Williams grants tenure to eight assistant profs

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WILLIAMSTOWN — Williams College has awarded tenure to eight assistant professors: Monique Deveaux, political science; William Dudley, philosophy; Roger Kittleson, history; Marc Lynch, political science; Karen Merrill, history; Peter Pedroni, economics; Lara Shore-Sheppard, economics and Thomas Smith, chemistry. Deveaux is author of the recent book, “Cultural Pluralism and Dilemmas of Justice.” Her research deals with the challenges and difficulties that cultural-group rights may pose for individual rights and liberal norms in democratic states. She received her B.A. in political theory in 1989 and her master’s in political theory in 1991 from McGill University. She earned a master’s in philosophy in 1993 and her Ph.D. in 1997 at Cambridge University. Dudley specializes in 19th- and 20th-century continental philosophy and Kant. His book, “Hegel, Nietzsche, and Philosophy: Thinking Freedom,” is a comparison of the theme of freedom in the writings of the two philosophers, demonstrating a significant convergence in their thought. Dudley received his B.A. from Williams in 1989 and his Ph.D. from Northwestern University in 1998. Kittleson’s research focuses on the politics of culture in modern Brazil. He is completing his first book, “A New Regime of Ideas: Transformations of Political Culture in Porto Alegre, Brazil, 1845-1895,” and starting a second project on race, region and masculinity in Brazilian soccer. Kittleson received his B.A. from Northwestern University in 1985 and his Ph.D. in 1997 from the University of Wisconsin at Madison. Lynch studies the role of deliberation and public spheres in international relations, focusing on the Middle East. His most recent article, “Taking Arabs Seriously” was published in Foreign Affairs, one of the most influential foreign policy journals in the world. Lynch is the author of “State Interests and Public Spheres: The International Politics of Jordan’s Identity.” Another book, “Iraq and the New Arab Public Sphere,” is forthcoming. Lynch received his B.A. in political science from Duke University in 1990 and his Ph.D. from Cornell University in 1997. Merrill researches 20th-century American politics and political economy, the American West and environmental history. She is the author of “Public Lands and Political Meaning: Ranchers, the Government and the Property Between Them” and edited “The Modern Worlds of Business and Industry: Cultures, Technology, Labor.” Another book, “The Oil Crisis” will be published by Bedford/St. Martin's Press. She received her B.A. from Oberlin College in 1986, her master’s in creative writing and English from the University of Denver in 1988, and her Ph.D. from the University of Michigan in 1994. She taught at Princeton University and the University of California at Irvine. Pedroni specializes in macroeconomics, international finance, time-series econometrics and empirical explanations of the divergent growth processes experienced among countries. He has written a number of articles for economic journals, including Advances in Econometrics, the Journal of Business Economics and Statistics and the Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics. He received his B.A. from Miami University in Ohio in 1986 and his Ph.D. from Columbia University. He taught at Indiana University. Shore-Sheppard is interested in health economics, labor economics, poverty and welfare policy and wage distribution. Her recent work, “Medicaid and Crowding Out of Private Insurance: A Re-examination Using Firm-Level Data,” delves into the relationship between expanded Medicaid eligibility and falling private health insurance coverage, combining individual and firm-level data to investigate possible responses to the Medicaid expansions by both firms and workers. Shore-Sheppard received her B.A. from Amherst College in 1991 and her Ph.D. in 1996 from Princeton University. She taught at the University of Pittsburgh from 1996 to 2000. Smith works within the broad category of organic synthesis. His current focus is the development of new methods of increased efficiency in organic synthesis and their application to molecules of biological importance. His work is supported by the National Science Foundation. He has published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, the Journal of Organic Chemistry, Organic Letters and Heterocycles. Smith received his B.A. in chemistry from Williams in 1988 and his Ph.D. in organic chemistry from Stanford University in 1996. He was an American Cancer Society postdoctoral fellow at Harvard University from 1996 to 1998.
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Dalton Announces New Supplier for Energy Program

DALTON, Mass. – The Town of Dalton has signed a thirty-four month contract with a new supplier, First Point Power.
 
Beginning with the January 2026 meter reads, the Dalton Community Choice Power Supply Program will have a new rate of $0.13042 per kWh. The Program will also continue to offer an optional 100 percent green product, which is derived from National Wind Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), at a rate of $0.13142 per kWh.
 
For Dalton residents and businesses who are enrolled in the Town's Program, the current rate of $0.13849 per kWh will expire with the January 2026 meter reads and the new rate of $0.13042 per kWh will take effect. This represents a decrease of $5 per month on the supply side of the bill given average usage of 600 kWh. Additionally, this new rate is 3 percent lower than Eversource's Residential Basic Service rate of $0.13493 per kWh. Residents can expect to see an
average savings of $3 per month for the month of January 2026. Eversource's Basic Service rates
will change on Feb. 1, 2026.
 
Dalton launched its electricity program in January 2015 in an effort to develop an energy program that would be stable and affordable. From inception through June 2025, the Program has saved residents and small businesses over $1.7 million in electricity costs as compared to Eversource Basic Service.
 
It is important to note that no action is required by current participants. This change will be seen on the February 2026 bills. All accounts currently enrolled in the Program will remain with their current product offering and see the new rate and First Point Power printed under the "Supplier Services" section of their monthly bill.
 
The Dalton Community Choice Power Supply Program has no fees or charges. However, anyone switching from a contract with a third-party supplier may be subject to penalties or early termination fees charged by that supplier. Ratepayers should verify terms before switching.
 
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