News for the Smith
College Community | September 19, 1996
Symposium Celebrates Sophia
Turning 200 is no everyday occurrence, and thus--since Rally Day last February--the
Smith calendar has been dotted with special events marking the bicentennial
of the birth of college founder and benefactor Sophia Smith. While festivities
will continue for months to come, a special celebratory weekend, "An
'Education Equal...'," to be held Friday, September 27, and Saturday,
September 28, promises to be a high point of the birthday year.
The phrase "an 'education equal'" is drawn from Sophia's will,
in which she said she wished to provide for "the higher education of
young women, with the design to furnish for my own sex means and facilities
for education equal to those which are afforded now in our colleges to young
men."
The centerpiece of the celebration will be a symposium on Friday at 4 p.m.
in Wright Hall auditorium. Following introductory remarks by President Ruth
J. Simmons, Johnnetta Cole, president of Spelman College, will present a
talk entitled "For Our Sisters All: an 'education equal...'."
Jill Ker Conway, president emerita of Smith, will speak on "A School
of One's Own."
John Connolly, dean of the faculty and chair of the bicentennial planning
committee, notes that he and his group wanted this key event to focus on
the unique aim of Sophia's will: her insistence that women were entitled
to an education equivalent to that which men were already receiving. "It
was an idea that struck people as bizarre at the time," Connolly says.
"Others had founded women's colleges, but no one--man or woman--had
founded a women's college with that aspiration." Connolly also explains
that, in selecting Cole and Conway, his committee "wanted to bring
to the campus two educational leaders closely identified with the concept
of equal education." He notes that Cole "adds another dimension--and
one with which we're less familiar here at Smith--because she will be talking
about colleges founded specifically for African-American women."
"Johnnetta tells me that the paper she'll be presenting is the best
one she's ever done," notes Simmons. "So that will put the pressure
on her!" she adds with a smile.
The weekend's events will continue on Saturday with a fun run at 8 a.m.
Dean for Academic Development Susie Bourque will fire the starter's gun.
At the same time, a bicycle trip to historic Hatfield will be led by Herb
Nickles, director of Information Systems. The tour will include Sophia's
house and grave site, where Connolly will present a brief historical talk.
At 10 a.m., a panel discussion on women's education will be held in the
Neilson Library Browsing Room. Conway, Cole and three Smith faculty members,
Quentin Quesnell, Lawrence Fink and Justina Gregory, will engage in a wide-ranging
discussion about the education of women. Comments and questions from the
audience will be encouraged.
Later in the day, the Head of the Paradise regatta will take place on the
pond, followed by a birthday song and cake celebration in Mendenhall Courtyard
featuring the Smiffenpoofs, Smithereens and Noteables.
The festivities will conclude with a concert at 8 p.m. in Sage Hall. "From
the Salon of Sophia Smith: Music of 19th-century New England" will
feature music by MacDowell, Paine, Beach, Foote, Loeffler and others, performed
by Smith faculty, students and guest artists.
Coinciding with the birthday symposium is an exhibition in the Sophia Smith
Collection, Alumnae Gymnasium, entitled "Too Learned to be Good, Humble
and Gentle": Women's Education in Sophia Smith's Era. The exhibition
will be on view through January 1997.
More details about the bicentennial weekend happenings can be found in this
week's calendar. Connolly urges all to take part in the celebration. "It
is a unique event," he observes, "and a bicentennial is a special
mark of distinction-a moment when we can pause and, looking back, can gather
inspiration from the life of our founder to carry us into the next century
with renewed purpose."
Award to Perpetuate Sophia Smith's Vision
Since its kick-off last February, Sophia Smith's 200th birthday year has
been rife with celebrations and special events. And now, a major national
prize, the Sophia Smith Award, will offer a more enduring tribute to the
founder's foresight by recognizing an individual who has made a significant
and lasting contribution to the education of women.
The recipient of this unprecedented prize will be a person who, as a teacher,
administrator, legislator or in other capacities, deserves national recognition
for his or her achievement in advancing women's education.
Final selection of the first Sophia Smith Award winner will be made by a
distinguished panel of judges, including two past presidents of Smith--Jill
Ker Conway, author and historian, and Mary Maples Dunn, director of the
Schlesinger Library at Radcliffe College. Three well-known Smith alumnae--Barbara
Bush '47, former First Lady; Yolanda King '76, actress, producer, director
and human rights activist; and Gloria Steinem '56, author, lecturer and
editor--will also serve on the panel. They will be joined by Dennis F. Thompson,
Smith trustee and Alfred North Whitehead Professor of Political Philosophy
at Harvard University.
The award offers a prize of $10,000 and a medal created by Elliot Offner,
Andrew M. Mellon Professor of Humanities and Art, displaying the award's
symbol, the owl. The owl appears in Greek mythology as the companion of
Athena, goddess of wisdom, and Sophia Smith's given name, in turn, is derived
from the Greek word for wisdom. The recipient, whose name will be announced
at Rally Day exercises on February 19, 1997, is expected to visit the campus
in the spring to accept the award.
All members of the Smith community are encouraged to submit nominations
for the new prize. To do so, send a letter of nomination, along with the
résumé or curriculum vitae of the individual being nominated,
as well as relevant public reports or documents and the names of two references
for the candidate, to the Sophia Smith Award Committee, c/o the Office of
the President, College Hall. Nominations must be received by November 1.
Smith 2020: Self-Study Update
Smith's self-study was officially launched earlier this month with a reception
for the more than 100 faculty members, administrators, staff and students
who will serve on 12 self-study teams.
At the gathering, Professor of History Howard Nenner, who chairs the ambitious
project, reminded those assembled that not all of the work will be done
by the teams alone and that they are to serve as "conduits" to
a far broader community, encouraging and evaluating ideas and concerns that
will come from across campus.
Nenner also pointed out that, although an intensive self-study is an important
required component of the reaccreditation process that Smith undergoes every
decade, "We're using this mandate to do something a lot more enterprising
and important: to look to the future. Where that will take us we don't yet
know--and it would be inappropriate at this point to think that we should
know."
President Ruth J. Simmons, speaking next, emphasized the importance of the
year-long self-examination and urged participants to think beyond the vested
interests or particular needs of individual departments and fields of study.
"This is an earnest effort to look at what we are doing now at Smith
[to carry out the academic mission of the college]. It is not a cost-cutting
exercise. It is not a downsizing exercise," she stressed. "It
is important that everyone brings to the process what it would take to improve
the educational offerings of the college...to make Smith, already a superb
college, the best college in the country. It is about establishing priorities
for what Smith might be 10, 20, even 50 years from now."
While looking for original ways to enhance educational opportunities, Simmons
directed team members to test each new idea against probing questions. She
offered her own examples: "How important is this idea to the academic
mission of the college?" "Does this make us unique?" and
"Is exemplary performance [with this idea] evident--or is it possible
in the near future?"
She encouraged the group to think of other tests as well. "Thirty years
from now, some of the next generation will be standing right here where
you stand today...and I hope they will say, we got it right!"
Simmons has dubbed the self-study "Smith 2020: Envisioning Our Future."
It is indeed an apt slogan, observes Nenner, because it represents the need
to look toward the next millennium--to the year 2020--and to consider what
Smith should be doing two decades from now, and it also reflects the clear-sightedness
or vision that Simmons hopes will guide the college there.
Questions or suggestions concerning the self-study can be addressed to Nenner
and the self-study team at extensions 3017 or 3019.
Library Self-Study Team Seeks Input
The team evaluating the libraries as part of the college's self-study is
actively soliciting opinions and ideas from the campus community. The team
will look at the effectiveness of the libraries in supporting the academic
programs of the college, including such issues as the adequacy of the collections,
services to students and faculty, library orientation and training and the
adequacy of facilities and equipment.
The team will also be developing proposals for future improvement of the
libraries; for example, to address acquisitions, technology, links between
the library and curriculum, preservation of materials, strength of the special
collections, space for storage of books and archives and the role of multimedia
services.
We welcome your questions, suggestions and comments, which are not limited
to these areas. The team will be sharing more detailed outlines as the project
progresses.
Several open meetings are being convened: Wednesday, September 25, 9-10
a.m., for library staff; Monday, September 30, 4:30-5:30 p.m., for all interested
faculty; and Monday, October 7, 4:30-5:30 p.m. for students.
All meetings will be in Neilson Browsing Room. Additional meetings will
be convened throughout the fall. This team is also responsible for evaluating
the Museum of Art, the slide library, the Visual Resources Center and the
Campus School Library, as they are considered part of the information resources
supporting the college's academic mission.
The team has its own electronic list; send e-mail to: LIBSTUDY-L@LISTPROC.SMITH.EDU.
Boxes for written comments will be placed at the circulation desks in the
libraries (Neilson, Hillyer, Josten, Science, the Sophia Smith Collection
and the Nonprint Resources Center), or you may send them to members of the
team: Craig Davis, Carolyn Jacobs, Dana Leibsohn, Missy Naulin '97, Sarah
Pritchard, Don Robinson, Stan Scordilis and Pam Skinner.
Neilson Professor to Lecture
A prominent scholar, who is serving as a visiting faculty member here this
fall, will launch a series of three lectures on Tuesday, September 24. June
Nash, distinguished professor of anthropology of the City College of New
York and the Graduate Center of City University, is currently the William
Allan Neilson Professor at Smith and is being hosted by the Latin American
Studies Program.
A graduate of Barnard College who earned a Ph.D. in anthropology from the
University of Chicago, Nash has written and edited 15 books and countless
articles on topics ranging from Mayan belief systems, to the consciousness
of Andean tin miners, to the impact of the changing world economic system
on women and children.
Her current research interests include women's artisan production and popular
movements in Chiapas, Mexico, where she has been conducting research since
the mid-1950s. At present, Nash is considered one of the foremost authorities
on the Zapatista movement in Chiapas, which will be discussed in her first
talk, "Fiesta of the Word: Zapatistas and Radical Democracy in Chiapas,
Mexico." (See calendar for details.)
The second lecture in the series, "Women and Militarism in Latin America,"
will take place October 22. The final talk, "When Isms Become Wasms:
Marxism, Feminism and Postmodernism," is scheduled for November 19.
House Counsel
September 19 is the first day that students can do what Housing Coordinator
Kathleen Kramer hopes that many will not-submit requests to switch rooms.
Indeed, just as the flurry of back-to-school activity is subsiding for some
departments, Kramer and her staff are bracing for this first round of changes.
Until the 19th, Kramer explains, students are asked to settle into their
campus rooms and to get to know their roommates. Thereafter, those who wish
to relocate can fill out a short form available from all head residents
and hope that something will be available. In assigning new rooms, priority
is first given according to seniority and then to those already residing
in the houses where space is vacant.
Although Kramer tries hard to accommodate all requests, she also urges students
to try to "stick it out," especially when their discontent is
based on roommate issues. "Many students arrive here never having shared
a room before," she observes, "and it's hard. Getting to know
another person is not an easy task, and it often takes some time."
Head residents, house community advisers and house presidents are all trained
in conflict resolution, notes Kramer. The first step for an unhappy duo
should be to seek assistance from one of these peers. Second, she adds,
area coordinators can step in to mediate. Only if these measures fail should
requests for change be initiated.
"The roommate experience can be very valuable," Kramer points
out, "in terms of learning about other people, learning about yourself
and also about how to make adjustments when a situation isn't perfect."
For those who do give it their best shot but don't succeed, the start of
the second semester is a good time to make a switch. Early November, says
Kramer, is when to begin thinking about such a move. "See your head
resident," she advises. "Pick up the form from her and make sure
to note on it that you want to move between semesters."
Other plan-ahead advice: "House decision cards for 1997-98 should be
in student mailboxes by February 24. These must be completed to indicate
whether you plan to stay in your house or take part in the spring lottery
to move to another." In order to be eligible for the lottery, however,
students must pay their fall '97 room deposits by February 21 and must also
have a student-account balance of less than $3,000 by that date.
"Pay careful attention to all deadlines," Kramer warns. "The
spring lottery is your best chance to move into the house you want."
For those who miss that chance, however, a summer lottery offers some hope.
It is usually held in July, while students are off campus, so they must
complete required paperwork before leaving in May. "Some of the rooms
in the summer lottery are great," she says, "but some are the
leftovers. "
Kramer joined the Smith staff as acting housing coordinator last March,
during the frenzy of spring lottery. On July 1, she took on the permanent
post, so she is still in the midst of her first housing cycle. Yet, while
Kramer is new to Smith, she is no stranger to overseeing residential life.
As an undergraduate majoring in psychology at Humboldt State University
in California, she served as a student "living group adviser."
She then worked full-time for six years as a residence hall director at
Washington State Unversity, where she also earned a master's degree in education
with an emphasis on counseling and student affairs.
Kramer suggests that her job at Smith is "probably the most challenging
one I've ever had." She's found that "students at Smith--and their
parents--demand a lot; much more than at a public institution." On
the other hand, she is quick to claim that, "I've received thank-you
notes from individuals I've helped out here, and that had never happened
to me before. Smith students are very thoughtful and appreciative."
Japan Study Tour Proposed
"Summer school" may take on a new meaning for some Smith students
if plans for an unusual course-now on the drawing board-are finalized. The
proposed offering, Religion 400a: Japanese Aesthetics, Landscape and Gardens,
won't take place during the traditional school year, and, in fact, it won't
even entirely take place at Smith.
Co-taught by Taitetsu Unno, Jill Ker Conway Professor of Religion and East
Asian Studies, and Mimi Locher '87, an architect working in Japan, this
special-studies course will be conducted in two phases. The first will be
a two-week study tour of selected landscapes and gardens in Tokyo, Kyoto
and outlying districts. The trip is scheduled to take place in late May
and early June 1997. Students will prepare during second semester by reading
several related texts, and, following the tour, will be required to write
a paper based on their on-site study and readings.
The second component of the course will be a two-hour weekly class in the
fall semester, highlighted by a workshop presented by David Slawson, Ph.D.,
author of Secret Teachings in the Art of Japanese Gardens and designer of
the Smith Japanese Garden.
All of these plans are tentative, stresses Dean of the Faculty John Connolly.
The course is still very much in the "proposal state," he says,
and an informational session, to be held on campus Thursday, September 26
(see calendar), will help to explain the program and also to gauge student
interest. Participants in the course will earn credit for their work, says
Connolly, but the exact amount has not yet been determined and will depend
largely on exactly how the course is structured.
Connolly points out that, although courses-for-credit have been offered
in exotic off-campus sites in the past, this will be the first such excursion
to Asia. This course is also unique, he adds, because alumnae will be invited
to join students on the study tour. Right now the target number for the
group is 20 participants: about 10 students and 10 alumnae. Connolly is
hopeful that financial assistance will be available for students who wish
to enroll but cannot afford to do so without aid.
Susan Komroff Cohen '62, a Connecticut landscape architect, conceived and
organized this new venture. "The idea evolved out of my own experience
teaching landscape architecture," she explains. "I realized how
important it is to look at gardens in the context of their culture in order
to understand the philosophy behind them."
Cohen will join with Unno and Locher, who is visiting from Japan, at the
September 26 meeting to discuss the course and answer questions. She hopes
that many students will be there to get a preliminary look at an unusual
opportunity. Those who cannot attend the session but would like more information
can contact Unno at extension 3666 or send e-mail to Cohen (scohenla@aol.com).
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People News
Aces in the Hole
By the tender age of 20, Tiger Woods had already posted nine holes-in-one
on his scorecards. Smith ski coach Theresa Collins, on the other hand-albeit
somewhat older than the fledgling pro and with 14 years of golf behind her-had
yet to chalk up even a single ace when last summer's season started.
But, one afternoon in June, Smith College Adult Fitness Camp participants
got their money's worth for sure while Collins was giving them golf instruction.
As her students looked on, she teed-up her ball on the 125-yard par-3 fourth
hole at Northampton's Pine Grove links, took a mighty swing with an ancient
7-iron (borrowed from among the relics at the college Field House) and witnessed
her first-ever single-shot success.
Collins soon learned, however, that her hole-in-one was not official because
she was teaching a lesson and not actually playing a round. "I was
told it didn't count, but it counted to me!" she laments.
Yet the fates were clearly on her side exactly two weeks later when, at
South Hadley's Orchards course, she sunk a 6-iron from the tee on the 130-yard
seventh hole. This time, the ace was legitimate and was even confirmed by
a most credible witness-Smith's Director of Athletics Lynn Oberbillig. "I
was in shock," Collins recounts. "It threw off the rest of my
game." It also turned out to be a costly afternoon. Golfing protocol
dictates that those who score a hole-in-one must treat all patrons to free
drinks back at the clubhouse.
On Another Note
Last September, the opera S. was first performed at Smith, and this
fall its composer-Ronald Perera, Elsie Irwin Sweeney Professor of Music-will
travel to Italy on a seven-week fellowship to expand the opera's orchestration.
Perera's award comes from the Bogliasco Foundation, and he will be based
at the organization's Liguria Study Center near Genoa from November until
January.
The initial Smith performances of S., Perera explains, featured a chamber
orchestra of two pianos and percussion. While in Italy, however, he will
be rewriting the score for a full orchestra.
Perera credits Smith colleague Larry Joseph, professor of French language
and literature and a member of the Bogliasco Foundation's advisory board,
for helping him to receive the fellowship.
Meanwhile, closer to home, Boston Musica Viva, a Beantown chamber music
ensemble, has received a $10,000 grant from the Aaron Copland Fund for Music,
Inc., of New York City to record some of Perera's work on compact disc.
The new CD, which will be released in 1997-98 on the Composer's Recordings,
Inc. label, will include the composition "Three Poems of Günter
Grass," which is already available on LP, along with two other pieces:
Crossing the Meridian, which was performed at Smith several years
ago, and Visions, which will premiere next season.
Stepping Out
Mary Mosher Flesher, research associate and member of the Committee on the
History of the Sciences, presented a paper at the international conference,
"Bernstein's Traditions in Motor Control," held at Penn State
University in late August. The paper was entitled "'Objective Science'
and Man's Second 'Human Nature': The Weber's Human Locomotion Research versus
the Prussian Military Tradition." Nicolai Bernstein, a 20th-century
Russian physiologist, developed the theory of coordinated action.
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Calendar
Monday, September 23
Informational meeting: SGA election "infomercial." Learn about
opportunities as first-year class officers, campus-wide senators and available
fill-in positions. Free pizza lunch. Sign-ups to run in the upcoming elections
begin here.
Noon-1 p.m., Neilson Library Browsing Room
French language lunch table
12:15 p.m., Duckett House Special Dining Room
Italian language lunch table
12:15 p.m., Duckett House Special Dining Room
Religious activity: Scripture study and discussion with chaplains Elizabeth
Carr and Richard Unsworth.
4-5 p.m., Bodman lounge, Chapel
Meeting: Amnesty International.
4:15 p.m., Seelye Hall 105
Tuesday, September 24
Luncheon meeting of the Smith College Chapter of Sigma Xi. "Tracks
across New Zealand," by Virginia White, chemistry department.
Noon, Smith College Club downstairs lounge
Deutscher Tisch language lunch table
12:15 p.m., Duckett House Special Dining Room
Japanese language lunch table
12:15 p.m., Duckett House Special Dining Room
Special event: Literature at Lunch. Ambreen Hai will read from Hanif Kureishi's
The Buddha of Suburbia. Bring your lunch or just come to listen.
The English department will provide coffee and soft drinks.
12:15 p.m., Seelye Hall 207
Informational meetings for faculty and staff to promote the new Employee
Assistance Program. Choose one of four hour-long sessions.
1, 2, 3 and 4 p.m., Neilson Library Browsing Room
Informational meeting for juniors and seniors planning to apply to health
professions schools for admission in the fall of 1998.
5-6 p.m., Burton Hall 101
Informational meeting to meet the dance department. All undergraduate students
interested in dance are invited.
5-6 p.m., Berenson Studio 3, Mendenhall CPA
Special event: S.O.S. Community Service Fair. Representatives from more
than 40 non-profit community service agencies will be on hand to provide
information on how you can make a difference. Opportunities abound. All
are welcome.
7-8:30 p.m., Davis Ballroom
Meeting: A Course In Miracles on-going study/support group. Drop-ins welcome.
Questions? Call Claire McConnell at extension 7716 or the Chapel at extension
2750.
7 p.m., Bodman Lounge, Chapel
CDO open hours
7-9 p.m., CDO, Drew Hall
Meeting: Senate. All are welcome.
7 p.m., Seelye Hall 201
Lecture: "Fiesta of the Word: Zapatistas and Radical Democracy in Chiapas,
Mexico," by June Nash, William Allan Neilson Professor in Latin American
Studies. See news article in this issue.
7:30 p.m., Neilson Library Browsing Room*
Wednesday, September 25
Student payroll vouchers due by noon in College Hall 10.
Special event: Kaffe Klatsch reopens. All proceeds support S.O.S. and its
work with the local community. Come check it out.
8 a.m., Kaffee Klatsch, Seelye Hall basement
Meeting of Library Self-Study Team. Open meeting for library staff. See
news article in this issue.
9-10 a.m., Neilson Library Browsing Room
Religious activity: An informal gathering of Catholic Ada Comstock Scholars.
Pizza will be served, and all are welcome.
Noon-1 p.m., Bodman Lounge, Chapel
Korean language lunch table
12:15 p.m., Duckett House Special Dining Room
Spanish & Portuguese language lunch table
12:15 p.m., Duckett House Special Dining Room
Lecture: General Literature 291. Professor Thalia Pandiri, classics department,
will lecture on Homer's Iliad.
2:40 p.m., Stoddard Hall auditorium
Soccer vs. Wiliams
4 p.m., athletic fields*
Informational meeting for the marine science summer and semester program
series. School for Field Studies representative will give a slide presentation
on hands-on field study programs, including the new "Center for Wetlands
Studies" in Baja Sur, Mexico.
4:15-5:30 p.m., Burton Hall 101*
Religious activity: Buddhist service and discussion.
7:15 p.m., Bodman Lounge, Chapel
Thursday, September 26
Luncheon meeting: "What is a Species?" by Stephen Tilley, Myra
A. Sampson Professor of Biological Sciences. Part of the Liberal Arts Luncheon
Series; open to faculty, emeriti and staff.
Noon, Smith College Club lower level
Chinese language lunch table
12:15 p.m., Duckett House Special Dining Room
Russian language lunch table
12:15 p.m., Duckett House Special Dining Room
Informational meetings for faculty and staff to promote the new Employee
Assistance Program. Choose one of four hour-long sessions.
1, 2, 3 and 4 p.m., Neilson Library Browsing Room
Lecture: "Scanning Tunneling Microscopy of DNA: First Steps Towards
a Novel Sequencing Method," by George Petersen, Department of Biochemistry,
University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand
4:15 p.m., McConnell 102
Informational meeting: Summer Study Tour to Japan, proposed new travel/study
course on Japanese aesthetics, landscapes and gardens. See news article
in this issue for more information.
5 p.m., Wright Hall common room
Performance: "Altered Traces," compilation of multimedia dance
works by Joyce S. Lim. Admission: $5 general; $3 students/seniors. For information
call the box office, 585-ARTS, Tuesday-Friday, 2-5 p.m. and one hour prior
to curtain on show nights.
8 p.m., Hallie Flanagan Studio Theatre, Mendenhall CPA*+
Film: To be announced. Sponsored by Rec Council.
9 p.m., Wright Hall auditorium
Friday, September 27
ASL language lunch table
12:15 p.m., Duckett House Special Dining Room
Special event: Sophia Smith Bicentennial Weekend Address with Jill Ker Conway,
president emerita, Smith College and Johnnetta Cole, president, Spelman
College.
4 p.m., Wright Hall auditorium*
Religious service: Sabbath Eve Service.
5:30 p.m., Dawes House Kosher Kitchen
Community event: Shabbat Eve Dinner.
6:30 p.m., Dawes House Kosher Kitchen
Performance: "Altered Traces." See 9/26 listing for information.
8 p.m., Hallie Flanagan Studio Theatre, Mendenhall CPA*+
Party: First KASS Party. All invited. Admission: $7 general; $5 Smith students.
Sponsored by the Korean American Students of Smith.
10 p.m.-1 a.m., Davis ballroom+*
Saturday, September 28
Conference for alumnae class officers. Orientation conference for all newly
elected alumnae class officers (classes ending in 1's and 6's).
8 a.m., Alumnae House Conference Room
Special event: Sophia Smith Bicentennial Weekend panel discussion: "Sophia
Smith and Women's Education." Ruth Simmons, moderator, with panelists
Jill Ker Conway, Johnnetta Cole, Larry Fink, Quentin Quesnel and Justina
Gregory.
10 a.m., Neilson Library Browsing Room*
Tours of the Sophia Smith bedroom in the Alumnae House
2-4 p.m., Alumnae House
Special event: Sophia Smith Bicentennial Weekend Birthday Celebration for
the Smith community.
4 p.m., Mendenhall CPA Courtyard
Concert: "From the Salon of Sophia Smith." Works by MacDowell,
Paine, Beach, Loeffler, Chadwick and others. Performed by Smith College
faculty, students and guests.
8 p.m., Sweeney Concert Hall, Sage Hall*
Performance: "Altered Traces." See 9/26 listing for information.
8 p.m., Hallie Flanagan Studio Theater, Mendenhall CPA*+
Sunday, September 29
Conference for alumnae class officers. See 9/28 listing.
8 a.m., Alumnae House Conference Room
Religious activity: Quaker (Friends) discussion group. Meeting for worship
begins at 11 a.m. Child care is available.
9:30 a.m., Bass Hall 210*
Religious service: Service of morning worship with guest preacher Karl Donfried.
All are welcome.
10:30 a.m., Chapel*
Special event: Five College Community Open House. The Mount Holyoke College
Art Museum, The Mead Art Museum at Amherst College, the Smith College Museum
of Art, the University Gallery at the University of Massachusetts and the
Hampshire College Art Gallery will host concurrent open houses. Shuttle
transportation will be provided between sites.
Noon-5 p.m., Museum of Art*
CDO open hours
1-4 p.m., CDO, Drew Hall
Religious service: Roman Catholic Mass with Fr. Jim Sheehan, S.J., and Elizabeth
Carr, Catholic chaplain. All those interested in providing music, please
join Grace Cajiuat, director of College Choirs Alpha and Omega, to rehearse
the hymns at 3:30 p.m. in the chapel. An informal dinner will follow in
the Bodman Lounge. All are welcome.
4:30 p.m., Chapel*
Religious activity: Women's Spirituality Group opening meeting. An ecumenical
group to explore the spirituality and meaning of Christian feminism. All
are welcome.
Questions? Call Tanya Denley, extension 6941 or Chaplain Elizabeth Carr,
extension 2752.
7-8 p.m., Bodman lounge, Chapel
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Notices
By action of the faculty, students are responsible for the observance of
notices and calendar listings appearing in AcaMedia. Members of the Smith
College community are expected to make their announcements through this
publication. Submit calendar items and notices to Mary Stanton, Garrison
Hall. Items for news articles (not calendar listings) should be sent to
Sally Rubenstone, Garrison Hall. (E-mail submissions of notices and news
articles are welcome as well: send to mstanton or srubenstone@ais as appropriate.)
Deadlines
Copy is due by 4 p.m., Wednesday, September 25, for issue #5 (containing
the October 7 to October 13 calendar listings). Copy is due by 4 p.m., Wednesday,
October 2, for issue #6 (containing the October 14 to October 20 calendar
listings). Late information cannot be accepted.
AcaMedia staff
Cathy Brooks, layout
Sally Rubenstone, editor
Mary Stanton, calendar
Five College Calendar Deadline
Entries for the November Five College Calendar must be received in writing
by October 15. Entries received after this deadline will not appear in the
November issue. Please send all entries to Mary Stanton in Garrison Hall.
Exhibitions
Museum of Art, 585-2770. Hours: Tuesday, Friday and Saturday, 9:30 a.m.-4
p.m.; Wednesday and Sunday, noon-4 p.m.; Thursday, noon-8 p.m. Print Room
hours: Tuesday through Friday, 1-4 p.m., Saturday, 1-4 p.m., during exhibitions.
Other hours by appointment.
Roma Antica: 18th-Century Prints by Piranesi. (Through 10/27). Print Room.
One Hundred Yards and Skin Deep: Personal photographs of M.Richard Fish,
made near the exhibition space. Hillyer Gallery, Fine Arts Center. (Through
October 8.) Hours: Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m.-11 p.m.; Friday, 8 a.m.-9 p.m.;
Saturday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sunday, noon-11 p.m.
Small Landscapes and Monotypes by Sally Brody '54. (Through November.) These
oil-on-canvas paintings show various landscapes which were painted on Martha's
Vineyard and in the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Alumnae House Gallery, 585-2020.
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Nonprint Resources Center Deadlines
Requests for audiovisual equipment should be in the NPRC office at least
seven working days in advance. If you need an equipment operator for an
evening or weekend presentation, at least three weeks' advance notice is
needed in order to schedule a part-time or student operator. Requests should
be in writing, preferably on the NPRC form; electronic mail (username: NPRC)
may be used if you make sure to give the same information requested on the
NPRC form. Questions or problems? Call extension 2954. The NPRC office will
try to fill last-minute requests but can make no promises. Requests are
filled on a first-come, first-served basis within the limits of available
equipment and staff. Please do not move equipment between rooms without
prior approval from the NPRC office.
Add/Drop Deadline
The last day to add a course is Wednesday, September 25. The last day to
drop a course is Wednesday, October 9. Add/drop forms may be obtained in
the registrar's office.
Late Registration Fee
A late fee of $25 is charged for any petitions to add or drop courses after
the deadlines (September 25 and October 9). Please be sure to correct your
registration by the appropriate deadlines.
Student Schedules
Student course schedules have been mailed to students at their campus mailboxes.
Please check carefully and report any discrepancies to the registrar. Five
College courses may not yet appear on your schedule. You will receive the
student copy of your registration form once your enrollment is confirmed.
Housing
Students who wish to request a room change may now do so by completing the
appropriate paperwork available from the head resident of each house. Please
note: waiting lists for rooms will be created from completed request forms.
Requests will be granted as rooms become available. Please be patient; there
are far more requests for room changes than there are available rooms. If
you have any questions, please contact your head resident/house coordinator
or Kathleen Kramer, housing coordinator, in College Hall 24. See news article
in this issue.
Go For A Ride
The Smith College Cycling Club provides students with an opportunity to
mountain and/or road ride recreationally and/or competitively. We will have
club rides to familiarize the Smith community with the roads and trails
of the Pioneer Valley and will assist in training those individuals who
are interested in competitive cycling. There are no required "practices"
or rides. We make an effort to ride together as often as possible and to
help members of the Smith community find other riders with whom to ride.
During the 1996-97 academic year, we plan to become involved in the community,
helping to maintain local bike trails, and we hope to assist the Smith community
with any bike-related concerns or needs. For more information, please call
extension 4265.
"A Gift for the Future"
Seniors: You care about Smith, don't you? Follow an important senior tradition
and volunteer for the Senior Fund Drive. You should volunteer for three
reasons: 1. it's fun; 2. Smith's senior participation rate is 32 percent,
Wellesley's is 88 percent; 3. the money goes toward financial aid and keeps
tuition down.
Our drive is volunteer-driven so, if we don't have volunteers, it doesn't
happen, and Smith stays at 32 percent and Wellesley stays at 88 percent,
and tuition goes up and you don't have fun!
To volunteer, please call the Steering Committee members: Anna (extension
6961), Jenny (extension 7348), Kim (extension 7352), Carolynn (extension
6244), Sara (extension 7216) or Sly (extension 2054).
Announcement Concerning SGA Used Book Sale
Over the summer, registered books for the Student Government Association
used book sale were stolen from a house basement. With the books, all registration
materials and record of ownership were also taken. The SGA is planning to
revamp the registration system in hope of preventing this unfortunate occurrence
from happening again. However, due to the current situation, SGA will be
unable to compensate students who registered books last semester without
proof of registration. We sincerely apologize for this inconvenience. Questions?
Contact Amanda Gilman at extension 7346.
SGA Logo Needed
Attention all creative minds: The Student Government Association is looking
for a logo to speak for the Smith student body. We will accept all brainstorms,
from computer graphics to pencil sketches. Please submit your ideas to the
new SGA office in Clark Hall. The deadline for submissions is Tuesday, October
1. The winner will be awarded $50 for sharing her genius with the campus.
Questions? Contact Amanda Gilman at extension 7346.
Vibes
Auditions for the Smith College Vibes-reckless a cappella-will be held Sunday,
September 22, and Monday, September 23, from 7-9 pm. Any Smithie with vocal
chords should call Tatiana at extension 7392 for a time slot and location
details.
Student Shuttle Service
The shuttle began operating on Monday, September 16, during the week and
on weekends. Hours are: Sunday through Thursday, 8 p.m.-midnight; Friday
and Saturday, 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Questions? Call the shuttle coordinator, Sandra
Suarez AC at extension 6007. Look for maps of the shuttle service with all
the shuttle stops on bulletin boards across campus and in your houses. This
service is brought to you by the Office of Student Affairs.
Loan Library
The student loan library is now located on the first floor of Duckett House;
the entrance is in the back of the house, opposite Gillett. We will have
limited hours at the beginning (Monday and Wednesday from 3-5 p.m.). Longer
hours and some evening extended hours coming soon. Questions? Call extension
3039.
Stress Management through Hypnosis
The benefits group is sponsoring a three-session stress management workshop
for faculty and staff. Sharon Austin, a certified hypnotherapist, will teach
you how to assess personal areas of stress, implement positive new behaviors
and reinforce positive suggestions through a three-minute self-hypnosis
technique. Each session will include a hypnosis session designed to induce
relaxation and help you make positive changes in the way you perceive stress
in your life. You will also receive written materials and two hypnosis cassette
tapes. Self-hypnosis can help make positive changes in your life and, in
doing so, may foster improved health, greater productivity and relaxation.
Sessions will be held in the faculty lounge of Seelye Hall from 7-9 p.m.
on consecutive Wednesdays (September 25, October 2, and October 9). Enrollment
is limited and there is a $35 charge. (The program costs $75; Smith pays
$40, and you pay $35.) Questions or reservations? Call Dee at extension
2771.
Your Vote Is Your Voice
The "Your Vote Is Your Voice" voter registration drive kicks off
Monday, September 23, with a house competition to register 50 percent +
1 of all eligible students and staff in each house.
Students have the chance to raise their voices in the '96 elections. In
1994, only 21 percent of 18- to 24 -year-old-women exercised their right
to vote. Even though 18- to 24- year-olds make up nearly as large a block
of potential voters as those 65 years and older, older voters actually out-vote
younger voters by a whopping 3-to-1 margin.
Students are often told they are "apathetic." The truth is that
students may be discouraged or prevented from using their electoral power
because of misinformation or no information at all. Students should have
easy access to information on voter registration and the elections.
MASSPIRG volunteers will be registering students, staff and faculty during
the two-week drive. House presidents have registration forms and information
on absentee ballots and polling locations in Northampton. Prizes will be
awarded to houses registering 50 percent + 1 of their residents and staff.
Questions? Call Liz at extension 4737.
VAX News
The academic VAX cluster has recently been upgraded. Two very old MicroVaxes-Alice
(aka "Smith") and Ada-were retired. In their place we have added
a new high-speed DEC Alpha named Anne (named after Anne Morrow Lindbergh).
As a result of this change, the statistical software (SPSS and SAS) has
been moved to Kate. The cluster is now comprised of the following nodes:
Angel, Anne and Kate.
Job Openings
This is a listing of jobs available at our publication deadline. For complete
information, see the bulletin board in the Office of Human Resources or
call the job hot line at extension 2278.
Administrative assistant, Libraries. Apply by September 26.
Application secretary, Office of Admission. Apply by September 27.
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AcaMedia staff: Sally
Rubenstone, Cathy Brooks, Mary Stanton
AcaMedia is published weekly during the academic year by the Office of College
Relations for the Smith College community. This version of AcaMedia for
the World Wide Web is maintained by the Office of College Relations. Last
update: September 19, 1996.
Copyright © 1996, Smith College. Portions of this publication may be
reproduced with
the permission of the Office of College Relations, Garrison Hall, Smith
College, Northampton, Massachusetts 01063; (413) 585-2170.
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