Hallie Ford Museum of Art Announces 2007–08 Exhibitions

The Hallie Ford Museum of Art at Willamette University plans a wide variety of exhibitions for 2007–08, including musical instruments made from found objects, prints from contemporary women artists and works from a South African Willamette professor.

Major exhibitions scheduled for the Melvin Henderson-Rubio Gallery are:

Ken Butler: Hybrid Visions (June 9–Aug. 26) features the work of this mixed media artist who creates inventive and humorous hybrid instruments from found objects, including film-reel guitars, cowboy boot violins, axe cellos and Styrofoam-packaging pianos. Organized in collaboration with The Art Gym at Marylhurst University, the exhibition will feature about 60 works on loan from the artist.

Women’s Work: Contemporary Women Printmakers from the Jordan Schnitzer Collection (Oct. 27–Jan. 20) includes prints by a number of female artists, including Anni Albers, Louise Nevelson, Louise Bourgeois, Suzanne Caporael, Fay Jones and Kara Walker. A wide variety of themes will be explored, including abstraction, humor and satire, politics, race and gender, and the environment.

James Lavadour: The Properties of Paint (Feb. 2–March 30) features the work of this nationally recognized Oregon artist known for his exploration of landscape as both inspiration and subject. Since 2000, Lavadour has focused on the properties of paint, creating works he describes as “intersections” between his better-known landscapes and his lesser-known abstract architectural structures. The exhibition will examine the conceptual layers underlying Lavadour’s work of the past eight years.

Senior Art Majors (April 12–May 11) showcases the work of senior art majors at Willamette. The exhibition includes painting, sculpture, printmaking, drawing, ceramics, photography and mixed media. In addition, the exhibition features senior theses in art history.

Andries Fourie: Recent Work (April 12–May 11) will introduce audiences to the work of the newest member of the art faculty at Willamette. Born and raised in South Africa and educated in California as a painter and sculptor, Fourie’s work addresses the horrors of war and the tragedy of apartheid. The exhibition will feature a range of work from the past few years.

Smaller exhibitions scheduled for the Study Gallery include When 6 WAS 9: Rock Posters from San Francisco, 1966–71 (May 26–Aug. 26); Amanda Snyder: Structures (Oct. 13–Nov. 25); Don Bailey: Spider and the Bureau, The Blanket Series (Dec. 1–Jan. 13); Yoruba Sculpture: Selections from the Mary Johnston Collection (Jan. 19–March 16); and Piranesi: Views of Rome (March 22–May 18).

The museum will be closed Aug. 27 to Sept. 30 for renovation and will re-open Oct. 1.

The Hallie Ford Museum of Art is located at 700 State St. (corner of State and Cottage streets) in downtown Salem near the campus of Willamette University. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. The galleries are closed on Monday. Admission is $3 for adults and $2 for seniors and students. Children younger than 12 are admitted free, and Tuesday is an admission-free day. For more information, call (503) 370-6855.

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President Pelton: Emergency Preparedness

The events at Virginia Tech continue to cause many of us to contemplate the enormous impact of tragedy. As the images of grieving community members and families are seen, we may also see a picture of the vulnerabilities that we all face as human beings, and as a community. We know that each member of our community contributes to the rich personal and cultural experience that makes Willamette a special place. We understand the loss that they feel.

In response to the profoundly tragic events at Virginia Tech, we have begun a process to review, improve and strengthen our Emergency Response Plan under the leadership of our Emergency Management Team. Coincidentally, the University recently purchased new door-access software, to be installed in early summer, allowing us to lock down buildings. We have a team working on a system for mass-notification by email if an incident arises. A third effort is underway to explore how we would sound an audible signal throughout campus to notify everyone if an incident occurs.

While we have confidence in our ability to respond, it is worth the effort to examine how we might do even better.

For now, I'd like to offer information that may be helpful in answering some of the questions that we have received over the past couple of days.

Whenever you perceive that an incident is a threat to people's personal safety, we request that you immediately call 6911. Campus safety will immediately enlist the help of police, fire and EMS providers. Campus Safety staffing levels have the capacity to assist in any situation with competence, but Willamette is not staffed to be the primary response to a large incident. Our University responders are trained to communicate our needs clearly, and solicit a larger support team from the University and from resources outside the University.

In the event of an emergency like that at Virginia Tech, Campus Safety has the responsibility to notify the University's Emergency Management Team that is largely made up of senior level administrators and campus directors. This team assembles and determines what additional campus resources are needed to provide assistance to those in need. They also may notify the campus and outside community of the status of the situation that we are working to resolve.

It is clear that communication is an important part of handling a crisis and we see this as an area in which we can improve. The office of Communications, Campus Safety and WITS continually work on protocols for updating the community through WEB and phone technology. It will continue to be a priority to provide clear and informed communication.

I would encourage you to look at the Emergency Response Plan that is available on-line at http://www.willamette.edu/dept/safety/emergency/guide. This plan assists with understanding how the University may respond in a variety of emergency situations. The Campus Directory and Emergency Reference Guide, commonly called the "Fussers Guide" is annually updated, and available to all students and employees. If you do not have a copy of this near your phone, please contact Campus Safety for a copy.

Willamette University is precious and worth protecting by all reasonable means. Our work encourages openness and we enjoy freedoms that are very difficult to duplicate in other parts of our society. Thank you for your contribution to building this caring community. We all share a responsibility to protect these freedoms and our community and guard against those who would disrupt them.

Best regards,

Lee Pelton

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Spring Jazz Night at Willamette

The Willamette University music department will present its final Jazz Night of the year Friday, April 27, at 7:30 p.m. in Smith Auditorium at Willamette University. The free concert will feature the Willamette Singers under the direction of Wallace Long, the Willamette Jazz Ensemble under the direction of Tim Robblee, and various student combos.

The Willamette Singers is a 17–member vocal jazz ensemble. The Singers’ tenth CD, Sea Journey, was released in 2006. They will perform the Swingle Singers’ arrangement of “All the Things You Are,” a funk version of the Beatle’s “Ticket to Ride,” and other standards, including an arrangement of “My Romance.”

The evening will end with a swinging set for the Jazz Ensemble. This big band will be playing a variety of charts, including Michael Mossman’s Latin arrangement of “A Night in Tunisia” and Frank Foster’s “Shiny Stockings.”

“It will be a night full of great music and shouldn’t be missed,” said Willamette music Professor Wallace Long. “It will be the last time many of these students will be performing with these groups. Come out, enjoy some amazing jazz, and help end the year with a bang.”

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College 101 Prepares Students for Higher Education

High school students wanting to learn more about the college experience and how to prepare for higher education can attend a new program this summer at Willamette University.

College 101 is a weeklong campus immersion program July 1–7 that will provide high school sophomores, juniors and seniors with the expert information and advice they need to make the right college choices.

“This isn’t just a camp about attending Willamette University,” says Alice Sorenson, Willamette’s director of scheduling, events and conferences. “Many high school students don’t know what they need to do to get ready for college, or how to get there. We want to give students a taste of what college is all about.”

Participants will be immersed in the college campus environment, living in a residence hall supervised by current college students. Each day of the program will be like a typical day of college — starting with breakfast in Willamette University’s Goudy Commons and including classes, field trips, recreational sports, college fairs, practice interviews, coaching sessions for admission essay-writing and other activities throughout the day.

Sessions will include information about admissions and financial aid, facts about the ACT and SAT, a sample SAT test with results and test-taking advice, sample classes taught by university faculty, and student hosts who share their real-life college experiences and answer questions about life outside the classroom.

The cost for the program is $625 per student, which includes programming, notebooks, food and housing. Those who register by May 15 receive a $75 discount. The final deadline is June 22.

For more information, call (503) 375-5442 or go online to www.willamette.edu/dept/scheduling/college101.

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Willamette University Names Vice President

Madeleine Eagon Rhyneer has been named Vice President for Admission and Financial Aid at Willamette University in Salem, Ore., effective July 1.

“We are pleased to welcome Madeleine to our community,” said Willamette University President Lee Pelton. “She fills a critical position within the senior administration. Her 29 years of experience in this highly competitive field will serve us well as Willamette continues to attract the very best students to our campus.”

Rhyneer is currently the Vice President for Strategic Communications at DePauw University. During her 11 years of service at DePauw, she held the position of Vice President for Admission and Financial Aid for nine years. Before DePauw, she was the Director of Admission at Whitman College from 1985-95, having served as assistant director and then associate director from 1978-85. She is a Whitman alumna.

“Having grown up in the Seattle area, I always had a very high opinion of Willamette University, and my respect for the outstanding educational experience provided by the University has deepened over the years,” Rhyneer said. “Colleges are really all about people, and I am tremendously impressed by the energy and commitment of the students, faculty members and administrators at Willamette.”

She added, “I am especially pleased to have the opportunity to work under the leadership of President Lee Pelton, whose vision is dynamic and exciting. I am honored to be able to build upon the University's many strengths by enrolling top students who will prepare to become future leaders in their communities across the nation.”

At Willamette, Rhyneer will be responsible for all Admissions activities for the College of Liberal Arts and the Master of Arts in Teaching Program in the School of Education. Her staff reviews approximately 3,200 student applications a year.

Rhyneer is chair of the College Board Trustee Committee on Membership and was elected trustee of the College Board for 2003-07 and elected to the Executive Committee in 2006.¹

She replaces Robin Brown who left Willamette to assume a position at the Colorado State University in Ft. Collins.

¹ The College Board provides seven million students services in college admissions, guidance, assessment, financial aid, enrollment, and teaching and learning. Among its best-known programs are the SAT, the PSAT/NMSQT, and the Advanced Placement Program.

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Willamette University Musicians Perform with Bush Elementary Children

The Willamette University music department will present its Spring Choral Concert Sunday, April 22, at 7 p.m. in Hudson Hall at Willamette University. The free concert will feature Male Ensemble Willamette, Voce Femminile, the Willamette University Chamber Choir and guest ensemble La Marimbanda from Bush Elementary School.

Male Ensemble Willamette, under the direction of Paul Klemme, will perform its signature piece, “Brothers, Sing On,” followed by a barbershop tune entitled “Love Letters,” and a jazz arrangement of “The Girl from Ipanema.” Student conductor Reece Sauvé will direct a performance of the first two movements of “Missa cum Jubilo,” by Maurice Duruflé, and the group will close with The Nylons’ tune “Happy Together.”

Voce Femminile, under the direction of Christine Welch Elder, will present literature from classics to contemporary masterpieces. Featured will be Schubert’s monumental “Song of the Spirit Over the Waters,” as well as “Dawn” from Sea Visions. They will highlight their feline prowess with the playful “Duet for Two Cats” by Rossini, and close with the perennial favorite “How Can I Keep from Singing?”

The Willamette Choral Department, under the direction Wallace Long, welcomes La Marimbanda, the acclaimed Bush Elementary marimba ensemble directed by Martin Sobelman. They will perform “Clavé” and “Abandon” by Walt Hampton, and “Steel Drum” by Martin Sobelman. La Marimbanda will also combine with the Willamette University Chamber Choir to perform an arrangement of “Siyahamba,” by Stephan Barnicle.

The Willamette University Chamber Choir will then feature the culminating performances of three senior projects: Michelle Mendoza will conduct Hildor Lundvik’s “Early Spring” from Nocturnes; Stevie Greenwell will conduct Wilhelm Stenhammar’s “Garden of Seraglio” from Three Choral Ballads; and Morgana Williams will conduct Veljo Tormis’ “Forced to Get Married.” The choir will also perform Donald Patriquin’s arrangement of the French-Canadian folk song “I Hear the Millwheel,” featuring a rousing piano performance by student Debbie Southorn. The choir will close with its signature piece, “Nunc Dimittis,” as a send-off to graduating seniors.

For information call Diane at (503) 370-6255.

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Willamette University Sends Off Class of 2007

Libby Appel, longtime artistic director of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, will deliver the Willamette University College of Liberal Arts commencement address Sunday, May 13.

Appel also will be awarded an honorary doctor of fine arts degree. Other honorary degree recipients are Mercy Corps founder Dan O’Neill, honorary doctor of humane letters; physicist and Professor Carl E. Wieman, honorary doctor of science; and Cao Jianming, vice president of the People’s Supreme Court in China, honorary doctor of laws.

The College of Law commencement speaker is Steven T. Wax, federal public defender for the District of Oregon, and the Atkinson Graduate School of Management speaker is Tim Boyle, president and CEO of Columbia Sportswear Company.

The College of Liberal Arts will award 489 bachelor’s degrees, the College of Law 156 JD and LLM degrees, Atkinson 57 MBA degrees, and the School of Education 92 MAT degrees.

The College of Liberal Arts and School of Education will hold commencement at 3 p.m. on the Quad. The College of Law ceremony is at 11:30 a.m. on the Quad. Atkinson Graduate School of Management’s commencement is at 9 a.m. in Hudson Hall.

College of Liberal Arts
Commencement speaker Libby Appel is the first woman to hold the Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s top artistic post. For 15 seasons, she has served as artistic director on numerous plays, including The Winter’s Tale, Bus Stop, Richard III, Richard II, Macbeth, The Trip to Bountiful, Three Sisters, King Lear and Henry VI Parts One, Two and Three, for which she also was co-director. She has directed more than 50 plays at more than 20 professional theatre companies, and has served as dean and artistic director at the School of Theatre at the California Institute of the Arts, and head of the acting program at California State University, Long Beach. Appel wrote Mask Characterization: An Acting Process, created and produced the video Inter/Face: The Actor and the Mask, and is co-author of two plays, Shakespeare’s Women and Shakespeare’s Lovers.

Honorary degree recipient Dan O’Neill founded Mercy Corps in 1981, and since then the agency has generated more than $1 billion in humanitarian aid in more than 81 countries, assisting children and families through emergency relief projects, self-help development programs and civil society initiatives. O’Neill has authored award-winning books and articles and his editorials have appeared in national and international publications.

Honorary degree recipient Carl E. Wieman, a 2001 Nobel Prize recipient, is a physicist at the University of British Columbia who in 1995 produced the first true Bose-Einstein condensate. In 1998 he was awarded the Lorentz Medal, which highlights important contributions to theoretical physics, and he also has received the National Science Foundation’s highest honor for excellence in both teaching and research.

Honorary degree recipient Cao Jianming is a well-known international trade and economic law scholar and serves as justice and executive vice president of the People’s Supreme Court in China. He has numerous honors in international law, and he spent most of his career at East China University of Politics and Law serving as professor, associate dean, dean of the international law department, vice president and president.

College of Law
Commencement speaker Steven T. Wax is the federal public defender for the District of Oregon. He is a frequent writer and speaker on federal criminal issues, and has been the attorney in a number of high-profile cases, including several involving Guantanamo Bay detainees. Wax is admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court for the Districts of Oregon, Southern and Eastern Districts of New York, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second and Ninth Circuits, and the U.S. Supreme Court.

Atkinson Graduate School of Management
Commencement speaker Tim Boyle is the president and CEO of Columbia Sportswear Company, one of the largest outerwear brands in the world and the leading seller of skiwear in the U.S. Boyle oversees operations of the company from its Portland headquarters. In 1992, he and his mother, Columbia Chairwoman Gert Boyle, were co-recipients of Inc. Magazine’s Northwest Entrepreneur of the Year award. Boyle is a board member of Widmer Brothers Brewing Company, Northwest Natural and Oregon Trout.

For more information about Willamette University’s commencement, call (503) 370-6209 or go online to www.willamette.edu/events/commencement/schedules.

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Holocaust Survivor Visits Willamette University

Holocaust survivor Rachella “Chella” Kryszek will recount her life story in a free event Tuesday, April 17, at 7 p.m. in the Montag Den at Willamette University.

Kryszek was born in The Hague, Holland, in 1928. In 1940 the Nazis invaded Holland, and soon after the invasion, Kryszek and her family went into hiding. At the age of 15, the Gestapo captured Kryszek and her family. For one and a half years, she and her sister endured seven different concentration camps, including Auschwitz.

Kryszek’s story echoes the story of Anne Frank — same age, same country, same trauma — but Kryszek survived to personally tell her story.

She is deeply committed to the lessons that came out of the Holocaust and she is devoted to the belief that the voices of the Holocaust should never be silent or fall on deaf ears. For more than 25 years, Kryszek has traveled extensively throughout the Northwest, speaking to schools and groups about her experience. Kryszek’s story is represented in books, audio tapes and video tapes, which have been placed in Holocaust resource centers and libraries around the country.

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Films Document GM Foods and Portland Bike Art

Two documentaries will be shown Friday, April 20, at 6:30 p.m. at Salem’s Grand Theatre as part of Willamette University’s sustainability conference. “The Future of Food” focuses on unlabeled, genetically engineered foods in U.S. grocery stores, and “Martinis in the Bike Lane” takes a look at the unique bike lane markings in Portland, Ore. Tickets are $5 at the door for the general public. Refreshments will be provided by LifeSource Natural Foods, a wind-powered store that sells a large selection of local organic produce.

Shot on location in the United States, Canada and Mexico, “The Future of Food” examines the complex web of market and political forces that are changing what people eat. The film focuses on farmers whose lives and livelihoods have been impacted by genetically modified (GM) food technology, and explores health implications, government policies and alternatives to large-scale industrial agriculture, pointing to organic and sustainable agriculture as solutions to the farm crisis.

“If you eat food, you need to see ‘The Future of Food,’” wrote Newstarget.com. The Telluride Daily Planet wrote, “This stylish film is not just for food faddists and nutritionists. It is a look at something we might not want to see: Monsanto, Roundup and Roundup-resistant seeds, collectively wreaking havoc on American farmers and our agricultural neighbors around the world. In the end, this documentary is a eloquent call to action.” The film was named Best Documentary in Willamette’s 2007 Mid-Valley Video Festival.

“Martinis in the Bike Lane” is a documentary short that looks at Portland’s bike art and infamous bike lane stencil characters, and what it is about Portland that seems to nurture the quirky art form. The film won Best Documentary Short in the Mid-Valley Film Festival.

The Grand Theatre is at 187 High St. NE in Salem, Ore. The event is sponsored by LifeSource and Willamette University. For information call Lori Beamer at (503) 361-7973 or (503) 910-6435 or visit www.willamette.edu/events/sustainability/.

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Earth Day Celebration

A free Earth Day celebration Sunday, April 22, from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. at Salem’s Riverfront Park will feature food, music, information booths and activities for children. There will be opportunities to browse children’s books with sustainability themes and learn about sustainable lifestyles. Native plants will be given away by the Willamette University student organization ECOS (Ecological Community Outreach Society), along with planting tips. Call Andy Myer for information at (503) 602-0392.

The celebration will close out Willamette University’s sustainability conference, “Creating Synergies: Community, University and Business.” Visit www.willamette.edu/events/sustainability/ for conference information.

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Pacific Northwest Sustainability Conference Unites Advocates

The Center for Sustainable Communities at Willamette University will host a sustainability conference, “Creating Synergies: Community, University and Business,” April 20 and 21 in Salem, Ore.

Registration is free for all conference attendees thanks to a generous gift. Attendees who have sent in a registration fee will receive a full refund. A limited number of student scholarships are available to defray the cost of travel and lodging. To apply for a scholarship, note interest on the registration form.

The conference will provide a forum for business leaders, professionals, scholars, students and activists from throughout the Northwest to share experiences, network and explore opportunities for collaboration. All are welcome.

Presentations and discussion panels will address the “four E's” of sustainability: environment, equity, economics and education. Topics will include sustainable business management, designing sustainable spaces, green legislation in Oregon, the religious movement for social justice, sustainable forest practices, sustainability and the law, student sustainability scholarship, sustainable supply chains, social justice, pesticide-free gardening, faith perspectives, and business perspectives on sustainability in Salem, Ore.

There are still openings for presenters. Please complete the online submission form at www.willamette.edu/events/sustainability/.

Saturday field trips will include visits to businesses and communities that are guided by sustainable principles, including LifeSource Natural Foods, a wind-powered store that sells 100 percent organic produce; Pringle Creek Community, a neighborhood guided by principles of community-oriented planning, earth-friendly construction and energy-efficient practices; and the Oregon Garden, which offers more than 20 specialty gardens on 80 acres in historic Silverton. A guided hike in the Cascade Mountains will also be available.

A free Earth Day celebration Sunday, April 22, at Salem’s Riverfront Park will feature food, music, information booths and activities for children. There will be opportunities to browse children’s books with sustainability themes and learn about sustainable lifestyles. Native plants will be given away by the Willamette University student organization ECOS (Ecological Community Outreach Society), along with planting tips.

Two documentaries will be shown Friday night at 6:30 at Salem’s Grand Theatre as part of the conference. “The Future of Food” focuses on unlabeled, genetically engineered foods in U.S. grocery stores, and “Martinis in the Bike Lane” takes a look at the unique bike lane markings in Portland, Ore. The films are free to conference participants and Willamette students and staff with ID. Tickets for the general public are $5 at the door. Refreshments will be provided by LifeSource Natural Foods.

Conference partners offer hotel accommodations within walking distance of Willamette University. Salem is served by shuttle service from Portland International Airport, Amtrak and Greyhound Bus Lines. Attendees are encouraged to help make the conference a carbon neutral event by purchasing carbon credits at TerraPass, at www.terrapass.com/. (Carbon credits fund renewable energy projects that reduce greenhouse gases, offsetting carbon dioxide emitted when people drive or fly.) Directions and campus maps are available online.

Visit www.willamette.edu/events/sustainability/ or contact Joe Bowersox at (503) 370-6220 for information.

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University Hosts Urban Earth, Art and Music Festival

The ninth annual Wulapalooza, Willamette University’s free music, art and Earth festival, will be held Saturday, April 28, on Brown Field.

The festival, sponsored by Associated Students of Willamette University, begins at noon, with the main music stage opening at 5 p.m. This year’s featured bands are The Long Winters from Seattle, Viva Voce from Portland, Cloud Cult from Minneapolis, and Taphabit from Bellingham, Wash. Other stages will feature performances from local and student-organized bands, an art booth and exhibit, a film show and many other activities.

Each year, Wulapalooza includes a fundraiser for a local charitable foundation, and this year, the event will sponsor the Marion-Polk Food Share. The festival also seeks to provide a venue for community members to mesh with Willamette’s campus, familiarize themselves with student organizations and be the university’s guests for a day of music, art and entertainment.

For more information, go to www.wulapalooza.org or call the Office of Student Activities at (503) 370-6463.

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Author Gives Life to Cajun Culture

Martin Pousson will read from Sugar, his poetry collection, and his debut novel, No Place, Louisiana, Thursday, April 5, at 7 p.m. in the Hatfield Room in the Hatfield Library at Willamette University. The event is free and open to the public.

Pousson was born and raised in Louisiana’s Acadiana, often referred to as Cajun Country. No Place, Louisiana was published in 2002. His publisher wrote that the book is an “unflinching vision of family relationships pushed to the breaking point, conveyed with a rare empathy and understanding” and praised Pousson’s “ability to peer into the secret hearts of its misfit characters.”

“Louisiana-born Pousson debuts with a tightly wound novel about a claustrophobic Cajun marriage,” wrote Publishers Weekly, and Pulitzer-prize winning novelist Michael Cunningham wrote that Pousson “has given us a book of startling complexity, originality and power.”

No Place, Louisiana was a finalist for the John Gardner Award in Fiction, and it will soon be translated for publication in France.

Sugar, Pousson’s first collection of poems, was published in 2005 and was a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award, an award that celebrates books with gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender themes. His prose and poetry have also appeared in The Louisiana Review; Cimarron Review; Epoch; Icon; Transfer; Intersection and Love, Bourbon Street.

Pousson is the writer-in-residence at Loyola University in New Orleans.

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