The Boston College
Chronicle Published by the Boston College Office of News & Public Affairs october 15, 2015 VOL. 23 no. 4
INSIDE court holds 2 •Federal session at BC Law •Plaques honor heritage scholarship winners
Faculty/Staff Survey Will Be Launched on Oct. 20
ALL AGLOW Boston College’s Homecoming celebration this past weekend included a fireworks display on Friday night. (Photo by Ben Heider ‘12)
By Jack Dunn Director of News & Public Affairs
3•McGillycuddy-Logue Center launches fellow-
ship program •Carolyn Lynch dies, was Lynch School co-benefactor and namesake •BCSSW hosts symposium on social work and neuroscience
Harrison on how 4 •CSOM’s workplace creativity can affect home life
Flibotte departs 5 •Peggy after 44 years
•Spangler sees human rights as key in IsraeliPalestinian conflict •Sociologist Hesse-Biber wins book award •Welles Crowther Red Bandanna 5K
School forum to 6 •Lynch look at immigration policy •Obituary: WCAS faculty member James Murphy Additions”; BC 7 •”Welcome in the Media; Nota Bene kicks off sea8 •Robsham son with “Carousel” •Showcase for five BC composers
BC Researcher: Reforms Not Helping Female Juveniles By Sean Hennessey Staff Writer
Juvenile justice reform nationwide has led to a decline in the number of youths being held in detention systems and in many states, even the closure of the largest and most troubled facilities. But juvenile reform doesn’t appear to be an equal opportunity
provider, according to a Boston College Law School researcher. A new study by Francine Sherman, a clinical associate professor and director of BC Law’s Juvenile Rights Advocacy Project, shows girls aged 13-18 years old are now making up a larger share of the juvenile justice population at every stage of the process. “Girls are being sidelined,” says
Sherman, lead author of Gender Injustice: System-Level Juvenile Justice Reforms for Girls. “They’re not benefitting from national juvenile justice reforms in the same way boys are.” The report [at www.nationalcrittenton.org/gender-injustice], co-authored with Annie Balck – a former BC Law School student Continued on page 4
Alumna Welcomes Her Role as Monan Professor By Rosanne Pellegrini Staff Writer
Regarded as a consummate modern entertainment professional, 1998 alumna Michelle Miller has often returned to Boston College in a professional capacity, and this academic year has joined the Theatre Department faculty as the Rev. J. Donald Monan, SJ, Professor in Theatre Arts. An accomplished actor, singer, arts educator, filmmaker and activist, Miller has performed in off-Broadway shows, in the International Fringe Festival, at New York City’s Lincoln Center and the Sundance Film Festival. As a founding member of Any Minute Now Productions in New York City, she performed and produced “The Triumph of Love The Musical,” “John & Jen” and “Hello Again!” She also has sung with the New Haven Symphony, Kansas
Monan Professor in Theatre Arts Michelle Miller ’98 at a recent rehearsal for the upcoming production of “Carousel.”(Photo by Lee Pellegrini)
City Jazz Orchestra and Boston Pops under the batons of John Williams, Marvin Hamlisch and Keith Lockhart. “Michelle Miller is an exciting choice for the 2015-2016 Monan
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Professorship,” says Theatre Department Chair and Associate Professor Crystal Tiala. “She is an extraordinary actress, singer, filmmaker, and teacher with enormous compassion Continued on page 6
To increase understanding of the work climate and overall professional experiences of all Boston College employees, the University will conduct a survey of its faculty and staff beginning Oct. 20. The Faculty, Staff Experience Survey, which was co-commissioned by the provost and dean of faculties, vice president for human resources and vice president for planning and assessment, is designed to measure employees’ experiences within the work environment at Boston College, with the goal of improving the overall employee experience. The survey will solicit feedback from faculty and staff on a range of topics, and enable BC employees to anonymously share their experiences in the hope of enhancing employee satisfaction. “This survey plays an important role in a campus culture of assessment and continuous improvement,” said Vice President for Planning and Assessment Kelli Armstrong. “We hope to hear from as many voices as possible in our community, and the information gathered will be invaluable as we both celebrate those areas where we excel and work to improve those areas requiring greater support.” A survey of BC employees was last conducted in 2006. The October survey will be the first formal assessment of faculty work experiences at Boston College. “At Boston College, we take pride in our talented faculty who excel in teaching and research,” said Provost and Dean of Faculties David Quigley. “The last seven years have brought a historic wave of new additions to the faculty. This initial faculty survey will help us to understand better the experiences of our Continued on page 3
“There are so many potential avenues for social work and neuroscience to work together, in research, training, education and other areas. To our knowledge, there had never been a formal opportunity for professionals representing these disciplines to meet and discuss their common interests.” –Asst. Prof. Jessica Black (BCSSW), page 3
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HOLDING COURT Boston College Law School paid host to a session of the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals last week, providing a rare chance for the Law School community to see one of the country’s more unique appellate courts in action. The three-judge panel heard
sociate Professor David Olson, who helped organize the event. “This is a rare opportunity, and we were very pleased to be able to make it happen. While the Federal Circuit has authority to have sittings in places outside its court building, it has not done so
(L-R) Federal Circuit Court of Appeals judges Kimberley Moore, Sharon Prost and Evan Wallach with Assoc. Prof. David Olson (Law) at a Q&A session following the court’s hearing at the Law School last week. (Photo by Christopher Soldt)
oral arguments for two hours on Oct. 6 in the school’s East Wing building. Four cases were presented, three of them related to patent infringement and one concerning a veteran’s claim. The Federal Circuit is the only appeals court that has its jurisdiction based wholly upon subject matter rather than geographic location. The court hears certain appeals from all of the United States District Courts, appeals from certain administrative agencies, and appeals arising under certain statutes. Its jurisdiction includes the US Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board and US International Trade Commission. Although the court occupies the Howard Markey National Courts Building in Washington, DC, it occasionally sits in locations outside Washington. And when BC Law learned the Federal Circuit had decided to hold hearings in the Boston area, the school invited the court to have its session on Newton Campus. “It is a considerable honor to get to host the Federal Circuit as it hears oral arguments on real cases,” says BC Law As-
in a few years because of budget constraints from sequestration. “Given that it’s a relatively small court, hears cases one week per month, and only meets outside its courthouse in DC occasionally, it is rare for a law school to get to host the court.” The court will now return to Washington, where the judges will begin writing opinions on the four cases heard at BC Law; the opinions will likely be issues in the next few months, according to Olson. After the court finished its sitting, the judges participated in a Q&A moderated by Olson, at which students were able to pose questions. In addition to discussing the process by which the court decides cases and assigns opinions to be written, the judges talked about how students might become judicial clerks. The judges also gave some advice on the best ways to make appellate arguments in front of the court, says Olson: Do your homework, know the record forward and back, and don’t make rhetorical or emotional arguments to the panel. –Sean Smith
Director of NEWS & Public Affairs Jack Dunn Deputy Director of NEWS & Public AFFAIRS Patricia Delaney Editor Sean Smith
Contributing Staff Melissa Beecher Ed Hayward Sean Hennessey Rosanne Pellegrini Kathleen Sullivan Michael Maloney Photographers Gary Gilbert Lee Pellegrini
LASTING HONORS The O’Neill Library foyer now displays three plaques that pay tribute to Boston College’s heritage scholarship winners. The plaques include the name and image of the scholarships’ namesakes – Martin Luther King Jr., Archbishop Oscar A. Romero, and Benigno and Corazon Aquino – and the names of all undergraduate winners since each award was established. Subsequent recipients – who receive these awards during their junior years — will be added annually. Each plaque features an inspirational quote attributed to the scholarship namesake: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” (King); “Aspire not to have more, but to be more” (Archbishop Romero); “I would rather die a meaningful death than lead a meaningless life” (Benigno and Corazon Aquino). Some 50 BC faculty, administrators, and students gathered on Sept. 30 for a dedication ceremony, at which the permanent tributes were unveiled by their current scholarship holders, now seniors: Cai Thomas (MLK), Ricardo Alberto (Romero) and Howie Kim (Aquino). Provost and Dean of Faculties David Quigley told the group it was fitting that the University recognize in a visible way these outstanding
(L-R) Seniors Howie Kim, Cai Thomas and Ricardo Alberto at the unveiling of plaques honoring BC scholarship winners. (Photo by Duncan Johnson)
students, both for their personal accomplishments and contributions to the BC community. University Librarian Thomas Wall said that as the heart of the University, the library was the perfect place to honor these scholars. He noted that the plaques will been seen by all who cross the library’s threshold (last year, more than 1.5 million students and visitors passed through the O’Neill entrance), and will serve as an inspiration for future generations of students. Thea Bowman AHANA and Intercultural Center Director Ines Maturana Sendoya emphasized the importance for students of color on campus to see this recognition of contributions to the University made by students from diverse cultural backgrounds.
Each of the scholarships’ namesakes “is from a different cultural background and heritage, but has given their life in the pursuit of social justice,” Associate Vice Provost J. Joseph Burns told Chronicle. “The plaques honor students who have excelled academically, but have also strengthened the different cultural communities they represent on campus and expanded the participation of those student communities in developing a fuller, richer educational experience for all Boston College students,” he said. “It is important for any community to honor the ‘stars’ of its past who helped make it what it is, but it is also important to hold these young scholars up as inspirational role models for generations of BC students to come.” —Rosanne Pellegrini
FELLOWS WITH A GLOBAL VIEW A new program being launched this fall will offer Boston College sophomores the opportunity to explore community service and social justice with a strong international perspective. The McGillycuddy-Logue Fellows (MLF) Program, sponsored through the McGillycuddyLogue Center for Undergraduate Global Studies in coordination with the Office of International Programs, will integrate academics, international and domestic experiential learning, and individual and community development to help students become more globally conscious, the center announced in a recent release. Applications for the program are due today, and can be found online at http://bit.ly/1LUpVSX.
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Successful applicants will be expected to complete all MLF Program components before graduation, including two threecredit MLF Program courses, two cohort retreats, and an international service placement. Students can complete the international component by volunteering during a study-abroad semester junior year. “The MLF Program is relevant for any sophomore students who would like to achieve a more comprehensive understanding of social justice, connect their interest in service to academic and professional pursuits, serve reflectively in both local and international communities, and be challenged by BC faculty and peers,” the center announced.
The program will be limited to 10 to 12 students, so as to create a close-knit cohort of participants with diverse backgrounds who will work together to develop intellectual, social, and intercultural skills that “will prepare them to become agents for change in the world.” Students from all academic majors are encouraged to apply and no prior service or leadership experience is required. The program is named in honor of the center’s benefactors, Kathleen M. McGillycuddy NC’71, former president of Boston College’s Board of Trustees, and her husband, Ronald E. Logue ’67, MBA’74, former CEO of State Street Corp. –Office of News & Public Affairs
The Boston College Chronicle (USPS 009491), the internal newspaper for faculty and staff, is published biweekly from September to May by Boston College, with editorial offices at the Office of News & Public Affairs, 14 Mayflower Road, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467 (617)552-3350. Distributed free to faculty and staff offices and other locations on campus. Periodicals postage paid at Boston, MA and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: send address changes to The Boston College Chronicle, Office of News & Public Affairs, 14 Mayflower Road, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467.
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Chronicle october 15, 2015
obituary
Carolyn Lynch, BC Parent and Benefactor Carolyn Lynch, a proud Boston College parent, honorary degree recipient and generous University benefactor who, along with her husband Peter, was the namesake of the Carolyn A. and Peter S. Lynch School of Education, died of complications from leukemia on Oct. 1. She was 69. The daughter of a teacher and school administrator, Mrs. Lynch was a tireless advocate on behalf of Catholic schools, inner-city schools and the teaching profession. She received papal honors in recognition of her commitment to Catholic education, and her and Peter’s 1999 gift of more than $10 million to Boston College reflected their unwavering belief in the importance of investing in education for the benefit of society. At the time of their gift, then the largest in the history of Boston College, Mrs. Lynch explained to the Boston College Chronicle the motivation behind their decision. “Peter and I wanted to invest in the field to which our parents committed their professional lives and where we knew it would bring the greatest return on investment,” she said. “For us, the school’s special strength is that it is helping children to succeed at the primary and secondary levels. BC generates teachers who do this every day.” In 2010, the Lynches also donated $20 million to BC to establish the Lynch Leadership Academy – the first program in the nation to jointly train and support new principals from Catholic, public and charter schools. “Principals have one of the most demanding and important jobs in America,” said Mrs. Lynch at the time of the announcement. “My father was a lifelong educator and principal, so I know how critical it is that they receive the best training and support available. The Lynch Leadership Academy will use the resources of the Lynch School and Boston College to prepare the next generation of leaders for our Catholic, public and charter schools.” The Lynches, along with late BC Trustee Thomas Flatley, also funded the highly successful Urban Catholic Teachers Corps, which has trained more than 150 urban Catholic School teachers in the Boston area through a two-year program that includes practicum training and a graduate degree from the Lynch School. University President William P. Leahy, SJ, expressed his condolences to the Lynch family on behalf of the BC community. “Carolyn believed in the im-
Carolyn Lynch, along with her husband Peter, was namesake of the Lynch School of Education.
portance of education and was deeply committed to its advancement,” said Fr. Leahy. “Along with her husband Peter, she has left a lasting legacy at Boston College.” “Carolyn Lynch was a longstanding champion of education,” said Lynch School Dean Maureen E. Kenny. “She honored her father’s legacy as a teacher and K-12 principal with her generosity to the Lynch School. By naming the school, being a founder of the Urban Catholic Teachers Corps, and launching the Lynch Leadership Academy, Carolyn and Peter infused resources in our school that enable us to be national leaders in preparing highly effective professionals in education and applied psychology.” Former Lynch School Dean Joseph O’Keefe, SJ, who knew Mrs. Lynch not only through the Lynch School but as a weekend assistant at her parish, Star of the Sea in Marblehead, described her as loving wife, mother and grandmother. “Carolyn was a woman of great faith, which manifested itself in her generosity,” said Fr. O’Keefe. “She and Peter were
a wonderful couple, deeply in love with each other. She will be sorely missed.” As founder and president of the Lynch Foundation, Mrs. Lynch was a firm believer in entrepreneurial investing, which she described as “planting seeds for worthy causes that can take off, be replicated and provide the maximum good for people in need.” Among the many worthy causes to which she directed her and Peter’s philanthropic outreach were education, health care, culture and religion. The Lynches were among the first major supporters of City Year, Teach for America, Americares, Mass Mentoring and Partners in Health. Locally, the Catholic Schools Foundation, Catholic Charities, the Campus School of Boston College, the Boys and Girls Club of Boston, the New England Conservatory of Music, the Museum of Fine Arts and the Peabody Museum were among many organizations that benefitted from their benevolence. Mrs. Lynch’s 2009 Boston College honorary degree citation reads in part: “A believer in entrepreneurial investing, she has supported worthy causes that have helped to overcome some of society’s most monumental needs. She has travelled the world as a religious pilgrim and relief worker, and continues to work as an agent of change.” The citation also described her as a devoted wife, loving mother, and caring grandmother, who was an influential trustee on countless boards, as well as a world champion bridge player. In addition to her husband, Mrs. Lynch leaves three daughters, including 2001 BC alumna Anne Carolyn Lynch Lukowski. –Jack Dunn
Boston College fans of all ages came to “FanFest” this past Saturday, prior to the Eagles’ contest against Wake Forest in Alumni Stadium. The family-friendly event takes place before each home football game. (Photo by Duncan Johnson)
BC to Survey Faculty and Staff Continued from page 1 faculty, and to design programs and make future investments that will enable them to thrive.” Vice President for Human Resources David Trainor sees the survey as an extension of the University’s commitment to assisting employees in their professional development. “Boston College is a special place because of the people who are here, how they interact with one another, and how they show their concern for their colleagues,” said Trainor. “This survey is another tool for us to get a sense of what is important and what we should be focused on regarding the development of our employees.” Jessica Greene, director of institutional research and assessment, said the survey will be offered confidentially in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French and Chinese to more than 3,000 BC faculty, staff and administrators, both online and through a paper version for employees without access to computers. It will comprise approximately 60 questions and should take 10-15 minutes to complete. The results of the survey will be disseminated to the University community in the spring.
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“The online tool used to administer the survey will offer complete confidentiality and anonymity to respondents since there will be no link between individuals and their feedback; in addition, all results will only be presented in summary form,” said Greene. “While it is expected that many will respond to the electronic version of the survey, a paper format will also be available. Finally, in an effort to emphasize the importance of collecting input from all of Boston College’s employees, participants will be eligible to receive one of 20 $50 American Express gift cards as a means of saying ‘thanks’ for offering their valued and candid feedback.” Trainor says that Boston College hopes to conduct an experience survey every few years with this year’s survey serving as a baseline for future assessments. “I believe in the value of surveys to help focus our professional outreach efforts,” said Trainor. “We are committed to making the BC work experience as satisfying as possible for all of our employees.” Contact Jack Dunn at jack.dunn@bc.edu
BCSSW Symposium Explores Social Work-Neuroscience Collaboration A groundbreaking symposium hosted earlier this month by the Boston College School of Social Work could foster closer links between the fields of social work and neuroscience, according to the event’s primary organizer. “There are so many potential avenues for social work and neuroscience to work together, in research, training, education and other areas,” said symposium chair BCSSW Assistant Professor Jessica Black, interviewed last week. “To our knowledge, there had never been a formal opportunity for professionals representing these disciplines to meet and discuss their common interests. We felt that having a small-scale symposium would be a good beginning.” Twenty-four scholars, researchers and educators attended the symposium, “Intersections,” held Oct. 2 and 3, where they participated in full and small-group discussions and heard keynote speakers, including Vice Provost for Research and Academic Planning Thomas Chiles and Massachusetts Institute of Technology neuroscientist John Gabrieli – in whose cognitive neuroscience lab Black worked as a doctoral student at Stanford University. Black’s research integrates neuroimaging, standard neuropsychological behavioral testing, and environmental measures. She and her colleagues believe that the brain data can be used to develop improved methodologies for detecting and treating certain psychological behaviors and conditions in
children at risk for school failure. It is this model of blended disciplines that Black and other symposium participants hope can be replicated on a larger scale. “The idea was to first get a sense of everyone’s backgrounds and interests, and the emerging research questions in social work that might have relevance in neuroscience, and vice-versa,” she said. “That set the table for discussions on linking the two fields, and for small-group sessions to match up people with similar areas of research. “The final part of the symposium concerned implementation and future direction: What will collaborations, training, research papers and other activities look like?” BCSSW Dean Alberto Godenzi added, “Social work has for a long time claimed to have a biopsychosocial lens without really paying too much attention to the ‘bio’ part of that perspective. Taking into account how our brains develop under a variety of circumstances adds great value to our understanding of human behavior in the social environment. I firmly believe that intersections between neuroscience and social work will lead to important new insights for both disciplines and I am proud that our own Jessica Black is taking a leadership role in this new area of study.” [Read a feature story on Black’s research in the current edition of BC Social Work Magazine, at bcsocialworkmagazine.com.] –Sean Smith
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vironment – perhaps facing violence at home or deprivation in her community — and has few social supports, she doesn’t have the kind of support she needs to comply with rules. That’s why she’s in the system to begin with. “So she’s likely to violate those rules, and violating probation results in her detention. When she continues to violate rules or reacts to the trauma of detention she now finds herself in, it creates a cycle: ‘We told you to do this, you didn’t do it, and we’re locking you up.’ It’s an escalating process.” The juvenile system also lacks the tools to handle girls appropriately, the report finds, and the reforms being implemented are generic, rather than tailored to the issues that are driving girls into the system. “What you want is to promote a healthy, productive, positive adulthood, and that’s not going
Lee Pellegrini
Continued from page 1 of Sherman’s – and released in partnership with The National Crittenton Foundation, found sizeable increases in girls’ representation throughout the juvenile justice system over the past two decades. For example, girls made up 20 percent of arrests in 1992, yet in 2012, they represented 29 percent, an increase of almost 50 percent. In addition, among girls 13-18 court caseloads and detentions both grew by 40 percent, while post-adjudication placement rose by 42 percent. The daunting numbers raise the obvious question, says Sherman: How can juvenile justice reforms be modified to better address the needs of girls and their pathways into, and through, the system? “It’s kind of an old story in a way,” says Sherman, a nationally recognized expert on girls in the juvenile justice system. “Juvenile justice has always been a ‘boys’ thing’ – delinquency has always been primarily boys, and all the discussion and reforms have been based on the male population. The systems are just not modifying reforms to address the needs of girls, even though they have a better understanding of those needs than ever before.” The report pointed to two related problems: Girls find themselves experiencing concentrated trauma and adversity, which affects how they enter the juvenile justice system, and reforms are failing to directly address what girls need once they are in the system. “Natural responses to trauma become pathways into the juvenile justice system,” say Sherman. “You respond to trauma by running away, and you get picked up for that. You respond to trauma by fighting defensively at home, and you get arrested for that. That’s how they are entering and moving through the system. “The fact is the vast, vast majority of girls in the system are no threat to the public safety. Most are arrested for misdemeanors and misbehavior.” Strict codes of conduct are often the main reason why girls sink deeper and deeper into a system that has little flexibility or tolerance for transgressions, says Sherman. “A girl may be arrested for trespassing or shoplifting, for example. She is then given probation with conditions such as a curfew, a prohibition against drugs, and attending school without incident. But because the girl is living in a difficult en-
Francine Sherman
to happen through incarceration or a criminal justice response,” says Sherman. “The system really needs to focus on shoring up girls’ home and community environments. Help girls identify and build relationships with social support in their communities – supports that are going to be different than the social supports for boys. That’s the kind of thing that’s missing.” Among the study’s recommendations: Stop criminalizing behaviors related to damaging environments that are out of a young girl’s control; limit secure confinement of girls, which is costly, leads to poor outcomes, and re-traumatizes vulnerable girls; and engage girls’ families throughout the juvenile justice process. “Juvenile prisons and secure detention are expensive, they do not work, and they make things worse,” says Sherman. “The bottom line is, we do not want kids dependent on courts and juvenile justices. We want them integrated into their communities.”
Lee Pellegrini
BC Law’s Sherman says Justice System Failing Female Juveniles
Innovation doesn’t just happen, says Spencer Harrison: Someone has to do the work to come up with ideas for Google Glasses, hoverboards and driverless cars. But if creative people don’t work in a way that’s sustainable, he warns, “eventually we won’t have those ideas anymore because things begin to break down.”
Being Creative About Work/Home Balance By Sean Hennessey Staff Writer
Home may be where the heart is, but it may not be a very happy place if you expend all your creativity at work, according to a Boston College researcher. A new study co-authored by Carroll School of Management Associate Professor Spencer Harrison shows that people who use a lot of energy being creative – and without sufficient guidance or direction – seldom have any left for engagement with spouses. Those who are given some structure for their workplace creativity, meanwhile, are more likely to enjoy a better home life. “Spilling Outside the Box: The Effects of Individuals’ Creative Behaviors at Work on Time Spent with their Spouses at Home,” which Harrison and University of Oregon Assistant Professor of Management David Wagner published in the Academy of Management Journal, was based on nearly 700 responses from more than 100 worker-spouse couples. “This study was an attempt to answer the question, ‘If you’re creative at work, what does that do to your home life?’” says Harrison, a member of the Organization and Management Department. “What we’re suggesting here is the really fun, innovative parts of creativity where you’re entering this infinite space of possibilities, they’re very resource-greedy. So they’re going to chew up a lot of your brain space.” And that’s where work-related creativity and home life collide, say the authors: “When one is mentally wrapped up in a given domain, that individual will find it difficult to mentally engage in a new domain,” according to the study. The researchers say their study illustrates the hypothesis known as resource allocation theory – that we have a finite amount of intellectual energy to use every day: “Individuals can allocate their cognitive energy to a task, but doing
so depletes their stock of cognitive resources available for subsequent tasks.” Therefore, Harrison and Wagner say, individuals need to make choices about how they spend their time because devoting energy to one activity “necessarily comes at the expense of another.” When workers receive some evaluation and direction – what Harrison and Wagner call idea validation – that helps shape ideas and focus the creative effort, there will be a positive impact on their home lives. “The feedback is going to kill some of those paths you might have been thinking about, so you have a narrower range of possibilities,” Harrison explains. “You’re not using as much of your cognitive energy trying to think about what you can create. So when you come home, you have more mental resources available for your family. That means you spend more time with your spouse at home and you have more relationship satisfaction, and more life satisfaction.” Encouraging creativity is always a topic of interest in the workplace, but Harrison says little research has been done on the social costs of how that mental expenditure affects the person, and those around him or her. Aware-
ness of the issue is critical, he adds, especially by the managers of creative people. “Sometimes we forget there are people behind those ideas, who are putting in really long hours to create the Google Glasses, or hover-boards, or driverless cars. You can’t harvest fruits and crops from a garden without somebody doing the work, and the same is true for creativity. So if we aren’t paying attention to the workers themselves, and making sure they’re working in a way that’s sustainable, then eventually we won’t have those ideas anymore because things begin to break down.” Critique, as uncomfortable and threatening as it can be for a creative idea not yet fully formed, is a key solution for managers, Harrison says. “This study says that feedback, even though it feels uncomfortable for people, can be hugely beneficial – not just in the short term but also in the long run – because it’s helping preserve important relationships,” he explains, “and it’s helping to preserve on a dayto-day basis some brain space for them to go home and keep those relationships healthy.” Contact Sean Hennessey at sean.hennessey@bc.edu
The Division of Student Affairs held its annual Ice Cream Social earlier this fall in Maloney Hall. (Photo by Lee Pellegrini)
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Chronicle october 15, 2015
Information Technology Services Production and Data Services Manager Margaret (Peggy) Flibotte held the type of behindthe-scenes role that is essential to keeping operations running smoothly at the University. Flibotte’s job responsibilities included setting up, executing and monitoring University business processes. These business processes affect numerous divisions at BC, including Student Services, Admission, Finance, Human Resources and University Advancement. She was responsible for some 2,500 reports that are generated every night. After a dedicated 44-year career at Boston College, she retired on Sept. 30. “Peggy is one of the unsung heroes of Boston College,” said Leo Chaharyn, technical director for ITS Systems & Operations Management. “Her job has required her to know intricate details of the work that ITS does daily to keep the University running. “She makes this look amazingly easy,” added Chaharyn. “Her quiet, confident style will truly be missed.” “Peggy is an incredibly dependable and productive professional,” said Vice President for Information Technology Michael Bourque. “She has been responsive to all sorts of technical needs at any time of day or night. We could always count on her.” Flibotte had been a part of ITS’ Production Services since
1987. When she first began in her post, the work was entirely a hands-on job. “Operators had to touch every job at least three times during the night, set up and monitor it, take action and read documentation,” she recalled.
Lee Pellegrini
By Kathleen Sullivan Staff Writer
Flibotte managed the evolution of BC’s production scheduling operation from a time-consuming manual process to an efficient, reliable automated system. “It was amazing when production first went [computerized],” she said. Flibotte also oversaw the bulk e-mails sent out by the University and position-based security. “There is a security map tied to each position, so when someone leaves the University, they lose the access and when someone goes into the position, they gain the access.” She began her career at the Heights in December of 1968, after a friend of hers who worked at BC suggested she take a job at the University. Her first job was
in the computer room in Gasson Hall. She took some time off when she had her son and then returned to work at the Controller’s Office. Flibotte was part of the Controller’s Office for 17 years, serving as manager of financial systems. She oversaw the transition from keypunch machines to an online system. Despite the technological advances, Flibotte stressed that the
During her 44 years with Information Technology Services, Margaret (Peggy) Flibotte set up key business processes for numerous BC divisions. need for good communication is one thing that has not changed. “It’s still important that everyone keeps everyone in the loop.” Asked what she liked most about working at BC, Flibotte responded, “I love the feeling at BC, the sense of community. I feel very grateful that I always got to do what I was good at. The people I work with are great. The people in the administrative offices are so knowledgeable.” Though she is looking forward to doing some traveling now that she has retired, Flibotte says she will miss campus life. “Come the fall, it feels so good when you hear the band playing and it’s the start of school. I’ll miss that.” Contact Kathleen Sullivan at kathleen.sullivan@bc.edu
Hesse-Biber Earns Alpha Sigma Nu Book Honor Professor of Sociology Sharlene Hesse-Biber has been recognized by Alpha Sigma Nu, the honor society for Jesuit higher education institutions, with a 2015 Alpha Sigma Nu Book Award for her book, Waiting for Cancer to Come: Women’s Experiences with Genetic Testing and Medical Decision Making for Breast and Ovarian Cancer. Hesse-Biber’s publication is one of only four winners, representing the 31 Jesuit colleges and universities in the United States, Canada and South Korea. This year’s awards recognize excellence in publishing in the sciences. Waiting for Cancer to Come tells the stories of women who have tested positive for the BRCA1/BRCA2 gene mutations, which indicate a higher risk of developing breast and ovarian
cancer. Using the voices of the women themselves to describe the under-explored BRCA experience, Hesse-Biber highlights the emotional, social, economic and psychological factors at play in women’s decisions about testing and cancer prevention. “I want to share this book award with all the women in my research study who have related to me their inspiring genetic testing and hereditary cancer narratives,” said Hesse-Biber. “Thanks to Alpha Sigma Nu for their recognition of my work and my heartfelt appreciation to Boston College for their ongoing research support that spurs me to continue along my research path.” [Hesse-Biber discussed her book in a 2014 Boston College Chronicle story, available at
http://bit.ly/1zgKcgk] The judging panel described Waiting for Cancer to Come as “beautifully written, with serious attention to science and a welcome focus on the inevitably ethical dimensions of scientific progress and the role of politics and economics in shaping it.” Established in 1979, the Alpha Sigma Nu Jesuit Book Awards recognize outstanding publishing achievement at Jesuit colleges and universities in the humanities, the sciences, and professional studies. Books are judged on the basis of scholarship, significance of the topic and its continuing importance to scholars in several disciplines, mastery of extensive literature, research findings, authority in interpretation, objectivity and readability. —Kathleen Sullivan
Spangler: Human Rights Framework Needed to Resolve Israeli-Palestinian Conflict By Kathleen Sullivan Staff Writer
For many, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict seems intractable. But for Professor of Sociology Eve Spangler, a resolution to the conflict seems a possibility if parties are willing to approach the situation from a human rights platform. Her new book, Understanding Israel/Palestine: Race, Nation, and Human Rights in the Conflict, is both an introduction to the conflict and a call to action for human rights advocates and ordinary citizens to be part of a conversation about finding a resolution. “A human rights framework should be used as a basis of conflict resolution. It’s the only just way,” said Spangler. “There are 12.2 million people living between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. They all have equal human worth, but are living unequally. “We can choose to decide that everyone who is here gets to stay here. Everybody gets to be treated equally, decently. Nobody gets pushed into the sea.” Spangler cites her family’s history with the destructive power of hatred, injustice and inequality as one of the reasons she feels strongly about applying a human rights standard to this conflict. Spangler is the daughter of two Holocaust survivors. Her grandmother was killed and her uncles were in concentration camps. Her mother was the head chaperone on one of the last children’s trains that was allowed to leave, taking 27 children to safety. “I’m not taking one side over the other. I’m taking the side of human rights. My focus is on the now and the future, not the past.”
Lee Pellegrini
‘Unsung Hero’ Flibotte Retires from ITS
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Eve Spangler
Each fall, Spangler leads a seminar titled Human Rights and Social Justice in Israel/Palestine, which is open to students across disciplines. The students read about conflict resolution and human rights and learn the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, both political and economic. Every semester break, she accompanies the students on an immersion trip to the region. One hundred students have participated in the trip since 2008. She estimates that about 10 percent of the students have made return trips. “So many people talk about this conflict, but have not visited the area,” said Spangler. “My students visit the holy sites, pass through the checkpoints, attend talks by activists and meet the people living in the region. They see suffering, but also resilience. It’s an extraordinary trip.” The students are assigned to do a project that will educate people about the conflict and invite people to advocate for human rights, on campus and beyond. “The real work for a just resolution is here in the US, spreading knowledge and encouraging action,” she added. “The situation is serious, but not hopeless.”
Red Bandanna 5K Run Is Oct. 24 The annual Welles Remy Crowther Red Bandanna 5k Run, a major fall campus event with a following that extends well beyond the community of Boston College, will take place Oct. 24. Thousands of runners, walkers and onlookers turn out each year for the race, which is held in memory of Welles Crowther ’99, who became known as “the Man in the Red Bandanna” for his heroism on 9/11. The event, co-organized through BC’s Volunteer and Service Learning Center, raises fund for the Welles Remy Crowther Charitable Trust, established by the Crowther family to provide scholarships and support organizations that assist young people in their pursuit of excellence. Race day check-in and registration takes place from 7 to 8:15 a.m. at Lyons Dining Hall, followed by a pre-race welcome from the Crowther family; registration also is available online at https://racewire.com/register.php?id=5022. The 5K begins at 9 a.m. in front of the Gasson Hall eagle. For more information and links about the 5K and the Crowther Charitable Trust, see http://www.bc.edu/offices/service/welles5k.html. –Office of News & Public Affairs
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LSOE Forum on Immigration Policy Lynch School of Education faculty will discuss the realities of US immigration policy, as highlighted by the experiences of newly arrived immigrant children and families whose members achieve varying degrees of legal status, at a Lynch School colloquium on Oct. 20 at noon in Campion 139. Hon. David S. Nelson Professor Anderson J. Franklin will chair the event, titled “Lessons for Immigration Policy from Newcomer Youth and Mixed Status Families,” the first in the Lynch School’s Endowed Chairs and Policy Committee Colloqui-
um Series, which focuses on education policy in the 21st century. Joining Franklin as the featured speakers will be Professor Brinton Lykes and Associate Professor Leigh Patel. Lykes, whose research interests include immigration and the effects of deportation, is associate director of the Center for Human Rights and International Justice. Patel, whose studies a range of sociological issues in education, is the author of the 2013 book Youth Held at the Border: Immigration, Education and the Politics of Inclusion. –Ed Hayward
OB I TUARY
James Murphy, Woods College Faculty Member and Author
A memorial Mass be will be held on Nov. 13 for James F. Murphy Jr. ’58, a Korean War veteran turned novelist who taught for 28 years in the Woods College of Advancing Studies. Prof. Murphy died on Sept. 27 after a long illness. He was 83. The Mass for Prof. Murphy will take place at noon in Our Lady’s Parish, 573 Washington Street, Newton. Prof. Murphy was a self-described “dogface” private who fought in Korea with the 7th Infantry Division during the last several months of the war. His experiences as a soldier would serve as an inspiration and basis for his writing, and he went on to publish war-themed novels including Quonsett, Night Watcher, The Mill, They Were Dreamers and The Green Box. But Prof. Murphy not only wrote; he taught others how to write. His teaching career spanned more than five decades and included stints in South Boston, Hopkinton, Natick, Sandwich – he served as head of the high school’s English Department there – and the Massachusetts Maritime Academy, where he established the school’s first drama program, as well as at Woods College, where he taught creative writing and Irish literature. One of Prof. Murphy’s students was Marty Walsh, who graduated from Woods College in 2009 and four years later was elected mayor of Boston. In 2010, the Woods College established a scholarship in Prof. Murphy’s name, in recognition of his making a difference in the lives of his students. All the while, Prof. Murphy’s continued to write. His widely published essay “Freedom Village,” an eyewitness account of a prisoner exchange at the end of the Korean War, was submitted by a reader to an anthology of veterans’ stories, Chicken Soup for the Veteran’s Soul,
James F. Murphy Jr. ’58
that was released in 2001. “Freedom Village” was chosen as the lead essay for the anthology. “The editor told me it was a toss-up between me and John McCain,” Prof. Murphy told the Chronicle. A few months before his death, Prof. Murphy completed a World War I-era novel titled After They’ve Seen Paree. A Newton, Mass., native, Prof. Murphy first attended the BC Evening College as a part-time student, but was drafted into the Army in 1952, and shipped out to Korea in the spring of 1953. He took part in the second battle of Pork Chop Hill, on July 4, a little more than three weeks before a truce was signed to stop the fighting. Prof. Murphy is survived by his wife, Margaret; their children Nina, Joanna Swanson, Ted – who now teaches his creative writing class at the Woods College – Sarah, Courtney and Seton; and two grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Scholarship Association of Falmouth, P.O. Box 369, Falmouth, Mass., 02541 with the notation Jim and Margaret Murphy Scholarship. –Sean Smith Read the full obituary at http://bit. ly/1JOQ932
Miller Relishing Her Return
Continued from page 1 for humanitarian causes. She is a shining example of what a Boston College education is all about and the quintessential role model for our students.” Miller has blended her theater training and professional development skills with a commitment to service and activist work, becoming a highly regarded arts educator and leader. A producer, photographer and scriptwriter, she has been involved with award-winning non-profit educational film company Project Explorer. She produced, filmed and storyboarded “The Castle Project,” a documentary about Colorado’s infamous “haunted mansion” that was featured at 2013 Cannes Film Festival. Miller was nominated for six Heartland Emmy Awards as a producer and photographer for the PBS adventure sports series “The Rocky Mountain Experience,” which won the Nevada Film Festival’s Best Television Pilot award for 2013. Also active in humanitarian and philanthropic efforts, Miller served as vice-chair on the board for Artists Striving to End Poverty (ASTEP), a non-profit which connects artists with underserved youth around the world (ASTEP has a BC chapter). She produced 18 concerts with award-winning composers and Tony-nominated performers to help benefit ASTEP’s international service projects. Miller also has taken several extended service trips to a rural community in India for the Shanti Bhavan Children’s Project. As Monan Professor, Miller is directing Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Carousel,” which opens next week [see page 8], and teaching an advanced musical theater performance class that explores how to embody a character through personalizing the text and freeing the natural voice; she uses a one-on-one approach to identify and work through physical and emotional blocks unique to each student. “I’ve worn a lot of hats in my professional life but there is no greater privilege, joy or greater responsibility than teaching,” Miller says. “To be entrusted with a person’s growth is something I take very seriously and my Boston College students show up hungry to learn and eager to stretch themselves. There is a tangible, mutual respect that makes the classroom we share a pretty magical place that even I couldn’t have anticipated.” “Michelle has a brilliant way of uncovering how each of her students learn individually and provides us with the personalized teaching methods we need to thrive both in class and on stage,” says
“I’ve worn a lot of hats in my professional life but there is no greater privilege, joy or greater responsibility than teaching,” says Monan Professor in Theatre Arts Michelle Miller ’98. (Photo by Lee Pellegrini)
theatre major Christy Coco ’17, who has a lead role in “Carousel.” “She is a person with the rare gift of deep compassion and empathy and uses it in her work to make me constantly feel safe, which allows me to be vulnerable, fearless and honest, and consistently produce art that I am proud of.” Miller also is collaborating with theater students, professors and guest artists. She is vocal coach for the November production “Big Love” and consultant for the new Irish musical “Learning How to Drown,” which will be staged in February and is written by actor and singer Patricia Noonan ’07. Miller also is a guest lecturer in Tiala’s Independent Television course and will offer vocal performance workshops open to all BC students. She explains, “I love the day-today interaction with students and staff,” says Miller. “‘Carousel’ is the culmination of so many things I love: music, teaching, initiating safe and thoughtful dialogue about difficult subjects, directing students with specificity that enables them to trust their own instincts and then bringing it all to life.” “Michelle promotes an atmosphere in the rehearsal room,
and among everyone involved, of love and positivity. Everyone is respected and valued and praised, but encouraged to do even better the next rehearsal,” says “Carousel” stage manager Caitlin Mason ’16, an English and theatre major. “She really manages to find the best part of each student and tailors the show and process to showcase their strengths and help them work on their weaknesses.” Miller describes her students as “exceptional in their talent and dedication and kindness. When I have taught in a conservatory setting there is an edge of constant competition. There is no more difficult place to get up and perform or audition than the fishbowl of a small theater program, but this particular group is generous, gracious and enthusiastic for the success of their peers. They cheer them on as they make breakthroughs, laugh when they make bold comedic choices and commiserate with empathy and compassion when the music or the material is difficult or emotional. Each time I see them is an opportunity to be astonished at their bravery and kindness.” Contact Rosanne Pellegrini at rosanne.pellegrini@bc.edu
Margaret Kelleher PhD’92 of University College Dublin spoke at the inaugural Adele Dalsimer Memorial Lecture on Oct. 1 in Devlin 101, sponsored by the Center for Irish Programs. Kelleher was a former student of Dalsimer, who co-founded BC’s Irish Studies Program. (Photo by Duncan Johnson)
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BOSTON COLLEGE IN THE MEDIA An introduction to new faculty members at Boston College
Carlo Gallimberti Assistant Professor of Accounting Carroll School of Management
DEGREES: Bocconi University, Italy (MS, MA, PhD) WHAT HE STUDIES: Debt contracting, borrower-lender information asymmetries, risk-taking incentives, firm funding, and investment decisions. WHAT HE’S TEACHING: Financial Accounting. What are your current research projects? “When companies apply for a loan, the bank doesn’t know who it is dealing with. The information contained in the financial reports becomes then potentially very valuable. I study how such information impacts banks’ lending decisions. I also study whether and to what extent a close relation with banks or how debt contracts are written affects borrowers’ behaviors and corporate governance structures.”
BC Law Associate Dean and Professor Alfred Yen was interviewed by CBS Boston about the potential fallout for online fantasy sports sites after insider trading allegations spurred an investigation of sites DraftKings and FanDuel. Aleksandar Tomic, director of the master’s in applied economics program at the Woods College of Advancing Studies, offered comments to ABCNews.com regarding a potential strike by the United Automobile Workers union against Fiat
Chrysler that could have a lasting impact on car buyers. As Europe’s migration crisis continues, and the US marks the 50th anniversary of 1965’s Immigration Act, Prof. Marilynn Johnson (History) discussed her book The New Bostonians: How Immigrants Have Transformed the Metro Area Since the 1960s on WGBH News. White Family Sesquicentennial Assistant Professor of Political
Science and International Studies Jennifer Erickson was included in a Chronicle of Higher Education feature on tournament “superforecasters” — non-experts who can make extraordinarily accurate predictions about future political events. Assoc. Prof. Jonathan Laurence (Political Science) discussed the limits of state secularism in France in an interview with World Politics Review.
EXPERT OPINION
Tingliang Huang
Assistant Professor of Operations Management Carroll School of Management
DEGREES: University of Science and Technology of China (BS); University of Minnesota (MS); Northwestern University (PhD) WHAT HE STUDIES: Customer bounded rationality in operations management and marketing, operations and marketing interfaces, data analytics and supply chain management WHAT HE’S TEACHING: Mathematics for Management Science (Spring 2016) Why did you become interested in operations management? “When I was an undergraduate in China, I took a course about how to use analytical methods to help make better decisions. I immediately loved it!”
Babak Momeni
Assistant Professor of Biology Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences
DEGREES: Sharif University of Technology, Iran (BS, MS); Georgia Institute of Technology (MS, PhD); post-doctoral fellowship at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center WHAT HE STUDIES: Systems biology of microbial communities; mathematical modeling of biological systems; microbial ecology WHAT HE’S TEACHING: Graduate seminar Microbial Community Ecology (Spring); undergraduate course in Quantitative Biology (Fall 2016) What prompted shifting your specialization from optical engineering to microbial systems biology? “It was a big change, but I wanted to try something new. It was a case where my former lab at the Hutch was looking for someone with a different, quantitative background and I wanted to learn more about biology. It was a lucky match in that sense. So I just jumped into it and tried to navigate my way from there.”
Claudia Olivetti
Professor of Economics Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences
DEGREES: Sapienza University of Rome, Italy (Laurea); University of Pennsylvania (MA, PhD) WHAT SHE STUDIES: Labor economics and the economics of the family; historical and economic perspectives on the gender gap and economic mobility; Research associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research WHAT SHE’S TEACHING: Graduate course in Labor Economics (Spring); undergraduate course on Economics of the Family (2016-17) As a native of Italy, what led to your focus on the US? “I’ve always been fascinated by the United States. I’m kind of fixated on thinking about women’s roles in society and the economy, the choices that are made by families and how they are affected by and affect the labor market. The US is a country where the data allow you to see historically the entire spectrum of experience for individuals and families.”
Yaguang Zheng
Assistant Professor of Adult Health Connell School of Nursing
DEGREES: Chengde Medical College, China (BS); Chinese PLA Postgraduate Medical School, China (MS); University of Pittsburgh (PhD) WHAT SHE STUDIES: Adherence to lifestyle changes; behavioral treatment for weight loss; technology-based intervention WHAT SHE’S TEACHING: Advanced Pathophysiology Across the Life Span
–Ed Hayward, Kathleen Sullivan and Sean Hennessey Photos by Lee Pellegrini
Professor of Sociology Juliet Schor, from a Q&A with The Atlantic titled “Can There Be a Less Materialistic American Dream?” “There is a widespread sense among the population that people have gotten too materialistic, and that’s been around for a while. It’s also the case that materialism is the other person’s disease, so 80 percent of people think that Americans are too materialistic. But as you get closer and closer to them — their friends, their family, their kids — they are sort of less and less likely to think that they’re too materialistic. It’s one of those findings that you have to be careful about how you interpret. “The other thing is that there is a high awareness that our style of life is not ecologically sustainable. That’s a really general sensibility that comes from lots of different perspectives. It comes from true environmentalists who actually look at the evidence and understand what’s happening to the planet, but it also comes from people who really don’t know much at all about the environment but do have a sense that we have this wasteful society.”
[Read the entire Q&A at http://theatln.tc/1L2b7zv]
JOBS
NOTA BENE Boston College has received a $10,000 grant from the Avon Foundation for Women’s Speak Out Against Domestic Violence initiative. The grant will fund the University’s Bystander Intervention Education program [http://www.bc.edu/offices/wc/bystander-intervention. html], which seeks to empower Boston College students to stand up and speak out to prevent instances of rape and sexual assault from occurring. BC Women’s Center Director Katie Dalton expressed appreciation for the support from the Avon Foundation, and said the funds will aid the implementation of a bystander booster social marketing campaign in sophomore residence halls. The 19th Annual Boston International Fine Art Show has selected Boston College’s McMullen Museum of Art as the beneficiary of its Gala Preview on Oct. 22 at The Cyclorama, Boston Center for The Arts in the South End. New England’s premier show and sale of contemporary and traditional fine art, it features an array of fine art, from Old Master to contemporary, from 40 galleries across the US, Europe and Canada. The more than 3,000 original works include paintings, works on paper, sculpture, photography, fine prints, and mixed media. For information, see www.fineartboston.com.
The following are among the most recent positions posted by the Department of Human Resources. For more information on employment opportunities at Boston College, see www.bc.edu/offices/hr: Executive Director, Office for Institutional Diversity Assistant Director, Assignments and Occupancy, Residential Life Financial Vice President and Treasurer Career Advisor, Career Center Director of Annual Capital Projects, Facilities Management Fiscal Manager, Auxiliary Services Digital Production Librarian, O’Neill Library Fiscal Assistant, Jesuit Community House Assistant Director, Core Curriculum, Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences Special Education Teacher, Lynch School of Education Temporary Pool, Dining Services
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Nominations are now open for the annual BC Arts Council Awards Deadline is Oct. 19 Go to www.bc.edu/artscouncil for details
Lee Pellegrini
‘Carousel’ Opens Robsham Season
(L-R) Boston College composers Thomas Oboe Lee, Ralf Gawlick, Erin Huelskamp and Kevin Cao ’16, along with Mark Berger (not pictured) will present their works Oct. 25.
Five BC composers talk about the pieces they’ll present this month Five Boston College composers – four Music Department faculty members and a senior – will present their works at a concert on Oct. 25 in Gasson 100 at 8 p.m. “New Music by Boston College Composers” will feature compositions by Professor Thomas Oboe Lee, Associate Professor Ralf Gawlick, part-time faculty members Mark Berger and Erin Huelskamp, and Kevin Cao ’16. Chronicle invited the five composers to describe their pieces and the inspiration for them. Mark Berger, “Landscape”: “My composition is a short, atmospheric piece for piano quartet that was commissioned in 2007 by Music at Eden’s Edge in honor of their 25th season. The piece is all about creating an atmosphere, a type of
imaginary landscape through instrumental color and sonority.” Kevin Cao, “String Quartet”: “The piece is inspired by the Tiananmen Square protest. One of my father’s graduate school colleagues was killed during the protest. I dedicate this piece to the students and soldiers who were sacrificed during the protest, since most of them were used as tools for the elites’ special interests.” Thomas Oboe Lee, “Suite for Solo Cello”: “I met Jan MüllerSzeraws back in the 1980s, and since then Jan has participated in a number of performances of my work. ‘Suite for Solo Cello’ is dedicated to him. The inspiration? Bach, of course. It is modeled after his ‘Six Suites for Unaccompanied Violoncello’; the sequence of movements in my suite is similar to that Bach’s.” Erin Huelskamp, “Obsidian
BC SCENES
Mirror”: “This is a single movement piece for string quartet based on four intervals: the perfect fifth, major sixth, minor second, and major third. The title is suggestive of the reflective and somewhat yearning nature of the melody. Written in 2008 at the Bowdoin International Music Festival, this piece was inspired by several conversations with Samuel Adler regarding abstract music and atonality as well as the beautiful string writing in Samuel Barber’s ‘Adagio for Strings.’” Ralf Gawlick, “Glocken-Spiel”: “Perhaps there is no clearer description that better illustrates and captures the essence of the brazen call of the bell than Friedrich Schiller’s words that preface his ‘Lied von der Glocke [Song of the Bell]’: ‘Vivos voco mortuos plango [I call the living, I mourn the dead].’ I am not
The Robsham Theater Arts Center fall season begins Oct. 2125 with “Carousel,” one of the most popular musicals of the 20th century and the second written by American musical theater legends Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein. The production, which features such hit songs as “You’ll Never Walk Alone” and “If I Loved You,” will be directed by J. Donald Monan Professor in Theatre Arts Michelle Miller [see related article on page 1]. The story revolves around carousel barker Billy Bigelow, whose romance with millworker Julie Jordan comes at the price of both their jobs. After a failed attempt at robbery to provide for Julie and their unborn child, he is given a chance to make things right. A secondary plot line deals with the millworker’s romance with an ambitious fisherman. “‘Carousel’ is a difficult show and we’ve had to cover all shades only drawn to the powerful symbolism behind the bell tone, an anchor of constancy and regularity amidst uncertainty and inconsistency, but also the enormous range of associative antipodes. The same bell calls the living and laments the dead, calls for solemnity and celebration, summons restraint and proclaims exuberance. We give different meanings to the same sound. As such, metaphorically, the unwavering, steadfast bell toll encompasses the swinging pendulum of experiences. “In ‘Glocken-Spiel,’ for piano quartet, the concept of associative
from light to dark in this process,” Miller says. “Like every Rodgers and Hammerstein play, it takes difficult subject matter and wraps it in gorgeous music. We have had to address domestic violence and suicide, but also truly altruistic love, which maybe even more radical. “I hope it sparks discussion about interpersonal choice, sacrifice made for the sake of another, the cycle of abuse as shame-based behavior only love can alter, the power of forgiveness and possibility of redemption when one can forgive themselves.” Admission is $15 for adults, $10 for students (with valid ID), seniors and BC faculty/staff (one ticket per ID). For tickets, contact the RTAC Box Office at 617-5524002, or see http://tiny.cc/a9fg4x. For full performance schedule and information on production teams, cast members and tickets, see http://tiny.cc/0agg4x. –Rosanne Pellegrini antipodes springing from the same source transfers to all significant structural levels of the composition. Thus, much like the numerous meanings, range of experiences and associations signaled by the bell toll, ‘Glocken-Spiel’ changes the meaning of its fundamental material during its course. By the end, the pendulum has swung from one end to the other.”
For more about Music Department events and activities, see www. bc.edu/schools/cas/music.html. –Office of News & Public Affairs
MARKET DAYS Photos by Christopher Huang
The BC Farmers Market, held Thursday afternoons during the early fall on Corcoran Commons plaza, continues to attract customers like Chandler Gisholt Minard ‘18 (above), juniors Clarisse Larcher and Lisa Vivoni (top right), and Emily Sokol ‘17 (at right). Students can use dining plan dollars to buy fresh fruits and vegetables, baked goods, locally made bread, and more. Go to the Dining Services website at www.bc.edu/dining for information.