Media Watch (Feb. 20-27, 2006)

"Media Watch" is a round-up of recent stories in the media about the University of Hartford, as well as significant stories about other local and peer institutions and news about trends and issues in higher education.

Jennifer Rizzotti, in her seventh season as head coach of the Hartford Hawks women’s basketball team, was the subject of a page one profile in the Hartford Courant. The lengthy article featured comments from players, assistant coaches, Director of Athletics Pat Meiser-McKnett and University President Walter Harrison, as well as photos of Rizzotti in the locker room with her players and with her 10-month-old son, Holden. (Hartford Courant, Feb. 23)

The Hartford Courant also ran an extensive article on Hartford Hawks men’s basketball player Kenny Adeleke in its Sunday "Sports" section. "Adeleke is arguably the best player in America East, averaging 20.5 points," noted the article. "He also is among the leading rebounders in the country (12.9 per game) and has 22 double-doubles, lifting Hartford (13-13) to six victories in seven games." The article, which includes comments from Hawks Men’s Basketball Coach Larry Harrison and Director of Athletics Pat Meiser-McKnett, calls Adeleke a model student-athlete. (Hartford Courant, Feb. 26)

The Hartford Courant "Letters to the Editor" section published a piece by Don Ellis, professor of communication in the College of Arts and Sciences. Ellis wrote about the cartoons published by a Danish newspaper that sparked outrage from Muslims around the world, and suggested that "Had I been the editor of the Courant, I would have republished the cartoons with a diverse array of stories on political expression, democratic speech, the role of the press and censorship. It would have been a lively, informative and engaging exchange for the community." (Hartford Courant, Feb. 24)

The Hartford Courant’s "Letters to the Editor" section also published a letter by Wick Griswold, assistant professor of sociology in Hillyer College. Griswold was commenting on a car accident involving Gov. Jodi Rell and asked "Why does the governor opt to drive from Brookfield to Hartford in a gas-guzzling monstrosity? It would make more sense for her to live at the governor’s mansion and save many, many gallons of non-American oil or power her vehicle with bio-diesel fuel that burns cleaner and doesn’t increase the trade deficit." (Hartford Courant, Feb. 24)

Elizabeth Weiner of Fairfield, a student-athlete at the University, had a letter to the editor published in the Hartford Courant. The letter gave a "thumbs up to the Connecticut General Assembly for considering a bill that would give financial incentives to Connecticut schools that ban the sale of sugary drinks and junk food [and a] thumbs down to officials for the Fairfield County Interscholastic Conference for disputing this positive move." (Hartford Courant, Feb. 27)

WTNH-TV Channel 8 did a story about the speech that Martin Luther King Jr. gave in Hartford’s Bushnell Hall in 1959 as part of a University of Hartford lecture series, and the fact that the University has a recording of that speech in its archives. The story featured clips from the speech and an interview with University Archivist Margaret Mair. (WTNH-TV News Channel 8, Feb. 20)

The reconstruction of the Park River residence hall by Hamden-based New England Reconstruction Services LLC, following the Jan. 28 fire, was highlighted in a profile story about the company in the "Business" section of New Haven Register. (New Haven Register, Feb. 19)

A talk at Florida Atlantic University by Professor Richard Freund, director of the Greenberg Center for Judaic Studies, on his archaeological findings at the Cave of Letters in Israel, was highlighted in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. (South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Feb. 26)

A story on development activity in downtown Hartford noted that "the University of Hartford expects an answer soon [from the developer who is converting the former Sage-Allen property on Main Street into housing units] on whether those units will be ready for students for the 2006-07 year." (Hartford Courant, Feb. 26)

The announcement that Nicole Krauss, author of the acclaimed novel, The History of Love, will be presented with the prestigious Wallant Award by the University’s Maurice Greenberg Center for Judaic Studies was the subject of a story in the Connecticut Jewish Ledger. (Connecticut Jewish Ledger, Feb. 24)

In his "Jazz Notes" in the Hartford Courant’s "Cal" section, columnist Owen McNally noted that "the Hartford jazz community lost one of its classiest practitioners with the death Feb. 14 of bassist Clifford W. Gunn Sr. Gunn, 84, a native of Torrington, had lived in Hartford for many years where he was a much-respected musician. An accountant by day for many years for the University of Hartford, Gunn found success by night as a much-in-demand bassist. Gunn was known as an eminently likable, amiable, articulate ‘gentleman’ in the very best, truest and traditional meaning of that word." (Hartford Courant, Feb. 23)

The Hartt School’s production of Sweeney Todd was prominently previewed in the "Cal" section of the Hartford Courant. (Hartford Courant, Feb. 23)

A concert by Jez Lowe and the Bad Pennies, which was part of the Celtic Airs series on WWUH-FM radio, was favorably reviewed in the Hartford Courant. (Hartford Courant, Feb. 22)

University of Hartford graduate Jerry Kelly finished second, one shot behind winner Kirk Triplett, in the Chrysler Classic of Tucson. (Associated Press, Feb. 27)

Houston Astros first baseman Jeff Bagwell, a four-time All-Star who was a standout at the University of Hartford, reported to the Astros spring training camps and said he wants to play at least one more season. However, the Astros argue he’s too hurt to play. (Hartford Courant, Feb. 23)

Other News

Inspectors have found 38 fire and safety code violations in the University of Connecticut’s $27 million agricultural biotechnology building as part of their investigation into the University’s multi-billion dollar construction program. Inspectors said they have found code violations in all of the 35 buildings they have checked thus far. (Hartford Courant, Feb. 24)

Three former college athletes, including football players Jason White of Stanford and Brian Polak of UCLA, and University of San Francisco basketball player Jovan Harris, sued to lift the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s cap on financial aid and allow schools to pay for such items as laundry, health insurance and travel. It seeks to overturn NCAA rules limiting college athletic scholarships to covering tuition, books, housing and meals. (Associated Press, Feb. 24)

The search for the next president of Harvard University will probably be conducted in secret by a handful of leaders who will avoid setting a public deadline for replacing Lawrence Summers, the embattled president who has announced that he will resign, effective June 30. Speculation began on campus about potential in-house candidates and the possibility that Harvard will hire its first woman president. (Boston Globe, Feb. 24)

Religiously affiliated universities are dealing with disputes about how to promote open inquiry and critical thinking while adhering to the tenets of a given faith. Tensions seem most acute at some Catholic and Baptist universities, in large part because student bodies and faculties have grown more diverse and secular over the years. (New York Times, Feb. 21)

At colleges and universities nationwide, e-mail has made professors much more approachable. But many say it has made them too accessible, erasing boundaries that traditionally kept students at a healthy distance. Students seem to view them as available around the clock and are sending many e-mails that are too informal or inappropriate. (New York Times, Feb. 21)

Sayed Rahmatullah Hashemi, a former Taliban spokesperson, who has the dubious distinction of having come in contact with terror mastermind Osama bin Laden, has joined a non-degree course at Yale University, which includes a class on terrorism. (New York Times Magazine, Feb. 26)