GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

The Tempest

Strong College successfully weathered Hurricane Fran last week and came out stronger for it. We lost electricity for about 12 hours and air conditioning for several days but we didn’t blow away and we kept all our trees. The College was pleased to provide laundry facilities after the storm to some of our Fellows who were still without electricity in their homes around Greensboro. Nothing like a disaster to bring everyone together—we should have one every week! (Just kidding.)

And Speaking of Trees

Strong College was very pleased to welcome Bill Hardin, the University’s chief horticulturalist, to Tea last week, and we were happy to see his excellent slide show of campus landscaping successes (and bloopers). Bill’s visit was especially timely in light of the damage done to many campus trees by the recent hurricane. Thank you, Bill!

Senior Tutor’s Awards

Dr. O’Hara will be presenting the Senior Tutor’s Awards at Tea next Tuesday. The Senior Tutor’s Awards recognize distinguished academic achievement and they are given each semester to those Strong College undergraduates who earn a grade point average of 3.75 or above during the previous term. Please come to Tea and congratulate the recipients of the award—they are examples to us all.

William Willimon to Visit UNCG

Strong College, Residential College, and the University Honors Program are sponsoring a visit by Dr. William Willimon on Wednesday, September 25th. Dr. Willimon is Dean of the Chapel and Professor of Christian Ministry at Duke University, and co-author of The Abandoned Generation, a new book on student life in American universities. Dr. Willimon will be giving a talk at the Faculty Center at 3:00 p.m., “Rethinking Higher Education: The Role of Friendship.” Dr. Willimon is a national advocate of residential colleges, and all Strong College members are invited and encouraged to hear him speak.

Points of Light

This week is National Housekeeping Week, and we are very lucky indeed to have two of the best housekeepers on campus here in Strong College. Thank you, Ms. Chapman, and thank you, Ms. Cherry, for all the wonderful work you do for us. The College couldn’t make it without you!

Our own Doug Yorke is now Treasurer of three campus organizations: the Political Awareness Club, the Environmental Awareness Foundation, and the National Residence Hall Honorary—he will be managing millions before we know it! Congratulations, Doug.

Strong College’s Administrative Assistant Melanie Abrams just published a short story titled “Playground” in Jitters: The Best of Southern California Coffeehouse Fiction—well done! (Melanie will be starting The Blue Lemur Journal shortly.)

Bruce Caldwell has donated several economics texts and foreign language tapes (Italian, Korean, and Japanese) to the Strong College Library—thank you, Bruce!

Poem-of-the-Week

The Strong College Poem-of-the-Week is posted on the bulletin board outside the College Office. This week’s poem is Robert Frost’s teleological essay “On a Tree Fallen Across the Road”:

The tree the tempest with a crash of wood
Throws down in front of us not to bar
Our passage to our journey’s end for good,
But just to ask us who we think we are

Insisting always on our own way so.
She likes to halt us in our runner tracks,
And make us get down in a foot of snow
Debating what to do without an ax.

And yet she knows obstruction is in vain:
We will not be put off the final goal
We have it hidden in us to attain,
Not though we have to seize earth by the pole

And, tired of aimless circling in one place,
Steer straight off after something into space.

STRONG COLLEGE CALENDAR

Monday, 16 September

4:00–5:00 p.m., Senior Common Room: Strong College Literary Hour! We sit around and read favorite pieces of literature, or just listen to other people read. Everyone is invited—please join us! (Laurie White)

Tuesday, 17 September

4:30–5:30 p.m., Junior Common Room: Strong College Tea! Stop by the JCR for food and drink and informal conversation. It’s the social event of the Strong College week. (Laurie White)

10:00–10:45 p.m., Committee Room: Strong College Council Meeting! Everyone is invited to help plan Strong College Social events and to meet a whole host of enthusiastic Strong College members. (Rachel Wojnar)

Wednesday, 18 September

9:00 p.m.–12:00 midnight, Committee Room: The Blue Lemur Coffee Bar is open for your enjoyment! Stop by and get caffeinated all the way until midnight. (Tim Owens)

Thursday, 19 September

10:00–11:00 p.m., Star Chamber: ER Social Hour! Join us for medical excitement. (Eric Harrington)

Friday, 20 September

12:00 noon, Strong College Dining Area in the Caf: Lunch, for Strong College Fellows.

Saturday, 21 September

7:00–8:00 p.m., Star Chamber: Star Trek: Voyager! Join us in the Delta Quadrant. Uniform optional. (Bob O’Hara)

OFFICIAL DISCLAIMERS: Nothing here is official. Please don’t sue us. That was better than a soap opera. No caffeine. All trademarks are the property of their owners. No refills. For external use only. This does not represent the official policy of the United States Government, the State of North Carolina, Apple Computer Inc., or David Mamet. It is worse than when I was in Guatemala. Not a significant source of calories. Void where prohibited by law. No one under 17 admitted without parent or guardian. I’m a doctor, not a counterinsurgent. $124.75. Wait three minutes before restarting. Your mileage may vary. Air conditioning sometimes included. Please recycle. Rules subject to change without notice. Very low sodium. Keep out of reach of children. Store in a cool dry place. Does not include tax, title, or destination charges. The right of translation is reserved. Darmok and Jelad at Tenagra. Per Fran ad astra!