Boston College Chronicle by Boston College

The Boston College

Chronicle Published by the Boston College Office of News & Public Affairs september 29, 2016 VOL. 24 no. 3

INSIDE introduces 2 •BCDS Menus of Change •BC hosts screening of biopic of Jesuit founder to perform 3 •Chenoweth at Pops on the Heights

Political Leadership Is Topic of Council for Women Forum By Kathleen Sullivan Staff Writer

Political leadership and women in Washington are the focus of the second annual Council for Women of Boston College Colloquium, which takes place Oct. 6 in Robsham Theater. The event, which begins at 6

p.m., will feature Democratic National Committee Interim Chair Donna Brazile and former Republican presidential advisor Mary Matalin, who will draw upon a combined 50 years of experience in politics to discuss the 2016 election, politics, leadership and women. Their conversation, titled “Women Continued on page 6

New Round of Core Pilot Courses Make Debut

•Conference will fete Fr. Hollenbach

By Sean Smith Chronicle Editor

•BCSSW-United Way sponsor IF Challenge •USPI town halls tough for 5 •Compromise men, says Nikolova

The Boston College community celebrated the start of Hispanic Heritage Month last Friday on the Plaza at O’Neill Library, one of numerous recent campus events. See page 8. (Photo by Christopher Huang)

6 •Memoir recalls life

and times of ‘Mr. BC’

Different Animals Democrats, GOP aren’t mirror images, says Hopkins

Additions’; 7 •’Welcome BC in the Media; BC Briefings; Jobs

•Obituary: Sociologist Ritchie Lowry Wilner is new 8 •Sheri Monan Professor

CWBC Colloquium speakers Donna Brazile, left, and Mary Matalin

Assistant Professor of Political Science David A. Hopkins is the co-author of a new book out just in time for the 2016 election. Asymmetric Politics: Ideological Republicans and Group Interest Democrats, which Hopkins wrote with Michigan State University political scientist Matt Grossmann, takes a look at how the Republican and Democratic Parties think differently about politics, how they approach government, and how this asymmetry led to the rise of Donald Trump. Hopkins spoke recently with Chronicle’s Sean Hennessey; the discussion has been edited for space and clarity. For the full interview, see http://bit. ly/2cAJVA5 Chronicle: Your book’s title spells out how you see the Re-

publican Party being a vehicle of an ideological movement, while the Democratic Party is a coalition of social groups. Talk a little bit about that. Hopkins: The point of the book is that rather than thinking of the two major parties in America as mirror images of each other, we should think of them as two different types of parties. That means their sources of popular support, the goals of their activist populations, and the behavior of their politicians are all different. On the Republican side, the GOP has been, for most of the past century, the agent of a conservative ideological movement. The vast majority of Republican office-holders, activists, and voters consider themselves to be conserContinued on page 5

EARLY CLOSING OCT. 7

New courses in the Boston College undergraduate core curriculum provide students opportunities to examine climate change from both moral and scientific perspectives, discuss how innovative thinking in the business and arts communities might solve complex problems, and explore the biological basis of epidemics and disease and their socioeconomic ramifications. These interdisciplinary courses – intended for freshmen – are among a cohort debuting during 2016-17 in a three-year pilot program that is the leading edge of BC’s broad-based initiative to renew its core curriculum. [See http://bit.ly/2couuWP] The core pilot program, which began last year, has spurred a host of imaginative faculty collaborations, some representing seemingly unlikely combinations of disciplines, among them theater and political science, chemistry and English, theology and earth and environmental sciences, and nursing and English. Leaders of the four-year-old core renewal effort note that participating faculty and students alike have expressed overwhelmingly positive views about the pilot program and its impact – a promising sign for the next round of new courses next academic year, as well as the next phase of core renewal implementation. “Students of this generation learn in different ways than those of 10 to 15 years ago,” said Julian Bourg, as-

sociate dean for the core in the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences and chair of the University Core Renewal Committee (UCRC). “What we’ve found is that they can handle a lot, they can think complexly, they’re quick to put things together, and – perhaps most importantly – they’re really looking for community and a sense of groundedness. And these are elements we feel are key to the core renewal. “We’re still in the experimental phase, and hopefully by next September we will have a plan for a sustainable, post-pilot core. The idea behind the pilot program is to start small, build on strengths and remove the rough spots.” “The question for the pilot program is, ‘How big can this get?’” said Institute for the Liberal Arts Director Mary Crane, another UCRC member. “The number of seats for pilot core courses doubled over last year, and course enrollment nearly did the same. More than 40 faculty members from three schools will be involved in the program over two years. Based on what we’ve seen, there is every reason to believe the program can continue to grow in year three.” Eight pilot courses debuted last fall: two in the “Complex Problems” model, team-taught, six-credit classes of around 80 students that address a contemporary problem; and six pairs of linked classes in the “Enduring Questions” category, distinct threecredit classes taken by the same 19 Continued on page 4

On Friday, Oct. 7, Boston College will play a nationally televised football game beginning at 7:30 p.m. All University administrative offices will close at 3:30 p.m. that day in preparation for this event. To ease potential traffic and parking congestion, the University asks that all vehicles be removed from campus as close to 3:30 p.m. as possible.

T he B oston C ollege

Chronicle september 29, 2016

A ROUND

C AMPUS

GOOD (REALLY GOOD) EATING Students might not expect to get an education when they’re in the campus dining halls, but that’s what happened earlier this month when Boston College Dining Services celebrated its participation in the Menus of Change University Research Collaborative program with a culinary showcase featuring healthy and sustainable menu items. Vegetable, legume and grainbased soups were served along with meals that offered grains, legumes and smaller portions of animal proteins, while fruits and vegetables were the foundations for dessert. Menus of Change was created by the Culinary Institute of America and Stanford University and includes 40 colleges and universities. A major purpose of the collaborative is to create a culture of sharing and innovation among colleges and universities. So, each month, BCDS will pick a Menus of Change principle to highlight:

for September, “Buy Fresh and Seasonal, Local and Global,” and “Think Produce First” for October. With the focus on food that is healthy, sustainable, and delicious, BCDS plans to offer up more nutritious dishes, while educating students about making better choices. “To grow a pulse – which are grain legumes and a good source of protein – versus raising a cow for a burger or steak, requires significantly less water,” said Director BCDS Beth Emery. “We educate students about those types of choices. Not only are you making a better choice for your health but you’re also making a better choice for the Earth.” One example Emery cited is BCDS’ partnership with the Grateful Burger, through which Dining Services offers a blended burger, 50 percent beef and 50 percent vegetables, grains, herbs and spices.

Diners sample the fare at the recent event held by Boston College Dining Services to officially mark its participation in Menus of Change University Research Collaborative program.

Photos by Caitlin Cunningham

“That’s a healthier option, but it’s also a more sustainable option. In general, that’s what we’re trying to do: Introduce more grains and more vegetables to serve alongside the favorite items. The idea is to have a variety of choices for the students and community.” Coming up with healthy and nutritious items hasn’t been difficult, thanks to the Test Kitchen

concept that BC Dining introduced campus-wide last year, which helped produce roughly 50 new menu options. “Most of those were these Menu of Change types of options, healthier and more sustainable so it certainly is what the students seem to be looking for,” said Emery. “It’s what you’re seeing out in restaurants – more plantbased, grain-based, legume-based

offerings with smaller pieces of traditional animal proteins.” Emery and her colleagues will attend a Menus of Change conference next month, where new menu ideas are certain to surface. In the meantime, she encourages students “to tell us what they like and what they don’t.” –Sean Hennessey

ST. IGNATIUS ON THE SILVER SCREEN

The Career Center held its annual Fall Career and Internship Fair on Sept. 13 in Conte Forum, where almost 150 employers set up shop to meet with students. Above, a representative from Accenture talked about his company; below, Lindsay Brown ’18 spoke with Steve Walker of Navy Systems, US Navy. (Photos by Lee Pellegrini)

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 Siobhan Sullivan Photographers Gary Gilbert Lee Pellegrini

“Soldier. Sinner. Saint,” reads the tagline of the poster, which shows the hilt of a sword framed dramatically against the glow of a slightly out-of-focus fire in the background. Such is part of the promotional material for “Ignacio de Loyola,” a recently released feature film based on the memoirs of St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus. The 118-minute movie was screened on campus Tuesday night at an event sponsored by the Church in the 21st Century Center, the Center for Ignatian Spirituality, and Campus Ministry. On hand for a panel discussion were “Ignacio de Loyola” director Paolo Dy, producer Rene Javellan, SJ, and actor Andreas Munoz, who portrays the title character, as well as C21 Associate Director Karen Kiefer and Professor of the Practice of Philosophy Brian Braman. The film is the work of Jesuit

The Boston College

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Communications or JesCom, an outgrowth of JESCOM, or the Jesuits Engaged in Social Communications, formed in New Orleans in 1968. Based in the Philippines, JesCom is involved in the production of audiovisual materials for evangelization and education. Ignatius would seem to be a good subject for a feature film: brash, impulsive, womanizing, swashbuckling youth is crippled in battle; lives in a cave and undergoes religious awakening; founds religious order that becomes a global phenomenon. But the release of “Ignacio” raises a familiar question: Can commercially produced films centered on religious figures and events successfully attract audiences? “Religious bio-pics are a tough market,” said Professor of Film Studies, Richard Blake, SJ, whose research has focused on religious themes and imagery in popular films. “‘Song of Bernadette’ was

probably the most successful, but that was 1943. ‘Romero’ had a modest run, likewise ‘The Mission’ and ‘Black Robe,’ but they were highly fictionalized. “I suspect Martin Scorsese’s forthcoming adaptation of ‘The Silence’ [Shusaku Endo’s novel about a 17th-century Jesuit missionary] will fit into that category – his ‘Last Temptation of Christ’ just about broke even, as I recall,” added Fr. Blake, who had not yet seen “Ignacio de Loyola” when interviewed last week. “‘Passion of the Christ’ was a huge moneymaker, but relied on sadism and the flap about anti-Semitism that the evangelicals stirred up.” Fr. Blake’s prediction for “Ignacio”? “It will probably gravitate to niche markets through DVD: discussion groups, retreat houses, schools, vocation fairs. I wish them well in the general market, but I’m doubtful.” –Sean Smith

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 september 29, 2016

Chenoweth Is Guest Star at ‘Pops’ By Kathleen Sullivan Staff Writer

This weekend, Boston College will welcome parents, grandparents, siblings and other family members of current Eagles to campus for Parents’ Weekend, which includes tomorrow night’s 24th annual Pops on the Heights Barbara and Jim Cleary Scholarship Gala in Conte Forum. The popular event, which is once again sold out, will feature the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra, under the direction of conductor Keith Lockhart, and special guest artist Kristin Chenoweth. The festivities begin at 6 p.m. with musical performances by various student groups. The Pops take the stage at 8 p.m., and will perform with the University Chorale and BC Marching Band as well as Chenoweth, an award-winning star of stage and screen perhaps best known for originating the role of Glinda the Good Witch in the Broadway hit musical “Wicked.” The winner of a Tony Award for her role in “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown,” Chenoweth has appeared in concert halls throughout the world, including Carnegie Hall and the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City,

Singer, actress Kristin Chenoweth

the Hollywood Bowl, London’s Royal Albert Hall and the Sydney Opera House. Her latest musical project, “The Art of Elegance,” an album of American songbook classics, was released last week. She will return to Broadway in November for a special series of performances called “Kristin Chenoweth: My Love Letter to Broadway.” She also is an accomplished film and tele-

vision actress, earning an Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for “Pushing Daisies.” Pops on the Heights to date has raised more than $35 million in support of student financial aid for 1,500 Pops Scholars at BC. Chairs for the 2016 Pops Gala are Maureen and David O’Connor ’86, P’16, P’18, and Kim GassettSchiller and Philip Schiller ’82. Also on Friday, BC families will have the opportunity to meet one another, visit classes with their students, attend open houses hosted by deans, and attend sessions on academic advising, student affairs and teaching and student life. University President William P. Leahy, SJ, will give a talk to parents at 4 p.m. in Robsham Theater. Saturday’s activities will center on the BC-Buffalo State game at Alumni Stadium at 1 p.m., with a pregame barbecue at the Flynn Recreation Complex. Parents’ Weekend will conclude Sunday with a 10 a.m. family liturgy open to all faiths in Conte Forum, followed by a continental breakfast. Details on Parents’ Weekend are available at www.bc.edu/parents. Contact Kathleen Sullivan at kathleen.sullivan@bc.edu

BCSSW-United Way Partnership Awards Nonprofits Three area nonprofits will be given an opportunity to implement their solutions for ending family homelessness, as a result of a competition sponsored by the Boston College School of Social Work and the United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley. The competition was held as part of IF (Innovating with Families), a BCSSW-United Way partnership that seeks to shape new relationships between social scientists and practitioners as a means to find innovative solutions to Greater Boston’s most pressing social problems. The first IF Challenge Prize to End Family Homelessness invited nonprofit 501c3 organizations in Massachusetts to identify innovative, cost-effective and feasible ideas for aiding the state’s homeless families. The three winning organizations – which will receive a mix of cash prize funding, technological assistance and/or hardware – are: •HomeStart, to expand a successful eviction prevention program currently run in partnership with the Boston Housing Authority. •Children’s HealthWatch, to research and promote a tailored Earned Income Tax Credit, adjusted for the regional cost of housing, which will enable working families to afford existing market-rate hous-

ing in the short-term. •Metropolitan Boston Housing Partnership, to develop a housing app that will help assess families’ eligibility for programs and connect them to affordable housing resourcess. Entries for the competition were evaluated by a panel of judges that included BCSSW Professor Shanta Pandey and Jere Doyle, director of the Carroll School of Management’s Shea Center for Entrepreneurship. “The IF Challenge winners rep-

resent bold, innovative ideas to end family homelessness,” said BCSSW Associate Professor Stephanie Berzin, co-director of the school’s Center for Social Innovation. “These projects have the potential to fundamentally shift how we respond to this critical issue and we look forward to working collaboratively with these organizations.” –Office of News & Public Affairs Read the United Way press release about the IF Challenge at http://bit.ly/2d1lBbX.

Oct. 5 Town Halls on Strategic Plan The University Strategic Planning Initiative Steering Committee will hold a pair of town hall events on Oct. 5 to discuss the progress of Boston College’s comprehensive effort to craft a vision and set institutional priorities for the future. All faculty and staff are invited to attend the meetings, which take place from 9-10:30 a.m. and 4-5:30 p.m. in Gasson 100. The USPI, which began last December, completed an intensive period of assessment during the spring semester, with 24 teams of more than 200 members of the University community – faculty, staff and students – evaluating BC’s strengths and weaknesses, and discerning the challenges and opportunities it faces, in numerous academic, administrative and programmatic areas. For more about the University Strategic Planning Initiative, see the USPI website at http://www.bc.edu/sites/strategic-planning-2016. html. Read a Chronicle story about the USPI’s next phase at http://bit. ly/2cMFlNc.

Conference Will Honor Work of Fr. Hollenbach

By Rosanne Pellegrini Staff Writer

US Ambassador to the Vatican Kenneth Hackett ’68, Hon. ’06, will deliver the keynote address Oct. 14 at a special event honoring former Center for Human Rights and International Justice Director David Hollenbach, SJ. Hackett’s talk, “The Francis Revolution: Mercy,” takes place at 4 p.m. in Gasson 100. and kicks off a conference, “Public Theology and the Global Common Good,” which celebrates Fr. Hollenbach’s scholarship and his dedication to public theology and the global common good. The conference also marks the 30th anniversary of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops’ pastoral letter “Economic Justice for All.” The conference continues the next day on Brighton Campus in Simboli 100, with presentations by Fr. Hollenbach’s former students and colleagues, opening a conversation with a newer generation of theologians on the future of public theology and the common good. Sessions include “The Future of Public Theology,” roundtables on “Common Good,” “Human Rights” and “Migration,” and concludes with “David Hollenbach’s Ongoing Legacy,” in which Fr. Hollenbach will participate as a discussant. A closing liturgy will be held at 4 p.m. in the School of Theology and Ministry Chapel. Among BC participants are: Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences Dean Gregory Kalscheur, SJ, Libby Professor Cathleen Kaveny, Professor of Theology Stephen Pope, Monan Professor Lisa Sowle Cahill, as well as CHRIJ co-directors Daniel Kanstroom and Brinton Lykes and four BC doctoral candidates. “It is a great pleasure and truly humbling to have many former students discuss my work,” said Fr. Hollenbach, who is now at Georgetown University as Pedro Arrupe Professor at the Walsh School of Foreign Service. “I am very proud to have been involved in the education of these men and women who are now making true contributions in the field of theology and social ethics. I am sure their discussion of issues that are close to my heart will be lively and inspiring. “The contributions to the discussion by my colleagues at Boston College will surely mean very much to me also. I have

Gary Wayne Gilbert

PARENTS’ WEEKEND/POPS ON THE HEIGHTS

David Hollenbach, SJ

long held the work of Kenneth Hackett in highest regard. His leadership through many years at Catholic Relief Services made a huge difference in the lives of men and women facing crises caused by war and disaster. His presence to give the keynote at the conference is a true honor for me.” Fr. Hollenbach’s “dedication to the center’s teaching and research programs, as well as his extensive knowledge and experience in ethics and forced migration, have propelled the center these last 10 years into one with a unique interdisciplinary scope, working transnationally with scholars and practitioners to engage in applied research and training to advance issues of human rights locally and globally,” according to Kanstroom and Lykes. “The CHRIJ looks forward to collaborating with the organizers of this excellent two-day event in recognition of David’s scholarship and commitment to those ‘on the move’ as well as his life-long engagement in teaching and mentoring with many generations of students and colleagues here at Boston College,” Lykes said. CHRIJ’s co-sponsors are the Institute for the Liberal Arts, Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences, Jesuit Institute, Theology Department, School of Theology and Ministry, International Studies Program, and Boisi Center for Religion and American Public Life. Registration for the conference, as well as the full schedule and participant list and other details, is available via the CHRIJ website, www.bc.edu/humanrights. The event is free and open to the public, but space is limited; registration must be completed by Oct. 10. [See story on page 5 for information on CHRIJ’s series about immigration issues.]

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Chronicle september 29, 2016

Core Curriculum Renewal Continues with New Cohort of Pilot Courses Continued from page 1 students that are each taught by a faculty member from a different department but connected by common topics, sets of questions, readings and assignments. This academic year will see the introduction of five Complex Problems courses and 11 pairs of Enduring Questions courses. These include Can Creativity Save the World?; A Perfect Moral Storm: The Science and Ethics of Climate Change; and the paired classes Narrating Black Intimacies and Black Intimacy and Intersectionality in the US [see separate story]. Both types of courses include “Reflection” sessions, designed to help students integrate “what they learn with who they are,” according to Bourg and Crane, and how it

is relevant to their lives outside the classroom – a practice that is the cornerstone of Jesuit education. Reflection sessions can take many forms, note Bourg and Crane, including discussions, talks with invited speakers and field trips: One class, the Body in Sickness and Health, brought students to the Connell School of Nursing for a demonstration of a birth simulator; a music class went to Conte Forum to observe the interplay between the atmosphere and action of a BC hockey game with the BC Pep Band’s performance. Bourg and Crane point to surveys and course evaluations indicating a high level of satisfaction among faculty and students with the pilot courses program. Students have said

The 2016-17 academic year will see another roll-out of new, collaboratively created courses for the undergraduate core curriculum as part of a three-year pilot program. Chronicle asked faculty members to talk about the process by which they conceived and developed their courses, and what they hope to achieve. The University Core Renewal Committee website includes detailed descriptions of all the pilot courses as well as short videos in which faculty members discuss the classes. Go to http://bit.ly/2couuWP. See the full version of this story at http://bit.ly/2dpeZE8.

COURSE: A Perfect Moral Storm: The Science and Ethics of Climate Change CATEGORY: Complex Problems FACULTY: David Storey (Philosophy) and Corinne Wong (Earth and Environmental Sciences)

•Hatching the idea WONG: Climate change is an issue that requires a fundamental understanding of the natural system to be in the best position to evaluate the consequences of future actions (or inaction), but determining what actions can and should be made given the economic and socio-political realities surrounding us requires expertise from many different disciplines. Teaming up with David to present the objective side while having students grapple with the subjective side of climate change only seemed natural. STOREY: The challenge with exploring the ethics of climate change – and pretty much any environmental problem – is that you can’t do so without delving into science, economics, policy, and a host of other disciplines. But if you just study the science, or the economics, or the policy, that doesn’t tell you how individuals or governments ought to act or craft policy, or what the norms are that govern, or ought to govern, global agreements and treaties.

•How the course came together STOREY: This was the “mind-meld.” It was a totally new experience for me as a teacher, creating a syllabus with a faculty member not only from a different discipline, but a very different discipline. We met every week last semester, locked ourselves in a room, and patiently hammered out the syllabus. •Connecting to the University’s Jesuit, Catholic mission WONG: This course is designed to help students objectively evaluate a complicated, politically charged challenge that their generation will be forced to face, and then have them reflect on the subjective: What could and should their role be in addressing the issue? The goal is to generate a populace that is informed of the challenges that our society faces and inspired to be leaders in working toward solutions. STOREY: I think our course dovetails with a sea change taking place in the Catholic world: the increased recognition of how social and environmental justice are intertwined spurred, in large part, by Laudato Si’ (which the students will be reading in their fall pre-requisite philosophy course). The environment is an issue young people generally care deeply about, and hopefully our course will give them some tools to help them deepen and direct that care intelligently and compassionately.

Video captures by Office of Marketing Communications

the courses challenge them to think in new ways – a challenge they appear to enjoy – and believe the content is interesting and will be useful in the future; they also often develop a bond with classmates that extends beyond the class itself. While teaching core courses entails “many moving parts” and high levels of energy and coordination, said Bourg and Crane, faculty have expressed appreciation for the opportunity to have multifaceted dialogues with their students instead of taking a more formulaic approach. Faculty also reported students by and large have been able to navigate the challenges of interdisciplinary learning. “Faculty in the pilot program have engaged with the mission of

BC in inventive, imaginative ways,” said Bourg. “The Reflection sessions in particular attest to that. They’re the connective tissue between what a student experiences in the classroom and how he or she internalizes it.” Crane noted that the UCRC and ILA encourage and support faculty participation in the core pilot program on many fronts: hosting receptions or using other means to help faculty members seek potential collaborators; providing funds to faculty for participating in planning and pedagogical workshops, or to assist the development of co-curricular planning. In addition, a classroom in Carney Hall has been converted to multiple-use space – to accommodate theater exercises as well as projects, innovation and other lab

activities – for Complex Problems classes. “We’ve observed more faculty showing interest in the possibility of interdisciplinary collaborations – even if not all conversations necessarily result in a core course proposal,” she said. “This in and of itself is a positive development, and indicates how a renewed core curriculum can inspire faculty as well as students.” The UCRC has invited faculty to submit proposals for pilot classes to core@bc.edu in consideration for the 2017-18 academic year. The deadline for submissions is Oct. 14. For more on the core renewal initiative, see www.bc.edu/core.

•How the courses came together FREDERICK: From a literary perspective, I approached the idea of intimacy from the perspective of affective truths. Shawn was interested in how creative narratives represented sociological truths in ways that are compelling to students. I am interested in how sociology offers documentable “evidence” for themes that recur in the narratives I read and teach. It became clear that we both believe that truth/truths comes in different

forms and that there are multiple ways of rendering and portraying them. Our classes will explore these possibilities.

•How the course came together TIALA: It is both a lesson in humility and great opportunity to learn how to do things more effectively. I do actively try to adapt what I know and how I teach to fit this business model. However, I don’t find it to be that much of a stretch. Innovative business practices are discovered by researching how creative people work. So it does not feel foreign to me at all. The biggest difference is that we speak two different languages. Once I translate what Spencer is saying, I find the process very familiar.

•Connecting to the University’s Jesuit, Catholic mission TIALA: I have already sought out how the arts can become socially responsible and the many ways that it might happen. This class focuses on creating performances and products that address social issues. I see our class as providing the creative building blocks to solve any problems students may encounter as they go forward. Theater really helps build confidence, teamwork, empathy, and observation skills. Similarly, innovative teams learn how to work well together and innovate exciting new ideas.

Contact Sean Smith at sean.smith@bc.edu

COURSES: Narrating Black Intimacies; Black Intimacy and Intersectionality in the US CATEGORY: Enduring Questions FACULTY: Shawn McGuffey (Sociology); Rhonda Frederick (English) •Hatching the idea Our paths crossed at many University, departmental/ programmatic, and studentorganized events. These more-or-less formal meetings became more regular because we are core faculty members in BC’s African and African Diaspora Studies Program. As AADS faculty members, we are very aware of the other’s research areas, so we knew that we shared an interest in race. When the opportunity to teach a core pilot course came up, we found that we both were similarly interested in issues of intimacy, closeness and proximity.

•Connecting to the University’s Jesuit, Catholic mission McGUFFEY: We can think of no better way to manifest the idea of students’ academic, intellectual and personal formations than to explore intra-racial and inter-racial intimate connections – forced, effaced, but often generative and vital.

COURSE: Can Creativity Save the World? CATEGORY: Complex Problems FACULTY: Crystal Tiala (Theatre) and Spencer Harrison (Carroll School of Management, Management and Organization Department) •Hatching the idea HARRISON: I have wanted to teach a class on creativity for a long time. It’s what I research and it’s a way of engaging with the world that I love. So the idea of teaching an entire class on the topic has been something rattling around in my head, waiting for an opportunity, for probably a decade or so. I really support the new vision for the core. I love BC’s focus on liberal arts and developing the “whole person” but I was concerned that I didn’t see insights from other disciplines emerging in conversations in my business class. I think the new core provides an environment that helps students see ideas as interchangeable building blocks rather than siloed disciplines.

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Chronicle september 29, 2016

Why the Two Parties Are So, So Different Compromise Is Elusive for Continued from page 1 Men, Says CSOM Researcher

Chronicle: You mentioned that there are two different types of parties. One would think that candidates and office-holders would have the same type of agenda on each side as it relates to getting things done. You’re saying they do not. People might be surprised to hear that. Hopkins: When you look at the broad ideological pre-dispositions of Americans – whether they consider themselves on the left or the right, conservatives or liberals, for or against bigger government, for more traditional family values or for more progressive social and cultural attitudes – the American electorate looks relatively conservative. They tend to lean to the right collectively; there are more self-identified conservatives than liberals; there are more people for smaller government than bigger government. At that level, you’d say, “Oh, the American people are mostly right-of-center.” But if you ask voters about specific policies — “Should we have more or less generous Social Security benefits? Should we have more federal funding for education, healthcare and the environment or should we have less?” — all of a sudden they look more liberal than conservative. In other words, a number of voters who think of themselves as conservatives also support a lot of liberal policies. So what does this mean for

have men choosing together, they tend to select one of the extreme options. “Say two men are choosing a car and the cars they are considering differ on safety and fuel efficiency: They will either go for the safest car or the one that offers them the most fuel efficiency, but they won’t choose an option that offers a little of both.” By contrast, individuals and mixed-gender and female-female pairs will likely go for the middle option since it seems reasonable and is easily justified. “Women act the same together as they would alone because they don’t need to prove anything in front of other women,” says Nikolova. “Womanhood is not pre-

“Some of the dysfunction that we see in politics today stems from the fact that the parties don’t really understand each other very well,” says Hopkins. “They especially don’t understand the ways that they are different.”

the parties? It means that it’s in the Republicans’ strategic interest to emphasize the broad abstract ideological themes where a majority of the electorate agrees with them. Democrats have a different set of incentives: Don’t talk about big ideologies, talk about policy specifics, because on the policy specifics, the majority of Americans are on the Democratic side. Chronicle: This book underscores how Democrats and Republicans really think differently, and brings new insight into polarization and how our government is so dysfunctional. Hopkins: Yes, and polarization is a consequence of a lot of different historical changes. Certainly one of them is that the Republican Party in particular has become a lot more conservative than it used to be. There was a time in the past where there was a wing of the Republican Party that did not identify as conservative. During the mid-20th century, there were a lot of Republican office-holders who identified as moderates or even liberals and who resisted the conservative move-

ment’s takeover of the Republican Party. The other thing I’ll say about polarization is that some of the dysfunction that we see in politics today stems from the fact that the parties don’t really understand each other very well. They especially don’t understand the ways that they are different. When Republicans think of themselves as being the party of individual liberty, a strong America, constitutional principles, and traditional social values, they often assume that the Democrats are against all those things. And when the Democrats see themselves as the party of disadvantaged social groups, they may assume that Republicans just want the rich to have a free ride while protecting existing privilege. The fact that we have two parties that are so different often leads to misunderstandings about the motivations of the partisans on the other side of the aisle. It leads to a demonization of the opposition party, which is partly why it’s difficult for the parties to compromise and why voters and politicians in each party increasingly dislike the other side.

[Read the full Q&A at http://bit.ly/2cAJVA5]

News CHRIJ Series Examines Immigration in Post-Obama Era A luncheon conversation series on immigration – a hot-button issue in the 2016 presidential campaign – is being offered this fall by the Center for Human Rights and International Justice. The next installment of “After Obama: What is the Future of Our ‘Nation of Immigrants’?” will feature Kalina Brabeck, Rhode Island College associate professor of counseling, who will address “The Influence of Immigrant Parent Legal Status on Immigrant Families and Developmental Outcomes for US-Born Middle Childhood Children.” The event will be held on Oct. 6 in McGuinn 334. On Nov. 3, Harvard University Assistant Professor of Education Roberto Gonzales will present “Lives in Limbo: Undocumented

and Coming of Age in America” in Campion 139. The series — which began last week with Boston-area community activist Martha Guervara speaking on “US Immigration Policy and Increased Threats to Central American Migrants” – will conclude on Nov. 17 with a talk by Harvard University M.E. Zukerman Professor of Sociology Mary Waters on “The War on Crime and the War on Immigrants: Racial and Legal Exclusion in the 21st Century United States.” Location will be announced. All “After Obama” events run from noon to 1:30 p.m. and include lunch. Advance registration for each is required; go to www. bc.edu/humanrights. –Office of News & Public Affairs

If you want a middle-of-theroad compromise between two decision-makers, make sure at least one of them is a woman. That’s according to Carroll School of Management faculty member Hristina Nikolova, whose new co-authored study finds that compromise always occurs among two decision-makers when a woman is involved – female-female pairs or mixed gender pairs – but hardly ever when both are men. Nikolova and her co-author Cait Lamberton, associate professor of marketing at the University of Pittsburgh Katz Graduate School of Business, recently published the findings – which they say could be pertinent to marketers, managers and consumers alike – in the Journal of Consumer Research. “When men are in the presence of other men, they feel the need to prove their masculinity,” says Nikolova, the Coughlin Sesquicentennial Assistant Professor of Marketing. “Both tend to push away from the compromise option because it is consistent with feminine norms. Extremism is a more masculine trait, so that’s why both male partners tend to prefer an extreme option when making decisions together.” While previous research has examined the compromise effect – the tendency to choose the middle option in a choice set – using single individuals, this is the first study examining how joint decisionmaking contexts change consumers’ preferences for the compromise option. “The decisions we make in pairs may be very different than those we make alone, depending on who we make them with,” according to the study. Nikolova and Lamberton conducted four experiments with 1,204 students at two American universities, and a fifth experiment using 673 online participants. The studies involved different pairs – a man and woman, two women, and two men – making various purchasing decisions for items such as printers, toothpaste, flashlights, tires and headphones; considering different sizes and shapes of grills, or which prizes to seek in a lottery; and whether to buy risky or safe stocks with corresponding high and low returns. “No matter what the product is, we see the same effects,” says Nikolova. “The compromise effect basically emerges in any pair when there is a woman. When you

Lee Pellegrini

By Sean Hennessey Staff Writer Lee Pellegrini

vatives and view the Republican Party as the party that upholds conservative values and pursues conservative policy. When we look at evidence that illustrates how Republican voters view their differences with Democrats, they’re likely to say the parties are engaged in an ideological conflict. Therefore, the Republicans define themselves as the party of the right, of small government, of traditional social values, of American nationalism. On the Democratic side, we see a very different pattern where party members don’t often speak or think in ideological terms. Democrats don’t necessarily view the parties as engaged in an ideological struggle. Instead, they see the parties as representing two different types of group coalitions, and they see politics not as a battle of philosophies but as a battle of group interests – which groups are going to get favorable policies from the government. So, a lot of rank and file Democrats define their party as one that speaks to their particular social group interests and social group identities while the Republican Party does not. This leads to some very different approaches to governing, very different campaign strategies and so on. We really need to recognize this asymmetry if we’re going to understand American politics.

Hristina Nikolova

carious and does not need the same level of public defense as manhood. That’s why we observe the compromise effect in the joint decisions of two female partners. “Only men judge other men very harshly when they suggest the compromise option to a male partner. It doesn’t happen when a man suggests the compromise option to a female partner or when women suggest the compromise option so it’s really specific to men dealing with other men.” Nikolova says the findings will be relevant for corporate America, since the compromise effect is a robust phenomenon often used to manage assortments, position products, and drive sales. Retailers and marketers should be aware of the gender composition of the joint decision-making pairs they might be targeting, she says. “If a company wants to push sales toward a particular option, and they expect their target customers to primarily be men making decisions together, then it’s better to make the particular option an extreme option rather than a middle alternative.” Contact Sean Hennessey at sean.hennessey@bc.edu

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Continued from page 1

in Washington: Political Leadership Today,” will be moderated by Paula Ebben ’89, an anchor with CBS Boston. “A key goal of the CWBC Colloquium is to bring women to campus who, through their words and accomplishments, demonstrate the power of female leadership to both students and alumni,” said CWBC Chair Kathleen McGillycuddy NC ’71. “As former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright did at last year’s inaugural CWBC colloquium, we expect Donna Brazile and Mary Matalin to provide compelling insight and perspective on today’s political landscape. The CWBC is delighted to host these two outstanding political leaders and looks forward to continuing to provide such important forums for students and alumni for years to come.” “When we were planning this event last fall, we expected that the topic of ‘women in Washington’ would be particularly timely, since it seemed likely that a woman would be running for president,” said Rattigan Professor of English Mary Crane, director of the Institute for the Liberal Arts. “That has turned out to be the case, and it’s even more exciting that in the meantime, Donna Brazile has been named interim chair of the Democratic National Committee. Both Donna Brazile and Mary Matalin have been involved in presidential politics at a high level for many years, so their perspectives on women, leadership and the current presidential election should give us an insider’s view. “Since the two speakers are good friends and represent both sides of the political aisle, they will provide a model for constructive conversation between people who disagree on many issues,” Crane added. Brazile is a veteran Democratic political strategist and television political commentator who worked on every presidential campaign from 1976 through 2000, when she became the first African-American to manage a presidential bid. She is vice chair of Voter Registration and Participation at the DNC and the former chair of the DNC’s Voting Rights Institute. She has received the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s highest award for political achievement. She was listed as one of O, The Oprah Magazine’s 20 “remarkable visionaries” for the magazine’s O Power List, named among the 100 Most Powerful Women by Washingtonian magazine, and selected one of the Top 50 Women in America by Essence magazine. Brazile has lectured at more than 125 colleges and universities across the country and is the author of the best-selling memoir Cook-

ing with Grease: Stirring the Pots in American Politics. Matalin is a former political strategist for the Republican Party and one of the most well-known conservative pundits in America politics. She held key leadership positions in George H.W. Bush’s 1988 presidential campaign and served as chief of staff to Republican National Committee Chairman Lee Atwater. She then served as deputy campaign manager for political operations for Bush’s 1992 re-election campaign. She later was an assistant to President George W. Bush and counselor to Vice President Dick Cheney. Matalin hosted CNN’s critically acclaimed political debate show “Crossfire” and was a founding cohost of the political weeknight talk show “Equal Time,” which aired on CNBC. She has made numerous appearances on NBC’s “Meet the Press” and is a frequent guest commentator on news networks such as ABC, CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News Network. Today, she co-hosts the nationally syndicated radio program “Both Sides Now,” which is broadcast on more than 100 radio stations across the country. Matalin and her husband James Carville co-authored the books All’s Fair: Love, War, and Running for President and Love and War: Twenty Years, Three Presidents, Two Daughters and One Louisiana Home. In addition to a passion for politics, Brazile and Matalin both share a love for and dedication to the city of New Orleans. After hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Brazile, a New Orleans native, was appointed to the Louisiana Recovery Authority to work for the rebuilding of the state and to advocate for the Gulf recovery on the national stage. Matalin and her family have lived in New Orleans for nearly a decade, and efforts to rebuild and promote that city have become a central part of their lives. Established in 2002, the CWBC provides BC alumnae with professional and personal enrichment opportunities; connects them to the University; supports Alumni Association initiatives, and mentors women undergraduates, the alumnae of tomorrow. The CWBC Colloquium is made possible by the generous support of council members and other Boston College donors and is administered under the aegis of the Institute for the Liberal Arts. The event has reached capacity. Any unclaimed tickets will be released to the University community at 5 p.m. the evening of the event. Contact Kathleen Sullivan at kathleen.sullivan@bc.edu

The Story of BC – and ‘Mr. BC’

McIntyre memoir chronicles his life, career, and the University’s growth By Jack Dunn Director of News & Public Affairs

From his earliest years as a student in the Evening College in 1951 through his unprecedented 56-year career as an administrator and University citizen, the late James P. McIntyre’s lifelong journey played a unique role in shaping Boston College. Now, a year after his death, that journey has been brought to life through a poignant memoir that captures in his own words the evolution of a university he was destined to serve. My Journey to the Heights: A Memoir of Boston College (19512015) chronicles the senior vice president’s personal voyage from evening classes at BC Intown on Boston’s Newbury Street to his role as one of the University’s most beloved and respected administrators, providing in the process an invaluable historical account of Boston College and its rise from a commuter school for local Catholics to one of the nation’s preeminent national universities. Produced for Boston College by Executive Director of Marketing Communications and BC Magazine Editor Ben Birnbaum and edited by Senior Writer William Bole, the memoir was undertaken at the request of University President William P. Leahy, SJ, who wanted to capture McIntyre’s sixand-a-half-decade institutional perspective to help BC “to better know its history.” At a book launch ceremony on Sept. 18 attended by McIntyre’s family, fellow administrators, alumni and friends, Birnbaum said McIntyre was the spirt of Boston College for more than 50 years, a person who selflessly embraced any challenge to meet BC’s most pressing needs. “As I think of Jim, and of the BC times in which he lived, and as I read this book, I’ve come to imagine that he was more than an actor in those times; but that he embodied those times,” said Birnbaum. “He was, in his origins and in his development – and during those years in which he worked for BC – not just an agent of change, but an embodiment of the Boston College that evolved over those years, the BC that went from being somewhat uncertain about its place in this country and in the world, to the university that is presently sure of itself, of its strength and its responsibilities and its continued thriving.” During a professional career that began in the fall of 1959 – two years after earning his undergraduate degree – when he was hired as the first layperson to work in

James P. McIntyre

the Office of Undergraduate Admission, McIntyre had a hand in every significant administrative role within Boston College — from Admissions and Student Affairs to founding BC’s Advancement effort — earning him the moniker “Mr. BC” and the affection of a Boston College community forever grateful for his service. He received an honorary degree in 2011, to go with his master’s and doctoral degrees. The memoir features McIntyre’s recollections of the challenges and triumphs inherent in his many roles, and of the University’s attempt to reconcile its commitment to its past while building for a more prosperous and prestigious future. At the book launch, Fr. Leahy, who worked closely with McIntyre for 19 years, praised him for his unwavering commitment to his family, his faith and to Boston College, which were the focal points of his life. “Jim McIntyre invested so much of himself in Boston College, and through that investment he played a unique role in helping to shape the University, said Fr. Leahy. “He was a person of faith, which animated so much of his life, and a person who was steadfast in his love of and dedication to his family and Boston College.” In the modern history of Boston College, there were few major issues in which McIntyre was not personally involved. He had a hand

in establishing BC’s financial aid program, creating its centralized student affairs office as BC’s first lay vice president, directing its first capital campaign as its newly appointed vice president for University Affairs, and hosting international finance conferences and other events as senior vice president. Boston College’s Newton Campus, Flynn Recreation Complex, Thomas P. O’Neill, Jr. Library, Silvio O. Conte Forum, Robsham Theater Arts Center, the renovated Alumni Stadium and the Merkert Chemistry Center were all the fruits of McIntyre’s efforts, as were many of the University’s largest contributions that he procured from his unique ability to cultivate deep, personal relationships with BC alumni. The book touches on many of these milestone events under four Boston College presidents, as well as on his own life’s journey, from his humble origins in Malden as the son of Irish immigrants, to his father’s deathbed exhortation at the age of six to “take care of his mother,” to the jobs he took to support his family while a student at Malden Catholic High School and BC’s Evening College, and his enduring love for his wife, Monica, and his six children, all of whom attended Boston College. “I thought it would be deeply satisfying to work for an organization whose goals were very congruent with my own — to help young people live good lives, inspired by their faith,” he states in the memoir. “In the twilight of my career, I can report that I am a happy man, and some would say a lucky one too...We have been successful in raising the ceiling of a great institution. It is now up to our successors to use that ceiling as their floor as they reach for even greater heights. That is the rest of my story.” My Journey to the Heights is available at the Boston College Bookstore. [For the full version of this story, go to http://bit.ly/2d5Roos]

Lee Pellegrini

CWBC Colloquium

Gary Wayne Gilbert

Provost and Dean of Faculties David Quigley, center, formally welcomed two new deans to the University community – Gautam Yadama, School of Social Work (right) and Stanton Wortham, Lynch School of Education – at a Sept. 20 reception.

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Chronicle september 29, 2016

BOSTON COLLEGE IN THE MEDIA An introduction to new faculty members at Boston College Nadia Abuelezam

Assistant Professor Connell School of Nursing DEGREES: Harvey Mudd College (BS); Harvard University (Sc.D.) WHAT SHE STUDIES: Epidemiology; HIV/AIDS; infectious diseases; mathematical modeling; social networks. WHAT SHE’S TEACHING: Public Health in a Global Society What drew you to epidemiology and what are the big challenges right now in your field? “Epidemiology’s focus on population health has always been very attractive to me. As an analytic person with a degree in mathematics, I was always interested in applying my quantitative skills to global problems and social justice issues. My work in epidemiology has allowed me to do that by, for example, modeling ways to improve access to treatment for those infected with HIV in Sub-Saharan Africa. The questions that keep me up at night and that seem most challenging at the moment revolve around issues of access to education, healthcare, and basic human rights for those most marginalized (geographically, economically, socially, politically etc.) in society.”

Hartmut Austen

Assistant Professor of Studio Art Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences DEGREES: Hochschule der Künste, Berlin (BFA, MFA) WHAT HE STUDIES: Finding and investigating images that convey complexity, personal ideology and uncertainty underneath representations of heroism and accomplishment across disciplines. WHAT HE’S TEACHING: Introductory courses for drawing and painting; Independent Work 1 As someone who’s exhibited around the world, how important do you think it is for artists to travel and engage with other cultures? “I can’t speak for other artists, but for me, travel and engagement with other cultures has been generally inspiring. I engage with cultures through visits to exhibitions in museums and galleries, books and interactions with people. I find it rewarding but also at times intimidating. As a painter who tries to make works that are inspired by, and are (hopefully) relevant to, our times, I try to approach the world around me with open eyes, and try to stay informed about issues and trends in the arts.”

Rebekah Mitsein

Assistant Professor of English Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences DEGREES: St. Cloud State University (BA); Duquesne University (MA); Purdue University (PhD) WHAT SHE STUDIES: 18th-century British literature and culture WHAT SHE TEACHES: First Year Writing Seminar; Literature Core; EighteenthCentury Adventure Fiction One of your classes describes how 18th-century adventure fiction reflected the excitement and anxieties of both writers and readers about their rapidly changing world. In this technological, visually oriented age, do you think adventure fiction has the same kind of effect on readers and writers? “The scale and scope of adventure fiction is different now than it was then, but the 18th century was also a very technological, visually oriented age. Networks of communication and exchange crisscrossed the globe faster than ever before, encouraging readers and writers to visualize the world anew. Microscopes and telescopes altered how people pictured the very fundamentals of their universe. Amidst all these radical changes, questions arose about the nature of the individual and the future of society. This semester, my students and I are exploring why the adventure plot became — and still is — such a popular way to sort through those questions.”

Fazel Tafti

Assistant Professor of Physics Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences DEGREES: University of Tehran (BSc); University of Toronto (MSc and PhD) WHAT HE STUDIES: Condensed matter physics; synthesis and crystal growth of new materials; superconductors, complex magnets and thermoelectric materials. WHAT HE TEACHES: From Bonds to Bands: The Chemistry and the Physics of Solids Your lab is called Quantum Explorations by Synthesis and Transport. What is the focus of your research? “Our group consists of physicists and chemists working together to discover new functional materials with a focus on superconducting, magnetic, multiferroic, and thermoelectric systems. Using an array of material synthesis and crystal growth techniques, we try to make higher temperature superconductors, exotic magnets, more efficient thermoelectric and energy related materials. We are also well equipped with electrical and thermal transport measurements under high pressure and high magnetic fields. Our goal is to tune the behavior of electrons by means of both chemistry and physics methods.”

–Ed Hayward, Kathleen Sullivan, Siobhan Sullivan and Sean Smith Photos by Lee Pellegrini (except Austen)

Prof. Heather Cox Richardson (History) joined a WGBH “Greater Boston” discussion of the presidential candidates’ reactions to recent terror incidents. Can the peace plan in Syria succeed if President Assad stays in power? Theology and Islamic Civilization and Societies faculty member Natana DeLong-Bas weighed in on New Prof. Emeritus Harvey D. Egan, SJ (Theology), published a set of multi-media DVDs, “The Christian Mystical Heritage,” with nowyouknowmedia.com. At the Haifa University Conference on Documentary Ethics, Prof. John Michalczyk (Art, Art History, and Film) presented a paper on the Liberation of the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp and the two documentary films produced on the subject, one Hitchcockaffiliated and the other based on the witnesses to the production. The conference was dedicated to the memory of late Theology faculty member Raymond Helmick, SJ, who was scheduled to appear at the conference.

England Cable News’ “The Take.” In a piece for TechPolicyDaily.com, Assoc. Prof. Daniel Lyons (Law) wrote that a recent US Court of Appeals decision exempting common carriers from a key antitrust law designed to promote fair competition could have far-reaching implications for the future of Internet regulation.

Used as Fairness Heuristics in the Investment Decision,” accepted for publication by the Journal of Business Ethics. He also received an award for outstanding published manuscript, “Nonfinancial Information Preferences of Investment Professionals,” from Behavioral Research in Accounting. Media Laboratory Director Marcus Breen, a visiting faculty member in the Communication Department, conducted a half-day campus workshop, “The Social Media Generation: Creativity, Connecting, Communities,” for 15 delegates from North Africa and the Near East. The event was organized for the US State Department through World Boston as part of an effort to assist the US government in engaging in citizen diplomacy training programs.

BC BRIEFING

An article by Prof. Jeffrey Cohen (CSOM), “CSR Disclosure Items

obituary

Sociologist Ritchie Lowry, 90

Ritchie Lowry, a retired professor of sociology who taught at Boston College for 45 years, has died after a long illness. He was 90. Dr. Lowry was a pioneering expert in the area of corporate social responsibility and socially and environmentally responsible investment, and was founder and president of Good Money Publications, which issued newsletters and handbooks for socially concerned investors. His other research areas included the sociology of war and the military, social problems and public policy, and community power structures. One of his earlier published works was Who’s Running This Town?, which examined myths and theories of grassroots politics through the lens of smalltown society. He also authored or co-published such books as A Citizen’s Guide to Military Force, Social Problems: A Critical Analysis of Theory and Public Policy, Sociology: Social Science and Social Concern and The Science Society. Dr. Lowry came to BC in 1966 after having served as a senior research scientist at the US Army Special Operations Research Office

and lecturer at American University. A year later, he became chairman of the Sociology Department, and along with other faculty members refocused its program on social and economic justice. He also established the department’s doctoral program. Retiring in 2011, Dr. Lowry told the Chronicle that, while he would remain active in his research, he would miss “the opportunity to experience the views and perspectives of different generations of young people. Teaching is also a matter of learning from your students.” BC students, he said, “are generally among the most committed to social and economic justice issues, and they have responded very well to the ideas I have shared with them.” A World War II veteran who enlisted in the Navy at age 17, Dr. Lowry went on to earn bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of California at Berkeley. He is survived by his wife, Betty; their children, Peter and Robin; three grandchildren and five greatgrandchildren. –Office of News & Public Affairs

Asst. Prof. Peter Krause (Political Science) provided analysis of recent terror incidents in New York City, New Jersey and Minnesota in interviews with MSNBC, WGBH’s “Greater Boston” and New England Cable News’ “The Take.” Prof. Eric Dearing (LSOE) was quoted in a Boston Globe story about researchers – including Dearing – with the DREME Network (Development and Research in Early Math Education), who say it’s time for parents to begin to teach their preschool-age children basic math concepts with the same urgency that they encourage reading. Dearing is leading a study that will provide lowincome families with food vouchers and recipes annotated with math talking points. “Beyond Words: Illuminated Manuscripts in Boston Collections,” a collaborative exhibition of the McMullen Museum of Art, Harvard’s Houghton Library, and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, drew praise from reviewers with The Wall Street Journal, Boston Globe, MetroWest Daily News and Apollo art magazine (UK). Assoc. Prof. of the Practice Michael C. Keith (Communication) was interviewed by USA Network Radio regarding a book he edited on writer Norman Corwin.

JOBS 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: Academic Operations Administrator, Academic Affairs/Provost

Administrative Assistant, Alumni Relations, Advancement Senior Human Resources Officer, Human Resources Director of Faith Formation, St. Ignatius Parish, Academic Affairs/Provost

Executive Director, Advancement Communications and Marketing Personal Trainer, Athletics

Resident Director, Student Affairs/Residential Life Assistant Dean, Academic & Student Services, Law School

Assistant Director, Grant Administration (subawards), Academic Affairs/Provost Web Interface Designer, Information Technology

Program & Events Administrator, Academic Affairs/Provost

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Chronicle september 29, 2016

DEBATE:

BC Democrats vs. College Republicans Oct. 6, 7 p.m., Devlin 008 [Go to http://bit.ly/2dhxPv0]

Playwright Wilner Joins Theatre Department as Monan Professor By Rosanne Pellegrini Staff Writer

Award-winning playwright and arts educator Sheri Wilner joins the Theatre Department this academic year as the Rev. J. Donald Monan, SJ, Professor in Theatre Arts. Wilner has authored more than 20 full-length and one-act plays, most recently the new musical “Cake Off”, which premiered last fall at the Signature Theatre in Arlington, Va., and received a Helen Hayes Award nomination for Outstanding Musical Adaptation. Her plays have been published in more than a dozen anthologies and performed at major regional and national theaters. She is currently director of the Dramatists Guild Fellows Program in New York City, which provides a yearlong professional development workshop to a select group of emerging playwrights and musical theater writers. “Sheri Wilner’s expertise extends well beyond her highly acclaimed body of work as a playwright,” said Associate Professor of Theatre Crystal Tiala, the department chair. “She has made it her mission to advocate for gender parity in her field. Her participation in research and subsequent publications bring to light how biased choices made by producers have resulted in significantly fewer opportunities for women. Her presence in our department will fuel some fascinating discussions of both gender and racial parity in the

entertainment industry.” Wilner was master playwright for the Miami-Dade Department of Cultural Affairs Playwrights’ Development Program, where

Playwrights’ Theatre. Wilner’s work also has been produced in Australia, Denmark, Germany, India, Ireland, Japan and the United Kingdom. At Boston College, Wilner will teach two Theatre Department courses: Writing Wrongs: Writing the Issue-Based Play will explore the process of transforming emotional responses to social and political “hot topics” into complex, engaging works for the theater. Contemporary Female Playwrights will address the lack of gender parity in American theater, through reading and creatively responding to plays authored by a range of female playwrights. Wilner, with Boston play-

Robsham’s ‘Lefty’ Includes Extra Events Kicking off the Robsham Theater 2016-17 season is one of the most celebrated and significant plays of the modern American theater: Clifford Odets’ “Waiting for Lefty,” which runs Oct. 13-16. Associate Professor of the Practice of Theatre Patricia Riggin will direct the Theatre Department production of the 1935 classic, a series of episodes blended into a powerful mosaic about a labor strike. A collection of new short plays by contemporary female playwrights, “Still Waiting,” that follows the production brings the struggles of American workers and their lives into the 21st century. Featured playwrights are Sheri Wilner, 201617 Monan Professor in Theatre

Arts [see story above], Huntington Theatre Company playwright-inresidence Melinda Lopez and and Boston Playwrights Theatre Artistic Director Kate Snodgrass. The trio will take part in a “Still Waiting Playwrights Panel” after the Oct. 14 performance. Additional programming accompanying “Waiting for Lefty” aims to elaborate on the production and link complementary themes of art, academia and activism. These events are sponsored by The Winston Center for Leadership and Ethics: “The Fight for Civil Rights, Social Justice, and Labor Equality” a lecture with civil rights and labor activist Christine Chavez, Oct. 11, 6 p.m., Gasson 100; screening of

“The Salt of the Earth” followed by discussion with faculty members John Michalczyk and Cynthia Lyerly, Oct. 12, 5 p.m., Devlin 101; “The Labor Movement: From Yesterday to Today,” panel discussion with social, political and historical experts Barry Bluestone (Northeastern University), Donna Blythe-McColgan (United Steelworkers of America Union), State Sen. Linda Dorcena Forry ’96, and BC faculty Lynn Johnson and David Twomey, moderated by BC Magazine Editor Ben Birnbaum, Oct. 13, 4 p.m., Robsham Theater. For show times and ticket prices, see the Robsham Theater website at www.bc.edu/robsham. –Office of News & Public Affairs

Contact Rosanne Pellegrini at rosanne.pellegrini@bc.edu

As the University community settled into the new academic year this month, the campus calendar was chock full of special events (clockwise from near left): a barbecue for alumni of Jesuit high schools and members of the University’s Jesuit communities; the annual Healthapalooza Fair, where Priya Atiyeh ’18 offered some information on healthy eating to freshmen Amanda Ilaria and Brendan McInerney; the National Summit on Catholic Schools and Hispanic Families, sponsored by the Boston College Roche Center for Catholic Education; a celebration to mark the start of Hispanic Heritage Month; and “Swinging Under the Stars,” at which the student group Full Swing taught swing dancing.

Frank Curran

Ed Hayward

wrights Melinda Lopez (Huntington Theatre Company playwrightin-residence) and Kate Snodgrass (Boston Playwrights Theatre artistic director), wrote a collection of short plays to accompany the opening production of the Robsham Theater season, “Waiting for Lefty” (Oct. 13-16). In conjunction with the production of “The Misanthrope” in November, Wilner will lead a panel discussion on gender parity in theater. The Theatre Department will produce her play, “Kingdom City,” which will be staged March 22-26 and directed by Associate Professor John Houchin. Based on real events, the play follows a female theater director’s struggle to produce a provocative play in a conservative, religious town in the Midwest. Wilner has received several prestigious fellowships including the Howard Foundation Fellowship in Playwriting, the Bush Foundation Artist Fellowship, The Playwrights Center’s Jerome Foundation Fellowship, and the Dramatists Guild Playwriting Fellowship. She has twice been a co-winner of the Actors Theatre of Louisville’s Heideman Award for her plays “Labor Day” and “Bake Off,” both of which premiered at the annual Humana Festival of New American Plays. She earned a BA in English from Cornell University and an MFA in playwriting from Columbia University.

TIMES IN SEPTEMBER

Christopher Huang

BC SCENES

Sheri Wilner

she conducted a series of weekend workshops over a two-year period with a class of professional Miami playwrights. She has taught playwriting at Vanderbilt University, where she was the Fred Coe Playwright-in-Residence, and Florida State University, where she was head of the playwriting division of the Writing for Stage and Screen MFA program. Among venues where her plays have been performed are the Old Globe, the Guthrie Theater, the Actors Theatre of Louisville, the Eugene O’Neill Playwrights’ Conference, the Williamstown Theatre Festival, as well as during several seasons of the Boston Theatre Marathon at the Boston