Family and Alumni/ae Weekend 2024 Brochure by Bard College

OCTOBER 25–27, 2024

Dear Families, Alumni/ae, and Friends,

Welcome to Bard! We are delighted that you can join us in Annandale for our annual Family and Alumni/ae Weekend. We are proud and excited to present a full schedule of events and activities that will allow you to step into the shoes of a Bard student over the next few days. I encourage you to learn more about Bard’s academic programs through participating in our classes and tours, meeting our faculty and staff, and exploring our beautiful campus.

Bard retains a reputation for scholarly excellence and civic engagement, enriching culture, public life, and democratic discourse by training tomorrow’s thought leaders. We hope that, over the weekend, you will take the opportunity to hear from our Bardians and to learn about their work. Fall is a beautiful time to enjoy the Hudson Valley: we invite you to discover our 1,200-acre campus and to tour the College’s gardens and grounds.

This very special campus weekend offers something for everyone. Many exciting events are happening at the Fisher Center for the Performing Arts, Montgomery Place Campus, and Hessel Museum at the Center for Curatorial Studies, to name a few. Don’t forget to visit the annual and highly anticipated Fund for Visual Learning art sale in support of our students in the Studio Arts Program.

Once again, welcome! I wish you a wonderful time together with family and friends. I very much hope that our paths cross while you are in Annandale.

Sincerely,

Deirdre d’Albertis Vice President and Dean of the College

Please note: This schedule is subject to change.

Friday, October 25, 2024

4:00–6:00 pmWelcome Reception

Lobby, Gabrielle H. Reem and Herbert J. Kayden Center for Science and Computation

Join families of current students, faculty, and alumni/ae for refreshments.

4:00–6:00 pmRegistration

Lobby, Gabrielle H. Reem and Herbert J. Kayden Center for Science and Computation

Visit the registration desk to check in, receive a schedule of events, sign up to attend classes and tours, and get general information about Bard and the campus. If you arrive after 6 pm, you can check in on Saturday between 8:30 am and noon.

4:00–6:00 pmBard Summer Research Poster Session

Lobby, Gabrielle H. Reem and Herbert J. Kayden Center for Science and Computation

One of the most successful extracurricular research experiences for students at Bard is the Bard Summer Research Institute (BSRI), which supports campus-based projects in empirical and quantitative fields including biology, chemistry and biochemistry, computational sciences, environmental studies, mathematics, physics, and psychology. Students typically spend eight weeks in residence undertaking individual research projects and being mentored by Bard faculty. Join the BSRI students as they present their research and discuss their work.

Friday (continued)

4:00–5:00 pmSelf-Guided Walk-through of Current Exhibitions at CCS Bard

Hessel Museum of Art, Center for Curatorial Studies

Ho Tzu Nyen: Time & the Tiger

This exhibition marks the first in-depth examination of artist Ho Tzu Nyen’s multifaceted practice in the United States. Widely considered one of the most innovative artists to emerge internationally in the past 20 years, Ho creates compelling video installations that probe reality, history, and fiction rooted in the culture of Southeast Asia. Time & the Tiger features five immersive multimedia installations spanning two decades that draw from historical events, documentaries, art history, music videos, and mythology to investigate the construction of history, myth narratives, and plurality of identities.

Carrie Mae Weems: Remember to Dream

Revisiting the range and breadth of Carrie Mae Weems’s prolific career, Remember to Dream showcases seldom-displayed and lesser-known works that demonstrate the evolution of Weems’s pioneering, politically engaged practice. The exhibition seeks to rebalance an understanding of Weems’s artistic development over 30 years while locating her work in the context of her lived experiences and commitment to activism. Ranging from largescale installations to serial bodies of photography, these works provide a through line from the civil rights movement to Black Lives Matter, tracing significant moments of racial reckoning in the United States through Weems’s lens.

5:00–6:00 pmWellness Walk in Tivoli Bays

Sosnoff Theater patio, Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts

Join Bard Wellness Director Annia Reyes for a walk through Tivoli Bays. Located along the Hudson River, the scenic trail passes through tidal lowlands and wooded uplands. This approximately one-hour wellness walk welcomes various skill levels and is a great way to enjoy autumn foliage. Please wear comfortable shoes and bring a water bottle. Space is limited. Sign up at registration.

(continued)

5:00–7:00 pmOpening Reception, Fund for Visual Learning Art Sale

Fisher Studio Arts Building

Join us for an exhibition and sale of artwork by faculty, staff, and students to benefit the Fund for Visual Learning (FVL), this year marking its 10th anniversary. The FVL was established to improve access to the Studio Arts Program for students experiencing financial challenges. The FVL also awards grants to qualifying seniors for their Senior Project exhibitions. All sales proceeds go to students.

Work is available to view in person and online beginning on Wednesday, October 23. Work can be purchased between Wednesday, October 23, and Sunday, October 27. To learn more, please visit bardfvl.com.

5:00–8:00 pmFriday Dinner

Kline Dining Commons

Enjoy dinner with other Bard families and alumni/ae. $15 per person; students may use their meal plan cards. Tickets can be purchased at registration or at the door.

6:30–8:00 pmHaunted Annandale: Library and Cemetery Tour

Meet at Lychgate, Bard Cemetery

Find out about the spooky ghosts that haunt the library and campus! Hear about local legends and lore! Sponsored by the Bard Library and Bard Houses program. Space is limited. Registration is required.

6:30–9:00 pmShabbat

Center for Spiritual Life, Basement of Resnick Commons A

The Jewish Student Organization invites families and alumni/ae to a Bard Shabbat experience in the Beit Shalom-Salaam House of Peace meeting room. All are welcome to attend an informal Shabbat (Sabbath) service followed by kiddush and a vegetarian dinner with students, faculty, and staff. Advance reservations required.

Friday (continued)

7:30 pm

The Dream

LUMA Theater, Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts

The Bard Theater and Performance Program presents The Dream, directed by Jorge Schultz and adapted by Dezi Tibbs and Jorge Schultz.

Cast

Millie Altopp ’28

Arin Andrews ’28

William Axelrod ’26

Sophia Barbatsuly ’25

Chloe Belle Boocock ’26

Aidan Kennedy ’25

Silas Lloyd ’25

Andy McEnroe ’27

Ruby Miller ’25

Elliot Becker Peeler ’28

Lauren Ryan-Holt ’28

Creative Team

Set and prop design by Joshua James Barilla

Costume design by Valérie Bart

Lighting design by Josh Martinez-Davis

Sound design by Max Silverman

Stage management by Ally MacLead

Open to the public; registration required. Free tickets are available through the Fisher Center website at tickets.fishercenter.bard.edu/overview/3328

9:00 pm – 1:00 amManor Pub

Manor House Café

The Office of Student Activities welcomes you to the Manor Pub. Come listen to student bands and comedians perform while enjoying food and drinks with families and alumni/ae.

Saturday, October 26, 2024

7:30–9:00 amBardian Birdians: A Bird Tour of Tivoli Bays

Meet at the lower-level entrance to the Fisher Center

Start your day off with a bird walk in the beautiful Tivoli Bays, where you are likely to see a variety of feathered friends: hawks, eagles, wood ducks, and more. Bird enthusiast and member of the Bard College Alumni/ae Association Juliette Zicot ’23 will be your guide. Bring your binoculars, notebook, and hiking boots or waterproof footwear; it may be muddy. Space is limited; registration required.

8:00–10:00 amWomen’s Basketball Open Practice

Stevenson Athletic Center

8:30–10:00 amFamily Leadership Council Meeting

Room 202, Franklin W. Olin Humanities Building

Members of the Family Leadership Council (FLC) play a guiding role in the Bard community by developing and participating in on-campus and regional recruiting and mentoring events, promoting and providing career opportunities for students, and taking part in peer-to-peer fundraising. Families on the FLC contribute to the success of the Bard College Fund through annual gifts of $1,500 or greater. The FLC meets two times each year, once during Family Weekend and once in the spring.

For further information, please contact Mackie Siebens '12, assistant director of development, family programs, at 845-758-7316 or msiebens@bard.edu.

8:30 am – noonRegistration

Lobby, Gabrielle H. Reem and Herbert J. Kayden Center for Science and Computation

If you missed registration on Friday, please stop by to check in, and sign up to attend a class or take a tour.

Saturday (continued)

9:00–10:00 amHard-Hat Tour of the Future Fisher Center

Performing Arts Lab

Meet at Fisher Center parking lot E (lot closest to the Tivoli Bays walking path)

The building, designed by renowned architect Maya Lin, in partnership with Bialosky Architects and theater and acoustic consultants Charcoalblue, is under construction. Scheduled to open in 2026, it will provide a home for Fisher Center LAB, the center’s acclaimed residency and commissioning program for professional artists. It will also house rehearsal and teaching facilities for Bard’s undergraduate programs in Dance and in Theater and Performance. Space is limited; sign up at registration.

Tour of the Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts

Sosnoff Theater lobby, Richard B. Fisher for the Performing Arts

The Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts, designed by Frank Gehry, is a premier professional performing arts center and hub for research and education that serves artists at all stages of their careers. In addition to producing original work across genres, the Fisher Center provides an artistic home for the Dance and Theater and Performance Programs, as well as Bard’s student orchestras. Space is limited; sign up at registration.

9:00–10:30 amTour of the Montgomery Place Grounds

Meet on the Visitors Center porch, Montgomery Place Campus

Enjoy a tour of the Montgomery Place grounds, a 380-acre estate and National Historic Landmark adjacent to the main Bard College campus, overlooking the Hudson River and Catskill Mountains. Renowned architects, landscape designers, and horticulturists worked to create the mansion, farm, orchards, farmhouse, and other aspects of the site. Montgomery Place was owned by the Livingston family from 1802 until the 1980s. The estate was transferred to Historic Hudson Valley in 1986; Bard College acquired the property in 2016. Space is limited; sign up at registration.

Saturday (continued)

9:45–10:15 amPathways to Civic Engagement: Explore Your Options!

Schwab ’52 Atrium, Franklin W. Olin Humanities Building

Join the Center for Civic Engagement in a showcase of the many opportunities available to Bard students through our local and regional community partner network.

10:00 am – noonMen’s Volleyball Open Practice

Stevenson Athletic Center

10:00 am – 5:00 pmSaturday Brunch

Kline Dining Commons

Enjoy brunch with other Bard families and alumni/ae. $14 per person; students may use their meal plan cards. Tickets can be purchased at registration or at the door.

Fund for Visual Learning Gallery

Fisher Studio Arts Building

The art gallery is open. For more information, see schedule for Friday, 5 pm.

10:15–11:15 amTour of the Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts

Sosnoff Theater lobby, Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts

See schedule for Saturday, 9:00 am. Space is limited; sign up at registration.

Saturday (continued)

10:15–11:15 amAcademic Classes

Registration required. Class descriptions on pages 25–35.

Biology 316, Animal Behavior

Room 115, Gabrielle H. Reem and Herbert J. Kayden

Center for Science and Computation

Bruce Robertson, associate professor of biology

Citizen Science

Room 112, Gabrielle H. Reem and Herbert J. Kayden

Center for Science and Computation

Mary Krembs, director, Citizen Science Program

Common Course 121, Black Aesthetic: Ralph Ellison

Bard Chapel

Nicholas Lewis, associate vice president for academic initiatives and associate dean of the College

Dance 103A SB, Introduction to Contemporary African Dance

Thorne Dance Studio, Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts

Souleymane Badolo, assistant professor of dance

Economics 100, Principles of Economics

Room 201, Franklin W. Olin Humanities Building

Youssef Ait Benasser, assistant professor of economics

First-Year Seminar

Room 200, Gabrielle H. Reem and Herbert J. Kayden

Center for Science and Computation

Robert Cioffi, associate professor of classics

Literature 233, The Age of Chance: Literature and Accident in the 19th Century

Room 205, Franklin W. Olin Humanities Building

Daniel Williams, assistant professor of literature

Saturday (continued)

10:15–11:15 amLiterature 241, Sex, Lies, and the Renaissance Room 203, Franklin W. Olin Humanities Building

Joseph Luzzi, Asher B. Edelman Professor of Literature

Music 326, History of Electronic Music

Room 301, Franklin W. Olin Humanities Building

Sarah Hennies, visiting assistant professor of music

Philosophy 140, Introduction to Philosophy: Other Animals

Room 101, Franklin W. Olin Humanities Building

Jay Elliott, associate professor of philosophy

Religion 363, Hinduism, Hindutva, Hindu Nationalism

Room 204, Franklin W. Olin Humanities Building

Nabanjan Maitra, assistant professor of the interdisciplinary study of religions

Science 125, Photographic Processes

Room 201, Hegeman Hall

Simeen Sattar, professor of chemical physics

10:30 am – 12:30 pmBard College Alumni/ae Association Board of Governors Fall Meeting and State of the College with President Botstein

Room 115, Olin Language Center

All alumni/ae are invited to join members of the Alumni/ae Association Board of Governors for the annual fall meeting. President Leon Botstein will open the meeting with State of the College remarks. Alumni/ae guests who are interested in the work of the board are welcome to stay for the whole meeting. At 10:30 am coffee and donuts will be served for board members and alumni/ae guests. The meeting will start promptly at 11 am.

11:00–11:30 amPathways to Civic Engagement: Explore Your Options! Schwab ’52 Atrium, Franklin W. Olin Humanities Building

See schedule for Saturday, 9:45 am.

Saturday (continued)

11:00 am – noonHard-Hat Tour of the Future Fisher Center Performing

Arts Lab

Meet at Fisher Center parking lot E (lot closest to the Tivoli Bays walking path)

See schedule for Saturday, 9:00 am.

11:00 am – 12:30 pmTour the Montgomery Place Grounds

Meet at the Visitors Center porch, Montgomery Place Campus

See schedule for Saturday, 9:00 am.

Blithewood Garden Open House

Blithewood Garden

You are invited to stroll through the historic Blithewood Garden and take in the views of the Hudson River and Catskill Mountains. A member of the Horticulture and Arboretum staff will be on hand to answer your garden questions.

11:00 am – 1:00 pmBlithewood Mansion Open House

Blithewood Mansion

Visit this historic Hudson River mansion, now home to the Levy Economics Institute, and explore its collection of German and Austrian paintings from the turn of the 20th century. The paintings were a bequest to Bard College from Dr. Edith Neumann.

11:30 am – 12:30 pmAcademic Classes

Registration required. Class descriptions on pages 25–35.

Anthropology 232, Lost Recipes

Room 202, Franklin W. Olin Humanities Building

Sucharita Kanjilal, assistant professor of anthropology

Biology 145, Environmental Microbiology

Room 115, Gabrielle H. Reem and Herbert J. Kayden Center for Science and Computation

Rob Todd, assistant professor of biology

Saturday (continued)

11:30 am – 12:30 pmCitizen Science

Room 112, Gabrielle H. Reem and Herbert J. Kayden Center for Science and Computation

Mary Krembs, director, Citizen Science Program

Classics 363, The Romans and the Natural World Room 203, Franklin W. Olin Humanities Building

Lauren Curtis, associate professor of classics

Common Course 111, Science of Human Connection

Room 205, Franklin W. Olin Humanities Building

Michael Sadowski, associate dean of the College; associate professor, Master of Arts in Teaching Program

Elena Kim, visiting associate professor of psychology

Seth Halvorson, visiting associate professor of philosophy

Computer Science 113, Introduction to Computing: Robotics

Room 107, Gabrielle H. Reem and Herbert J. Kayden Center for Science and Computation

Theresa Law, assistant professor of computer science

Economics 248, History of Financial Crises

Room 204, Franklin W. Olin Humanities Building

Emanuele Citera, assistant professor of economics

First-Year Seminar

Room 200, Gabrielle H. Reem and Herbert J. Kayden Center for Science and Computation

Kathryn Tabb, assistant professor of philosophy

Literature 223, Bad Behavior

Room 101, Franklin W. Olin Humanities Building

Francine Prose, distinguished writer in residence

Literature 2175, Medieval Ireland

Room 201, Franklin W. Olin Humanities Building

Karen Sullivan, Irma Brandeis Professor of Romance

Literature and Culture

Saturday (continued)

11:30 am – 12:30 pmMusic 154, Music and the Spirit Room 104, Franklin W. Olin Humanities Building

Sean Colonna ’12, associate director, Language and Thinking Program; visiting assistant professor in the humanities

Physics, Demystifying Quantum Room 107, Hegeman Hall

Paul Cadden-Zimansky, associate professor of physics

Psychology 141, Introduction to Psychological Science Room 102, Hegeman Hall

Sarah Dunphy-Lelii, associate professor of psychology

11:30 am – 12:30 pmTrustee Leader Scholar (TLS) Workshop: Empathic Communication and Resilience Room 213, Bertelsmann Campus Center

“Empathic Communication and Resilience” is the name that Paul Marienthal, dean for social action and director of the TLS program, gives to communication that promotes honest and positive connections between people. Getting things right when important relationships are at stake requires specific skills and practices. This workshop is an introduction to the interpersonal communication work done in the TLS program.

11:30 am – 1:30 pmBard Jazz Studies and Bard Music Program Present: A Concert by Jazz Faculty Members Bard Hall

Join Bard jazz faculty for a concert: John Esposito, piano; Jo Fiedler, trombone; Greg Glassman, trumpet; Peter O’Brien, drums; Pamela Pentony, vocals; Eric Person, saxes and flute; Steve Raleigh, guitar; Rich Syracuse, bass; Sumi Tonooka, piano.

Saturday (continued)

Noon – 1:00 pmAdmission Campus Tour

Meet at Hopson Cottage

Enjoy a tour of campus led by one of our student tour guides. The tour begins with an information session by an admission counselor and ends with a Q&A session. Space is limited; sign up at registration.

Capital Projects Presentation

Bitó Auditorium, Gabrielle H. Reem and Herbert J. Kayden Center for Science and Computation

Join representatives from the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs, Athletics and Recreation, Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts, and Bard Prison Initiative to hear about Bard’s capital projects. The presentation will include updates on ongoing construction. Also offered will be information about plans to build a new field house and wellness center next to the Stevenson Athletic Center, and to renovate Drill Hall next to Blithewood Mansion.

Noon – 2:00 pmPop-Up Apple Tasting

Schwab ’52 Atrium, Franklin W. Olin Humanities Building

Nearly 70 varieties of apples are grown at Montgomery Place Orchards, and you can sample some of them at our pop-up tasting, thanks to the generous donation from Doug and Talea Fincke at Montgomery Place Orchards. Hosted by the Office of Sustainability and staffed by BardE3 students.

Noon – 5:00 pmGuided Tour at CCS Bard

Hessel Museum of Art, Center for Curatorial Studies

Ho Tzu Nyen: Time & the Tiger

Carrie Mae Weems: Remember to Dream

Self-guided tours of two exhibitions. For more information, see schedule for Friday at 4 pm. Gallery tours will also be offered at the top of each hour from 11 am to 3 pm. The museum closes promptly at 5 pm. Space is limited; sign up at registration.

Saturday (continued)

NoonSecond Annual Golf Tournament

Rain date: Sunday at noon

Casperkill Golf Club, 110 Golf Club Lane, Poughkeepsie, New York 12601

This scramble-style event, which begins with a shotgun start, consists of golf with food and drink provided. A silent auction will cap off the event. All proceeds support Bard Athletics, helping fund special team travel opportunities and other enhancements to the student-athlete experience. For more information on the tournament, visit bardathletics.com.

12:30–1:30 pmStudy Away Opportunities

Olin Hall, Franklin W. Olin Humanities Building

An overview of study away opportunities. Learn about Bard’s programs in New York City, Berlin, and Bishkek; study abroad programs via myriad tuition exchanges, including with our Open Society University Network partners; international online courses and the International BA designation; and options for foreign language study. This event will also be livestreamed.

12:30–3:30 pmBard Makers Art and Craft Fair

Multipurpose Room and George Ball Lounge, Bertelsmann Campus Center

Join us for the second annual Bard Makers Art and Craft Fair. Shop unique handmade wares and discover the diversity of creativity among Bard students and alumni/ae. Get some early holiday shopping done!

Portable Sound Booth and Tour of the Center for Experimental Humanities

New Annandale House

Record your thoughts about the election and become a part of Bard history in the Portable Sound Booth at the Center for Experimental Humanities. The booth—designed, built, and managed by Bard students and faculty—is timed to coincide with the 2024 election cycle. We hope to record as many community members as possible in this important moment. Interviews or self-recordings will be archived and remain anonymous.

Saturday (continued)

12:45–2:00 pmAlumni/ae Lunch

Kline Dining Commons

Alumni/ae are invited to join fellow Bardians and members of the international student community for a casual lunch in Kline. Alumni/ae and guests should go through the cafeteria line and head to the alumni/ae section of the dining room (by the north-facing windows on the left-hand side). Hard and soft cider, beer, coffee, and dessert are included. Tickets are $14 per person.

1:30–2:30 pmMeet the Deans: Academic Life and Advising

Bitó Auditorium, Gabrielle H. Reem and Herbert J. Kayden Center for Science and Computation

David Shein, dean of studies, and staff from the Dean of Studies Office will answer questions about the academic life of the College and discuss one of Bard’s most distinctive and essential assets: academic advising. Our faculty and supplemental advising systems exemplify Bard’s commitment to the personal care of students’ intellectual development. Come hear about what supports are available to help your Bardian make the most of Bard’s distinctive curriculum and the network of which it is a part.

1:45–2:45 pmPolitics Roundtable with the Bard Debate Union

Olin Hall, Franklin W. Olin Humanities Building

Join members of the Bard Debate Union for a roundtable discussion on current affairs, the state of debate in society, and how young people can find their voices in the contemporary political landscape. This event will also be livestreamed.

1:45–4:00 pmMen’s Soccer Game and Senior Day

Lorenzo Ferrari Soccer and Lacrosse Complex

Stevenson Athletic Center

The Raptors men’s soccer team plays its last home game of the regular season against Hobart in a Liberty League contest. The team’s seniors will be honored at 1:45 pm, with the kickoff set for 2 pm. This event will be livestreamed.

Saturday (continued)

2:00–3:00 pmAlumni/ae Tea with Leon

President’s House

After lunch, alumni/ae are invited to join Leon Botstein for tea on his porch.

Meditation Walk at Montgomery Place

Meet on the Visitors Center porch, Montgomery Place Campus

Tatjana Myoko von Prittwitz und Gaffron CCS ’99, Soto Zen priest, Buddhist chaplain, and artist and scholar in residence at the Bard Center for Curatorial Studies, will lead a mindful walk on the bucolic grounds of Montgomery Place. In the tradition of Japanese forest bathing, we will open our senses, relax the mind, and use our breath to feel our interconnection. Space is limited; sign up at registration.

2:00 pm The Dream

LUMA Theater, Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts

See schedule for Friday, 7:30 pm.

2:00–4:00 pmWomen’s Volleyball Game

Stevenson Athletic Center

The Raptors women’s volleyball team is hosting Clarkson for a Liberty League matchup. For those who aren’t able to attend in person, the event will be livestreamed.

2:45–3:30 pmWill Students Vote?

Olin Hall, Franklin W. Olin Humanities Building

Join us for a conversation with Election@Bard’s student leadership team and Jonathan Becker, Bard’s executive vice president and director of the Center for Civic Engagement, reflecting on factors that influence turnout and the barriers that exist to student voting. What do these barriers look like? What does they mean for the future of voting more broadly? And what role should institutions play in protecting students’ right to vote? The event will also be livestreamed.

B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts

Saturday (continued)

3:45–4:45 pmAsk the President

Olin Hall, Franklin W. Olin Humanities Building

Hear Bard College President Leon Botstein speak about the College and answer questions from families, students, and alumni/ae. This event will also be livestreamed.

4:30–5:45 pmSpirits of Annandale

Lychgate, Bard Cemetery

Come for a tour of the Bard College Cemetery. Alumni/ae docents will tell you the stories of some of the cemetery’s illustrious inhabitants, which include members of the Bard family, political philosopher Hannah Arendt, empath Jean Grey, filmmaker Adolfas Mekas, novelist Philip Roth, and many more. Thematic libations and treats provided. Timed admission slots available at registration.

5:00–8:00 pmSaturday Dinner

Kline Dining Commons

Enjoy dinner with other Bard families and alumni/ae. $15 per person; students may use their meal plan cards. Tickets can be purchased at registration or at the door.

5:30–7:00 pmHudson Valley Cities Party and Center for Civic Engagement Alumni/ae Mixer

Seena and Arnold Davis ’44 Living Room, Anne Cox Chambers Alumni/ae Center

The Hudson Valley Cities Party is hosted by Peter Criswell ’89, Catherine Dickert ’94, Joel Griffith MFA ’03, Bill Hamel ’84, and the Center for Civic Engagement (CCE). All visiting and local alumni/ae are invited to meet and mingle with each other while also having an opportunity to connect with current students. CCE engages some of Bard’s most involved students who are keen to introduce themselves to alumni/ae and widen their networks. On display is work by Joel Griffith MFA ’03. Cash bar with free soft drinks and snacks.

Saturday (continued)

6:00–8:00 pmCommunity Campfire

Anna Jones Memorial Garden

The Office of Student Activities invites you to the pumpkin patch. Come paint a pumpkin around the campfire while savoring local cider donuts and cider with families and alumni/ae.

7:00–9:30 pmBard Conservatory Orchestra Concert

Leon Botstein, Music Director

Sosnoff Theater, Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts

Richard Strass (1864–1949)

Don Juan, Op. 20 (1888)

George Crumb (1929–2022)

Echoes of Time and the River (1967)

Franz Liszt (1811–86)

A Symphony to Dante’s Divine Comedy (1857)

Free, with a suggested donation of $20 orchestra/$15 parterre and balcony. Ticket sales benefit the Bard Conservatory Scholarship Fund. You may reserve tickets online, https://fishercenter.bard.edu/events/bard-conservatoryorchestra-2024/, by calling 845-758-7900, or in person at the box office in the Sosnoff Theater lobby, Monday-Friday, 10 am – 5 pm, and one hour prior to performance.

7:30 pm The Dream

LUMA Theater, Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts

See schedule for Friday, 7:30 pm.

Sunday, October 27, 2024

10:00 am – 5:00 pmSunday Brunch

Kline Dining Commons

Enjoy brunch with other Bard families and alumni/ae. $14 per person; students may use their meal plan cards. Purchase tickets at registration or at the door.

1:00–4:00 pmApple Gleaning at Greig Farm

Greig Farm, 227 Pitcher Lane, Red Hook, New York 12571

Join Bard community members for apple gleaning at Greig Farm, three miles from the Bard campus. All apples collected will be donated to Red Hook Responds, a nonprofit that organizes volunteers in our local communities to support those in need. Make sure to wear clothing and durable shoes that you won’t mind getting a little dirty! Please arrange your own transportation. For further assistance and directions email Cole Ewalt, student chair of BardEATS, at ce2801@bard.edu. All are welcome!

1:30–3:00 pmHallway Halloween

Lobby, Gabrielle H. Reem and Herbert J. Kayden Center for Science and Computation

Bring your festively costumed children to get candy and treats, handed out by Bard Houses, the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs, athletic teams, and student groups.

2:00–4:30 pmBard Conservatory Orchestra Concert

Sosnoff Theater, Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts

See schedule for Saturday, 7:00 pm.

4:00 pm The Dream

LUMA Theater, Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts

See schedule for Friday, 7:30 pm.

ACADEMIC CLASSES,

Session One 10:15–11:15 AM

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26

Biology 316, Animal Behavior

Room 115, Gabrielle H. Reem and Herbert J. Kayden Center for Science and Computation

Bruce Robertson, associate professor of biology

Have you ever asked yourself, “Why did that animal do that?” We could seek answers on many levels, from proximal mechanisms (firing neurons and hormonal stimuli) through ultimate mechanisms (the pressures that produce adaptive behaviors through natural selection). This course is primarily about the latter. We examine why organisms evolve various mating strategies, how organisms use signals, whether those signals contain honest information or whether we expect to see cheaters, and so on. We use lab and field experiments and evolutionary game theory, which helps us understand the evolution of animal behaviors.

Citizen Science

Room 112, Gabrielle H. Reem and Herbert J. Kayden Center for Science and Computation

Mary Krembs, director, Citizen Science Program

Through the lens of the PCB contamination and cleanup in the Hudson River, the Citizen Science Program tackles urgent questions related to water contamination, and places these conversations within students’ daily lives and imagined futures. We consider how social, historical, and political factors are at work even when we think we are engaged in “objective” science. This year we explore the properties of water, as well as how these properties influence the contamination (and decontamination) of water. Using investigations and discussions, we focus on the creation, analysis, and interpretation of scientific evidence.

Common Course 121, Black Aesthetic: Ralph Ellison

Bard Chapel

Nicholas Lewis, associate vice president for academic initiatives and associate dean of the College

Ralph Ellison is traditionally known and celebrated as a writer. However, Ellison’s earliest artistic interests resided in classical music, as both a composer and trumpet performer. Over the course of his life, Ellison engaged in the serious practice of sculpture, music, and photography. He cultivated relationships with such Black creative forces as sculptor Richmond Barthé, painter Romare Bearden, writer and social activist Langston Hughes, photographer Gordon Parks, and writer and critic Albert Murray. This course invites students to explore Ellison’s crafting of a Black aesthetic, and the worlds he constructed with other Black artists, intellectuals, and cultural producers.

Dance 103A SB, Introduction to Contemporary African Dance

Thorne Dance Studio, Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts

Souleymane Badolo, assistant professor of dance

Rooted in contemporary African dance, this course uses Badolo’s own movement style to explore over/under/inside and outside the tradition. The class begins with a warm-up that involves both physical and mental preparation. By listening to internal rhythms of the body and beat of the music, dancers can discover their own musicality and their own movement language. Students will be exposed to the skills of improvisation starting with simple forms.

Economics

100, Principles of Economics

Room 201, Franklin W. Olin Humanities Building

Youssef Ait Benasser, assistant professor of economics

This course is an introduction to the essential ideas of economic analysis. The microeconomics component develops the basic model of consumer and firm behavior, including demand and supply, and examines how the real world deviates from this model—including monopoly and other forms of imperfect competition, minimum wages and other price controls, taxes, and government regulation. The macroeconomics component studies the aggregate behavior of modern economies—factors leading to economic growth, explanations of booms and recessions, unemployment, interest rates, inflation, and budget deficits or surpluses—and the government’s ability (or inability) to use monetary and fiscal policies to achieve goals such as full employment and price stability.

First-Year Seminar

Room 200, Gabrielle H. Reem and Herbert J. Kayden Center for Science and Computation

Robert Cioffi, associate professor of classics

The current moment presents a historical juncture in which assumptions about government and public life, in the United States and beyond, are being challenged in renewed and disconcerting ways. Economic and political stability, once regarded as the dividend of the end of the Cold War, can no longer be taken for granted. Faith in democracy as a form of government, and in free speech, cosmopolitanism, and separation of religion and politics, are in decline. Challenges of climate change and global public health add to the pressure. Against this backdrop, students worldwide are confronted with an urgent need to reexamine, articulate, and perhaps rejuvenate what it means to live in a shared society. Students read important works—from literature, philosophy, political theory, science, and the arts—that have shaped how people think about citizenship and civic membership across time and space. In the process, students develop the core skills needed to succeed at Bard, from engaging in active, critical reading and conversation to writing original, thought-provoking, and persuasive essays.

Literature 233, The Age of Chance: Literature and Accident in the 19th Century

Room 205, Franklin W. Olin Humanities Building

Daniel Williams, assistant professor of literature

In the 19th century, on railways and ships, in factories and mines, the speed of capitalism made accidents more common and forced the law to rethink how to handle injury and accidental death. The rise of statistics revealed the predictability of apparently unruly phenomena—from births to deaths, marriages to murders. Chance made its way into the sciences. It transformed ideas about the arts, and it gave a renewed emphasis to questions of risk, coincidence, and probability in literature. What Keats called the “magic hand of chance” renegotiated basic questions about human life, action, and freedom. The ways these topics were addressed in 19th- and early-20th-century literature and culture affect our understanding of chance today. Authors may include Dickens, Tennyson, Darwin, Brontë, Poe, Melville, Hopkins, Maupassant, Dostoevsky, and Wharton.

Literature 241, Sex, Lies, and the Renaissance

Room 203, Franklin W. Olin Humanities Building

Joseph Luzzi, Asher B. Edelman Professor of Literature

This course examines how the Renaissance changed the world we live in, since this period of cultural experimentation and radical change was only understood hundreds of years after it occurred. Topics range from The Prince, Machiavelli’s masterpiece on the relation between deceit and power, to new paradigms for gender and sexuality in writers and artists including Vittoria Colonna and Artemisia Gentileschi. Other topics include the birth of the modern “artist” through the work of Leonardo, Michelangelo, Botticelli, and their pioneering biographer Vasari, and the emergence of international institutions like the Medici banking empire and a highly political—and often sinister—papacy. Overall, we establish the Renaissance as much more than a moment in cultural history; it remains a mindset that continues to shape the way we make art and literature.

Music 326, History of Electronic Music

Room 301, Franklin W. Olin Humanities Building

Sarah Hennies, visiting assistant professor of music

This course provides an overview of the musical, technological, and social conditions that contributed to the creation, development, and proliferation of electronic music in the 20th century, and traces the use of electronics in music through historical and contemporary tools and techniques. This includes early electronic and pre-electronic instruments, commercial synthesizer and drum machine, sampling, musique concrète, psychoacoustics, noise, and more. Students will have weekly reading, listening, and writing assignments and a substantial research paper and presentation. This course is required for electronic music majors; prior music experience is preferred but not required.

Philosophy 140, Introduction to Philosophy: Other Animals

Room 101, Franklin W. Olin Humanities Building

Jay Elliott, associate professor of philosophy

We human beings have learned to think of ourselves as animals, and to think of our pets, laboratory subjects, wild animals, and those we slaughter for meat as “other animals.” Yet the lives of these other animals remain profoundly mysterious to us. Can we understand their thoughts, desires, and lives? What do we owe them by way of justice, love, or sympathy? How does the struggle for animal liberation intersect with questions of race, gender, class, and disability? How might our understanding of ourselves be transformed by the thought that we are animals, too? In this course, we approach these questions through various sources, including the philosophy of Peter Singer and Cora Diamond and the fiction of J. M. Coetzee and Margaret Atwood.

Religion 363, Hinduism, Hindutva, Hindu Nationalism

Room 204, Franklin W. Olin Humanities Building

Nabanjan Maitra, assistant professor of the interdisciplinary study of religions

This course explores the twinned genealogy of Hinduism and Hindu nationalism as two categories of modern India. We focus on these overlapping discourses as they emerge from colonial regimes of governance and knowledge production. We challenge the conventional view that Hinduism marks the domain of private, or communally circumscribed, religious practice whereas Hindu nationalism marks the attempt to wrench the religious from its private sphere into the public arena of political practice. Invoking the third or middle term, Hindutva, we examine how indigenous thinkers have theorized religious nationalism, grounding this concept in a deep history of difference and violence as a necessary precondition to nationhood.

Science

125,

Photographic Processes

Room 201, Hegeman Hall

Simeen Sattar, professor of chemical physics

Topics covered in this course range from the chemistry of silver and nonsilver photographic processes to the physics of CCD cameras. Laboratory work emphasizes the chemical transformations involved in making gum dichromate prints, cyanotypes, blueprints, salted paper prints, and black-and-white silver emulsion prints.

ACADEMIC CLASSES

Session Two 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM

Anthropology 232, Lost Recipes

Room 202, Franklin W. Olin Humanities Building

Sucharita Kanjilal, assistant professor of anthropology

This course explores how food cultures and histories are shaped, contested, and preserved by examining recipes as cultural artefacts. What is a recipe, and how does it relate to place and territory, memory and archive? We ask: How and why are some recipes thought to be “lost,” and by whom and in what form are they considered to be found? What happens when the preservation of culinary knowledges becomes unmoored from the questions of dispossession and land loss? Lost (and found) recipes, then, provide an entry point into questions of land and conquest, representational politics and cultural contestation. The course draws on scholarly and multimedia resources from anthropology, food history, anti-caste and Indigenous studies—and, taking a global and feminist perspective, we foreground Indigenous and Dalit efforts toward culinary revitalization.

Biology 145, Environmental Microbiology

Room 115, Gabrielle H. Reem and Herbert J. Kayden Center for Science and Computation

Rob Todd, assistant professor of biology

In this introductory course, students examine microbes in their native habitats while covering such basic biological concepts as DNA, RNA, and protein production, cellular replication, metabolism, respiration, and microbial genetics. Topics specific to microbial life include ecological life cycles and microbial habitats, microbiomes, the microbial role in food production, antibiotic resistance, biofilms, and quorum sensing. Students read primary literature and case studies, and have opportunities for in-class presentations on primary papers. During the inquiry-based laboratory, students culture environmental microbes and learn techniques for identification and characterization of novel environmental isolates.

Citizen Science

Room 112, Gabrielle H. Reem and Herbert J. Kayden Center for Science and Computation

Mary Krembs, director, Citizen Science Program

Classics 363, The Romans and the Natural World

Room 203, Franklin W. Olin Humanities Building

Lauren Curtis, associate professor of classics

As modern humans grapple with their relationship with nature, this course asks how people in the Roman Empire—whose language, Latin, has given English speakers much of our vocabulary for nature and the natural—understood their relationship with the environment. Rome’s vast imperial infrastructure transformed—and in some cases, ravaged—Europe, North Africa, and the Levant on a scale never before seen (mining, water diversion, road building). At the same time, Romans cultivated natural beauty in poetry (Virgil, Horace), gardens (villas in Pompeii), and the visual arts (paintings for the Roman empress Livia, zoological mosaics from Algeria). This course is for students interested in the relationship between environmental history and the arts, and the debates that arise when a society expands the possibilities for human agency.

Common Course 111, Science of Human Connection

Room 205, Franklin W. Olin Humanities Building

Michael Sadowski, associate dean of the College; associate professor, Master of Arts in Teaching Program

Elena Kim, visiting associate professor of psychology

Seth Halvorson, visiting associate professor of philosophy

This course introduces students to theories of relational connection as a foundation of human development, drawing on psychology, sociology, primatology, neuroscience, and other fields. Readings are drawn from texts such as Frans de Waal’s The Age of Empathy (primatology), Matthew Lieberman’s Social (neuroscience), and Carol Gilligan’s In a Human Voice (psychology). We examine the cultural forces that disrupt connection and relationships, and how this disconnection manifests. Patriarchy, racism, homophobia and transphobia, war, and other issues will be examined as signs of cultural breaks in relationship. Finally, how do we reconnect as human beings in cultures that drive us to create divisions between one another?

Computer Science 113, Introduction to Computing: Robotics

Room 107, Gabrielle H. Reem and Herbert J. Kayden Center for Science and Computation

Theresa Law, assistant professor of computer science

This course introduces students to ideas that are fundamental to robotics and to computing in general. Teams of students design and build shoebox-sized robots, with guidance from the instructor. These rather minimalist robots will be mobile and have multiple sensors. The student teams will use a simple programming language to program their robots to carry out easy tasks, and will move to a more robust programming language and more complex tasks by the end of the semester.

Economics 248, History of Financial Crises

Room 204, Franklin W. Olin Humanities Building

Emanuele Citera, assistant professor of economics

This course provides a historical and institutional account of the development and evolution of finance. In particular, it focuses on the evolution of financial theories and instruments, and analyzes the major crises that have occurred worldwide. The course is divided into three main parts. The first part covers early episodes of financial crises and speculative bubbles, from the 17th-century “Tulip Mania” until the late 19th century. The second part focuses on the Great Depression and its aftermath up to the 1970s. The third part deals with post–World War II financial capitalism, centering on currency and banking crises, stock market crashes, and critical episodes of the 21st century (the Great Recession and eurozone crisis).

First-Year Seminar

Room 200, Gabrielle H. Reem and Herbert J. Kayden Center for Science and Computation

Kathryn Tabb, assistant professor of philosophy

Literature 223, Bad Behavior

Room 101, Franklin W. Olin Humanities Building

Francine Prose, distinguished writer in residence

In this class we will study novels and stories in which characters behave “badly”— eccentrically or in ways that we might consider extreme. We look at social norms and conventions, moral decisions, questions of politeness, race and gender, the influence of history, spoken and unspoken (and evolving) rules, and the influence of conscience and culture. Among the texts we’ll read are: Emily Bronte, Wuthering Heights; Thomas Bernhard, Woodcutters; Ivan Turgenev, First Love; Anton Chekhov, In the Ravine; James Baldwin, “Sonny’s Blues”; Tatyana Tolstaya, “Heavenly Flame”; Jane Bowles, Two Serious Ladies; James Alan McPherson, “Gold Coast”; Roberto Bolaño, Last Evenings on Earth.

Literature 2175, Medieval Ireland

Room 201, Franklin W. Olin Humanities Building

Karen Sullivan, Irma Brandeis Professor of Romance Literature and Culture

Ireland is said to have saved civilization at a time when the rest of Europe entered its darkest period. During the pre-Christian era, Ireland developed the most extensive of all Celtic mythologies. After conversion in the fifth century, it developed a distinctive Celtic Christianity. This history was recalled in the 19th and 20th centuries by the nationalist movement that fought for Irish independence and by the Celtic Revival, which looked to it for a model of an Irish identity. The course will consider what, if anything, is “Irish” and how the medieval past defined and continues to define the present. We will read works from the Historical Cycle (The Frenzy of Sweeney), Mythological Cycle (The Dream of Oengus), Ulster Cycle (Bricriu’s Feast), and Fenian Cycle (Tales of the Elders of Ireland), as well as Christian writings (lives of St. Patrick and St. Bridget) and poetry and prose of W. B. Yeats and Lady Gregory.

Music 154, Music and the Spirit

Room 104, Franklin W. Olin Humanities Building

Sean Colonna ’12, associate director, Language and Thinking Program; visiting assistant professor in the humanities

Many of us may have felt music’s influence on what we might call “the spirit.” The meaning of this term, and its relationship to musical experience, has varied with history. How have humans conceptualized the spirit, and how has music been a vehicle for spiritual experience? Medieval chants, Romantic symphonies and operas, and syncretic styles from modern composers will be examined. We will also read texts that shed light on the historical context for the music and on facets of spiritual experience. Finally, we will study the role of music in Brazilian ayahuasca ceremonies. Assignments include short analyses and a final research essay. This course is designed for nonmajors; music-reading ability is not required.

Physics, Demystifying Quantum

Room 107, Hegeman Hall

Paul Cadden-Zimansky, associate professor of physics

The year 2025 marks 100 years since the formulation of quantum mechanics, which prompted the United Nations to proclaim next year the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology. Simultaneously, governments and corporations are spending billions to develop “quantum computers,” and the press and YouTube creators are describing quantum as “weird” and “impossible to understand.” The average person is left wondering if they’ll ever comprehend any of it. In this course, intended for nonscience majors, we’ll unravel what is so interesting and important about quantum science and technology. We’ll aim to separate science fact from science fiction and genuine philosophical questions from incoherent sophistry. Students will come to see that the quantum realm isn’t fictional; it’s the world they’ve been living in all along.

Psychology 141, Introduction to Psychological Science

Room 102, Hegeman Hall

Sarah Dunphy-Lelii, associate professor of psychology

How does the mind create the reality we perceive? How do experiences shape the brain, and how do processes in the brain influence thought, emotion, and behavior? This course investigates these and similar questions by studying the human mind and behavior. The course covers topics such as memory, perception, development, psychopathology, personality, and social behavior. A focus is on the biological, cognitive, and social/cultural roots that give rise to human experience. Additionally, the course will consider how behavior differs among people and across situations.

Bard College would like to thank our students, their families, and our alumni/ae for spending this time with us. Thanks also to everyone who worked so hard to make this weekend a success.

THANK A DONOR WALL | DONORS MAKE DEGREES HAPPEN

On behalf of the College, the Board of Trustees would like to thank all the individuals who made a donation to Bard between July 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024. Visit the Thank a Donor Wall in the Bertelsmann Campus Center.

We encourage all members of the Bard community to support the College and join the list for this fiscal year and every year.

Make a gift today online at giving.bard.edu.

Office of Development and Alumni/ae Affairs

alumni@bard.edu | families@bard.edu | families.bard.edu | alums.bard.edu

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Families and Friends

@bardfamilynetwork

Bard College Family Network

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For transportation information, visit blogs.bard.edu/transportation

Dining on Campus

Down the Road Café

Friday 8 am – midnight

Saturday 9 am – midnight

Sunday 9 am – midnight

Halal Brothers

Friday 11 am – 8 pm

Saturday 11 am– 8 pm

Sunday Noon – 8 pm

Kline Dining

Friday

Dinner 5-8 pm

Saturday and Sunday

Brunch 10 am – 5 pm

Dinner 5-8 pm

Support Our Local Bard Alumni/ae-Owned Businesses

Health and Wellness

Body Be Well Pilates

Chelsea Streifeneder ’06

7393 South Broadway Red Hook, NY 12571 bodybewellpilates.com 914-466-3173

Local Restaurants and Ice Cream Parlor

Bubby’s Take Away Kitchen

Bjanette Anderson ’99 19 W. Market St. Red Hook, NY 12571

845-758-8226

Fortunes Ice Cream

Brian Ackley ’02 and Lisa Farjan ’00 55 Broadway Tivoli, NY 12583 fortunesicecream.com 845-757-2899

Le Perche

Chef/Partner John Carr ’06 and Lindsay Davis Carr ’06

Nina Bachinski Gimmel ’05 230 Warren St. Hudson, NY 12534 leperchehudson.com 518- 822-1850

Lil’ Deb’s Oasis

Co-owned by chef Carla Perez-Gallardo ’10 747 Columbia St. Hudson, NY 12534 Lildebsoasis.com 518-828-4307

Santa Fe

David Weiss ’86 52 Broadway Tivoli, NY 12583 santafetivoli.com 845-757-4100

Swoon Kitchenbar

Nina Bachinski Gimmel ’05 340 Warren Street Hudson, NY 12534 swoonkitchenbar.com 518-822-8938

Local Products

Apis Apotheca

Aviva Tilson ’14 apisapotheca.com

Bjorn Qorn

Jamie O’Shea ’03 and Bjorn Quenemoen ’03 bjornqorn.com

Care Quarterly

Cocreated by Lilah Friedland ’93 carequarterly.com

E for Effort

Cocreated by Beka Goedde MFA ’12 eforefforteditions.com

Isobella Grubb-Kovach Fine Art

Isobella Grubb-Kovach ’22 instagram.com/bubbagrubb

Ogre Ceramics

Dusan Tynek ’97 etsy.com/shop/OgreCeramics

Overlook Mountain Herbs

Kristine Gentile Smith ’94 overlookmountainherbs.com

Taconic Trading Company

Emily Rubin ’78 taconictradingco.com

Retail

Hamel20, LLC

Kingston Consignments and Antiques Center

66 North Front Street Kingston, New York 12401 and Red Owl Collective 25 Cornell Street Kingston, NY 12401 hamel20.com

Hummingbird Jewelers

Peggy Lubman ’80 23A East Market Street

Rhinebeck, NY 12572 hummingbirdjewelers.com 845-876-4585

Pidgin Antiques and Objects

Kostas Anagnopoulos MFA ’99 7811 Route 81 Oak Hill, NY 12460 646-245-0226

Rhinebeck Antique Emporium & Appraisers

Jay Grutman ’83

5229 Albany Post Road (Route 9) Staatsburg, New York 12580 rhinebeckantiqueemporium.com 845-876-8168

Thrift 2 Fight

Jillian Reed ’21 and Masha Zabara ’21 48 Broadway Tivoli, NY 12583 thrift2fight.com 845-757-1019

Zephyr

Caitlin Millard ’09 28 East Market Street Rhinebeck, NY 12572 Zephyr-on-hudson.com 845-516-5128

Farms and Leisure

Atticus Farm

Kyle Jaster ’05 558 Watson Hollow Road West Shokan, NY 12494 atticusfarm.com 845-217-0834

Carrie Haddad Gallery

Carrie Haddad ’05 622 Warren Street Hudson, NY 12534 carriehaddadgallery.com 518-828-1915

Thomases Equestrian

Caroline Goodman-Thomases ’11

302 Pumpkin Lane Clinton Corners, NY 12514 thomasesequestrian.com 845-661-0796

Tivoli Sailing Company

Jerome Hollick ’02 tivolisailing.com 845-901-2697

LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT FOR BARD COLLEGE IN ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON

Developed in cooperation with the Stockbridge-Munsee Community

In the spirit of truth and equity, it is with gratitude and humility that we acknowledge that we are gathered on the sacred homelands of the Munsee and Muhheaconneok people, who are the original stewards of the land. Today, due to forced removal, the community resides in Northeast Wisconsin and is known as the Stockbridge-Munsee Community. We honor and pay respect to their ancestors past and present, as well as to future generations, and we recognize their continuing presence in their homelands. We understand that our acknowledgment requires those of us who are settlers to recognize our own place in and responsibilities toward addressing inequity, and that this ongoing and challenging work requires that we commit to real engagement with the Munsee and Mohican communities to build an inclusive and equitable space for all.

SLAVERY ACKNOWLEDGMENT

The College acknowledges that its origins are intertwined with slavery, which has shaped the United States and American institutions from the beginning. Starting in the 16th century, European traders trafficked approximately 12 million Africans to the Americas, where they were held as property and forced to work as enslaved laborers. Their descendants were also held as slaves in perpetuity. The exploitation of enslaved people was at the foundation of the economic development of New York and the Hudson Valley, including the land now composing the Bard College campus. In the early 18th century, Barent Van Benthuysen purchased most of this land and was a slave owner. Later owners of the property also relied on Black workers they held in bondage for material gain. Montgomery Place, which became part of the College in 2016, was a working farm during the 19th century that likewise profited from the labor of enslaved people. The founders of Bard College, John Bard (1819–99) and Margaret Johnston Bard (1825–75) inherited wealth from their families and used it to found the College. That inheritance was implicated in slavery on both sides. John’s grandfather Samuel Bard (1742–1821) owned slaves. His father William Bard (1778–1853) was the first president of the New York Life Insurance Company, which insured enslaved people as property. Margaret’s fortune derived from her father’s commercial firm, Boorman and Johnston, which traded in tobacco, sugar, and cotton produced by enslaved labor throughout the Atlantic World. Other early benefactors of the College, such as John Lloyd Aspinwall (1816–73), also derived a significant proportion of their wealth, which they donated to the College, from commercial ventures that depended on slavery. John and Margaret Bard devoted their lives and monies to educational pursuits. In his retirement John Aspinwall redirected his fortune and energies toward humanitarian pursuits. Recognition and redress of this history are due. As students, teachers, researchers, administrators, staff, and community members, we acknowledge the pervasive legacy of slavery and commit ourselves to the pursuit of equity and restorative justice for the descendants of enslaved people within the Bard community.