Arts
New USC College Commons
January 7, 2009 9:36 AM
The College Commons Uncommon Conversations for an Uncommon University
The word “academic” derives from Akademia, which was originally a public garden or grove outside the city walls of ancient Athens. Before Plato transformed “the Academy” into a school of formal instruction it was a gathering place, sometimes for gymnastics events and sometimes for the pleasure of thoughtful conversations on important topics.
Howard Gillman, dean of USC College, says he believes that "academics at USC will be enhanced if the members of USC’s largest and most diverse school have more opportunities to come together as a single community to share their underscores the importance of the distinctive mission of the College of Letters, Arts & Sciences.”
The College Commons is designed to engage faculty members, students, staff and alumni in the development of a special set of signature programs, events and activities that unite the community around compelling conversations with broad appeal. From fossils to physics, from poetry to plants, from the brilliant and lasting ideas that were generated during the historic year of 1859 to contemporary debates about “the creative commons,” the series offers extraordinary opportunities to learn why these ideas continue to engage our curiosity and excite the mind.
The College Commons offers a host of inter-related workshops, lectures, debates and colloquia that go beyond what may be found in any one of the College’s many departments, programs, and institutes. During the spring semester its programs are clustered around three broad themes. "The Dream of the Commons" will include guest speakers Steven Hawking, Adrienne Rich, Lewis Hyde and other eminent intellectuals; "The Darwin Revolution, 1859-2159" will focus on the incredible advances in science, art, and philosophy associated with the year 1859 (including the publication of The Origin of Species) and explore what place our ideas may have in the world 150 years from now; and "Uncommon Conversations" will be led by distinguished USC College faculty.
"The Darwin Revolution" programming also incorporates related movie screenings introduced by USC College faculty.
Dean Gillman stated that The College Commons will weave its way into the fabric of our community, build new relationships, spark new ideas, enrich the classroom experience, drive learning communities, inspire new programs, and attract new people to our community — students, faculty, supporters.”
Hilary Schor, professor of English, comparative literature and law, oversees The College Commons and chairs a steering committee comprised of faculty members from the humanities, social sciences, and life/physical sciences.
“The series offers opportunities for surprise, wonder and curiosity, the joy of a critical intelligence in conversation with others, as well as the sheer pleasure of learning what others in your community think is important,” Schor said.
Visit college.usc.edu/tcc for the spring schedule of The College Commons events. All events are free and open to the public. Most events require an RSVP and some have limited seating.
TAGS: humanities
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USC in the News
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The Chronicle of Higher Education mentioned USC’s $6 billion fundraising campaign. The story noted that USC had already raised $1 billion in a “quiet phase,” including the $200 million naming gift from USC Trustee and alumnus David Dornsife and wife Dana Dornsife to the USC Dornsife College.
The Guardian (U.K.) highlighted two major gifts to USC in a list of the 10 biggest philanthropic benefactors in America. The list included the $200 million naming gift from USC Trustee and alumnus David Dornsife and wife Dana Dornsife to the USC Dornsife College, and the $110 million gift from USC Trustee and USC Viterbi School alumnus John Mork and wife Julie to create the USC Mork Family Scholars Program.
The New York Times featured the USC U.S.-China Institute documentary “Assignment: China — The Week that Changed the World.” The documentary, part of a series, examines media coverage of the 1972 Nixon trip that reshaped U.S.-China relations after a quarter century of isolation and hostility. “People look back now and take it for granted that the outcome was preordained,” said the institute’s Mike Chinoy, who produced the documentary. Voice of America also featured the story.
Los Angeles Times featured the Oscar Senti-meter, a tool developed by the USC Annenberg School, Los Angeles Times and IBM that analyzes thousands of tweets about the Academy Awards nominees. The story noted that Mexican actor Demian Bechir received an enormous boost on Twitter the day of the nominations, with a total of 6,893 tweets mentioning him, a 47-fold increase from the day before. The story noted the tool uses language-recognition technology developed in collaboration with USC Viterbi School’s Signal Analysis and Interpretation Lab.
The Times of India (India) featured a three-day medical emergency training workshop organized in association with USC. At the workshop, held at GCS Medical College in India, 50 doctors and more than 100 paramedics learned how to improve emergency support systems. William Mallon of the Keck School of USC said that discussion topics included the use of portable ultrasonic devices to scan patients. “The ultrasound applications help physicians make accurate and timely decisions,” he noted. Daily News & Analysis (India) also featured the workshop.
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