Gary Trauner '80 was an improbable politician in Wyoming.  Read about it in this month's Passion for the Climb essay

Davis urges students to reframe idea of black history
Angela Davis — a key and sometimes controversial figure of the civil rights movement — urged students to reconsider how they view black history at her talk in honor of Black History Month. A university professor and activist for civil rights, prison reform, and political accountability, Davis was brought to campus by Sisters of the Round Table (SORT).
    “Our organization thought it was important to bring a speaker who highlights the contributions of black women,” said Gabriella Jones-Casey ’09, chairwoman of SORT.
    Davis approached the celebration of Black History Month in a dynamic way that seemed to strike a chord with students.
    “I really liked how she discussed the evolution of Black History Month in the context of the current political situation — the election of Obama, the war in Afghanistan, and the role of modern feminism,” said Sam Shea ’09.


Angela Davis answers a question during her appearance at Memorial Chapel.  (Photo by Luke Connolly '09)

    Davis said that today’s society often thinks of history as being made by individuals, and Black History Month is celebrated as a collection of individual narratives. But she noted that change is forged by communities and that the individuals we celebrate are those who identified or aligned themselves with a larger community that was already struggling for justice. Davis pointed to the anonymous women celebrated in Jo Ann Robinson’s memoir The Montgomery Bus Boycott and the Women Who Started It. It was the women of Montgomery who organized the boycott against the bus company; the boycott succeeded because it was the women who refused to ride the bus. She emphasized that it is ordinary working people who can make a difference.
    Davis, who was acquitted of murder and kidnapping charges after a 1972 trial that gained widespread notoriety, said race is central to the socio-historical circumstances of the country.
    She noted that there has not been the opportunity to have honest discussions about race in America. “We do not know how to talk about race. And we assume the only way to deal with race and racism is to ignore it.”
    Davis encouraged students to engage in open conversations about race on campus and to think of history in a different way. She asked the audience to think of the people whose names cannot be recalled; to think of history as made by ordinary individuals who imagined a better time, a time of hope.
— Megan Foley ’09

Third time’s the charm for Donovan’s Pub
It’s a space so nice, they built it thrice. And on Feb. 17, students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends all gathered at the James C. Colgate Student Union to cut the ribbon on the newly remodeled Donovan’s Pub.
    With a jazz trio playing on stage, guests mingled beneath the bar’s hand-carved inscription, “Céad Míle Fáilte,” Gaelic for “a hundred thousand welcomes.” Others sat in the café, where a flat-screen television showed pictures of the construction process — a vivid reminder of just how far the pub has come during the last year.
video iconSee how the renovated Donovan's Pub looks
    Donovan’s Pub, first constructed in the mid-’80s, was the brainchild of John ’52 and Patty Donovan P’87.
    Its third design comes after the university used the space as a temporary circulation library during construction of the new Case Library and Geyer Center for Information Technology. Case-Geyer was dedicated in 2007, and the pub was left a dark shadow of its former self. At the university’s request, Patty Donovan stepped forward to help recreate it — again.
    Administrators and student government members rolled up their sleeves as well.
    After three at-bats, no one was willing to trust that, if you build it, they will come. So, the Class of 2009 spent six months trying to set a new senior class gift record and create an endowment to support activities in the pub — events like this year’s Super Bowl Party, Monday Night Trivia games, and faculty-staff happy hours.
    After all, “leaving something behind keeps you connected when you’re an alum,” said senior class gift committee member Katrina Zawojski ’09.
    Her sentiments were echoed by Patty Donovan, who has, once again, built her family’s legacy on campus. “It has been a labor of love for me, my husband, and my family,” she said. “We’re glad that it turned out so well.”

Upstate Institute to offer bankruptcy assistance
Thanks to a $45,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Herkimer & Oneida Counties, Colgate’s Upstate Institute will develop and implement a program that provides free legal services to local low-income residents who are filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy.
    In conjunction with the Legal Aid Society of Mid-New York, Inc., a not-for-profit law office that provides legal assistance at no cost, the Upstate Institute will start working with new clients this spring for the Consumer Bankruptcy Law Project.
    The partnership expands regional resources, allowing residents who have incurred substantial debt to reorder their finances and make a fresh start. “This is also a win-win situation because students selected for the program will be able to learn so very much about the law and about life. At the same time, their work will contribute to the mission of the Legal Aid Society,” said institute director Ellen Kraly.
    The grant money will fund a training conference for 12 to 14 pro bono attorneys and Colgate student interns, the preparation of case files, and bankruptcy filings for 35 to 40 clients during an 18-month period.
    Five Colgate students will be selected for the project each semester. By spring of 2010, as many as 15 students will be participating. Under the supervision of a project attorney, students will obtain documentation, draft legal forms, and write memorandums for the files. Cases will then be referred to the pro bono attorneys, who will meet with the clients and decide whether to file their cases in court.
    Susan Conn ’79, lead attorney on the project, will serve as a mentor for student interns. The Consumer Bankruptcy Law Project grows out of a pilot project that began in January 2008. Conn trained Colgate students to assist her with the preparation of actual bankruptcy cases.
    “The seven students who worked with me on the pilot project have truly appreciated the opportunity to have hands-on experiences within the legal profession and leave a meaningful impact on our community,” said Conn, who has 22 years’ experience at Legal Aid. “The pilot project has proven to be very successful, and we are fortunate to be able to continue the work.”
    Priority will be given to low-income residents of Madison, Herkimer, and Oneida counties who are domestic violence survivors and other individuals with insurmountable debt due to job loss or medical illness. Individuals selected for the project will be prescreened for financial eligibility and will need to meet additional criteria.

O’Keeffe shares a writer’s inspiration
The Department of English kicked off the spring semester’s lecture series with a reading to a standing-room–only crowd by a new member of the Colgate community, author Patrick O’Keeffe.
    O’Keeffe, assistant professor of creative writing, won the prestigious Story Prize in 2005 for his collection of novellas, The Hill Road. “The Hill Road is a glorious work one would wish everyone to read,” said Jane Pinchin, Thomas A. Bartlett Chair and professor of English.
Author Patrick O’Keeffe reads from his work at Lawrence Hall.
    O’Keeffe was born and raised on a dairy farm in rural Ireland. He emigrated to the United States in the mid-1980s when he was in his 20s and worked as a bartender, construction worker, and house painter. He later began writing poetry and fiction, and in 1996, he earned a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Kentucky.
    Although critics often discuss his work in an Irish context, the author said that American literature had a strong influence on him. He noted that people tend to absorb what they read, and he cited William Faulkner, Alice Munro, and Sherwood Anderson as just a few of his favorite authors.
    He read from a work in progress called The Moon in Cancer, which revolves around a homeless character. The work is a product of his experiences working with the homeless in Ann Arbor, Mich. (he earned his MFA at the University of Michigan).
    O’Keeffe said getting to know the homeless men and women challenged his own limited notions of who they were. He urged the students in attendance to break away from their own comfort zones because coming face to face with the unknown often facilitates discovery.
    He described the attitude writers must adopt to take risks in their work: “Okay, I can’t get away with this, but I’m going to try to get away with this and hope it works.”    
    It also is important for writers to seek inspiration in everyday life, O’Keeffe said, because the smallest detail can lead to a creative breakthrough. Take that detail and write around it and through it to get at what fascinates you, he told the audience. “Those images you have in your life, bring them to your work.”
— Megan Foley ’09

Activist uses smart humor to discuss race
Combining wit, humor, and a willingness to say exactly what he’s thinking, Dick Gregory spoke in Love Auditorium in late February as the Brothers organization’s keynote speaker for Black History Month.
    A well-known political activist, comedian, author, and personal nutrition advocate, Gregory talked about “the world according to Dick,” challenging students to think while continually making them laugh.
    “Comedians make you look inside yourself,” said Daniel Cantor ’09, a member of the Brothers group, which is dedicated to addressing issues facing male students of color. “They get at issues you wouldn’t be able to in other situations.”


Dick Gregory (right), noted comedian and political activist, gets help from an audience member during his talk in Love Auditorium.  (Photo by Andrew Daddio)

    Occasionally pushing the boundary of political correctness, Gregory used his smart humor to discuss race in the political campaign of Barack Obama, the bafflement he feels about the public’s disregard for nutrition, and a conspiracy theory relating to the Feb. 12 plane crash in Buffalo.
    He suggested that the crash occurred because Beverly Eckert, one of the passengers on board, had requested that the investigation about her husband’s death in the 9/11 attacks be reopened two days earlier.
    “It was absolutely disrespectful to hear him joking about the plane crash that happened in my hometown less than one week after it happened,” said Catherine Mendola ’09. “However, I realize that his point was to highlight what we ‘don’t know’ about a situation.”
    Cantor said he thinks Gregory’s outspokenness is helpful in creating dialogue. “We need people to start conversations,” he said. “I believe that Gregory’s lecture will be discussed and thought about … even if it is merely to refute his claims.”
— Brittany Messenger ’10

Needed: A few good men
When Ingrid Hale, director of Colgate’s Center for Outreach, Volunteerism, and Education (COVE), looks up from her desk to see who has walked through the center’s doors, odds are it is a female student. “There is a gender disparity in volunteering not only on our campus, but also at colleges across the country,” said Hale. “Unfortunately, some male students think that volunteering will not be a meaningful experience for them, or that service opportunities may not match their interests.”
    According to COVE estimates, one-quarter of students who participate in the center’s 35 service programs is male. In an attempt to narrow the gender gap, COVE has ramped up its volunteer recruitment campaign, called the Male Involvement Initiative.
    This semester, Hale enlisted the help of COVE interns Jonathan Riedel ’09 and Jeremy Fisher ’10, who have been compiling and analyzing data on volunteerism in the community and then creating an action plan.
    Across campus, the duo’s efforts are visible. Inside academic buildings and residence halls, Riedel and Fisher have hung catchy posters with well-known male figures who are dedicated to philanthropic work — Chuck Norris, Michael Phelps, and Brad Pitt. At Frank Dining Hall, stories about male volunteers are spotlighted on the Grapevine (tabletop placards). “We hope the constant visual reminders around campus will motivate our male classmates to step up to the plate,” said Riedel.
    The outreach initiative also highlights COVE programs — such as Habitat for Humanity, Hamilton Outdoor Group, and Hamilton Fire Fighters — that are more likely to attract male students. “There really is something for everyone,” said Fisher. “Once you become involved, it is easy to become enthusiastic about the work.”
    Just ask Nick Lybrand ’09, who got hooked on community service while he was in high school. As a Hamilton volunteer fire fighter, Lybrand responds to emergency calls at night and on weekends. On Friday afternoons, you will find him playing bingo with senior citizens in the nearby town of Madison. His message to men who shy away from volunteering: “There is an indescribable feeling that you will take away from helping people.
    “Without community service,” he added, “there would be a huge hole in my life.”
    Hale noted that when male students refrain from volunteer projects, community members also miss out. “Boys in particular need male role models whom they can look up to, and male students here at Colgate might be able to relate to them in ways females cannot,” she said. “That can make a world of difference to a young man.”


Views from the hill

What is the most intellectually stimulating paper you’ve written so far at Colgate?

A psychology paper I wrote for Professor Carlsmith. We had to talk about how we saw some aspect of what we’d been learning in our own lives. I ended up completely messing up the paper and I rewrote it explaining my previous screw up in terms of cognitive dissonance — which is basically when you think you can do really well and you can’t, so you rationalize it away. It was interesting to see how exactly what he’s teaching is what I’m doing and not even realizing it.
— Bob Komer ’10, psychology major, Greek minor

Writing about standardized English in my writing class — why it’s necessary in society and how it obstructs culture.
— Sumeeta Sankar ’12, considering a double major in biology and anthropology

My freshman year, spring semester, I took two classes for an extended study to Ireland — one was a contemporary poetry class and the second was medieval Irish literature. At the end, we had to merge the two classes and do something that related to the ancient texts but also the contemporary poetry. That was really invigorating.
— Meghan Sheehan ’10, economics and Spanish major

Presidential Search Update



Presidential Search Chair Peg Flanagan ’80 and Board Chair Chris Clifford ’67 spent two days on campus meeting with students, faculty, and staff regarding the search for Colgate’s next president.  (Photo by Andrew Daddio)

While we are in the beginning stages of the search for Colgate’s next president, I am pleased to share an update on where we stand and invite your input and ideas as part of the process.
    As you know from the letter sent on Feb. 21 by Board Chair Chris Clifford ’67, Colgate Provost and Dean of the Faculty Lyle Roelofs has agreed to serve as interim president effective June 1, 2009. Lyle has done an outstanding job overseeing faculty initiatives, the curriculum, information technology, and instructional budgets since arriving at Colgate in 2004. We are confident that Colgate will continue to advance under Lyle’s leadership during this period of transition.
    There is a great sense of momentum at Colgate right now, which puts us in a strong position as we work to build the best possible pool of candidates. The candidates will closely review our leadership statement, the document that will articulate Colgate’s aspirations for its next president. This is a critical document for Colgate, and I will be looking to members of the Colgate community to express their expectations and aspirations for a new president and Colgate’s future. To facilitate this type of feedback, we have established an e-mail account, pressearch@colgate.edu, and a website, www.colgate.edu/pressearch, which includes a feedback form and links to communications that have been sent about the search. While the search committee’s deliberations around candidates will be necessarily confidential, I will provide information along the way through updates posted on the website.
    I invite all members of the Colgate community to share your thoughts on the short- and long-term issues the next Colgate president will have to address, the qualities of leadership you seek in the next president, and any other recommendations you may have, including names of potential candidates. I will respect the confidentiality of your communications with me, but will ask that you provide your name and contact information should I have a reason to follow up on your response.
    Since beginning this effort just a few weeks ago, I have been impressed and inspired by the ways in which Colgate faculty, students, alumni, staff, and parents have reached out to express their hopes and concerns, their ideas and suggestions. This is an important search at an important time for Colgate, and I look forward to many more conversations about how we can be sure to get the best possible candidates in line to interview for this outstanding opportunity.

Peg Flanagan ’80
Chair, Colgate Presidential Search Committee
Vice Chair, Colgate Board of Trustees

Go figure –
So long, winter!

10/28/08 first major snowstorm in Hamilton, N.Y.

-11° F low temperature on the coldest day, Jan. 16, 2009

148.4" total amount of snowfall

13.5" highest daily amount of snowfall

9,898.17 tons of woodchips burned to heat campus buildings

27.46 miles from campus to the closest ski hill, Toggenburg Mountain

7,560 cups of hot chocolate poured at Frank Dining Hall

50 pairs of cross country skis (both classic and skate), 25 pairs of telemark skis, and 40 pairs of snowshoes available from the Outdoor Education Program for alleviating cabin fever

*Data compiled from a variety of sources, including Peter Hall, WSTM-TV meteorologist.

Talking points



“The medium for a poem is the reader’s breath. By the nature of the medium, poetry is on a human scale.”
— Robert Pinsky, former poet laureate of the United States and founder of the Favorite Poem Project, at a lunchtime talk with Colgate students

“When you sequence the DNA in your cells and sequence the chimps and gorillas and other apes and other monkeys, no matter how you do it, no matter which part of the DNA you look at, we’re only 1 to 2 percent different — roughly 98 to 99 percent similar to chimpanzees. We’re closer to chimps than any other species are to each other on the planet.”
— Donald Prothero, paleontologist, author, and professor at Occidental College, in his Darwin Week capstone lecture “Evolution: What the Fossils Say and Why it Matters”

“I just wondered, in ancient society like the Greek society, the Homeric society, if you saw the sea as having within it the spirit of the god, you had to placate it. If you saw the sea not only as a source of life but also as a source of great power — power that you didn’t want to anger — would you trash it so easily as we do? This crisis made me reflect on it in a different way… We always think of those who have multiple gods as less civilized than us, but maybe this is a more civilized way of looking at our natural environment.”
— Professor Steven Kepnes, talking about how lessons learned in the core are applicable to solving the global warming crisis, in What’s Core 151 Got to Do With It? The Mess We Are In