MIDDNEWS
a monthly update of news and events on the Middlebury campus
A major conference on global warming held at Middlebury in January attracted significant media interest. The conference, organized by Assistant Professor of Economics Jon Isham and students from his winter term class "Building a New Climate Movement," was titled "What Works: New Strategies for a Melting Planet."
Conference participants explored social movements of the past, such as the one led by civil rights leader Martin Luther King, looking for lessons that might be applied to today's environmental movement. Among the speakers were Michael Shellenberger and Ted Nordhaus, co-authors of "The Death of Environmentalism," a controversial essay released last year that has sparked intense debate among environmentalists. See http://www.thebreakthrough.org/.
Media coverage of the conference included stories in several environmental publications, a daily report on grist.org, where scholar in residence Bill McKibben posted updates during the conference, an Associated Press story, and a page-one story in the Sunday New York Times on Feb. 6. See http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/06/national/06enviro.html. An op-ed piece by Isham about the conference was published in the Providence Journal on Feb. 17 and in the Rutland Herald Feb. 13.
Ten students participated in teaching internships in New York City in January as part of a Middlebury College winter term class. Christine Barratt '05, April Butler '06, Donovan Dums '06, Cray Francis '05, Charles Logan '06, Tara Micherone '06, Natasha Narang '06, Monalissa Paredes '06, Sakai Troxell '05 and Kristine Varney '06 observed classes, tutored and conducted workshops on college preparation at DeWitt Clinton High School in the Bronx.
The students worked closely with teachers and were briefed daily on some particular operation of the school. The program was created in the 1980s by the Middlebury New York Diversity Task Force, a group of Middlebury alumni and educators.
Late January brings the annual rite known as ski-down. Some 100 students who completed requirements for their degrees at mid-year celebrated with ceremonies on campus and the traditional cap and gown-clad procession down the lower Allen trail at the Middlebury College Snow Bowl. Families, friends and other well-wishers met the students at the base of the mountain where the winter sun cast lengthening shadows on the snow. The newly renovated Starr Shelter base lodge offered a welcome place to warm up and enjoy some good food on a perfect winter afternoon in Vermont.
The new Atwater Dining Hall opened this month. The $7 million facility is located in the northwest corner of campus. The 21,400 square foot, oval-shaped building seats 225, features a hearth oven, and offers expansive views to the east. The design of the new structure also incorporates several environmentally friendly features, including a vegetated roof that will be planted in the spring. The opening of the new dining hall marks the completion of Atwater Commons, one of the five student residential clusters, or commons, at Middlebury.
Atwater Commons is the second commons to be completed, and also includes two new residence halls that total 93,500 square feet.
The planning process initiated by President Liebowitz is fully underway. A steering committee and 11 task forces meet regularly to address a range of critical issues that will chart the direction of the College over the next several years. According to Liebowitz, "the plan will focus renewed attention on Middlebury's core mission: to provide the strongest learning environment we can to the talented young people who choose to study here. It will identify directions and priorities for the College that will build on the great successes of recent decades."
The planning process will take place through December 2005, and will cover a six-year time period. When complete, the plan will be presented to the board of trustees for adoption. For more information and to learn how to participate in the planning process, see the planning Web site at http://www.middlebury.edu/administration/planning/.
The Benjamin F. Wissler Professor of Physics Rich Wolfson appeared on NPR's "Talk of the Nation, Science Friday" on Feb. 18. The broadcast originated at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. The program concerned Albert Einstein's miracle year, 1905. The discussion covered Einstein's contributions to physics, the theory of relativity, and noted modern experiments designed to test the validity of Einstein's theories.
Wolfson is the author of "Simply Einstein: Relativity Demystified" and he teaches a video course for The Teaching Company titled "Einstein's Relativity and the Quantum Revolution: Modern Physics for Nonscientists." To listen to NPR the program, see http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4504647.
On Feb. 23, President Emeritus and College Professor John McCardell became the second Middlebury faculty member in less than a week to appear on NPR's "Talk of the Nation." He participated in a discussion about controversial comments made by Harvard President Lawrence Summers. Listen at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4509991.
According to a story in Daily Variety by Josef Adalian, Shawn Ryan '88 has inked a three-year deal with 20th Century Fox that is "likely to be one of the bigger small-screen writer deals of the year." The seven-figure deal calls for Ryan, who created the FX program "The Shield," to create, develop and produce series programming for the studio.
As in past years, Middlebury College has earned a top spot on the Peace Corps' list of top producing colleges and universities. This year Middlebury ranks fifth among small colleges and universities.
In a letter to President Liebowitz, Peace Corps Director Gaddi H. Vasquez wrote: "Throughout the years, your school has made a tremendous contribution to this agency's global legacy of public service." Currently, 25 Middlebury graduates serve in the Peace Corps in various countries of the developing world.
Dena Simmons '05 has added another honor to the many she has garnered as a Middlebury student. She was named to the Third Team in USA Today's 2005 All-USA College Academic Team. Her selection was announced in the Feb. 17 edition of the newspaper. The program honors 60 undergraduates as representatives of all outstanding students at the nation's colleges and universities.
Simmons, who is also a Truman scholar, was recognized for founding MIX, a cultural outreach program in Vermont elementary schools. See the complete team list at www.usatoday.com/news/education/2005-02-15-college-2005-third-team_x.htm.