Olivia DrakeLeith Johnson, co-curator of Cinema Archives, stands inside the Elia Kazan's "America America" exhibit in the Rick Nicita Gallery. The exhibit closes June 21 and is available for viewing by appointment. Posted 06/15/05 Q: Leith, youre co-curator of Cinema Archives. When did you come to Wesleyan and were you hired in as co-curator? A: I came to Wesleyan in 1990 as the associate curator. I was promoted to co-curator in 1999. Q: Where do you have degrees from, and in what? A: I received my B.A. and M.A. in history, both from UConn. Q: Before coming to Wesleyan, what…
Marcia Bromberg, vice president of Finance and Administration, holds out a student housing map inside her office in North College. Bromberg, who spearheaded the new Fauver Field Residence Complex planning, is retiring from Wesleyan in July. Posted 06/15/05 Marcia Bromberg will retire from her position as vice president for Finance and Administration in July, but shell always have her footprint here on the campus. Bromberg came to Wesleyan in 2001 to oversee all financial and administrative areas of the university including accounting, budget, financial planning, investments, Human Resources and benefits, legal affairs and risk management. Shes also the watchdog…
Wesleyan has launched a new virtual tour for the campus community and prospective students. Above, an interactive Wesleyan campus map highlights 50 campus buildings. At right, a part of a guided tour by a Wesleyan student. Posted 06/15/05 Take a trip from Freeman Athletic Center to the Center for Fine Arts, locate all the wi-fi sites in between, find a place to eat, learn a little Wesleyan trivia and even see whats happening on campus all without ever leaving your computer. A new Web site called The Wesleyan Experience http://www.wesleyan.edu/virtualtour/ gives users a chance to do all this…
Posted 06/15/05 Wesleyan's trustees formally adopted a new strategic plan for the university at their meeting on May 20. "Engaged with the World: A Strategic Plan for Wesleyan University, 2005-2010" (www.wesleyan.edu/wesleyanplanning/) sets ambitious goals for academic and student life programming and for campus renewal, according to President Doug Bennet. The new plan is the product of almost two years' dialogue among faculty, students, staff, alumni and trustees. It notes institutional advances that resulted from the implementation of its 1998 precursor, "Strategy for Wesleyan," and the success of the $281 million Wesleyan Campaign, including the addition of 20 faculty across the…
Posted 06/15/05 In the year ending March 31, 2005, Wesleyan's endowment has performed in the top quartile of schools with similar-sized portfolios, according to data collected by the Office of Finance and Administration. Wesleyans return of 11.7 percent was not only 2.2 percentage points above the 25th percentile for peer schools, it was almost twice the S&P 500 return for the same period. These results reflect a series of improvements in Wesleyan's portfolio management, according to Vice President for Finance and Administration Marcia Bromberg. In 1997 the university developed new endowment guidelines that divided the activities of the Wesleyan Board of…
It's hammer time. Starting this month, construction for the new Suzanne Lemberg Usdan University Center begins. Alan Rubacha, project manager, is setting up an 8-foot chain-link fence that will surround the old Alumni Athletic Building and Fayerweather Gymnasium. The driveway and cement walkway that currently provide access from Wyllys Avenue to the lot behind South and North College will be closed to vehicles and pedestrians as of Monday, June 13. The lot itself will be closed except for handicap access and service. Parking has been reassigned to the lot adjacent to the Office of Admission and to the lot behind…
CLEAR THINKING: Artist and teacher Brett Cook spoke to a group of more than 70 people during his opening reception for "Meditations" in the Zilkha Gallery April 20. Cook's artwork will be on display through May 22. Spectators view Cook's "Documentation of Blackness," on display in the gallery. The artists combines his life experiences, including his biracial upbringings and recent engagement with Buddhism, to comment on his social and cultural realities. Cook encourages gallery-goers to color a collaborative piece. (Photos by Olivia Bartlett)
Krishna Winston, professor of German Studies, chair of the German Studies Department, and coordinator of the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship, holds her translation of Crabwalk by Nobel-Prize-winning author Günter Grass. Posted 05/23/05 In 1956, Richard and Clara Winston left their farm in Vermont to spend some time in Switzerland. Their two daughters, Krishna, 12, and Justina, 10, were enrolled in Swiss public school. They knew only a few words of German. There were little boys who brought their gym shoes to school in cloth bags, Krishna Winston recalls. As we were walking home, they would swing those bags by…
Suzy Taraba, head of Special Collections & Archives and university archivist, searches for a 15th century book housed in the Davison Rare Book Room. George W. Davison donated Olin Memorial Librarys oldest printed books. Posted 05/23/05 Q: You're the university archivist and head of Special Collections & Archives. What led you into this area? A: I was drawn to librarianship at an early age in part because my mothers two sisters are librarians. Later on, after thinking about various other careers, I realized that librarianship, especially special collections librarianship, was a natural outgrowth of my education as well as…
Georgie Leone, administrative assistant for the Center for African American Studies, has worked at Wesleyan for 41 years in four departments. She started here at the age of 18. Posted 05/23/.05 Q: So, youre one of those rarities. A: Yes. I am originally from Middletown. We were referred to by the Wesleyan boys as townies way back when. I was born right here at the Middlesex Hospital. My maiden name is Lockhart and I am the oldest child of three children -- the only girl and two brothers. One brother has passed on, but I have a baby brother…
Pictured in center, Migdalia Pinkney, administrative assistant for the Center for Community Partnerships and Lisa Currie, director of Health Education, congratulate Gabrielle Tynes-Labonte 06 (left) and Vladrose Petit-Frere 05 during the Academic Awards, Prizes and Scholarships program May 3. The students both received the Mosaic Award, given to four students who have brought about cultural awareness and education on race, ethnicity, culture or sexual orientation. Posted 05/23/05 More than 240 Wesleyan students received accolades and formal recognition during the 2005 Academic Awards, Prizes and Scholarships program May 3 in the Russell House. These are honor students who represent the…
Pamela Tatge, director of the Center for the Arts, announces the lineup for the '05-06 CFA season during a presentation May 4. Posted 05/23/05 An American brass quintet, ballet, African rhythms and Bulgarian bebop are all in the mix for the upcoming year at Wesleyan. During the Center for the Arts season announcement on May 4, CFA Director Pamela Tatge introduced the 2005-06 season events. The season opens with Middletown Dances! on September 10. In Collaboration with the City of Middletown and community groups, the CFA is planning a citywide dance festival. The event will culminate in a community…