Stimulating Debate About Current Issues:
A Sampling of Activities on Local Campuses
Colleges provide an ideal forum for cultural, political, and economic lectures and debates. The CCGS institutions offer a variety of annual programs and special appearances open to the public. Included here is an overview of annual programs. Check the individual college websites to see what's happening now.
Administrative Professionals Conference
Holyoke Community College
A professional development conference for administrative professionals held at Holyoke Community College. Discuss new concepts in organization, workplace management, human resources, and interpersonal interaction. For more info, www.thecenter-hcc.org. Telephone: 413-552-2122. Email: khensley@hcc.mass.edu
Athenaeum Series and Athenaeum Arts Series
Western New England College
Western New England College’s D’Amour Library hosts the Athenaeum Series, a program of events to provide a forum for communication, conversation, and discussion on scientific, literary, current affairs, and other topics. In 2006, the Library added an Athenaeum Arts Series, seeking to enhance the cultural life through the offering of musical, theatrical, and film performances. All Athenaeum Series and Athenaeum Arts Series events are open to the public free of charge. Telephone: 413-782-1531
Clason Lecture Series
Western New England College School of Law
Established in 1980, Western New England College School of Law’s Clason Speaker Series hosts expert lecturers on a wide range of legal topics affecting all areas of society. Recent lectures have discussed judicial bias, environmental law, corporate law, social responsibility, and predatory lending. The series is named after Charles R. Clason, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives who served as Dean of the School of Law from 1954 to 1970. All lectures are free and open to the public. Telephone: 413-782-1439
Diversity Speakers Series
Springfield Technical Community College
Nationally-known speakers and performers come to STCC; some of the events are jointly sponsored with other CCGS colleges and community agencies. All are open to the public. Past events have featured news analyst, author and Emmy winner Juan Williams; social activist and former comedian Dick Gregory; poet Nikki Giovanni; Rodnell Collins, nephew of Malcolm X; and PBS broadcaster and dean of the Scripps Howard School of Journalism Tony Brown. Telephone: 413-755-4414
Forums and Debates
Holyoke Community College
The college promotes stimulating debates on a variety of issues in and outside the classroom. The Student Activities office promotes civic engagement by sponsoring more than 50 student clubs that have sponsored forums on issues ranging from race relations to the U.S. involvement in the Middle East. Telephone: 413-538-7000.
Global Women’s History Institute
Westfield State College
Organized around an educational model linking academic and activist work of women, the Institute documents and archives the often-marginalized contributions of women in history and current events. Through conferences, networking, and educational programs, the Project creates international links among women involved in bringing peace to their regions through both political structures and grassroots organizations. Telephone: 413-572-5343
The Greene Lecture
Springfield College
This lecture, open to the public free of charge, annually brings experts from the field of physical therapy to the campus to discuss their research and approaches to scholarship. It is of particular interest to students and professionals in physical therapy and other health professions. The Greene Lectureship was endowed in memory of Jean Greene by her husband, Edwin Greene, a 1935 Springfield College graduate. Telephone: 413-748-3590
Guest Lecture Series
Westfield State College
Since 1999, the Guest Lecture Series brings at least six nationally and internationally recognized speakers and performing artists to campus every year. All Guest Lecture Series presentations are free of charge. Telephone: 413-572-8037
Human Relations and Human Issues Lecture Series
Western New England College
The Arthur and Rebecca Marshall Human Relations and Human Issues Lecture Series brings nationally and internationally known speakers to Springfield to discuss issues of current worldwide significance. The series' goal is to promote tolerance, understanding, and integration along racial, ethnic, and religious lines. The lectures are free of charge. Telephone: 413-782-1508
Institute for Legislative and Governmental Affairs
Western New England College
Since its inception in 2000, the Institute for Legislative and Governmental Affairs has offered students, graduates, local officials, attorneys, judges, and the public opportunities to participate in activities relating to the legislative process. Some of the programs offered through the Institute include the Annual Supreme Court Review Conference, a seminar on International War Crimes Tribunals, a conference on the Electronic Recording of Real Estate Instruments, a symposium on Environmental Policies of the Bush Administration, a Collaborative Law Seminar, a Tax Reform Speak Out, a conference on the Legality of Intervention in Iraq, the Commission on Public Health Access, and a series of seminars on Women in Politics. Telephone: 413-782-1435
International Business Series
Holyoke Community College
Holyoke Community College in conjunction with the Business Division the Kittredge Center, the World Institute for Strategic Economic Research (WISER), and the MassExport Center provide a variety educational classes and training programs on international business and trade. Telephone: 413-552-2088. Email capatterson@hcc.mass.edu
Karpovich Lecture
Springfield College
This scholarly event, open to the public free of charge, annually brings top experts in physical education, exercise physiology, and other sport and exercise sciences to Springfield College for the benefit of students, professionals in these fields, and the community at large. Springfield College established the Karpovich Lecture in 1973 in memory of its former faculty member Peter V. Karpovich, who was an internationally recognized exercise physiologist and one of the principal founders of the American College of Sports Medicine. Telephone: 413-748-3385
Law Day Lecture
Bay Path College
An annual free event presented by the Law Club with a guest speaker, generally a member of the judicial body, whose lecture topic is related to a legal aspect currently being debated or a recently enacted law that has broad ramifications for our state or federal legal system. Telephone: 413-565-1238
Lectures and Theatrical Productions
Holyoke Community College
The college’s academic divisions encourage discourse. Recently, the college sponsored a well-attended Forest Summit Lecture Series, three forums in which educators from Bolivia, Turkey, and Bosnia shared their views, and at least two theatrical productions that dealt explicitly with race and war. Telephone: 413-538-7000
Britton C. and Lucile McCabe Lecture
Springfield College
This scholarly event annually brings noted professionals in the health, biological, and physical sciences to Springfield College to discuss timely topics and discoveries in their fields. Open to the public free of charge, it has served students, professionals in health and science, and the community at large since 1997. Telephone: 413-748-3713Leslie Phillips Forum
Passport Holyoke
Holyoke Community College
A collaborative of over 15 Holyoke arts and arts-related venues with the purpose of marketing cultural and community events. Holyoke Community College is member of this organization specifically for its numerous venues, Taber Art Gallery, Holyoke History Room, Leslie Phillips Forum, and the PeoplesBank Conference Room. Visit the Passport website for links to all of its members www.passportholyoke.org.
PeoplesBank Conference Room
Holyoke Community College
Available for community and workforce development programming year-long. Capacity for 200 guests full food service and IT/Audio Visual services. Telephone: 413-552-2088. Email: capatterson@hcc.mass.edu
Leslie Phillips Forum
Holyoke Community College
This facility hosts theater productions, concerts and area and national speakers. For further information on future activities please contact 413-552-2485, or dgolas@hcc.mass.edu
Promoting Christian/Jewish Relations
Elms College
The issues of progress and continuing tensions in Christian/Jewish relations since the Holocaust are the focus of courses cosponsored by Elms College and the Hatikvah Holocaust Education Center in Springfield. Participants gain a deeper understanding of Christianity and its relationship to Judaism, and have an opportunity to experience Jewish and Christian worship services. Telephone: 413-557-6924
Social Justice and the Liberal Arts Series
Elms College
The Elms College Social Justice and the Liberal Arts series is a yearlong examination of one of the seven key themes of Catholic social teaching. Through this series, it is our hope to widen the circle of public discourse and provoke deeper reflection on what we consider to be some of the key moral issues of our day. Raising questions that promote public discourse is what the liberal arts at Elms College are all about. We engage students and the public in the issues that affect our broader community and the world with a focus on community service and on the college’s commitment to social justice. Telephone: 413-265-2294
Weckwerth Lecture
Springfield College
This scholarly event annually brings leading experts in sport management and recreation to Springfield College. Lecturers address emerging trends in these fields including the latest marketing strategies. Recent subjects have included Game Day Security for Stadiums and Arenas, Child Life practices, programming for America's Wounded Warriors, and the care of natural resources. Free of charge, it is open to students, professionals in these fields, and the community at large. The event is named in honor of the late Charles F. Weckwerth, distinguished Springfield College professor of humanics emeritus. Telephone: 413-748-3749
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