MiddNews - April 2006
A monthly update of news and events from Middlebury College
Inauguration Day
Dr. Clara Yu will be inaugurated as the twelfth president of the Monterey Institute of International Studies next Saturday, May 22, in a ceremony in Monterey California.
Yu assumed the presidency of the Monterey Institute, an affiliate of Middlebury College, on December 31, 2005.
Coverage of the event will appear in the May issue of MiddNews.
2010 Sets a Record
A record number of students applied for admission to the Middlebury class of 2010.
The pool consisted of 6,200 applications for roughly 560 spots.
Of the admitted students: more than 75 percent are from outside of New England; 175 are international students from 63 countries; and 335 are students of color.
For more, see: http://go.middlebury.edu/middnews?200604admit
Fee Announced
The 2006-2007 comprehensive fee was announced earlier this month.
The fee, which was approved by the Board of Trustees at its February meeting, will be $44,330 - a 5.25 percent increase from the 2005-06 fee.
In a letter to parents of Middlebury students, College President Ronald D. Liebowitz cited higher fuel costs and related increases in other services as the primary reason for the price increase.
Now Hear This
Ann Veneman, executive director of UNICEF and former U.S. secretary of agriculture, will deliver the College's commencement address on May 28.
Veneman will join five others—including U.S. Senator Jim Jeffords—in receiving honorary degrees from the College.
For more, see: http://go.middlebury.edu/middnews?200604veneman
State of Mind
A number of leading scholars and mental health professionals are convening on campus this week for a four-day, student-run symposium designed to stimulate dialogue on mental health issues.
"Active Minds," the event hosted by a student organization of the same name, includes lectures, film screenings, and panel discussions.
All events are free and open to the public.
For more on the symposium, and for a complete event schedule, see:
http://go.middlebury.edu/middnews?200604activeminds
Faculty Kudos
Timothy Billings, an associate professor of English, recently received a major grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
The award, called the New Directions Fellowship, is designed to foster interdisciplinary work at the highest level by allowing early- to mid-career academics to receive formal training in a discipline not originally their own. The fellowship will fully fund Billings' 2006-07 leave, during which he will study for a master's degree in Sinology at the School for Oriental and African Studies at the University of London, and also conduct research related to Renaissance sinology in Poland, Italy, France, and China. He will begin his leave this summer by studying classical Chinese at the Middlebury Language School. Billings is working on a book called Illustrating China about representations of China in early European travel writing.
In other news: A trio from the College community recently received 2006 Vermont Campus Compact awards for scholarly and civic engagement, and for excellence in teaching:
* Assistant Professor of Economics Jon Isham received the Vermont Campus Compact Engaged Scholar Award;
* Assistant Professor of Geography Peter Nelson received the Vermont Campus Compact Excellence in Teaching Award; and
* Middlebury senior Erica Goodman received the TD Banknorth Commitment to Service and Engagement Award.
For more, see: http://www.vtcampuscompact.org
Remembering Southern
A memorial service for Mark Southern, a visiting assistant professor of German and linguistics, was held in Mead Chapel on March 29. Southern passed away earlier in the month.
At the service, it was announced that an education fund had been established for Mark's children, Maya and Zara.
The Maya and Zara London-Southern Education Fund was established through the Addison Country Jewish congregation, Havurah, and the National Bank of Middlebury. Checks may be sent to the "Maya and Zara London-Southern Education Fund" care of Havurah, P.O. Box 823, Middlebury, VT 05753.
See the Middlebury Campus story "Remembering Mark R.V. Southern."
Great Eight
Inspired by the eight "millennium development goals" set forth by the United Nations ( http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/ ), a cohort of Middlebury students has designed a campus movement in support of the U.N. goals.
Among the Midd 8 events scheduled to take place at Middlebury in April:
* panel discussions on trade issues and global development;
* a video conference addressing the global environment; and
* a lecture on the Darfur region of Sudan
For more, see: http://go.middlebury.edu/middnews?200604midd8
Log On: PantherNet
The College launched its new online community for alumni this month.
PantherNet-which includes links to campus news and events, an online directory of alumni, and networking resources-can be accessed here: http://www.middleburyalumni.org
Sports Report
The spring sports season is off and rolling.
A quick round-up of team records (as of 4/17) shows:
* Baseball at 13-5
* Women's Lacrosse at 8-1
* Men's Lacrosse at 6-3
* Softball at 11-7
* Men's Tennis at 15-2
* And Women's Tennis at 8-5
In other Panther action, track-and-field athlete Andrea Giddings '07 set both a school and Dragone Track record in the steeplechase with a time of 11:32.78 at the Panther Invitational on April 15. First-year Jennifer Brenes '09 also turned in a record-setting performance, establishing a Middlebury all-time best of 35', 11.5'' in the triple jump.
For all your Panther sports news, visit: http://www.gomidd.com