Posted on Jan 27, 2010

Thursday, Jan. 28, 7 p.m., Reamer Campus Center/ Film screening: “Prison Lullabies” in conjunction with Mandeville Gallery exhibit, “Interrupted Life: Incarcerated Mothers in the United States.” Post-screening discussion with filmmaker Odile Isralson and Lavonne K. Jackson, one of the women interviewed for the film
Friday, Jan. 29, 12:50-1:50 p.m. / Reamer Campus Center Room 301, Women’s and Gender Studies Lounge / Linda Patrk, Professor of Philosophy, will lead a memorial luncheon and discussion on the work of Mary Daly, Schenectady native, controversial feminist philosopher and theologian, and author of “Beyond God the Father (1973)” and “Gyn/Ecology: The Metaethics of Radical Feminism (1978)”  Co-hosts: Women’s and Gender Studies and Religious Studies. E-mail Lori Marso, director of WGS, marsol@union.edu if you plan to attend.
Friday, Jan. 29, 7 p.m. / Messa Rink at Achilles Center / Women’s hockey vs. Princeton University
Saturday, Jan. 30, 2 p.m. / Alumni Gymnasium / Men and women’s swimming and diving vs. Hamilton College
Saturday, Jan. 30, 4 p.m. / Messa Rink at Achilles Center / Women’s hockey vs. Quinnipiac University
Thursday, Feb. 4, 4 p.m. / Reamer Campus Center / Lecture: “Violent Interruptions,” by Joshua Price and Noelle Chaddock Paley in conjunction with Mandeville Gallery exhibit, “Interrupted Life: Incarcerated Mothers in the United States.” Price, director of the Philosophy, Interpretation, and Culture Program at SUNY Binghamton, and Paley, interim director of Multicultural Life and adjunct professor of Africana Studies and Philosophy at SUNY Cortland, will speak about their research and experiences with the Broome County Jail Project.
Thursday, Feb. 4, 4:30 p.m. / Schaffer Library, Phi Beta Kappa Room / Philosophy Speaker Series presents L.A. Paul of the University of North Carolina on “Temporal Experience”  
Thursday, Feb. 4, 7 p.m. / Taylor Music Center, Emerson Auditorium / L. Gordon Moore, physician and founder of the Ideal Medical Practices Movement aimed at restoring caring and dignity to the health professions, will speak on “A Viable Solution to U.S. Health Care Reform by Delivering Personal Care and Better Outcomes.” Sponsors: Health Professions Office and Pre-Health Society; open top the public; seating limited
Friday, Feb. 5, 7 p.m. / Messa Rink at Achilles Center / Men’s hockey vs. Clarkson University
Saturday, Feb. 6, 7 a.m. – 3 p.m. / College Park Hall / STEP Regional Science Bowl (Science and Technology Entry Program), "Jeopardy"-style competition for high school students
Saturday, Feb. 6, 7 p.m. / Messa Rink at Achilles Center / Men’s hockey vs. St. Lawrence University
Sunday, Feb. 7, 3 p.m. / Memorial Chapel / Union College Chorale / Free and open to the public

Posted on Jan 27, 2010

How has the downturn in the economy affected the College? Get an update on Wednesday, Feb. 3, when President Stephen C. Ainlay and his senior staff hold two open meetings. They’re set for 9-10 a.m. and 3-4 p.m. in the Reamer Campus Center Auditorium. The meetings are also intended to encourage feedback regarding proposed budget reductions that recently were sent to faculty and staff by e-mail.  

Posted on Jan 27, 2010

Assistant Professor Brad Hays of Political Science was recently interviewed by Alan Chartock of Northeast Public Radio about dissatisfaction with Congress in President Barack Obama's first year. Northeast Public Radio is a member of National Public Radio serving parts of seven northeastern states. These include New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, New Jersey, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania.

To listen:

Part one

Part two

Posted on Jan 27, 2010

Despite a challenging economy, applications for this fall’s freshman class jumped 3 percent from a year ago, giving Union one of its best recruiting seasons ever.

Nearly 4,900 high school seniors are seeking a spot in the Class of 2014, including a record number of Early Decision applications. The figure is just short of the record 5,271 applications received for the Class of 2012.

Matt Malatesta, vice president for Admissions, Financial Aid and Enrollment, attributed the solid applicant pool to expanded outreach to high school students, both online and in marketing materials, with a particular emphasis on getting students to visit campus.

The pool is broad in geographic reach, with more students applying from outside the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states.

“This is an unsettling time for admissions deans,” said Malatesta. “Our staff is continually out telling the ‘Union story,’ but it was especially critical this year, with the state of the economy, to make sure prospective students and their parents understand what a special place Union is and the value of our education.”

The College is consistently included among the country’s leading liberal arts colleges, according to U.S. News and World Report’s annual rankings, the Princeton Review Guide’s annual book, “The Best 371 Colleges,” and the “Fiske Guide to Colleges,” which features 330 of the country's best and most interesting colleges and universities.

Malatesta said top-tier schools like Union are attractive during this difficult economy because the school has sufficient resources to help families with affordability. Union is committed to meeting the full financial need of all admitted students. To assist families who may be impacted by the economic downturn, the College set aside $700,000 as a contingency fund to the financial aid budget. The average need-based scholarship at Union is $29,000 and the average merit scholarship is $10,000.

“We are cognizant of the challenges some families face when considering a place like Union,” Malatesta said, “and do our best to make our exceptional education affordable.”

The expected size of the Class of 2014 is 565 students.

Regular decision letters will be sent by April 1. Accepted students have until May 1 to commit.

Posted on Jan 25, 2010

A number of individuals in the Division of Student Affairs are presenting at major conferences this year, on themes ranging from leadership and disciplinary strategies to identity development. Director of Greek Affairs Timothy Dunn and Counseling Center Director Marcus Hotaling recently spoke at the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators Mental Health Conference in New Orleans about collaborative efforts between their offices aimed at making students aware of support services. They touched on issues ranging from stress management to the effects of pledging on academics.

In early February, Dunn, Dean of First-Year Students Kate Schurick and Senior Associate Dean of Students Trish Williams will present at the Association of Student Conduct Administration international conference in Tampa, Fla. They will speak on “Quantifying Conduct: The Point System.” Dunn and Residence Director Katie Cartmell will address the Association of College Personnel Administrators national conference in Boston in March.

Also in March, Resident Director Connie Gardner will co-present a session on male identity development at the American College Personnel Association in Boston. The convention focus this year is on how student services and programs engage students in and out of the classroom. Gardner looked at research by physician and psychologist Leonard Sax, whose 2007 book, “Boys Adrift,” tackles questions of underachievement in young men. She is interested in exploring ways to increase male involvement in campus activities.
 

Prometheus Books has released the 4th edition of Philosophy and Sex, edited by Robert Baker, the William D. Williams Professor of Philosophy and director of the Rapaport Everyday Ethics Across the Curriculum Initiative, and Kathleen Wininger, professor of philosophy and women’s and gender studies at the University of Southern Maine, formerly a visiting professor at Union. This classic collection of essays on adultery, monogamy, perversion, homosexuality, pederasty, sex without love, sexual equality and other topics was first published in 1975, edited by Baker and the late Frederick Elliston, who also taught at Union. The book has served as a vehicle for publishing manuscripts dealing frankly and philosophically with issues of sex and gender, subjects that philosophy journals often deem unsuitable for philosophical reflection. The current edition focuses on the global dimensions of philosophical issues involving sex and gender, with essays on the legalization of same-sex marriage in Massachusetts and in South Africa (including a piece on homosexuality and Apartheid by Desmond Tutu), the historical stigmatization of unmarried women (“On Spinsters”), intersexuality, female sexuality and the “Vagina Monologues,” and male and female circumcision.

Angela Tatem, director of the Kenney Community Center, Cybil Tribie ’11, U-CARE student coordinator, and Antonio Gutierrez ’10, a student leader for the America Reads literacy program, recently were interviewed on the “Schenectady Today Show” for a feature on how Union students are helping out in the local community. The show is seen each weekday morning on Channel 16, Schenectady County, on Public Access Television. To see the interview, click here.

A listener essay on friendship by Tina Lincer, associate director of Communications, recently aired on “The Roundtable” on WAMC, National Public Radio.

Kim Plofker, visiting assistant professor of mathematics, is one of 20 individuals from around the world invited to be a plenary speaker at the International Congress of Mathematicians, to take place in Hyderabad, India, Aug. 19-27. She joins speakers from Brazil, China, France, India, Israel, Russia and the U.S. The congress, held every four years, is organized under the auspices of the International Mathematical Union, a non-governmental, non-profit scientific organization dedicated to promoting international cooperation in mathematics and supporting activities that contribute to the development of pure, applied and educational mathematical science worldwide.
 

Brad Hays, assistant professor of political science, discussed dissatisfaction with the Congress in Obama's first year on WAMC’s Congressional Corner. To read Part I, click here. For Part II, click here.