Weekly Bulletin

New regulations in effect regarding international mail shipments

The U.S. Postal Service has mandated a change in international mail processing that all international packages requiring a customs form must have one completed electronically (online).

The two forms, 2976 and 2976-A, can be found on the U.S. Postal Service website.

The 2976 is used for a variety of flat-rate boxes and services (outlined on USPS website), for items with a declared value under $400, and for packages weighing less than 4 pounds.

The 2976-A is used for a variety of services outlined on the USPS website, for items with a declared value over $400 or weighing more than 4 lbs or

Town road work creating odors

Road work by the Town of Amherst on North Pleasant Street near the traffic circle at the Lederle Graduate Research Center is creating intermittent odors that are affecting portions of the campus.
 
The work, which began Oct. 23, is expected to continue for an additional day, but may be postponed by rain until Thursday, Oct. 25.
 
 

Speaker discusses dining culture in early modern England

Tim Zajac, a Ph.D. student in English, will present "Table Talk: The Culture of Dining in Early Modern England" on Wednesday, Oct. 24 from 4-5 p.m. in the Reading Room of the Renaissance Center. as part of its Renaissance Wednesday Lecture Series.

The talk is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will follow.

The Renaissance Center is located at 650 East Pleasant St. and can be reached at 577-3600.

MHC scholar presents Five College Renaissance Seminar

Erika Rundle, associate professor of theater arts and gender studies at Mount Holyoke College, will speak on “Posthumanist Shakes-scenes: Tiger’s Heart and Player’s Hide” at a Five College Renaissance Seminar on Thursday, Oct. 25 at 4:30 p.m. in the Renaissance Center Reading Room.

Light refreshments follow the discussion.

The Renaissance Center is located at 650 East Pleasant St. and can be reached at 577-3600.

Ogilvie speaks on insects in European art, science and religion

Celebrate Halloween, Renaissance-style, with Brian Ogilvie as he discusses “Nature’s Bible: Insects in European Art, Science, and Religion from the Renaissance to the Enlightenment,” on Wednesday, Oct. 31 at 4 p.m. in the Reading Room of the Renaissance Center.

Ogilvie is associate professor of History.

The discussion is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served after the talk.

The Renaissance Center is located at 650 East Pleasant St. in Amherst and can be reached at 577-3600

Lecturer to discuss 'Renaissance Animal Things'

Erica Fudge of the University of Strathclyde in Scotland will present a special lecture, "Renaissance Animal Things," on Monday, Nov. 5 from 4-5 p.m. in the Reading Room of the Renaissance Center. The event is free and open to the public.

Using ideas from animal studies theory, Fudge considers whether animal things - particularly leather and civet - can ever have agency: that is, whether they are simply inert objects or potentially powerful moving forces in culture.

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.

ENGLISH 268, “American Literature and Culture Before 1865” 3 credits; Instructor: Hoang Phan or Mason Lowance; This course explores the American literature and culture before 1865. Prerequisites: None

ENGLISH 269, “American Literature and Culture After 1865” 3 credits; Instructor: Laura Furlan or Ruth

Doctoral oral exams for Oct. 29 to Nov. 2

The graduate dean invites all graduate faculty to attend the final oral examinations for the doctoral candidates scheduled as follows:

Katir Patel, Ph.D., Microbiology. Tuesday, Oct. 30, 11:15 a.m., N201 Morrill Science Center IV. Dissertation: “Evidence of an Infectious Asthma Phenotype: Chlamydia Driven Allergy and Airway Hyperresponsiveness in Pediatric Asthma.” Wilmore Webley, chr.

Upendra Sharma, Ph.D., Computer Science. Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2:30 p.m., 151 Computer Science Building. Dissertation: “Elastic Resource Management in Cloud Computing Platforms.” Prashant Shenoy, chr.

Kingsley

Celebration of area cooperatives and agriculture set for Oct. 23

Members of the campus and larger community are invited to an educational event in celebration of cooperatives and agriculture in the Pioneer Valley and beyond at the Student Union's Cape Cod Lounge on Tuesday, Oct. 23 from 4:30-6:30 p.m.

"Stronger Together: A Celebration of Co-Operatives and Agriculture" will include live music, free snacks, brief presentations, tables and opportunities to talk with local co-operators.

UMass Amherst is in the vanguard of efforts to connect cooperatives with sustainable agriculture through our student-run businesses and connections to community groups such

Economist Nancy Folbre to give Annual Cole Lecture Oct. 25

Nancy Folbre, professor of Economics, will deliver the Fifth Annual Cole Lecture in Contemporary Issues on Thursday, Oct. 25 from 4-6 p.m. in the Amherst Room on the 10th floor of the Campus Center.
 
Her talk is titled, “The New Localism: The Economics of Cooperative Enterprise” and is free and open to the public. A reception follows the talk.
 
She will discuss trends such as the “buy local” campaigns in support of small businesses, promotion of worker-owned enterprises and consumer cooperatives, and mutual aid systems such as “time banks.” All of these community actions are dedicated to

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