University of Massachusetts Boston ScholarWorks at UMass Boston 1996-2009, University Reporter University Publications and Campus Newsletters 12-1-1997 University Reporter - Vol. 02, No. 04 - December 1997 University of Massachusetts Boston Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarworks.umb.edu/university_reporter Part of the Higher Education Administration Commons, and the Organizational Communication Commons Recommended Citation University of Massachusetts Boston, "University Reporter - Vol. 02, No. 04 - December 1997" (1997). 1996-2009, University Reporter. Paper 61. http://scholarworks.umb.edu/university_reporter/61 This University Newsletter is brought to you for free and open access by the University Publications and Campus Newsletters at ScholarWorks at UMass Boston. It has been accepted for inclusion in 1996-2009, University Reporter by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at UMass Boston. For more information, please contact [email protected]. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • T H f UNIVfRSITY or er NEWS AND INFORMATION ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS BOSTON Volume 2 Number 4 Transfonning Science December 1997 Education is PKAL Goal Over the past several years, more than 20 UMass Boston faculty members have attended workshops on topics such as revitalizing undergraduate biology, science for all students, interdisciplinary approaches to teaching undergraduate science and mathematics, IN THIS ISSUE: revitalizing introductory chemistry, and teaching sciences on urban, Project Kaleidoscope .... .. ... ......... ............ 1, 10 commuter campuses. The workshops were offered through Project Letter from the Ed itor ...... ............. ..... ............ 2 Kaleidoscope (PKAL), an alliance of individuals and institutions Pornography Controversy ....... ............... ...... .. 2 nationwide engaged in the work of transforming undergraduate In Depth With IAAS Directors ........ ............. 3 education in science, mathematics, engineering and technology (SME&T). Labor Research ................... ........... .............. .. 4 Teacher Researcher Conference ............... 4 PKAL's goals are to build teams of faculty and administrators who will Auto Etching ...... ...... ... ........ ... .......................... 4 work to transform the environment for learning these disciplines on Smoking Research .. ... .................................... 5 campuses throughout the country, increase public awareness of how strong undergraduate SME&T programs serve the national interest, Marrow Donor Sought .. .................. .............. 5 and create a vision of SME&T education that truly serves the inter­ McCormack Fire ............ .. ................................ 5 ests of students and society. Story of a Lifetime ........... ........... ..................... 6 Noises Off ........................................................ 7 An active participant in PKAL activities since 1994, UMass Boston is one of 40 invited institutions participating in PKAL's Phase ill as a LAir du Temps Review .. ... ............. ................ 7 "Core Institution," a designation that recognizes UMass Boston's Campus Notes ............................................. B,9 efforts to transform the learning environment in SME&T for under­ Lab Reform Effort .... ............. ........................ 10 graduates, and the University's planning process for building and Ethnomathematics Conferen ce ..... ........... 11 sustaining programs, of excellence for all students in these fields. As a Snow Pol icy ................................................. 12 core institution, UMass Boston will work closely with PKAL to document the process of changing policies, programs and practices that affect undergraduate SME&T One stage in this process of change was the proposal developed by the Science Working Group of the General Education Committee, which recommended a framework for new science requirements and curricu­ lum reform, according to the Dean of Science Faculty, Christine continued on page 10 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • A Letter From the Editor Dear Readers: The University Reporter September '97 marked the first-year anniversary of the University Reporter. I, along with Annette Fernie and Stacey Carter, would like External Relations to extend our sincere appreciation to everyone who has helped us Third Floor deliver important news and information to the University commu­ Quinn Administration Bldg. nity this past year. We'd also like to thank the number of faculty, staff 100 Morrissey Boulevard and students who have taken the time to allow us to feature them in Boston, MA 02125-3393 this publication. Whether it's a story about biological research or the (617)287-5300 work being done by faculty and students to help struggling environ­ mental start-up companies, we believe that the University commu­ E-mail address: nity is interested in reading about the work of the people who help univ_report®umbsky.cc.umb.edu make UMass Boston the unique and important institution that it is. During the next semester, we are planning to do a readership survey, so we can learn whether this publication is meeting your expecta­ Annemarie Lewis KeMn tions. We will also, occasionally, feature more news updates from Editor your area of the University. For more information, please call us at 7 -5317. Please keep in mind that there are deadlines for this type of Annette Fernie material. Staff Reporter and Production Di1·ector We look forward to working with you in 1998 and encourage you to continue providing us with new and interesting story ideas and Stacey Carter information. Staff Reporter Wishing everyone a happy and healthy holiday season, The University Reporter is published monthly during the academic year except for the months Annemarie Lewis Kerwin of June, July and August by the Editor Office of External Relations. It Unive1·sity Reporter is free to all UMass Boston . faculty, staff and students. Pornography Controversy stirs Campus, Media Send your news items to: The Nov. 20 issue of The Mass While editor Sam Farrington and The University Reporter at the Media garnered media attention some students defended the above mailing or e-mail and sparked harsh criticism from newspaper's decision, many address. many members of the UMass voiced outrage, mostly over what Boston community. they believe was poor taste and poor judgement exercised by The The Mass Media, the independent, Mass Media. student-run newspaper, reported that pornographic photographs Administrators met with the were being stored in Student editors of The Mass Media on Senate files. To illustrate the Nov. 25 and are investigating the story, the newspaper ran three allegations against the Student photos they said were obtained Senate. from the files . • lH£ UNIVERSITY REPORTER • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • In Depth With Connie Chan, Paul Watanabe Professor Connie Chan is a came here 100 years ago or cultural activities brought to clinical psychologist who teaches yesterday, not the least of which campus, including this fall's a course on race, class and is that other Americans see them Multicultural Drumming Festi­ cultural issues in human services as 'the same,'" he says. val. at CPCS. Paul Watanabe is a political science professor who The IAAS is one of only two or Current research projects include specializes in American foreign three pan-Asian organizations in assessing HIV knowledge and use policy and is frequently quoted in the region to look at the totality of services for Asian American the media on local and national and the commonality of Asian men, and a needs-assessment political issues. Chan was born in Americans and their experiences. review of developmentally Hawaii and her background is disabled individuals in the Asian Chinese American. Watanabe is a Co-directing has also enhanced American community. Modest Japanese American who grew up their ability to handle the many research fellow stipends are in Utah. tasks of the Institute, says Chan, awarded to researchers pursuing where she and Watanabe are the topics relevant to the Institute's Their different interests and only full-time employees. "It has interests. backgrounds have been an given us a broader reach and advantage during four years of greater influence -a synergy that Many of the Institute's activities sharing the directorship of the we could not have achieved on are undertaken in partnership Institute for Asian American our own," says Chan. Adds with other organizations. A Studies (IAAS). Their responses Watanabe, "Each of us has a lot Dream Deferred was researched to the question "Who is an Asian of direct involvement, so you end and written in partnership with American?" show why their up with a sum greater than one the Trotter and Gaston Institutes differences in gender, ethnicity, director." and funded by the Boston Foun­ disciplines and interests benefit dation; the Multicultural Drum­ their work. The Institute's goals are to ming Festival was co-sponsored conduct research and policy by ZUMIX, a community-based "The idea of 'Asian American' is analysis on issues relating to organization devoted to bringing an artificial construct," says Asian Americans, strengthen arts into schools and supported Chan. "Asia is a diverse place. But community development, and by a grant