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College of Liberal Arts
cla@umn.edu
612-624-9839
cla@umn.edu
612-624-9839
CLA in words and images
One hundred years and counting
For the Department of Sociology, 2001-02 began with cake and ice cream on the West Bank Plaza and ended with a celebration that brought together renowned scholars from across the United States to celebrate the power of teaching, mentoring, and scholarship.
The department has much to celebrate besides its 10 decades of pathbreaking scholarly work and its roster of distinguished graduates. It has been a leader in transforming the discipline from its humble social service roots into a wellspring of research-based knowledge, interdisciplinary and international in scope. Communities, policy makers, and social activists routinely tap into this wellspring in their search for understanding of human cultures and relationships.
Capping its 100th year, the department has received generous funding from the Edelstein Family Foundation to initiate and support a study of dimensions of American identity and its connections to racial and religious discrimination, diversity, and inequality. "The American Mosaic Project" will be directed by professors Douglas Hartmann and Joseph Gerteis—joined fall semester 2002 by new faculty member Penny Edgell Becker.
The department also has made significant progress toward reaching its campaign goals. Says Ron Aminzade, department chair, "Our centennial year allowed us to reconnect with our alumni and kick off a graduate fellowship fundraising drive that will support outstanding future sociologists.”
…It's here!
Fourth of July fireworks lit the well-scrubbed decks of the new Minnesota Centennial Showboat at its sparkling July 5 Grand Opening at Harriet Island in St. Paul. The day of celebration culminated in a sensational sold-out opening night University Theatre performance of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
The show ran through August 25.
China shares census data
When Zhenghua Jiang, vice chair of the Standing Committee, National People's Congress of China, visited the U in April, the visit was historic for two reasons: He's the highest-ranking Chinese official ever to set foot on campus, and he announced an agreement between the Chinese National Bureau of Statistics and the University of Minnesota Population Center. As part of the agreement, the Chinese National Bureau of Statistics will share its census data with the U, providing access to more than 80 million records from China and nine other countries.
“We are on the cutting edge, a leader worldwide,” says history professor Robert McCaa, a principal investigator with the center who is developing an electronic database for the records. "Previously, this type of data was difficult to obtain and often poorly documented.”
CLA seeks admissions coordinator
CLA has launched a new initiative to enhance recruitment of high-ability students to the college and to broaden our reach for undergraduates beyond Minnesota and Wisconsin. Our first step is to hire a colleague to coordinate this undertaking. In partnership with the Office of Admissions, we seek someone who is enthusiastic about the college and the University and would welcome an opportunity to share that enthusiasm with prospective students.
As a member of the Office of Admissions staff, the coordinator will work closely with CLA faculty, students, staff, and alumni to create and organize programming and communications that will motivate high-ability students to apply to and ultimately enroll in CLA.
Review of applications began Monday, July 29, 2002. To view the complete position description, please visit the U's Job Center website and search for the Office of Admissions Coordinator position (posted June 28, 2002). If you have questions, please contact Jennifer Cieslak, associate to the dean, at: jcieslak@umn.edu or 612-624-4145.
