COA NEWS WINTER 1998/99 COLLEGE OF THE ATLANTIC BAR HARBOR, MAINE AND A LITTLE COLLEGE SHALL LEAD THEM: College of the Atlantic President Steven K. Katona A Blueprint for and COA Board of Trustees Chairman Clyde E. Shorey, Undergraduate Education Jr., lead the 26th Commencement by Norah Davis processional across the Undergraduates at the north lawn of campus. in U.S. undergraduate edu- nation's major universities cautions that they will be cation and calls for a radi- Immediately behind them controversial. Some univer- are not getting their cal reformation. sity administrators and fac- are lan McHarg (left), who money's worth. That is the The commission, which ulty members will call the disturbing conclusion of a received an honorary includes a former U.S. assis- goals unreachable or report released by the tant secretary of education, master of philosophy Boyer Commission, a blue impractical. a Nobel Prize-winning Not SO. All but one of degree in human ecology, ribbon panel funded by the physicist, two university the commission's ten rec- Carnegie Foundation. The and William Drayton, presidents, and other nota- report, "Reinventing ommendations were pio- bles, maintains that what is keynote speaker. Trustees, Undergraduate Education: neered successfully by a needed is "dramatic tiny college in Bar Harbor, faculty and students A Blueprint for America's change, not half measures." Maine. Founded 29 years follow. Research Universities," The commission offers asserts that there is a crisis ago, College of the Atlantic ten recommendations but continued on page 6 COA News Careers for the 21 st Century The Newsletter of From President Steven K. Katona's Convocation Address College of the Atlantic The year that has passed since last convocation has offered ever more examples of the Winter 1998/1999 increasing scope and complexity of challenges faced by society. Whether El Niño caused EDITOR AND DIRECTOR all of the damage for which it is blamed may be debated, but in combination with envi- OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS ronmental mismanagement in various places it has contributed to changes of global pro- Carl Little portions, ranging from appalling drought and widespread burning of Indonesian rain- PRESIDENT forests to floods of epic proportions in China. Steven K. Katona Soaring financial markets in the Unites States are now struggling to contain major economic crises in Russia, Asia and Latin America. Fundamentalist governments in CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES Afghanistan, Sudan, Iraq and elsewhere remain locked in mortal combat with liberal Clyde E. Shorey, Jr. groups within their own nations as well as with governments of western nations. Even in the west, ethnic and religious warfare rages or smolders in the former Yugoslavia and in DIRECTOR OF Ireland. The fallout of these conflicts, some of which have continued for centuries or DEVELOPEMENT more, has claimed countless innocent lives in addition to the lives of combatants. Fran Day Two nations, India and Pakistan, have detonated atomic bombs to demonstrate their EDITOR: Carl Little, status as nuclear powers, perhaps kindling new arms races. Yet instead of issues such as Director of Public Affairs those, questions of ethics, privacy, power, responsibility and politics have ensnarled our WRITERS: federal government, as well as too many of our after-dinner conversations. Rebecca Buyers-Basso '81 I am not sure how much each of us, or our entire college, can contribute to solving Sara Heifetz '01 problems on that scale, but we can do-and already are doing-a great deal in our own Emily Bracale '90 region, while at the same time preparing some of you to participate in those more global Kelly Sheets Dickson m.Phil. '97 solutions. Carl Little Three of the initiatives designed to implement the college's Strategic Plan are already taking shape. Grant proposals have been submitted for seed money to develop the pro- COA News is published gram in Governance, Leadership and Decision-Making. Grant requests are being pre- twice a year. It is circulated pared to fund the Productive Landscape initiative, which will bring together all of the to alumni, students, parents college's efforts in applied botany, including landscape architecture, landscape design, and friends of agriculture, horticulture, forestry, nutrition and related public policy issues. And grant College of the Atlantic. requests have already been submitted and others are nearing completion, to fund the PRINT Downeast Watersheds portion of the new Integrated Program in Marine Studies. Downeast Printing Furthermore, the college now owns Mount Desert Rock and the southern ten acres and Graphics of Great Duck Island, each with a lighthouse, light-keeper's house, boat house and other buildings, all of which will support the marine program and other college activities. DESIGN At convocation last year, I mentioned my personal list of careers for the 21st century. Z Studio I want to reiterate them now. Decision-Making, Consensus-Building and Arbitration: If you can help people learn to do these things better, you will be able to help individuals, families, corporations, gov- THE COLLEGE continued on page 4 OF THE ATLANTIC "VISION STATEMENT" The faculty, students, trustees, staff and alumni of College of Contents the Atlantic envision a world where people value creativity, "A Blueprint for 26th Commencement pp. 14-15 intellectual achievement, and Undergraduate Education" the diversity of nature and by Norah Davis pp. 1, 6-8 Alumni Notes pp. 16-18 human cultures. With respect and compassion, individuals Convocation 1998 p. 3-5 Eco/Eco Confronts Sprawl will construct meaningful lives by Peter Cox p. 19 for themselves, gain apprecia- Endowment tion for the relationships Campaign News pp. 5,8, 10-11 Around Campus pp. 20-25 among all forms of life, and safeguard the heritage of Economic Impact Statement Memorials and Tributes pp. 26-28 future generations. & Lighthouses Faculty and Staff News pp. 29-31 New Trustees p. 10 VISIT THE COLLEGE OF THE COA Arts pp. 32-36 ATLANTIC WEBSITE AT Alumni Profile: Willowind Farm www.coa.edu by Rebecca Buyers-Basso '81 p. 12-13 Book Review: Chance & Change pp. 37 COA NEWS 2 WINTER 1998/1999