5-12

september

2005

wellesley celebrates opening of new campus center

Wellesley College’s much anticipated, breathtakingly designed Lulu Chow Wang Campus Center opened on Aug. 29.

"Of course there will be some areas still requiring work, as with any new building, but we can’t wait to see you there,” said manager Lynne Payson. The dining services, bookstore and campus mail services are now open. The center’s hours are Sunday–Wednesday from 7 am to midnight, and Thursday– Saturday from 7 am to 2 am. Beginning in mid-October, students, faculty and staff will have 24-hour card access to the Campus Center.

"This will be a place where you can always go to hold meetings, mingle with friends, study, play games or just hang out,” Payson said. For planning events at the Campus Center, space will be available as construction permits about Nov. 1.

"We will begin taking reservations for the Campus Center on or around Sept. 15,” Payson said. “A letter will be going out to the community shortly providing more details. Reservations will go through the established process. Administrative events will go through Special Events, and student events through the Student Life Office.”

A community celebration is also planned with more details coming as that date approaches. President Diana Chapman Walsh has written to the Wellesley College community to “save the date” for a gala celebration of the opening of the Campus Center Friday, Oct. 21.

“ We are anticipating a fun-filled day with activities for members of the community and their families,” Walsh said. "The completion of the Wang Campus Center marks the end of a remarkable conception, design and building process which involved the efforts and contributions of hundreds of people over nearly a dozen years. The celebration will be an opportunity to recognize these efforts as well as to come together so that we can begin to explore this new building and can begin to discover and invent together the role it will play in our community.”

For details on mail services, food services, the bookstore and more, go to www.wellesley.edu/wangcampuscenter

campaign raises $472 million, setting records

Wellesley has announced the successful conclusion of its fundraising campaign, totaling $472.3 million in gifts and pledges and far surpassing the initial goal of $400 million set when the effort began five years ago. According to data compiled by The Chronicle of Higher Education, the campaign total is the largest of any liberal arts college.

"The generosity of our alumnae and friends has positioned Wellesley for even greater achievements in the decades ahead,” said President Diana Chapman Walsh. “Through this comprehensive campaign, we have expanded Wellesley’s academic offerings, both in and out of the classroom, boosted our financial aid endowment by more than $90 million, rejuvenated our beautiful campus landscape, built new facilities, and upgraded instructional technology.”

More than 71 percent of Wellesley’s 33,000 alumnae made a gift to the campaign. Ninety-five donors gave $1 million or more, including five whose commitments were at least $10 million.

"That we were able to accomplish this goal during a period of such economic turbulence and wrenching world events is a tribute to the commitment of Wellesley alumnae to the College’s mission to provide an excellent education for women who will make a difference in the world,” said Walsh. “These 23,000 alumnae donors stand ten deep behind each of our 2,300 students, a vote of confidence in our collective future.” For more, go to www.wellesley.edu/PublicAffairs/Releases/2005/080805.html

new look on the web

Wellesley College’s home page and secondary pages on the Web have recently been “refreshed,” according to Veronica Brandstrader, Digital Technologies Group/IS. Major changes, made in response to survey results and consultation, include:

• more color, larger photos
• search box added to secondary pages and moved to top of home page
• featured events from campus calendar
• 3-column layout for secondary pages, making better use of available space
• address displayed on home page
• text in navigation graphics replaced by plain text, improving accessibility
• new feature temporarily highlights Web sites of interest

For more, go to www.wellesley.edu/Library/Digitech/Redesign/results.html

wellesley scores high on college rankings

For the eighth year, U.S. News & World Report has ranked Wellesley fourth among national liberal arts colleges. For the past 14 years, Wellesley has placed among the top five colleges. Wellesley continues to be the highest ranked women’s college.

This year Wellesley follows Williams in the top spot with Amherst second and Swarthmore third. Wellesley earned high marks in the following categories:

• # 3 in best value among national liberal arts colleges.
• # 7 in the least average amount of debt among private liberal arts colleges and #13 among public and private liberal arts colleges.
• # 2 in racial diversity.
• # 3 in economic diversity.

Washington Monthly magazine ranked Wellesley No. 1 among national liberal arts colleges that graduate students who go into national and community service, that spend more on beneficial research and that enroll low-income applicants. For more: www.wellesley.edu/PublicAffairs/Releases/2005/082305.html

summer research opportunities abound at wellesley

Eighty-one students from Wellesley and other colleges conducted 10 weeks of summer research this year in a variety of disciplines on campus and at outside institutions.

Seventy-two of these students received stipends to work on campus with 35 faculty members in astronomy, biological sciences, chemistry, computer science, economics, environmental studies, geosciences, mathematics, neuroscience, physics, political science, psychology, women’s studies and with the Center for Research on Women.

In addition to their research, students attended seminars by outside speakers, toured faculty laboratories, gave presentations of their research to peers and faculty, discussed graduate school with a panel of current graduate students, participated in a field trip and discussed career options with a panel of professionals.

Fourteen students participated in a ten-week research and seminar program in the social sciences. Ten were sponsored by the National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates (NSF-REU) Social Science Research Program.
Nine Information Services interns worked with faculty members in developing Web pages and instructional technology projects.

Students presented the results of their research in an Aug. 11 poster session. For more, go to www.wellesley.edu/ScienceCenter/Booklet2005.pdf and www.wellesley.edu/PublicAffairs/Releases/2005/061005.html

new year begins with cherished traditions

Orientation for new students began Aug. 29, and the first day of classes is on Tuesday, Sept. 6. As the new year begins, many events are planned for new and returning students. Among the highlights is Convocation, to be held Tuesday, Sept. 6, at 4:30 pm in Alumnae Hall Auditorium. The campus community will gather for the traditional academic ceremony marking the opening of the school year.

Seniors and faculty will process in academic robes. Welcoming addresses will be given by President Diana Chapman Walsh and Lindsey Boylan, president of College Government, and a reception will follow. A Wellesley tradition, stepsinging, will take place immediately following the reception at 5:45 pm in Hay Outdoor Theatre outside Alumnae Hall. For more information, including an updated campus map, go to www.wellesley.edu/FirstYear/orientation05.pdf

colleagues in the news

kimberly goff-crews, dean of students, has named several new people to the restructured academic support team within the Division of Student Life:

lori tenser is the new first-year dean. She comes to Wellesley from Brandeis University where she has worked for the last 16 years, and since 2002, has been the assistant dean of Student Life.

angela carpenter ’99 will serve as interim class dean/director of Harambee House for the 2005-2006 academic year. In this position, she will partner with john o’keefe, the new director of Advising and Academic Support Services, to be one of the central academic advisors for the sophomore class. Carpenter will be the advisor to students of African descent.

veronica darer, lecturer in the Spanish and Education departments, will serve as the interim director of programs at the Pforzheimer Learning and Teaching Center for the 2005-2006 academic year. She will direct the Department Tutor Program and the APT Advisor Program. Additional information about academic support services and key personnel can be found at the Student Life Web site at www.wellesley.edu/DeanStudent/academics.html.

patricia byrne, vice president, administration and planning, has announced the appointment of peter zuraw as assistant vice president for facilities management and planning. He has been director of facilities and operations for the past 10 years at Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, Pa., as a senior manager in the Aramark Corp. Before that, he directed facility services at the Washington National Cathedral and coordinated a significant energy management initiative for the New York State Office of Mental Health.

calendar

monday september 5

labor day.

meeting. “College Government Information.” 11-noon, Jewett Auditorium. Info: x2327.

film. “Orientation ’05.” 7:30-9:30 pm, Collins Cinema. Info: x2327.

tuesday september 6

first day of classes.

convocation. 4:30-5:45 pm, Alumnae Hall Auditorium. (See story, above.) Info: x2387.

class. “Kaplan Prep for Oct. ’05 LSAT.” 6:30-10 pm, JAC 450. Info: x2875.

wednesday september 7

cws senior picnic. 12:30-2 pm, Harris Courtyard. Info: x2006.

cws meeting. “Fall Fellowships.” 5:30-7 pm, Jewett Auditorium. Info: x2352.
meeting. Korean Student Association. 6-7 pm, Library Lecture Room. Info: KSAmail@wellesley.edu.

thursday september 8

cws workshop. “Tanner Info Session.” 12:30-1:30 pm, Library Lecture Room. Info: x2352.

meeting. “Pre-Med Information.” 6:30-8 pm, SCI 377. Info: x3150.

class. “Kaplan Prep for Oct.’05 LSAT.” 6:30-9:30 pm, JAC 450. Info: x2875.
cws workshop. “Recruiting: Info for Juniors & Seniors.” 7-9 pm, SCI 277. Info: x2352.

coffeehouse. 7-9 pm, PNE 225A. Sponsor: Intervarsity Christian Fellowship. Info: WIVCFmail@wellesley.edu.

friday september 9

cws workshop. “Recruiting.” (See 9/8).

saturday september 10

volunteer event. “A Day to Make a Difference.” (See story, below.) Sponsors: Alumnae Association; CWS. Info: x2357.

soccer. Wellesley Invitational. 10-5 pm. Info: x2017.

field hockey vs. Bowdoin. 1-3 pm. Info: x2017.

sunday september 11

volunteer event. “A Day to Make a Difference.” (See 9/10).

soccer. Wellesley Invitational. 10-5 pm. Info: x2017.

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

golf tournament. “Rally for a Cure.” 1:30 pm, Nehoiden Golf Course. Cost: $35 ($25, members). Ages 12 & up; register by 9/7. Sponsor: Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. Info: www.ngcwc.org.

class. “Kaplan Prep for Oct. ’05 LSAT.” 1:30-4:30 pm, JAC 450. Info: x2875.

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

monday september 12

deadline. Tanner Conference applications, noon.

opening reception. Underground Studios VII. 4:30 pm, Jewett Arts Center student gallery. Sponsor: Art. Info: x2042.

meeting. Wellesley College Democrats. 8-9 pm, PNE 122. Info: Democratsmail@wellesley.edu.

panel discussion. “Russia NOW.” 8 pm, PNE 225A. Speakers: Professors Ivan ArreguÍn-Toft, Marshall Goldman, Philip Kohl, Nina Tumarkin. Moderator: Thomas Hodge. (See story, below.) Sponsor: Russian Area Studies. Info: x2602.

cws workshop. “Résumé Workshop.” 9-10 pm, Severance, Cazenove, Shafer living rooms; Tower Court Great Hall. Info: x2352.

ongoing

exhibit. Underground Studios VII. Sept. 12-Nov. 1. Jewett Arts Center student gallery. Info: x2042.

exhibit. Constitution Day. Clapp Library, 2nd floor. Info: x3426.

don't miss...russia now, explored at panel discussion

A panel discussion that looks at the current political, economic, military and social situation in Russia will be held Monday, Sept. 12, at 8 pm in Pendleton Atrium. “Russia NOW” will feature speakers Ivan Arreguin-Toft, political science; Marshall Goldman, economics (emeritus); Philip Kohl, anthropology; and Nina Tumarkin, history. The panel will be moderated by Thomas Hodge, Russian.

"Marshall will talk about the Russian economy, especially oil,” said Tumarkin. “Ivan will address the Russian military and the war in Chechnya; I plan to talk about current Russian nationalism and its relation to the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II. Phil Kohl will focus on non-Russian portions of the country.”

The annual “Russia NOW” event is sponsored by the Russian Area Studies Program. This year’s focus is as timely as ever. Tumarkin notes, “Russian-American tensions are increasing as Russia’s ‘managed democracy’ becomes more managed and less democratic, as Russia and China move toward a condominium that is ever more wary of the United States, and as oil crises continued to engulf (pardon the pun) us, since Russia is the world’s largest oil producer after Saudi Arabia.” For more information, e-mail ntumarkin@wellesley.edu.

Click Here to View Previous Issues

Return to the Office for Public Information Homepage