Amherst College Announcement Archives

Annual Christmas Vespers Service Slated for Sunday, Dec. 2
The annual Amherst College Christmas Vespers service will be held on Sunday, Dec. 2, at 4 and 7:30 p.m. in Johnson Chapel. The "Festival of Lessons and Carols," as it is called, is sponsored by the Amherst College Christian Fellowship, the Newman Club, the Protestant and Roman Catholic Religious Advisors and the Amherst College Choral Society. Admission to Christmas Vespers is free; the public is invited to attend.
For more information: https://cms.amherst.edu/news/news_releases/2007/11/node/27628/

Third Annual Holiday Craft Fair Dec. 1
Join members of the Amherst College community in the 3rd Annual Holiday Craft Fair on Dec. 1, 2007 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the O'Connor Commons of Charles Pratt Dormitory. This fair highlights the talent of students, staff and friends with crafts that include jewelry, knitted scarves, woven baskets, candles, cards, woodwork, photography, bags, etc. For location, go to www.amherst.edu/map. The fair is sponsored by the Campus Center/Student Activities.

French Filmmaker Christian Delage Presents Nuremberg: The Nazis Facing Their Crimes Nov. 30
French filmmaker Christian Delage will show his movie "Nuremberg: The Nazis Facing Their Crimes" and answer questions about the film at on Friday, Nov. 30. The viewing, which will take place at 4 p.m. in Pruyne Lecture Hall (Fayerweather 115), is free and open to the public.
For more information: https://cms.amherst.edu/news/news_releases/2007/11/node/28091

The Challenges of Religious Pluralism: Why Can't We All Just Get Along? Nov. 30
Come join ACF on Friday, Nov. 30, at 7 p.m. in Chapin Hall to hear Paul Sorrentino, director of religious life, talk about religious pluralism and Christianity. A discussion will follow the short talk so feel free to bring your questions and opinions. There will also be refreshments afterwards. Bring your friends!

Twelfth Night to be Performed Nov. 30 and Dec. 1
A student-run production of Twelfth Night, Shakespeare's late romantic comedy, will be performed Friday and Saturday, Nov. 30 and Dec. 1. There's a shipwreck. A singing fool. Drunken rogues. Swordfights. And love, lost and found. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. in Webster Studio 3. Seating is on a first, come first served basis. Contact krobinson08@amherst.edu for more information.

Departments Invited to Host a Visiting Scholar from Sweden
Lunch with Professor Anders Öberg, who will discuss his experiences teaching at Amherst this term, will take place on Tuesday, Dec. 4, from noon to 1 p.m. in the Mullins and Faerber Rooms, Lewis-Sebring Dining Commons. For two years, Amherst has participated in a program offered through the Swedish Foundation for International Cooperation in Research and Higher Education (STINT) which provides opportunities for Swedish academics to spend a semester at an American liberal arts college to teach and form research collaborations. This year, our STINT Fellow is Anders Öberg, a mathematician from Uppsala University, who will talk about his experiences and impressions and will answer questions about the STINT Program. Visitors in all disciplines are possible in future years.

Fellowships for Summer Chinese Study in China Available; Deadline Dec. 3
The Department of Asian Languages and Civilizations invites applications for summer fellowships to study Chinese in China. Two fellowships are available thanks to the generosity of an Amherst College family. Fellowships will cover tuition, travel to and from China and program expenses up to $6,000 for language study at one of an approved list of programs in the PRC or Taiwan. Applications are due to the Department of Asian Languages and Civilizations by Monday, Dec. 3. Interested students should contact Chris Williford at 413/542-5841 or clwilliford@amherst.edu for further information on approved programs and application guidelines.

Filmmaker Jean-Marie Teno to Showcase His Work Dec. 3
Artist and filmmaker Jean-Marie Teno, a Copeland fellow at Amherst College, will present one of his short films along with several clips from his other works on Monday, Dec. 3 at 7:30 p.m. in Amherst College's Merrill Science Center, Lecture Room 2. A reception and conversation with the artist will follow at the Mead Art Museum. All of the events are free and open to the public.
For more information: https://cms.amherst.edu/news/news_releases/2007/11/node/29013

Emily Dickinson Birthday Lecture: Nothing but a Sword Dec. 6
Polly Longsworth, Dickinson biographer, will deliver the 2007 Emily Dickinson Birthday Lecture on Thursday, Dec. 6, at 4 p.m. "'Nothing but a Sword': Austin and Mabel and the Publication of Emily Dickinson's Poems" will examine the publication history of Emily Dickinson's poems through the lens of her brother Austin's long relationship with Mabel Loomis Todd, one of the first editors of Dickinson's poems. The lecture is free and open to the public and will take place at the Lord Jeffery Inn, not at the Amherst College Alumni House as previously announced. A reception and booksigning will follow. The lecture is co-sponsored by the Emily Dickinson Museum and the Amherst College Archives and Special Collections.
For more information: www.emilydickinsonmuseum.org/events.html

Former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton to Discuss Dealing with Rogue States After Iraq Dec. 3
Former United Nations Ambassador John R. Bolton will deliver a lecture titled "Dealing with Rogue States After Iraq" at 8 p.m. in the Cole Assembly Room of Amherst College's Converse Hall on Monday, Dec. 3. Sponsored by the Committee for the American Founding, the talk is free and open to the public.
For more information: https://cms.amherst.edu/news/news_releases/2007/11/node/27886

Law Without Nations Talk Dec. 3
The Department of Law, Jurisprudence and Social Thought has invited Suzanne Last Stone to give a talk on Monday, Dec. 3 at 4:30 in Clark 100. Her talk is entitled "Law as Nation; Law Against Nation; Law and Nation: The Ongoing Jewish Argument." Stone is Professor of Law at Cardozo School of Law and Director of its program in Jewish Law and Interdisciplinary Studies. She writes and lectures on the intersection of Jewish legal thought and contemporary legal theory. Her publications include: "In Pursuit of the Countertext: The Turn to the Jewish Legal Model in Contemporary American Legal Theory" (Harvard Law Review); "The Jewish Conception of Civil Society" in "Alternative Conceptions of Civil Society" (Princeton University Press); and "Justice, Mercy and Gender in Rabbinic Thought." Professor Stone's work has been translated into Italian, German, Hebrew and Arabic. In 2004, she was chosen, along with five other path-breaking scholars in the field of Jewish Studies, to reflect on her scholarly career in the first edition of the revised "Jewish Quarterly Review." Copies of Professor Stone's paper will be available prior to the lecture. To obtain a copy, contact Karen Underwood at 542-2380 or klunderwood@amherst.edu. All members of the Five College Community are invited to attend.
For more information: https://cms.amherst.edu/academiclife/departments/ljst/events/lectures

Biology Lecture Dec. 3
Wayne Korzan, PhD, NRSA Postdoctoral Fellow, Russell Fernald Lab, Stanford University, will present "Behavioral, Hormonal and Genetic Influences on a Highly Flexible Social and Reproductive System" on Monday, Dec. 3, at 3:30 p.m. in Merrill 4.

Auditions for Lacuna Park Dec. 3 and 4
Lacuna Park, by Jonah Shepp '08 and directed by Michael Birtwistle, features a stranger who arrives in Lacuna Park and finds himself one among many mysteries. He meets there a motley assortment of lost souls whose pasts are as obscure as his own. Dark secrets and fantastical happenings abound in this park, and nothing is ever as it seems. In this unlikely world, where truth is always beyond reach and where the strange is entirely familiar, the unexpected clashes continually with the utterly banal. From this odd coupling arise romance, religious hysteria, vendetta and litigation. There's even a mermaid. The play requires five male actors, three female actors and two martial artists. Auditions will be held Dec. 3 and 4 at 7 .p.m in Studio 3, Webster Hall. The sign-up sheet and perusal script will be available outside of the Theater and Dance Office, Webster G27. Performances will be held March 6-8 at 8 p.m. in Webster Studio 3.

Auditions for The Illusion by Tony Kushner Dec. 3 and 4
"The Illusion" by Tony Kushner will be directed by William Cranch '08 in collaboration with set designer Brendan Horton '08 and actor Chris Gillyard '08. When a dying father calls upon a mysterious magician to rediscover the son he had abandoned years ago, the visions that the sorcerer conjures blur the line between fact and fantasy. Tony Kushner's 1988 free adaptation of Pierre Corneille's "L'Illusion Comique" breathes new life into the 17th-century comedy. The ensemble cast includes multiple roles for both men and women. Auditions will be held Dec. 3 and 4 at 7 p.m. in Webster Studio 2 with callbacks on Dec. 5. Sign-up sheet and perusal script will be available outside of the Theater and Dance Office (Webster G27). Performances will be Feb. 14-16, 2008, at 8 p.m. in Holden Theater.

Gender Quotas in Latin America Lecture Dec. 4
The Department of Political Science at Amherst College, with support from the Lamont Funds, is sponsoring a lecture by Lisa Baldez, associate professor of government and Latin American, Latino and Caribbean Studies at Dartmouth College on Tuesday, Dec. 4,from 4 to 5:15 p.m. in the Pruyne Lecture Hall, Fayerweather 115.Baldez will speak on "Gender Quotas in Latin America." She is the author of "Why Women Protest: Women's Movements in Chile." Her work in gender and politics has appeared in numerous journals, including Comparative Politics, Legislative Studies Quarterly and The Journal of Legal Studies. She is one of the founding editors, along with Karen Beckwith, of Politics & Gender.
For more information: https://cms.amherst.edu/academiclife/departments/political_science/events

Want to to Become a Better Academic Tutor? Meeting Dec. 4
On Tuesday, Dec. 4, at 7 p.m. in the Friedmann Room, veteran teacher Claire Shea and elementary school teacher Michael Morris '00 will lead a workshop on academic tutoring. The workshop will focus on learning about young adolescents, the role of the tutor, communication and specific tutoring strategies. Sponsored by the CCE. Food will be served!

Physics Senior Honors Talks Dec. 4
On Tuesday, Dec. 4, at 5 p.m. in Merrill 3, the following senior honors talks will take place: Don Kun Kim - Test of Local Lorentz Invarience and PeiDa Guo - The Hydrodynamics Model and Quantitative Experiments for Bacillus Swarming.
For more information: https://cms.amherst.edu/academiclife/departments/physics/seminars_and_colloquia/schedule_2007-2008

In Memoriam: Thomas Whitney '37
The Johnson Chapel flag has been lowered to half-staff in memory of Thomas Whitney '37. Whitney donated an extraordinary collection of books and manuscripts to found the Amherst Center for Russian Culture. He later donated to the college a large collection of Russian art, which has been described as one of the gems of the Mead Art Museum's holdings. Whitney is survived by son John H. Whitney ’59 and daughter Julia F. Whitney ’90, among other family and many friends.

Exam Monitors Needed for Self-Scheduled Exams Dec. 17-21
The Registrar's Office needs students to serve as monitors for the self-scheduled examinations this semester from Monday, Dec. 17 to Friday, Dec. 21, morning and afternoon sessions. The monitor distributes the exams at the beginning and collects them at the end of the exam period and is not required to stay during the exam itself. However, we do need you to be at the Registrar's Office 15 minutes before the start of each exam to be able to start the exams on time, and to later collect the completed exams and deliver them to the Registrar's Office. You would receive a minimum of $8.50 for each exam monitored. Please stop by the Registrar's Office in 101 Converse Hall if you would like to sign up or get more information about a monitor's duties. Thanks!

Law and Science, Science and Law Seminar Series: Susan Haack Dec. 5
On Wednesday, Dec. 5, from 4:30 to 6 p.m. in Clark House 100, the Law and Science, Science and Law series is sponsoring Susan Haack, professor of law and philosophy, University of Miami School of Law. Haack will speak on "Irreconcilable Differences: Query the Uneasy Marriage of Science and Law."
For more information: https://cms.amherst.edu/academiclife/departments/political_science/events/law-and-science

Mathematics Colloquium Dec. 5
On Wednesday, Dec. 5, Anders Oberg of Uppsala University and Amherst College will speak on "Descartes and the Problem of the Length of a Curve" at 4 p.m. in SMudd 206. Refreshments will be served before the talk at 3:30 p.m. in SMudd 208. Oberg's talk is sponsored by the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science.

Screening of Independent Feature Film "Late in the Game" Dec. 5
On Wednesday, Dec. 5, at 8 p.m. in Stirn Auditorium, Visiting Lecturer Christopher Johnson will screen his recently completed feature film "Late in the Game." Johnson directed and co-wrote the film with Ishmael Chawla '94. Five best friends in their late 20s face the disintegration of their tight knit urban tribe. Gay and straight, white and brown, driven and aimless, this disparate group lives and breathes New York City with a vivid emotional realism that captures the tenor of a new generation. As the war in Iraq smolders in the background, these melancholy if well-paid young adults suffer from, as loner Felix puts it, "a touch of existential malaise courtesy of late capitalism - you know, the usual."

Long Term Care Benefit Meetings Dec. 4 and 5
Please attend one of the upcoming information meetings to learn more about the new voluntary long term care insurance benefit being offered to employees of Amherst College. Meetings will be conducted in Alumni House on Tuesday, Dec. 4, at 12:30, 2:30 and 4 p.m.; and on Wednesday, Dec. 5, at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. No pre-registration is required. Each meeting will last approximately 45 minutes. Enrollment and premium information will be available.
For more information: www.amherst.edu/~hr/Announcement/longtermcare.html

German Film Series: Berlin is in Germany Dec. 6
This film includes subtle character study and understated satire about a man wrongfully imprisoned in East Germany: after eleven years Martin is released from prison and struggles to cope with the dizzying new realities of post-unification Germany. The film will be shown Thursday, Dec. 6, at 4 and 7:30 p.m. in Stirn Auditorium (in German, with English Subtitles).
For more information: https://cms.amherst.edu/academiclife/departments/german/film_series

Philosopher Daniel Dennett to Lecture on The Evolution of Evitability Dec. 6
Philosopher Daniel Dennett, Tufts University, will deliver a lecture titled "The Evolution of Evitability: What Is Determined Is Not Inevitable" on Thursday, Dec. 6, at 4:30 p.m. in Cole Assembly Room, Converse Hall. Dennett's lecture, the second in a series on "The Philosophy and Science and Freedom," is sponsored by the Forry and Micken Fund in Philosophy and Science and is free and open to the public.
For more information: https://cms.amherst.edu/academiclife/departments/philosophy/events

Emily Dickinson Birthday Lecture and Dinner Scheduled for Dec. 6
Biographer Polly Longsworth will deliver the 2007 Emily Dickinson Birthday Lecture and participate in a reception and booksigning Thursday, Dec. 6, at 4 p.m. at the Lord Jeffery Inn. Longsworth's talk, titled "'Nothing but a Sword': Austin and Mabel and the Publication of Emily Dickinson's Poems," will examine the publication history of Emily Dickinson's work through the lens of her brother Austin's long relationship with Mabel Loomis Todd, one of the first editors of Dickinson's poems. The event is co-sponsored by the Emily Dickinson Museum and the Amherst College Archives and Special Collections and is free and open to the public.
For more information: https://cms.amherst.edu/news/news_releases/2007/11/node/28143

Dr. Josh Dudman '00 To Give Neuroscience Lecture Dec. 6
Dr. Josh Dudman '00, post-doctorate research fellow at Columbia University, will present a lecture titled "Compartmentalized Dendritic Integration in Synaptic Plasticity and Behavior" on Dec. 6 at 4:30 p.m. in Merrill Science Center Room 4. For more information on Dudman's research, see https://www.hhmi.org/research/fellows/dudman_bio.html
For more information: https://www.hhmi.org/research/fellows/dudman_bio.html

Gallery Talk by Anne Monahan Dec. 6
This afternoon at 4:30, there will be a gallery talk in the Mead Art Museum Arms Gallery by exhibition curator Anne Monahan, in conjunction with the "Chuck Close: Self-Portrait/Scribble/Etching Portfolio, 2000" exhibition with a reception to follow. The talk is free, fully accessible and open to the public. Chuck Close has been making self-portraits since the late 1960s. He bases these efforts on photographs that he takes of himself and then methodically, laboriously, repeatedly-and always inventively-translates into other media: paintings, drawings, textiles and prints. This exhibition is made possible at the Mead Art Museum with generous support from the Hall and Kate Peterson Fund.
For more information: www.amherst.edu/mead/exhibitions/index.html#close

Physics Senior Honors Talks Dec. 6
Join us on Thursday, Dec. 6, at 5 p.m. in Merrill 3 for the following senior honors talks: Jesse Rasowsky - Quantifying Entanglement; and Kyle Virgien - Applied Magnetization Even Effects in a Solid-State Electron Electric Dipole Moment Measurement.
For more information: https://cms.amherst.edu/academiclife/departments/physics/seminars_and_colloquia/schedule_2007-2008

Performance Project Dec. 7-8
Performance Project will be presented Dec. 7-8 at 8 p.m. in Holden Theater. Performance Project is an evening of original choreography and performance works developed by students. The work incorporates original choreography, text, music, sound and/or visual design. Tickets are free and reservations recommended. To make a reservation, call the box office at 413/542-2277.
For more information: www.amherst.edu/~theater/

Amherst College Jazz Ensemble to Perform Winter Concert on Friday, Dec. 7
The Amherst College Jazz Ensemble, under the direction of Bruce Diehl, will perform their winter concert Friday, Dec. 7 at 8 p.m. in Buckley Recital Hall in the Arms Music Center.
For more information: https://cms.amherst.edu/news/news_releases/2007/11/node/28087

Symphony Orchestra to Perform Hansel und Gretel on Sat. Dec. 8
The Amherst College Symphony Orchestra, led by Music Director Mark Lane Swanson, will present the fairy tale opera favorite "Hansel und Gretel" by Englebert Humperdinck on Saturday, Dec. 8 at 8 p.m. in Buckley Recital Hall in the Arms Music Center.
For more information: https://cms.amherst.edu/news/news_releases/2007/11/node/28085

Emily Dickinson Museum to Celebrate Poet's Birthday Dec. 8
The Emily Dickinson Museum will host its annual open house on Saturday, Dec. 8, from 1 to 4 p.m. in honor of the 177th birthday of its namesake, who was born Dec. 10, 1830. The "At Home" celebration, which is free and open to the public, will once again feature self-guided tours of the Homestead (the poet's birthplace and home), and The Evergreens (the home next door of her brother Austin's family). Throughout the afternoon, visitors will be able to sample Dickinsonian refreshments, listen to poetry readings and make a bookmark to take home in honor of BookMarks, the Museums10 celebration of the art of the book. The first 177 visitors will receive a rose, courtesy of an anonymous donor.
For more information: https://cms.amherst.edu/news/news_releases/2007/11/node/28144

Voices for the Voiceless Diaspora Poetry Concert Dec. 8
Amherst College La Causa presents the Tenth Annual Voices for the Voiceless Diaspora Poetry Concert Saturday, Dec. 8. Dinner from La Veracruzana will be served at 5:45 p.m. and the concert begins at 6:30. This event will take place in the Friedmann Room in Keefe Campus Center. The eight world renowned poets include: Louis Reyes Rivera, Tony Medina, Talaam Acey, Shaggy Flores, Fay Chiang, Jahipster, Bao Phi and Mariposa. This is one the largest annual ALANA spoken word poetry events in the Northeast and is free and open to the public.

Bluestockings Cancer Benefit Show Dec. 7
The Bluestockings will perform a fun, informal a cappella show on Friday, Dec. 7, at 8 p.m. in the common room of Hamilton Dorm. We'll be selling cookies and brownies to raise money for cancer research, and there will be a guest appearance by the Zumbyes. Admission is free, but donations are welcome. This event is co-sponsored by the Amherst College Program Board and the Social Council.

Feast of the Immaculate Conception Mass Dec. 8
A Roman Catholic Mass for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception will be celebrated in Chapin Chapel at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 8.

Director of NIAID to Discuss the Fight Against AIDS on Dec. 7
In an effort to inform students about the treatment, care and prevention of the AIDS pandemic in Africa and to inspire and empower them to get involved in relief efforts, Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID), will show portions of the new film Give Us Hope: Making a Difference in the Fight Against AIDS and deliver a lecture of the same title at 4:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 7 in Pruyne Lecture Hall (Fayerweather 115) at Amherst College. The talk and viewing-both of which feature Amherst first-year student Jaime Cohen-are free and open to the public.
For more information: https://cms.amherst.edu/news/news_releases/2007/12/node/29638/

Voice Students of Ann Maggs Present a Recital Dec. 10
An enjoyable mix of jazz, pop, Broadway and film songs will be performed by the students of Ann Maggs on Monday, Dec. 10 at 6:30 p.m. in Room 3 of the Arms Music Center. The concert is free and open to the public.

Holiday Food Drive Dec. 8 & 9
Kyle Schoppel '08 with the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) announces a holiday food drive. SAAC will be collecting donations during both the women's basketball game at 2 p.m. on Saturday and the women's ice hockey game at 1 p.m. on Sunday. All donations will go to the Amherst Survival Center and will help them meet the needs of those less fortunate in our community this holiday season.

Biology Department Lecture Dec. 10
On Monday, Dec. 10, at 3:30 p.m. in Merrill 4, Rebecca Holberton, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Biology in the Department of Biological Sciences, University of Maine, will present "Glucose, goals and gonads: Understanding the basis of seasonal interactions and their links to survivorship and reproduction in migratory songbirds." The host is Assistant Professor Ethan D. Clotfelter.

Physics Senior Honors Talks Dec. 11
On Tuesday, Dec. 11, at 4:30 p.m. in Merrill 3, the following senior honors talks will take place: Elizabeth Petrik - Vortices in an Optically Trapped Bose-Einstein Condensate; Michael Goldman - Spin BECs Through Landau-Zener Transitions; and Eduardo H. Da Silva - Abrupt Changes in the Tunneling Levels for Mn12-tBuAc Induced by a Transverse Magnetic Field.
For more information: https://cms.amherst.edu/academiclife/departments/physics/seminars_and_colloquia/schedule_2007-2008

Celebrate Hannukah with Hillel Dec. 7-12
Join us at the Hillel Hannukah Party Friday, Dec. 7, for latkes, gelt, dreidels and dinner in Lewis-Sebring Commons. Shabbat services will be held at 5:30 p.m., and the party begins at 6:30. If services aren't your thing, feel free to just come for the 6:30 festivities. All are welcome to join Hillel as we light candles every night of Hannukah in Morris Pratt Common Room at 7 p.m. Hannukah continues until the night of Dec. 12.

Design the First Ever "Spirited Sportsmanship" T-Shirt; Submissions Due Dec. 14
Do you think you have school spirit? Then prove it! Design this year's "Spirited- Sportsmanship" t-shirt. Submit designs to sjohnston09@amherst.edu no later than Friday, Dec. 14. The winner will receive a gift certificate to Antonio's Pizza. The winning design will be printed on t-shirts to be sold to the entire student body at cost. Rules: The t-shirt must contain one phrase: "Be Loud, Be Proud, Be Positive!"; You can use any t-shirt design software, just make sure to attach the image(s) to the e-mail!; You can have designs on the front and back of the t-shirt!; The design needs to be applicable to all Amherst College sports, so that anybody attending any athletic event can show support for their team.

Chuck Close Exhibition on Display at Mead Art Museum Through March of 2008
The Mead Art Museum is now showing "Chuck Close Self-Portrait/Scribble/Etching Portfolio, 2000," a presentation of more than 35 self-portrait prints made by the celebrated American artist Chuck Close over the past three decades. The exhibition, organized in conjunction with the Picker Art Gallery at Colgate University and the Colby College Museum of Art, is accompanied by a full-color catalogue featuring a new interview with the artist and an essay that sheds fresh light on Close's creative process and methods of work.
For more information: https://cms.amherst.edu/news/news_releases/2007/11/node/29012

Lunch for Staff Members on Reaccreditation Dec. 12
In 2007-08, Amherst is undergoing the 10-year review for accreditation by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). All members of the staff are invited to a meeting on the self-study process to be held on Wednesday, Dec. 12, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. in the Friedmann Room of Keefe Campus Center. A buffet lunch will be served. President Marx and members of the Reaccreditation Steering Committee will attend to hear questions and concerns about the self-study report, which is posted on the reaccreditation Web site (https://cms.amherst.edu/academiclife/dean_faculty/reaccreditation), along with information about NEASC and the self-study process. Members of the college community are also invited to send their comments and questions to reaccreditation@amherst.edu.
For more information: https://cms.amherst.edu/academiclife/dean_faculty/reaccreditation

Computer Center Open Until at Least 3 a.m. Through Finals
Beginning on Sunday, Dec. 9, the Seeley Mudd Computer Center will be open until 3 a.m. every night through the end of finals period. During open hours, a student supervisor will be available to answer computing questions in person or over the phone at 413/542-7921. If you'd like to keep the Computer Center open even longer, come by before 4:30 p.m. on a weekday and speak to a staff member.
For more information: https://cms.amherst.edu/offices/it/about/facilities/smudd

Jazz Combo Concert Dec. 12
A Jazz Combo Concert in the Friedmann Room on Wednesday, Dec. 12 will feature Jazzdrive and Harry Potter and the Prisoners of Jazz Kaban at 7:30 p.m. Members of Music 35 will also perform on this night. All concerts are free and will be followed by light refreshments. Contact Bruce Diehl with any questions at bpdiehl@amherst.edu or 413/542-8308. Sponsored by the Music Department and Jazz@Amherst.
For more information: www.amherst.edu/~jazz

Tom Gerety Publishes New Book
Former Amherst College President Tom Gerety has just published a book titled "The Freshman Who Hated Socrates: A College President Reflects on Life in the Liberal Arts" (Amherst College Press, 2007). The book is a collection of speeches on topics ranging from teaching to residential life, from Shakespeare to the liberal arts, from war to love and loss. Together, these essays offer insight into one of our nation's leading college presidents and into the lives of college students in America. Gerety was president of Amherst College from 1994 to 2003. The book can be obtained through Amherst College Press at the Office of Public Affairs, 306 Converse Hall.

Science Library Open 24 Hours for Exam Studying
The Keefe Science Library will be open 24 hours a day from Thursday, Dec. 13, at 9 a.m. through Friday, Dec. 21, at 4 p.m. Your AC ID card will allow access during overnight hours.
For more information: www.amherst.edu/library/hours/fall2007.html#fallexams

Announcing "The Big Turnoff" Over Winter Break
As part of the college's sustainability efforts, students are required to unplug all their electrical appliances when they leave for winter break. Physical Plant staff will be verifying compliance with this important environmental initiative. Shut off your lights, unplug your refrigerator and prop its door open, unplug all your appliances and computer, close your windows, shades and leave your room's thermostat at its setting . These measures will save 70,000 kWh of electricity an reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 35 tons. For more information on The Big Turn Off and other ways you can support sustainability efforts, contact the Green Campus Action Committee at GCAC@Amherst.edu.
For more information: https://cms.amherst.edu/campuslife/greenamherst/awareness

Douglas C. Wilson '62 Publishes History of Amherst College
Amherst College Press has just released "Passages of Time, Narratives in the History of Amherst College," edited and with several selections by Douglas C. Wilson '62, former college editor. A collection of chapters portrays the college from its first decades through the present; essays describe memorable teaching, portraits of prominent educators, student anti-slavery efforts, Civil War casualties, college dealings with Frederick Law Olmstead, baseball glories, faculty deliberations and a black student's view of his undergraduate experience in the 1970s. Wilson, who contributed several of the articles, worked for 27 years in the publications office at Amherst, retiring in 2002. The book is available through Amherst College Press, 306 Converse Hall.

Amherst College Museums Extend Opening Hours During Holiday Break
The Amherst College Museum of Natural History, the Emily Dickinson Museum and the Mead Art Museum will have extended public hours during the winter academic recess. The Museum of Natural History will be open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 26, through Sunday, Dec. 30. The Emily Dickinson Museum will be open from noon to 4 p.m. Dec. 26 through Dec. 30. The Mead will be open Tuesdays through Sundays, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Thursdays until 9 p.m. (though closed from Dec. 25, 2007 to Jan. 1, 2008). "Museums offer such a wonderful range of family experiences-places for people of all ages to look together, laugh together and explore," commented Elizabeth Barker, director of the Mead. "I'd love for Amherst College's museums to enter a few family memories this holiday season."
For more information: https://cms.amherst.edu/news/news_releases/2007/12/node/30225

Professor Ilán Stavans Publishes New Book
Ilán Stavans, Lewis-Sebring Professor of Latin American and Latino culture at Amherst College and Five College Fortieth Anniversary Professor, and collaborator Verónica Albin have published Love and Language ($25, 261 pp., Yale University Press, 2007), a series of Socratic dialogues on the nature and expression of love.
For more information: https://cms.amherst.edu/news/news_releases/2007/12/node/29636/

Second Amherst Lecture in Philosophy Now Available Online
The second issue of The Amherst Lecture in Philosophy-- which features Stanford University's John Perry, the Henry Waldgrave Stuart Professor of Philosophy --has been published at www.amherstlecture.org. Each year, The Amherst Lecture in Philosophy invites a distinguished philosopher to Amherst College for a public lecture that is then fully archived and catalogued and available online at no cost.
For more information: https://cms.amherst.edu/news/news_releases/2007/12/node/30224

All Faculty Invited to Dec. 14 Teaching and Advising Lunch
What to Do When a Student is Seriously Distressed? We've all experienced times when students are overwhelmed, distraught and severely anxious. What are our responsibilities as faculty to help them? What are the appropriate boundaries we should maintain? Share your thoughts with one another and with members of the Counseling Center. A buffet lunch will be served from noon to 1 p.m. Questions about these lunches and suggestions for topics we might address in the spring should be sent to Amrita Basu at abasu@amherst.edu.

Campus Center Study Break Postponed Until Dec. 17
Due to inclement weather, the Campus Center's Study Break for this evening has been postponed until Monday, Dec. 17, from 8 to 11 p.m.

Former Amherst College President Tom Gerety Publishes New Book of Speeches
Former Amherst College President Tom Gerety has just published The Freshman Who Hated Socrates: A College President Reflects on Life in the Liberal Arts (Amherst College Press, 2007). The book is a collection of speeches on topics ranging from teaching to residential life, from Shakespeare to the liberal arts, from war to love and loss. Together, the essays offer insight into one of our nation's leading thinkers and into the lives of college students today.
For more information: https://cms.amherst.edu/news/news_releases/2007/12/node/30575

Douglas C. Wilson '62 Publishes Writings on Amherst College History
Longtime Amherst College editor Douglas C. Wilson '62 is the editor of the new book Passages of Time: Narratives in the History of Amherst College ($25, 298 pp., Amherst College Press, 2007). The book chronicles the history of an institution described as "unsightly" during the first decades of its existence and-more than a century later-the tree-shaded campus that alumni know as "the fairest college."
For more information: https://cms.amherst.edu/news/news_releases/2007/12/node/30576

Holiday Giving Tree in Valentine; Return Gifts by Dec. 19
Dining Services is sponsoring its annual Giving Tree to support the local community through the Amherst Survival Center. Please stop in Valentine and take a dove and return the needed item by Dec. 19. Many items still needed! Happy Holidays!

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