allow time for cooling off and to further urge the administration to make some form of professional mediation available also failed. Reginald L. Cook Professor of American Literature Brett Millier, an ardent supporter of the EAC proposal, argued in favor of resolving the issue, though she stopped short of calling the question. "Your task is a vote on the simple matter of structure," she told her colleagues. "What I want most of all today is to move forward so that the healing, if it is to take place, can begin." While the ballots were being tabulated, Liebowitz answered the question of why neither he nor his predecessor, Professor of History John M. McCardell Jr., had taken a more visible role in the deliberation."During the course of the last 15 months, I have received many a communiqué," he said. "No matter how difficult and how painful the process became," he continued, "I felt it was important for us to work through this in our departments and then to go through the proper channels that the College has set up."
(12/08/05 12:00am)
Author: Caroline Stauffer - Editor in Chief The Middlebury College Faculty voted for the creation of a new department and major in English and American Literatures and a new program in American Studies during its December meeting on the afternoon of Monday, Dec. 12. The final count in paper ballots for the proposal sponsored by the Educational Affairs Committee (EAC) was 101 votes in favor, 41 against and six abstentions. A simple majority was required for the proposal to pass. Monday's vote followed 90 minutes of discussion during the meeting in John McCardell Jr. Bicentennial Hall, but the restructuring of the American Literature major has drawn attention at the College since the proposal was introduced in October and engendered heated debate from both sides since the issue was first raised in the fall of 2003.Middlebury College President Ronald D. Liebowitz served as meeting chairman and moderated the discussion. Liebowitz adjourned the meeting after proclaiming the resolution a chance for the Faculty to engage the difficult issues that had been raised throughout the process."I hope that after this we can convene as a group to continue to do what's best for our students and faculty," Liebowitz said. Under the new proposal, the major in American Literature and Civilization will cease to exist, and the departments of English and American Literatures will be combined into a single department.Associate Professor of Classics Jane Chaplin presented the EAC'S proposal. Chaplin emphasized the Committee's belief that both new programs can be staffed for the foreseeable future using existing Faculty resources and that the creation of the new programs can also be seen as "restructuring existing departments." A Steering Committee will oversee the new American Studies Program and will take responsibility for any future modifications of the program. Majors in American Studies will be required to take five required courses, three electives and five courses in one of four possible areas of concentration. Chaplin said the EAC believes the new program represents a "huge opportunity for interdisciplinary study" at the College. In the view of the EAC, the Department of English and American Literatures is an "intellectually strong and coherent major in literature written in English," according to Chaplin. Students will be required to take introductory courses in English literature, American literature and one course emphasizing close reading. Chaplin noted that all but two requirements for the major could feasibly be completed by taking classes focusing on the American canon. The new programs will be fully integrated into the curriculum beginning with the Class of 2010. Students currently majoring in American Literature or American Literature and Civilizations can finish their majors at the status quo. During the ensuing discussion, Frederick C. Dirks Professor of Political Science Michael Kraus pointed out that voting on the restructuring of a department in which that department's faculty did not give unanimous consent is an unprecedented job for the Faculty Council. Kraus urged his colleagues to consider the repercussions of their votes. "We are about to put an end to a department," he said. "This is setting a precedent. From now on a department that is divided five to four can be dissolved." A motion to postpone further consideration of the proposal until either all of the Faculty that were directly involved can bring forward a unanimous proposal, or failing that, for a period of at least one year to allow time for cooling off and to further urge the administration to make some form of professional mediation available also failed. Reginald L. Cook Professor of American Literature Brett Millier, an ardent supporter of the EAC proposal, argued in favor of resolving the issue, though she stopped short of calling the question. "Your task is a vote on the simple matter of structure," she told her colleagues. "What I want most of all today is to move forward so that the healing, if it is to take place, can begin." While the ballots were being tabulated, Liebowitz answered the question of why neither he nor his predecessor Professor of History John M. McCardell Jr. had taken a more visible role in the deliberation."During the course of the last 15 months, I have received many a communiqué," he said. "No matter how difficult and how painful the process became," he continued, "I felt it was important for us to work through this in our departments and then to go through the proper channels that the College has set up."
(12/08/05 12:00am)
Author: KATHRYN FLAGG, CAROLINE S. STAUFFER & JASON F. SIEGEL Student vehicle crashes after off-campus partyShortly after 3 a.m. early Sunday morning, Dec. 4, a vehicle carrying several Middlebury students drove off a dirt road after leaving an off-campus party. The tires lost traction on the gravel surface and the vehicle fish-tailed off course. One student sustained minor injuries from the accident, and no charges had been filed as of Tuesday afternoon. The Middlebury branch of the State Police department has yet to document the incident. Vermont State Trooper Timm Hanley responded to the scene of the accident, but was not available to comment at press time. Organizers of the party hired MORF's Transit - a cab company based in Burlington - to provide transportation for students, but the shuttle service stopped running at 3 a.m., leaving many students without a return ride to campus. The College administration had no comment on the accident, and Vermont State Liquor Inspector Mike Davidson was unaware of the incident.Telephone failure causes lack of serviceStudent telephone lines and voicemail boxes were deleted last Sunday night after an incomplete file caused a glitch in the campus's telephone network. The system database, which is programmed to refresh every night, is designed to look for and update differences between previous days' files and new data. The corrupt, incomplete file, sent on Sunday evening, caused this system to crash, leading to a temporary disruption in telephone service."We've had some problems in the past," said Peggy Fischel, director of Telephone Services, "but this was a different problem from what we'd experienced."The database sent an automated message to programmers and telephone services administrators Sunday evening. Programmers wrote new security scripts into the program so that the glitch would not cause a system failure again. Still, according to Fischel, the glitch "certainly led to programs with telephone service for the better part of [Monday]." Service was restored mid-afternoon, but the deleted voicemail boxes were irretrievable and students were advised to reset their boxes and create new messages and security codes.While telephone service on campus - including individual mailboxes and personal extensions - will continue as usual for the rest of the year, the number of students now using cell phones as a primary telephone has prompted telephone services to consider alternatives."A lot of students appear exclusively to be using cell phones," said Fischel. "We're definitely looking into other options. For now, for this year, it stays as is."Faculty to make final Am Lit decision Mon.On Monday, Dec. 12, the Faculty Council will hold its last meeting of the calendar year in McCardell Bicentennial Hall.At the top of the agenda will be the hotly debated proposal to synthesize a department of English and American Literatures out of what are currently separate department and create a new, freestanding interdisciplinary program in American Studies. The Faculty Council will vote on the EAC proposal to combine the two departments, and will accept any amendments to the proposal. Previously, the faculty rejected a substitute motion from Professors John McWilliams and Stephen Donadio to maintain separate literature departments while creating the American Studies department.Professors will also discuss the review process, proposing changes to the Handbook for full professor reviews and incorporating teaching evaluations.There will also be reports from the Honor Code Review Committee, as well as a variety of reports from various deans and committee heads.Following the meeting there will be a reception in honor of Sunhee Choi, recently named Vermont Professor of the year.
(12/01/05 12:00am)
Author: MATTHEW HALE '93 Although the merger of the English and American Literature majors was recently changed to include one required course in nineteenth-century American Literature and one required American Literature elective, this last-minute adjustment does not substantively alter the fact that the teaching of American Literature at Middlebury will be diminished if the proposal passes. Nor does it change the fact that the proposal lacks coherence. If anything, the recent addition of one nineteenth-century American literature requirement exposes the haphazard approach undergirding the "merger." For if a nineteenth-century American Literature course is now deemed sufficiently important to make it a required part of the curriculum, why not take the next logical step and make the study of twentieth-century American Literature a requirement? Indeed, if this is to be a real "English and American Literatures" Department rather than an English Department with a quaint rhetorical nod to American Literature, why not require three to four courses in English Literature and three to four courses in American Literature? The answer to that last question is obvious. Those who proposed the "merger" never intended to provide a balanced curriculum in English and American literature, despite the title offered for the new department. With that unavoidable conclusion in mind, the recent addition of the nineteenth-century American literature requirement can be seen for what it really is - an attempt to gain more votes among the faculty at large and a patronizing, but ultimately insufficient, response to cogent criticism.Speaking of patronizing and insufficient responses, I recently reviewed the letter Vice President for Academic Affairs Alison Byerly sent to me on behalf of President Liebowitz in response to my June 2004 letter. In her letter, Professor Byerly quotes, with permission, comments made by [Reginald L. Cook} Professor of American Literature Brett Millier. "The problem is indeed that American literature is almost never taught as literature HERE," Millier asserts. This is an astonishing - and patently false - statement, and one that I am particularly well qualified to refute since I took numerous American literature courses at Middlebury. When I read James Fenimore Cooper's "The Last of the Mohicans" for Professor McWilliams' AL 201, I am certain we discussed universally recognized literary elements like plot, symbol and character development. Similar items were explored when I read William Faulkner's "Go Down, Moses" for Professor Timothy Spears' "Telling about the South" class. Finally, Professor Millier did an excellent job of teaching American literature "as literature" when I read classic texts by Emerson and Dickinson for her AL 202 class. Yet somehow Professor Millier now states that "American literature is almost never taught as literature" at Middlebury. How can she possibly make that claim? What exactly is going on here?My sense of things is that disingenuous statements are being put forth to appease individuals who have legitimate objections regarding the "merger." This is deeply troubling, but unfortunately, it appears to reflect a pattern, rather than an exception. I will not go into detail here, but my understanding is that the process by which the proposed "merger" has been ushered through various stages of Middlebury's administrative bureaucracy has been flawed at best and shady at worst, and this despite the fact that one of the values I internalized while at Middlebury was the fundamental importance of open discussion, procedural fairness and intellectual integrity. The sham legitimacy of the process associated with the proposed "merger" is sad, but what is equally disheartening is that the "merger" is not necessary in the first place. For if a particular professor wants to teach a course studying the connections between American and non-American literature, why not propose a course that facilitates that type of inquiry? That type of class could be cross-listed and thus simultaneously serve the scholarly interests of the professor and the curricular interests of students in the existing English and American Literature majors. This type of arrangement makes practical sense, and I can attest, as both a former Middlebury student and a scholar-teacher, that it works. While a senior at Middlebury, I enrolled in Professor McWilliams' class "The Historical Novel" and thoroughly enjoyed our examination of various French, Russian, British and American texts. Meanwhile, at my previous institution, I taught a course on the "Atlantic Revolutions," despite the fact that I was hired as an "Americanist."Such courses demonstrate that a professor's evolving interests can flourish within a pre-existing departmental framework; scholarly and pedagogical growth do not require the destruction of well-established, intellectually coherent curricular programs.
(12/01/05 12:00am)
Author: BEN SALKOWE, KATHRYN FLAGG AND JASON F. SIEGEL Senior honored with Marshall ScholarshipIn a press release issued Monday, Nov. 28, the Office of the British Consulate-General announced that 43 young Americans had been selected for the prestigious British Marshall Scholarship next year, including Middlebury's own William Motley '06. The announcement marked the second Middlebury student in as many years to be honored with the scholarship, which provides for study at a British university of the student's choice. The scholarships are worth about $60,000 each and provide for two to three years of study.Motley, who is a Biochemistry major, has spent the past five summers at the Mount Desert Island Biological Lab in Maine researching chloride transport through the protein that is defective in Cystic Fibrosis patients. "At the lab on the coast of Maine, scientists gather to study marine biology and human physiology with marine models," Motley explained in a public affairs profile. "Our lab studies the protein defective in patients with cystic fibrosis using an extra-renal salt gland in spiny dogfish sharks." In his senior thesis at Middlebury, Motley has recognized a gene that controls meiosis in mice and causes sterility if it is mutant. In addition to his research, Motley has also worked as an emergency medical technician for the Middlebury Volunteer Ambulance Association (MVAA). "The MVAA has been a great way for me to learn more about the town, help the greater Middlebury community and learn about emergency medicine, while doing work I really enjoy," Motley said.As a Marshall Scholar, Motley plans to attend Oxford to pursue a doctorate in molecular biology, producing animal models for human diseases and using them to test potential therapies.Motley's scholarship made Middlebury the only college among its peers in the New England Small College Athletic Conference to have a student receive a 2006 Marshall Scholarship.A Middlebury student was also among those selected for Marshall Scholarships last year, when Aliza Watters '04.5 was chosen for the award. Watters is now pursuing a master's degree in 20th century English literature at Oxford. The Marshall Scholarships were established in 1953 as a British gesture of thanks to the people of the United States for the assistance received after the Second World War under the Marshall plan. The scholarships are financed by the British government, and are awarded to individuals expected to become leaders in their fields and great contributors to society.Alvarez presentation promotes non-violenceMiddlebury College writer in residence Julia Alvarez '71 will lend a hand today in kicking off the campus's observance of "16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence," an international effort to promote awareness of violence against women. Alvarez's presentation, "Chasing the Butterflies," is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. in Warner Hemicycle lecture hall. The presentation will include a slide show about Alvarez's research for her novel, "In the Time of the Butterflies." The novel follows the lives of the Mirabal sisters who, in 1960, were executed for partaking in a secret plot to defeat the Trujillo dictatorship in the Dominican Republic.The anniversary of the death of the Mirabal sisters - Nov. 25 - has been designated the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women by the United Nations General Assembly. This day also begins the "16 Days of Activism" event, which will run until Dec. 10, International Human Rights Day. Alvarez's presentation is sponsored by Chellis House and the Women's and Gender Studies Program. Also dedicated to generating awareness of gender violence, the African American Alliance is promoting the White Ribbon Campaign this week, in which men vow never to be violent against women and display a white ribbon as a symbol of this promise.
(12/01/05 12:00am)
Author: ABIGAIL MITCHELL Some of you might know Gary Margolis as the director of counseling over in Centeno House. Others of you might know Margolis as the part-time Associate Professor of English. Still others of you might know him as the published poet. A jack of many trades, Gary Margolis simultaneously plays the role of counselor, professor and professional poet. Impressed with what I heard at his poetry reading a few weeks ago, I decided to interview Margolis about his experience writing poetry. Just to give you a background, he has published three collections of poetry to date: Fire in the Orchard, Falling Awake and The Day We Still Stand Here. He has been a Robert Frost Fellow at the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference and a recipient of a Vermont Council on the Arts Award. Margolis first tackled creative writing back in high school with a one-act play about a man on death row. His interest in writing was further fostered by a relationship he formed with a professor as an undergraduate here at Middlebury. Serving as a mentor-figure, this professor taught Margolis about issues of poetic craft, specifically, the ability of an author to inhabit different voices and simultaneous realities. I asked Margolis what elements of craft he takes into consideration when writing a poem. First off, he told me, it is important to establish a voice. Margolis mostly uses the first person "I," but the narrator is not always himself. Sometimes he inhabits an imagined "other" voice that can take either human or inhuman form. The second issue to consider is the continuity of images and word choice. Once a poem presents an initial image, it is important that the image be sustained and built upon. Additional elements that Margolis considers are line breaks, line length, rhythm and "sense of sound". One important concept which underlies Margolis' poetry is "simultaneity." He explained this concept as the coexistence of disparate elements that don't necessarily relate on a rational level. In his own words, "Simultaneous realities that cross time and place but somehow reverberate with each other." Furthermore, Margolis explained, "A good poem does not have to resolve anything. It can take you to the edge, open up questions, curiosities and feelings." While this view runs contrary to the literary criticism we are taught in school-that poems should open questions and resolve them-I happen to agree with Margolis. Prescribing resolution for poetry sets limitations on what it can do. Furthermore, it is just as worthwhile, and much more true to real life, to pose and examine questions without offering an answer. Most of the time, there can never be a definitive answer to the (mostly existential) questions poetry posits.
(12/01/05 12:00am)
Author: Alexxa Gotthardt Great art, funk, more art, interpretative dance, some breakdancing, more funk and even more great art. So flowed the opening of the annual student art show, organized and curated by VACA (Vitality of the Artistic Community Association), in Lower Forest on Nov. 19. It was the day of the exhibition. The official time of the opening, as streaked across the super-hip striped posters plastered around campus, was 9 p.m. By 4 p.m. the gallery buzzed with talk of sick paint, stellar placement, and sweet tunes. All day, artists, curators and musicians alike had been preparing for the coming evening's opening. Submissions entered the gallery in the creative hands of some of Middlebury's most talented artists, members of VACA to find the perfect place for each piece and musicians from the band Headlands, visiting from the Berklee School of Music, made the art gallery their home for the night. Suddenly, it was 9 p.m. The band took its makeshift stage, spotlights shone brightly on the art and people flooded in to join the fete of artistic fervor.Every year, members of VACA organize fall and spring shows in Forest Basement as well as periodic shows in The Gamut Room. These exhibitions, at their core, aim to present and incite the kind of enthusiasm and appreciation that characterized this most recent event. By displaying the art of students, many of whom have never taken an art class in their life, let alone at Middlebury, VACA hopes to rouse creativity, communication and collaboration within artistic realms and beyond. "VACA is meant to be a creative outlet for Art majors and non-art majors alike. Middlebury is full of talented people who do not necessarily get to express themselves within Middlebury's academic setting due to major requirements and departmental prerequisites," said Co-President of VACA Brett Foreman '07. Co-president Kevin Buckland '06 shared similar sentiments: "VACA, today, is providing a voice for students, and the voice is growing louder as VACA grows."Through the lively opening of this fall's exhibition and the plethora of talent displayed on the colorful gallery walls, it was obvious that this very voice is growing louder all the time, resounding throughout campus and becoming a vital part of the Middlebury community. The exhibition itself, a curatorial collaboration of VACA members and featured artists, presented artwork ranging from photography to painting, from pastels to charcoals and from sketches to sculpture. The appeal and success of the exhibition was the result of its diversity and its ability to touch, attract, and communicate with a wide range of people-an idea that is vital to VACA's current goals. "The core of VACA's mission is to bring art into the lives of the students and to provide a living, breathing, talking, responding community to nurture artistic ideas and discussion. To make art accessible," said Buckland. "Art is a form of communication," added Foreman. "Almost all student artwork is confined to Johnson. By putting artwork up outside the art building we want to engage people who might not normally associate with art at Middlebury."VACA not only takes art outside Johnson by way of its group exhibitions, but also through other projects and events as well. The annual Halloween Party hosted by VACA encourages campus-wide creativity in a very different setting. "VACA sees this event as a great way to encourage students who don't necessarily consider themselves artists to be creative with their costume. Most often, I've noticed students are more inclined to create when they don't hold themselves to the expectation of making 'art'," said Buckland. "Too many people get stuck in this definition, making what they think art should be rather than what they feel." In addition, VACA hopes to increase the number of murals on campus, creating prominent, directly-accessible public art. "I hope that VACA can grow outside Forest Basement and paint walls and hallways all over campus. We learn nothing from white walls. I imagine this campus filled with color and life and thought, and hope the blank white does not reflect what they want us to be learning," said Buckland.And VACA can go even further by breaking down the barriers among different artistic mediums in order to achieve a more complete form of artistic collaboration and creative influence. "VACA really wants to reach out to the community and collaborate with other student groups," said Foreman. VACA is about art, VACA is about creativity, and VACA is about collaboration between all types of creative minds. "The problem I find, is most people try to express what they think they should express, which is normally as little as possible, rather than what they want to express," said Buckland. "We are making, and sacrificing, creative decisions every minute. I sincerely believe that this type of creative thinking will make all the difference in any field, be it English, physics, math or environmental science. Creative thinking is what changes the world. We must embrace creativity as a vital part of life."Great art, funk, more art, interpretative dance, some breakdancing, more funk and even more great art. Not to mention great creativity, great inspiration and maybe even great change.
(11/17/05 12:00am)
Author: Kerren McKeeman Meet Zhuo Tian, known to her students as teacher Tian, or Tian Laoshi. She is Middlebury's newest Chinese language professor, hired from the CET Academic Program in Beijing. She is also filling the position of the Chinese house teaching assistant. If asked five years ago what she thought she would be doing now or where she would be traveling for work, teaching Chinese in a small New England college in the United States would never have crossed Tian's mind. Tian graduated from Beijing University with a masters in National Economics. It was only after a friend's suggestion that she decided to apply to teach Chinese at CET, "just to see if I could do it," she recalled. Tain found she had a knack for teaching, and landed her current job at Middlebury. When asked what the biggest differences were between teaching college students in Beijing versus teaching American students in Middlebury, Vt., Tian cited the city as a major factor. "There's nothing here," she said of Middlebury, and wrinkled her nose upon mention of Burlington. There are parts of Middlebury that she truly enjoys and she said that her favorite part of the town was soaking up the clean air and beautiful scenery. Tian also appreciates the dining food, but only if she can go to Ross. According to Tian, Proctor is too "American" for her, but Ross always has food "that Asian people can actually eat." Tian loves teaching her classes, although her strenuous schedule includes teaching nine hours a week and preparing for four different lessons. "I spend a lot of time preparing for class," she noted. Yet she always manages to bring a zest and playful flavor to her classes - even her 8 a.m. third-year Chinese class is often filled with laughter, as Tian uses guessing games, debates, races and dollar store prizes to provoke competition and keep students enthusiastic about learning. Even though she enjoys teaching at Middlebury, Tian still misses Beijing and the connections she has made there. When asked what she misses most about China, she emphatically replied, "my parents," without a moment of hesitation. Unfortunately, her visa does not allow her to fly back to China over Christmas to visit her family and her home. However, Tian expects her husband, to whom she speaks with every night on the phone, to fly to Middlebury over winter break to visit. The two were married a year and a half ago, and she keeps pictures of their wedding in her office. Lucky students may catch a glimpse of her with her hair carefully curled and delicately lofted behind her head as she poses with her husband in front of Beijing park scenes, wearing traditional Chinese dress. Of all the things she wishes to accomplish here in the United States, Tian's highest priority is to practice her English speaking. "My English is terrible," she said with careful annunciation. She often refuses to speak to her Chinese students in English, in part to help them learn Chinese. But there is one English phrase of which she is quite fond and uses repeatedly. When students seem to drop like flies and a certain student repeatedly misses class, she likes to dismiss the issue by saying, "Another one bites the dust." Perhaps Tian's English is better than she lets on. And for those who are curious, inviting Tian to Ross for a little English conversation over lunch would make her day.
(11/10/05 12:00am)
Author: Daniel L. J. Phillips During its annual November meeting at the Kirk Alumni Center on Monday, the Faculty Council voted 104-62, with three abstentions, to strike down the Substitute Motion to preserve the American Literature and Civilization Department. The move to cast paper ballots on the issue was called and seconded following an hour of discussion and clarifying questions, and the result determines that the Educational Affairs Committee (EAC) proposal to establish a department in English and American Literature and a new interdisciplinary program and major in American Studies will come to a final vote at the December Faculty Council meeting. Cates Baldridge, professor and chair of the English department, noted that a "simple majority" would pass the EAC proposal into effect next month, but any number of amendments can be submitted up until a week before the Faculty Council's vote. Baldridge was unable to speculate as to just how many amendments might be submitted. "The actual wording of the proposal is quite simple," he said, adding that several suggestions for curricular changes - such as a historical and literary survey course and two required American literature courses - had already been attached to the original EAC proposal. According to Baldridge, the envisioned English and American Literature Department would retain "roughly the same structure." All current English or American Literature majors would keep their current major, unless they acquire enough credit and choose to receive their degree under the new department's title, "but no one will be forced," said Baldridge. This option would remain in place for all students in the Class of 2009 or above, but would not apply to students entering the Class of 2010. Like all curricular changes that are introduced, "we grandfather them in over the course of a student's career," said Baldridge. As for redistributing the current faculty's appointments, Baldridge said that if the EAC proposal is passed, some members will seek full appointment in the new English and American Literature Department, and others will seek joint appointments with the American Studies program. Baldridge noted that those professors' contributions to American literature will "be known beforehand because, as department chair, I have to know what courses we can count on. As we get more experienced with the new structure, innovation and cross fertilization will help people think of new kinds of courses," said Baldridge.After Middlebury College President Ronald D. Liebowitz called Monday's meeting to order, urging that the deliberations focus on "curricular" issues, Fulton Professor of American Literature Stephen Donadio - who wrote the Substitute Motion with Professor of Humanities John McWilliams - took the floor. Before the start of the meeting, Donadio had distributed a six-page document of the "Chronology of the American Literature Termination Process," and attached printed copies of actual e-mails that were sent throughout the proceedings. Donadio argued that the sudden termination was brought about by four tenured faculty members in the Department of American Literature and Civilization - Reginald L. Cook Professor Brett Millier, Dean of the College Tim Spears, and Associate Professors Michael Newbury and Will Nash. Donadio also claimed that the there was no action by the academic administration in response to such tactics and that there was a "curious" process to bring the EAC proposal to the faculty. Donadio's written chronology began with his account of Millier calling a meeting on Oct. 3, 2003, to discuss the preliminary idea of a joint English and American Literature major. Donadio refers to Millier as "one of the principal initiators of this move," and questions the responsibility of a so-called "Literature Committee," which was comprised of professors all in favor of the merger and unknown to the administration. Donadio also cited an e-mail from Dec. 15, 2003, which was signed by Millier, Spears, Nash and Newbury, four of the six tenured American Literature faculty members. The e-mail attempts to solicit a two-thirds approval of the department before proceeding with the proposals, yet Donadio points out that the four authors of the e-mail already constitute a majority, so any further discussion meetings prove to be "empty and superfluous." The chronology notes another instance on March 1, 2004, when McWilliams was prohibited by Vice President for Academic Affairs Alison Byerly to send out a letter alerting American Literature alumni to the developments. Conceding that a majority of the English Department was in favor of the changes, Donadio pointed out that during late spring 2004, "negotiating teams" appointed by the literature department chairs to produce proposals to the EAC consisted only of members in favor of the reconfigurations.McWilliams took the podium after Donadio, and said the decision will "gut" teaching opportunities in American literature. He told the faculty the curricular suggestions in the EAC draft - such as the survey course - constituted an "11th hour proposal" and a "sop to gain your vote." McWilliams said he does not think the survey course would last more than three years, calling it "a soothing delusion for today's political purpose." Associate Professor of Biology Helen Young was the next to address the faculty on behalf of the EAC. She stressed that the EAC had focused on the anecdotal opinions of currents students in drafting its proposal. She said the present relationship between the English Department and the American Literature program fosters "conflict, confusion and redundancy," and noted that only the current English Department houses the creative writing and post-colonial literature programs. Young added that the current American Civilization program has a strong literary bent, and that the "true interdisciplinarity of the field will be accomplished" under the new American Studies program. Millier stood up to defend the EAC proposal by pointing out that a 1999 external review committee, comprised of academics from outside the College and unrelated to the EAC proposal, had reviewed the English Department and concluded there was a "prohibition of cooperation" between the two different literature programs.
(11/10/05 12:00am)
Author: KATHRYN BROOKS FLAGG College produces four Watson nomineesMiddlebury College boasts four nominees for the prestigious Thomas J. Watson Fellowship. Proposals from Lauren Markham '06, Molly Nora '06, Alison Shapiro '06 and Amber Trotter '06 have been selected by the College to vie for Fellowships from the Thomas J. Watson Foundation. If awarded, these fellowships provide funds for a year of travel and independent study outside of the United States. This year, for the first year ever, all College nominees are women. Markham's proposed project, "Community Archives: Documenting Refugee Stories Past and Present Through Art, Writing and Photography," would take her to Ecuador, Rwanda, the Republic of Congo and Egypt. Nora's proposal suggests stints in England, Ireland, Greece, Jordan, Egypt and Mali in pursuing the ways in which museums define, interpret and transmit national identities. Shapiro's project, "Painted Ladies: A Cultural Exploration of Women and Tatooing," charts an itinerary through Japan, Polynesia, New Zealand, Africa and India, and Trotter's project, "Concrete Fertility: Community Development through Urban Agriculture," suggests travel to Costa Rica, Venezuela, Argentina, Brazil and Spain.This year's Watson Fellows will be announced by the Foundation by March 15, 2006. The Foundation will award up to 50 grants to graduating seniors of $25,000 or $35,000. Middlebury is one of 48 liberal arts institutions invited to nominate students for the Fellowship program.Currently, two recent College alumni are living and studying abroad as Watson Fellows. Erwin "Bennett" Konesni '04.5 is traveling to the Netherlands, Germany, Ghana, Tanzania, Vietnam, Switzerland and Mongolia to study sea shanties, farming chants, river songs and other musical labor. Stephanie Morales '05 is filming a documentary exploring women and leadership in Spain, Argentina and Venezuela.Library unveils online Robert Frost exhibitThe Special Collections department of the Middlebury College library recently launched an online exhibit celebrating beloved American poet Robert Frost's connection to the College. The exhibit, titled "Robert Frost at Bread Loaf," focuses on Frost's intimate relationship with Vermont and celebrates his connection to the Bread Loaf School of English and the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference. Frost first came to the School of English in 1921 and, in 1926, was influential in founding the Writers' Conference. Until his death in 1963, Frost returned to the mountain campus nearly every summer. "No one," claims the online exhibit, "is more closely identified with Bread Loaf than Robert Frost."The exhibit's most exciting facet, arguably, is its collection of rare audio recordings accompanying several of Frost's transcripts. In addition to over 30 recordings, the exhibit includes the transcripts, letters, photographs and manuscripts proprietary to the College's Special Collections.The exhibit, which was unveiled in early October following the first of the year's inaugural Abernathy Lectures, is intended for both scholarly and mainstream audiences. It represents the work of Curator of Special Collections and Archives Andrew Wentink and Assistant Curator Danielle Rougeau as well as project managers, sound editors and student assistants.
(11/10/05 12:00am)
Author: Justin Golenbock Don't think I enjoy this. Don't think I wouldn't much rather return to the sand dunes of Qatar camel racing. Or Adirondack Mountain Unicycling tour (UMX). Or even Canadian Underwater Hockey (invented in 1954 by an English scuba instructor…obviously). But it's not like the mainstream media really invests much time in covering New England sports, so really, what choice do I have? I fill a need. Which is why it has been a stunning oversight, an absolute atrocity even, that the Boston Celtics have played three games into their young season (1-2) before I've forced myself to sit and (dis)honestly preview their 2005-2006 season. And before I begin, yes, the NBA did take a bit of a hit to its image this off-season, with gossipy controversies like its new dress code, Ron Artest's return, and the celebratory excesses of Shaquille O'Neal's 10-year anniversary bash for the release of "Shaq-Fu" (still available at a select number of videogame outlets…he used to be cool). But it's high time we brought the focus back on the court.First and foremost: all 17 remaining Celtic fans painfully witnessed Mark Blount mail-it-in last year, in the first year of his new contract, crippling his team's expensive frontcourt in the process. He needed (another) new beginning this year. So to re-illustrate his real priorities to the fans, the first thing Blount did this preaseason was announce to reporters that he was changing the pronunciation of his name to "Blunt" (going so far as to spell it out). I wish I were funny enough to have made that up.Secondably, I don't really want to pick on Brian Scalabrine. I mean, he's 6'-9" and weighs 250 pounds. But he's also the most obnoxiously goofy redhead to ever grace a basketball court (Walton's already started to grey). More notably, he's too weak to defend the four, too slow to get his shot and too painful-looking to appear in nationally televised games. Sound harsh? Not for 15 million Danny Ainge dollars, it isn't. But one announcement I'll go so far as to make may just save the season: Al Jefferson has officially been accepted into the class of "professional athletes younger than myself whose jerseys I feel comfortable wearing in public" (he earns his drinking card on the first day of J-Term…Angela's, be there). Though Delonte West may evidence a slightly-too-public display of what some of us refer to as "the herpes," any 22-year-old point guard who leads his team in blocked shots, while also top-three in points, assists and steals, is something special. Paul Pierce hasn't been knifed in three years, Raef Lafrentz's knee has been upgraded to "better than my own" and in the words of Chris Farley's Superfan, "their defense is like a brick wall…you can't go t'rough 'em." So what's not to like? I'm gonna have to predict…Celtics…72 wins. Rest of the NBA…zip.
