Weekly Bulletin

New course proposal

The following new course proposal has been submitted to the Faculty Senate Office for review and approval and is listed here for faculty review and comment. Comments on any new course proposal should be submitted to Ernest May, secretary of the Faculty Senate, at senate@senate.umass.edu.

HISTORY 250, “Introduction to South Asian History and Culture (HSG),” 4 credits; Instructor: Dr. Priyanka Srivastava; This course covers the history of South Asia. It traces politics, caste, religions and empires, from the earlier period to the emergence of modern India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.

Patek speaks on speedy animals at Science Café

Biologist Sheila Patek will talk about “Speed: Life in the Fast Lane,” exploring some of the world’s fastest animals – but maybe not the ones most people think of – at a Science Café on Monday, April 15 at 6 p.m. at Esselon Café in Hadley.
 
Light snacks will be provided and drinks will be available for purchase. All Science Café events are free and designed for a public audience. 
 
The Science Café series is organized by graduate students in the Organismic and Evolutionary Biology (OEB) Program and is supported by the Society for the Study of Evolution, the Massachusetts Academy of

GIC's annual enrollment for health insurance begins April 10

This year's Group Insurance Commission (GIC) annual enrollment for health insurance begins April 10 and runs through May 8.

The annual Health Fair is Wednesday, May 1 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Student Union Ballroom.

Employees who want to keep their current GIC health plan do not need to fill out any paperwork as coverage will continue automatically.

All changes will be effective July 1.

New course proposals

 The following new course proposals have been submitted to the Faculty Senate Office for review and approval and are listed here for faculty review and comment. Comments on any new course proposal should be submitted to Ernest May, secretary of the Faculty Senate, at senate@senate.umass.edu.

ANTHRO 588, “Field and Laboratory Methods in Bioarchaeology and Forensic Anthropology,” 6 credits; Instructor: Dr.

Police, firefighters to shave heads to raise money for childhood cancer research

Members of the UMass Amherst Police Department are among the organizers of an upcoming benefit to support the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, a volunteer-driven children’s cancer charity that raises funds by hosting events where participants collect pledges to shave their heads in solidarity with kids battling cancer.

This year's head-shaving, which is expected to draw about 200 area police officers, firefighters and other volunteers, is being held Sunday, April 7 starting at 11 a.m.

Five College residency hosts Indian women’s health care champion

Next week, N.B. Sarojini will begin a two-week engagement as the Five College Public Policy Initiative’s spring social justice practitioner-in-residence. During her stay from April 8-19, Sarojini will participate in several public events throughout the Five College community.

Sarojini is the founder and director of the Sama Resource Group for Women and Health, a New Delhi-based nonprofit that conducts action research and promotes appropriate health policies around issues ranging from reproductive health to malaria treatment during pregnancy.

New School’s McGahey to discuss economic development in declining industrial regions

The New School’s Richard McGahey will give a lecture titled “Economic Development Strategy in Declining Regions: Philanthropy, Racial Exclusion and Economic Equity” on Tuesday, April 9 at 2 p.m. in 302-304 Gordon Hall.

McGahey will explore the case of metropolitan Detroit as he compares theories of regional development in declining industrial regions. Declining industrial regions face a host of problems, including sprawl, economic loss, fragmented governance, and, in the United States, racial segregation and hostility.

Staged reading of 'The Alchemist' opens Festival of Madness and Mayhem

The Festival of Madness and Mayhem opens Sunday, April 7 at 2 p.m. with a staged reading of “The Alchemist” by Ben Jonson in the Upper Rand Lobby of the Fine Arts Center. The text was adapted by Alison Bowie.
 
The performance is free and open to the public. No reservations are needed but seating is on a first-come, first- seated basis. Call 577-3600 for further information.

Part II of the festival begins on April 18 with a performance of “The Merchant of Venice.”

The festival is co-sponsored by Renaissance Center and the Theater Department and made possible in part by a grant from the

Longtime mediator speaks on post-conflict interventions in Burundi, Congo

Alain Lempereur will speak on “Empowering Local Leadership for Peace: Evidence from Post-Conflict Interventions in Burundi and the DR Congo” on Thursday, April 11 at noon in 423 Tobin Hall as part of the Interdisciplinary Seminar on Conflict and Violence Series on Best Practices in International Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding.
 
All stages in a post-conflict intervention allow a facilitation team to get the buy-in and direct involvement of local leaders.

Renaissance Center plans trip to Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

The Renaissance Center is offering field trip to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston to view its collection of Renaissance tapestries and other Renaissance art on Saturday, April 13 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The field trip costs $60 per person, which includes Sprinter Van transportation, museum admission, and a one-hour guided museum tour. Bring money for lunch.
 
Reserve a spot for the field trip by April 9. If the required number of people don’t sign up, the trip will not take place, with all money refunded.

The van departs the Renaissance Center's parking lot promptly at 8:30

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