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'America Divided' to be subject of symposium
It is clear that Congress and the major American political parties are more ideologically polarized than they were a generation ago, but are Americans themselves more deeply polarized?
This and other questions about America's political identity will be discussed in "America Divided: The Polarization of American Politics," a symposium to be held April 17 from 5:30-7 p.m. in Room 250 of Baird Hall on the North Campus. The symposium is open and free to the public.
"Liberals and conservatives in the American electorate seem to be more neatly sorted into the Democratic and Republican parties than they used to be," says symposium organizer James E. Campbell, professor and chair of the UB Department of Political Science. "The symposium will attempt to answer how and why we have become more divided as a nation.
"Are we engaged in a 'culture war' of secular liberals and religious conservatives? Is this a media creation? Are divisions based on greater economic disparities or on a polarizing president?" Campbell and Matthew Levendusky, a postdoctoral research associate in political science at Yale University, will present their research on polarization and lead a discussion on the topic.
Both Campbell and Levendusky contributed to the recent book on the subject of political polarization: "Red and Blue Nation? Characteristics and Causes of America's Polarized Politics," edited by Pietro S. Nivola and David Brady and published jointly by Stanford University's Hoover Institution and the Brookings Institution, a prominent Washington think-tank.
According to Campbell, "Red and Blue Nation?" grew out of a conference jointly sponsored by the Hoover Institution and the Brookings Institution. The conference brought together leading scholars and distinguished journalists to examine the extent, causes and consequences of polarization in American politics.
The UB symposium is sponsored by the Brookings Institution Press and UB's chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha, the national political science honor society.
Round-table to look at role of academic journals
The UB Department of History and the Humanities Institute will co-sponsor "Editing Academic Journals: Experiences, Challenges, Perspectives," a cross-disciplinary round-table moderated by Andreas Daum, professor of history, from 3-5 p.m. Friday in 280 Park Hall, North Campus.
The discussion will look at the need for academic journals in the Internet age, their role in the academic community, their place in the competitive publication market and the role of journal editors. In addition, it will address issues that scholars, writers and editors across disciplines face.
Participants will include: Sharmistha Bagchi-Sen, professor of geography, editor of The Professional Geographer and member of the Editorial Board Annals of the Association of American Geographers; James J. Bono, associate professor of history and medicine, founding editor, emeritus, Configurations and member of the Advisory Editorial Board Bulletin of the History of Medicine; John Dugan, associate professor of classics and co-editor of Arethusa; Michael H. Frisch, professor of history, former editor of the Oral History Review and member of the editorial board of The Public Historian; Bernard Lightman, professor and graduate program director, Division of Humanities, York University and editor of Isis; and Cristanne Miller, professor and chair of English and editor of The Emily Dickinson Journal.
Oracle/RF Business System to be shut down April 20-30
In conjunction with an upgrade of the Oracle/Research Foundation (RF) Business System, the system will be shut down from the close of business on April 20 through April 30.
The system is being upgraded from 11.0.3 to the new 11i version since Oracle no longer supports the current version used by the RF. The new applications will have the current level of functionality in all modules, increased functionality in many modules and easier navigation through out the system.
The new 11i version is scheduled to be implemented on May 1.
During the shutdown period from April 20 through April 30, business offices will not be able to process RF transactions, although an inquiry-only version of the Oracle/RF Business System and Principal Investigator Award Interface (PIAI) will be available. In order for RF Human Resource Services to process new appointments, terminations and payroll change forms affecting the May 11 payroll, forms must be submitted by April 13. Hourly time sheets affecting the April 27 payroll must be submitted no later than April 17.
In order for Sponsored Projects Services (SPS) to process business transactions prior to the shutdown, required business information and transaction requests must be received in SPS by the close of business tomorrow. Items received after April 13 will be processed as time permits.
Because shutdown of the system will have a temporary impact on Procurement Services' ability to service the university fully, departments are encouraged to obtain and utilize a procurement card and to establish blanket orders. While for the most part only RF transactions will be affected, delays may occur in processing state and UBF orders that reference suppliers new to the eReq system.
The following due dates have been established for processing of RF procurement transactions prior to the shutdown period: April 13 for submission of eReqs for advance payments required during the period April 20 through May 3; April 16 for submission of general eReqs for priority processing; April 19 for submission of invoices and receiving copies of payment during the period from April 20 through 30.Priority will be given to eReqs received on or before April 16. Those received after April 16 will be processed as time permits.
Individuals with questions should contact RF Human Resource Services at 645-7777, Procurement Services at 645-2676 or Sponsored Projects Services at 645-2634.
Co-founder of Electronic Intifada to speak
Palestinian-American author and activist Ali Abunimah will speak at 7:30 p.m. April 19 in 225 Natural Sciences Building, North Campus.
His lecture, which will be free of charge and open to the public, is entitled "One Country: The Alternative to Apartheid for Palestine-Israel."
Abunimah is the co-founder of the Web site Electronic Intifada and the author of "One Country: A Bold Proposal to End the Israeli-Palestinian Impasse" (Metropolitan, 2006). He is a graduate of Princeton University and the University of Chicago, where he serves as a researcher in social policy.
He comments frequently on the Palestine-Israel conflict for public radio and television, CNN, MSNBC, Fox and the BBC. His articles have appeared in such periodicals as The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Ha'aretz and Lebanon's Daily Star.
Abunimah's talk is sponsored by the Western New York Peace Center; UB Progressive Alliance; the Muslim Student Association; the GSA for International Research, Education and Activism; UB Antiwar Action; Jean Dickson, associate librarian; Bruce Jackson, SUNY Distinguished Professor in the departments of English and American Studies and Samuel P. Capen Chair of American Culture; Maureen Jameson, associate professor of French; Othman Shibly, assistant professor of periodontics and endodontics; and Joanna Tinker.
Wallis to present next "Meet the Author"
Michael Wallis, author of "Billy the Kid: The Endless Ride," will give a reading from his book at 7 p.m. on April 24 in Musicalfare Theatre at Daemen College.
Wallis will appear as part of the Meet the Author series presented by WBFO-FM 88.7, UB's National Public Radio affiliate.
His book is a new biography of one of the icons of the American West who, gunned down at the age of 21, became a new breed of celebrity outlaw. Wallis' book is filled with dozens of rare images and period photographs, separates myth from reality and presents an unforgettable portrait of this brief and violent life.
WBFO'S Meet the Author series is free and open to the public. Bert Gambini, executive producer of the Meet the Author series, will serve as host. A book signing will take place immediately following the reading and light refreshments will be served.
For more information, call WBFO at 829-6000 or go to http://www.wbfo.org.
UB Will Hold Memorial Service for John Mohawk on April 30
UB will hold a retrospective and reflective memorial service for the late John C. Mohawk on April 30 from 3:30-7 p.m. in the Drama Theater and Atrium, Center for the Arts, North Campus.
The service will be open to the public.
Mohawk, a Seneca Indian of the Turtle Clan, died in December. He was an associate professor in the UB Department of American Studies, a respected leader of the Haudenosaunee or Iroquois Confederacy, and the author and editor of many works that helped to define the contemporary Haudenosaunee thought and philosophy.
A formal memorial program will be held from 3:30-5 p.m. in the Drama Theater, followed by a multi-media presentation and a reception with refreshments from 5-7 p.m. in the center's atrium.
Mohawk's devotion to and work with the UB American Studies department brought national recognition to its programs and he was deeply respected and loved by his colleagues and students, past and present.
Barry J. White, lecturer in American studies, is also a member of the Seneca Turtle Clan and one of Mohawk's longtime friends.
He says, "Since Professor Mohawk passed into the spirit world in December, he has been deeply missed by the UB and Native American communities.
"This memorial service will be a celebration of his work and contributions to the two worlds in which he lived," he says, "and we are holding it in April because this is the university's commencement season, when we welcome the beginning of spring."
"OlsonNow3" to look at career of Charles Olson
"OlsonNow 3: Charles Olson @ Buffalo," a day-long event that looks at the life and work of poet Charles Olson, will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday in Hallwalls Cinema in The Church, Delaware and Tupper streets.
The event will include a special screening of the film "Polis is This: Charles Olson and the Persistence of Place," a film by Henry Ferrinithat explores Olson's personal and literary life—from his ideas on education, politics and the moral nature of his work, to his personal relations with friends and family. The 60-minute documentary features John Malkovich, as well as interviews with poets and scholars Robert Creeley, Ed Sanders, Diane di Prima, Gerrit Lansing, John Sinclair, Pete Seeger, Chuck Stein, Anne Waldman, Charles Boer, Amiri Baraka, Robin Blaser and the poet's son, Charles Peter Olson. The screening will begin at 4 p.m., with the filmmaker present to introduce the film and to answer questions afterward. A poetry reading by Waldman and other guests will begin at 8 p.m.
Olson taught at UB from 1963-1965, and his presence continues to reverberate in Buffalo. His influence lead directly to the founding of Just Buffalo in 1975 as a venue to present poetry in the community rather than in the academy, and to the creation of the UB Poetics Program in 1989.
The event is the third installment of OlsonNow and will highlight the poet's brief but important tenure at UB. Participants will include Waldman, Ammiel Alcalay, Michael Basinski, Robert Bertholf, Michael Kelleher, David Landrey, Jonathan Skinner and Benjamin Friedlander.
OlsonNow3 is co-sponsored by the New York State Council on the Arts, New York Council for the Humanities, National Endowment for the Arts, UB Humanities Institute, Hallwalls Contemporary Art Center and UB Poetry Collection. Admission is $6 and $4.
Free wood chips available on North, South campuses
Last October's snowstorm, which downed thousands of tree branches, has resulted in a "wood chip" bonanza for UB faculty, staff and students, according to Louis J. Schmitt, director of facilities operations.
Truckloads of chips are now available for the taking. Piles of chips will be available though May 4 on North Campus at the north end of the Center for Tomorrow parking lot, closest to Augspurger Road. Chips will be available on the South Campus in Rotary Field as long as supplies last. All members of the UB community are invited to come and fill up for this spring's growing season. Please bring your own shovels and containers.
For more information, call Schmitt at 645-3678 or John Hayes at 645-2752.