In This Section:
Goals rooted in the common good
Reorganization will strengthen programs
Dodd Center marks Nuremberg trials 60th
Willig to direct new environmental center
Springing into action
3 titles won, 3 coaches honored
Calhoun honored by V Foundation
Women's polo wins fifth national title
Global recognition for political science
Research vessel named for former governor
Geno's hall double
Wong discusses challenges of ethnic heritage
Inaugural Rowe lecture
Scalia criticizes 'judge-moralists'
Notti named Goldwater Scholar
 Photo: Peter Morenus |
| Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro gives the Commencement address at the morning undergraduate ceremony held at Gampel Pavilion. |
 Photo: Al Ferreira |
| Above: School of Medicine graduates at the UConn Health Center Commencement ceremonies. |
 Photo: Tina Covensky |
| Above: Jonathan Persky carries the flag during the Commencement procession at the UConn Law School. |
 Photo: Dollie Harvey |
| Nursing majors Katrina Farkash, Erica Levinson, and Tunisia Melendez at the morning undergraduate Commencement ceremony, held at Gampel Pavilion. |
A bright sun-splashed day greeted the largest undergraduate Commencement ceremony in UConn's 125-year history on May 7, when 4,380 bachelor's degrees were awarded.
"I ask you to turn off your iPods for a moment and think about the stake you have in the challenges that we face," U.S. Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro of New Haven, Conn., told graduates after receiving an honorary Doctor of Laws degree.
"I ask you not to simply accept that responsibility but to embrace it with that uniquely American spirit that affirms our belief that even in an environment of mistrust and indifference, big solutions are possible. Whatever your path in life, leave room to participate — to help us pursue goals rooted in the common good."
Ceremonies also included the conferral of honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degrees to best-selling author Barbara Ehrenreich and business executives and philanthropists David and Rhoda Chase.
During the May 6 graduate ceremony, Nobel Prize economist and Harvard philosopher Amartya Sen advised more than 800 who received master's degrees, doctorates and professional diplomas that they would find the world beyond academia "in a bit of a mess."
"The world in which we live is both remarkably comfortable and thoroughly miserable," he said, noting that there is "unprecedented prosperity" but also "extraordinary deprivation" and "astonishing inequality."
Sen appealed to the graduates to draw on their education to resist narrow classifications that "generate unnecessary distance."
Francis S. Collins, director of the National Human Genome Research Institute who made landmark discoveries of disease genes, told graduates of the Schools of Medicine and Dental Medicine: "Wisdom imparted at graduation ceremonies has a half-life of about a millisecond. But you need to seek a balanced life. This is a challenge to you to nurture."
Medical degrees were awarded on May 14 to 76 graduates, dental medicine degrees to 45 graduates and master of public health degrees to 36 graduates.
During Commencement at the School of Law on May 21, U.S. Circuit Court Judge Allyson Duncan urged the 282 graduates to make a plan for their lives and follow it but also "to never underestimate the value of serendipity."
Duncan, a federal judge from the Fourth Circuit in North Carolina, was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree. She said she planned to hang her new degree on the wall next to that of her husband, William Webb, '74 J.D., who is also a judge.
"I will point to it as a testimonial to the fact that a woman can often accomplish in one morning what it takes a man several years to achieve," she said, to laughter and applause.
The UConn Board of Trustees approved an academic restructuring plan that reconfigures the Schools of Allied Health and Family Studies and the College of Continuing Studies while strengthening the programs they offer.
The plan, which took effect on July 1, is designed to allow the various school programs to take advantage of resources and collaborations in their new settings while improving academic offerings, says Provost Peter J. Nicholls.
No programs were eliminated.
"This reconfiguration will provide new opportunities for cross-departmental collaborations and outreach and will provide more effective oversight for the academic programs," Nicholls says.
The School of Family Studies forms a new department within the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. School of Allied Health departments will move into different schools or colleges.
Physical therapy will become part of the Neag School of Education while applied health sciences and health promotion join the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
The College of Continuing Studies becomes an academic center, reporting to the vice provost for undergraduate education and regional campus administration.
This provides a strengthened academic foundation for the popular Bachelor of General Studies program and improves degree offerings at the regional campuses, Nicholls says.
Nuremberg trials 60th
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| Photo: Melissa Arbo |
Whitney Harris, right, a former prosecutor at the Nuremberg War Crimes Trials, spoke about the dramatic moments of the post-World War II military tribunal during a Nuremberg Trials 60th anniversary program held in April at the Thomas J. Dodd Research Center.
U.S. Sen. Christopher Dodd, who was instrumental in developing the Center named for his father, a prosecutor at Nuremberg, introduced Harris to the audience.
environmental center
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| Photo: Melissa Arbo |
Michael Willig, former division director for environmental biology at the National Science Foundation, is the first director of the new Center for Environmental Science and Engineering (CESE) at UConn.
CESE replaces the former Environmental Research Institute and has a mission to lead and promote interdisciplinary research, education and outreach in environmental science, engineering, policy and sustainability.
Willig says environmental issues will be the greatest challenge facing society in the 21st century and that UConn has the resources to help combat them.
"The spread of infectious diseases, loss of biodiversity, deterioration of air and water quality, loss of soil fertility, pervasiveness of pollution and biocides are complex and pervasive issues," says Willig.
"They require multidisciplinary and integrated study to understand the mechanisms that govern the operation of environmental systems, as well as the principles that guide remediation, restoration, management, and policy."
He says that as a comprehensive research university that is also a land and sea grant institution, UConn has the expertise to contribute significantly to a scientific enterprise addressing such issues.
"UConn can become a national and international leader in research with respect to environmental sciences and engineering," says Willig.
During his career Willig has received more than $17 million in research grants and numerous awards and honors.
More than 60 UConn students spent their 2006 spring break building homes for Habitat for Humanity in New Mexico and gutting homes in New Orleans as part of the post-Katrina rebuilding effort. The 42 students who traveled to New Orleans gutted 13 homes, helping to save homeowners $4,000 each for the cost of tearing down hurricane- damaged structures. | |
They worked with the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, known as ACORN. Students each paid $275 for their travel to New Orleans. Students who organized the trip were Alexandria Thornton '08 (CLAS) and Ross Moran '07 (SFS). The students worked in a Habitat subdivision of 123 homes. The fund-raising effort and trip were organized by Chris Sanford '07 (CLAS), Pete Buhiniak '07 (BUS), Jessica Dauz '07 (CANR) and Marlene Rispoli '07 (BUS). UConn's Office of Community Outreach already has plans for two trips of 100 students to the Gulf region next year to assist in disaster relief, one during winter break and another during spring break. |
Photo: Jonathan Birdsey |
| Christopher Hayden ’08 (CLAS) was one of 42 UConn students tearing down homes in New Orleans during spring break as part of the post-Katrina rebuilding effort. | |
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| From left: Stacey Knowlton ’07 (CLAS), Lauren Foster ’07 (SFS) and Anita Szablowska ’07 (CLAS) hammer shingles to a roof. They were among 19 students from the UConn chapter of Habitat for Humanity who helped to build houses in Belen, N.M., during spring break. | |
 Photos: Stephen Slade |
| Above: Jim Penders ’94 (CLAS), ’98 M.A. was the
Big East and New England coach of the year in
baseball. Below: Kaitlyn Shain ’06 (CLAS) was first team All-Hockey East in women’s hockey. |
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| Below: Tamara Highsmith ’08 (BUS) competed in the NCAA Championships. |
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Three Big East titles, three coach of the year awards and an array of individual honors for student-athletes highlighted the 2005-06 winter and spring seasons for the UConn Huskies.
Rudy Gay '08 (CLAS) was named an All-American and Hilton Armstrong '06 (CLAS) was the Big East Defensive Player of the Year in leading the men's basketball team to a 30-4 record, the Big East regular season championship and through to the NCAA Elite Eight.
Ann Strother '06 (CLAS) earned Most Valuable Player of the Big East Tournament, and Renee Montgomery '09 (CLAS) was the Big East Freshman of the Year during a 32-5 season that included winning the Big East tournament and advancing to the NCAA regionals in Bridgeport, Conn.
In ice hockey, Sean Erickson '09 (CLAS) was named to the Atlantic Hockey all-rookie team in helping lead the men's team to the semifinals of the Atlantic Hockey tournament and Kaitlyn Shain '06 (CLAS) was a first team All-Hockey East honoree for the women's team.
John Bransfield was named the Big East Coach of the Year for diving, and Allison Coleman '08 (CLAS) was named the Most Outstanding Diver of the Big East Championship as she won the 1-meter title and finished fourth in the 3-meter dive.
Ryan Smith '06 (CLAS) qualified for the NCAA Championship in the 200-yard backstroke for the women's swimming and diving team.
Head coach Greg Roy and his staff were named the Big East and Northeast Coaching Staffs of the Year in leading the men's indoor track and field team to both the Big East and New England Championships.
Senior Joel Legare '06 (CLAS) won All-America honors in the indoor 800-meter run. Legare also participated in the NCAA Outdoor Championships with Sean Berg '07 (CLAS), who competed in the decathlon.
Jim Penders '94 (CLAS), '98 M.A. was named the Big East and New England coach of the year while leading the baseball team to a school record 39 wins.
Pitchers Tim Norton '06 (ED) and Nick Tucci '06 (ED) were named first team All-Big East and drafted by major league teams.
Tamara Highsmith '08 (BUS) represented the women's track and field team at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the triple jump.
Shannon Burke '07 (CLAS) earned first team All-Big East honors for the second-straight year as she led the women's lacrosse team in scoring with 54 points.
In softball, Allie Gendron '08 (ED) and Jillian Ortega '09 (ED) were both named second team All-Big East selections.
The women's tennis team advanced to the consolation final of the Big East Championship, and Joey Michaels '09 (CLAS) won 17 singles matches for the men's team.
Katie Beasley '07 (CLAS) and Kerri Mocko '07 (CLAS) were recognized with National Scholar Athlete Awards, while Alison Elmo '06 (CANR) was named to the All-New England First team as the rowing team finished second at the Yankee Cup.
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Men's head basketball coach Jim Calhoun joined Jim Boeheim of Syracuse University, right, when both Hall of Fame coaches and fellow cancer survivors were honored with the Spirit of Jimmy V award during a gala in New York City hosted by the V Foundation for Cancer Research. The foundation is named for the late Jim Valvano, legendary college basketball coach and broadcaster, whose brother Nick, center, represented the Valvano family. |
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| Photo: Joe Shildhorn |
fifth national title
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| The women's polo club team won the National Intercollegiate Polo Championship for the second consecutive year. The 2006 championship is the team's fifth overall title. From left, Kelly Wisner '08 (ED), Meaghan Scanlon '07 (BUS), Amy Wisenhart '06 (SFA), Coach Matt Syme '96 (CANR), Peter Rizzo of the U.S. Polo Association, Elizabeth Rockwell'08 (CANR), and Lindsey Burbank '09 (CANR). |
political science
The international stature of UConn's political science department in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences has further expanded with the appointment of UConn faculty to serve as editors of two major international journals.
Several political science students and two
professors also have been recognized for their achievements.
The Journal of Human Rights , a major international scholarly publication, will be based at UConn with the selection of Richard Hiskes, professor of political science, as editor. Richard Wilson, the Judi and Gary Gladstein Distinguished Chair in Human Rights and director of UConn's Human Rights Institute, is associate editor of the journal.
Prof. Mark Boyer and Jennifer Sterling- Folker, associate professor, have been selected as the new editors of International Studies Review , which focuses on current trends and research in the field of international studies.
Student who have won highly competitive appointments include Darrylynn Montague '07 (CLAS), accepted to the Ralph Bunche Summer Institute of the American Political Science Association ; John Hudak '06 (CLAS), selected as a Junior Fellow of the American Academy of Political and Social Science; Daniel Labrecque '07 (CLAS), named as a fellow of the Center for the Study of the Presidency for 2006-07, following Noah Kores '06 (CLAS), who was a fellow in 2005-06.
Faculty honors include Evelyn Simien, assistant professor, who received the annual Anna Julia Cooper Teaching Award from the National Conference of Black Political Scientists, and Prof. Carol Lewis, who won the 2006 Johnson Award for Best Paper in Ethics and Accountability in the Public Sector from the Johnson Institute for Responsible Leadership at the University of Pittsburgh.
The department also received the 2006 Public University of the Year Award from the Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars based on the work of doctoral candidate Paul Plavcan, who served as UConn's internship coordinator.
"We teach a fascinating subject, one that focuses on how our society makes decisions about our future," says Howard Reiter, chair of the department. "While research is a priority, we've always attached a premium to teaching effectively."
 Photo: Daniel Buttery |
Former U.S. senator and Connecticut Gov. Lowell Weicker speaks at UConn's Avery Point campus during the dedication of a new marine sciences research vessel named in his honor.
The primary mission for the 36-foot-long R/V Lowell Weicker is to support the Long Island Sound Integrated Coastal Observing System program, in which UConn marine scientists and faculty monitor the coastal environment of Long Island Sound for a variety of ocean variables including hypoxia - low oxygen conditions in the Sound that affect fish and marine resources.
 AP photo/Wade Payne |
Women's head basketball coach Geno Auriemma was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame on April 29 in Knoxville, Tenn.
He also will be enshrined with former NBA stars Charles Barkley, Dominique Wilkins and Joe Dumars as part of the Class of 2006 in the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass., during ceremonies Sept. 7-9.
UConn joins UCLA and North Carolina State as only the third university to have both a women's and men's coach enshrined in Springfield.
Men's head coach Jim Calhoun was enshrined in 2005.
 Photo: Jordan Bender |
B. D. Wong, an author and actor best known for his role as forensic psychiatrist Dr. George Huang on NBC's Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, visited UConn in March to discuss his odyssey from racial self-loathing to eventual self-acceptance and his experience of becoming a gay parent.
His talk was sponsored by UConn's Asian American Cultural Center, Rainbow Center, Department of Dramatic Arts, and Student Union Board of Governors.
 Photo: Peter Morenus |
Joseph Civetta, professor and vice chair of the UConn Health Center's surgery department, delivered the inaugural John and Valerie Rowe Lecture at the Pharmacy/Biology Building in April.
Civetta, a former member of the faculty at Harvard Medical School, discussed questions that present themselves when medical technology collides with ethics, theology and economics.
The Rowe Lecture Series brings distinguished medical scholars to campus to address critical topics in health care.
United States Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia spoke out against what he called "judge-moralists" in an address at the UConn School of Law in April, part of a two-day Distinguished Scholar and Jurist in Residence visit that included teaching two classes.
During his talk, Scalia described himself as a constitutional " originalist," based on his view that the U.S. Constitution is a rigid document that cannot bend to include new rights for Americans or to address social ills.
 Photo: Spencer Sloan |
He criticized judges, including his own Supreme Court, for viewing it as a "living" document, which he said is a fairly new phenomenon.
"We have become addicted to abstract moralizing," Scalia said. "A change occurred in the second half of the 20th century, and I'm sorry to say my court was responsible."
Scalia, considered a conservative jurist, touched on what he called "moral" issues that are some of the more controversial topics in the American judicial and political scenes: abortion, same-sex marriage, assisted suicide, and the death penalty.
He said the framers intended the Constitution to be interpreted the same way today as when it was written, and he criticized those who suggested that interpretation of the Constitution can and should change and expand through time.
"Belief in the expert has been replaced by judge-moralists," said Scalia, who suggested that there are no moral experts to provide the right answer on moral issues.
"[The framers] obviously meant to set some standards. You can't do that by saying these words are empty bottles to be filled by future generations."
Scalia also discussed the role of politics in judicial nominations, saying presidential administrations and Congress have come to look for nominees not based on experience or ability, but whether they are in line politically with those nominating and confirming them.
Scalia's visit was sponsored by the Hartford firm of Day, Berry and Howard, as well as the Connecticut Law Review.
 Photo: Daniel Buttrey |
Ryan Notti '08 (CLAS), a biological sciences major who plans to become a doctor, is one of more than 300 students in the nation to be named a Goldwater Scholar for 2006-07.
The Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program awards scholarships to college students who intend to pursue careers in science, mathematics and engineering.
This year's scholars were selected on the basis of academic merit from a field of the nation's top mathematics, science and engineering students nominated by the faculties of colleges and universities across the United States.
The program honors the memory of the longtime U.S. senator and 1964 GOP presidential candidate from Arizona.