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Award winning architecture at Susquehanna University.

A dream of spring on the stately Sage Colleges urban Russell Sage College campus in Troy, New York.

ANAC Member Campus News:

• Drake University to Eliminate Foreign Language Department
• PLU Campus Suffers Minimal Damage Near Earthquake Epicenter
• Belmont University Student Named USA Today Academic All-American
• Elon College Symposium a Postscript on 2000 Election
• University of Hartford Students Build Habitat for Humanity Home
• Susquehanna University Wins Architecture and Publications Awards
• Sage Colleges Physics Professor Works to Preserve US Constitution and Declaration of Independence

Drake University to Eliminate Foreign Language Department

Under the provocative headline, "A University plans to Promote Languages by Killing Its Languages Department," the March 9 Chronicle of Higher Education details Drake University's decision to phase out its foreign language department by 2002. In a move approved overwhelmingly by the Drake Faculty Senate and Board of Trustees, Drake proposes to substitute classroom language instruction with overseas programs and internships and online discussion groups. President David Maxwell brings impressive credentials to a decision that is sure to ignite a nationwide debate over the effectiveness of foreign language programs during an era of declining student enrollments. He earned a Ph.D. in Russian, taught for 20 years at Tufts University and Whitman College, and directed the National Foreign Language Center for six years before coming to Drake. Maxwell argues that there is a crisis in foreign language instruction in the United States and that students will only learn to speak foreign languages through immersion programs in countries that speak the target languages. Provost Ron Troyer says that the decision came after a long effort to revive foreign language enrollments at Drake. He added that replacement programs may end up costing more financially than than the current Drake foreign language department budget.

PLU Campus Suffers Minimal Damage Near Earthquake Epicenter

Although located only some twenty miles from the epicenter of the February 28 earthquake that shook the Puget Sound region, registering 6.8 on the Richter scale, the campus at Pacific Lutheran University suffered minimal damage. According to President Loren Anderson, campus preparations which included earthquake emergency drills resulted in smooth evacuation of buildings and a resumption of classes within three hours of the event. Reportedly, the quake caused more than $2 billion in property damage and some 250 personal injuries, but amazingly no loss of life.

Belmont University Student Named USA Today Academic All-American

Erin Cline of Belmont University has been named to USA Today's "2001 All-USA College Academic First Team." One of only 20 students selected nationwide of 682 nominees, Cline will receive a $2,500 scholarship. She had this to say about her selection, as quoted in USA Today on February 21, "Being inspired toward excellence, for me, occurs when I see others who are willing to take the risk of sharing who they are, and who likewise show a strong desire to care about who you are." Cline, a philosophy major, cited the inspiration she received from the people she met on a study trip to China as being a powerful force in shaping her life. Among the 20 members of the Academic First Team, there are 10 men and 10 women, 10 students from private colleges and 10 from public colleges, average gpa of 3.915, 6 double majors, 2 self-designed majors, and an age range of 19-44.

Elon College Symposium a Postscript on 2000 Election

Demonstrating a timely responsiveness that ANAC members would like to trademark, Elon College inaugurated its winter term with a January 11 symposium, "Inaugurating the Millennium: The First 100 Days to the 21st Century Presidency." The symposium was moderated by Sander Vanocur and featured panelists, David Gergen, editor-at-large of US News & World Report; Michael Beschloss, presidential historian and PBS commentator; and William Leuchtenburg, prize-winning American historian. The panelists examined in particular the impact of America's most controversial presidential election in more than a century and the challenges it poses for the Bush Administration in the context of a divided Congress, absence of a voter mandate, and the inauguration of a new political party in power in the White House. The symposium was the centerpiece of Elon's January term millenium theme that included 35 courses, workshops, and other activities.

University of Hartford Students Build Habitat for Humanity Home

The University of Hartford has become the Hartford area's first primary volunteer workforce partner in building a Habitat for Humanity single-family dwelling. The University is providing student and faculty volunteer work crews of 12-15 people for the project on the second and third Saturdays and the fourth Friday of February, March, and April. Carrier Corp. is the business sponsor for the project and is providing $45,000 in construction materials. The completed home will be occupied by a family from Jamaica that will also be working alongside the volunteers. The campus Center for Community Service is coordinating the University's involvement in the project.

Susquehanna University Wins Architecture and Publications Awards

American School & University magazine has selected Susquehanna's new Apfelbaum Hall-a high-technology center and home to the Sigmund Weis School of Business and the department of Comunications-as one of 38 colleges and universities recognized during 2000 for innovative education design and construction. Admissions Marketing Report selected the University's newsletter Spotlight for a silver award and Susquehanna's 1999 annual report for a bronze award in the 16th annual Admissions Marketing national competition.

Sage Colleges Physics Professor Works to Preserve US Constitution and Declaration of Independence

Physics professor George F. Tucker quite literally is using a Sage Colleges' fellowship to apply an infrared light ray technique to the challenge of preserving the original paper on which the Constitution and Declaration of Independence are written. Currently, these priceless treasures are vacuum sealed inside special glass containers in the National Archives in Washington, DC. Recently, government scientists have observed a decline in their quality and wish to inspect them without opening the containers and exposing them to irreversible damage. Tucker's infrared light technique will enable scientists to ascertain if the vacuum seal protecting the documents has been broken, a critical determination before the documents are placed in storage for a time during construction of a new building at the Archives.