Lectures planned on science and responsibility

Beau Breslin, director of the First-Year Experience, details the office's plan for programming around the summer reading, Tracy Kidder's Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, A Man Who Would Cure the World. Following is an excerpt from his memo to the campus community announcing a lecture at Skidmore by Kidder next March.

Based on the themes of the book, we thought it appropriate to focus on 1) the role of science in the modern world, and 2) the importance of global and local citizen action. We chose these themes in part because of Skidmore's dual commitment to enhancing the natural sciences and to educating students to be sophisticated and responsible citizens of the world. Our aim is to sustain interest in the book beyond the initial, intense focus during new student orientation by promoting a series of events throughout the entire 2007–08 academic year.

The Role of Science in the Modern World
The first track of programming, the role of science in the modern world, will highlight the significance of medicine, health, chemistry, biology, environmentalism, and other related themes that are so central to Dr. Farmer's life and work. The centerpiece of this track is the Molecules That Matter exhibit at the Tang Teaching Museum. In addition, the FYE has helped coordinate the Distinguished Scientist Lecture Series, sponsored by the Dean of the Faculty's Office and other departments and programs around campus.

The Importance of Local and Global Involvement

	Roy Rotheim

The second track of programming, the importance of local and global involvement, builds on the book's themes of social responsibility, citizenship, and personal sacrifice. We will kick this series of programming off with a lecture on Tuesday, September 18 by Roy Rotheim, the Quadracci Professor in Social Responsibility. His talk, titled "Opening Doors to Social Awareness," is scheduled for 8 p.m. in Davis Auditorium of Palamountain Hall. That kickoff lecture will be followed by a lunchtime "speakers' series" where invited guests from the Saratoga Springs community come to campus once a month to talk about their commitments to various local and national organizations. These lunchtime events will take place upstairs in the Murray-Aikins Dining Hall and they are open to everyone.

Tracy Kidder

In addition, we plan to try something new. We plan to encourage the College community—and in particular the first-year students—to read a second common book (ideally they would tackle the book during the January break). Tracy Kidder has written Home Town, an intimate portrait of some of the local personalities that help make Northampton, Mass., a lively and deeply complex community. Northampton, of course, is similar to Saratoga Springs in so many ways, and thus our hope is that reading the book will reinforce some of the messages delivered by the participants in the lunchtime speakers series.

On March 18, 2008, Kidder will visit campus and address the entire college community about both books. The general idea is that Mountains Beyond Mountains and Home Town become the (literal and figurative) bookends for a yearlong discussion about global and local action, and that Tracy Kidder will conclude the entire series of events.




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