December 2000 University Reporter

Chukwuma Azuonye, African Studies, discusses Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart in a recent CIT forum while co-presenters Esther Kingston-Mann, History/American Studies, and Judith Goleman, English Department, look on.

History of Columbia Point

You might not realize how appropriate the old nickname “Harbor Campus” is in describing the University of Massachusetts Boston area. Like much of Boston, what appears to be solid ground today was water when the city was first settled.

Over the past 370 years or so, the Boston landscape, particularly UMass Boston’s corner of it, has changed dramatically. Now you can see through charts and aerial photographs just how Columbia Point has changed. You will also be able to answer that perplexing question of what the pump house is. All this comes courtesy of Web site based on the work of Dr. Nancy Seasholes, an expert on Boston’s landmaking and who has a forthcoming book on the subject published by the University of Massachusetts Press. Last year, Dr. Seasholes made the presentation to UMass Boston’s Earth and Geographic Science Club, advised by Professor Richard Gelpke as part of Geography Awareness Week.

To find out more about go to www.umb.edu/about_umb and then click on the link “History of Columbia Point” at the right.

Dr. Carol Hardy-Fanta to Head MSPA Program

Dr. Carol Hardy-Fanta has been appointed to the head of the Masters of Science in Public Affairs Program. Dr. Hardy-Fanta has directed research at the Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy for six years. She has brought in sponsored research and completed studies on such topics as Latino women in politics, abortion rights for minors, alternative sentencing for women drug offenders, and the Mass Action Audit. She will continue to direct the Audit to completion along with Tess Browne. Dr. Hardy-Fanta is a nationally recognized scholar on Latino/a politics and has published widely on the intersection of gender, race and ethnicity in politics and public policy, including two books: Latina Politics: Gender, Culture and Political Participation in Boston and Latino Politics in Massachusetts: Struggles, Strategies and Prospects.

Miren Uriarte Serves as Interim Director of the Gastón Institute

Miren Uriarte has assumed the post of interim director of the Gastón Institute for Latino Community Development and Public Policy for 2000-2001 while Andre Torres, director, is on sabbatical. A sociologist and faculty member of the College of Public and Community Service (CPCS), Uriarte served as the founding director of the institute from 1989-1992.

Uriarte joined UMass in 1981 as an associate professor of human services at the College of Public and Community Service. She works in the areas of institutional development, social policy, and applied research primarily focusing on Latino/as in the U.S. Uriarte specializes in analyzing the implementation and impact of social policy on minority populations and recently coedited a special education report, Latino Students and the Massachusetts Public Schools.

CIT Looks at Teaching Across the Disciplines

On Wednesday, November 8, the Center for the Improvement of Teaching (CIT) sponsored the forum, “Teaching and Learning from Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart,” as part of their fall series. With an audience of graduate students, staff, and faculty, Chukwuma Azuonye, Africana studies, Judith Goleman, English, and Esther Kingston-Mann, History/American studies, discussed teaching Achebe’s work in the classroom. Focused on one of the books most widely assigned throughout the university, the forum inspired an interdisciplinary discussion.

CIT’s forum are designed to promote the improvement and teaching and learning. CIT was established in 1983 with an initial goal to improve the quality of teaching within the College of Arts and Sciences by drawing upon the experiences of UMass Boston faculty. In addition to the forums, CIT sponsors semester-long, collaborative faculty development seminars.

On January 26, CIT will sponsor the “Conference on Teaching for Transformation” to be held on campus. The conference will provide opportunities for faculty across the New England region to share questions, strategies, and research focused on inclusive teaching, learning, and curriculum change.

Dispute Resolution Conference

On October 27, 150 graduate students, some from as far away as Africa, traveled to UMass Boston for the two-day conference, “Conflict Studies: The New Generation of Ideas.” The conference was hosted by UMass Boston’s graduate program in Dispute Resolution and sponsored by CPCS, the Office of Graduate Studies, and the Graduate Student Assembly.

The only national conference of its kind, the meeting allowed graduate students representing more than twelve different dispute resolution disciplines—including law and mediation, cross-cultural conflict, and organizational conflict—to present scholarship, discuss ideas, and build community. A total of forty-five papers were presented in eleven sessions.

The keynote speaker was Professor Craig McEwan, the Daniel B. Fayerweather Professor of Political Economy and Sociology at Bowdoin College, and coauthor of Mediation: Law, Policy, and Practice. At the end of the conference, a Career Expo provided students access to professionals employed in dispute resolution fields and answers to career-related questions.

New Ads Feature On-the-Spot Admissions

Boston area radio stations have been airing new sixty and fifteen-second ads that promote the undergraduate On-the-Spot Admissions Decisions Week in early December. The ads are a collaborative effort of many in the University community. Noel Cotterell, University Communications, organized the campaign, marketing director Sherry Rhyno, directed the spots that Jon Hutton, marketing assistant director, wrote. Dave Palameter, WUMB FM announcer coordinated the taping in the newly refurbished recording studies, under the aegis of General Manager Pat Monteith. The sixty-second spot is an audio skit between student senator Cheryl Potter and Patric McCormack, student and staff member in the marketing department. Enrollment leader Jamie Kidder serves as announcer for these spots, which include the University’s broadcast logo, a whispered “UMass Boston.” Listeners can hear the spots on WUMB 91.9 FM, WJMN 94.5 FM, WBOT 97.7 FM, WODS 103.3. FM, and WMEX 1060 AM.

The Health Careers Opportunity Program at UMass Boston

UMass Boston pre-collegiate students have been exploring health careers through the Health Careers Opportunity Program, which is closing in on its one-year anniversary at UMass Boston in February. Students from such programs as Urban Scholars, Upward Bound, Project REACH, and Admissions Guaranteed have been participating in health career seminars, shadowing programs with health care professionals, and public health symposiums. All are designed to educate students of the opportunities that exist beyond being a doctor or nurse, such as careers in public health communication, clinical research, or environmental science.

HCOP is a federally funded educational program designed to help students from economically and educationally disadvantage to succeed in health and public health careers. The Massachusetts Public Health Association has partnered with Tufts University School of Medicine and UMass Boston to create a “pipeline” that starts in the Boston middle and high schools, continues through the undergraduate program at Tufts University and culminates in the public health and medial programs at Tufts University School of Medicine. Anyone interested in more information should call Gallia Kagan, HCOP coordinator at 7-5834.

Philip Hart Joins Main Streets

Professor Philip Hart, Director of the Trotter Institute, joined a team of local business leaders, residents, and elected officials on the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Main Streets Program. A national program, their goal is to revitalize downtown areas, using historic preservation as a tool. To accomplish this, they form a community framework to oversee development in overlooked downtown areas.

The team launched Boston’s newest Main Streets Program in the Grove Hall district, visiting the area for three and one-half days in September. The resource team held public meetings and looked at points of interest, such as the Franklin Park Zoo, to discuss issues related to organization, economic development, promotions and marketing, and design. The National Trust for Historic Preservation in Boston will be putting together a report before the end of the year with recommendations by the team to assist further development in Grove Hall.

Spotlights