A synopsis of media accounts mentioning Wellesley, its faculty, students and alumnae

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June 2009

“Forget Fireworks: Teach Kids Meaning of July 4”
The Associated Press
June 24, 2009
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/living/2009389646_julyfourkids29.html

Mary Ucci, director of Wellesley College's Child Study Center, was interviewed by the Associated Press about how to teach children the meaning of Independence Day. For younger children, describe July Fourth as the nation's birthday, said Ucci. "As children get older, they can begin to understand what independence means," she said. "When you become independent, you get a lot of freedom but you also get a lot of responsibility." Media outlets from coast to coast have been printing and posting this timely holiday article. So far these include: MSNBC- The Today Show, The Seattle Times, The Miami (Fla.) Herald, Times Democrat (S.C.), The Coloradoan, The News Leader (Va.), Knox News (Tenn.), The Wilson Times (N.C.), Times Record News (Texas), The Monterey Herald (Calif.), Foster’s Daily Democrat (N.H.), and Montgomery Advisor (Ala.)

“Home Sales Drop Nearly to ’89 Rate”
The Boston Herald
June 24, 2009
Thomas Grillo
http://www.bostonherald.com/business/real_estate/view.bg?articleid=1180842&srvc=business&position=2

Massachusetts’s desperate housing market delivered more bad news last month as sales of single-family homes fell to their lowest level for May in nearly two decades. Last month, the number of single-family homes sold was down about 13 percent from the figure for a year earlier, according to a new report from the Warren Group. “That’s a significant drop and it worries me,” said Karl Case, economics. “The region is still struggling with lots of unsold properties, and the housing market is not stabilizing.”

“Movers and Shakers for June 28, 2009”
MetroWest Daily News
June 28, 2009
http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/business/x1885872924/Movers-and-Shakers-for-June-28-2009

President H. Kim Bottomly has been elected to one of the nation’s most prestigious honorary societies and center for independent policy research, the American Academy of Arts & Sciences. She will be one of the 212 new fellows and 19 foreign honorary members - all leaders in the sciences, the humanities and the arts, business, public affairs, and the nonprofit sector.

“Catching up on Wellesley: From Mickey to Michael”
The Swellesley Report
June 28, 2009
http://theswellesleyreport.com/2009/06/catching-up-on-wellesley-from-mickey-to-michael/

The Wellesley Widows a cappella group performed a “Thriller” medley for their season-ending concert in 2007. A local blog has featured the YouTube video of the performance, which can be viewed at the link above, in the aftermath of the death of singer Michael Jackson.

“One College Sidesteps the Crisis”
The Wall Street Journal
June 30, 2009
John Hechinger
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124631610981670647.html

Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art has managed to avoid the endowment losses that most other colleges have experienced, thanks to its decision three years ago to ratchet back the financial risk in its endowment. Cooper’s successful investment strategies have enabled many expansions for the college, including a new $150 million academic building, which is nearing completion. Wellesley College is mentioned in the lead paragraph for, like some other colleges, having frozen salaries and laid off employees.

“Language May be Key to Theory of Mind”
New Scientist
June 23, 2009
Anil Ananthaswamy
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17352-language-may-be-key-to-theory-of-mind.html

Understanding another person's perspective, and realizing that it can differ from our own, is known as theory of mind. Jennie Pyers, psychology, evaluates the hypothesis that theory of mind comes from our ability to use language, which allows children to listen to people talking about their beliefs and emotions. Pyers studied a community of deaf people in Nicaragua, who only developed a sign language in the 1970s. However, it has not determined whether language makes understanding false beliefs easier, or is a "necessary prerequisite", says Pyers.

“Are You Too Sensitive?”
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer
June 16, 2009
Sarah Mahoney
http://www.seattlepi.com/health/403357_goodhouse260040.html

Paul Wink, psychology, discusses the link between gender and sensitivity. "In general, women are taught to think about other people's feelings much more than men are,” he said. “So while it's okay for men to be blunt, women are often expected to be warmer, more agreeable and more invested in relationships. Because they're more tactful, they're also more likely to overreact to minor problems and remarks."

“Venezuela's Adjunct U.N. Ambassador Julio Escalona Speaks on the Global Economic Crisis”
Open Media Boston
June 18, 2009
Jason Pramas
http://www.openmediaboston.org/node/742

Venezuela's Adjunct Ambassador to the United Nations Julio Escalona, Julie Matthaei, economics, Richard B. Freeman of Harvard University and Arthur MacEwan of the University of Massachusetts Boston spoke on the global economic crisis recently. The audio recording of the event can be accessed at the link above; Julie Matthaei’s speech begins 45 minutes into the recording.

“Will, We Hardly Knew Ye, and Still Don’t”
The Boston Globe
June 23, 2009
William Cain
http://www.boston.com/ae/books/articles/2009/06/21/will_we_hardly_knew_ye____and_still_dont/?page=1

William Cain, English, reviews a new biography of Shakespeare and explains the difficulties in finding facts about Shakespeare’s life. “We have only meager references to Shakespeare by his contemporaries,” he wrote. “But because he is the greatest writer in the English language whose works of transcendent power are studied and staged throughout the world, biographers continue to attempt the impossible.”

“Wellesley Creates International Studies School Named After Former Secretary of State Albright”
The Associated Press
June 12, 2009
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns-ap-us-albright-institute-wellesley,0,7446126.story

"Wellesley to Honor Albright with School"
The Boston Globe
June 12, 2009
Joe Williams
http://www.boston.com/news/education/higher/articles/2009/06/12/wellesley_to_honor_albright_with_school/

Wellesley's Madeleine K. Albright Institute for Global Affairs will begin classes in January, and Albright, the nation's first female chief diplomat, will be the school's first visiting professor. The program, which will admit between 40 and 50 undergraduates this year, will teach students to think broadly about complex international issues such as war, famine, and climate change. This story has also appeared in USA Today, Los Angeles Times and The Boston Herald, among other publications.

“Albright Says Wellesley to Mint Leaders”
The Boston Globe
June 14, 2009
Ben Terris http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/06/14/albright_says_wellesley_to_mint_leaders/

Madeleine Albright ’59 returned to Wellesley for her 50th reunion and to announce the creation of the Madeleine Korbel Albright Institute for Global Affairs. She said she hopes the institute will produce graduates who become diplomats and international leaders. "Wellesley's commitment to international education is both timely and bold," Albright said in a speech yesterday to hundreds of alumni and families. "The subject is an elementary but vital role for education in the 21st century."

“Praise, Advice and Reminders of the Sour Economy for Graduates”
The New York Times
June 13, 2009
Sam Dillon
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/14/education/14commencement.html?emc=tnt&tntemail0=y

Commencement orators around the country seasoned their congratulatory messages with acknowledgment of the bleak marketplace. Kimberly Dozier ‘87 shared with the Wellesley class of 2009 the lessons she learned from struggling to find work as a recent Wellesley graduate and from her injury from a car bomb incident while working as a CBS News correspondent in the Middle East.

“Don't Be Afraid to Ask for Help"
The Boston Globe
June 11, 2009
Cindy Cantrell
http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news/hingham/2009/06/i_was_never_alone.html

In her student commencement address on June 5, 21-year-old Mona Minkara of Hingham encouraged her fellow 572 graduates of Wellesley College’s Class of 2009 to demonstrate kindness and empathy in their lives. Without those qualities, the legally blind Middle Easter studies and chemistry double major said, she wouldn’t have graduated.

"Abby Normal"
Financial Sense
June 5, 2009
James Quinn
http://www.financialsense.com/editorials/quinn/2009/0611.html

The housing and debt crisis needs the attention of reality based, blunt, leaders. Karl Case, an economics professor at Wellesley College whose name adorns the S&P Case-Shiller home-price indexes, has studied U.S. house prices going back to the 1890s. Over the long run, he says, home prices tend to increase on average at an inflation-adjusted rate of 2.5% to 3% a year, about the same as per capita income.

"Obama"s Twentysomething Gatekeepers"
NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams; The Today Show
June 4 and 5, 2009
Brian Williams
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/31121227#31121227

Two prominent members of President Barack Obama's administration, Hillary Rodham Clinton '69, secretary of state, and Katie Johnson '03, the president's personal secretary, discussed fond memories of their time at Wellesley College.

“Feeling at Loss of Words?”
The Times of India
June 9, 2009
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Trends/Why-that-word-is-on-the-tip-of-your-tongue/articleshow/4634783.cms

Why is it that people, especially bilinguals, often have tip-of-the-tongue experiences in which words suddenly and perplexingly go missing only to reappear later?Jennie Pyers, psychology, says that one possible explanation is that similar-sounding words compete for the brain's attention. Pyers studied groups of bilinguals and English-speaking monolinguals to explain those experiences. This story has also appeared in Marie Claire (UK), ABC News, New Scientist, Asian News International, and Hindustan Times, among other publications.

“Theater Review: Wellesley Summer Theatre’s ‘Importance’ Bubbles Over with Humor”
Taunton (Mass.) Daily Gazette
June 8, 2009
David Brooks Andrews
http://www.tauntongazette.com/entertainment/x702332322/Theater-review-Wellesley-Summer-Theatres-Importance-bubbles-over-with-humor

The Wellesley Summer Theatre performs Oscar Wilde’s classic comedy The Importance of Being Earnest, originally a satire criticizing the Victorian upper class. Co-directors Valerie Von Rosenvinge and Nora Hussey, theatre studies, have moved the show from its original setting in the late Victorian Era, at the end of the 19th century, to the Jazz Age, before the Great Depression.

“Hingham High Graduate to Give Student Address at Wellesley Commencement”
The Patriot Ledger (Quincy, Mass.)
June 5, 2009
http://www.patriotledger.com/archive/x2085744154/Hingham-High-graduate-to-give-student-address-at-Wellesley-commencement

On June 5, Mona Minkara gave her student address at the Wellesley commencement, standing before 600 fellow members of the class of 2009. After a writing and speaking competition, Minkara was selected as the student commencement speaker, a tradition at Wellesley since 1969 when Hillary Rodham Clinton served as the first student speaker for her class. “It’s an honor,” said Minkara, who is now legally blind. “I hope disabled students around the country can realize you can make it even though you might be blind, or deaf, or whatever your story might be.”

“Why Your Brain Just Can't Remember That Word: New Studies Shed Light on Tip-of-the-Tongue Experiences”
ABC News
June 8, 2008
Ewen Callaway
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/Science/story?id=7783531&page=1

“Why Your Brain Just Can’t Remember that Word”
New Scientist
June 8, 2009
Ewen Callaway
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17263-why-your-brain-just-cant-remember-that-word.html

Most of the time the brain works as it ought to: limbs move, memories are retrieved and experiences processed. But occasionally things go awry. In tip-of-the-tongue experiences, for instance, words suddenly and perplexingly go missing only to reappear seconds or minutes later. Nearly everyone has tip-of-the-tongue moments, but bilinguals seem especially prone to these momentary lapses in vocabulary, says Jennie Pyers, a psychologist at Wellesley College and author of a new study on the topic.

“Spring Housing Market Is Slow to Blossom”
National Public Radio WBUR-FM
June 8, 2009
Monica Brady-Myerov
http://www.wbur.org/2009/06/08/spring-housing

Houses and condos in towns such as Arlington, Cambridge and Lexington have held their values, and that’s boosted the overall home prices for the Boston area. The Case-Shiller Home Price Index shows home prices in the Boston area fell 8 percent from last year. Chip Case, economics, says you should look at the Massachusetts housing market zip code by zip code.“The bad places are Lawrence, Lowell, Brockton, Fall River, Fitchburg, Leominster,” he says, “where there are a lot of foreclosure auctions. The low-end of the market in Boston went up a lot more than the high-end during the credit expansion, so it was clear that area was vulnerable.”

“An Update from Kim Dozier”
Foreign Policy
June 8, 2009
Tom Ricks
http://ricks.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2009/06/08/an_update_from_kim_dozier

In Wellesley College alumna Kimberly Dozier’s commencement address at Wellesley, she talked about being hit by a car bomb a few years ago in Baghdad. “The more I hear from Kimberly Dozier of CBS, the more impressed I am,” author Tom Ricks writes. “A lot of people have suffered similar agonies in recent years, but Kim does a good job of capturing it.”

“Toward a Bright Future”
Guideposts
June 2009
Sarah Beldo
http://www.guideposts.com/story/blind-college-student-success

Wellesley College senior Mona Minkara is clearly not deterred by challenges. A couple of years ago, she told her aide Pam Davis that despite being legally blind, she is not afraid to fall when she walks around campus. It is that positive attitude that seems to typify the young woman's approach toward life and which led to her role as the college's 2009 commencement speaker. "It's an honor," Minkara says. "I hope disabled students around the country can realize you can make it even though you might be blind, or deaf, or whatever your story might be."

“Wellesley College Celebrates Commencement”
The Wellesley Townsman
June 5, 2009
http://www.wickedlocal.com/wellesley/news/x313675687/Wellesley-College-celebrates-commencement

Wearing the traditional black caps and gowns, the roughly 600 graduates walked into the ceremony with their heads held high. Many waved to family and friends. Others took pictures of themselves or other graduates. Some wore green beads or green boas — in honor of the class color, green. “I really like that the Wellesley ladies are not just classy, but they’re also spunky,” said Sylva Johnson, whose sister Savanna was one of the graduates. “They’re not just being serious.”

“Can Science Reinvent the Economy? The Human Factor”
New Scientist
June 5, 2009
Mark Buchanan
http://www.newscientist.com/special/can-science-reinvent-economy

Renowned economists Karl Case, economics, and Robert Shiller of Yale University suggest that if we are to identify economic bubbles before they burst, their fellow economists need to get a lot more psychological in their approach. Traditionally, economists rarely ask people about the thinking behind their decisions. Some even argue that one should never do so, as people's assessments of their own motivations are so skewed as to be scientifically worthless. Case and Shiller's research, however, suggests that bubbles show up most easily through probes of individual attitudes to economic reality.

“Career Counseling Draws Alumni Back to Campus”
The Boston Globe
June 4, 2009
Erica Noonan
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2009/06/04/alumni_returning_to_colleges_for_career_help/

These days, a degree from many prestigious schools in the area comes with free job counseling for life, a perk that has been drawing back graduates who have hit a bump in their career paths, in some cases decades after leaving campus. At Wellesley College, the motto for the career center is "Translating the Liberal Arts Into Action." There is a lively job board, with 250 listings at any one time, and the W Network of alumnae willing to help out other Wellesley women, said Irma Tryon, director of recruiting at the college's Center for Work and Service. Wellesley has also planned a special career program during its June 12-14 reunion weekend. The two-day "Shifting Gears" session is aimed at alumnae in transition, and features several authors and consultants. All of the regional Wellesley alumnae clubs have additional one-night career programs planned this spring as well.

“Despite Tough Year, New HMC Chief Remains Optimistic”
The Harvard Crimson
June 3, 2009
Peter Zhu
http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=528485

Beneath her unobtrusive exterior, Jane Mendillo, CEO of Harvard Management Company, harbors a wealth of investment knowledge. She commands the respect of colleagues at Harvard and elsewhere, who laud her unceasing composure during a sudden and unanticipated financial meltdown, her decisiveness under time constraints, and her focus on long-term investment success. “Truly, of all the people I’ve ever run across in the investment world, she was the most impressive,” says Andrew Evans, treasurer and vice president for finance at Wellesley College, where Mendillo managed the endowment for six years before she took over HMC’s executive position last summer. “Her ability to synthesize a huge collection of data and make it understandable to a lay audience, as well as a sophisticated audience, is remarkable.”

“An Alternative Two-State Solution”
The Jerusalem Post
June 3, 2009
Jerold Auerbach
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1244034989184&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

Jerold Auerbach, history, advocates a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. “Ever since 1967, two-state proposals for the division of shrunken 'Palestine' have sprouted like weeds whenever the Israeli-Palestinian conflict proved too frustrating for outsiders to endure,” he wrote. “Nonetheless, hope springs eternal – especially in Washington, where the Obama administration seems determined to restrict, if not eradicate, the right of Jews to settle in their ancient homeland.”

“Wellesley College Senior Wins $75,000 Environmental Prize”
The Wellesley Townsman
June 3, 2009
http://www.wickedlocal.com/wellesley/news/x2085744886/Wellesley-College-senior-wins-75-000-environmental-prize

While living in remote areas of India and China, Catlin Powers ’09 found her fellow women faced with difficult living conditions. Powers decided to take action by working with communities to design simple solutions to meet their needs. Powers has been recognized for her work with several prizes this spring, including $75,000 from the St. Andrews Prize for the Environment, which will support OEDs’ invention that harnesses clean energy from the sun.

“Harvard and Sustainable Food”
The Harvard Crimson
June 2, 2009
Robert Paarlberg
http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=528408

Robert Paarlberg, political science, questions the idea that food should be organic, local and slow. “If we take these ideas seriously for the moment, what might a fully organic, local, and slow food system actually look like?” he writes. “The closest approximation we have is not New York City or Berkeley, California, but rural Africa, where 60 percent of all citizens are small farmers growing food without chemicals, for local consumption, and still preparing meals in a traditional fashion. The downside? Average income in rural Africa is only $1 a day and one third of these people are malnourished.”

“The Woodrow Wilson Center Announces 2009-2010 Fellows”
Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
June 2, 2009
http://news.prnewswire.com/DisplayReleaseContent.aspx?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/06-02-2009/0005036865&EDATE=

Christopher Candland, political science, will pursue the project, "The Islamic Social Sector and Human Security in Pakistan," in residence as a fellow at the Woodrow Wilson Center this year.

“More on Wellesley College’s Commencement Speakers”
The Wellesley Townsman
June 2, 2009
http://www.wickedlocal.com/wellesley/news/education/x726823653/More-on-Wellesley-Colleges-commencement-speakers

Continuing a tradition that started in 1969 with Hillary Rodham Clinton, Mona Minkara ’09 will deliver this year’s student commencement address. The prestigious all-women’s school will celebrate its 131st commencement this Friday, starting at 10:30 a.m. in the academic quad. Minkara, who is a legally blind chemistry major, was selected as the speaker after winning a written and oral competition. CBS News correspondent and alumna Kimberly Dozier will give the main commencement speech.

“Mystery of Giant Ice Circles Revealed”
LiveScience
June 1, 2009
Jeremy Hsu
http://www.livescience.com/strangenews/090601-ice-circles.html

Strange circles have once again appeared in the frozen surface of Lake Baikal in Siberia, as spotted by astronauts aboard the International Space Station this April. News reports described the ice rings as a puzzling phenomenon. But experts say they can explain the mystery, and it's not aliens — methane gas rising from the lake floor represents the likely culprit. "Once the water mass reaches the underside of the ice on the surface of the lake, the warm water melts the ice in a ring shape," said Marianne Moore, biological sciences, who has spent much time studying Lake Baikal with Russian researchers.

“Is Universal Health Coverage Cost Effective?”
Opposing Views
June 1, 2009
Michael F. Cannon
http://www.opposingviews.com/articles/opinion-is-universal-health-coverage-cost-effective-r-1243872819

As congressional Democrats prepare to deliver on President Barack Obama's goal of "expanding coverage to all Americans," an important question remains unanswered: is universal coverage worth the money? Not only is there "no evidence" that universal coverage is the most cost-effective use of our $2 trillion, the benefits may not exceed the costs at all. In a 2008 article for the Journal of Public Economics, co-author Robin McKnight, economics, reported that even though Medicare achieved universal coverage for the elderly, it had no impact on elderly mortality rates in its first 10 years. Medicare may or may not have improved enrollees' health in other ways.

May 2009

“Assessing the Housing Market”
This Week in Business (NECN)
May 31, 2009
http://www.necn.com/Boston/Business/2009/05/31/TWIB-Assessing-the-housing/1243818874.html

Karl Case, economics, comments on the state of the housing market in Massachusetts and the nation. “One of the most important things that predicts demand for housing is employment,” he said. “If you don’t have a job or you lose your job, it affects your ability to buy and carry a house or even rent an apartment. And we’re hemorrhaging jobs, still.”

“New Book Puts Spotlight on Life of Forgotten ‘Visionary’”
Stabroek News (Guyana)
May 31, 2009
http://www.stabroeknews.com/2009/news/local/05/31/new-book-puts-spotlight-on-life-of-forgotten-%E2%80%98visionary%E2%80%99/

Albert Raymond Forbes Webber, a long forgotten politician, journalist, poet and novelist, was resurrected for a new generation of Guyanese at last week. “Cast away, forgotten even by his own Guyanese people,” was how Selwyn Cudjoe, Africana studies, described the Tobago-born Webber, who championed the cause of the people of British Guiana while he lived here. Cudjoe reintroduced Webber in his book, Caribbean Visionary: A.R.F. Webber and the Making of the Guyanese Nation, a project he said was years in the making.

“Now Hiring, Your Uncle Sam”
The Boston Globe
May 30, 2009
Megan Woolhouse
http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2009/05/30/unlike_rest_of_us_federal_government_is_hiring____a_lot/

At a time when many companies are shedding jobs at an alarming rate to survive the recession, one employer is still hiring: the federal government. Angeles Garcia ’09, who will graduate from Wellesley College next week, landed a job as a language assistant in the U.S. Department of Justice's civil rights division, a newly created position in Washington, D.C. She will defer her plans to attend the University of Houston law school for at least a year and start her new job on July 1. "I think I will really enjoy D.C. culture. I find it glamorous," the 22-year-old from Texas said. "I really just love everything about politics."

“Teach for America: The 2009 Class”
The Associated Press
May 28, 2009
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5i2ZkOFuremCQygv31E7uFmYmmoKwD98ERBRO1

A record number of college graduates is joining Teach for America, the program that trains top students to teach in poor communities. Fifteen percent of the Wellesley College senior class applied to the program.

“Here and There”
The Boston Globe
May 28, 2009
Marvin Pave
http://www.boston.com/sports/colleges/articles/2009/05/28/hopkintons_philbrook_runs_to_ncaa_title/?page=2

Jennifer Kroll, following a successful stint at St. Lawrence University, has been hired as new head basketball coach at Wellesley College.

“Honoring Catalysts for Girls’ Science Education”
Xconomy
May 27, 2009
Roxanne Palmer
http://www.xconomy.com/boston/2009/05/27/honoring-catalysts-for-girls-science-education/

Evelynn Hammonds, the first black female dean of Harvard College, and Larisa Schelkin, the CEO and co-founder of the Diversity Outreach in Math and Engineering (DOME) Foundation, received Catalyst Awards for their work promoting the involvement of underrepresented groups in science. President H. Kim Bottomly delivered the opening remarks. She reflected on how fortunate she was to have an advisor in her college years that accepted female Ph.D. students. “Back then, talent and passion weren’t enough” to succeed in science, she said. “You also needed to be lucky. Well, women should not have to depend on luck.”

“Sol-Source 3-in-1: An Alternative Energy Solution”
Worldchanging
May 27, 2009
Julia Levitt
http://www.worldchanging.com/archives/009911.html

In rural regions of the Himalayas, a new lightweight, low-cost, portable solar cooker called the SolSource 3-in-1 is poised to transform the health and prosperity of entire villages. The devices, made largely from traditional nomadic materials, were developed by One Earth Designs cofounders Catlin Powers ’09 and Scot Frank. The community-based business plan for the cooker also allows villagers to leverage their traditional group decision-making process. “Traditionally, Himalayan nomads and agriculturalists made many decisions collectively and often relied on neighboring households for food and goods production,” Powers said. “The SolSource Project supports local income generation through a holistic community-based business model that more closely reflects this traditional collectivism.”

“Slide in Home Prices Shows No Slowdown”
The Seattle Times
May 27, 2009
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009265715_homeprices27.html

U.S. home prices showed no signs they've hit bottom, according to a national index released Tuesday. The Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller National Home Price Index showed a record 19.1 percent drop for the first three months of this year. Auction sales of foreclosed homes are depressing home prices and extending the four-year property slump, said Karl Case, economics. "The single-family home market by and large continues its drift."

“Mass. Home Sales, Prices Fall in April”
The Boston Globe
May 27, 2009
Jenifer B. McKim
http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2009/05/27/home_prices_sales_plunge_in_bay_state/

The spring real estate market in Massachusetts so far is looking like a bust. The number of homes and condominiums that sold in April plummeted and prices dropped as well, as the housing market showed no sign of shaking off its doldrums. One of the cofounders of the S&P/Case-Shiller index, Karl Case, economics, said the new data paint a bleak picture and have prompted him to reconsider his earlier prediction that the housing market would begin to recover this year. "I've been anxious to see signs of life," said Case.

“For Gay Couples, Married Matters”
The Boston Globe
May 24, 2009
Stephen Smith
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/05/24/for_gay_couples_married_matters/

Five years after the first same-sex weddings in Massachusetts, gay and lesbian couples express deeply traditional reasons for deciding to wed and cite equally conventional benefits flowing from marriage, according to a study being released this week. Michelle Porche, a senior research scientist at the Wellesley Centers for Women, said the findings mirror those of a smaller, although more intensive, study she conducted by interviewing couples not long after gay marriage was legalized."Studies like these help us from afar to get to know people a little bit better," she said. "The more people who have reservations about gay marriage can really meet married same-sex couples and get to know them and their experience, the more they would be open to supporting" the right to marry.

“Stephen G. Miller’s Letter to President Obama”
American Chronicle
May 22, 2009
Risto Stefov
http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/103039

Mary Lefkowitz, classics emerita, is one of the many academics who signed a letter to President Barack Obama urging him to clean up “the historical debris left in southeast Europe by the previous U.S. administration.” The Graeco-Roman scholars point to former President Bush’s unilateral recognition of the Republic of Macedonia as a misguided policy that has no basis in historical fact.

“Blog by Wellesley Centers for Women Writer-in-Residence Looks at Sports Inequality”
The Wellesley Townsman
May 21, 2009
Elana Zak
http://www.wickedlocal.com/wellesley/sports/x1083517969/Blog-by-Wellesley-Centers-for-Women-writer-in-residence-looks-at-sports-inequality

A new blog aims to discuss the inequalities between men’s and women’s sports. Called Fair Game News, it was started in March by Laura Pappano, Wellesley Centers for Women. “I felt that we needed some turf to really talk about the equity issues in sports,” Pappano said. “On a daily basis you run into inequities that people have just gotten used to. … our goal is a fair game.”

“How to Overcome Shyness: Common Myths and Misconceptions”
Associated Content
May 18, 2009
Steven Hoss
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1730414/how_to_overcome_shyness_common_myths.html

Among the common misconceptions about shyness is that it is strictly a learned response. Jonathan Cheek, psychology, has found convincing evidence that there may be shy genes. About two of every five Americans consider themselves shy and about half of them may have inherited the trait according to Cheek's research on 800 sets of identical twins.

“The Cultural Dimension of Migration and Development”
U-landsnyt (Denmark)
May 18, 2009
http://www.ulandsnyt.dk/indhold.asp?ID=3137&mode=Kalender

The Danish Institute for International Studies (DIIS) is convening a seminar on "Bringing Culture Back in: Social Remittances and Local Practices in the Migration-Development Nexus," which will look at the oft-neglected topics of local socio-cultural practices and social remittances. At this seminar, two of the leading scholars in transnational migration, Peggy Levitt, sociology, and Ninna Nyberg Sørensen, DIIS, challenge the mainstream perception of migration and development, arguing that culture must be brought back in, and a transnational social field perspective must be applied.

“Biotech Portion of Foreign Aid Bill Draws Criticism”
The Des Moines Register
Philip Brasher
May 17, 2009
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20090517/BUSINESS03/905170317/1166/OPINION01

Congress has largely stayed out of the battles over genetically engineered crops, but that could change with a foreign aid bill that could target research money to agricultural biotechnology. The Senate bill's main sponsor, Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., uses genetically modified seeds on his family's farm and firmly believes they could help poor farmers as well. Lugar cites a recent book by Wellesley College professor Robert Paarlberg, Starved for Science: How Biotechnology Is Being Kept Out of Africa. Paarlberg calls for increased agricultural research in Africa and criticizes the role anti-biotech groups have played in slowing development there.

“A Year in Eastern Europe”
The Boston Globe
Jennifer Ehrlich
May 17, 2009
http://www.boston.com/travel/getaways/europe/articles/2009/05/17/a_year_in_eastern_europe/

Wellesley College junior Rachel Behler is studying post-conflict transformation in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia. Among her reminiscences, she remarks, "A friend and I were wandering around Vukovar, Croatia, looking for a place to eat our lunch, when we realized we were walking through a house that had been completely obliterated. We were standing on the kitchen floor, overgrown with grass. I was overcome by profound sadness and nausea. Although the crumbling buildings in town were an eyesore, and must have made rehabilitation a nightmare for returning inhabitants, this kitchen floor was by far the most terrifying thing I saw in Vukovar."

“Countdown to Calabash”
Jamaica Gleaner News
May 15, 2009
http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20090515/ent/ent1.html

With the 2009 Calabash International Literary Festival only one week away, Colin Channer, creative writing, the festival’s founder and artistic director, is surprisingly calm. When asked about the performances he is most looking forward to, Channer cites “Pulitzer Prize winner Junot Diaz, Edwidge Danticat, U.S. Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky, Rachel Manley, Naipaul's biographer Patrick French, the Calabash Acoustic Ensemble presenting the lyrics of Beres Hammond, and Ragashanti with 'his mix up and blenda' self, reading from To Sir With Love.”

“Number of Unwed Mothers Has Risen Sharply in U.S.”
The Washington Post
Rob Stein and Donna St. George
May 14, 2009
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/13/AR2009051301628.html?hpid=topnews

The number of children being born out of wedlock has risen sharply in recent years, driven primarily by women in their 20s and 30s opting to have children without getting married, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. Nearly four out of every 10 births are now to unmarried women. "I think this is the tipping point," said Rosanna Hertz, sociology and women's and gender studies. "This is becoming increasingly the norm. The old adage that 'first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes baby in the baby carriage' just no longer holds true."

“Speakers Reach for Words that Fit the Times”
The Boston Globe
Bella English
May 14, 2009
http://www.boston.com/news/education/higher/articles/2009/05/14/speakers_reach_for_words_that_fit_the_times/?page=full

When they face a sea of caps and gowns in the audience, commencement speakers at Boston-area colleges this month are not likely to fall back on the time-honored "Work hard" and "Change the world" messages. With the class of 2009 as the largest graduating class to date and facing the worst unemployment rate in a generation, commencement speakers will have to find a new tack. Few people are better equipped to speak about surviving tough times than CBS news correspondent Kimberly Dozier, who will be speaking at Wellesley College. Dozier says she'll tell students that she's living proof that "you might not end up doing what you thought or hoped or wished you'd do, but you have to ask yourself: Why did I choose this particular vocation? Was it to change minds? Policy? Are you still getting a chance to do that? Then go with it."

“Experts: Detroit May Not Be Better Off with Mayor Leading Schools”
The Detroit Free Press
Chastity Pratt Dawsey
May 14, 2009
http://www.freep.com/article/20090514/NEWS01/905140465/1003/NEWS/Experts++Detroit+may+not+be+better+off+with+mayor+leading+schools

Mayoral control of public schools has been linked to some incremental improvements in academic achievement, but it is still too soon to say whether the largest mayor-controlled districts—such as New York, Chicago and Boston—are better off according to researchers. Wilbur Rich, political science, argues that Detroit's poverty and labor unions are going to make it hard for anyone to improve achievement for Detroit Public Schools. He said a loose coalition of administrators, board members, union leaders, activists and parents usually oppose systemic change.

“The Cutting Edge: Five Tips for Securing a Summer Internship”
Black Enterprise
Renita Burns
May 13, 2009
http://www.blackenterprise.com/blogs/2009/05/13/the-cutting-edge-five-tips-for-securing-a-summer-internship/

Even though summer is almost upon us, it is not too late to get a summer internship. The economic downturn may actually be working in favor of students, as employers may create new, unpaid internships to help with heavy workloads created by reduced staff. “There are many internships available at organizations that are all suddenly short staffed,” says Tere Ramos, Center for Work and Service.

"Russian Lake Affected by Climate Change"
WBZ Radio (Mass.)
May 9, 2009
Ed Golden
(Not available online)

Weekend reporter Ed Golden interviewed Marianne Moore, biological sciences, on the effects of global warming on everything from algae to seals at the world's largest freshwater lake in Russia.

“In Honor of Mothers”
The Tri-Town Transcript (Mass.)
Gail Kauranen Jones
May 8, 2009
http://www.wickedlocal.com/middleton/news/lifestyle/columnists/x1518869926/Jones-In-honor-of-mothers

Mothers who do their job well ought to be honored for the critical role they play in raising the next generation. Rosalind Barnett, Wellesley Centers for Women, says, “The role of mother is a high-stress job itself.~The assumption has been that because mothering is supposed to come naturally to women, it’s somehow easier than their other roles. That’s not necessarily so.”

“Jane Austen Put to Music”
The Berkshire Eagle (Mass.)
Clarence Fanto
May 8, 2009
http://www.berkshireeagle.com/artsandtheater/ci_12324154

Neal Hampton, conductor of the Brandeis-Wellesley Orchestra, has worked to compose a musical version of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility. As the composer, Hampton said, the project's greatest challenge was "trying to find a musical language that evokes the era without being of the era, trying to give it a cogent tone throughout while still giving every song its own character."

"Michael J. Fox: Adventures of an Incurable Optimist"
ABC Television Special
May 7, 2009
http://dynamic.abc.go.com/fep/player?aff=&partner=hulu&show=205278&episode=205883

Julie Norem, psychology, contributes to this hour-long program on optimism in the face of adversity. Norem's portion of the show includes an interview with her and a glimpse at one of her tests for determining the effect of optimism or pessimism on performance. The show can be viewed on Hulu (see link above) with the free download of special program.

“Markets Maintain Heady Pace, Backed by Some Positive Signs. But Is This Optimism Justified?”
The Globe and Mail (Canada)
May 7, 2009
Brian Miller and Heather Scoffield
http://sports.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20090507.RMARKETS07ART1939/TPStory/Sports/columnists

Risk is coming back into vogue as markets place further bets that the worst of the slump is over. "You hate to use the term 'green shoots,' but there are some positive things out there," said Karl Case, economics, referring to a recent uptick in the U.S. real estate market, whose collapse triggered the recession.

“The Schools We Mean to Be”
Educational Leadership
Richard Weissbourd
May 6, 2009
Copies available upon request

Character education programs rarely focus on the school relationship that can be the most important in determining students' moral prospects—the relationship between parents and teachers. Schools need to focus on adult development—on the mentoring and moral capacities of teachers and parents—as well as on how parents and teachers can work together more constructively. One exemplary program is Open Circle, a program at the Wellesley Centers for Women, which creates democratic communities within schools.

“Real Estate and Recovery”
The Boston Globe
Steven Syre
May 5, 2009
http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2009/05/05/real_estate_and_recovery/

The broken economy isn't a single problem. It's a hundred different things that aren't working or paying or selling the way they should. But in the midst of a deep recession, some economic problems are more critical than others. The big three: growing unemployment, America's shaky financial system and the staggered real estate market. While the latter may not be recovering yet, positive signs emerged in February and March. "Those two months were the first time in a long time that things were not pointing straight downward," says Chip Case, economics. "I take that to mean a bottom isn't about to crash into us, but we're closer than people think."

“Wellesley College Sends Out Health Alert on Confirmed Swine Flu”
The Wellesley Townsman
May 5, 2009
http://www.wickedlocal.com/wellesley/news/x2133270094/Wellesley-College-sends-out-health-alert-on-confirmed-swine-flu

A case of H1N1 (swine) flu was confirmed in an individual living on campus at Wellesley College. The individual has recovered and no other cases have developed.

“What Moms Really Want For Mother's Day”
Forbes Magazine
Raquel Laneri
May 4, 2009
http://www.forbes.com/2009/05/04/mothers-day-flowers-forbes-woman-style-gifts.html

With Mother’s Day coming up, many fathers and children are working to come up with a gift, although the economic downturn means that they will be spending less than usual, according to the National Retail Federation. Thankfully, women are often most appreciative of inexpensive or non-monetary gifts; they often just want a day free of responsibility. "Women are traditionally considered the major caregivers of the family. In an economic crisis, this carework is especially important as women are keeping families together," says Rosanna Hertz, women’s and gender studies. "I think that's another reason for celebrating that anchor in the family life."

“Conservative Columnist Speaking at Wellesley College”
The Boston Globe
May 4, 2009
http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news/wellesley/2009/05/conservative_columnist_speakin.html

Conservative columnist and blogger Michelle Malkin will speak May 11 at Wellesley College on “Standing Up to the Girls Gone Wild Culture.” A regular contributor on the Fox News Channel, Malkin has been writing a nationally syndicated column for Creators Syndicate since 1999. She began her journalism career at the Los Angeles Daily News and also wrote for the Seattle Times.

“Lake Baikal’s Unique Biota Threatened by Climate Change”
RedOrbit
May 3, 2009
http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1681549/lake_baikals_unique_biota_threatened_by_climate_change/

Siberia's Lake Baikal, the world's largest and most biologically diverse lake, faces the prospect of severe ecological disruption as a result of climate change, according to an analysis in the May issue of BioScience written by Marianne Moore, biological sciences. The lake is considered a treasure trove for biologists and was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO because a high proportion of its rich fauna and flora are found nowhere else. Perhaps the most alarming imminent threat stems from the dependence of the lake's food web on large, endemic diatoms, which are uniquely vulnerable to expected reductions in the length of time the lake is frozen each winter.

“Climate Change Threatens Siberian Lake's Ecological Balance”
India News
May 1, 2009
http://in.news.yahoo.com/139/20090501/981/tsc-climate-change-threatens-siberian-la.html

An analysis by a joint U.S.-Russian team has determined that Siberia's Lake Baikal, the world's largest and most biologically diverse lake, faces the prospect of severe ecological disruption as a result of climate change. The analysis was done by Marianne V. Moore, biological sciences, who notes that Lake Baikal's climate has become measurably milder over recent decades, and that annual precipitation is expected to increase.

April 2009

“The Four Ingredients of You”
Psychologies Magazine
April 2009
Jonathan Cheek and Linda Tropp
Copies available upon request

Jonathan Cheek, psychology, and Linda Tropp ’92, associate professor of psychology at the University of Massachusetts, theorize that four distinct ways exist in which individuals identify themselves: personal, social, collective and relational. No one of the four is better, says Cheek, arguing instead for a balance that makes each person happy.

“Wellesley College President Named to Society”
The Boston Globe
April 30, 2009
http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news/wellesley/2009/04/together_we_can_the_american.html

President H. Kim Bottomly was selected by the American Academy of Arts & Sciences as a fellow to its society of leaders in the sciences, humanities and the arts, business, public affairs, and nonprofit sector.  Bottomly joins fellow honorees Mario Capecchi, who shared the 2007 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his contributions to gene targeting; Civil War historian James McPherson; U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates; and National Public Radio journalist Susan Stamberg.

“Home, Condo Sales Drop”
Boston Herald
April 29, 2009
Thomas Grillo
http://www.bostonherald.com/business/real_estate/view/2009_04_29_Home__condo_sales_drop/srvc=business&position=recent_bullet

Karl Case, economics, is quoted in an article on home prices. “We’re in a big recession and it’s not done yet, prices are still falling and there are lots of foreclosures. But the rate of decline is slowing and in the western suburbs and some South Shore locations, we’re seeing things turning around,” he said.

“Wellesley to Revamp Portal with Bluenog”
Campus Technology
April 29, 2009
David Nagel
http://campustechnology.com/articles/2009/04/29/wellesley-to-revamp-portal-with-bluenog.aspx

Wellesley College, a liberal arts institution for women, is gearing up to revamp its Web presence using software and services from Bluenog in an effort to boost functionality and provide a richer and more consistent experience for prospective and current students.

“Why Michelle Obama Inspires Women Around the Globe”
CNN
April 28, 2009
John Blake
http://edition.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/04/28/first.lady/

Her personal story – born into a blue-collar family; overcoming racism and once even making more money than her husband – makes her a mesmerizing figure to women across the globe, says Susan M. Reverby, women's studies. Reverby says this is the first time many women have seen their class and color reflected in America's first lady. "This is someone who appeals across the usual divides," Reverby says. "She is a celebrity you can imagine being, not a celebrity you have to watch from afar."

“The Winner of Wellesley College's 114th Annual Hoop Rolling Contest Is...”
WickedLocal Wellesley – Online news from MetroWest Daily News
Kat Powers
April 28, 2009
http://www.wickedlocal.com/wellesley/news/education/x718272175/The-winner-of-Wellesley-Colleges-114th-annual-Hoop-Rolling-contest-is

Wellesley College senior Susan Wang of McLean, Va., and Seoul, South Korea, is the winner of the 114th annual hoop rolling competition at the prestigious women’s college.

“Home Prices in 20 U.S. Cities Declined at Slower Pace”
Bloomberg News
Courtney Schlisserman
April 28, 2009
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=email_en&sid=aeVe.38zQqig

An article on home prices references the Case-Shiller price index, developed by Karl Case, economics, and Robert Shiller of Yale.

“Hoop Rolling Winner at Wellesley College”
The Boston Globe
April 27, 2009
http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news/wellesley/2009/04/hoop_rolling_wiinner_at_welles.html
(Also a photo spread in the print version only of the Globe; contact Office for Public Affairs for a copy).

Susan Wang of McLean, Va., and Seoul, South Korea, was the winner of the 114th annual hoop rolling competition at Wellesley College. Wang, who will graduate June 5, was met at the finish line Monday by President H. Kim Bottomly and Dean John O'Keefe, where she was presented with a bouquet of white roses filled with spring greenery, in honor of the 2009 class color, green. In keeping with tradition, she was promptly carried by her classmates to the edge of Lake Waban and tossed into the chilly water.

“Green Leader: Green Transportation Innovator to Speak at Commencement”
SUNY Oswego
April 27, 2009
http://www.oswego.edu/news/index.php/site/news_story/green_leader

Robin Chase, the CEO of carpooling venture GoLoco.org and co-founder and former CEO of Zipcar, will speak at SUNY Oswego’s dual Commencement ceremonies on Saturday, May 16.  Chase, Wellesley class of 1980, and friend Antje Danielson created Zipcar in 1999, a car-sharing service that aims to mitigate the impact of automobiles on society by providing them to drivers on an as-needed basis. 

“U. Walks Lonely Road with Grading Policy”
The Daily Princetonian
Angela Cai
April 27, 2009
http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/2009/04/27/23543/

In 2004, Princeton University decided to take measures to curb grade inflation. Despite widespread agreement that grade inflation is a problem, the only other elite institution with a school-wide grading policy is Wellesley College, which instituted its stipulation that median grades for introductory level courses be no higher than a B-plus two weeks before Princeton’s grading policy vote.

“There’s No Marathon like the Boston Marathon”
The Tallahassee Democrat
David Yon
April 25, 2009
http://www.tallahassee.com/article/20090425/SPORTS/904250335/1002/SPORTS

There are few events like the Boston Marathon in the world and for many runners it has a very special call. Yon writes, “I ran my first one in 1986. I will never forget the ‘tunnel’ in front of Wellesley that forced early runners to pass single file. From a half mile away you could hear the high pitched cheering that said you were approaching Wellesley. I have never had more goose bumps running than passing through that tunnel with women slapping my back and screaming good cheer.”

“Sustainable Living”
Thirty on 10- Boston University Television
April 27, 2009
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crpedaGqS1Q

At Wellesley College, nine students live in a new co-op-style dorm where they are looking to make college life more sustainable. “We do a lot to eat locally grown, organic foods,” said Melanie Kazenel ’10, a resident of the co-op. The students also have a small plot of land where they can grow some of their own vegetables.

“Every Voice Is Heard”
The Boston Globe
Adam Conner-Simons
April 26, 2009
http://www.boston.com/ae/music/articles/2009/04/26/every_voice_is_heard/?page=full

Suddenly, the world of contemporary a cappella has gone pop, graduating from its collegiate comfort zone to the realms of film, television and, yes, even rock 'n' roll. According to Helen Day ’09, a member of Wellesley’s Blue Notes a cappella group, such a group is "almost like a fraternity or a social club these days."

“Hebron Jews: A Community of Memory”
Mideast Outposts
Jerold Auerbach
April 25, 2009
http://mideastoutpost.com/archives/000556.html

The Jews of Hebron are Jewish settlers whom legions of critics love to hate, according to Jerold Auerbach, history. It is seldom noticed that their most serious transgression, settlement in Israel — the return of Jews to their historic homeland — defines Zionism. Auerbach’s essay previews his forthcoming book, Hebron Jews: Memory and Conflict in the Land of Israel.

“Blue Skies Are Seen for Housing Market”
The San Diego Union-Tribune
Roger Showley
April 25, 2009
http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/apr/25/1b25housing213726-blue-skies-are-seen-housing-mark/?uniontrib

The nation's housing market may begin to recover this year, ahead of the general economy, but only if a lot of “ifs” go the right way, according to Karl Case, economics. “I'm optimistic,” said Case. “I think we'll see it turn up this year or next” before the rest of the economy improves.

“Shakespeare in 24 Hours”
The Boston Globe
April 24, 2009
http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news/wellesley/2009/04/_while_shakespeare_wrote_that.html

While Shakespeare wrote "brevity is the soul of wit," students at Wellesley College will soon know if the brevity of Shakespeare in 24 hours will test their wits. Wellesley College's Shakespeare Society hopes to repeat its feat of five years ago when members and volunteers read the complete, unabridged works of William Shakespeare in 23 hours and 20 minutes.

“Gators in the Boston Marathon”
The Gainesville Sun (Fla.)
Pat Dooley
April 23, 2009
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20090423/COLUMNISTS/904239914?Title=Dooley-Noted-Gators-in-the-Boston-Marathon

Both of the University of Florida’s Associate Athletic Directors, Mike Hill and Chip Howard, ran the Boston Marathon. Hill said that the experience was amazing. "About halfway in, we heard this big roar like people were watching a game. I turned the corner and there were the students from Wellesley College cheering everyone on with signs. You can't think about stopping because the crowds won't let you."

“New Unrest on Campus as Donors Rebel”
The Wall Street Journal
John Hechinger
April 23, 2009
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124043394794145007.html

Trinity College is facing government scrutiny for its plan to spend part of a $9 million endowment from Wall Street investing legend Shelby Cullom Davis, who is also a benefactor of Wellesley College, Columbia University, Tufts University and Princeton University.

“The Daily Planet”
The Discovery Channel
April 23, 2009
http://watch.discoverychannel.ca/#clip164924

Catlin Powers ’09 was featured during Green Week on the Discovery Channel for her work in developing a solar cooker. The invention, which uses energy from the sun to heat a cooking pot, could have a positive impact on individual health and economics as well as on the environment. Powers’ solar cooker improves on earlier versions because it is lighter and more portable, which is better suited to the needs of Tibetans she is seeking to help.

“Course and Runner Pounded Each Other”
The Boston Globe
Shira Springer
April 21, 2009
http://www.boston.com/sports/marathon/articles/2009/04/21/course_and_runner_pounded_each_other/?page=full

Shira Springer writes about her experience running the Boston Marathon, which she finished in 3:23:07. Of this run, which was her fifth time running Boston and her ninth marathon overall, she writes, “Wellesley College students created their famed wall of sound as runners approached the half-marathon mark. The students also held up signs offering ‘Free Kisses.’ But what I enjoyed most was seeing the first-time Boston runners beside me react to the screams. They clapped, giving the fans a running ovation.”

“Marathon Racers Run for Charity”
The Harvard Crimson
Victor W. Yang
April 21, 2009
http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=527784

Samuel T. Moulton, who ran the Boston Marathon as part of the Harvard College Marathon Challenge, which raises money for Project HEALTH and the Phillips Brooks House Association, said that the crowd made the race “a pure experience of joy.” When asked about the halfway point of the race at Wellesley College — its cheering crowd is called the “Scream Tunnel” —Moulton said that he could hear their roar from pretty far back in the distance.“[It’s] a crazy tunnel of crazy college girls holding signs, and you kiss them — that’s something else that I’ve never experienced before,” he said.

“Running Boston is an Exercise in Pain, Endurance”
The Salem (Mass.) News
Jay Kumar
April 21, 2009
http://www.salemnews.com/pusports/local_story_111001634.html

Jay Kumar reflects on his experience running the Boston Marathon. Even though he has run the marathon before, Kumar still finds it an exciting experience because of the support of fans, particularly of “the Wellesley College girls who you can hear screaming a mile before you see them.”

“Danielle Spencer, Beverly Running with MS”
The Salem (Mass.) News
Chris Cassidy
April 20, 2009
http://www.salemnews.com/punews/local_story_109230352.html

Danielle Spencer of Beverly was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis 10 years ago and has finished five Boston Marathons. "I think a lot of people think that if you have MS, you're either wheelchair-bound or you can't do a lot of things," said Spencer, 31. "I'm doing this to prove that point wrong. There's a lot you can do with the disease, and it doesn't have to be a bad sentence." When asked about her favorite part of the course, Spencer says the screaming women of Wellesley College.

“Bryuner, Nourse Break Three Hours”
Bozeman (Mont.) Daily Chronicle
Tim Dumas
April 20, 2009
http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/articles/2009/04/21/sports/10marathon.txt

A few residents of Bozeman, Mont., ran the Boston Marathon in under three hours. Part of Boston’s lore is the sound of the cheers that accompany runners the entire way. It’s never louder than at Mile 13, where the female students at Wellesley College take cheering to a new level. “I bet we were a mile away and we could start hearing the ladies screaming,” runner Matt Edwards said. “When we went through there it was deafening.”

“2009 Boston Marathon: The Scene at Wellesley”
The Boston Globe
April 20, 2009
http://www.boston.com/sports/marathon/gallery/04_20_09_wellesley_scenes/

The Boston Globe’s coverage of the Boston Marathon includes a picture montage of the celebration at Wellesley College. The students there create a “wall of sound” to cheer on runners, offering both support and kisses.

“American Academy Announces 2009 Class of Fellows and Foreign Honorary Members
Boston Business Journal
April 20, 2009
http://boston.bizjournals.com/boston/prnewswire/press_releases/Massachusetts/2009/04/20/DC00652

Wellesley College President H. Kim Bottomly is among the distinguished new members of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, which has announced the election of leaders in the sciences, the humanities and the arts, business, public affairs and the nonprofit sector. The 210 new Fellows and 19 Foreign Honorary Members join one of the nation's most prestigious honorary societies and a center for independent policy research.

“Boston Marathon 2009 Photos”
Runners’ World
April 19, 2009
http://www.runnersworld.com/photo/wellesley/home.html

The students of Wellesley College in Wellesley, Mass., have a long tradition of cheering on Boston marathoners. "Cheering" takes on a whole new meaning with these women. Known as the Wellesley Scream Tunnel, the quarter-mile stretch is a deafening but pleasant gauntlet of high fives and, of course, kisses.

“Expert Handicaps Best Places to Watch”
The Boston Herald
Rich Thompson
April 19, 2009
http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/other_sports/marathon/view.bg?articleid=1166589

Wellesley College is cited by BAA Boston Marathon race director Dave McGillivray as one of the best places to watch the event. About the spot, he says, “It’s the halfway point in the race and Wellesley girls are out there cheering. That’s what everyone calls the tunnel of love.”

“A Semester in Cairo”
The Boston Globe
Glenn Yoder
April 19, 2009
http://www.boston.com/travel/getaways/africa/articles/2009/04/19/a_semester_in_cairo/

Being a woman in a socially conservative city in the Middle East can be a challenge, says Olinda Hassan, a Wellesley College junior from Tucson, who is spending this semester at the American University in Cairo. But while she has watched her etiquette carefully, other women have shaken her expectations. After dark, "many girls can be seen going to cafes with their friends – highly fashionable women wearing head scarves, smoking cigarettes with their girlfriends in a corner," Hassan says.

“Students Hope to Beat College Waiting List”
The Boston Globe
Tracy Jan
April 18, 2009
http://www.boston.com/yourtown/wellesley/articles/2009/04/18/students_hope_to_beat_college_waiting_list/?s_campaign=8315

While students on college waiting lists used to do exactly that – wait – the growing competitiveness of the admissions process has inspired some to take more active measures. A well-timed phone call can make the difference, although schools assert that students are not penalized for not following up, especially if they come from low-income communities where high school counselors are often overwhelmed. "We wouldn't want to overlook a student who doesn't know she can even do that," said Jennifer Desjarlais, dean of admission.

“Is the World Out of Balance?”
Foreign Policy
Abu Aardvark
April 18, 2009
http://lynch.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2009/04/18/is_the_world_out_of_balance

Stacie Goddard, political science, was one of the participants in a Williams College conference focused on World Out of Balance, a book recently published by Dartmouth Professors Stephen Brooks and William Wohlforth. In response to Brooks and Wohlforth’s argument that American power since the Cold War is unipolar, leading to less balancing and lower emphasis on international orders, Goddard asked whether balancing quite captured the various ways in which costs might be imposed, whether polarity quite captured the different possible distributions of power, and whether constructivist critiques might cut deeper than the book allows.  

“’Marathon Woman’ Is Good Run”
Deseret News (Salt Lake City, Utah)
Amy Donaldson
April 18, 2009
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,705298030,00.html

Kathrine Switzer never set out to be a pioneer. She never dreamed of being a trail-blazer or an activist. Instead, she just set out to find a way to do something she loved — run. Switzer became the first woman to officially race in the Boston Marathon in 1967.  One of the most moving passages was when Switzer describes running past Wellesley College during the 1971 Boston Marathon. At the time, women were still not allowed to run the race officially. "The women at Wellesley at last were all I had hoped for, and more," she writes. "The cheers of the Wellesley women made up for a lot of dark training nights. I felt my eyes sting with tears; I knew the cheers would sustain me for months."

“Global Engagement Summit: A Light of Hope in a Gray Year”
Blogher
Britt Bravo
April 15, 2009
http://www.blogher.com/global-engagment-summit-light-hope-gray-year

Wellesley College student Catlin Powers ’09 is the co-founder of One Earth Designs. The organization helps Himalayan communities, "achieve their unique visions of sustainable living through science/engineering education and infrastructure development."Powers and 80 other student entrepreneurs attended the Global Engagement Summit at Northwestern University to learn about asset-based community development, grant writing, impact assessment and metrics, and mission and vision development.

“A ‘Spasmodic, Improvisational Response’: Richard Posner Tackles the New Depression”
The New York Times
Dwyer Gunn
April 14, 2009
http://freakonomics.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/14/a-spasmodic-improvisational-response-richard-posner-tackles-the-new-depression/

Dwyer Gunn ’06 interviews Richard Posner, judge of the U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals and senior lecturer at the University of Chicago Law School, about his new book, A Failure of Capitalism: The Crisis of 2008 and the Descent into Depression. She says that the book is accessible to both amateurs and experts, offering analysis and thoughtful commentary about the economic crisis.

“Schools are Laboratories for Social Competency”
The Boston Globe
Nadene Stein
April 12, 2009
http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/letters/articles/2009/04/12/schools_are_laboratories_for_social_competency/

In a letter to the editor, Nadene Stein, principal of Northeast Elementary School in Waltham, talks about a social competency curriculum in her school. Her program is based on Open Circle, created by Wellesley Centers for Women, which focuses on three essential areas: creating a cooperative classroom environment, solving people problems and building positive relationships.

“Save Money with a Boston Area Daycation, Part One Patriots’ Day”
Boston Examiner
Mari C. DeAngelis
April 12, 2009
http://www.examiner.com/x-3112-Boston-Day-Trips-Examiner~y2009m4d12-Save-money-with--a-Boston-area-daycation-Part-One-Patriots-Day

There are a lot of events and activities in Boston on Patriots’ Day for those looking to save money and have a good time. One great place to watch is the area near Wellesley College – the site of the famous “Wellesley women’s tunnel of screams.” A lot of energy and excitement will make for a great day at this spot, located around the halfway mark of the race course.

“Wellesley College Cuts 80 Non-faculty Jobs”
The Boston Globe
Ben Terris
April 10, 2009
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/04/10/wellesley_college_cuts_80_non_faculty_jobs/

Wellesley College is cutting its workforce by 80 employees through layoffs and early retirements, becoming the latest institution of higher education forced to make significant cuts in the dismal economy. In addition, the college has frozen salaries for both faculty and staff.

“Wellesley College Lays Off 44, Chops 36 Other Jobs”
The Boston Herald
Christine McConville
April 10, 2009
http://news.bostonherald.com/business/general/view.bg?articleid=1164725

Wellesley College is laying off 44 employees and eliminating another 36 jobs, after its endowment was depleted by the upheaval in the financial markets. The prestigious women’s college, the latest Hub school forced to make major cutbacks, has also frozen salaries for all faculty and administrative staff. In her letter, President H. Kim Bottomly said the global economic upheaval prompted the changes, and she noted, “the entire campus will feel its impact.”

“Retreat was Magical for Wellesley College Playwright”
The Boston Globe
Cindy Cantrell
April 9, 2009
http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news/wellesley/2009/04/retreat_was_magical_for_welles.html

Melinda Lopez, theatre studies, spent three weeks at the 10th annual Sundance Institute Playwrights Retreat in northern Wyoming, which funds seven playwrights and composers the solitude and company to produce their art. During that time, Lopez revised her play Caroline in Jersey, which will be performed this summer, and wrote a play about Charles Darwin, commissioned by the National Institutes of Health. "It was an extraordinarily beautiful setting with an amazing group of people," Lopez said. "At home, it's difficult to find three or four hours at a stretch to focus on one thing. This time was a godsend."

"Wellesley College Details Layoffs, Retirements"
The Boston Globe
April 9, 2009
http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news/wellesley/2009/04/wellesley_college_details_layo.html

Wellesley College is cutting staff by about 80 people as the severe economic conditions continue to reverberate across the region's higher education institutions. In a letter posted on its Web site, President H. Kim Bottomly said the cutbacks include layoffs of 44 people. Salaries for all administrative and faculty have also been frozen. Bottomly also said 50 people took early retirement.

"Harvard Tops Columbia in Media Ranking"
United Press International
April 9, 2009
http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2009/04/09/Harvard-tops-Columbia-in-media-ranking/UPI-17411239284798/

Harvard topped Columbia as the top U.S. university in a ranking based on how often the schools appear in the global media, according to a report by Global Language Monitor. In the liberal arts category, Wellesley College came in fourth, after Colorado College, Williams College and Amherst College.

"Wellesley Cuts 44 Workers, 80 Total Jobs"
Boston Business Journal
Jesse Noyes
April 8, 2009
http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/stories/2009/04/06/daily53.html

Wellesley College is laying off 44 employees as its budget is hammered by turmoil in the stock and credit markets, according to a letter from President H. Kim Bottomly. "The decision to lay off employees is a particularly painful one," Bottomly said. "In identifying positions to be eliminated, members of senior staff and I were keenly aware that each decision would affect a valued member of our community with whom we have personal relationships. We are losing colleagues and friends who have served the college well, and we extend our thanks and appreciation for their years of service and dedication."

“The Real Hunger Crisis”
Foreign Policy
Robert Paarlberg
April 8, 2009
http://experts.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2009/04/08/the_real_hunger_crisis

Robert Paarlberg, political science, argues that close attention needs to be paid to the underlying causes of world hunger, which he says primarily stem from persistent rural poverty in Africa and South Asia. The United States and other countries offer food aid, but in order to solve the actual problem, Paarlberg advocates for more investments in agricultural development.

"Radio Show Offers Advice to College Bound Students"
eMedia Wire
April 8, 2009
http://www.emediawire.com/releases/2009/4/emw2287024.htm

As high school seniors receive their college letters of acceptance in the next few weeks, Countdown to College Radio is answering students' questions to help them choose the college that's right for them. Guests on the show include Jennifer Desjarlais, dean of admission, and many other prominent people in higher education.

"Healthcare Study Has Implications for Livestock Farmers"
Cattle Network
Jon Biermacher and John Blanton
April 7, 2009
http://www.cattlenetwork.com/Content.asp?ContentID=304977

A study conducted by Stacy Sneeringer, economics, found that increasing the number of animal units by 100,000 in any county results in a 7.4 percent increase in infant mortality. In general, Sneeringer concluded that an increase in infant mortality is directly related to hazardous air pollutants associated with confined animal feeding operations. The take-home message from this research is that no matter the strength of the evidence, the EPA and other governmental and environmental groups are aggressively looking for tools and strategies to regulate animal agriculture on a human health basis.

"Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright's Pin Collection Exhibited for First Time at Museum of Arts and Design"
ArtDaily.org
April 7, 2009
http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=30006

The first major museum exhibition of jewelry from the personal collection of Madeleine Albright ’59 will premiere at the Museum of Arts and Design in New York City Sept. 30-Jan. 31. "Read My Pins: The Madeleine Albright Collection" features more than 200 pins, many of which Secretary Albright wore to communicate a message during her diplomatic tenure. The exhibition examines the collection for its historic significance as well as the expressive power of jewelry and its ability to communicate through a style and language of its own.

"When Good GPs Behave Badly"
The Wall Street Journal
April 6, 2009
Laura Kreutzer
http://blogs.wsj.com/privateequity/2009/04/06/when-good-gps-behave-badly/

Speaking on a panel at a recent private equity conference sponsored by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Sloan School of Management, Deborah Foye Kuenstner, chief investment officer of the Wellesley College endowment, jokes that she is writing the outline for a book on "bad GP (general partner) behavior." The Wellesley CIO joins a growing chorus of limited partners and consultants seeking to restore what they see as an imbalance in their relationships with fund managers. Fund managers are finding it harder to raise capital in this down economy and their investors are receiving more power.

"Relentless Tide of Global Hunger Engulfs 1bn"
Financial Times
April 6, 2009
Javier Blas
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/d520cf02-22e0-11de-9c99-00144feabdc0.html

Almost unnoticed behind the economic crisis, a combination of lower growth, rising unemployment and falling remittances together with persistently high food prices has pushed the number of chronically hungry above 1billion for the first time. Robert Paarlberg, political science, says he is "more worried about hunger in the current economic crisis" than he was about it "at the peak of the surge in food commodities prices last summer." Food prices are about 60 percent higher today than they were only 18 months ago.

"Public Loses With Gender Price Gap in College Hoops"
The Christian Science Monitor
Laura Pappano
April 3, 2009
http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/0403/p09s02-coop.html

There aren't many bargains in sports, but one of them is NCAA Division I women's college basketball – and that's a problem, says Laura Pappano, WCW. An analysis of ticket prices at 292 Division I colleges this season shows that single tickets to men's games cost twice as much as to women's games even controlling for differences in attendance (at a few schools women do outdraw men). The study, part of The Women's Sports Leadership Project at the Wellesley Centers for Women, showed large gaps at every level, from premium season to general admission single game tickets.

"Meet the Artists at Fountain Street Studio"
The Milford Daily News
Chris Bergeron
April 2, 2009
http://www.milforddailynews.com/arts/x148337924/Meet-the-artists-at-Fountain-Street-Studios

More than 50 resident and guest artists will be holding the 13th Fountain Street Open Studios Weekend. Among those exhibiting work is James Rayen, art emeritus, who paints salt marshes and landscapes pulsing with barely perceptible shifts of light. Rayen said the subtly shifting colors of a landscape can become "a metaphor for change and change itself....I paint about the moment of change when the day shifts from late afternoon to early evening," he said. "You have to have the patience to look."

"Channer Reboots for Calabash"
Jamaica Gleaner News
April 1, 2009
http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20090401/ent/ent1.html

The 2009 Calabash International Literary Festival, directed and founded by Colin Channer, English, is back on track following a three-day suspension in plans due to financial difficulties. The event will be held May 22 through 24, during which Channer says he is particularly looking forward to hearing three authors: "I'd have to say Junot Diaz, who just won the Pulitzer Prize. I'd have to add U.S. Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky and the Honourable Edward Seaga, whose memoirs are fascinating."

"The Bears Are Roaring Again, but for How Long?"
The Boston Globe
Scott Van Voorhis
April 1, 2009
http://www.boston.com/realestate/news/blogs/renow/2009/04/the_bears_are_r.html

Home prices in 20 housing markets dropped 19 percent year-over-year in January, a record decrease that is increasing the doom and gloom in the residential market. While there is no disputing the numbers, the Case-Shiller Index was designed by the excellent Karl Case, economics, they may not fully reflect the growing signs that the housing market and the economy are finally hitting bottom.

"Amazing Race"
GO Magazine
April 2009
http://www.airtranmagazine.com/features/2009/04/amazing-race

During the upcoming Boston Marathon, there are a number of attractions en route should runners or cheerers need a break. At the 12-mile point, one can offset the grueling display of endurance with some calming art at the Davis Museum and Cultural Center at Wellesley College, one of the best academic fine arts museums in the United States.

March 2009

“On Campus: Wellesley's Sorenson's Flip of Fate”
The Wellesley Townsman
March 30, 2009
Eric Avidon
http://www.wickedlocal.com/wellesley/sports/x1579105044/On-Campus-Wellesleys-Sorensons-flip-of-fate

Kate Sorenson ’09 started her All-American career in a different way than most.  She didn’t start diving until her sophomore year at Wellesley College, but became an honorable mention Division III All-American on both the 1- and 3-meter boards as a junior last March. Just over two weeks ago, out in Minneapolis, she was fourth in the country in both events, earning All-American honors in both. 

“Trini Professor Profiles Visionary Caribbean Leader”
Newsday (Trinidad & Tobago)
March 30, 2009
http://www.newsday.co.tt/features/0,97635.html

Caribbean Visionary: ARF Webber and the Making of the Guyanese Nation, which was published last year by Selwyn Cudjoe, Africana studies, traces the life of Webber, a distinguished Caribbean scholar, politician and novelist.

“Dads: To Stay Home or Not to Stay Home”
Helium
March 30, 2009
Courtney Caswell-Peyton
http://www.helium.com/items/190138-dads-to-stay-at-home-or-not-to-stay-at-home

Recent evidence reported by the census has suggested that more men are choosing to stay home than ever before. According to Joseph Pleck, Wellesley Centers for Women, "It's still true that fathers are doing less...[but] are fathers doing more, and does that indicate that a change is possible? These figures indicate those answers have got to be yes."

“Community Comes Together for Historical Restoration of Notasula's Rosenwald School”
The Birmingham (Ala.) News
Kathy Kemp
March 29, 2009
http://www.al.com/living/birminghamnews/news.ssf?/base/living/123831451626910.xml&coll=2

The Shiloh Community Restoration Fund is working to restore the Rosenwald School, one site where the Tuskegee Syphilis Study, a U.S. public health program that monitored the effects of syphilis in black men, was conducted. The school in Notasula, Ala., will become a museum about the syphilis study, the Rosenwald school movement and the town itself. "What they're doing in Notasula is rare, because just about everything related to the syphilis study is gone," says Susan M. Reverby, women's studies. "What happened in Macon County gets misremembered and misinterpreted and misused by people who don't know any better.

“For Top Colleges, Economy Has Not Reduced Interest (or Made Getting in Easier)”
The New York Times
March 29, 2009
Jacques Steinberg and Tamar Lewin
http://thechoice.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/29/for-top-colleges-economy-has-not-reduced-interest-or-made-getting-in-easier/?ref=education

The recession appears to have had little impact on the number of applications received by many of the nation’s most competitive colleges, or on an applicant’s overall chances of being admitted to them. Wellesley College was one of many elite colleges that saw application numbers increase this year.

“Sorenson Dives into All-America Status”
The Boston Globe
March 29, 2009
Marvin Pave
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2009/03/29/sorenson_dives_into_all_america_status/

Wellesley College diver Kate Sorenson ’09 finished fourth on the 1- and 3-meter boards at this year’s NCAA Division 3 swimming and diving national championships, earning her All-America status. Sorenson only began diving in her sophomore year at Wellesley College, when the diving coach noticed her dexterity in performing a back-flip during an award-winning karaoke performance.

“Diego Arciniegas Jumps from Stage-to-Stage”
EDGE New England
March 27, 2009
Joe Siegel
http://www.edgeboston.com/index.php?ch=entertainment&sc=theatre&sc2=&sc3=&id=88989

Diego Arciniegas, theatre studies, is currently appearing in the Huntington Theatre Co.’s production of Two Men in Florence and directing the Boston premier of the British comedy Humble Boy for the Publick Theatre. "The thing I like about acting is making an emotional and intellectual connection with another person on stage for the benefit of a room full of people," Arciniegas said.

“A Vaccine Debate Focused on Sex Shifts as Boys Join the Target Market”
The Washington Post
March 26, 2009
Rob Stein
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/25/AR2009032503682.html?wprss=rss_nation

When a vaccine designed to protect girls against a sexually transmitted virus arrived three years ago, the debate centered on one question: Would the shots make young girls more likely to have sex? Now the vaccine's maker is trying to get approval to sell the vaccine for boys, and the debate is focusing on something else entirely: Is it worth the money, and is it safe and effective enough? "We are still more worried about the promiscuity of girls than the promiscuity of boys," said Susan Reverby, women's studies. "There's still that double standard."

“African Musician Appearing at Wellesley College“
The Boston Globe
March 25, 2009
http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news/wellesley/2009/03/african_musician_appearing_at.html

Griot Balla Tounkara and his fusion ensemble Groupe Spirit will perform as part of a concert series at Wellesley College. Balla Tounkara is a griot and master kora player from Mali, West Africa. The program will feature conventional music for the kora as well as music by Groupe Spirit, allowing the audience to explore to the relationship between the traditional and the new.

“Una Universidad Para La Élite Política”
El Mundo
March 25, 2009
Rebeca Yanke
http://www.elmundo.es/suplementos/campus/2009/545/1237935612.html

Wellesley College is a stronghold of female intellectuals in the United States. It also offers Spanish language and literature classes on Spanish poets Pedro Salinas and Jorge Guillén. Decades ago, women such as Madeleine Albright and Hillary Clinton walked down these corridors. For Elena Gascón Vera, Spanish, successor of the poets, it "is not accidental that as a women’s college Wellesley College was the first to dare to invite an atypical professor.”

“Strader Preaches the Need for Urban Farming - At Your House or The White House”
Wisconsin State Journal
March 25, 2009
Melanie Conklin
http://www.madison.com/wsj/topstories/444359

Claire Strader ’92 became a farmer after completing a double major in philosophy and women’s studies. Yes — there is a connection among~Strader’s schooling, her current job running the Troy Community Farm on Madison’s North Side and her January win of an online poll organized by agricultural activists and farmers to nominate a White House farmer to grow food for the first family and area food banks in Washington, D.C.

“Grand Scale Prints at Philadelphia Museum of Art”
The Jewish Press
March 25, 2009
Richard McBee
http://www.jewishpress.com/pageroute.do/38686/

Grand Scale, an exhibition of 47 rare examples of 16th-century large-scale prints, co-curated by Larry Silver of the University of Pennsylvania and Elizabeth Wyckoff, Davis Museum, is currently on display at the Philadelphia Museum.

“Kerry Focuses Committee on Global Food Crisis”
The Boston Globe
March 24, 2009
Foon Rhee
http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2009/03/kerry_focuses_c.html

Robert Paarlberg, political science, is among six witnesses serving on a hearing panel held by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on what the United States can do to help alleviate the global food crisis. “Today, we are fortunate to be able to hear from two very knowledgeable panels of experts,” chairman John Kerry noted in his opening statement. “Dr. Robert Paarlberg is a professor at Wellesley College and a world-renowned expert on agriculture, particularly in Africa.”

“Act Like an Optimist, Improve Your Health”
Redbook
March 24, 2009
Marguerite Lamb
http://www.redbookmag.com/health-wellness/advice/be-an-optimist

Behaving optimistically doesn't mean never entertaining a pessimistic thought. In fact, you should anticipate and prepare for setbacks, says Julie Norem, psychology, and the author of The Positive Power of Negative Thinking. Her studies show that when pessimists try to replace their usual worrying with things like positive imagery or progressive muscle relaxation, their stress actually escalates and their performance tanks. "Pessimists need to be allowed to worry," Norem says, "but they need to learn to do it in a very specific way."

“Grade Inflation Gone Wild”
The Christian Science Monitor
March 24, 2009 edition
Stuart Rojstaczer
http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/0324/p09s02-coop.html

The history of grade inflation in undergraduate higher education is long and tumultuous. Grades started to shoot up nationwide in the 1960s, leveled off in the 1970s, and then started rising again in the 1980s. Private schools had much higher grades than public schools, but virtually everyone was experiencing grade inflation. Today, more than half of the grades given at elite institutions are in the A range, but Wellesley College is among the colleges and universities proving that the effort to keep grade inflation in check is not impossible.

“College Students Explore Green Living in Cooperative Housing”
Kansas City infoZine
March 23, 2009
http://www.infozine.com/news/stories/op/storiesView/sid/34876/

The student residents of Wellesley’s sustainability co-op housing have made a commitment to buying and cooking locally and sustainably. Also essential to the new model of co-op living on campus is a community-based lifestyle. Nine students currently live in the sustainable housing wing of Simpson Hall on the Wellesley College campus in rooms that share a common living area and kitchen.

“Ipswich Female Seminary: Not Just a Finishing School”
Ipswich (Mass.) Chronicle
March 23, 2009
Sarah Vickery
http://www.wickedlocal.com/ipswich/news/education/x110662177/Ipswich-Female-Seminary-Not-just-a-finishing-school

Sarah Vickery ’10, seasonal docent for the Ipswich Historical Society, examines the history of the Ipswich Female Seminary, which was founded in 1825 and closed in 1876. “No history of women’s collegiate education is complete without at least a glance at the Ipswich Female Seminary,” Vickery notes. Wellesley and Vassar are among the schools whose philosophies were indirectly influenced by the Ipswich Female Seminary.

“Crops With Attitude: Poor Nations Are Starting To Shake Off The Old 'Frankenfood' Taboo”
Newsweek
March 22, 2009
Mac Margolis and Manuela Zoninsein
http://www.newsweek.com/id/189263

With the growth in the planet's population and the decline of water tables, farmers in developing countries will have to grow more food on less land with less water. Gene splicing can achieve in a matter of weeks or months what takes decades for traditional cross breeding. "Look at where people are malnourished today—in dry, non-irrigated land, mostly occupied by small farmers," says Robert Paarlberg, political science, and author of Starved for Science on the biotech ban in Africa. "To feed these people, you need new technologies to use land and labor more productively. This is where GM [genetic modification] will help feed the poor."

“Unpaid Internships Perpetuate Class Inequality In Media”
The Beacon (Wilkes (Pa.) University)
March 21, 2009
Christa Sgobba
http://www.wilkesbeacon.com/opinion/unpaid_internships_perpetuate_class_inequality_in_media-1.1622193

With the nation’s unemployment rate increasing to 8.1 percent, many journalism students graduating from college will hope for summer internships as their first out-of-school job. However, there is one catch to the seemingly easy answer of a post-graduate internship: most summer internships in journalism are unpaid. Some schools are trying to even the playing field by allowing all of their students to apply for any internship they want, regardless of financial need. Wellesley College, among others, offers stipends for unpaid internships.

“College Admissions Feel Economic Pinch”
ABC 5, WCVB-TV (Boston, MA)
March 16, 2009
Matt Quan
http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/18943252/detail.html

The nation’s top liberal arts colleges are trying to bring in new students and their parents with better financial aid programs designed to settle economic fears.  Seven out of the top eight ranked liberal arts colleges have reported decreases in their application numbers. Wellesley College, ranked No. 4, has been able to see a 2 percent increase in applications this year because of a continued focus on settling economic anxieties among its applicants. “We try to stress that the academic qualifications are what should be the main concern for applicants, not financial ones,” said Jennifer Desjarlais, dean of admissions at Wellesley College. “We also rely on our alumn[ae] to represent the future economic benefits of attending our college.”

“Voices from the Margins”
The Hindu (India’s national newspaper)
Pushpa Chari
March 16, 2009
http://www.hindu.com/mag/2009/03/15/stories/2009031550310700.htm

Women as far off as Chile and India, living in the margins of society, expressed their sense of self by stitching together narrative tapestries, now being seen as collectors’ items and priceless pieces of folk art. According to Marjorie Agosin, Spanish, many women in Chile protested against the abuses of the Pinochet regime by creating arpilleras, three-dimensional appliqué textiles.

“Hundreds Rally for 100% Clean Electricity in 10 Years”
It’s Getting Hot in Here
Craig Altemose
March 15, 2009
http://itsgettinghotinhere.org/2009/03/15/hundreds-rally-for-100-clean-electricity-in-10-years/

Close to two hundred students and community members came from across Massachusetts to rally for 100% Clean Electricity in 10 Years outside the Massachusetts State House in downtown Boston yesterday. The Massachusetts Power Shift-sponsored event had a celebratory mood, after the Massachusetts State Senate passed a RePower America Resolution on Thursday. Speakers included members of the co-sponsoring organizations and Mass Power Shift student leaders from Harvard University, MIT, Northeastern University, University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Wellesley College and Williams College.

“Take a Fresh Look at Wellesley's Davis Museum”
The Taunton (Mass.) Daily Gazette
Chris Bergeron
March 14, 2009
http://www.tauntongazette.com/entertainment/x108126285/Davis-Museums-exhibit-of-Italian-prints-reveals-a-broad-range-of-work

When she re-installed the Davis Museum's permanent collection at Wellesley College, Dabney Hailey wanted visitors to discover how artists entice us to see that world anew. The curator of painting, sculpture and photography, she organized "Perceiving Space as Art," a smart, insightful exhibit that can enhance viewers' enjoyment by examining how artists from around the world variously represent space in their works. "I hope this is a really exciting and immersive viewing experience," said Hailey. "We really want people to look at these works and think about how they're seeing them."

“Darkness and Light in Engaging 'Playboy'”
The Boston Globe
Louise Kennedy
March 14, 2009
http://www.boston.com/ae/theater_arts/articles/2009/03/14/darkness_and_light_in_engaging_playboy/

The Playboy of the Western World: It's a familiar title, so familiar that we can almost forget what a strange and trouble-making play it is. Deeply Irish in its lyrical poetry, its straddling of comedy and tragedy, and its wild heart, it was also seen as anti-Irish enough in its 1907 debut to provoke riots in Dublin. A hundred years on, no one's likely to riot over John Millington Synge's play anymore - certainly not outside the Wellesley Summer Theatre's home on the Wellesley College campus, where Nora Hussey, theatre studies, has staged a lively and sometimes vivid production. But the play's dark humor and brusque acceptance of human frailty still have the power to startle us.

“Art and Love in Renaissance Italy On View at Kimbell Art Museum March 15 - June 14”
North Texas e-News
March 13, 2009
http://www.ntxe-news.com/artman/publish/article_52273.shtml

Jacqueline Musacchio, art history, is co-author of the Art and Love in Renaissance Italy exhibition catalogue. The fully illustrated catalogue, written by a distinguished group of scholars and published by the Metropolitan Museum in association with the Yale University Press, is the first to examine the entire range of works to which Renaissance rituals of love and marriage gave rise.

“Berklee’s Women Musicians Network to Host 12th Annual Concert Tonight”
Boston Music Spotlight
March 12, 2009
http://www.bostonmusicspotlight.com/article.php?id=1987

Kera Washington, music, perfomed with her ensemble, Zili Misik, at the 12th Annual Concert hosted by Berklee’s Women Musicians Network. Zili Misik is a 2008 Boston Music Award winner. Student members of the Wellesley Yanvalou Drum and Dance Ensemble also performed.
 
“Famous Alumnae of Women’s Colleges”
U.S. News & World Report
March 11, 2009
http://www.usnews.com/articles/education/2009/03/11/famous-alumnae-of-womens-colleges.html 

Madeleine Albright, first female U.S. secretary of state; Hillary Clinton, current secretary of state; and Pamela Melroy, NASA astronaut call Wellesley College their alma mater.

“Theater Review: WST’s ‘Playboy’ Is a Comedy for the Ages”
The Milford (Mass.) Daily News
March 11, 2009
David Brooks Andrews
http://www.milforddailynews.com/arts/x260342554/Theater-Review-WSTs-Playboy-is-a-comedy-for-the-ages

With winter reluctant to give way to spring and our country facing such serious problems, you may be more than ready for a comedy that makes you laugh out loud. And so the Wellesley Summer Theatre's staging of The Playboy of the Western World by John Millington Synge and directed by Nora Hussey, theatre studies, couldn't be better timed. Like many comedies, this one is built around characters who jump to conclusions and make mistakes that we as an audience see through long before they do.

“Williams College’s Applications Drop 20% as Economy Takes Toll”
Bloomberg News
March 10, 2009
Janet Frankston Lorin
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=aZF3LBiWfkUQ&refer=home 

Applications for admission plunged 20 percent at Williams College as fewer students sought entry at seven of the eight top-rated liberal arts colleges in the U.S. Only Wellesley College among the top eight liberal arts schools ranked by U.S. News, is reporting an increase. Applications rose 2 percent, to about 4,200 this year, said Arlie Corday, public affairs. Currently, 2,231 students attend the all-women’s college.

“Applications Drop 20% at Williams as Economy Sours”
Bloomberg News
March 9, 2009
Janet Frankston Lorin
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=email_en&refer=us&sid=a.vca3DMhCHc

Applications dropped at seven of the top eight liberal-arts colleges in the U.S., led by a 20 percent plunge at Williams College. Only Wellesley College, among the top eight liberal arts schools ranked by U.S. News & World Report, is reporting an increase, with applications rising 2 percent, to about 4,200 this year. Acceptance rate is one factor used by U.S. News in determining schools rankings, according to the magazine’s Web site.

“Achievers”
The West Roxbury Transcript
March 7, 2009
http://www.wickedlocal.com/west-roxbury/news/education/x594733182/ACHIEVERS

Lynn Gallogly ’12 was awarded second place for the Three Generations Prize for Writing 125. Her portfolio was written for Professor Wil Rollman’s course, “The Image of Islam, Muslims and the Middle East in Western Media, Literature and Arts.”

“Local Student Leads Rally at D.C. Environmental Conference”
Maryland Gazette
March 5, 2009
Joshua Garner
http://www.gazette.net/stories/03052009/fortnew183508_32520.shtml

Dominique Hazzard ’12 rallied against global warming in Washington, D.C., and introduced Congresswoman Donna F. Edwards as part of the Power Shift 2009 national youth climate change conference held Feb. 27 to March 2. More than a thousand of the young people who attended were minorities, proving that environmental concerns extend beyond predominately white communities. "It's significant because the environmental movement is typically seen as upper-middle class white," Hazzard said.

“All A Cappela Live at Boston's Cutler Majestic Theatre”
Examiner.com (Boston, MA)
March 5, 2009
http://www.examiner.com/x-3112-Boston-Day-Trips-Examiner~y2009m3d5-All-A-Cappela-Live-at-Bostons-Cutler-Majestic-Theatre

WERS-FM, the community radio station owned and operated by Emerson College, is hosting the third annual All A Capella Live at the Majestic 2009.~The eventwill celebrate the 100th anniversary of collegiate a cappella singing with performances by the MIT Logarhythms, the UMass Amherst Doo Wop Shop, the Wellesley College Tupelos, the MIT Chorallaries and the Brandeis VoiceMale.

“As Job Market Shrinks, So Do College Grads’ Grand Plans”
The Christian Science Monitor
March 3, 2009
Stacy Teicher Khadaroo
http://features.csmonitor.com/economyrebuild/2009/03/03/as-job-market-shrinks-so-do-college-grads%E2%80%99-grand-plans/#left

After years of plenty, the job market is shrinking and hiring of new college graduates is expected to drop 22 percent this spring. A career fair for nonprofit and public-service companies hosted by Wellesley College attracted 420 students – about 100 more than last year. “Maybe students feel more of a sense of permission to pursue [these sorts of jobs] now than when there were lots and lots of highly paid finance jobs that were pretty tempting,” says Joanne Murray, Center for Work & Service.

“Forty Years Later: Wellesley’s Decision to Stay a Women’s College Revisited”
The Wellesley Townsman
March 3, 2009
http://www.wickedlocal.com/wellesley/news/education/x1362395007/Forty-Years-Later-Wellesleys-Decision-to-Stay-a-Womens-College-Revisited

Forty years ago, the Commission on the Future of the College, formed of students, faculty, trustees and alumnae, worked for two years and more than 2,000 hours to make recommendations on the college’s future. One result:~a 9-4 vote in favor of admitting men to Wellesley, a recommendation Wellesley’s board of trustees rejected. Several of the commission’s members will revisit their decision during “Co-Ed Wellesley: Perspectives on the 1971 Commission on the Future of the College” Wednesday, March 11, at 7 pm in the Library Lecture Room on the Wellesley College campus.

“Foreclosures, drop in values make Hub more affordable”
The Boston Herald
March 2, 2009
Thomas Grillo  
http://news.bostonherald.com/business/real_estate/view.bg?articleid=1155537

The housing meltdown has created opportunities for buyers previously priced out of Boston’s neighborhoods.  Before the housing market went south last year, the explosive rise in home prices in Boston pushed buyers beyond Worcester and south to Brockton in search of affordable houses. Today, amid a national real estate bust, there are more options to live in Boston.  But Karl Case, an economics professor at Wellesley College, said low prices and tax credits may not be enough to lure first-time buyers and others into the housing market.  “People are scared,” he said. “You are buying a big ticket on margin, so if you put 10 (percent) to 20 percent down and its value falls by 10-to-20 percent in value, you are wiped out.”

February 2009

“Columbia College Names First Black, Female Dean”
The New York Times
February 27, 2009
Lisa W. Foderaro
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/02/27/columbia-names-first-black-female-dean-of-college/

Columbia University has named Michele M. Moody-Adams, Cornell University’s vice provost for undergraduate education, as dean of Columbia College, the first black person and the first woman to serve in the post. In addition to Cornell, Dr. Moody-Adams has taught at Indiana University, the University of Rochester and Wellesley College.  She will become dean of the college on July 1.

“Police looking for man exposing himself on college campus”
NBC 7 News - Boston
February 27, 2009
http://www1.whdh.com/news/articles/local/BO106014/

Wellesley College students are on alert after another report of a man exposing himself. Since last September, school officials at Wellesley College said there have been several incidents involving the same man. While no students have been injured, they are uneasy. "I know some people who are freaked out and don't want to go to east campus, where he was seen, at all at night," said Julia Schroeder, a senior at Wellesley College.

“President Bollinger Names Cornell Philosophy Professor and Vice Provost Michele M. Moody-Adams Next Dean of Columbia College”
Media Newswire
February 27, 2009
http://www.media-newswire.com/release_1086900.html

Michele Moody-Adams ’78 was appointed as the new dead of Columbia College. Since 2000, Moody-Adams has been the Hutchinson Professor and Director of the Program on Ethics and Public Life at Cornell University, and has served for the past four years as Cornell's vice provost for undergraduate education. "Professor Moody-Adams' extraordinary commitment to teaching, scholarship and public service, as well as her hands-on experience as an academic administrator for undergraduate education, make her uniquely well suited to this new challenge," said President Bollinger.

“Don't Fix the Student-Aid System. Kill It.”
The Chronicle of Higher Education
Robert Ronstadt
February 27, 2009
http://chronicle.com/weekly/v55/i25/25a03601.htm

The American student-aid system has long been based on a tacit promise to provide students with the means to complete their college education and ensure that money isn't a barrier to getting a degree. The truth is that only a handful of very wealthy students could afford a higher education if colleges did not receive taxpayer subsidies. For instance, the full cost of an undergraduate education at Wellesley College in 2004 was a bit over $68,000, while Wellesley's tuition was less than half that. The difference was made up through annual giving, the endowment, and other sources of income, all of which have tax advantages enjoyed by the college and its donors.

“How to Get College Grants for Women”
eArticlesOnline.com
February 27, 2009
Charles Bretz
http://www.earticlesonline.com/Article/How-To-Get-College-Grants-For-Women/422410

Women’s campuses, right now, not only include interests and activities appealing to every woman, but also are being funded heavily through private donations. They also feature monetary-aid packages which make it feasible for even economically challenged students for attending the courses. Wellesley College gives no scholarship or grant on the basis of merit. The college, in fact, tends to take diversity seriously. It expects majority of student body of it to have incoming students educational needs shored up. These students can be from any background.

“Private Colleges Us Incentives to Counter High ‘Sticker Price’”
The Daily Free Press (Boston University)
February 26, 2009
Crystal Rim
http://www.dailyfreepress.com/private_colleges_use_incentives_to_counter_high_sticker_price-1.1575326

As more students struggle to afford a college education due to the economic crisis, many colleges across the nation are drastically increasing their financial aid packages. Many schools are eliminating student loans and replacing them with grants, including area schools Amherst College, Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Wellesley College. Wellesley College spokeswoman Mary Ann Hill said Wellesley’s policy of loan replacement for grants went into effect this school year and eliminated loans for students whose family income is below $60,000.

 “When Mayors Take Charge: School Governance in the City”
PR Newswire
February 26, 2009
http://ca.sys-con.com/node/856213

Wilbur Rich, political science, is a contributing author of When Mayors Take Charge, the most up-to-date assessment available on the governance of urban schools and the role mayors can play in running these systems. Large urban school systems have been the weakest link in American education, driving middle-class families into the suburbs and contributing to a learning gap between the races.

“Spell-binding Show Keeps Hope Alive”
Lowell (Mass.) Sun
February 26, 2009
Nancy Tuttle
http://www.lowellsun.com/theatre/ci_11789746

Besides teaching at Concord Academy, Boston University and Wellesley College, Melinda Lopez, theater, accepting commissions, writing plays and cares for her 8-year-old daughter. Her play, How Do You Spell Hope?, is currently being staged at Underground Railway Theater in Cambridge. "It's a wonderful company, one that creates magic on its stage," said Lopez.

“U.S. Housing Market Bottom May be a Year Away: Case”
Reuters
February 26, 2009
Julie Haviv
http://uk.reuters.com/article/economyNews/idUKTRE51P04120090226

The U.S. housing market slump is nowhere near over and home prices will probably keep falling well into next year according to Karl Case, economics. Case said the hard-hit U.S. housing market has gone from being the primary source of the U.S. economic recession to one of its biggest casualties. "Never say never, but it is looking increasingly probable that we will not see a housing market bottom until next year," he said.

“House Sales Battered Again in January”
The Boston Globe
February 25, 2009
Jenifer McKim
http://www.boston.com/business/markets/articles/2009/02/25/house_sales_battered_again_in_january/

Each new blow to the economy and the nation’s financial system is exacerbating Massachusetts’ already struggling real estate market. Karl Case, economics, said where the sagging house market once contributed to the economy’s problems, it is now being affected by them. “It started with housing and it spread to the rest of the economy and now it’s feeding back,” said Case. “We are all in a pretty miserable mood.”

“Metro Detroit Home Values Dive in 2008”
Detroit Free Press
February 24, 2009
Greta Guest
http://www.freep.com/article/20090224/NEWS05/90224032

Metro Detroit single-family home prices fell 21.7 percent through 2008, according to the monthly S&P/Case-Shiller home price index. The Detroit area remains the only metro area among the top 20 that has seen home prices drop below their 2000 prices. “There is not a lot of good news here, I have to admit,” according to Case. “Eventually this market will clear.” Case said the real estate market’s future will become clearer in the spring, when real estate sales heat up, and when President Obama’s housing stimulus plan begins its foreclosure prevention measures in March.

“Home Prices in Record Drop”
CNNMoney.com
February 24, 2009
Les Christie
http://money.cnn.com/2009/02/24/real_estate/Case_Shiller_December/

Home prices declined at a record pace around the nation in the final three months of 2008, according to an industry report released Tuesday. Karl Case, economics, pointed out during a news conference following the index's release that the markets experiencing the steepest falls also enjoyed the biggest run-ups during the boom. "Those markets were driven by subprime lending expansion from the summer of 2003 on," he said. "After the [Federal Reserve's lowered interest rates] to fight against the recession of 2001, subprime took off like gangbusters."

“Secretary Clinton Presses For Women's Rights”
Forbes - Opinion
February 24, 2009
Carol Hymowitz
http://www.forbes.com/2009/02/24/secretary-state-feminism-opinions-contributors_hillary_clinton.html

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton ’69 is making equality for women a centerpiece of her diplomatic platform. For Clinton, gender equality isn't just a policy goal; it's a highly personal issue that has shaped her life. She openly talked about this on a trip to Asia this month when she fielded questions about her own efforts to balance work and family and her decision to enroll at female-only Wellesley College in 1965. At that time, she pointed out, Ivy League schools such as Harvard and Yale were still all male. Nevertheless, she said, "I think we [still] need women's colleges ... to provide the supportive environment ... and opportunities for leadership ... I certainly found at Wellesley."

“Whom Can You Trust With Your Money?”
ABC News
Scott Mayerowitz
February 23, 2009
http://www.abcnews.go.com/Business/Economy/story?id=6926195&page=1

Even though Americans are watching the stock market fall lower and lower, financial advisors have warned them not to sell. Ann D. Witte, economics, said that some people push stocks — even if they aren't the most prudent investments — because they make larger commissions off such sales. "Equities are oversold by both the financial planning community and the mutual fund industry," Witte said. "The reason is: they make more money out of equities than fixed income.” But Witte said the real problem is a lack of financial education among Americans. For instance, she said, you shouldn't be investing in stocks if you need that money anytime in the next 10 years.

“A Semester in Milan”
The Boston Globe
Glenn Yoder
February 22, 2009
http://www.boston.com/travel/getaways/europe/articles/2009/02/22/a_semester_in_milan/

It is not a stretch to say that Anne Goldberg savored Milan. The Wellesley College junior music major enjoyed the abundant fresh pasta and locally produced meat and wine. But over a fall semester studying at IES Milan and Accademia Internazionale della Musica, Goldberg came to truly love risotto. "I miss the different foods that I had blended into the rice. My favorite was a pumpkin risotto that my Italian roommate made for me," she said.

“The Anti-Hit List”
The Toronto Star
John Sakamoto
February 21, 2009
http://www.thestar.com/Entertainment/article/590318

At No. 2 on John Sakamoto’s list of great, but lesser known, songs, is the Wellesley College Blue Notes’ rendition of Ben Fold’s “Annie Waits.” Of Ben Folds’ album that compiles college a capella covers of his songs, Sakamoto says, “It is a testament to the vocal talent that abounds on campuses across the U.S. that no fewer than 18 could make the short list, including this giddily accomplished take that also manages to interpolate the chorus of Folds's biggest hit, ‘Brick.’”

“Gath’ring Words, Expansive, Terse, to Tell a Cambridge Tale in Verse”
The Boston Globe
David Mehegan
February 20, 2009
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/02/20/gathring_words_expansive_terse_to_tell_a_cambridge_tale_in_verse/?rss_id=Boston.com+--+Massachusetts+news

Peter Payack is nearing the end of his term as Cambridge's first poet populist, an elected position designed to encourage the appreciation of poetry. Now he's working on his most ambitious project: the Cambridge Community Poem. Despite Payack's enthusiasm, not everyone is sure it will work. "If anyone can do it, Peter can," said Ifeanyi Menkiti, English, who is also the owner of the Grolier Poetry Book Shop.

“It's a Woman's World (At Least at These Colleges)”
Diverse Issues in Higher Education
February 19, 2009
Hillary Hurd Anyaso
http://diverseeducation.com/artman/publish/article_12297.shtml

Wellesley is profiled in an article on the six women’s colleges in Massachusetts. Among the strong points mentioned in the piece are Wellesley’s “long history of producing women leaders”; the high level of diversity in Wellesley’s student body; and the college’s need-blind admissions policy and reduced-loan financial aid program. “Massachusetts’ women’s colleges have had to be innovative academically and financially to adapt and remain competitive in efforts to appeal to today’s collegebound women,” Anyaso writes. Also profiled are Mount Holyoke, Smith, Bay Path, Pine Manor and Simmons.

“Private Colleges Announce Cost-Cutting Initiatives for 2009-10 Academic Year”
The Times Herald (Norristown, Pa.)
Gary Aiken
February 19, 2009
http://www.timesherald.com/articles/2009/02/19/business/doc499cd3f82d6ff490495297.txt

In light of the current economic downturn, private colleges and universities are taking substantial steps to stay affordable to students and their families. The National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities surveyed over 1,000 of their private college members to find out which schools are changing their financial aid policies in order to keep their costs as low as possible. In order to assist in the difficult financial situation, Wellesley College will replace loans with grants for students from families earning less than $60,000 per year.

“Wellesley College to Cut Up to 85 Jobs”
The Journal of New England Technology
February 13, 2009
http://www.masshightech.com/stories/2009/02/09/daily50-Wellesley-College-to-cut-up-to-85-jobs.html

Wellesley College president H. Kim Bottomly announced in a budget update the school’s plan to cut 75 to 85 positions in an attempt to make inroads on a $20 million deficit for fiscal year 2011. As part of the cost-cutting measures, the school will also offer a retirement incentive program to employees who are 60 years or older by Dec. 31, 2009, and who have 10 or more years of service at Wellesley College.

“The Power of Negative Thinking”
Oprah Magazine
March 2009
Tim Jarvis
http://www.oprah.com/article/spirit/knowyourself/200903_omag_pessimism

Some 30 to 35 percent of Americans employ a calculated form of negative thinking called defensive pessimism.  Julie Norem, psychology, says that this can lead to very positive results.  “Defensive pessimism is a strategy used in specific situations to manage anxiety, fear and worry.  Defensive pessimists prepare for a situation by setting low expectations for themselves, then follow up with a very detailed assessment of everything that may go wrong,” says Norem, who has conducted seminal research on the subject. 

“It’s a Woman’s World (At Least at These Colleges)”
Diverse Issues in Higher Education Magazine
February 19, 2009
Hilary Hurd Anyaso
http://diverseeducation.com/artman/publish/article_12297.shtml

Susan Lennon, president of the Women’s College Coalition, says too often conversations focus on the number of women’s colleges today rather than on the education and advancement of women and girls. With its motto, “Non Ministrari sed Ministrare,” (not to be ministered unto, but to minister), Wellesley has a long history of producing women leaders. Students consistently have had some type of leadership experience, says Jennifer Desjarlais, dean of admission. “They’ve demonstrated a real commitment to an organization or a cause that’s of interest and importance to them … They’ve already demonstrated a willingness to be part of something that’s transformative.”

“Private Colleges Announce Cost-Cutting Initiatives for 2009-10 Academic Year”
The Times Herald (Montgomery County, Pa.)
February 19, 2009
Gary Aiken
http://www.timesherald.com/articles/2009/02/19/business/doc499cd3f82d6ff490495297.txt

Colleges and universities are taking substantial steps to stay affordable to students and their families. The National Association of Independent College and Universities surveyed more than 1,000 private colleges to find out which schools are changing their financial aid policies. Wellesley College will replace loans with grants for students from families earning less than $60,000 a year.

“Black Youth Join Thousands in D.C. to Demand Action on Energy, Climate, and Economy”
The St. Louis American
February 16, 2009
http://www.stlamerican.com/articles/2009/02/16/news/local_news/localnews000000001.txt

From Feb. 27 to March 2, African-American youth from all over the country will join 10,000 young leaders for Power Shift '09 in Washington, D.C., to demand that the president and Congress pass bold climate and energy policy in 2009 that dramatically reduces carbon emissions, creates millions of green jobs and powers our country with 100 percent clean energy. "I'm excited about Power Shift '09 because it is an opportunity for high school and college students, young professionals, people of different races and religions, to unite as generation that cares about climate change," said Dominique Hazzard ’12, who is organizing a group of youth from her former high school.

“The Mrs. Mystique”
The Boston Globe
February 16, 2009
Linda Matchan
http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/articles/2009/02/16/the_mrs_mystique/ 

Many young women who are getting married today are reintroducing the trend of adopting their husband’s name. Why is there such a shift? “You could argue that they have given in to the patriarchy, or you could argue that their clarity about who they are is stronger than ours,” says Susan Reverby, women’s studies,  whose own daughter, “brought up in a feminist household,” took her husband’s name when she married.

“Hidden Gems”
The Boston Globe
February 15, 2009
Yvonne Abraham
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/02/15/hidden_gems/

The news of the closing of the Rose Art Museum at Brandeis University raised awareness about all the other small and unknown museums in the area. Many of the best art collections are tucked away at colleges and universities. In the galleries of Wellesley College’s Davis Museum, for example, you can get close to an urn from ancient Greece and a Brillo Box by Andy Warhol – all for free.

“Wellesley Expects to Cut 75 to 85 Jobs”
Boston Business Journal
February 13, 2009
Jesse Noyes
http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/stories/2009/02/09/daily58.html

Wellesley College anticipates cutting between 75 and 85 positions as it tries to close projected budget gaps, President H. Kim Bottomly said in a recent letter. The college will offer a retirement package to staff who are over the age of 60 as of December 31, 2009, and have worked for the college at least 10 years.

“Let's Get Serious About Housing”
Time Magazine
February 12, 2009
Barbara Kiviat
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1879184,00.html

Many ideas are flying around Washington regarding what the government can do to fix the housing market. But influencing a $19 trillion market that is coming off one of history’s great asset bubbles is a lot harder that it looks. In December, houses sold for 15 percent less they did a year earlier, a problem that has no quick fix. Karl Case, economics said, “Let’s not delude ourselves into thinking we’re driving a speedboat when we’re driving a tanker.”

“Closed Minds? Politics and Ideology in American Universities”
Times Higher Education (London, UK)
February 12, 2009
Linda Perkins
http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=405373&c=2

A recent study found that there are no discernible liberal biases or ideologies at leading American elite research institutions. According to them, elite universities hire "safe," tenurable faculty and contribute little to civic engagement or debate. Perkins criticizes the authors of that study, published by the Brookings Institution, for not recognizing that social justice issues and service were always a part of the mission of many institutions. For example, Wellesley College's motto of "Not to be ministered to, but to minister" commits graduates to being vehicles for social change.

“Side by Side”
The Boston Globe
February 11, 2009
June Wulff
http://www.boston.com/ae/events/articles/2009/02/11/side_by_side/

Two new galleries, “The Artist-as-Curator: Kiki Smith” and “Perceiving Space in Art,” featuring works from the Davis Museum and Cultural Center’s permanent collection, are opening this month. In “The Artist-as-Curator” gallery, Kiki Smith created an installation using dozens of vessels from many cultures and periods. In “Perceiving Space in Art,” viewers are asked to ponder how space is used with multimedia pieces, including a 16th-century Italian sculpture and a 20th-century light installation.

“Selling AIG to Scarce Buyers is Mission Impossible for Reynolds”
Bloomberg News
Zachary R. Mider and Hugh Son
February 10, 2009
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=aBvuO8cVLtwU&refer=home#

Paula Rosput Reynolds, class of 1978, was hired as AIG’s chief restructuring officer and what many call the U.S. taxpayer’s best hope for recovering some of the $150 billion the government pumped into the company last fall in the biggest corporate bailout yet.  She has the daunting task of selling what was once the world’s largest insurer at one of the worst times to be a seller. “You come in here every day, and it seems impossible, because there are so many constraints,” Reynolds said. “And yet at the end of the day, for the good of the country, the world, the institution, you’ve got to make some decisions to move things along.”

“Girls' LEAP Founder Wins Height Award”
Cambridge (Mass.) Chronicle
February 10, 2009
http://www.wickedlocal.com/cambridge/news/lifestyle/x1848774239/Girls-LEAP-founder-wins-Heights-Award

Deborah Weaver, physical education, and founder of Girls’ Lifetime Empowerment & Awareness Program (LEAP), is the 2009 recipient of the third annual “Heights Award.” For more than 30 years, Weaver has been dedicated to children in low-income communities, shaping their self-image by giving them the confidence and skills they need to defend themselves, as well as educating them on ways in which to approach potentially harmful situations.

“Professors and Students Split on AP Credits”
Inside Higher Ed
David Moltz
February 10, 2008
http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2009/02/10/ap

The number of Advanced Placement credits granted by Tufts University has jumped 32 percent in the last five years and the percentage of submitted tests with the maximum score of five has grown by almost 26 percent.  Last week, Tufts’ Education Policy Committee recommended that the university limit the number of pre-matriculation credits that students can count toward graduation to five and restrict the use of these credits to fulfill entire distribution requirements. Currently Wellesley College allows students to count eight courses toward graduation from AP credit.

“Class of 2010 Panel Study Aims to Help Students Transition”
Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education Magazine
A. Francesca Jenkins
February 9, 2009
Copies available upon request

The New England Consortium on Assessment and Student Learning is in its third year of an important study involving students at Wellesley, Bowdoin, Colby, Middlebury, Smith and Trinity. Lee Cuba, sociology, the principal investigator, describes the study as focusing on “several critical transition points in the academic careers of students.” Cuba hopes that this research will provide not just valuable information, but will help colleges better meet the needs of their students.

“Hub Human-service Nonprofits Hiring”
The Boston Herald
Adam Smith
February 9, 2009
http://www.bostonherald.com/business/general/view/2009_02_09_Hub_human-service_nonprofits_hiring/srvc=business&position=recent_bullet

The Pine Street Inn, Jewish Family & Children’s Services of Boston and scores of other area nonprofits are all seeking something that seems unheard of in this economy: new talent. Even in this current economic downturn, as many nonprofits face the same struggles as their for-profit counterparts, some are still finding “room to grow.” In order to close the gap between employers and potential employees, Wellesley College will hold a nonprofit fair on Feb. 20 and expects around 50 organizations to attend.

“Researchers from Wellesley College Publish New Studies and Findings in the Area of Spectroscopy”
Biotech Business Week
February 9, 2009
http://www.newsrx.com/article.php?articleID=1410487 (Article from Journal of Neurochemistry available upon request)

Bonnie Ward, biological science, Nancy Kolodny, chemistry, and Joanne E. Berger-Sweeney, associate dean of college and neuroscience, published a new study in the Journal of Neurochemistry on Rett syndrome (RTT). RTT is the second leading cause of mental retardation in girls and is caused by mutations in the X-linked gene for methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MeCP2), a transcriptional repressor.

“Imagining Tobia & Ethiopia: Art Show at Westfield State College”
Tadias Magazine
February 9, 2009
http://www.tadias.com/2009/02/09/imagining-tobia-ethiopia-whispers-art-show-at-westfield-state-college/

An exhibition titled ‘IMAGinING TOBIA’, Video Installation and Presentation by Salem Mekuria, art, is on display at the Westfield State College Downtown Art Gallery. Of the exhibit, Mekuria says, “I offer IMAGinING TOBIA as a mirror on which to reflect issues confronting the nation and as a space in which to meditate on the disjunction between our ‘real’ and imagined knowledge of Ethiopia and its multi-faceted history.”

“A Year in Copenhagen”
The Boston Globe
Jennifer Ehrlich
February 9, 2009
http://www.boston.com/travel/getaways/europe/articles/2009/02/08/a_year_in_copenhagen/

Wellesley College junior Kathleen Keating is spending the year studying child psychology in Copenhagen, where she has come to appreciate Danish hot dog stands and free university education. Keating says of the education system in Denmark, "Danish students work harder. Their level and quality of education starting from elementary school is much higher than the quality in the U.S. They take their work as seriously, maybe more seriously than we do."

“Campus Icons”
The Boston Globe
Lisa Kocian
February 8, 2009
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2009/02/08/campus_icons/

Wellesley College, Boston College, Phillips Academy, and Tufts University all have noteworthy collections or museums that are seen as a key part of their educational missions. Dennis McFadden, interim director of the Davis Museum and Cultural Center, called the proposed demise of Brandeis University’s Rose Museum "heartbreaking," but added it would be an unlikely scenario at his facility, saying, “this is an institution that has such strong ongoing support, it's not as troubling as it could be." President H. Kim Bottomly noted that “Wellesley will maintain its long-term devotion to supporting and preserving the arts…recognizing our responsibility as custodians to the world of art for both previous and future generations."

“Who Is Religious Left?”
Religion DIspatches
February 4, 2009
Frederick Clarkson
http://www.religiondispatches.org/archive/politics/1037/who_is_religious_left

A debate has arisen over the emergence of the “Religious Left,” meant as a counterweight to the vast political and social influence of the religious right. Jean Hardisty, Wellesley Centers for Women, and Deepak Bhargava, executive director of the Center for Community Change, think the liberal/left has erred in its recent emphasis on think tanks and public relations strategies over the kind of movement organizing that have been critical to past gains for labor, women, African Americans and more. They warn against power collecting around “the most ‘achievable’ social change as opposed to the most just.”

“Columbia Has Highest Black Freshman Percentage”
U.S. News & World Report
Alison Go
February 4, 2009
http://www.usnews.com/blogs/paper-trail/2009/02/04/columbia-has-highest-black-freshman-percentage.html

According to a study by the Journal of Blacks in Higher Education, Columbia University boasts the highest black freshman enrollment percentage (12.1 percent) for top-ranked national universities, while Amherst has highest ratio for liberal arts colleges at 11.2 percent. Wellesley College ranks fourth on the list of liberal arts colleges with 10.5 percent black enrollment in the first-year class.

“Wellesley College Celebrates Black History Month”
The Wellesley Townsman
February 4, 2009
http://www.wickedlocal.com/wellesley/news/education/x2143286280/Wellesley-College-celebrates-black-history-month

Wellesley College will host a series of events celebrating Black History Month, all free and open to the public.

“We Are Family”
The Boston Globe
February 3, 2009
June Wulff
http://www.boston.com/ae/books/articles/2009/02/03/we_are_family/

In celebration of the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin, the Margaret Clapp Library is hosting an exhibition of rare books called “Before and Beyond Darwin.” The display features evolutionary texts by scientists who predated Darwin, a first edition of his On the Origin of Species, and books by Darwin’s colleagues and successors.

“Astronaut Helps Girls' Dreams Take Flight”
The Pittsburg Tribune-Review
February 3, 2009
Allison Heinrichs
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/today/s_609985.html

Pamela Melroy ’83 recently visited two elementary schools in the Pittsburgh area, to inspire young girls to become involved in science. "I just felt a really strong connection to the students during my last visit," Melroy said. "I went to an all-girls school, Wellesley College, and I think having an environment where girls can study math and science without any gender issues is just really important for some students in order to excel.".

“Exeter Area Honors & Recognitions”
Seacoast Online
February 3, 2009
http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20090203-LIFE-902030304

Megan Thomas ’10 presented a research project, “Water: Regional and International Issues,” at the 7th Annual New England Undergraduate Environmental Research Symposium at Bridgewater State College. Thomas, a geology major and chemistry minor, began working in the environmental geochemistry laboratory of Dan Brabander, geosciences, as part of Wellesley’s 2008 summer research program. Her presentation, “Evaluating Heavy Metals in Artificial Turf Fields: Leaching Mechanisms and Exposure Pathways,” focused on geochemically characterized artificial turf used on sports playing fields.

“Forty Great Places ti Sled Around Boston”
The Boston Globe
February 3, 2009
Paul Makishima
http://www.boston.com/travel/blog/2009/02/40_great_places.html

Wellesley College’s Severance Hill is considered one of the best places for sledding in the Boston area.

“2 Kids + 0 Husbands = Family”
The New York Times
February 1, 2009
Emily Bazelon
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/01/magazine/01Moms-t.html

Unmarried women are having almost 40 percent of the country’s babies. About half of these women are on their own, and the other half are living with a man at the time of the birth. Today’s single mothers by choice often do their utmost to prove that they’re not a threat to anyone’s social order, as Rosanna Hertz, women's studies, points out in her study of 65 such women, “Single by Chance, Mothers by Choice.”

January 2009

“Athletics Programs Scramble to Streamline Budgets in Difficult Times”
The Chronicle of Higher Education
January 30, 2009
Libby Sander
http://chronicle.com/weekly/v55/i21/21a01301.htm

It's a frugal new world for many college athletics departments, where everything from bottled water to major capital projects is on the chopping block. Conserving scarce financial resources was a topic of discussion at the recent meeting of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Even the smallest steps can save a few thousand dollars, some officials said. For Bridget Belgiovine, athletic director, simply eliminating the athletics department's delivery of bottled water made a difference. Though it certainly isn't the only cost-cutting measure she will have to take in coming months, it's a start. "Do we need the Poland Spring water? No," she said. "We can get a Brita."

“Despite Slump, School Building Continues”
Boston Business Journal
January 30, 2009
Jesse Noyes
http://milwaukee.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/othercities/boston/stories/2009/02/02/story8.html?b=1233550800%5E1770143

Fretting about declining endowments and meeting enrollment projections, college leaders in recent months began stalling renovation and construction projects to preserve capital. That may have created the perception of deep freeze on construction at Bay State campuses. But the reality is many colleges and universities are moving forward with projects — from large administrative towers to dorm renovations — even as they make cuts elsewhere. Wellesley College is among those colleges that are moving forward with needed renovations. One benefit of planning renovations now, said Pete Zuraw, assistant vice president for facilities management and planning, is that costs are dropping.

“Wellesley College to Become Virtual E-mail System for an Evening”
The Wellesley Townsman
January 30, 2009
http://www.wickedlocal.com/wellesley/archive/x232966628/Wellesley-College-to-become-virtual-e-mail-system-for-an-evening

Next week, Wellesley College’s campus center will be transformed into a virtual e-mail system. Foodies can debate where to find the best croissant in New York City, while members of the “Computing Questions” conference share their favorite applications and students discuss the most colorful “Community” posts during “FirstClass Offline” Tuesday, Feb. 3, from 6-9 pm in the Wang Campus Center.

“Course Proves Even Wellesley's LIberal Arts Students Can Build a Robot”
The Wellesley Townsman
January 28, 2009
Elana Zak
http://www.wickedlocal.com/wellesley/archive/x1278523334/Course-proves-even-Wellesleys-liberal-arts-students-can-build-a-robot

Fretting about declining endowments and meeting enrollment projections, college leaders in recent months began stalling renovation and construction projects to preserve capital. That may have created the perception of deep freeze on construction at Bay State campuses. But the reality is many colleges and universities are moving forward with projects — from large administrative towers to dorm renovations — even as they make cuts elsewhere. Wellesley College is among those colleges that are moving forward with needed renovations. One benefit of planning renovations now, said Pete Zuraw, assistant vice president for facilities management and planning, is that costs are dropping.

“Testing Mrs. Gardner's Will”
The Boston Globe
January 27, 2009
Alex Beam
http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/articles/2009/01/27/testing_mrs_gardners_will/?rss_id=Boston+Globe+--+Alex+Beam+columns

The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is the subject of intense debate following a proposal to radically renovate the structure. The Friends of Mission Hill, a preservationist group, have retained attorney Lynne Viti, writing, to take on the museum’s lawyer in disputing Ms. Gardner’s extensively detailed will. Viti says, "Our position is, 'Hey, wait a minute, building a 60,000-square-foot structure is not a little deviation from the will. That is completely going against this very eccentric and unique woman's vision. It is just too extreme."

“Housing to Hit Bottom This Year as Building Stalls”
Bloomberg News
January 27, 2009
Kathleen M. Howley
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=a1DM1bsxBQBw&refer=worldwide

The worst U.S. housing recession since the Great Depression may end this year as the inventory of homes declines on a drop in new construction, said Karl Case, economics. “It’s not going to be a terrible year for the housing market, believe it or not,” Case, economics. “I think these stabilizing forces are there, and over the next year you’ll see the housing market come back into equilibrium.”

“Most Popular Colleges: Liberal Arts Colleges”
U.S. News & World Report
January 26, 2009
http://www.usnews.com/articles/education/best-colleges/2009/01/26/0126popularlibarts.html

Wellesley was listed among the most popular colleges by U.S. News and World Report. The list was determined by looking at each school’s yield, the percentage of applicants accepted by a college who end up enrolling at that institution in the fall.

“Exodus to the Administration”
The Boston Globe
January 25, 2009
Peter Schworm and Tracy Jan
http://www.boston.com/news/education/higher/articles/2009/01/25/harvard_sees_an_exodus_to_the_obama_administration/

Three Wellesley College alumnae have been tapped for posts in the Obama administration: Katie Johnson ’03 is the president’s personal secretary; Desiree Rogers ’81 is the White House social secretary; and Hillary Clinton ’69, is secretary of state (a position previously held by Madeleine Albright ’59.)

“Ashe Gives U.S. Students a Treat”
Jamaica Gleaner News
January 25, 2009
http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20090125/arts/arts4.html

With passion for ‘edutainment’, community and youth transformation, members of the Ashe Ensemble brought Jamaican dance, language and songs to the students of Wellesley College. In the one-day workshop, the students, who are in Jamaica for an Africana Studies Wintersession course, were happy to experience the warm weather and rich display of Jamaican culture. “Ashe taught us the story behind dances like the Dinki Mini. I will definitely go back to Wellesley College and teach my friends. We learned about these dances at Wellesley College, but the importance and the value didn't hit home until now," said Natalie Ross ’09, a political science and Africana studies double major.

“A Toast to All You 'Moderate' Drinkers”
The Star Phoenix
January 24, 2009
W. Gifford-Jones
http://www.thestarphoenix.com/Health/toast+moderate+drinkers/1213750/story.html

Despite the hypothesis that red wine may help prevent Alzheimer’s disease, another study shows the negative impact of alcohol on the brain. Researcher Carol Ann Paul, neuroscience, reported to the American Academy of Neurology that even a small amount of alcohol decreases total brain volume. Paul and her fellow researchers at Boston University found that the more alcohol people consume on a regular basis, the smaller the brain volume.

“Qaddafi's Solution: A State of 'Isratine'”
The New York Times
January 22, 2009
Jerold Auerbach
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/23/opinion/l23qaddafi.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper

Jerold Auerbach, history, writes a letter to the editor in response to The New York Times op-ed piece, “The One-State Solution,” by Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi. “An ingenious and diabolical solution to Middle East turmoil: the creation of ‘Isratine’ or ‘one state for all’. All that requires is the eradication of Israel. Perhaps Muammar Qaddafi would consider a trial run with ‘Libgypt’,” Auerbach notes.

“Moins Idéaliste, Plus Pragmatique”
Libération (Paris)
January 21, 2009
Philippe Grangereu
http://www.liberation.fr/monde/0101313516-moins-idealiste-plus-pragmatique

In this story, “Less Idealistic, More Pragmatic,” two Wellesley College political science professors were quoted on the presidential inauguration of Barack Obama. “His speech was historic, even universal,” said Wilbur Rich, who was among the crowd in Washington to hear the inauguration speech of the 44th U.S. president. “He reiterated his priorities – jobs, a new health system, a new energy policy – and said nothing really new about that,” said Marion Just. “But he has expanded on a note of hope for Americans to call them to perform their duty as citizens.”

“Three Wellesley Alumnae Tapped for Obama Administration”
The Wellesley Townsman
January 20, 2009
http://www.wickedlocal.com/wellesley/news/x1898855279/Three-Wellesley-alumnae-tapped-for-Obama-administration

Three Wellesley College alumnae have been named to leadership posts in the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama.~ Sen. Hillary R. Clinton, class of 1969, has been nominated for secretary of state.~ Chicago business leader Desiree Rogers, Wellesley class of 1981, has been appointed as White House social secretary. She is the first African American to serve in the position, which is responsible for organizing and overseeing all White House functions and ceremonies. Katie Johnson, class of 2003, has been appointed personal secretary to President Obama. As part of the position, Johnson will manage the president's daily schedule.

“Wellesley College Stung by Investment Losses”
Boston Business Journal
January 19, 2009
Jesse Noyes
http://boston.bizjournals.com/boston/stories/2009/01/19/story1.html?b=1232341200%5E1762266

Prestigious Wellesley College, which draws heavily from its endowment to fund operations, is facing a projected $20 million budget shortfall and will aggressively cut costs as its endowment is hammered by the continued decline in the financial markets. Wellesley President H. Kim Bottomly said cuts likely will include reductions in the numbers of programs and services offered by the college. “I think everything is on the table,” said Andrew Evans, vice president of finance and treasurer at Wellesley.

“The Nation's Heartbeat Set to Music: 'America the Beautiful' Adds a Perfect Note to Inauguration”
The Washington Post
January 18, 2009
Ann Gerhart
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2009/01/16/ST2009011602371.html

"America the Beautiful"— the national anthem composed by Wellesley College alumna (Class of 1888) and former faculty member Katharine Lee Bates — was performed at the inauguration of President Barack Obama. "The dream is there at the beginning," said alumna Lynn Sherr ’63, the former ABC correspondent and author of America the Beautiful, which she calls a biography of the hymn. More than any other patriotic song, she says, "it speaks more to what we are and want to be as a nation. It is the nation's heartbeat set to music."

“College Opens Doors to Classes”
The Boston Globe
January 18, 2009
Lisa Keen
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2009/01/18/burning_season/?page=4

Wellesley College's annual opportunity for area residents to study such weighty matters as Homer's "Odyssey" or the prospects for finding life somewhere else in the cosmos is available this week. The college allows nonstudents to audit one course in the classics, astronomy, anthropology and about a dozen other subject areas during its spring semester, which starts Feb. 2.

“Why There Is No Universal Health Insurance Program in the U.S.”
iTunes U
Tom Burke
http://deimos3.apple.com/indigo/main/main.xml

The lecture, “Why There is No Universal Health Insurance Program in the U.S.,” by Tom Burke, political science, is featured in the New & Noteworthy section of iTunes U.

“Military Prostitution and the U.S. Military in Asia”
The Asia-Pacific Journal: Japan Focus
January 17, 2009
katharine H.S. Moon
http://www.japanfocus.org/_Katharine_H_S__Moon-Military_Prostitution_and_the_U_S__Military_in_Asia

Katharine H.S. Moon examines the issues surrounding military prostitution and praises a group of elderly South Korean women who have recently come forward to share their experiences in those conditions. “Only the individuals who have experienced trafficking, prostitution, and violence can educate us about these conditions as lived realities,” she wrote. “And it takes courage to come forward. The elderly women featured in the New York Times have decided that their time has come.”

“Livestock Manure Stinks for Infant Health”
Science News
January 16, 2009
Rachel Ehrenberg
http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/39990/title/Livestock_manure_stinks_for_infant_health

The manure generated by thousands of cows or pigs doesn’t just stink — it may seriously affect human health. New research by Stacy Sneeringer, economics, examining two decades’ worth of livestock production data finds a positive relationship between increased production at industrial farms and infant death rates in the counties where the farms reside. “I was surprised to see this association — I kept expecting it to go away but it didn’t,” Sneeringer said. The study reported in the February American Journal of Agricultural Economics implicates air pollution and suggests that Clean Air Act regulations need to be revamped to address livestock production of noxious gases.

“Getting Back on Diversity”
Corporate Board Member Magazine (subscription only)
February 1, 2009 issue
http://www.boardmember.com/magazine/current-issue/

The number of women and minority directors is barely growing on corporate boards. This article outlines the reasons this is worrisome, along with some expert ideas for finding good new candidates. Vicki Kramer, a member of the Wellesley Centers for Women's Critical Mass project research team, notes that having at least three women serving on a board is beneficial to the entire membership.

“Presidential Children Throughout the Years”
New England Cable News (NECN)
January 15, 2009
Beth Shelburne
http://www.necn.com/Boston/Politics/2009/01/14/Presidential-children-through/1231988034.html

Wilbur Rich, political science, comments on the role that children play in the representation of the first families throughout the decades. According to Rich, the celebrity culture surrounding White House children really took off with the Kennedys. “This was the age of television and people could literally see the Kennedy children running around the Oval Office and it was very interesting, it humanized the president because a lot of people had concerns about having a first Catholic president. People began to identify with him and I think it went a long way in terms of facilitating his presidency,” he said.

“U.S. Academic Makes Fiery Argument for Africa to Embrace Biotechnology”
Voice of America
January 15, 2009
Darren Taylor
http://www.voanews.com/english/Africa/US-Academic-makes-Fiery-Argument-for-Africa-to-Embrace-Biotechnology-PART-2-of-5.cfm

Robert Paarlberg, political science, says activists in rich countries are inadvertently denying improved agricultural techniques to millions of poor farmers in Africa. He draws the conclusion in his book, Starved for Science.

“Multiculturalism in East Asia Examined at Colorado State University Conference Jan. 30”
Cherry Creek (Colo.) News
January 15, 2009
http://www.thecherrycreeknews.com/content/view/3752/86/

Sealing Cheng, women’s studies, will present the lecture, “Globalization of Anti-Trafficking Initiatives in South Korea: Human Rights, Justice and Violence in Translation” at the Colorado State University conference “The Making of Multicultural Societies in East Asia.” Colorado State is partnering with a Korean university to host this one-day conference dedicated to examining the salient factors that contribute to demographic changes in East Asia.

“Library Puts Rare Books Online”
The Heights (Boston College)
January 15, 2009
Sue Byun
http://media.www.bcheights.com/media/storage/paper144/news/2009/01/15/News/Library.Puts.Rare.Books.Online-3586697.shtml

Wellesley College is a member of the Boston Library Consortium and the Open Content Alliance, which provides access to over 34 million volumes.

“COA Looks to Connect Community with Lifetime Learning”
Hometown Weekly Newspapers (Massachusetts)
January 15, 2009
Abigail Davidson
http://www.hometownweekly.net/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=85&twindow=&mad=No&sdetail=2231&wpage=&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reoption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=&pform=&sc=1744&hn=hometownweekly&he=.net

Last fall, Maud Chaplin, philosophy emerita, lead a discussion on “Living a Life That Matters” at the Sherborn Town Hall.

This event was part of Lifetime Learning, an initiative of the Sherborn Council on Aging. Upon the completion of the session, the participants asked Chaplin to return in the spring for a second course.

“Mass. 20-something Gets White House Gig”
The Boston Globe
January 13, 2009
Brian Mooney
http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2009/01/mass_20somethin.html

When Katie Johnson ’03 visits the West Wing on Friday, she won't be a tourist. Outside the Oval Office, the 27-year-old daughter of a Brookline couple will stop to check out the desk she will take Tuesday when she becomes the personal secretary to the 44th president of the United States. Since graduating from Wellesley College less than six years ago, Johnson — KJ to some —has been on a rocket ride to the pinnacle of American politics, most recently as a key aide to the manager of Barack Obama's campaign.

“History: Speaking to History”
South China Morning Post
January 13, 2009
Clifford Coonan
http://meltwaternews.com/r.asp?u=165591&p=416125&d=609586196

Paul Cohen, history emeritus and an associate at the Harvard Fairbank Center, has written a new book, Speaking to History: The Story of King Goujian in Twentieth-Century China. Cohen says the Goujian story informs Chinese political culture and many other subjects. The story has influenced the Chinese through the years, from Mao Zedong and Chiang Kai-shek to Qing dynasty officials and emigrants at the Angel Island Immigration Station in San Francisco Bay.

“Woman's Spirit of Giving Lives”
San Antonio (Texas) Express-News
January 12, 2009
Cary Clark
http://www.mysanantonio.com/life/Cary_Clack_Womans_spirit_of_giving_lives.html

In the month of King’s birth and Gandhi’s death, Paula Loyd ’95, one of her generation’s peacemakers, lost her life. It was a life she fought valiantly to keep and a life her doctors exhausted themselves trying to save. But it was also a life she’d been willing to risk if it would give a child a chance to live a good life and if she could make a friend out of a stranger.

“Proud Father of a Famous Index Enjoys the Attention”
The Financial Times
January 12, 2009
Pauline Skypala
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/9e395cd6-e049-11dd-9ee9-000077b07658.html?nclick_check=1

The S&P Case-Shiller Home Price Indices excite great interest when they are published on the last Tuesday of each month, indicating as they do the state of the U.S. housing market. Alone among S&P’s indices, the data are provided to major news agencies under embargo 30 minutes before being released. The indices, which cover 20 metropolitan areas, are based on research by Karl “Chip” Case, economics, and Robert Shiller, economics, Yale University.

“She's So Skirt!”
Skirt!
January 2009
http://boston.skirt.com/node/24694

A proud octogenarian and a familiar face around Wellesley, Ruth Harriet Jacobs, senior scholar at the Wellesley Centers for Women, is featured in the magazine's regular Q&A feature.

“A Weekend Interview With...”
The St. Petersburg Times
January 10, 2009
Donna Winchester
http://blogs.tampabay.com/schools/2009/01/a-weekend-int-1.html

President H. Kim Bottomly spoke with higher education reporter Donna Winchester about Wellesley College and the merits of a women’s education. “Women’s colleges really have been flourishing,” she said. “As long as there are women who want to get the best educational preparation for success in life, I think there will be a demand for all-women’s colleges.”

“Contractor Attacked in Afghanistan Dies From Burns”
The Associated Press
January 9, 2009
Matthew Barakat
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hM067vULxgQQZnSRtoCVH5C8pajAD95JORJG0

Paula Loyd '95, an anthropologist embedded with the U.S. Army in Afghanistan to help soldiers understand local customs, has died more than two months after she was doused with fuel and set on fire. Celia Jones, executive director of The Moonlight Fund, a nonprofit organization that assists burn victims, said Loyd had been chatting with an Afghan man about fuel prices when he suddenly attacked her. Loyd had spent significant time in Afghanistan, working as a civilian military officer for a U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, and also as a field program officer for the U.S. Agency for International Development in one of Afghanistan's poorest provinces.

“Best Value in Private Colleges”
Kiplinger Personal Finance Magazine
January 8, 2009
Jane Bennett Clark
http://www.kiplinger.com/magazine/archives/2009/01/best_value_private_colleges_09.html?kipad_id=50

Will today's economy affect your ability to cover the college bills? If you expect to receive significant financial aid, probably not, says David Warren, president of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities. Colleges with minimal endowments – the vast majority – continue to offer aid through a mix of loans, work-study and grants funded by gifts. Wellesley College ranked eighth on Kiplinger’s list of the top 50 “best values” in liberal arts colleges.

“Q&A: Dan Chiasson Chooses Carefully”
Poets & Writers
January / February 2009
Sarah Weinman
http://www.pw.org/content/qampa_dan_chiasson_chooses_carefully

Dan Chiasson, English, succeeded former poet laureate Charles Simic as a poetry editor of the Paris Review. He is the author of three poetry collections, including Where's the Moon, There's the Moon, forthcoming from Knopf this year, and joins co-poetry editor Meghan O'Rourke on the Paris Review's masthead.

“Ex-Prostitutes Say South Korea and U.S. Enabled Sex Trade Near Bases”
The New York Times
January 7, 2009
Choe Sang-Hun
http://www.blueridgenow.com/article/20090108/ZNYT03/901083008/-1/NEWS05?Title=Ex_Prostitutes_Say_South_Korea_and_U_S__Enabled_Sex_Trade_Near_Bases

South Korea has railed for years against the Japanese government’s waffling over how much responsibility it bears for one of the ugliest chapters in its wartime history: the enslavement of women from Korea and elsewhere to work in brothels serving Japan’s imperial army. “If the question is, was there active government complicity, support of such camp town prostitution, yes, by both the Korean governments and the U.S. military,” said Katharine H. S. Moon, political science, who wrote about the topic in her 1997 book, Sex Among Allies.

“Students Told to Take Education Seriously”
The Star (Malaysia)
January 7, 2009
Gladys Tay
http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2009/1/7/central/2953218&sec=central

This article includes a story about a Malaysian student who was able to excel in her studies at Wellesley College despite coming from a poor single parent family, inspiring other young students to invest time and effort in their education.

“The 'McMansion' Trend in Housing Is Slowing”
The Christian Science Monitor
January 6, 2009
Patrik Jonsson
http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/0106/p02s01-usgn.html

The trend of tearing down old houses to build new ones for profit has slowed. Though the teardown pace has slowed, the trend itself has spread exponentially, now often driven by companies with registers where sellers list depreciated homes and builders find properties ripe for redevelopment. "[Teardowns] are big in upscale markets [where] they haven't fallen nearly as much," said Karl Case, economics. "The real declines have been in the bottom tiers of the Sunbelt."

“Book Reviews”
Maine Antique Digest
January 6, 2009
http://www.maineantiquedigest.com/stories/index.html?id=1045

Grand Scale: Monumental Prints in the Age of Dürer and Titian, edited by Larry Silver and Elizabeth Wyckoff, assistant director, Davis Museum and Cultural Center, was published to accompany the homonymous exhibition first mounted at the Davis Museum. The exhibit includes 47 mural-size woodcuts and engravings from Italy, Germany and the Netherlands that date from the late 15th to early 17th century.

“Colleges and Universities wtih Astronomy Programs in the US”
Helium
January 6, 2009
Shelly Chittam
http://www.helium.com/items/775445-colleges-and-universities-with-astronomy-degree-programs-in-the-us

Wellesley College is among five colleges or universities in Massachusetts to offer a degree in astronomy.

“America's Most Educated Small Towns”
Forbes
January 5, 2009
Jacqueline Detwiler
http://www.forbes.com/2009/01/02/educated-small-towns-forbeslife-cx_jd_0105realestate.html?partner=email

According to Forbes magazine, Wellesley, Mass., ranks as the second most educated small town in the U.S. It's home to one of the top colleges in the country, Wellesley College, and is close to a major metropolitan area known for its culture and high property values.

“Economists Seek Solutions”
Reuters
January 5, 2009
http://www.maineantiquedigest.com/stories/index.html?id=1045

Top economists at the Allied Social Sciences Association's (ASSA) annual meeting have been searching — in some cases, in vain — for signs of life in the U.S. housing market, a key element for busting the country out of a deep economic downturn. Karl Case, economics, said it was hard to predict when housing prices would finally hit bottom. "People who say, 'Oh, the bottom is coming in February,' are in la-la land," Case said during a panel discussion at the ASSA meeting in San Francisco.

“Green College Spotlight”
EarthFirst.com
January 5, 2009
http://earthfirst.com/green-college-spotlight-wellesley-college/

Wellesley College has recently dedicated itself to sustainability, establishing priorities in early 2007, including goals related to landscape, water conservation, waste and energy-use reduction. In addition to improving the campus, Wellesley hopes to instill the values of sustainability into its undergraduates and the community at large.

“Seeing Ahead in 2009”
The Boston Globe
January 4, 2009
Scott Van Voorhis
http://www.boston.com/realestate/articles/2009/01/04/seeing_ahead_in_2009/

The outlook for real estate is so foggy that not even Karl Case, economics — who has studied past housing downturns so extensively he's identified three indicators that signal a rebound — wants to venture a guess. "This is absolutely uncharted water," Case said. He said the complex nature of the current recession and global credit crunch, mixed with the particular problems brought on by huge numbers of foreclosures, make it difficult to predict where the housing market is headed, other than further downward.

“Toast to Your Health”
Toronto Sun
January 3, 2009
Doctor Gifford-Jones
http://www.torontosun.com/life/healthandfitness/2009/01/03/7906996-sun.html

People who have one to two alcoholic drinks a day are often at a lower risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and dementia than their teetotalling peers, researchers concluded after analyzing 44 studies about moderate alcohol intake and its effect on the heart and the brain. While moderate alcohol consumption is lauded in the report, some researchers aren't so sure it can work to stop the onset of dementia or Alzheimer's. Carol Ann Paul, neuroscience, reported to the American Academy of Neurology that even small amounts of alcohol decrease total brain volume.

“Experts Don't Foresee Full Economic Recovery in '09”
The Boston Herald
January 1, 2009
Jerry Kronenberg and Jay Fitzgerald
http://news.bostonherald.com/business/general/view/2009_01_01_Experts_don_t_foresee_full_economic_recovery_in__09:_For_better_or_worse/srvc=home&position=also

The Massachusetts economy is starting 2009 in terrible shape, and experts expect things to only get worse. One potential bright spot: A possible end to Massachusetts’ long-running housing bust. Karl Case, economics, said a look back at the Bay State’s 1989-92 housing slump has him thinking the current downturn could end this year. Case said the 1989-92 bust lasted three years, while today’s pullback has run for three years to date. “Massachusetts is looking like as strong a market as there is in the country right now,” he said.

“More Numbers to Chew On”
The Boston Globe
January 1, 2009
Scott Van Voorhis
http://www.boston.com/realestate/news/blogs/renow/2009/01/more_numbers_to.html

The S&P Case-Shiller Home Price Index shows that single-family home prices in the country’s 20 largest metropolitan markets fell 18 percent in October, compared to the year prior, setting another record and knocking back prices to their March 2004 levels. “Boston isn’t that bad,” said Karl Case, economics. Boston prices fell by only 6 percent for the year, according to the report.

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