Thursday, March 10, 2022

As many of you plan to travel away from campus for Spring Break, keep in mind these tips on personal and property safety.

• If you leave campus during school holidays, store your bicycle with Residence Life.
• If you leave your car on campus, find out where you are supposed to park it and remove all valuables from it.
• Place valuables that you cannot take with you out of sight in your room/apartment/home.
• Park your car in a well-lit location and leave your keys and contact information with a trusted friend.
• Lock your doors and windows securely.
• Turn your telephone ringers down low so a burglar won't be alerted to your absence by its ringing.
• Unplug all appliances before you leave.
• Make your house/apartment look occupied. Have a friend or neighbor pick up your mail and newspapers, set televisions and lights on timers and leave your blinds, shades and curtains in their normal positions.
• Leave your travel itinerary, address and phone number with a trusted friend so you can be reached in case of an emergency. 

• Call campus security or the police immediately to report any unusual activity. Campus security is available the entire holiday, 24/7. Reach out for assistance at any time by calling 509-527-5777. Safety escorts are available to your residence by foot or vehicle on and off campus. Call security any time to arrange pickup and drop-off.

Tuesday evening’s presentation by Confederated Tribes of Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) Master Speaker Fred Hill Sr. was the first in a series of educational events leading up to April’s construction of a Long Tent on Ankeny Field. Hill, who spoke to a packed auditorium about culture, dance and ceremony of the Plateau tribes, ended his presentation with several drum songs in Nez Perce and Umatilla dialects of the Sahaptin language.

 

The Olin Hall event demonstrated two important elements of Whitman’s Long Tent initiative: respectful welcome and sharing knowledge.

 

Stan Thayne, lecturer of anthropology, environmental studies and religion, kicked off the event with an introduction to the Long Tent initiative that offered context for the evening’s presentation. Thayne then introduced Roger Amerman ’80 (Choctaw), who enumerated Hill’s areas of expertise, accomplishments and cultural influence throughout the Western United States before inviting the speaker to the stage. This series of steps showed that approaching an experience with a base of information about the topic and the guest is paramount.

 

Accordingly, when Whitman community members and other guests arrive at the Long Tent in April, there will be information about the structure to read before entering. There will be hosts (including Amerman) at the entrance to formally welcome guests and show them the culturally appropriate way to enter. The goal is to allow visitors to gain a proper respect for the structure and the culture that generated it in order to fully engage in the experience.

Noteworthy

Schultz Published on Philosophy and Revolution

Daniel Schultz, assistant professor of religion and anthropology, has published “Revolutionary Spectatorship and Subalternity: Foucault in Iran” in the journal History & Theory. The article takes up the problem of theorizing revolutionary subjectivity in conversation with Marxist and Subaltern historiography. It uses the French philosopher Michel Foucault's journalistic writings on the Iranian Revolution to highlight the problems posed by religious uprisings.

Santana-Acuña Transforms Exhibit into Multimedia Book

Álvaro Santana-Acuña, associate professor of sociology, has published a new book, “Vida, magia y obra de un escritor global” (“The Life, Magic and Work of a Global Writer”). This large-format, multimedia book grew out of his role as curator of the University of Texas at Austin exhibition on Nobel laureate and writer Gabriel García Márquez, which was viewed by more than 15,000 visitors.     

Hernandez Serving on National Advisory Committee

Jess Hernandez, director of Fellowships and Grants, has been selected to serve on the national advisory committee for an initiative, Planning for Open Grants: Fostering a Transparent and Accessible National Research Proposal Infrastructure, which is committed to building an open-access repository for grant proposals. The main goal is to both make the grant writing process as transparent as possible and provide resources that are easily accessible.

Götz Receives Murdock Bridge Research Grant

Marion Götz, associate professor of chemistry, was awarded a Bridge research grant from the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust. The project will investigate the mechanism of proteasome inhibition of a drug that is used clinically to treat multiple myeloma, a cancer of plasma cells. The three-year grant will support summer research experiences for six students. Murdock Bridge grants are specifically designed to support seasoned faculty members who have established and previously funded research programs; they are meant to serve as a bridge toward additional federal funding. Currently, Whitman has four active Murdock research grants, including one other Bridge grant.

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