BUniverse

The Great Debate, Spring 2007: Does Affirmative Action in Higher Education Really Benefit Minorities?

Wed, 04 Apr 2007 18:30:00 EDT

Does affirmative action in higher education benefit minorities? Despite two rulings by the U.S. Supreme Court that public universities, in order to ensure diversity in education, may lawfully take race into account when making admissions decisions, the debate on the merits of the policy continues. Four higher education professionals and two students go head to head on the topic at the College of Communication department of journalism’s 23rd Great Debate. The issue is argued in the affirmative by James E. Coleman, Jr., a professor of law at Duke University; Kenneth Elmore, dean of students at Boston University; and Deon Provost (CAS’07), the first African-American to be elected president of BU’s Student Union. Taking the opposing argument are Richard H. Sander, a professor of law at UCLA; Stephan Thernstrom, Harvard University’s Winthrop Professor of History; and Joseph Mroszczyk (CAS’07), president of BU’s College Republicans.

The debate is moderated by COM Professor Robert Zelnick.

As is the custom in deciding the winning side, the audience votes by moving to different sides of the room.

April 4, 2007, 6:30 p.m.
Tsai Performance Center

Video length is 01:59:32.

About the speakers:
James E. Coleman, Jr., is a law professor at Duke University. He earned a his bachelor’s at Harvard University and a J.D. at Columbia University. He was senior associate dean for academic affairs at Duke Law School from 2002 to 2005.

Kenneth Elmore (SED’87), dean of students at Boston University, was the associate director for education and training at the Boston University Office of Residence Life from 1989 to 1993, when he became associate director for staff and operations. He left in 2001 to work at a Boston law firm, returning in 2003 as dean of students. He is a graduate of Brown University and earned a master’s in education from Boston University and a law degree from the New England School of Law.

Deon Provost (CAS’07) is the first African-American to be elected president of BU’s Student Union.

Richard H. Sander received a bachelor’s degree from Harvard University and a doctorate and a J.D. from Northwestern University. He has been a UCLA Law faculty member since 1989.

Stephan Thernstrom earned a bachelor’s degree from Northwestern and a doctorate from Harvard University. He is now Harvard’s Winthrop Professor of History and a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute.

Joseph Mroszczyk (CAS’07) is the president of BU’s College Republicans.

College of Arts and Sciences Honors Program Recital

Fri, 02 Mar 2007 20:00:00 EST

Students perform classical and pop music ranging from Beethoven to James Taylor in the College of Arts and Sciences Honors Program Annual Recital.

March 2, 2007, 8 p.m.
The Castle

Video length is 01:23:56.

Program

Kendra Kobrin (CAS’08), violin and vocals
Concerto No. 3 in B minor, First Movement, Op. 61, by Camille Saint-Saens, 1835-1921
“O Mio Babbino Caro” from Gianni Schicchi by Giacomo Puccini, 1858-1924

Li Wang (CAS’09), violin
Anni Xu (CAS’09), piano
Sonata No. 9 in A major, for Piano
Op. 47 “Kreutzer”: I. Adagio sostenuto, Presto, by Ludwig van Beethoven, 1770-1827

Tanya Ayzikovich (CAS’10), cello
Li Wang (CAS’09), violin
Duet No. 6 in Bb Major by Pietro Nardini, 1722-1793

Xi Chen (CAS’09), violin
Phil Miller (SMG’09), cello
Michael Xiong (CAS’09), violin
Jason Sellers (CAS’09), viola
String Quartet No. 8 in C minor, Third Movement, by Dimitri Shostakovich, 1906-1975
Concerto No. 4 in F minor (“L’inverno”), First Movement, by Antonio Vivaldi, 1678-1741

Aurora Tsai (CAS’09), flute
Bria Schecker (SMG’09), flute
“Andante and Rondo,” Op. 25, by Franz Doppler, 1828-1883

Mark Griepenburg (CAS’10), piano
"Maple Leaf Rag" by Scott Joplin, 1867-1917

Matt Hoffman (CAS’10), acoustic guitar and vocals
“Be Like That” by 3 Doors Down (1996)

Brittany Fisher (CAS’10), piano
“Only Hope” from A Walk to Remember by Jonathan Foreman, 1976-

Lauren Ackerman (CAS’08), vocals
John Gilling (CAS’08), piano and vocals
“Modern Nature” by Sondre Lerche, 1982-
“Operator (That’s Not the Way It Feels)” by Jim Croce, 1943-1973
“The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song” by Wayne Coyne, 1971-

Caroline Varriale (CAS’10), piano and vocals
“Something” by Cary Brothers (2001)
“Stumbled into Love” by Caroline Varriale, 1988-

John Gilling (CAS’08), piano and vocals
“Country Road” by James Taylor, 1948-

College of Engineering Commencement Convocation

Sun, 14 May 2006 00:00:00 EDT

Dean Kamen (Hon.’06), inventor and engineer, addresses the College of Engineering Class of 2006 at its Commencement Convocation. Kamen discusses the real significance of graduation, describing it as a process of transforming from the “givee to the giver.” Students are givees for most of their young lives, he says — accepting money and help from parents, grandparents, and the like — but this day marks a shift.

Kamen’s message to the students is clear: as engineers, you will always have reasons to be busy with your own cause — busy keeping those lights on, busy keeping the water running — but the consequence is a world run by people who don’t have all the data, the right perspective, or the capability to solve problems. The worlds of entertainment, sports, and politics push perspectives about what’s important, but, he asks, where is the voice of science, engineering, and real problem solving?

As you become professionals and engineers, Kamen tells the graduates, you have to be a “giver.” Use your skills to give back to the world. Put that “rational voice” into helping people understand and appreciate science and technology. Because if you choose to, he says, you can be a real force in the world. And the future will be determined by those who choose to give.

May 14, 2006

Video length is 00:21:10.

About the speaker:
Dean L. Kamen, a world-renowned inventor, is founder of DEKA Research and Development Corporation. He holds more than 400 U.S. and foreign patents for innovative devices that have expanded health-care frontiers worldwide, including the heart stent used to repair Vice President Cheney’s heart last year. Kamen is also founder of FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), a multinational nonprofit organization that aims to motivate students to understand and enjoy science and technology. He was awarded the National Medal of Technology in 2000 and the Lemelson-MIT Prize in 2002 and was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2006. He was given an honorary degree by Boston University at the All-University Commencement Exercises on May 14, 2006.