Campus Connections

Issue Date: November 7, 2005

News and Notices

President’s fall report to the Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees met at the end of last week. Here are excerpts from President Hochstettler’s report to the board:

My report to the Board deals with many new beginnings at Lewis & Clark, and I want to take this occasion to call attention to three initiatives in particular that are currently underway, which, taken together, seem to me to herald a rejuvenation of spirit and vitality on our campus.

Planning Initiative and Planning Task Force: Although the first meeting of the Task Force is scheduled to take place more than two weeks from [mid-October], the very fact that a planning group is convening has by itself already been the occasion for a great deal of creative dialog on campus about our collective future. As I conceive of the Task Force and its work, this group of some three-dozen individuals from all areas of campus life will be tackling several overarching questions that should be of concern, with varying degrees of urgency, to everyone in our community. The Task Force will not be involved in the vetting of concrete initiatives or building projects during the course of its deliberations. Instead, its work will be far more fundamental, namely, to articulate the common principles and prioritize the broader purposes of the institution that can then serve as a foundation for more detailed programmatic planning in the years to come. This initial work, these initial discussions are an essential first step in charting our course from here on and will, if we are diligent, serve as a solid grounding for the future growth in quality and reputation of Lewis & Clark. The Board Members who have agreed to serve as active members of the Planning Task Force are John Bates, Peter Chang, Steven Dover, and Carr Ferguson. I am most grateful to these Trustees for their willingness to serve, but I want everyone on the Board to know that your input and engagement in the work of the Task Force is heartily encouraged, either by communicating concerns and issues to the four named members, or by joining one of the working subgroups that will perform much of the nuts-and-bolts work of the Task Force.

Athletics: A second area where I see great beginnings at Lewis & Clark is that of athletics. With the crisis in the football program coming to a head earlier this fall, our community has been faced with the need to examine fundamentally the role of sports on campus. Dean de Paula’s Football Commission is working hard at assembling information and reviewing what might be done to save the football program, and that work will not be completed until the middle of November 2005. In the meantime, I have been listening very hard to students … and have learned that Lewis & Clark undergraduates are as a group very much interested in sports. By our last reckoning, 54 percent of our students participate in varsity, club, and/or intramural sports. We field varsity teams in nineteen sports, and an additional thirteen club sports provide student-sponsored opportunities for athletic competition. The outpouring of support and enthusiasm by the students for their football team during its two non-conference home games this year, while not entirely unexpected, was certainly a refreshing antidote to the apathy that has in recent years tended to erode Pio spirit. Our task now is to encourage the greater integration—some might say re-integration—of sports into student life in ways that are meaningful for students on the one hand and that respect the rich traditions of the College on the other.

Alumni: A third area where I see renewal at Lewis & Clark is in the area of alumni involvement. As of [mid-October] there are nearly 600 alumnae and alumni who have registered to attend the events of Alumni Weekend, which kicks off only a few days from now. This, I am told, is something of a record for the College in recent years and can be attributed in part to the hard work of the Alumni Office staff, but also to the involvement of class agents in the process of personally inviting members of the anniversary classes to campus for the festivities. I look forward eagerly to greeting many of our returning alums and to the robust exchange of ideas about the future of the College that is the very best part of any alumni reunion. Then … Marcia and I will be traveling East to visit our alumni clubs in Washington, D.C., New York, and Boston, and the number of former students who have indicated they will be attending each of these events is most heartening indeed. The same is true of other upcoming visits to Minneapolis, Denver, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Seattle that are scheduled in November and December. Let me be very clear. Many alumni have fallen away from the College over the last several years, and the number of alumni who donated to Lewis & Clark in 2004 fell below 20 percent for the first time in recent history. We have some serious catching-up to do, since the institutions with which we compete routinely score well above 30 percent in this critical measure of institutional vitality. I am most sanguine about the prospects, however, and am determined to do whatever is necessary to bring our alumni back into active engagement in the life of the College.

These are exciting times at Lewis & Clark, and I am thrilled to be a part of this great institution.

Respectfully submitted,
Thomas J. Hochstettler
President

Staff brown bag

President Hochstettler hosts a staff brown bag on Monday, November 21, at 11:30 a.m. The event in Stamm will include information on student wellness and the institution’s strategic planning process.

Civility in Politics series wraps up

Arlene W. Saxonhouse, professor of political science at the University of Michigan, speaks about “Free Speech, Shameless Speech: Socrates and a Democratic Paradox.” Her presentation, which concludes the Civility in Politics lecture series, takes place in Templeton Student Center, Council Chamber, on Thursday, November 10, at 6:30 p.m. Saxonhouse’s forthcoming book, “Free Speech and Democracy in Ancient Athens,” explains how ancient political theory contributes to democratic theory. Her talk is presented by a consortium at Lewis & Clark, including the political science department and offices of the president, provost, and dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and is sponsored by a grant from the Arkay Foundation. For more information, call ext. 7640.

Updated campus safety report available online

Each fall, the College publishes its annual security report. The report includes statistics for the past three years concerning reported crimes that occurred on campus, in certain off-campus buildings owned or controlled by Lewis & Clark, and on public property immediately adjacent to and accessible from the campus.

The report also lists institutional policies concerning campus security, including policies on alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, and sexual assault.

The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act is a federal law that requires colleges and universities to disclose information about crime on and around their campuses. The act is named in memory of Jeanne Clery, a Lehigh University student.

Copies of Lewis & Clark’s report are available online or from the Campus Safety Office, ext. 7855.

IT offers fall classes

Information Technology offers ongoing computer training courses. During the next two weeks, these classes are available: Intermediate PhotoShop, PowerPoint Video, PhotoShop Elements, WebCT Overview, and Intermediate PowerPoint. For more information, contact IT at ext. 7020.

Historical snapshot

In 2002, Lewis & Clark Law School dedicates Louise and Erskine Wood Sr. Hall, part of the $15-million renovation of the Paul L. Boley Law Library complex. The project earns the Silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Counci's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. View more College milestones online.

People News

Published, presented, honors, and achievements

Faculty and staff serve as ambassadors for the College through their publications, presentations, awards, grants, and other accomplishments. Recent highlights include:

Kip Ault, professor of education, received a $25,350 grant from the National Science Foundation. His project title is "Teachers on the Leading Edge." Ault and his colleagues, Robert Butler of the University of Portland, and Ellen Bishop of Wallowa Resources, will study the geology of the North American plate from the Oregon coast to Hells Canyon in eastern Oregon.

Debra Beers, senior lecturer in art and program head of drawing, received a $30,000 grant from the Regional Arts and Culture Council for her “Portraits Project” at the Donald E. Long Juvenile Justice Detention Center. In June, a juried exhibition at Portland’s Froelick Gallery included works by Beers titled “First Person.” In October and November, an invitational group exhibition at Mount Hood Community College features work by Beers titled “War Drawings.”

The Environmental Protection Agency has appointed Chris Wold, associate professor of law and director of the International Environmental Law Project, to a two-year term on its National Advisory Committee. The committee provides advice to EPA on a range of strategic, legal, and regulatory issues for the implementation of the NAFTA environmental side agreement, formally known as the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation.

View more listings of faculty and staff achievements online.

L&C in the news

College faculty and staff are in the news on a regular basis. Recent mentions include:

The Oregonian: Tom Hochstettler, president, discusses the history and importance of Germany’s Hesse family. The Hesses, who trace their lineage back to the time of the Crusades, have been patrons of the arts and provided funding for parks and schools. The Portland Art Museum hosts a major exhibition of works from the private collection of the Hesse family. October 23, 2005.

The Oregonian: In a commentary piece, Jim Huffman, law school dean, comments on the meaning of a Marion County judge’s invalidation of Measure 37, Oregon’s most recent property owner compensation law. October 23, 2005.

Statesman Journal (Salem, Ore.): News brief announces the appointment of Richard Peck, professor of international affairs, to be chairman of United Nations Day in Oregon. October 22, 2005.

The Wall Street Journal: Article titled “As Oil Riches Gush, a Sheik Loosens His Grip on Economy” profiles businessman Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh B.A. ‘83, chair of Aldar Properties. October 21, 2005.

USA Today: Article about the college gender gap cites a study conducted by Eban Goodstein, professor of economics, and a team of researchers. The group studied the admissions processes of 13 liberal arts schools. October 18, 2005.

For a sampling of how and where Lewis & Clark is mentioned by media outlets across the nation and around the globe, visit the online newsroom.

Events

Author Russell Banks speaks

Acclaimed author Russell Banks will discuss novel writing in a talk on Monday, November 7, at 7:30 p.m. in Agnes Flanagan Chapel. His talk is titled “Shifting the Compass: Towards a Creole-American Literature.” The event is free and open to the public.

Banks has received widespread acclaim for his novels, short stories, poems, and essays. His novels include two Pulitzer Prize finalists: “Cloudsplitter” (Harper Collins, 1998) and “Continental Drift” (Harper Collins, 1985). His other books include “Trailerpark” (Houghton Mifflin, 1981), “Family Life” (Borgo Press, 1996), “Success Stories” (Harper Collins, 1986), and “Rule of the Bone” (Harper Collins, 1995). His books “Affliction” (Harper Collins, 1989) and “The Sweet Hereafter” (Harper Collins, 1991) were adapted into critically successful feature films.

Banks’ upbringing in a working-class community helped to shape his writing. His novels and short stories earned him acclaim and honors, including a Guggenheim Fellowship, National Endowment for the Arts Creative Writing fellowships, the Ingram Merrill Award, the St. Lawrence Award for Short Fiction, the O. Henry and Best American Short Story Award, the John Dos Passos Award, and the Literature Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. In 2004, Banks began a two-year appointment as New York State Author.

Banks’ talk is sponsored by Lewis & Clark’s Inventing America program. For more information, call ext. 7208.

Skipworths—husband-and-wife performance team— present vocal and piano recital

It’s all in the musical family for George Skipworth and Barbara Wester Skipworth. He is a pianist, composer, conductor, and music educator, and she is an acclaimed soprano. The couple performs a recital in Evans Music Center on Sunday, November 13, at 8 p.m. The concert is free and open to the public.

The program features a group of German lieder, including Franz Schubert’s “Die Allmacht” and “Auf dem Wasser zu singen”; a group of cabaret songs by William Bolcolm, including “Black Max” and “Toothbrush Time”; and a group of Italian arias. The program also includes a group of Irish songs composed by George Skipworth and premiered in 2004 at the Dublin International Symphonic Festival.

“One of the most enjoyable facets of working together is the almost telepathic quality that a singer and pianist develop over a period of time,” says George Skipworth. “It is the same ‘sympatico’ that develops in any team effort.” The Skipworths first performed a recital together in 1974.

George Skipworth, former principal conductor of the Orchestra Sinfonia Dell’Arte di Firenze in Florence, Italy, is a concert pianist, singer, symphonic and operatic conductor, and composer. He maintains an active touring schedule, with guest-conducting appearances in the United States, Canada, Russia, Ukraine, and Western Europe. He is an assistant professor of music and director of orchestra at Lewis & Clark. Barbara Wester Skipworth is an Austrian-born vocalist who has toured and performed extensively in Europe and the United States. For more information, call ext. 7460.

Scholar and author Carter Revard gives Pamplin lecture

Scholar, author, and poet Carter Revard will deliver the Dr. Robert B. Pamplin Jr. Distinguished Visiting Scholar lecture on Monday, November 14, at 7:30 p.m. in Templeton Student Center, Council Chamber. His talk is titled “Inventing Veterans.” The event is free and open to the public.

Revard’s scholarly works focus on medieval English literature, linguistics, and American Indian literature. He attended a one-room school in rural Oklahoma before earning degrees from the University of Tulsa, Oxford University as a Rhodes scholar, and Yale University. He taught at Amherst College and at Washington University in St. Louis. He is the author of numerous books including “Family Matters, Tribal Affairs” (University of Arizona Press, 1998), “Cowboys and Indians Christmas Shopping” (Point Riders Press, 1992), and “How the Songs Came Down” (Salt Publishing, 2005). His poems, stories, and essays have appeared in many literary magazines and in anthologies, including Voices of the Rainbow, The Remembered Earth, American Indian Literature, Songs From the Earth on Turtle’s Back, Earth Power Coming Home, and Harper’s Anthology of 20th-Century Native American Poetry.

Revard, who is part Osage Indian, was given the tribal name Nompehwahthe, which means Fear-Inspiring.

Lewis & Clark’s Pamplin Society of Fellows sponsors his talk. For more information, call ext. 7208.

Warren multicultural symposium

The second annual Ray Warren Multicultural Symposium takes place Wednesday, November 16, through Friday, November 18. The symposium includes lectures, performances, and a film that explores the importance of having a place for all voices to be heard and celebrated.

Warren B.S. ’65, M.A.T ’71, served as Lewis & Clark’s director of ethnic student services until his death in 2004. He was instrumental in admissions recruiting and in supporting students of color at the College. The symposium is free and open to the public.

Symposium highlights:

Ed Edmo, storyteller, poet, playwright, and consultant to the Smithsonian Museum on Native American culture, gives an interactive storytelling performance. Edmo’s keynote event on Wednesday, November 16, at 3 p.m. is in the Templeton Student Center, Council Chamber. He is a founding member of the Northwest Native American Writers Foundation.

Ron Takaki, professor of ethnic studies at the University of California at Berkeley, speaks about “Why Multiculturalism Matters: A Vision of the Curriculum for the 21st Century” on Thursday, November 17, at 7 p.m. in Agnes Flanagan Chapel. Takaki has written 11 books including “A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America” (Little Brown, 1993). He advised President Bill Clinton on the speech “One America in the 21st Century: The President’s Initiative on Race.”

Elliott Young, associate professor of history at Lewis & Clark, discusses “A Day Without a Mexican: Work, Racism, and the American Way” on Thursday, November 17, at 1 p.m. in Templeton Student Center, Council Chamber.

The symposium concludes with a concert by Magdalen Hsu-Li on Friday, November 18, at 7 p.m. in Agnes Flanagan Chapel.

For more information, call ext. 7051.

Pianist Orla McDonagh performs recital

Romantic music is never far from Orla McDonagh’s heart. The Dublin-born pianist includes Robert Schumann’s “Phantasiestucke Op. 12” in her recital at Evans Music Center on Friday, November 18, at 8 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

“I hope these works will connect with audience members and communicate to them how alive and personal the experience of this music can be,” says McDonagh. “The sound and drama in these works can help people experience an awakening of emotion, soul and spirit.”

Her recital features Haydn’s Sonata in B minor, Hob XVI: 32; Darius Milhaud’s Scaramouche for two pianos, with pianist Ji-Young Oh; and Liszt’s Etude in F minor from Etudes D’Execution Transcendante, and George Gershwin’s “Three Preludes for Piano.”

For more information, call ext. 7460.

Upcoming

Visit the campus Web calendar for events coming up in November.