Any questions may be directed to the University Communications Office by calling 419.530.2410 or via email at meghan.cunningham@utoledo.edu.

Danzy Senna, the author of the bestselling novel, Caucasia, will give the annual Richard M. Summers Memorial Lecture at 5 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 3, in Student Union Room 2592.

She will give a public reading, which will be followed by a reception when she will sign books.

Senna

Her first work, Caucasia, has been translated into 10 languages, and Senna won the Book of the Month Club Stephen Crane Award for First Fiction and the American Library Association’s Alex Award. Senna

She also has written the bestselling novel, Symptomatic (2004); a memoir, Where Did You Sleep Last Night: A Personal History (2009); and a collection of short fiction, You Are Free: Stories (2011).

“We chose Ms. Senna because her work deftly and fearlessly explores — with grace, humor and emotional honesty — the complex and often thorny issues of race, class and gender in the contemporary United States,” said Dr. Kimberly Mack, UT assistant professor of English. “Senna confronts the constructed nature of race while developing characters who are tasked with finding ways to live authentically within those structures. Her novel, Caucasia, is also widely taught in our department, with students responding enthusiastically to her work.”

Mack encouraged attendance to the free, public event for the chance to hear from an influential writer.

“I hope that members of the UT and larger Toledo communities are inspired by their encounter with an important contemporary American writer whose work engages salient topics of contemporary relevance,” Mack said.

The Richard M. Summers Memorial Lecture was established by Marie Summers to honor her son, a member of the UT Department of English from 1966 until his death in 1988. The lecture is designed to bring a distinguished literary scholar, critic or writer to the University.

“The Summers Memorial Lecture offers the UT and larger Toledo communities an exciting opportunity to experience significant creative writers and literary scholars in a vibrant intellectual environment. For students who are studying literature or creative writing, the Summers Lecture exposes them to writers whose works can inform their own,” Mack said.

For more information on the Summers Memorial Lecture, call the UT Department of English Language and Literature at 419.530.2318.

“Morality and the Election: Why Liberals and Conservatives Can’t Understand Each Other” will be the topic of the Center for Religious Understanding’s Annual Murray/Bacik Lecture in Catholic Studies at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 3, in the Center for Performing Arts Recital Hall.

Feldmeier

Dr. Peter Feldmeier, who will give the lecture, is the Murray/Bacik Endowed Professor of Catholic Studies, a position he has held for the last five years at The University of Toledo.

“This lecture is important because of its timeliness as it comes the week before the election,” Feldmeier said. “It deals with how one comes to make moral decisions and how the moral framework regarding politics works with that process.”

He said one thing he hopes the community takes away is a better understanding of the moral principles people draw on to make political assessments.

“Much of our moral intuitions are just that, intuitions. We rely more on our emotional lives and uncritically assess moral values to either confirm or reject political philosophies, policies and candidates. Our rational lives end up working more to justify our already determined conclusions,” Feldmeier said.

“Breaking down how and why this is the case helps us toward better self-understanding. It also helps us to understand the political other. Both liberals and conservatives are often sure that they vote morally, and they cannot see how the political other could ever vote differently and still be moral. It turns out that they are drawing on different moral foundations or at least weighing them differently.”

The lecture is free, but tickets are required; RSVP at cfru.eventbrite.com.

Free parking is available in lots 12 (near the Law Center) and 12E (near the Center for the Performing Arts).

The University of Toledo’s strategic planning committee is seeking input from the greater Toledo community about UT’s future direction.

A discussion session open to the public will take place 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 26, in Rocket Hall Room 1555 on the UT Main Campus.

The community discussion follows a series of discussion sessions with faculty, staff and students held on the University’s Main and Health Science campuses.

The discussions are led by strategic planning committee co-chairs Dr. Laurie Dinnebeil, Distinguished University Professor and chair of early childhood, physical and special education, and committee co-chair Dr. Anthony Quinn, associate professor of biological sciences and assistant dean for diversity and inclusion in the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics.

The discussion will begin with a brief overview of the strategic planning process, after which participants will split into small groups to provide input on their views of the University’s future.

Individuals who want to provide their opinions but cannot attend the sessions are encouraged to submit their ideas at utoledo.edu/strategicplan.

The University of Toledo will recognize the conclusion of a successful science education program with a conference to showcase how local educators incorporated high-quality science inquiry into their curriculum.

The NURTURES program, which stands for Networking Urban Resources with Teachers and University enRich Early Childhood Science, was a five-year, $10 million program funded by the National Science Foundation to engage teachers and parents in supporting a young child’s natural curiosity through interactive science lessons.

The NURTURES conference will take place 8:15 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22, at the Hilton Garden Inn at Levis Commons in Perrysburg. It will feature presentations from local teachers and administrators who incorporated science inquiry and engineering in their classrooms and schools through the program.

Educators from Toledo Public Schools, the Catholic Diocese of Toledo and local charter schools will present topics that include:

• Overcoming common science misconceptions in the classroom;
• Developing discourse and critical thinking skills around science;
• Incorporating engineering design at the early childhood level;
• Integrating common core subjects with science; and
• Engaging with parents and community resources to promote science.

During the NURTURES program, 330 teachers of preschool through third grade and administrators participated in a total of 544 hours of professional development in the teaching of science inquiry and engineering design for early childhood classrooms.

Through NURTURES, teachers were exposed to high-quality science and engineering activities and worked to use them within their classrooms to increase student comprehension and academic achievement, said Dr. Charlene Czerniak, professor emeritus of science education and research professor in the UT College of Engineering. Data from standardized testing in Toledo Public Schools show an increase in reading, early literacy and math scores in students of teachers who have participated in NURTURES, she added.

“These findings are very significant and provide evidence that the teachers in Toledo Public Schools and area schools worked diligently to improve science teaching and learning,” Czerniak said.

Led by UT, the NURTURES program engaged a number of local partners for a community-based complementary learning model to support early learners. Those partners include Toledo Public Schools, Toledo Catholic Schools, Monroe County Schools, the former Apple Tree Nursery School, the East Toledo Family Center Day Care, UT Ritter Planetarium, Imagination Station, Toledo Zoo, Metroparks Toledo, Toledo Botanical Gardens, the former Lourdes University Nature Laboratory, Challenger Learning Center, YMCA, Toledo-Lucas County Public Library and WGTE Public Media.

The latest installment in the University’s Dialogues on Diversity and Inclusion series will take place 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 24 in the Student Union Auditorium.

“Know Better/Do Better: Deeper Reasons Why Campus Racism Exists” will be presented by Lawrence C. Ross, author of The Divine Nine and Blackballed. This lecture will focus on the reasons behind campus racism and how to overcome it.

Ross

Ross’ lecture will cover the systemic racism that has been observed on college campuses for generations and has been ignored. Ross looks at it from four different viewpoints: policy, symbolism, overt racist acts and racial micro-aggressions.

Ross was chosen to speak after a group of students heard him at a national conference and felt that he would be a good fit for the series.

“As you’ve seen over the past couple of years, there’s been more than 100 different campus racism protests, and it’s evident that colleges and universities aren’t prepared to handle it,” Ross said. “Colleges and universities are places where we educate our future leaders, and if they’re not fostering an environment that is racism-free, or creating an inclusive environment, what does that say for the future of American society?”

The lecture will be followed by a question-and-answer session and a book-signing event.

Henderson Hill, assistant dean of multicultural student success, said the decision to spotlight this topic was influenced by questions and concerns about current racial tensions and issues around the country.

“I think that people should attend this discussion because it is an opportunity to have a program facilitated by a content expert who does work related to race, culture and inclusion,” Hill said.

“Our students were impressed by Lawrence Ross, and we are excited for him to visit the University and share his powerful point of view on why racism still exists on college campuses and how we can all work together to create an environment where all feel like they belong,” said Dr. Willie McKether, UT vice president for diversity and inclusion.

McKether leads UT’s Office for Diversity and Inclusion and spearheaded the development of the University’s strategic plan for diversity and inclusion. It is available at utoledo.edu/diversity.

Ross’ visit is sponsored by the offices of Diversity and Inclusion, Multicultural Student Success, and Student Involvement and Leadership.

The University of Toledo will host a Fall 2016 Career Fair from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 19, in the Student Union Auditorium.

Representatives from 100 for-profit, government and nonprofit organizations will be available to meet with students regarding full-time and part-time employment and internship opportunities at the career fair organized by the UT Center for Experiential Learning and Career Services.

Registered organizations represent a wide range of fields, and employers include Promedica, Quicken Loans, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, NAMSA, ConAgra Foods, Norfolk Southern, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Cleveland Indians, and the Toledo Zoo and Aquarium.

The city of Toledo will have three tables at the event, one for overall city positions and internships (including the new Toledo Talent Keeps Toledo Great initiative) and individual recruitment tables for police and firefighters.

Students of all majors are encouraged to attend. Alumni also are welcome. Participants can see a full list of employers at utoledo.edu/success/celcs.

“This career fair is open to all majors,” said Shelly Drouillard, director of the Center for Experiential Learning and Career Services. “Students are asked to wear professional dress and to bring their Rocket Card and plenty of resumés to share with potential employers.”

The Center for Experiential Learning and Career Services works to connect students to meaningful learning experiences and assist them with determining a major and career exploration. Students are encouraged to take advantage of the many services offered: resumé reviews, mock interviews and job search strategies.

For the second time in two weeks, The University of Toledo has received a grant to prevent and address sexual assault on college campuses and help victims.

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine awarded UT $286,782 to continue operations of the University’s Center for Student Advocacy and Wellness, which was created last year.

The new funding is part of $79.5 million announced recently to support 356 crime victim service providers across the state through the Attorney General’s Expanding Services and Empowering Victims Initiative. The funds being awarded are from the Victims of Crime Act provided to Ohio from the U.S. Department of Justice. The fund is financed by federal settlements, fines and fees.

“Victims come first, and we want to set the example of how to do this successfully for other universities across the country to follow,” said Dr. Kasey Tucker-Gail, associate professor of criminal justice and director of the UT Center for Student Advocacy and Wellness.

“In the aftermath of a crime, it’s critically important that victims have easy access to comprehensive care and services,” DeWine said. “Through these grants, agencies throughout the state will be able to continue or even expand upon the ways they help victims of crime in Ohio.”

Last week the U.S. Department of Justice awarded UT a $299,202 grant to enhance efforts to prevent and address sexual assault victimization on college campuses through the creation of a coordinated community response team. The team will develop prevention, education and intervention policies and practices for sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking.

“This is a national issue that we are committed to tackling here at UT through education, prevention and research,” said Dr. Megan Stewart, assistant professor of criminal justice and director of development and programming for the Center for Student Advocacy and Wellness.

The UT Center for Student Advocacy and Wellness is a community where education, advocacy and research intersect that strengthens the University’s commitment to raise awareness and increase education and prevention of sexual assault and violence.

Media Coverage
The Blade (October 14, 2016)

What do the architectural styles of American middle-class homes say about the people who live in them?

The new exhibit of the Ward M. Canaday Center for Special Collections, “House and Home: The Intersection of Domestic Architecture and Social History, 1870-1970,” attempts to answer that question by looking at the way the changing architecture of homes reflects the changing role of women and the evolution of families.

The exhibit includes examples of rare Victorian home pattern books from the late 19th century, catalogs of bungalow kit houses from the early 20th century, and plans for ranch-style homes built in post-war mid-century subdivisions, all from the center’s collections.

The free, public exhibit will open Wednesday, Oct. 19, at 3:30 p.m. with a talk by historian Dr. Amy Richter, associate professor of history at Clark University and author of At Home in Nineteenth-Century America: A Documentary History, published in 2015 by New York University Press.

“The Queen Anne style of house was a three-dimensional expression of the middle-class woman’s role in society during the Victorian era,” said Barbara Floyd, director of the Canaday Center and interim director of University Libraries. 

The period was dominated by a “Cult of Domesticity,” where women were expected to live virtuous lives and to be worshipped for their role in raising children and caring for their husbands. To reflect this life, Victorian homes often looked more like churches than houses and were heavily embellished, both on the outside and on the inside, Floyd said.

The houses had public parts, such as the parlor where women could show off their taste and style, and private parts where servants did much of the manual labor needed to keep such large houses operating efficiently.

At the turn of the 20th century, this view of women — and the architecture of homes — changed dramatically. As the Progressive era advocated for women to assume new roles in society outside of the home, houses became much smaller, Floyd said.

“The popular home design of this era was the bungalow — a simple house with a living room that replaced the parlor. Smaller homes were necessary because servants were increasingly hard to find,” she said.

After nearly two decades of depression and war in the 1930s and 1940s, Americans were desperate for housing, especially because of the post-war baby boom. To meet this demand, houses of the 1950s were constructed rapidly, often using prefabricated components, Floyd said. Beginning with the example of Levittown in New York, huge subdivisions of ranch houses that all looked alike were constructed in the suburbs. Women were encouraged in this new era to make their homes a place of happiness and comfort for their families.

Many new products were utilized in post-war housing, such as fiberglass insulation and large two-paned picture windows. New technology focused on improving efficiency in the kitchen through new appliances like dishwashers, and coal furnaces were replaced by forced air natural gas ones.

The exhibit includes many examples of the products made by Toledo companies that were used in post-war housing; these include Thermopane windows manufactured by Libbey-Owens-Ford Co. in Toledo, curtains made of Owens-Corning Fiberglas, and Libbey-Owens-Ford’s Vitrolite kitchens and bathrooms.

“It is amazing to see how much Toledo corporations impacted the homes we grew up in,” Floyd said.

A speakers’ series will feature three free, public lectures on various aspects of the connection between home design and social history. All events will take place at 3:30 p.m. in the Canaday Center located on the fifth floor of Carlson Library. Speakers will be:

• Wednesday, Oct. 19 — Dr. Amy Richter, director of the Higgins School of Humanities, who will talk about why the home has become a rich subject of historical inquiry.
• Wednesday, Nov. 2 — Dr. Douglas Forsyth, associate professor in the College of Arts and Sciences at Bowling Green State University. Forsyth, who has published numerous articles on early 20th century homes, will speak about the architecture of that period.
• Wednesday, Nov. 16 — Dr. Katerina Ruedi Ray, professor and director of the School of Art at Bowling Green State University. Ray, a national expert on modern architecture, will talk about housing architecture of the mid-century post-war period.

The free, public exhibit will be on display through May 5.

A related exhibit, “Comfort and Convenience: Toledo Corporations and Post-War Housing Innovation,” will be on display in the art gallery area outside the Canaday Center. It will feature advertising for some of the now common products by Libbey-Owens-Ford, Owens-Illinois, and Owens Corning that shaped modern home construction.

Join The University of Toledo Minority Business Development Center tonight for “An Evening of Chance.”

The fundraiser, to be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 13, at Parkway Plaza in Maumee, benefits the UT Minority Business Development Center. The center supports UT students and the local community, along with 24 businesses owned and operated by minorities. It also helps provide training, mentoring, office space and strategic development.

“Our students benefit from the center by receiving a great hands-on experience that prepares them for the real world,” said Dr. Shanda Gore, associate vice president of the Minority Business Development Center and the Catharine S. Eberly Center for Women. “We achieve 100 percent placement of all students who have interned or had assistantships with us and our businesses.”

The evening will feature a photo booth, a Monte Carlo theme and magician. Guests can bid on items in the silent auction and partake of food and drink.

The event will conclude with an award ceremony for local minority business owners and highlight the various sponsors, including the Toledo Chamber of Commerce.

For more information, call 419.530.3170 or email mbdc@utoledo.edu.