2014 – Page 10

On Oct. 19, members of Wesleyan's Jewish community gathered to celebrate a fundraising effort spearheaded by David Rabban '71 to raise gifts in memory of Rabbi George Sobelman. Sobelman was Wesleyan's first Jewish Chaplain from 1969-1973. In addition, the Sobelman family is donating 43 volumes of the Babylonian Talmud with translation and commentary by Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz to Olin Library. Rabbi Sobelman died Sept. 11, 2010 in Rehovot, Israel. During his time at Wesleyan Sobelman taught Modern Israeli Literature. The event was hosted by University Relations. (Photos by John Van Vlack) (more…)

During Homecoming, men's soccer highlighted the day with a 2-1 overtime win against Amherst College to gain a share of the Little Three title. Adam Cowie-Haskell '18 delivered the golden goal as Wesleyan handed Amherst, ranked 10th nationally, its first loss against a NESCAC rival in three years, spanning 37 games. Also scoring his third goal of the year in the game was Matt Lynch ’15, as he spotted the Cardinals a 1-0 lead in the second half. Goalie Emmett McConnell ’15 posted seven saves, five in the second half, in holding Amherst to a lone goal. Watch a video of the men's winning…

In this Q&A, meet Kerwin Kaye, assistant professor of sociology. Q: Welcome to Wesleyan, Professor Kaye! Please catch us up on your life up to the present. A: I grew up in Denver, Colo., and yes, I did learn to ski. My academic interests have transformed significantly, given that I began my university education with the idea of double-majoring in physics and philosophy. I wound up at CU-Boulder working on a crisis hotline and obtaining a BA in psychology. After that I moved to San Francisco, pursuing an MA in anthropology at San Francisco State University, where I conducted ethnographic research…

WESU 88.1 FM will host a Fall Record Fair from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 26 in Beckham Hall. Dozens of vendors from across the Northeast will be selling vinyl records, CDs, posters, T-shirts and more. WESU DJs will sell WESU gear and records to support the station. The station also is seeking donations to be sold at the event. (more…)

Wesleyan faculty Victoria Smolkin-Rothrock and Susanne Fusso are the co-authors of “The Confession of an Atheist Who Became a Scholar of Religion," published in Kritika: Explorations in Russian and Eurasian History, Volume 15, Number 3, Summer 2014. The paper is based on an interview Smolkin-Rothrock completed on Russian atheist Nikolai Semenovich Gordienko. Smolkin-Rothrock is assistant professor of history; assistant professor of Russian, Eastern European and Eurasian Studies; Faculty Fellow Center for the Humanities; and tutor in the College of Social Studies. Fusso is professor of Russian, East European, and Eurasian studies. Among the most prominent professors of “scientific atheism” in the Soviet Union, Gordienko also was the author…

Fowler says negative ads tend to move polls

Gruen writes that euthanizing animals exposed to Ebola is a dangerous road to go down

The Office of Human Resources reported the following new hires and departures for September 2014: Newly hired Janani Iyer was hired as a research assistant/lab coordinator in the Psychology Department on Sept. 2. Ilona Bass was hired as a research assistant/lab coordinator in the Psychology Department on Sept. 2. Paul Wilson Cauley was hired as a researcher in the Astronomy Department on Sept. 8. Franklin Huynh was hired as a senior budget analyst in the Office of Financial Planning on Sept. 15. Michael Schramm was hired as assistant director of the Wesleyan Fund on Sept. 15. Luigi Solla was hired an associate…

On Oct. 15, Wesleyan and City of Middletown officials met at City Hall in downtown Middletown to sign a Memorandum of Understanding on dealing with sexual assault. The document details the responsibilities and procedures of the university, the city, and state law enforcement in handling assault cases. This document officially codifies long-standing campus and community cooperation around the issue of crime, sharing of training resources, and enhanced communication designed to support survivors of sexual assault. "This memorandum is an important step toward even greater cooperation between Wesleyan, the State’s Attorney’s office and the City of Middletown," said President Michael Roth."On…

Laura Ann Twagira, assistant professor of history, is the author of an article titled, "‘Robot Farmers’ and Cosmopolitan Workers: Technological Masculinity and Agricultural Development in the French Soudan (Mali), 1945–68," published in the November issue of Gender & History, Volume 26, Issue 3, pages 459-477. In 1956, Administrator Ancian, a French government official, suggested in a confidential report that one of the most ambitious agricultural schemes in French West Africa, the Office du Niger, had been misguided in its planning to produce only a ‘robot farmer’. The robot metaphor was drawn from the intense association between the project and technology. However, it was…

On Oct. 24, the Dance Department and Center for the Arts present "To Not Forget Crimea: Uncertain Quiet of Indigenous Crimean Tatars," a panel discussion and the Fall Faculty Dance Concert by Associate Professor of Dance Katja Kolcio. While international media and political leaders are ignoring the situation in Crimea, this event draws public attention to the widespread violation of the Tatars' human rights and the degree to which the Russian Occupation has forced them out of their ancestral homeland. The evening will begin with a free panel discussion, "Indigenous Ukrainian Perspectives of Crimea Post Russian-Invasion," from 6 to…

Jewish Community Celebrates the Life of Wesleyan’s First Chaplain

Middlesex, Wesleyan Students Lead Robot Demo at Green Street Arts Center

Men’s Soccer Victory Highlight of Wesleyan Homecoming Sporting Events

Kaye Studies Addiction and Criminal Justice, Male Prostitution

WESU Seeking Donations for Fall Record Fair Oct. 26

Interview, Paper by Smolkin-Rothrock, Fusso Focuses on Russian Atheist

Conn. Governor’s Race Sets Record in Negative Ads

Gruen on Killing ‘Excalibur’

Staff on the Move, September 2014

Wesleyan, City Officials Sign Memorandum of Understanding

Twagira’s Paper on Cosmopolitan Workers Published in Gender & History

Crimea, Tatar Rights Explored at Panel Discussion, Multimedia Performance