Faculty Colloquium: Luke Ettinger

Please join us on Friday, November 22nd, at 3 p.m. in Ford 102 for our eighth Faculty Colloquium of this semester.

Presenter: Luke Ettinger, Assistant Professor of Exercise and Health ScienceLuke Ettinger

Title: “Lost in Space; an Exploration into Sense of Self”

Abstract: Proprioception (proprio: own, perception: awareness) in the periphery describes our ability to locate limb position in space in the absence of visual feedback. This presentation will describe the biomechanical analysis performed on clinical populations who demonstrate movement disorders using language that is easily digestible to attendees of all backgrounds. Here, my goal is to convey the work my student collaborators and I have accomplished over the past 4 years at Willamette and to describe the trajectory of our future work.

Students are welcome and coffee and treats will be provided. We look forward to seeing you there.

Bill Kelm and Stephen Patterson
Faculty Colloquium Coordinators


The Northwest Collection

Guest post by Carol Drost, Associate University Librarian for Technical Services.

The Northwest Collection was established in 1997 through a gift from Nancy B. Hunt and consisted of materials collected by her husband, Kenneth J. Hunt. Kenneth was a Willamette alum who graduated in 1942 with a degree in sociology. Throughout his life, he collected books, pamphlets, and periodicals that focused on Oregon or the Pacific Northwest as their subject matter.

Ladd & Bush QuarterlyThe majority of these titles are early and mid-20th century local historical accounts of Oregon towns and institutions, autobiographies, and fiction and poetry. Many of the books are signed by the author.

The Hatfield Library continues to add materials to this collection, building upon the rich foundation that Kenneth Hunt established. The library acquires not only recently published titles, such as Standing Tall: the Lifeway of Kathryn Jones Harrison, but also historical titles such as Ken Kesey’s Spit in the Ocean series, which was published in the 1970s. 

The materials found in the Northwest Collection can be located through the library’s online catalog, and are in a closed stack location. All library users are welcome to use the materials by appointment, from 9-4, Monday through Friday. Contact a reference librarian for further assistance.


Faculty Colloquium: Jim Friedrich

Please join us on Friday, November 15th, at 3 p.m. in Ford 102 for our seventh Faculty Colloquium of this semester.

Presenter: Jim Friedrich, Professor of Psychology Jim Friedrich

Title: “Removing Bias From Our Judgments: Did Ulysses Have It Right?”

Abstract: A great deal of behavioral science research has documented the various ways in which human judgment can be contaminated — influenced or distorted by factors that decision-makers prefer would not have an impact on their perceptions and choices. For example, people might agree that the physical appearance of a job applicant should not impact their hiring decision and might wish to avoid or correct any such influence. Unfortunately, this same body of research suggests that avoiding and correcting for bias can be extremely difficult and that simple awareness of one’s own vulnerability and good intentions are insufficient. Ulysses famously had his crew tie him to the mast of his ship so that he would not be seduced by the siren’s songs. Recent research conducted with and by Willamette University students suggests that we see such bias-preventing “binding strategies” as helpful for others but less necessary for oneself — a manifestation of what is sometimes referred to as the bias blind spot effect. In this talk, I will be discussing why self-correction of one’s biases is so difficult, why “binding strategies” that limit exposure to certain influences might be most effective, and why people nevertheless underestimate their vulnerability to bias and their need to engage in such protective strategies.

Students are welcome and coffee and treats will be provided. We look forward to seeing you there.

Bill Kelm and Stephen Patterson
Faculty Colloquium Coordinators


Digital materials available in PNAA finding aids

By Jenny Gehringer
PNAA Processing Archivist

Claudia Cave sketchbook black ink drawing. Collections of artists’ papers from the Pacific Northwest Artists Archive (PNAA) are currently being processed thanks to the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) grant Willamette University received to increase accessibility to this amazing and unique archive. Part of this processing grant includes an initiative to digitize a selection of materials from each collection that represents the artist’s papers and his or her works. Digitization helps preserve inherently unstable media, such as photographic slides, and increases access to the PNAA collections by making portions of these materials available online.

Over the summer, Madolyn Kelm, our fantastic student assistant, digitized a variety of materials from eight PNAA collections including sketchbooks, correspondence, slides, a diary, publications, and photographs. Sara Amato, our Digital Asset Management Librarian, organized and curated the metadata collected by Madolyn into digital exhibitions that are now accessible in the following finding aids: Claudia Cave papers, Nicholsloy Studio collection, Tom Cramer papers, Nelson and Olive Sandgren papers, Judith and Jan Zach papers, Henk Pander papers, Stella Douglas papers, and Tom Hardy papers.

The Willamette University Archives and Special Collections is excited to share the PNAA digitization efforts with all library patrons and researchers. Throughout the fall and spring semesters, students will continue to digitize selected materials from the eight remaining PNAA collections. Don’t forget to check the Archives Blog for updates on our PNAA digitization project!


Faculty Colloquium: Warren Binford

Please join us on Friday, November 8th, at 3 p.m. in the Carnegie Building for our sixth Faculty Colloquium of this semester.

Presenter: Warren Binford, Director of the Clinical Law Program Warren Binford

Title: “4 Days in Clint”

Abstract: 4 Days in Clint is a firsthand account of what Willamette Law professor and international children’s rights expert Warren Binford discovered when she and her colleagues walked into the Clint Border Patrol Facility on a routine monitoring visit outside of El Paso, Texas, in June 2019. Over the course of four days and through interviews involving approximately 70 children, the team came to realize that hundreds of children were being unlawfully warehoused by the US government in a state of filth, hunger, sickness, and sadness, without any meaningful adult care. Some children reported being assaulted by Border Patrol while many reported being forced to sleep on concrete floors, including infants and toddlers, in overcrowded jail cells, a loading dock, and a windowless warehouse. Professor Binford will explain what had changed in their observations about the government’s treatment of the children in its care that compelled them to go to the media for the first time in 22 years of Flores monitoring visits. Professor Binford will explain the legal framework that applies to migrant children in custody, highlighting both the legal violations by the US government, as well as the loopholes that need to be closed to ensure the humane treatment of children, and how the average U.S. resident can help. Professor Binford’s talk will include direct quotations from the children’s sworn declarations to ensure that their voices and stories are known to and amplified by the American public.

Bio: Warren Binford is Professor of Law and Director of the Clinical Law Program at Willamette University. An internationally recognized children’s rights expert, Professor Binford was invited by legal counsel in Flores v. Barr to help conduct a series of site inspections of especially concerning government facilities where migrant children have been detained since 2017, including the former Wal-Mart, the Tornillo tent city, and most recently, the Clint Border Patrol Facility, among others. Professor Binford was selected as both a Fulbright Scholar in 2012 and the inaugural Fulbright Canada-Palix Foundation Distinguished Visiting Chair in Brain Science, and Child and Family Health and Wellness in 2015. She holds a B.A., summa cum laude with distinction, and an Ed.M., from Boston University, and a J.D. from Harvard Law School.

Students are welcome and coffee and treats will be provided. We look forward to seeing you there.

Note: There will also be a special TGIF reception following the lecture that will be open to faculty from all schools. This is the third TGIF event this semester with Colloquium speakers from across the University. These opportunities for cross-University gathering and conversation are sponsored by the Office of the Provost and Senior Vice President.

Bill Kelm and Stephen Patterson
Faculty Colloquium Coordinators


It’s American Archives Month!

By Jenny Gehringer, Stephanie Milne-Lane, and Rosie Yanosko
Willamette University Archives and Special Collections

October is American Archives Month! The Willamette University (WU) Archives and Special Collections is celebrating by sharing what our archivists are currently working on through our blog and the Mark O. Hatfield Library Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook pages. We invite you to learn more about our collections and how we provide equitable access to historical documents and materials!

stuffed bearcat sitting at desk The WU Archives and Special Collections collects, preserves, and makes available WU records of enduring value and primary source materials focusing on the Pacific Northwest. We have four main collections categories: University Archives and Records, Political Papers, Personal Papers, and the Pacific Northwest Artists Archive (PNAA). We currently have three archivists on staff who are processing collections and providing reference services for our campus and public communities.

Stephanie Milne-Lane is the Processing Archivist and Records Manager for our Archives. She provides reference services for all collections in our repository, assists University departments concerning records management, provides educational opportunities to students, and processes University, political, and personal records. In addition to her varied responsibilities, she is currently processing the Rex Amos papers, which is part of the PNAA.

Jenny Gehringer is the Processing Archivist for the Pacific Northwest Artists Archive (PNAA). The PNAA is a collaborative project of the WU Archives and Special Collections and the Hallie Ford Museum of Art and includes materials related to the careers of artists who are or were active in Oregon and Washington for most of their careers. Jenny is tasked with processing 16 PNAA collections during her 18-month tenure and is currently assessing and processing the Rick Bartow papers. Her most recently completed collection is the Betty LaDuke papers.

desk with papers on it Rosie Yanosko is the Processing Archivist for the Chuck Williams Collections. Williams was an environmental activist and professional photographer who was of Cascade Chinook descent and a member of the Grand Ronde Tribe. His activist papers are housed here in the WU Archives, while his photographs are housed at the Oregon State University Special Collections and Archives Research Center. During her 12-month tenure, which is funded through the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) Competitive Grant Willamette University received, Rosie is appraising, processing, and developing finding aids for these collections. She is also planning a panel discussion which will highlight Williams’ legacy as an environmental activist.

Please check out our blog and the Mark O. Hatfield Library’s Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook pages throughout October for more information, photographs, and fun facts!


Changes, Current and Coming

Guest post written by Craig Milberg, University Librarian

Now that we are well into the current semester we hope you have noticed some positive changes to the first floor of the Mark O. Hatfield Library. These changes include:

1. A wall dividing the main table “farm” on the first floor has been installed. On the front side of the wall, we now have bookshelves and bulletin boards that let us create book displays that highlight our collections. On the backside of the wall, we have placed a series of whiteboards. The intent is to create a spot where students can leave comments, share their thoughts, draw pictures, and in general express themselves. We have dubbed this area “Mill Stream Musings.” Remember, it is a public space so please be respectful and don’t write or draw anything that you wouldn’t want your parents to see in the New York Times.

whiteboard

2. The sidewall next to the librarians’ offices is now dedicated to displaying creative works by Willamette students. Partnering with the Studio Art Department, we hope to have a rotating series of displays of student art over the course of the year.

student display wall

3. Installation of electric outlets on tables in many spots on the first floor. This should alleviate the dangerous need to stretch extension cords across the floor.

electrical outlets on table

Moving from the present to the future, we continue plans to integrate significant portions of the Claremont School of Theology’s print collections into the MOHL’s collections. With their hybrid educational model, it isn’t surprising that CST relies heavily on electronic collections but they also have wonderful print collections. Working with the CST library, we currently anticipate bringing approximately 50,000 volumes of books and periodicals. In order to accommodate these items, our plan is to find off-site storage for all of the bound periodicals (theirs and ours) and move their books, mostly representing religion and philosophy, into the shelves on the first floor where the periodicals are. We will then move our current collection of philosophy and religion monographs from the second floor, intermingling them with the books that come from CST on the first floor.

No need to worry about access to the bound periodicals. You will be able to request articles from these periodicals and twice a day library staff will plan on scanning articles and sending them to you. All of this should happen this coming summer so further news will follow as details become clearer.


Faculty Colloquium: George Gu

Please join us on Friday, October 11th, at 3 p.m. in the Carnegie Building for our fifth Faculty Colloquium of this semester.

Presenter: George Gu, Assistant Professor of Finance George Gu

Title: “Local Religious Belief and Workplace Safety”

Abstract: We study the impact of local religiosity on establishment-level workplace safety. Consistent with the view that religious people are more risk averse, we document a significant negative effect of religiosity in a county on worker injury rates in establishments located in the county. We also find that the effect of local religiosity on worker safety is primarily driven by Protestant religion. Lastly, we identify two channels by which local religiosity affects worker safety. Religious managers are more risk averse so they increase investment conducive to safety (the managerial safety investment channel). Religious rank-and-file workers are more risk averse so they comply with safety protocol more diligently and assert greater caution at work (the worker safety compliance channel). Interestingly we find that religiosity local to a firm’s headquarter has no significant effect on worker safety outcomes, safety investments, or overall safety ratings, suggesting the importance of middle level managers and rank-and-file workers (rather than top management) in shaping worker safety policy. Our results imply that local religious beliefs have a subtle yet important impact on employee welfare.

Students are welcome and coffee and treats will be provided. We look forward to seeing you there.

Note: There will also be a special TGIF reception following the lecture that will be open to faculty from all schools. This is the second TGIF event this semester with Colloquium speakers from across the University. These opportunities for cross-University gathering and conversation are sponsored by the Office of the Provost and Senior Vice President.

Bill Kelm and Stephen Patterson
Faculty Colloquium Coordinators


Faculty Colloquium: Abigail Susik

Please join us on Friday, October 4th, at 3 p.m. in Ford 301 for our fourth Faculty Colloquium of this semester.

Presenter: Abigail Susik, Associate Professor of Art History Abigail Susik
Title: “Curating Between Mexico and England: Notes on the Exhibition ‘Alan Glass, Surrealism’s Secret’ at Leeds Arts University, 2020”

Abstract: Alan Glass (b. 1932) is a French-Canadian artist who has resided in Mexico City since 1963. When Glass moved to Paris from Montreal in the 1950s, his intricate pencil drawings were discovered and promoted by surrealism’s founder André Breton. The catalogue for his first exhibition featured an essay by his friend Alejandro Jodorowsky, the Chilean artist who later became a renowned cult filmmaker. In Mexico City, Glass became a collaborator with expatriate British surrealist Leonora Carrington. Much like Carrington and Jodorowsky, Glass’s works evince an esoteric poetics in which reality is transmuted through the work of the creative imagination. In addition, he quickly became a notable contributor to Mexico City’s flourishing contemporary art scene in the 60s and 70s. Continuing to draw and paint, Glass turned increasingly to assemblage, a medium much favored by surrealism. Precisely executed with found material gleaned from Mexico City’s maze-like markets, Glass’s sumptuous arrangements facilitate mysterious correspondences between disparate objects.Glass Art Work

Although Glass is one of Mexico’s most revered artists, as is evidenced by the prestigious award he received in 2017, the coveted Medalla Bellas Artes, Mexico’s highest recognition for production in the fine arts, he must also be considered surrealism’s best-kept secret. Including his first solo show in Paris in 1958, there have been only three exhibitions devoted to his work in Europe, the most recent of which took place in Spain more than a decade ago. The art of Alan Glass, then, is ripe for exploration and discovery, and the Leeds Arts University exhibition of 40 drawings, paintings, and assemblages in autumn of 2020 will be the artist’s first show in the United Kingdom. Situating Glass’s art in the context of an internationally dispersed surrealism with longevity far beyond what is often assumed, the exhibition will bring Glass’s production into conversation with the Mexican influences and networks which have come to define it.

Students are welcome and coffee and treats will be provided. We look forward to seeing you there.

Bill Kelm and Stephen Patterson
Faculty Colloquium Coordinators

Looking ahead: Next week’s Colloquium will be delivered by Atkinson professor George Gu presenting on “Local Religious Belief and Workplace Safety”.


Faculty Colloquium: Saghar Sadeghian

Please join us on Friday, September 27th, at 3 p.m. in the Carnegie Building for our third Faculty Colloquium of this semester.

Presenter: Saghar Sadeghian, Assistant Professor of History Saghar Sadeghian
Title: Conversion as Boundary Crossing: Non-Muslim Conversions in Mid 19th and Early 20th Century Iran

Abstract: Iranian non-Muslim communities are instances of Fredrik Barth’s ethnic groups (10-11). They live in separate geographic communities, have their own languages, were forced to follow specific dress codes, and created a community of ‘us’ in comparison to the Muslim ‘them’. At the same time, the boundaries between these groups were blurred and negotiable. Group boundaries could be crossed by interfaith marriages, economic interactions, or notably religious conversions.

Apart from religious spiritual motivations, some individuals converted to other religions, voluntarily or by force, for economic, cultural, or political reasons. However, this was not a simple transition from one religious community to another. The converts normally kept their previous rituals, family ties, and languages; but were banned from their former community’s institutions. On the other hand, in the new group, they were welcomed and awarded with certain privileges; but could not completely integrate. For example, titles such as ‘Jewish-Baha’is’—for those Jews converting to the Baha’i Faith—indicated the Jewish community could not totally let their former members leave. At the same time, this could also indicate that the Baha’i community might not have let them totally integrate. They might change their religion but were still Jews by blood. Labels like ‘Jadid al-Islam’, or ‘New Muslim’ for converts to Islam differentiated them from the ‘old’ or ‘original’ Muslims.

This paper studies Iranian non-Muslim conversions to Islam or other faiths, during the mid 19th and early 20th centuries, as a means of social mobilization. It addresses the topic in two main ways: discussing the reasons one might convert voluntarily or by force; and the ways each community treated its dissidents or new members. Employing “social identity theory” (Tajfel and Turner 7-20), the article argues that converts did not lose their old religious affiliation by gaining a new one; instead, they lived with fluid multiple identities in Iranian society.

Students are welcome and coffee and treats will be provided. We look forward to seeing you there.

Note: There will also be a special TGIF reception following the lecture that will be open to faculty from all schools. This is the first TGIF event this semester with Colloquium speakers from across the University. These opportunities for cross-University gathering and conversation are sponsored by the Office of the Provost and Senior Vice President.

Bill Kelm and Stephen Patterson
Faculty Colloquium Coordinators