Hakuna Mutata: Photographing Wildlife of the African Savannah
ARTS
693 - T 1:30-4:10 - 238 Bronner
Watch and photograph a variety of wild animals in their natural habitat as they drink from a waterhole in the Djuma Game Reserve, situated within South Africa's magnificent Kruger National Park. For extra-credit, students may also wander around the Djuma Reserve, witnessing lion and leopard kills, hyena and wild dog dens, elephant births, and more. Previously taught by acclaimed African adventurer Francis Macomber. (Instructor's note: because of last year's nasty incident involving that one particular lion, this year we won't actually be going to Africa, per se. Instead, class will meet around the rather handy Africam, a new virtual safari webcam.)
"Chardonnay Moi?": Successful Interpersonal Communication at Wine and
Cheese Parties
COMM 316 - M/W/F 2:30-3:20 - Chesterton Hall
The first course to be offered in this university's exciting new cross-departmental curriculum. Attend, as necessary, Wednesday afternoon classes of ARTS 212: Modern Masterworks, "a retrospective look at the art of the 20th century." Learn about the masters--Picasso, Dali, Monet, et al--and explore the movements that defined art in this century--from Impressionism to Minimalism and beyond. Then, on Friday evenings, attend informal lectures in the campus pub on how to use what you've learned in a "wine and cheese" conversational setting. Topics include "Cubism and Cabernet: They Go Well Together" and "What Jackson Pollock told us about Brie." Prerequisite: COMM 315: Communication Skills at Weekend Keg Parties.
"Begging Your Pardon, Sir, Are You Talking to Me?": Gatka, the Deadly
Martial Art of Northern India
PHYS ED 358 - M/T/W/Th/F 10:00 - 12:00 - Auerbach Pavilion
Gatka grandmaster Avinash Kothavale will conduct a strict training regimen of brutal physical conditioning that includes rock climbing, sack races, and "tons of sit-ups." Students are also required to visit the Bushido Martial Arts Encyclopedia, a mighty roundhouse kick to the world of online martial arts. Featuring lushly illustrated techniques and trenchant historical text, the Bushido Encyclopedia covers all the major disciplines: karate, judo, kung fu, aikido, kobudo, and (of course) gatka. Bring your own tennis shoes.
"Will That Be Cash or Charge?": Greed, Corruption, and Your Local
Representative
POLY SCI 101 - W/Th 9:00 - 11:00 - 132 Tammany
This survey course examines the time-honored tradition of spending money in order to gain political influence in order to make more money. Students are required to study the Do-It-Yourself Congressional Investigation Kit, a complete consumer guide to who's paying, who's receiving, and who's getting screwed in the process. Political action committees and their corresponding political representatives are organized by subject: health care, gambling, drunk driving, drug safety, phone rates, and more. A sense of bitter disillusionment in the American political process is helpful, but not required.
Steinway to Hell: The Carpal Ramifications of Excessive Piano
Playing
MUSIC 128 / PHYS THER 239 - M/W/F 2:00 - 3:00 - 146 Gould
Biosciences
A special therapy feedback forum devoted to the physical injuries and mental trauma associated with unmonitored piano playing. Students will critically examine Playing the Piano: Playing with Fire?, Jonas Sen's exhaustive study of the occupational hazards of piano recital. Particular attention will be paid to the central chapter "Casualties of the Keyboard," which recounts a litany of horrifying case studies involving torn mandibular tendons, stressed transverse carpal ligaments, and crippling bouts of performance anxiety. Satisfies physical therapy seminar requirement.
"Who's Got the Sports Section?": Pedagogical Opportunities in Daily
Newspapers
EDUC 347 - Th 7:30-10:00 - 185 Anderson
This semester we will examine the use of "alternative" texts in the classroom, such as The New York Post (for hyperbole, creative nonfiction), Variety (lowest common denominators, basic addition), and The Racing Form (statistics, money management). Coursework will also include discussion of daily news outlets that provide "student-friendly" versions of their content via the Internet. Several sessions will be devoted to a close reading of the New York Times Learning Network, a web site that each weekday provides a selected feature article and related lesson plan. (The articles include special vocabulary and geography hyperlinks.) Final exam will require students to create a full syllabus consisting entirely of "Ziggy" and "Andy Capp" cartoons. No auditing.
Newt Descending a Staircase: When Politics and Art Collide
ARTS 405 - M/W/F 11:30-12:20 - 312 Lufkin
Through a series of freeform exercises, students will create synergies between awareness of current political players (such as Bill Clinton, Boris Yeltsin, or Arianna Huffington) and visual appreciation of traditional masterworks (such as Vermeer's "Girl with a Pearl Earring" or Coolidge's "Dogs Playing Poker"). In order to facilitate an understanding of the form, the class will spend part of the semester studying the Art Faux Fine Art Gallery, where, three times a week, the reknowned Mr. Faux takes the faces of current political characters and pastes them onto figures from well-known paintings. If scheduling permits, Faux will appear and demonstrate his manipulatory skills on members of the class. Prerequisites: ART 203: Pithy Captions.
NOTE TO INCOMING FRESHMEN: Open enrollment ends 9/28/98 -- please finalize your schedules ASAP. Online students are encouraged to check modem speeds before "attending" virtual class. Peruse the course catalog, determine your requirements, meet your advisor, and take your pick(s).
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