Williams College Hosting Oceans Symposium

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WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Throughout the spring semester, the Williams College Center for Environmental Studies, biology department, political science department, maritime studies program, and lecture committee will sponsor a symposium on oceans.

The goal of this interdisciplinary symposium is to raise awareness about current environmental issues associated with the oceans and its inhabitants and about the challenges associated with human stewardship of the oceans.

The seven lectures in this series will occur on Feb. 17, Feb. 21, Feb. 27, March 6, April 10, April 17, and April 24. The first lecture will take place at 2:30 p.m. in Wege Auditorium, Thompson Chemistry. The remaining lectures will all take place at 7 p.m. in Thompson Biology, Room 112. All events are free and open to the public.

On Friday, Feb. 17, at 2:30 p.m., Catherine Robinson Hall, professor in the Williams-Mystic Program, will present the first lecture of the series. Her talk is titled "Disaster-Driven Ocean Policy in the United States: Gulf Oil Spill Not Big Enough?"

The second lecture, scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 21, at 7 p.m., is titled "Boulder Ideas: Storm Waves Can Move Megagravel on Cliff Tops of the Aran Islands, Ireland." Professor of geosciences Ronadh Cox will deliver the lecture.

On Monday, Feb. 27, at 7 p.m., Elizabeth Kolbert, staff writer at The New Yorker, will lead a discussion following a showing of the film A Sea Change, Imagine a World without Fish.


Scott Doney, professor in marine chemistry and geochemistry at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, will present a talk on Tuesday, March 6, at 7 p.m., titled "Rising Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide and Ocean Acidification."

On Tuesday, April 10, at 7 p.m., Christine Walley, associate professor of anthropology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, will give a lecture titled "Rethinking People and Parks (Once Again): Reflections on Ocean Environments from Tanzania's Mafia Island Marine Park."

D.G. Webster, assistant professor of environmental studies at Dartmouth College, will present a talk on Tuesday, April 17, at 7 p.m., titled "Bluewater Thresholds: Understanding the Resilience of Global Fisheries Governance."

The final lecture in the series will take place on Tuesday, April 24, at 7 p.m. James Carlton, professor of biology and director of the Williams-Mystic Program, will deliver a lecture titled "Invasions in the Sea: The History, Science, and Policy of Adding Species to Marine Communities."
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Williamstown Board Opts to Negotiate with College on Water St. Lot

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff

Newly elected board member Nate Budington, far left, participates in his first in-person meeting along with, from left, Matt Neely, Stephanie Boyd, Peter Beck, Shana Dixon and Town Manager Robert Menicocci.
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The Select Board on Monday decided to enter into negotiations with Williams College on the sale of the vacant town-owned lot at 59 Water St.
 
But the board members made it clear that the college's proposal to acquire the lot is a starting point, not a final deal that the elected officials would accept.
 
"For the sake of continued conversation, I'm in favor of [awarding Williams the site], but if this process wasn't continued with the opportunity for further negotiation, I wouldn't vote to continue this," Peter Beck said. "I think that next step is necessary for us to get to a yes on this."
 
"I think there's wide agreement on that," Matthew Neely said just before the 5-0 vote to enter talks with the college.
 
Williams was the sole respondent to a town-issued request for proposals to develop the former town garage site, currently a dirt lot.
 
The college's stated intent is to build a new Facilities office and create up to 170 parking spaces at 59 Water Street. That use will allow the college to redevelop the current Facilities building site and parking lot as part of a reconception of the school's indoor athletic and recreation facilities.
 
Under the terms of the RFP, the college's proposal was subjected to review by an ad hoc advisory committee to the town manager, who brought the question to the Select Board. That board will have the final say on any purchase and sales agreement.
 
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