News for the Smith College Community | December 5, 1996

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Smith 2020

Update from the Self-Study Office

The college's self-study continues to be both interesting and time-intensive; it benefits from the contributions of many people on campus. We are grateful for the fine work of all of those community members involved with the project.
 
This self-study update is about the work of the teams involved with the first three standards (Mission and Purposes; Organization and Governance; and Planning and Evaluation) set out by the accrediting agency (NEASC). Most of the teams are working on the evaluative phase of the self-study at this time, as the first draft of the descriptive phase is already completed and available in Neilson Library. Please feel free to contact any of the team leaders, should you have ideas for them.
 
The Mission Team continues its work on drafting a mission statement with special emphasis on the academic mission of the college. There are four areas under consideration by the team as it works through the drafting process: composition, quality, curriculum and outcomes. Using this framework, a fruitful discussion took place at the October meeting of the faculty. The team hopes to have the draft statement ready for distribution to the entire community by the end of the first semester. Questions or concerns can be directed to the chair of the team, Howard Nenner, 10 Prospect St.
 
The Organization and Governance Team is undertaking a review of the following areas: the faculty committee system; the role and structure of academic department chairs; the structure of the offices of the dean of the faculty and the president; the relationship of the trustees to on-campus governance; and the role of students and staff in college governance. Team members met with trustees and are meeting with people on campus in order to assess the efficacy of the existing system of college governance. Comments on any of the above topics should be sent to the team leader, Don Baumer, at 10 Prospect St.
 
The Planning and Evaluation Team continues to review procedures for planning at various levels of the college and to work to identify ways these procedures might be improved. One area of concern involves possible "misalignments" in the planning process through which potentially useful recommendations are not effectively utilized or implemented because lines of communication within the planning hierarchy are unclear. Under study, for example, are the interrelationships between the Advisory Committee on Resource Allocation (ACRA), The Campus Planning Committee (CPC) and the Committee on College Planning and Resources (CP&R), now a source of apparent confusion among some members of the community. The committee has also discussed how planning documents are used or, on occasion, not used, and how and where such documents might best be kept for future reference. Any comments regarding the college's planning process should be sent to the team leader, John Burk, at Clark Science Center.
 
Additional updates about the work of other self-study teams will be provided throughout the academic year. Any questions about the project can be forwarded to Howard Nenner, chair of the Self-Study Project, 10 Prospect St., or to Ann Burger, vice-chair, Neilson Library B/18.
 

New Staff Committee Formed

In conjunction with the self-study, President Ruth Simmons has appointed a Staff Planning Committee to consider strategic priorities for Smith as a working community. The charge of this committee is to develop a long-term plan that will address the challenges our staff will face in the future. Members of the committee have been asked to take a philosophical approach to their work, ultimately suggesting a set of initiatives that will aid staff in better meeting future workplace challenges. Committee members will examine our community values, learning of ways in which the workplace is deficient as well as ways in which it is strong.
 
The committee will be chaired by Sid Dalby, associate director of admission/acting associate director, Ada Comstock Scholars Program. Other members include: Miguel Candelaria, trades truck driver; Lisa DeCarolis-Osepowicz, administrative assistant, Information Systems; Mickey Finn, boat mechanic; Dottie Goulet, cook, RADS; Patricia Hayes, assistant director of publications; Michelle Laplante, receptionist, admission office; Sarah Lazare, coordinator of tutorial services, Center for Academic Development; Maureen Litwin, director of admission and financial aid, Campus School; Wayne Nelson, senior cook, RADS; Sheri Peabody, administrative assistant, class deans office; Bruce Sajdak, assistant reference librarian; Kathy Saltis, senior crew coach; and Bill Sheehan, chief accountant, office of the controller.
Eileen Corbeil, benefits director, and Marilyn Woodman, assistant director of corporate and foundation relations, Advancement, will serve as ex officio members, and Marta Ostapiuk-Staiti, administrative director, Self-Study Project, will serve as the liaison with the self-study office.
 
Committee members will be contacting employees for ideas, suggestions and comments, so put on your thinking cap and get ready to be innovative and creative.
 

Smith in the Media Part II

Here's the second installment of AcaMedia's round-up of Smith in the spotlight.
 
Don Siegel, professor of exercise and sport studies, added his agreement to a May Boston Globe article, "Burning Cash, Not Calories," which observed that too many would-be workout fiends pay for pricey health club memberships that they rarely use. "The easiest part is spending the money," Siegel concurred. The Miami Herald, however, suggested a better way to fend off fitness failures. "Exercising's a bore? Pick up oars," the May 30 edition advised. The Herald noted that Miami Beach attorney Joy Peltz-Spill '80, who began her crew "career" at Smith, is now one of a growing group of South Florida professionals helping to popularize the sport.
 
The May 27 issue of Barron's called on the expertise of Smith economist Mark Aldrich in "Railway Follies," an editorial on misguided federal railroad regulations. According to Barron's writer Mark Reutter, despite Interstate Commerce Commission insistence on the installation of automatic train stops along 200,000 miles of track, Aldrich's "exhaustive" 1993 study produced no evidence that such devices ever had an important effect on collision frequency.
 
Career Development Office Director Barbara Reinhold has received coast-to-coast kudos -- and media attention -- for her recent book, Toxic Work: How to Overcome Stress, Overload and Burnout and Revitalize Your Career. In "How to Cope if Work is Killing You" (USA Today, June 4), Reinhold noted that "there has been more stress in the workplace in the past five years than at any time since the industrial revolution." The article featured a quiz, straight from Toxic Work, that allowed readers to rate themselves in areas that ranged from "It's hard to make enough time for friends and family" to "I wake up worrying about work." (The AcaMedia editor gave that one a 4-"almost always.") Other lesser-known papers touted Reinhold's writing as well. The Huntington, West Virginia, Herald-Dispatch, for example, cited several area employees who supported her findings. Reinhold was also spotted by TV-viewers on ABC's Good Morning America and CNN's Just in Time, both in June.
 
A panel of politicians and media experts gathered in the nation's capital last spring at a forum that asked "Is television demoralizing America?" While the Washington Times reported general optimism among the group that network executives are finally trying to clean up their raunchiest shows, the Times also noted that one panelist, Smith's Stanley Rothman, Mary H. Gamble Professor Emeritus of Government, suggested that plans to reimpose the traditional "family hour" may, nonetheless, "fall flat." Moreover, Reader's Digest seems to think that movies are demoralizing America, too. The October issue cited a Rothman survey that found that, while 52 percent of the general population claim to attend church or synagogue at least once a month, for writers, producers and directors of top-grossing films, that figure plummets to only six percent.
 
And speaking of the cinema, the Boston Globe announced that Cambridge resident Maureen Foley '76 is the author and director of an upcoming movie, Home Before Dark, starring Katharine Ross (of Butch Cassidy and The Graduate fame) and Patricia Kalember (from TV-land's thirtysomething and Sisters). The coming-of-age story was shot in the Boston area but is based on Foley's Northampton childhood. Foley's sister, Peg Pitzer, the Office of Advancement's special events coordinator, admits that she turned down a part in the film (though it wasn't the Katharine Ross role!), but she did go to Beantown to rub elbows with the celebs.
 

Save the Date!

Actually, don't just save the date. You may need to switch it. The All-College Meeting, which officially opens second semester, will be held on Monday, January 27, 1997, at 4 p.m., in John M. Greene Hall.
 
"Facts at Your Fingertips, 1996­97," inaccurately lists the event on Sunday, January 26. The date and time are correct in the Smith College Appointment Calendar.
 

UW Well on the Way

On Wednesday, November 27, Carrie Hemenway, Smith United Way tri-chair, reported good news. "Our grand total as of today is $88,905.92. Last year's final total was $85,634.00. We are now just $1094 short of our goal of $90,000, and I think we're going to make it."
 
"Spread the word in your department," says Hemenway. "If everyone gives a couple of dollars more, we will meet this goal. Our participation is up from last year, too. As of today, we have 505 contributors, compared to the grand total of 498 last year. I can't thank you enough for all your help in increasing donations to the United Way and therefore helping our community."
 
The November 15 UW lottery winners were: Sid Dalby (free lunch at the Smith College Club); Carol Callahan (flavored coffee and pastry break for four at Davis Center); Mary Irwin (two tickets to the Academy of Music); Carolyn Jacobs ($50 gift certificate from Spoleto); Mary Harrington ($25 gift certficate from Grécourt Bookshop); Lois Dubin (dinner for two at Green Street Cafe); Gaynelle Weiss (one night for two at the Autumn Inn); Maryann Ziomek ($10 gift certificate at Hair by Phase One); Alice Lazerowitz ($25 gift certificate at Anton Corliss Cleaners) and Felicia Leveille ($5 gift certificate at Davis Center).
 

Ergonomically Correct

The Ergonomics Committee, one of several sub-groups of the Cross Campus Safety Committee, was introduced in a recent issue of AcaMedia, along with the promise that subsequent issues would offer helpful hints from the group. So, below, you will find the first Ergonomics "Tip of the Day."
 
Please remember to s-t-r-e-t-c-h those muscles. Do not sit in one position for an extended period. Good posture -- at your comfort level -- is a must. Sit squarely in front of the terminal. Avoid twisting to the side if you are working from a book truck or side table.
 
The Ergonomics Committee is also available to help you assess your own workspace, if you feel that you need assistance. Committee members include: Cheryl Donaldson, chair (ext. 2613); Lea Ahlen, social sciences cluster (ext. 3510); Christine Carr, Advancement (ext. 2665); Sarah Chadwick, admission (ext. 2513); Anita Hickey, class deans office (ext. 4930); Mimi Lempart, libraries (ext. 2925); Lisa Lukas, Physical Plant (ext. 2233); Stanley Rosko, Purchasing (ext. 2240) and Lucinda Williams, libraries (ext. 2887). Once hired, the new disability services coordinator will also serve on the committee. The group can be contacted by e-mail to ERGONOMICS@ais.smith.edu.
 

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.
Director, animal care facility, Clark Science Center. Apply by December 9.
Administrative assistant, admission. Apply by December 13.
Systems coordinator, financial aid. Apply by December 16.
Cash and grants manager, controller's office. Apply by January 13.
 

Vexillology

This is the second installment in a new series of columns on flags and their history by Director Emerita of Admission Lorna Blake. She can reached via e-mail to lblake@ais.smith.edu.
 
Flags have been in use for all of re-corded history. They were very necessary when tribesmen, with their long hair and beards, barely covered in skins and recognizing only their near kin, went off to fight other tribesmen who looked just the same. One day a tribal leader thought of putting a skull on a pole and told the lads to look for it at the end of the fight -- if they survived. Thus the first proto-flag was invented. Cloth flags were far in the future.
 
Later, when soldiers were really nothing more than unfortunate peasants forced to follow their lord on his aggressive adventures, the lord would adopt a symbol -- a boar, a bear, an oak tree -- and these would be carved in wood and held aloft on a pole. Some of these symbols survive to this day as signs outside English pubs or German and Austrian inns.
 
Now here are the answers to last week's questions:
 
The Stars and Stripes first flew in 1776. (Too easy!) At first it was planned to add a star and a stripe for each new state, but the country grew too fast for that to be practical. Can you imagine what the flag would look like with 50 stripes as well as stars? So in 1818 it was decided that each new state would have a star, but the original 13 stripes should be permanent.
 
There have been 28 different versions of the Stars and Stripes, and who knows if or when the 51st state will tax the designers in the future (three rows of 17 stars each)?
The present flag has been official since 1960 when Hawaii joined the union. By the way, did you know that the state flag of Hawaii has the Union Jack in the upper left corner? When the British "discovered" the islands, they named them for Lord Sandwich, the man alleged to be so fond of the gaming table that he did not want to stop to eat, so his cook gave him a hunk of roast beef between two slices of bread. I don't think that's why Hawaii kept the Union Jack on its flag, but it's a good piece of trivia. (Remember that Jeopardy game I mentioned last time?)
 
The flag that almost certainly takes its inspiration from the Stars and Stripes is the Malaysian flag. It has 14 red and white stripes and, in the upper left corner, a yellow crescent and a 14-pointed star on a dark blue background. The crescent represents Islam, the dominant religion of the country, and the star represents the 14 founding members of the Malaysian Federation, set up in 1963. Within two years, one member state had declared independence from the new country.
 
This leads me to this week's questions.
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People News

Litttle-Known Facts

Photo Finish: Information Systems director Herb Nickles launched more than a 32-foot Nordic Tug last summer -- he also launched a new "career" as a professional photographer.
 
Nickles was part of a four-member crew that also included IS colleague Wendy Shepherd, director of systems and technical services. In July, the group sailed off the coast of British Columbia, with the goal of gathering information for a new guidebook about boating in that region. "The Canadian government had just recently released previously unpublished charts of the area," Nickles explains. "Our ship's captain and his wife are authors and publishers who do these kinds of books for a living. Wendy and I were assisting them."
 
At the end of the voyage, the captain also submitted an article about the team's experiences -- along with photographs taken by Nickles -- to Pacific Yachting magazine. The piece was selected as color feature of the month in the October issue. Nickles received credit in the spread for five of his pictures, along with a small fee. "No one ever paid me for a photograph before," he points out, "but, actually, it was a very small fee. I'm not sure it even covered the cost of the film!"
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Monday, December 9

Open meeting: Campus Climate Working Group. (Rescheduled from December 2.)
Noon­1 p.m., Neilson Browsing Room
 
Religious service: Roman Catholic Mass celebrating the Immaculate Conception. Lunch follows.
12:10 p.m., Chapel*
 
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
 
CDO workshop: How To Find a January Internship.
12:15 p.m., CDO, Drew Hall
 
CDO service: Peer adviser Anita Woo available for résumé critique.
1­2:30 p.m., CDO, Drew Hall
 
CDO workshop: How to Prepare for a Successful Interview.
2:45 p.m., CDO, Drew Hall
 
Meeting: Amnesty International.
4­5 p.m., Seelye Hall 105
 
Meeting: Smith Debate Society.
4­6 p.m., Seelye Hall 107
 
Lecture: Work-in-Progress, "Voices at the Margin: Considering Ethnic Identity in Southeastern Europe," by Ellen W. Kaplan, theatre department. Sponsored by Project on Women and Social Change.
4:15 p.m., Seelye 207*
 
Religious activity: Hanukkah candle lighting.
5:30 p.m., Bodman Lounge, Chapel
 
Informational meeting: Central European University, Budapest, Hungary. Professor Jochen Lorentzen speaks on graduate programs. Scholarship money is available to students from Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. Limited merit scholarships for students from non-CEE/FSU countries.
5 p.m., Seelye 109
 
Meeting: Gospel of Mark Bible Study, Smith Intervarsity Christian Fellowship. All welcome.
7­8:30 p.m., Seelye 107
 
Concert: Smith Wind Ensemble. Camilo Rojas, conductor. Works by Mozart, Beethoven, Rubbra, Nemiroff and Scott Joplin.
8 p.m., Sage Recital Hall, Sage Hall*
 
Meeting: Five College chapter of Society for Creative Anachronism.
9 p.m., Seelye Hall 208*
 

Tuesday, December 10

Luncheon meeting: Sigma Xi. "Mountains of the British Commonwealth (New Zealand & British Columbia Travelog)," by Bruce Hawkins, professor emeritus of physics.
Noon, Smith College Club downstairs lounge
 
Religious activity: Episcopal-Lutheran Fellowship meets in parish house parlor for worship, lunch and friendship. All welcome.
Noon, St. John's Church, Elm Street
 
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
 
Meeting: Grécourt Review.
5­6 p.m., Seelye Hall 202
 
Religious activity: Hanukkah candle lighting.
5:30 p.m., Bodman Lounge, Chapel
 
Meeting: Senate. All welcome.
7 p.m., Seelye Hall 201
 
Swimming and diving vs. Westfield State.
7 p.m., Dalton pool, Ainsworth*

 

Meeting: "A Course in Miracles," a meditation, prayer, study, support group led by Marianna Kaul-Connolly.
7 p.m., Bodman lounge, Chapel
 
CDO informational meeting: Summer Internship Funding Program. First-, second- and third-year students who have not received grants before may apply for funds to assist with expenses related to unpaid summer internships. Application procedure will be explained and application forms distributed. Forms also available at CDO reception desk beginning December 10. Deadline for completed applications: March 25.
7 p.m., Neilson Browsing Room
 
CDO workshop: How To Write an Effective Résumé.
7 p.m., CDO, Drew Hall
 
CDO service: Peer adviser Nicole Ciotti available for résumé critique.
7­8 p.m., CDO, Drew Hall
 
CDO Open Hours
7­9 p.m., CDO, Drew Hall
 
Workshop: Female Figure-Drawing Session. Free. Sponsored by Art Resources Committee. Smith students w/ID and Five College students w/ID and sticker welcome. Jen, ext. 7698 or Naomi, ext. 4054
7­10 p.m., Hillyer 18/19
 
Special event: International Human Rights Day Candlelight Vigil for Tibetan political prisoners and Ngawang Choephel, a Tibetan musician who was imprisoned in September 1995. Join in the vigil and learn more about Tibet's occupation by China. Tibetan Solidarity ribbons will be given to the first 100 participants, and donations are welcome. Sponsored by Smith Students for a Free Tibet. Questions? Call Leda Nornang at ext. 6876.
7:30 p.m., in front of Chapin House
 
CDO workshop: Confused About Career Choices and Directions? Come to a workshop to get you started on career planning. We will introduce the tools necessary to clarify your goals, values and skills and assist you with career decisions.
8 p.m., CDO, Drew Hall
 
Concert: Five College Early Music Collegium. Directed by Robert Eisenstein; music by Perotin, Dufay, Gabrieli and Praetorius. Includes festive Christmas music. Renaissance brass, winds and strings join the singers of the Collegium in a wide variety of music, including examples of the First English Christmas Carols. Reception follows.
8 p.m., Sweeney Concert Hall*
 
CDO service: Peer adviser Anita Woo available for résumé critique.
8­9 p.m., CDO, Drew Hall
 

Wednesday, December 11

CDO service: Peer adviser Amy Whitehead available for résumé critique.
10 a.m.­Noon, CDO, Drew Hall
 
Religious activity: A gathering and informative discussion/reflection for Catholic Adas. Lunch served.
Noon­1 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
 
Religious activity: Hanukkah Candle Lighting.
5:30 p.m., Bodman Lounge, Chapel
 
Religious activity: Buddhist service and discussion.
6 p.m., Bodman Lounge, Chapel
 
Informational meeting: Smith Pro-life Alliance. For the discussion of abortion issues. All welcome.
6­7 p.m., Haven House dining room
 
Workshop: Male Figure-Drawing Session. (See 12/10 listing.)
7­10 p.m., Hillyer 18/19
 
Performance: Informal Gamelan Recital. Smith Gamelan Ensemble and friends present Central Javanese gamelan music directed by Ki Sumarsam.
8 p.m., Sweeney Concert Hall*
 
Performance: Fall One Acts. Four plays directed by students in Directing II class: The Bear by Anton Chekov, directed by Cooper Gillespie; 'Dentity Crisis by Christopher Durang, directed by Beth Maxwell; Mountain Language by Harold Pinter, directed by Heather McClure; and The Whole Shebang by Rich Orloff, directed by Kathryn Baldwin. Information/tickets? Call ext. 3220. All seats $1.
8 p.m., Hallie Flanagan Studio Theatre, Mendenhall CPA*+
 

Thursday, December 12

Last day of classes
 
Luncheon meeting: "The Sokal Affair: Ignorant Armies Clash By Night," by Harold Skulsky, Mary Augusta Jordan Professor of English Language and Literature. 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
 
Special event: CFLAC Annual Winter Festival. All students, faculty and staff welcome. Come enjoy delicious international food, listen to multicultural live music by Four Score and explore the interactive multimedia programs available in CFLAC.
4­6 p.m., Wright Hall common room
 
Meeting: Heads of Organizations. Mandatory for all heads. If you cannot attend, contact the coordinator of student organizations at ext. 4999.
5 p.m., Stoddard Hall auditorium
 
Meeting: Smith Debate Society.
5­6 p.m., Seelye Hall 107
 
Religious service: Spanish Roman Catholic Mass in celebration of Our Lady of Guadeloupe.
5:15 p.m., Chapel*
 
Religious activity: Hanukkah candle lighting.
5:30 p.m., Bodman Lounge, Chapel
 
Religious activity: Christmas party. Sponsored by the Newman Association and the Ecumenical Christian Church. Join us for festivities and relaxation before exams. All welcome.
6 p.m., Bodman lounge, Chapel
 
Performance: Winter Picnic. This dance concert introduces an exciting collection of recently choreographed works by Jeremy Lindberg, Sara Sweet Rabidoux and Kathleen Ridlon. These graduate students provide a spark-plug effect within the Five College Dance Department, igniting a collaborative performance by more than 30 students from several departments in the Five Colleges.
7:30 p.m., Scott Dance Studio*
 
Film: An evening of short video works produced during the fall semester by students in the field production course of the film studies program at Smith. All welcome.
7:30­9 p.m., Stoddard Auditorium*
 
Basketball vs. Trinity.
7:30 p.m., Ainsworth gym*
 
Performance: Fall One Acts. (See 12/11 listing.)
8 p.m., Hallie Flanagan Studio Theatre, Mendenhall CPA*+
 
Film: To be announced. Sponsored by Rec Council.
9 p.m., Wright Hall auditorium
 

Friday, December 13

Preexamination study period begins
 
Religious service: Shabbat Eve Service.
5:30 p.m., Dawes Kosher Kitchen
 
Community event: Shabbat Eve Dinner.
6:30 p.m., Dawes Kosher Kitchen
 

Saturday, December 14

GRE testing: General testing will be held at 8 a.m. Subject testing at 2 p.m.
8 a.m., Seelye Hall
 

Sunday, December 15

Preexamination study period ends
 
Religious activity: Quaker (Friends) discussion group. Meeting for worship begins at 11 a.m. Child care available.
9:30 a.m., Bass Hall 210*
 
Religious service: Ecumenical Christian Church Service of Lessons and Carols with special music by members of the Smith Glee Club and Chapel Handbell Choir. All welcome.
10:30 a.m., Chapel*
 
Religious service: Roman Catholic Mass. Light dinner follows.
4:30 p.m., Chapel*
 
Religious service: Ecumenical Advent Procession, begins at the Chapel and processes to St. John's, St. Mary's and Edwards churches and ends at First Churches. Sponsored by Northampton/Florence Clergy Association and the Chapel. All welcome.
7 p.m., Chapel*
 

Monday, December 16

Mid-year examinations
 

Tuesday, December 17

Mid-year examinations
 
Luncheon meeting: Sigma Xi. "This Ain't No Double Negative-African-American English in Childhood," by Jill de Villiers, professor of philosophy and Sophia and Austin Smith Professor of Psychology.
Noon, Smith College Club downstairs lounge
 

Wednesday, December 18

Mid-year examinations
 
Student payroll vouchers due by noon in College Hall 10.
 
Meeting of the faculty. Tea at 3:45 p.m.
4:10 p.m., Alumnae House conference room
 

Thursday, December 19

Mid-year examinations
 

Friday, December 20

Winter recess begins. Houses and Friedman apartments close at 10 a.m.
 

Saturday, December 21­Saturday, January 4

Winter recess. No scheduled events.
 

Sunday, January 5

Winter recess ends. Houses and Friedman apartments open at 1 p.m.
 
Religious activity: Quaker (Friends) discussion group. Meeting for worship begins at 11 a.m. Child care available.
9:30 a.m., Bass Hall 210*
 
Special event: A Gallery of Readers. Karen Peterson and Enid Santiago will read from their work.
4­6 p.m., Wright Hall common room*
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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, January 15, for issue #15 (containing the January 26 to February 2 calendar listings). Copy is due by 4 p.m., Wednesday, January 22, for issue #16 (containing the February 3 to February 9 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 January Five College Calendar must be received in writing by December 13. Entries received after this deadline will not appear in the January 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. to 4 p.m.; Wednesday and Sunday, Noon to 4 p.m.; Thursday, Noon to 8 p.m. Print Room hours: Tuesday through Friday, 1 to 4 p.m., Saturday, 1 to 4 p.m., during exhibitions. Other hours by appointment.
 
Mortals and Immortals: Roman Sculpture from the Miller Collection (through 1/5).
 
French 18th-Century Prints and Drawings from the Collection (November 5 through December 21). Print Room, Museum of Art.
 

Faculty Meeting

The fourth regular meeting of the faculty for 1996­97 will be held on Wednesday, December 18, at 4:10 p.m. in the Alumnae House. Members of the faculty who have business for the meeting should notify the secretary of the faculty, Scott Bradbury, in writing, no later than Wednesday, December 11. Material to be included in the mailing with the agenda must be camera-ready and submitted to College Hall 27 by Monday, December 9.
 

Financial Aid Packets, 1997­98

Financial aid application packets for the 1997­98 academic year must be picked up in College Hall 1 (the former telephone operators' station) during the week of December 9­13. College Hall 1 will be open Monday through Friday of that week between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Students should pick their packet up before leaving campus. The material will not be mailed.
 

Examination Workers

Students interested in being exam workers should sign up in the financial aid office. Students interested in being exam supervisors should sign up in the registrar's office.
 

Examinations

Information concerning scheduled and unscheduled exams is posted in the houses and on official bulletin boards in Clark Science Center, Seelye and Wright. These exams will be distributed during three periods on December 16, 17, 18, and during two periods on December 19. Please note that there will be no examination period on Thursday evening. Students should check the schedule of exams carefully and report any conflicts to the registrar's office immediately. The examinations cannot be repeated and will be failed by default if missed through carelessness.
 

Spring Course Registration Materials

Registration materials will be distributed in McConnell Hall lobby at the beginning of the spring semester. The times for distribution will be announced in January editions of AcaMedia. All returning students -- including off-campus students -- must report in person with ID to the distribution center to pick up registration packets.
 

Registrar's Hours

The registrar's office will be open to faculty until 6 p.m. on Thursday, December 19, and from 9 a.m.­4:30 p.m. on Friday, December 20, for the distribution of completed exams. It will close for the holidays, following the college's holiday schedule.
 

Interterm Registration

Students needing to make changes or corrections to their registration for Interterm should do so before leaving campus for the winter break. Questions? Contact the registrar's office.
 

Submission of Papers and Projects

The members of the Administrative Board urge students not to use campus mail for delivery of papers and not to leave papers tacked to doors, slid under closed doors, in mailboxes in public places -- nor should they be delivered by friends. Also, students should keep paper copies of submitted work.
 
Each year the Administrative Board is asked to vote on cases regarding final papers or projects that have gone astray. The best way to avoid such situations is to submit papers to an actual person (e.g., to the professor of the class or to a departmental staff member who can verify receipt). Specifying the time and location of delivery of the work in such cases is advantageous both to the faculty member and to the students in the class. Students and faculty should also be reminded that the college requires that papers delivered in the mail be sent by certified mail, return receipt requested.
 

Printer Failures, Etc.

The Administrative Board has been asked to provide guidance to faculty and students concerning printer, diskette and other technological failures coincident with due dates for papers, take-home exams and other written assignments.
 
As is the case for all assignments during the semester, and up to the end of the final examination period, faculty members are empowered to grant extensions to their students. If there is some technological reason for difficulty in presenting an assignment, a faculty member may grant extra time for submission of the work. (Extensions beyond the end of the exam period may be granted only by class deans.)
 
A faculty member may require confirmation of the problem, (e.g., from a computer center staff member). Alternatively, the faculty member might ask the student to submit a diskette with the relevant file (along with information about the platform and the word processing program) as a substitute for the written work.
 
The Administrative Board urges students to prepare their work in a timely fashion (and to "back it up") in order to avoid last minute technological difficulties. Nevertheless, the Board recognizes that these difficulties do -- and will continue to -- happen. Staff members at the computer centers may be able to provide technical assistance when such problems occur.
 

Room Changes

Below are guidelines for the end-of-semester closing of houses and information for individuals who requested room changes at semester break.
 
All houses will close on Friday, December 20, at 10 a.m. Any student not returning the following semester will need to completely move out of her room by this time. This includes students who are withdrawing, taking a leave of absence, going on an exchange program or independent study.
 
All seniors graduating in January are encouraged to move out by December 20; however, they must be completely moved out of their rooms no later than Friday, January 17.
 
Mid-year room change: Anyone whose request is granted must vacate her original room no later than Friday, December 20. If her new room is not yet available, she must make arrangements to store her belongings until she returns in January (and then moves into her new room). Failure to abide by this deadline will result in forfeiture of the room change. The housing coordinator will attempt to respond to all requests by the end of this semester. If she is not able to accommodate a request, that student will be placed on a waiting list for the spring semester. At this time, new room change request forms will no longer be accepted. Requests will be accepted again after the Room Freeze ends on February 10. Questions? Call Kathleen Kramer (housing coordinator) at ext. 4940.
 

Fall Housing Forms

Students who will not attend Smith during spring semester 1997 -- but who will return for the fall semester -- may complete fall housing forms before leaving campus. Please contact Kathleen Kramer, housing coordinator, at ext. 4940 for more information.
 

Health Service Interterm Hours

During January term, the Health Service will be open for medical and counseling care Mondays through Fridays, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. After hours and on weekends, emergency care will be available at the Cooley Dickinson Hospital emergency room. There will be no overnight care (or sleeper service) available at the Health Service during interterm. On January 25, Health Service will resume 24-hour care as usual.
 

1997­98 Theatre Space Requests

Anyone considering using space in the theatre building during 1997­98 should submit a request to the Theatre Department Calendar Committee and complete a facilities questionnaire before Friday, February 28, 1997.
 
The facilities questionnaire may be picked up in Sally Donohue's office, T205, in the theatre building. We are sorry we cannot consider requests for space after our deadline due to the advanced planning for our 1997­98 production season.
 

Interterm Workshops for The Complete Student

A week of workshops will be held at the Center for Academic Development (CAD). Students can register at the CAD, Seelye Hall 307 now and through January.
 
Monday, January 20: "Avoiding Plagiarism" (Julio Alves, instructor), 9:30­11 a.m. "Time Management, Part I: Procrastination: Attitude, Habits, Motivation" (Sarah Lazare), 1­3 p.m.
 
Tuesday, January 21: "Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Grammar But Were Afraid To Ask" (Holly Davis), 9:30­11 a.m. "Time Management, Part II: How Much Time Do I Have?" (Sarah Lazare), 1­3 p.m.
 
Wednesday, January 22: "Overcoming Writing Anxiety" (Debra Carney and Mary Koncel), 9:30­11 a.m. "Note-Taking" (Sarah Lazare), 1­3 p.m.
 
Thursday, January 23: "Exam Preparation" (Sarah Lazare), 9:30­11:30 a.m. "Editing Your Prose" (Brian Turner), 1­2:30 p.m.
 
Friday, January 24: "Effective Reading" (Marian Macdonald), 9:30­11 a.m.
 

Numbers Are Up

In the past four years, Smith has almost doubled its recycling. We have jumped from recycling 12.6 percent of our total waste (1992­93) to 22.1 percent (1995­96). We have also saved more money each year by recycling (thereby avoiding disposal fees). We have boosted savings from more than $7,000 to more than $15,000. Keep up the good work, recyclers. Questions? Call your recycling representative or the recycling office at ext. 2447.
 

Rally Day Show Volunteers

The Rally Day Show planning committee is looking for enthusiastic volunteers from all classes to participate in this year's performance. We still need an advertising chair and a stage manager, as well as volunteers to help with promotion, organizing or with their own class skit. If you are interested, look for a list of Rally Day contacts posted on the SGA board in your house, or you can contact the show's general co-chairs: Amy Mauro at ext. 7245 (amauro@sophia.smith.edu) and Christi Wood at ext. 7262 (cwood@smith.smith.edu). The show is closer than you think (February 19), we need all the help we can get!
 

Looking for an Interterm Activity?

Rabbi Feld will lead a twice-weekly (about 1.5 hour) introductory noncredit Hebrew course based on the Hebrew and concepts from the prayer book. This will be an interesting and informal class, open to all. To find out more, call ext. 2754.
 

SOS Needle and Crochet Hook Request

Knitting needles and crochet hooks are needed for on-campus Project Square workshops. Through these workshops, students make squares to be crocheted into blankets for the homeless. If you have needles or hooks you would like to donate, please bring them to the S.O.S. office or call Jennifer at ext. 6998.
 

Library Hours -- Winter Recess

Neilson Library: December 13 to 18: 7:45 a.m. to 2 a.m.; December 19: 7:45 a.m. to 6 p.m.; December 20: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; December 21 to 25: Closed; December 26 to 27: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; December 28 to 29: Closed; December 30: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; December 31: 8 a.m. to noon; January 1: Closed; January 2 to 3: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; January 4 to 5: Closed.
 
Young Science Library: December 19 to 20: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; December 21 to January 1: Closed; January 2 to 3: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; January 4 to 5: Closed.
 
Hillyer Art Library: December 19 to 20: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; December 21 to January 5: Closed.
 
Werner Josten Library: December 19 to 20: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; December 21 to January 1: Closed; January 2 to 3: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; January 4 to 5: Closed.
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