On June 11 Richard Kelder (Director, Teaching/Learning Center) gave a presentation in Washington, D.C., at the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) Conference on the state of higher education. Kelder’s topic was titled “The Challenge to Academic Freedom and the Mission of Higher Education.”
Ted Clark (Marketing) gave a talk “Wine, Lobsters and Market Research” at the 4th Annual Hudson Valley Business Edge conference in Fishkill, N.Y. on May 17. The presentation demonstrated the techniques of on line and off line research and the use of Survey Monkey and SPSS for collection and analysis of survey data. Clark also appeared as the guest on the radio show “Hudson Valley Focus,” hosted by Tom Sipos on May 25, to discuss the community service work of the collegiate chapter of the American Marketing Association. Additionally, Clark gave a talk “Using Market Research to Enhance Your Organization” as the invited keynote luncheon speaker for the New Paltz Chamber of Commerce on May 19 at the Wiltwick Country Club in Kingston, N.Y. The presentation focused on the use of market research to improve strategic decisions.
The Freer-Sackler Museum of the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C., was the venue for the U.S. premiere of the opera The White Rooster: A Tale of Compassion with a libretto by Stephen Kitsakos (Theatre Arts) in July. The chamber opera, with music by the distinguished contemporary composer Sheila Silver, was commissioned by the Smithsonian for Tapestry, a Boston-based singing ensemble, as part of their exhibit “In the Realm of the Buddha.” With an original story by Kitsakos, the opera concerns the flight of four Tibetan Buddhist nuns who are fleeing their homeland when one is shot by a soldier. While they are attempting to heal her, they enact an ancient tale about a prince who is transformed by demons into a white rooster. The opera was composed for 6 Tibetan singing bowls and percussion. Other performances are scheduled throughout 2010 and 2011 in Memphis, Los Angeles, Portland and New York. The opera premiered in Ottawa, Canada, in early July.