First year students lock arms and dance back-to-back during PLAYFAIR, an orientation event Friday on the Griswold Library lawn. Orientation continued throughout the weekend and featured live music, a president's bike tour and a family and friends reception. Convocation to Feature Author & Activist Lois Marie Gibbs On September 3, Green Mountain College welcomes author and activist Lois Marie Gibbs as the keynote speaker for the College’s 2009 convocation. The ceremony takes place at 4 p.m. on the Griswold Library Lawn. Her speech is titled “Love Canal Thirty-Plus Years Later: What Have We Learned and Where Do We Go From Here?” GMC will also award Gibbs an honorary degree of humane letters. Gibbs, known to many as the “mother of the Superfund,” organized the Love Canal Homeowners Association in the late 1970s after she discovered her child’s school was built on top of a toxic waste dump. She is now executive director of the Center for Health, Environment and Justice. More… Voices for Sustainability Series to Continue Through Fall Three speakers visit GMC for this fall’s Voices for Sustainability lecture series. In addition to Lois Marie Gibbs, GMC’s 2009 convocation speaker, the College welcomes author Alan Weisman and business expert Bruce Piasecki to campus in the coming weeks. Weisman comes to GMC as the scholar in residence for the master’s degree program in environmental studies. He will deliver a public talk on his book, The World Without Us, on September 10 at 7 p.m. in Ackley Hall. This lecture is also part of the Chelsea Green speaker series. The World Without Us was named the Best Nonfiction Book of 2007 by Time magazine and was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award in Nonfiction. Weisman also plans to speak at 9:30 a.m. on September 10 in the Gorge on his book titled Gaviotas—A Village to Reinvent the World. Bruce Piasecki, scholar in residence for the MBA program, delivers a public talk on September 18 at 10:45 a.m. in the Gorge. The talk is titled "Creating Possibility in a Swift and Severe Century." Piasecki's most recent book, World Inc., “examines a new phenomenon in socially responsible capitalism, one that looks to business instead of government to solve society’s problems.” Piasecki is the president and founder of AHC Group, Inc., a management consulting firm specializing in energy, materials, and environmental corporate matters. More on Alan Weisman More on Bruce Piasecki GMC Welcomes New Faculty & Staff Nathan Furman: Instructor of Adventure Education GMC welcomes Nate Furman as instructor of adventure education. He comes to GMC with extensive field experience, including seven years experience at the National Outdoor Leadership School, where he worked as an instructor and program supervisor. Nate has also recently worked with Gateway Academy, a therapeutic boarding school in Salt Lake City. Nate is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Utah. His focus is adventure and outdoor education. He holds a master's degree in recreation administration and a bachelor's degree in organizational communication from California State University, Chico. Christopher Marquart: Director of Residence Life Green Mountain College welcomes Chris Marquart as the College’s new director of residence life. He comes to GMC after serving as assistant director of residence life at SUNY Canton. Chris graduated in 2004 with a degree in history from SUNY Geneseo, and earned his master’s degree in education from St. Lawrence University in Canton. As assistant director of residence life and orientation in Canton, he coordinated educational and social programs, developed a resident assistant recruitment and training program and designed a summer orientation program. Chris also served as SUNY Canton’s head cross-country coach for several years and mentored low-income, high risk high school students as a counselor for Upward Bound. Brian McCloskey: Killington Lodge Residence Director Brian McCloskey hails from Brookfield, Conn. where he graduated from Brookfield High School in 2002. He graduated from GMC’s Resort Management Program in 2005, and continued to work at Killington until moving back to Connecticut in 2006. During his two and a half years in Connecticut he worked in management for Marriott International at the Springhill Suites in Danbury, then moved on to work as a Logistics Coordinator in the moving services department at Cartus Corporation. Sarah Mittlefehldt: Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies Sarah Mittlefehldt joins GMC’s environmental studies program as an assistant professor. In 2008, she received her Ph.D in forestry and environmental studies from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. She also holds a master’s degree in education from the Harvard School of Education and a bachelor’s degree in social ecology from Carleton College. She is currently revising her dissertation manuscript into a book titled The Tangled Roots of the Appalachian Trail: A Social and Environmental History. Colleen Teevin: VISTA Local Link Coordinator Green Mountain College welcomes Colleen Teevin, the new VISTA Local-Link Coordinator for 2009-2010. Colleen will serve as a liaison between local producers and local end-users, and will work with GMC, RAFFL (Rutland Area Farm & Food Link), the Vermont Foodbank , and VT FEED to create effective relationships through the use of volunteers, education, and market-based solutions. Colleen hails from Washington State, where she received her bachelor’s degree in cultural anthropology. Colleen received her master’s degree from the University of Montana in natural resources management. Much of her previous work focused on public land policy and law, with a focus on decreasing predator-human conflict. Staff Changes Renee Beaupre White has accepted a new position as Director of Alumni Affairs and Career Services. Renee has served the College in various roles since her arrival in 1987—her strong commitment to the College and her close connections with GMC alumni will be strong assets in her new position. Renee will oversee alumni activities in Richardson House while retaining oversight of the Career Services Office. Lindsey Depew has accepted the position of Assistant Director of Graduate Programs. Lindsey was hired two years ago as development operations coordinator and graduated this spring from the College’s M.B.A. program, giving her firsthand experience in GMC’s online graduate programs. SAGE Hall Opens SAGE Hall (Students for Academic and Green Engagement) opened to rave reviews from its first group of residents. Over the summer, SAGE was renovated to meet exacting LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) environmental standards. Among the upgrades: energy star windows, high efficiency lighting fixtures, Forest Stewardship Council-certified wood products, and low VOC (volatile organic compounds) flooring and furniture. Local materials—like the slate flooring in the back sun room—were used whenever possible. The building was constructed in 1960 and named Bozen Hall after Francis Bozen, former teacher and dean of students at the College. SAGE is also Green Mountain College’s new honors residence hall, with space for 26 students who display a passion for learning and academic achievement as well as exemplary service to the campus community. New Tax Credit for Textbook Expenses GMC students may be able to get money back for their textbooks thanks to a new tax credit available through the Obama administration’s economic stimulus package. This new government program will now reimburse students for up to 100 percent of the cost of required textbooks and other course materials. For example, if a student has out-of-pocket course material expenses or tuition and fees during 2009 or 2010 and no other financial grant aid covers those expenses, they would be able to claim the expenses as a credit. For each student the credit is limited to $2,500. Visit the campus bookstore in Withey Hall or click on textbookaid.org for more information. GMC Institutes New Smoking Policy On August 17, GMC instituted a new policy that designates three locations as “smoking-permitted areas,” with all other areas considered non-smoking. This includes Killington Lodge and High Ridge and the Deane Preserve. Smoking will no longer be permitted near buildings or walking across the campus or on the college land along the Poultney River. “Our primary desire is to protect all who live, work, study or visit the campus from a major health concern: secondhand smoke,” states GMC President Paul Fonteyn in a letter to the campus community. “The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that secondhand smoke contains more than 50 cancer-causing agents and is responsible each year for an estimated 3,000 lung cancer deaths and more than 35,000 coronary heart disease deaths among nonsmokers in the United States.” Temporary outdoor shelters will be placed at designated smoking areas. They will be located near the parking lot between Richardson Hall and Dunton Hall, south of the Maintenance Building and between Moses Hall and North Hall. At Killington, the parking areas for the Killington Lodge and High Ridge will serve as designated smoking areas. Read the full text of the letter from President Fonteyn. Applied Music Ensembles Kick Off the Year Students are invited to participate in any of GMC’s music ensembles. All ensembles can be taken for one credit, no credit, or audit. Auditions are not required. The rehearsal schedule is as follows: College & Community Concert Band Thursday nights on Ackley stage from 7-8:30 p.m. First rehearsal is September 10. James Cassarino, Director Choir Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4-5:30 p.m. First rehearsal is September 1 at 4 p.m. in Ackley 330. James Cassarino, Director Jazz Band Monday nights First meeting is August 31 at 6 p.m. in Ackley 330. Don Goodman, Director Guitar Ensemble Currently scheduled for Mondays at 4 p.m. Paul Opel, Director Old Time Mountain Music Ensemble Tuesday nights at 7 p.m. in Ackley 330. First meeting is September 15 at 7 p.m. Gus Bloch, Director. Applied Music Instruction Private music instruction for voice or instrument of your choice. NOTE: $250 instructional fee required. Contact Paul Opel, Applied Music Coordinator Please direct questions to the ensemble directors or James Cassarino, Director of Music Programs FACULTY & STAFF NOTES On June 3, Prof. Laird Christensen (English and Environmental Studies) led a workshop in place-based pedagogy at the University of Victoria in British Columbia. This workshop—one of several that preceded the Eighth Biennial Conference of the Association for the Study of Literature and Environment--drew participants from around the world. In advance of the workshop, participants read Teaching about Place: Learning from the Land (edited by Christensen and Hal Crimmel, and published in 2008 by the University of Nevada Press), and throughout the workshop they used models from the book to help them design syllabi for similar classes at their own institutions. At the conference, Laird chaired a panel on creative nonfiction, entitled “Facing the Forest." He also gave a reading from his essay, “The Other Side of the Clearcut,” which was based on his experience as Writer-in-Residence at the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest in the spring of 2008. Christina Fabrey, Director of the Calhoun Learning Center, was recently awarded a full fellowship towards a life-coach training program through Mentor Coach, LLC. The Mentor Coach Foundations Program, which prepares professionals to work with individuals to achieve their life goals through coaching, is accredited by the International Coaching Federation (ICF). This training will add to the experience that Christina has gained through the Fast Track Coaching Institute, the Edge Foundation, and JST Coaching, and will offer GMC students an additional resource to help them achieve success in academics and beyond. The July 22 edition of the New York Times quotes Prof. Steve Letendre (management & environmental studies) in a story about vehicle-to-grid technology. The story, by Annie Jia of ClimateWire, discusses how electric vehicles may feed into the electric grid to produce electricity and help to "answer one of the biggest climate-related question marks hovering over the grid's future: how to store renewable energy." Letendre, who has modeled the economics of vehicle to grid technology, discusses the benefits of allowing adjustments to energy generation through the storage capacity of electric cars. Read the story in the July 22 edition of the New York Times.		Men's Soccer Tuesday, 9/1 at Morrisville State College 4:30 p.m. Saturday, 9/5 vs. Kings College, 4 p.m. Women's Soccer Wednesday, 9/2 vs. Colby Sawyer College, 3:30 p.m. Women's Volleyball Friday, 9/4 vs. SUNY Cobleskill, 6 p.m. Cross-Country Saturday, 9/5 at Johnson State College, 3 p.m. Golf Saturday, 9/5 at Catamount Country Club for Johnson State Invitational More on GMC Athletics WEEK AT A GLANCE MONDAY, AUGUST 31 Intercollegiate Athletics Meeting 4 p.m., Waldron Athletic Center TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1 Farm Crew Meeting 8 p.m., Cerridwen Farm WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2 Massage Therapy & Reflexology 11 a.m. - 8 p.m., Wellness Center Student Job Fair 11 a.m. - 1 p.m., Withey Lobby Yoga 1 - 2:30 p.m., Bogue Movement Studio Farm Tour 4 p.m., Cerridwen Farm Academic Skills Workshop: Time Management & Organization 3 - 4 p.m., Special Collections Reading Room, Griswold Library Shakti Tribal Belly Dance (advanced) 6:30 - 7:30 p.m., Bogue Movement Studio Tribal Dance (beginners) 7:30 - 8:30 p.m., Bogue Movement Studio Meditation 8:30 - 9 p.m., Bogue Movement Studio THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3 Convocation 4 p.m, Griswold Library Lawn If you have news, announcements, or events to publicize in the GMC Journal, please e-mail materials to gmcjournal@greenmtn.edu or send through campus mail to the Communications Office, Richardson House. All materials subject to editorial approval by the College Communications Office.