jan 31 -

feb. 7

2005

foundation gift supports korean studies

Next fall, Wellesley will add Korean language and literature to its array of academic options. The new major will be established with help from a grant from the Korea Foundation to support a new professorship in Korean language, literature and culture.
“The Foundation sincerely hopes our support will enable your college to make a notable contribution to the development of Korean studies in the United States,” said Korea Foundation President Kwon In Hyuk in a letter to President Diana Chapman Walsh, “and I would like to thank you for your initiative and efforts in this regard.”

“Our goal is to have an undergraduate East Asian languages and literatures program of the highest quality and stature,” said Walsh. “The study of Korean language and culture is essential to this goal, and we are committed to continuing the professorship with internal funding at the end of the grant period.”

The three-year grant is for $218,905, paid in three annual installments. A national search is underway to hire a Korean language and literature professor to join the faculty this fall.
Wellesley inaugurated a new department of East Asian Languages and Literatures in July 2004, providing a framework to incorporate the study of Korea into the curriculum.
Wellesley has a long tradition of interest and involvement in Asia, dating nearly to its founding in 1870. For decades, the college has had outstanding departmental programs in Chinese and Japanese, with other courses related to China, Japan and Korea taught in many departments including anthropology, art and art history, English, history, music, political science, religion and writing. The new umbrella program in East Asian Studies provides a structure to coordinate existing programs, raise the profile of Asian studies at Wellesley and create new academic opportunities.

“Korea has been an underrepresented area in our curriculum, and the college has long wanted to address this gap,” said Dean of the College Andrew Shennan. “Given the rising international profile and global impact of South Korea, we believe that the study of Korean language and literature is one of our most pressing curricular needs. We are very grateful to the Korea Foundation for its help in launching these efforts.”

campaign will set new record for colleges

During its January meeting, the Board of Trustees celebrated a historic moment in The Wellesley Campaign: at the end of December, campaign commitments totaled $411 million, surpassing the $400 million goal six months before the campaign’s June 30 conclusion.

In announcing the “stupendous” news, Board Chair Vicki Herget ’73 said, “This is a moment for every alumna and friend of Wellesley to bask in the collective glow of success and to reflect on the impact these gifts are making to the Wellesley we all love. It is clear that, when the campaign ends, Wellesley will again set a record for the largest fund-raising effort by any liberal arts college.”

The gifts, from thousands of alumnae and friends and in all sizes, are already transforming the Wellesley experience: from the construction of the Wang Campus Center and landscape renovations to expanded academic programs and off-campus learning opportunities, new facilities and technologies, and endowed professorships.
Although total giving to Wellesley is $411 million, $365 million has been committed to specific campaign priorities; therefore, funding gaps still remain for several major institutional priorities including: construction projects in Alumnae Valley: the Wang Campus Center, Davis Parking Facility, and valley restoration; financial aid endowment; renovation of Houghton Memorial Chapel; and endowment support for library collections.

social security and you

Kurt Czarnowski, regional communications director for the Social Security Administration, will present “Social Security and Financial Planning” Wednesday, Feb. 2, from 12:30-1:30 pm in the Library Lecture Room. The lecture will provide an overview of the Social Security program to help explain the protections provided by Social Security and the important role it plays in planning for one’s financial future.

Czarnowski will talk about Social Security benefits, the subject of much current political discussion, noting they were never intended to be someone’s sole source of income. Rather, they should be a foundation to build upon, supplemented by a pension, savings or investments. The lecture is sponsored by Human Resources.

krieger writes on globalization and state power

A new book, Globalization and State Power: Who Wins When America Rules? (Pearson Longman, December 2004), by Joel Krieger, political science, aims to illuminate the role of American power in global relations. In light of what Krieger calls a “clash of civilizations” between the United States and countries such as France and Germany, the book comes at a time when healing and cooperation are sought as an international goal.
Krieger presents debates about the decline of the nation-state in a world shaped by unrivaled American power–and links these debates to current political developments and conflicts. The book provides case studies about the exercise of American power and the challenges that global competitiveness bring to the European Union at a time of increasing strains on its high-cost social programs and models of government. He examines East Asia, the 1997 economic crisis and the paradox of state power; he also develops a new response to 9/11 that meets the terror threats and yet enhances the role of international law and outlines a path to achieve reforms of the United Nations Security Council.

The author says his students served as his muse. “This book is in many ways a Wellesley book,” Krieger says. “It is a testament to the intellectual curiosity and global perspectives of the many Wellesley students who have taken my course ‘Globalization and the Nation-State’ since it was introduced in spring 2000. Little did they know they were serving as a focus group for the arguments in this book, but I am immensely grateful for their assistance and the inspiration they provided.”

three to receive alumnae awards

The Alumnae Association will hold its 35th annual Alumnae Achievement Awards Ceremony Friday, Feb. 25, at 5:30 pm in Alumnae Hall. The 2005 awards will honor former Italian Parliament member Carole Beebe Tarantelli ’64, magazine editor Ellen Jacobson Levine ’64 and business leader Lois Juliber ’71.

Tickets, required to attend the ceremony, are free and will be distributed to all students, faculty and staff at the office of the Alumnae Association, Green Hall, room 241, during the following times:

Faculty and Staff: Wednesday, Feb. 9, noon-3 pm and Friday, Feb. 11, 9 am-noon.
Students: Monday, Feb. 14, noon-3 pm and Wednesday, Feb. 16, 10 am-3 pm.

The Alumnae Achievement Award is the highest honor given to alumnae for excellence and distinction in their fields of endeavor and has been presented annually since 1970. For more information on the award and on this year’s recipients, please visit the Alumnae Association Web site at www.wellesley.edu/Alum/ or call x2392.

colleagues in the news

susan bailey, executive director, Wellesley Centers for Women, has been selected as the 2004 Professional/Nonprofit Hall of Fame winner by Women’s Business Boston.

judy brown, physics, has given a talk entitled “Calculation of Repetition Rates of the Vocalizations of Killer Whales” at the San Diego meeting of the Acoustical Society of America. It was co-authored with Andrea Hodgins-Davis ’04, who collected the sounds of captive whales in the French Antilles and classified them for her thesis.

kyle kauffman, economics, has contributed to a Dec. 29 article in The Economist, “Writers, Painters and Film-Makers Struggle to Respond,” on the AIDS crisis in Africa. Along with david lindauer, economics, he organized an “AIDS and South Africa Conference” a few years ago, for which a photograph by David Goldblatt was commissioned by Wellesley College. The photo shows a “serene and healthy-looking mother holding her two small children in a comfortable Johannesburg home,” says the article. “The title notes the dates, shortly after, when the virus killed each of them.” The photo has become part of the Davis Museum’s permanent collection.

jean kilbourne, visiting scholar, has appeared on CNN’s “Anderson Cooper 360,” discussing the new technology of airbrushing and computer altering that makes the ideal image of beauty even more impossible to attain. The researcher recently received a tribute from an all-female, punk-rock band in Canada that calls itself Kilbourne because they love her work. “This has to be one of the best honors I have ever received in the 30+ years I have been doing this,” she said. “Finally, my 17-year-old daughter is impressed!”

calendar

monday january 31

first day of second semester.

meditation. 7-8:15 pm, meditation room, lower chapel. Sponsor: Buddhist Community. Info: x2793.

tuesday february 1

lecture. “Sino-U.S. Relations.” Speaker: Ambassador Liu Bi-wei, consul general, New York Chinese Consulate. 12:30 pm, PNE 225A. Chinese food at noon. (See story) Sponsor: President’s Office. Info: x3038.

cws workshop. “American Cities Internships.” 12:30 pm, PNE 239. Info: x2352.

wednesday february 2

imbolc. Pagan tradition.

cws workshop. “Résumés for Science Job Fair.” 12:30 pm, SCI 155. Info: x2352.

lecture. “Social Security and Financial Planning.” Speaker: Kurt Czarnowski, SSA regional communications director. 12:30-1:30 pm, Library Lecture Room. (See story) Sponsor: Human Resources. Info: x3202.

meditation. 12:30-1 pm, meditation room, lower chapel. Sponsor: Buddhist Community. Info: x2793.

french table. 12:30-1:30, Bates private dining hall. Info: x2403.

meeting. Good Book Club. 6:30 pm, BIL 202. Sponsor: Protestant Christian Chaplaincy. Info: x2655.

thursday february 3

cws workshop. “Stipends.” 12:30 pm, Library Lecture Room. Info: x2352.

meditation. 12:30-1 pm, meditation room, lower chapel. Sponsor: Buddhist Community. Info: x2793.

multi-faith gathering. “Holding Hope and Compassion.” 4:30 pm, location TBA. Sponsor: Religious and Spiritual Life. Info: x2685.

cws workshop. “Résumés for Science Job Fair.” 6 pm, SCI 155. Info: x2352.

theatre. Nine. Director: Alison Linker ’05. 7 pm, Ruth Nagel Jones Theatre. Cost: Free to Wellesley/MIT students with ID; staff/ other students/seniors, $8; general admission, $10. Reservations: x2220. Sponsor: Upstage. Info: x7562.

friday february 4

prayer/discussion. Muslim communal (Jummah). 12:45-1:30 pm, lower chapel. Info: x2025.

theatre. Nine. Director: Alison Linker ’05. 8 pm, Ruth Nagel Jones Theatre. Cost: Free to Wellesley/MIT students with ID; staff/ other students/seniors, $8; general admission, $10. Reservations: x2220. Sponsor: Upstage. Info: x7562.

saturday february 5

theatre. Nine. Director: Alison Linker ’05. 2 pm and 8 pm, Ruth Nagel Jones Theatre. Cost: Free to Wellesley/MIT students with ID; staff/ other students/seniors, $8; general admission, $10. Reservations: x2220. Sponsor: Upstage. Info: x7562.

sunday february 6

worship service. 11:15 am, Houghton Chapel. Sponsor: Protestant Christian Chaplaincy. Info: x2655.

catholic mass. 4 pm, Houghton Chapel. Sponsor: Newman Catholic Ministry. Info: x2688.

theatre. Nine. Director: Alison Linker ’05. 7 pm, Ruth Nagel Jones Theatre, Alumnae Hall. Cost: Free to Wellesley/MIT students with ID; staff/ other students/seniors, $8; general admission, $10. Reservations: x2220. Sponsor: Upstage. Info: x7562.

monday february 7

cws workshop. “Stipends.” 12:30 pm, Library Lecture Room. Info: x2352.

meeting. College Government Senate. 6 pm, Academic Council Room. Info: x1181.

esl tutoring. 6-8:30 pm, PLTC small conference room. Info: x2480.

meditation. 7-8:15 pm, meditation room, lower chapel. Sponsor: Buddhist Community. Info: x2793.

ongoing

exhibit. The Consequences of War: Poetry, Graphic Art and Documents. Clapp Library Special Collections, through February. Info: x2129.

exhibit. Dedicated to the Class of 2005: A Look at the Class of 1905. Archives, Clapp Library, through March. Info: x2127.

don't miss...chinese ambassador will talk about u.s.-china relations

Ambassador Liu Bi-wei, consul general of the Chinese Consulate in New York, will visit Wellesley on Tuesday, Feb. 1, to present a lecture, “Sino-U.S. Relations in the 21st Century,” at 12:3o pm in Pendleton Atrium Lounge (PNE 225A). Chinese food will be served at noon.

“Ambassador Liu will be the second Chinese diplomat to have visited Wellesley in recent years,” said event organizer Charles Bu, mathematics, who also brought Chinese minister He Yafei to campus a few years ago.

“U.S.-China relations are very important to the peace in the Pacific region and the world,” Bu said. “This is more the case when China becomes stronger, politically and economically. Wellesley has a long tradition of ties to China, dating back to the beginning of the 20th century. A visit by a senior Chinese diplomat offers a rare opportunity for the community.” The event is sponsored by the President’s Office. For more information, contact Bu at x3038

Click Here to View Previous Issues

Return to the Office for Public Information Homepage