January 2008

Higher Education in a Warming World: National Wildlife Federation Case Study (PDF, 2.65MB): “If any sector of society has the potential to model the transition to a low-carbon future, it is higher education. With their depth of expertise, innovative research and societal influence, colleges and universities have been at the forefront in addressing global warming. As living laboratories, campuses have developed and implemented cutting-edge energy conservation practices and clean power technologies. Of even greater importance, they are educating future generations of engineers, architects, scientists, business leaders, teachers, government officials and citizens to create effective solutions to global warming.”

Middlebury and its people and programs feature prominently in this report from the National Wildlife Federation, which highlights “the business, educational and moral arguments for reducing greenhouse gas emissions on campus, with best practices from U.S. colleges and universities.”

A Violation of Both the Law and the Spirit – New York Times: “Imagining that late December night of long darkness, you can almost hear these youths of Vermont tramping up to the isolated farmhouse to intrude upon the sanctuary stillness. The break of snow beneath their feet would be the least of it. They had driven or walked a half-mile up a snow-covered lane called Frost Road, then trudged past a large blue sign that explained the historic significance of the farmhouse and the cabin beyond. And now they were entering the coldness of an uninhabited place, carrying with them cases of beer, bottles of rum and a store of ignorance about things that matter here.”

Connections, Collaborations and Competition: Report from ConnectEd: “Educators in the developing world are generally trying too hard to emulate Harvard rather than replicating the diversity of the American higher education system – not only the elites but also the community colleges and regional universities – in building up their own systems, Jairam Reddy, director of the United Nationals University International Leadership Institute, in Jordan, said during a roundtable discussion this week on “International Higher Education Competitiveness” featuring representatives from four different countries. The discussion took place as part of this week’s ConnectEd: A Conference on Global Education in Monterey, Calif., hosted by Middlebury College and the Monterey Institute of International Studies.”

Salt Lake Tribune: Chris Waddell sets his sights on Africa’s highest peak: “The bottom of the mountain has always been the finish line for Chris Waddell, and getting there fast was rarely a problem. This June, the end will come 19,340 feet above sea level and may be painfully slow. Should he make it to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro – the highest point in Africa – Waddell would be the first known paraplegic to do so. It is a feat he hopes to achieve not only for himself, but for every person with a disability and, perhaps even more important, anybody with a dream. “

– View a video on Chris Waddell’s quest, or read his blog.

How International Faculty Fit on American Campuses: Report from ConnectEd: “For all the talk about getting visas for foreign scholars to teach at American campuses, there’s relatively little attention to how they fit in once they arrive. ‘People on campus generally aren’t talking about international faculty,’ said [Middlebury alumna] Rebecca Theobald, of the University of Colorado at Boulder’s geography department. … Researchers presented their inquiries into the integration of international faculty on North American campuses this week in Monterey, Calif. during ConnectEd: A Conference on Global Education hosted by Middlebury College and the Monterey Institute of International Studies.”

WCAX: Middlebury College Memorializes Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: “A joyful celebration punctuated by moments of thoughtful reflection, Middlebury College’s tenth annual Martin Luther King Jr. celebration emphasized the need to continue the civil rights leader’s legacy. ‘He sometimes forced us to confront some deep and often troubling questions about our commitment as a society to the fundamental ideas upon which this nation was founded,’ said Governor Jim Douglas, R-Vermont.”

Police to cite 28 in Frost home vandalism, many with MUHS ties Addison Independent: “Vermont State Police said on January 18 that they are citing into court 28 youths — the vast majority of them Middlebury Union High School students — in connection with an underage drinking party that caused an estimated $10,600 in damage to the former summer home of Robert Frost in Ripton.”

Vermont Public Radio: A profile of Middlebury’s Francois Clemmons: “Middlebury College artist-in-residence François Clemmons is one of Vermont’s most visible reminders of the Civil Rights Movement. He’s known for his performances of the spiritual music of southern slaves, but he’s also won accolades from opera buffs — and from a legion of people who grew up watching Mr. Rogers neighborhood.
VPR’s Steve Zind has this profile of Clemmons.”

Middlebury’s Kelsey Eichhorn: Her documentary is an award winner: “Responding to a suggestion by one of her professors at Middlebury College, senior Kelsey Eichhorn entered her junior thesis 500 level documentary film, What I Do Has to Be Great, in last year’s Vermont Film Festival in Burlington in October. She did not expect to win because she thought her film would be used as a “filler.” She was not even planning to attend the event because on the same day the winners were to be announced, it was family weekend at Middlebury College, and she was taking her parents, Charles and Lynn Eichhorn of Redding, on a tour of the campus.”

Vermont Public Radio: Middlebury symposium examines legacies of the death of Jesus: “How did a singular event more than 2,000 years old come to shape much of Western Civilization as we know it? The question is central to a lecture series starting today at Middlebury College called “Engaging Passions: The Death of Jesus and its legacies.

“Over the course of three days, the story of Jesus’s death will be examined through art, literature, drama, music and film with a wide variety of speakers bringing their own passions and expertise to the forefront. VPR’s Mitch Wertlieb spoke recently with two of them. Larry Yarbrough is a professor of Religion at Middlebury and scholar of the New Testament. And Elizabeth Cook is an author and composer who collaborated with Francis Grier on the libretto for a new interpretation of ‘The Passion of Jesus of Nazareth.’ “

Burlington Free Press.com Reality check for Middlebury’s Miss Vermont: “Rachel Ann Cole, a Middlebury College senior, is going to miss the last couple of weeks of J-term, the college’s one-month January semester. She’s got a gig in Vegas, where she’s headed today. Cole, 22, is Miss Vermont, and she will represent the state at the Miss America contest on Jan. 26. For the talent competition, Cole plans to perform a Shakespeare monologue in a period costume on loan from the college’s theater department. In the swimsuit event, she’s going with a black two-piece. Not college-issue.”

WCAX.com: Student Sleuths Learn Crime Scene Science: “Inside a Middlebury College chemistry lab, a few drops of chemicals are the starting point for unraveling a mystery. Chemistry professor Molly Costanza-Robinson beams, ‘Science can be accessible and fun!’ ” Costanza-Robinson’s students are learning the basics of forensic science, in a class called “CSI: Middlebury.” It borrows that course name from the popular shows that pump up the sexiness of crime scene investigation.

Symposium looks at culture and challenges of native indigenous tribes: “Middlebury College will host a student-run symposium examining the culture and challenges of native indigenous tribes – past, present and future – from Monday, Jan. 7 through Wednesday, Jan. 16. All events, which include lectures, panel discussions, film screenings and a dance performance, are free and open to the public.”

WCAX.com: Frost Vandalism Update: “Ten days ago, vandals caused thousands of dollars of damage to poet Robert Frost’s summer home in Addison County. Now the clean-up is almost complete. Vermont State Police say a 17-year-old from Ripton planned that destructive party at Frost’s home, using booze purchased by a 22-year-old from the nearby town of Middlebury to serve as many as 50 people between 15 and 22 years old.”

Men’s hockey team captures Middlebury Holiday Classic: “Trailing 1-0 in the third period, Middlebury scored three unanswered goals en route to 3-1 win over Lake Forest in the 16th annual Middlebury College Holiday Classic. Junior Meack Cummins had two goals and and assist to earn tournament MVP honors.”

Vermont Public Radio: VT Edition Interview: Middlebury College professor Eric Davis on local & national politics: “There’s a lot going on these days at both the state and national political level. Eric Davis is a science professor at Middlebury College. He spoke with VPR’s Bob Kinzel about the 2008 gubernatorial race and what the results from last night’s presidential caucuses in Iowa mean for next week’s New Hampshire Primary.”

Middlebury and the Chocolate Bar Addison Independent: “Middlebury College officials hope to reopen the former Eat Good Food space on Main Street by this coming February, using it for a “chocolate bar,” student night spot, small-scale retail venture and as a spot for town-gown activities.”