The Commentary section of the Sept. 5 issue of The Chronicle of Higher Education features remarks by Union President Stephen C. Ainlay and other prominent leaders on the importance of integrating engineering into the liberal arts curriculum.
President Ainlay's comments kicked off a national symposium hosted by Union in May, "Engineering and Liberal Education.”
In 1845, Union became the first liberal arts college to offer engineering. The symposium explored different models for integrating engineering, technology and the traditional liberal arts.
Among the participants were Princeton, Dartmouth, Swarthmore, Lafayette, Smith, Trinity, Villanova, U.S. Military Academy, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Sweet Briar College, Tufts, University of Vermont, University of Georgia and Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
To read the article in The Chronicle of Higher Education, click here (registration may be required).
Kids walking on campus. For preview of Class of 2012 arrival
This weekend Union College welcomes the Class of 2012, one of the largest in recent years.
The 581 members of the class move into their residence halls Saturday, Sept. 6, beginning at 9 .a.m. Orientation activities include everything from tours of the Minerva Houses and downtown Schenectady to talks by noted political blogger Joshua Micah Marshall and a popular national alcohol awareness speaker.
The students in the Class of 2012 were chosen from a record 5,271 applications. Average SAT scores rose to 1900 (out of 2400), up 20 points from the previous year. The middle 50 pecent of enrolled students is 1170-1340 (out of 1600).
“We are excited to have this impressive group of students join the Union community,” said Matthew Malatesta, vice president for Admissions, Financial Aid and Enrollment. “Our incoming students should be proud of their accomplishments, gaining admittance to Union during our most competitive admissions year in 20 years.”
Union’s newest students will receive an official welcome from President Stephen C. Ainlay and other College leaders at 3 p.m. in Memorial Chapel.
At 3:45, p.m., the students will say goodbye to their families before heading off to their group orientation activities. At 6:30 p.m., students will walk over to the President’s House, where they will sing the College’s alma mater, Ode to Old Union, for Ainlay and his wife, Judith. And at 9:30 p.m., speaker Mike Green will lead a discussion, “The Four Stages of Drinking,” an interactive event designed to make students think about the role alcohol plays in their lives. Green has addressed legions of students at more than 1,000 campuses nationwide to promote responsible college living.
Nott Memorial. For us with Class of 2012 arrival
Marshall, the founder of Talking Points Memo, will speak at 7 pm. Sunday at the Nott Memorial. He is the only Internet journalist to win the prestigious Polk award for Legal Journalism. His visit ties in with the incoming class’s assigned readings of books by the presidential candidates, John McCain and Barack Obama. Prof. Suzie Benack, who organized the reading program, reports that Marshall was the top choice of political science students surveyed. The event is open to the Union community.
Orientation activities continue on Monday, with a full slate of programs. Opening convocation, in which the Union community celebrates the official opening of the academic year, is set for 4:30 p.m. at Memorial Chapel.
The academic procession begins at 4:15 p.m., and a reception will be held in Hale House and Old Chapel at 5:30 p.m.
Residence halls open for returning students Sunday.
Fall term classes for all students begin Tuesday, Sept. 9.
Last weekend, Union officially welcomed the Class of 2012, one of the largest in recent years. The 581 members of the class, who moved into their residence halls Saturday, enjoyed a packed orientation schedule that included everything from tours of the Minerva Houses and downtown Schenectady to a talk by noted political blogger Joshua Micah Marshall.
“We are excited to have this impressive group of students join the Union community,” said Matthew Malatesta, vice president for Admissions, Financial Aid and Enrollment. “Our incoming students should be proud of their accomplishments, gaining admittance to Union during our most competitive admissions year in 20 years.”
The students in the Class of 2012, chosen from a record 5,271 applications last year, received an official welcome from President Stephen C. Ainlay and other College leaders in Memorial Chapel Saturday afternoon. Later that day, they joined together for a Union tradition, singing the College’s alma mater, “Ode to Old Union,” at the President’s House.
In the evening, popular national alcohol awareness speaker Mike Green addressed “The Four Stages of Drinking,” an interactive program designed to make students think about the role alcohol plays in their lives. Green, a recovering alcoholic, has addressed legions of young people at more than 1,000 campuses nationwide to promote responsible college living.
Marshall, the founder of Talking Points Memo and the sole Internet journalist to win the prestigious Polk award for legal journalism, spoke Sunday at the Nott Memorial. His visit tied in with the incoming class’s assigned readings of books by the presidential candidates, John McCain and Barack Obama.
Outside Information: A Site-Specific Sound Installation by Stephan Moore
Moore, a composer, audio artist and sound designer in New York City, uses the complex acoustics inside the Nott Memorial to transform the building’s interior into a dense wilderness of small, shifting sounds. A reception and gallery talk are set for Thursday, Sept. 18 at 5 p.m., followed by a 7 p.m., presentation of “Magnetic North” created by Moore with designer/performer Chris Harvey and choreographer/performer Kimberly Young.
Through Sept. 28
Mandeville Gallery
Nott Memorial
“SNAP! Contemporary Photography”
Features the unconventional photographic treatments and approaches of five contemporary female photographers: Sally Apfelbaum, Nora Herting, Katharine Kreisher, Melinda McDaniel and Lynn Saville. A reception and gallery talk set for Thursday, Sept. 18 at 5 p.m., followed by a 7 p.m., presentation of “Magnetic North” (see above).
Through Oct. 21
Wikoff Student Gallery
Nott Memorial
Optical Union
Photographs by Meghan Haley-Quigley ’08, Rui Fen Huang ’08, Tobias Leeger ’09, Steven Leung’08, Lauren Muske ’07, Jonathan Scheff ’11 and Juneui Soh ’08, taken from final portfolios from spring 2008’s Photography 3 class taught by Professor Martin Benjamin. The focus of each student’s portfolio ranges in subject and style, from documentary images to portraits to abstractions.
Anthony Cafritz's Knacker's Yard, Aug. 2008
Through Dec. 1
Visual Arts Building
Burns Atrium Art Gallery
Knackers Yard
Visiting Assistant Professor of Visual Arts Anthony Cafritz’s recent installation of seemingly disparate materials that “attempts to describe the current state of things.” Reception set for Tuesday, Sept. 16,4-6 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 12, 1 p.m. / Reamer Auditorium / Community Hospice of Schenectady informational meeting for fall volunteer training program
Friday, Sept. 12, 4 p.m. and Saturday, Sept. 13, 10 a.m. / Viniar Athletic Center / Volleyball, Union invitational
Saturday, Sept. 13, 1 p.m. / Tennis courts / Women’s tennis vs. Hamilton
Saturday, Sept, 13, 2 p.m. / Frank Bailey Field / Field hockey vs. Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Monday, Sept. 15,4 p.m. / Tennis courts / Women’s tennis vs. St. Rose
Tuesday, Sept. 16, 7 p.m. / Viniar Athletic Center / Volleyball vs. Williams
Wednesday, Sept. 17, 5 p.m. / Frank Bailey Field / Field hockey vs. Utica
Wednesday, Sept. 17, 6 p.m. / Garis Field / Women’s soccer vs. SUNY Cortland
Thursday, Sept. 18, 5 p.m. / Nott Memorial, Mandeville Gallery / Artist reception and talk for “SNAP!” and “Outside Information,” followed by 7 p.m. performance of “Magnetic North”
Friday, Sept. 19, 5 – 9 p.m. / Mandeville Gallery and various downtown sites / Art Night Schenectady
Saturday, Sept. 20, 1 p.m. / Football vs. Muhlenberg
Saturday, Sept. 20, 1 p.m. / College Park / Field hockey vs. Wheaton
It’s the course that has everything: high drama, perfect timing and academic expertise from a variety of perspectives.
This fall, some 40 students who’ve signed up for “Election 2008” will learn about the role of the media, the psychology of polling and American politics in action as they study the historic election between U.S. Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain.
Republican Party logo
The timely course offers an interdisciplinary look at the nuances of a presidential race that has captured the attention of the world for more than a year. Twelve faculty members from the departments of political science, psychology, biology, sociology, mathematics, economics and engineering will cover specific facets of the campaign, including policy issues, and candidates’ strategy and tactics.
After Election Day on Nov. 4, the class will discuss voting systems and the psychology of political decision-making before analyzing the candidates’ campaign performance.
Said Psychology Professor Josh Hart, a self-confessed political junkie, who organized the course: “I’m excited to be part of this course during an election cycle that promises to be, and in many ways already is, one of the most interesting and consequential in our country’s modern history.”
The Election 2008 classes, held in Olin Auditorium, are open to the campus community.
