Media Watch (Nov. 27-Dec. 4, 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.

The Hartford Courant covered the University’s Fall Commencement ceremony and highlighted the presentation of the University Medal for Distinguished Service to one of the University’s founders, Grace Ellsworth. The story quoted Ellsworth and University President Walter Harrison, and also outlined some elements of the University’s 50th anniversary celebrations. (Hartford Courant, Dec. 4)

Margery Steinberg, associate professor of marketing at the Barney School of Business, was a guest on the news program “Beyond the Headlines” that airs on Sunday mornings on Fox 61 at 8:30 a.m. and WTXX at 11 a.m.. Along with the general manager of Westfarms Mall, she discussed the retail shopping outlook this holiday season and what are some of the hottest products. (Fox 61, Dec. 3; WTXX-TV, Dec. 3)

Owen McNally, in his “Jazz Notes” column in the Hartford Courant’s “Cal” section, featured the 35th anniversary gala for the Artists Collection, which was to be a tribute to the late Jackie McLean. The article also highlighted McLean’s founding of the jazz studies program at The Hartt School and included quotes from Hartt School alums Jimmy Greene and Sue Terry, who have both become renowned sax players. Hartford Courant columnist Stan Simpson wrote about McLean and Hartford native Willie Pep as icons of the city, and suggested efforts to recognize their greatness. “You can learn a little about a city from the personalities and achievers it produces,” Simpson wrote. (Hartford Courant, Nov. 30; Hartford Courant, Nov. 25)

Lon Seidman, a 1998 University of Hartford alum who was president of the Student Government Association (SGA), was profiled in the Hartford Courant for his work as campaign manager in Joe Courtney’s successful challenge of incumbent Rob Simmons in Connecticut's Second Congressional District. “Along with Sarah Merriam, the Yale Law School grad who ran Democrat Chris Murphy’s successful congressional campaign in the 5th District, and Adam Wood, who oversaw Diane Farrell’s unsuccessful one in the 4th District, Seidman is part of a new wave of political hands who are ascending after years in the minors,” noted the article. “They may be young, but they are far from being novices,” Democratic State Chairwoman Nancy DiNardo said. “They all have experience and knowledge beyond their years.” (Hartford Courant, Nov. 28)

Moshe Ma’oz, a former advisor to Israeli prime ministers Shimon Peres and Yitzhak Rabin, gave a talk on the “Future of Israeli-Palestinian Relations” after the conflict in Lebanon at the University. He also was a guest on the “Dan Lovallo Show” on WDRC-AM to discuss the same topic and to promote his talk at the University. (WDRC-AM, Nov. 28)

The multimedia performance “Reliquary of Labor” at the New Britain Museum of American Art, a collaboration among media artist Gene Gort, an associate professor at the Hartford Art School; composer Ken Steen, an associate professor at The Hartt School; and electronic cellist Jeffrey Krieger, a Hartt alumnus, was highlighted in the Hartford Advocate and in the “Cal” section of the Hartford Courant. Using what they call “parallel media,” the three have incorporated video and sounds of the construction of the museum’s new exhibit space to develop a multimedia performance for video, electronic cello and percussion ensemble. Their exhibit is designed to honor the idea of labor’s importance to art. (Hartford Advocate, Nov. 23; Hartford Courant, Nov. 23)

Martin Bresnick '67,a University of Hartford alumnus and renowned teacher at the composition department at the Yale School of Music, was profiled in the New York Times in conjunction with two concerts that will be held in his honor on Dec. 5 and Dec. 9 at Yale’s Zankel Hall. Bresnick has been a teacher to many of the top composers in America. The Times noted that “That extraordinary roster of successful former pupils sometimes overshadows Mr. Bresnick’s own reputation as a composer, with noteworthy commissions and estimable awards to show for his efforts.” (New York Times, Dec. 3)

Bill Seymour, an adjunct professor of journalism at University’s School of Communication, had an opinion article published in the Nov. 30 issue of the South County Independent newspaper in Narragansett, R.I. Seymour, who maintains a vacation home in nearby Wakefield, R.I., wrote about the need to protect citizens who are exercising their rights to criticize the action of government and politicians. (South County Independent, Narragansett, R.I., Nov. 30)

Students unhappy with the Residential Housing Association’s recommendation to curtail funding for a fall cotillion because so few students had signed up for the event held a small protest that was reported on by NBC 30. The report included an interview with one of the student protesters and with Jason Borges, an assistant director in the Office of Residential Life. (NBC 30, Nov. 28)

A University of Hartford student was arrested at his off-campus residence by West Hartford police on charges of selling marijuana. The arrest was the subject of stories on WFSB-TV Channel and Fox 61 newscasts. (WFSB-TV Channel 3, Nov. 22; Fox 61, Nov. 22)

Mark Krikorian’s Florida State women’s soccer team reached the College Cup for the second straight year before falling to undefeated Notre Dame, 2-1, in the semifinal round. Krikorian, who led Franklin Pierce and the University of Hartford to national prominence before coaching in the WUSA and the U.S. Under-19 team, has a two-year record of 38-7-5 in Tallahassee. (Union-Leader, Manchester, N.H., Dec. 3)

Other News

In an effort to curb drinking on campus, the Eastern Connecticut State University police department held its annual recreational night for students at the university’s sports center. The event, which began 11 years ago after Mothers Against Drunk Driving decided to stop holding their annual lock-in, drew more than 700 students. Such events that provide alternatives for students are among the recommended methods for universities to curb drinking. (Hartford Courant, Dec. 3)

Central Connecticut State University President Jack Miller met with a group of administrators to look at ways to address complaints about off-campus parties in neighborhoods bordering the campus. Campus officials hope to have a “hot line” open soon where residents will be able to email university officials about incidents in the neighborhood. The hotline would be set up as a link on the university’s home page. CCSU Police will also be able to respond to incidents off campus, and act as “first responders.” (Hartford Courant, Dec. 1)

Mary Beth Garceau, a former secretary in Yale’s Pharmacology Department, who claims that Joseph Schlessinger, head of the department, subjected her to dirty jokes, lewd comments and pornography, has filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against Yale University in U.S. District Court. Garceau is suing Yale for back pay and benefits, attorney fees, and damages. (Hartford Courant, Nov. 30)

Yale President Richard Levin’s pay rose nearly 9 percent to $779,000 last year, making his salary the second highest among Ivy League presidents. Levin, the longest-serving Ivy president, is not the highest paid official at Yale. In 2003, the most recent year for which data is available, Yale’s chief investment officer, David Swensen, made more than $1 million, while several members of the School of Medicine faculty were also paid more than Levin, according to The Chronicle of Higher Education. (Hartford Courant, Nov. 28)

More than 250 Wesleyan students—about 10 percent of the student body—were taking part in a game called “Zombies vs. Humans.” The rules are simple: Humans attack zombies, zombies hunt humans. First played last fall at Goucher College in Maryland, the game has spread to other universities such as Cornell and Baylor. In Wesleyan’s version, humans lobbed Nerf balls, marshmallows or rolled balls of socks at their assailants. (Hartford Courant, Nov. 30)

Though not explicitly called “mom cams,” real-time cameras are bringing Web viewers closer to students. The web sites of the University of Redlands in California and Ohio Wesleyan University give visitors nearly full control over roof-mounted lenses that can pan the campus or zoom in on students. At the University of Rochester web site, visitors home in on three open-air spots at the student union: the “Hi, Mom! Balcony;” the “Hi, Mom! Bridge;” and the “Hi, Mom! Close-up.” The trend coincides with a crop of students who are in far more frequent contact with parents than earlier generations. (Christian Science Monitor, Dec. 4)

States must take the lead in the movement to fix the higher education crisis, a report released by a commission of state legislators said. “Higher education is a national imperative, there’s no question about that, but it has been and remains a state responsibility,” said Connecticut Rep. Denise Merrill (D), co-chair of a higher education study group put together by the National Conference of State Legislatures. (Stateline.org, Nov. 28)

Derek Bok agreed to give up a year of his retirement to step in as interim president of Harvard University after the abrupt departure of Lawrence H. Summers. Bok, however, is working without pay. Bok, who served as Harvard’s president from 1971 to 1991, returned to office in July. He wrote a book warning about the commercialization of higher education, and wrote an essay critical of the increase in presidential compensation. But he described his decision as personal, rather than a symbolic gesture. (Boston Globe, Nov. 27)

Activists are calling for the NCAA to require head coaching searches to include at least one minority candidate. But NCAA President Myles Brand, who has been outspoken about the lack of minority head coaches in college football’s top-tier Division I-A, deems it unfeasible. “Institutions of higher education now have and should retain autonomy in their hiring practices for all employment positions,” Brand said in a letter to two sports civil-rights attorneys. (USA Today, Dec. 1)

Princeton University lawyers and those representing the wealthy heirs to the A&P fortune led by William Robertson, son of donors Charles S. and Marie Robertson, over control of a $750 million endowment. The case, some believe, will set a precedent for donor intent. The family’s claims against the university include fraud in the use of the Robertson Foundation funds which were intended to train young people to go into government service. (The Times, Nov. 30)

It’s getting less expensive for parents to save for their children’s education as competition and regulatory scrutiny have led financial firms to cut expenses on state-sponsored 529 college-savings plans. Fidelity dropped its $20 annual account fee. It also began offering low-cost index funds in the 529 plans it manages for New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Delaware, Arizona and California. Fidelity acted after Vanguard, American Century, TIAA-CREF and T. Rowe Price announced this year that they were cutting fees in their 529 plans. (USA Today, Nov. 29)

The University of Michigan will remove consideration of race and gender from undergraduate admissions by the effective date of Proposal 2, the voter-approved ballot initiative banning some affirmative action programs. Provost Teresa Sullivan said the changes will be in place if Proposal 2 takes effect Dec. 22. A pro-affirmative action group, By Any Means Necessary, has filed a federal lawsuit challenging Proposal 2 as unconstitutional. (Ann Arbor News, Nov. 29)

The Digital Millennium Copyright Act made it illegal to reproduce copyrighted material from DVDs. That proved to be an enormous obstacle to the professors of college film-studies programs, who wanted to be able to copy discs of selected scenes for their classes. Three professors from the University of Pennsylvania have asked for an academic exemption to the law. And surprisingly, they say, it has been granted. (National Public Radio, Nov. 27)

The University of Michigan, Michigan State University and Wayne State University said they are launching a research alliance to help boost the state’s economy by harnessing their discoveries. The announcement said the state’s three principal research universities are “a magnet for investment and jobs” and bring more than $1.3 billion in federal research grants into the state every year. (Associated Press, Nov. 28)

An estimated 250 people came to Hartford on Dec. 2 to hear an all-star lineup of Ivy League professors give their signature lectures on topics ranging from astronomy to the movies. The program at the Hartford Marriott Downtown was the sixth in a series that brings together some of the nation’s leading minds in a new project known as One Day University. At the One Day University, participants paid between $189 and $289 to hear experts such as Columbia University astronomer David Helfand give a lecture titled “Astronomy: We Are Not Alone” or Brown University’s Rachel Friedberg discuss “Fear, Myth, Reality and the Economics of Immigration.” (Hartford Courant, Dec. 3)