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John Frazer, professor of art, emeritus, died July 7 at the age of 82. "Generations of Wesleyan students knew John as a gifted teacher of students at all levels of artistic ability," said Ruth Striegel Weissman, provost and vice president for academic affairs. Throughout his career on the Wesleyan faculty, from 1959 to 2001, Frazer introduced hundreds of Wesleyan students to the art of drawing, painting and film. He taught the first filmmaking courses at Wesleyan and continued this teaching until the Film Program, which he helped found, became independent of the Art Department. His influence lives on through his endowment…

The Office of Human Resources reported the following new hires and departures for June 2014: Newly hired Maureen Zimmer was hired as the Academic Affairs coordinator on June 2. Felicia Harrsch was hired as a research assistant on June 2. Kendrick Wiggins was hired as a residential operations coordinator on June 2. Lauren Davis was hired as a human resources coordinator/generalist on June 16. Hira Jafri ’13, MA’14 was hired as an evaluation fellow/assistant on June 18. Deborah Colucci was hired as the equity compliance director and Title IX coordinator on June 23. Jeanne McNeff was hired as an administrative assistant for the College of East…

Long Lane Farm is Wesleyan’s student run organic farm devoted to allowing students a place to experiment and learn about sustainable agriculture. This summer, seven students are tending the two-acre farm full-time. New to this year's farm are Rhode Island red hens, who reside in the farm's chicken coop. The coop was designed and built by Wesleyan's Architecture II class in 2013. Throughout the summer, other students and community members help out around the farm with planting, watering and weeding. Food harvested from the farm is sold at the North End Farmers’ Market throughout the summer, and at the Wesleyan…

Wesleyan’s Posse Foundation Veteran Scholars attended an academic immersion and campus visit July 10-11. The 10 scholars are funded by The Posse Foundation, which supports students with a four-year, full-tuition leadership scholarship.

Pitts-Taylor comments on a new reality show about plastic surgery gone bad

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Following the principles of permaculture, the student group WILD Wes (Working for Intelligent Landscape Design at Wesleyan) has transformed the West College Courtyard — once an eroded hillside with compacted soil and diseased trees — into complex ecosystems that provide food, attract insects and requires minimal resources and maintenance. The students also are working on a terraced garden near Summerfields. Follow the group's progress on their blog. Pictured are summer blooms, berries, bees and other bugs thriving in the garden on July 8. (Photos by Olivia Drake) (more…)

"Hollywood Icons: Audrey Hepburn" is the theme of Wesleyan's Summer Film Series, sponsored by the College of Film and the Moving Image (CFILM). All four films, featuring Oscar-award winning actress Audrey Hepburn (1929-1993), take place at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesdays in July. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. for the accompanying "Posters From the Collection" exhibition in the Rick Nicita Gallery. All films will begin with an introduction by Marc Longenecker, CFILM programming and technical director. All films are open to the public and are free of charge. The films include: Roman Holiday on July 8; Sabrina on July 15; Breakfast…

Professor Lori Gruen is the co-editor of a new book titled Ecofeminism: Feminist Intersections with Other Animals and the Earth, published by Bloomsbury Academic in July 2014. Gruen is chair and professor of philosophy, professor of environmental studies, and professor of feminist, gender and sexuality studies. She also co-coordinates Wesleyan Animal Studies. In this 288-page book, leading feminist scholars and activists introduce and explore themes central to contemporary ecofeminism. Ecofeminism: Feminist Intersections with Other Animals and the Earth first offers an historical, grounding overview that situates ecofeminist theory and activism and provides a timeline for important publications and events. This…

Ron Jenkins, professor of theater, is the author of a new book titled Saraswati in Bali: a Temple, a Museum and a Mask, published by the Agung Rai Museum of Art, Peliatan, Ubud, Bali, in July 2014. Saraswati is the goddess of knowledge, through whom the Balinese symbolically link their tangible (sekala) and intangible (niskala) worlds. The Balinese celebrate Saraswati at an annual festival. In a July 7 Jakarta Post article, contributing writer Jean Couteau explains that instead of trying to “understand” Bali like anthropologists would, "often reifying it or losing themselves in abstruse concepts of dubious 'universalist' value, Jenkins presents it 'in action.' In Saraswati in…

Lovers of vintage doo wop, rhythm and blues and rock ’n’ roll attended a night to remember when Wesleyan's 88.1 FM WESU Middletown presented the "WESU 75th Anniversary Doo Wop Extravaganza" on July 12. The fundraising concert, held at the Middletown High School Performing Arts Center, was a celebration of 75 years of community radio. Headlining the show was Jay Siegel’s Tokens, the legendary group that recorded the mega hit, "The Lion Sleeps Tonight." They’ll be joined by The Super Girls Group, featuring original members of some of the greatest female groups of rock ’n’ roll, including: Louise Murray of The Hearts & Jaynetts (“Lonely Nights” and “Sally…

Professor of Art John Frazer Remembered for Teaching, Painting, Films

Staff on the Move, June 2014

Long Lane Farm Welcomes Chickens, New Farmers

Veterans Join Class of 2018, Tour Campus

Botched Plastic Surgery and Victim Blaming

Students’ Graphic Design on Display in Usdan

Summer Blooms, Berries, Bees in West College Courtyard

Audrey Hepburn Stars in July’s Summer Film Series

Upward Bound Students Participate in 6-Week Program at Wesleyan

Gruen Edits Book on Contemporary Ecofeminism

Jenkins Explores Bali’s Saraswati Ritual in New Book

Jay Siegel’s Tokens, Super Girls Group to Headline WESU’s Doo Wop Benefit Concert