COLLEGE OF THE ATLANTIC 1988-1989 COA PRESIDENT'S PROFILE Louis Rabineau, a Senior Vice Presi- dent of the Academy for Educational Development, brings a wide range of experiences in higher education to his presidency at College of the Atlantic. After receiving his B.A. and M.A. degrees from the State University of New York at Albany and his Ed.D. from Harvard, Lou was Director of Admissions and Vice President for Student Affairs at Pratt Institute, Supervisor of Profes- sional Education for the New York State Department of Education and Chancellor of Higher Education in Connecticut. A former lecturer at New York University, Columbia University, and the Bank St. Col- lege of Education, Lou also served with the Education Commission of the States and State Higher Educa- tion Executive Officers' Association. Cover: Research associates Dave Folger '81 and Matt Drennan '84 monitor arctic and roseate terns on Petit Manan Island. (Hindman photo) COA TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction / 3 COA Student Profiles / 15 COA Academic Profiles / 19 The Academic Program / 27 Areas of Study / 31 Course Descriptions / 41 Courses: Environmental Science / 42 Courses: Arts and Design / 47 Courses: Human Studies / 49 The Campus and The Island / 57 The Faculty at COA / 65 Admissions and Financial Aid / 77 College of the Atlantic is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. 1 Bruce Price for John Emery of New York, The Designed as a summer "cottage" in 1893 by Turrets, restored in 1977, is on the National Register of Historic Places. HE 2 INTRODUCTION In 1986, College of the Atlantic hosted an international meeting of the Society of Human Ecology. Scholars from 27 countries convened to share knowledge across cultures and disciplines and to explore this new field of inquiry and advocacy. The meeting provided an opportunity to probe the many points of view en- compassed by human ecology. COA was an appropriate setting for this conference, for what distin- guishes the faculty who teach here and the students who graduate is an openness of mind-an ability to think about problems or issues from many perspectives. A multidiscipli- nary study, human ecology tran- scends the rigid confines of a single discipline. In classrooms, intern- ships, and independent study, students and faculty seek out sometimes conflicting perspectives in order to explore ideas fully. As we approach the twenty-first century, we must solve complex environmental, technical, and politi- cal problems, equitably address the use and distribution of global resources, prevent nuclear war, and develop a mechanism to insure lasting peace. These goals require that people learn to think creatively and openly, to seek out solutions that reflect the interest not just of humans but of all natural and biological systems. In a message to the college com- munity, the late COA trustee Rene Dubos noted that the solution to a problem concerning human life is never simply a technical one. "Prob- lem solving has come to mean rein- troducing into any kind of decision all those components that make peo- ple behave the way they do. And to me this is what College of the Atlantic is about." 3 CC 4 At COA, students plan with faculty and peer advisors an individualized course of studies live in a tight-knit, self-governed residential community of under 200 students seek creative solutions to problems discover the multiple ways humans and the natural environment interact learn to respect and appreciate other viewpoints 5 & CC JOSHUA'S DELIGHT 6 At COA, students examine ideas in seminar-style classes test knowledge in the field debate global, environmental, political, and social issues intern with businesses, government, schools, or research institutions bring a personal approach to individual and group projects govern themselves through All- College Meetings, COA's version of town meeting 7 8 WHY CHOOSE COA I transferred to COA because as an environmental science major at Barnard, I was locked into a rigid biology program, designed really for premeds. At COA I was given the flexibility to figure out what I wanted to do and how interdisci- plinary courses could broaden my perception of environmental science and policy. Through independent study and internships, I examined the economic aspect of environmen- tal and social/ethical issues. With the Natural Resources Council of Maine, I worked on strategies for preserving farmland in Maine, and much of this study carried over to my senior project-a major piece of independent work which is not only a culmination of my academic career but also a rite of passage, because it is related to work I plan to pursue after graduation. Both the academic independence at COA and my experiences as a peer tutor give me the confidence that I can succeed at and learn not only from these tasks but ones I will undertake in the future. At COA, I've been challenged, en- couraged, allowed to be me. I've learned how I can make a difference. Barbarina Mitchell Heyerdahl '88 9