Great Barrington — Bernard F. Rodgers Jr, Vice President and Dean of Simon’s Rock College of Bard, has announced his retirement from his positions as Vice President and Dean. His retirement from these positions will become effective at the end of the current academic year in June, 2004. He will continue to hold a teaching position at the College.
“We are profoundly grateful for the many years of exemplary service Bernie has given to Simon’s Rock and respect his desire to seek more time for his own writing and teaching,†said Emily H. Fisher, chairman of Simon’s Rock’s Board of Overseers. “His deep dedication to the institution, its students, and its mission is reflected in the astonishing achievements of his 19 years as Dean. He has our most sincere gratitude.â€
“I could not have wished for a better colleague, and Simon’s Rock could not have had better leader for the last 19 years,†said President Leon Botstein. “Bernie has made extraordinary contributions to this community of learning and its intellectual vibrancy, as well as to the college’s rise in national recognition and the growth of its physical plant. He has led the college with an unerring sense of purpose and commitment, and we are happy that he will continue to play an important role in the Simon’s Rock community as a member of its faculty.â€
Rodgers will continue to teach English at Simon’s Rock. A search for a new dean will begin immediately.
Bernard F. Rodgers Jr. has been the dean of Simon’s Rock College since 1987; he came to the college as dean of academic affairs in 1985. Prior to joining Simon’s Rock, he was special assistant to the chancellor of the City Colleges of Chicago and an assistant director of the Commission of Institutions of Higher Education of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. He taught at and chaired the College Acceleration Program of City Colleges of Chicago—a program that offered courses for college credit to high school seniors—and was a lecturer, evaluator, and consultant for projects sponsored by the NEH, the Illinois Humanities Council, and the Chicago Public Library.
He was awarded a Ford Foundation dissertation fellowship while at the University of Chicago and spent 1979-1980 as a Fulbright Senior Lecturer in American literature in Lublin, Poland. Dr. Rodgers is the author of several books, including Philip Roth (Twayne United States Author Series, 1978) and Philip Roth: A Bibliography (Scarecrow Press, 1974; revised and expanded edition, 1984).
A member of the national Book Critics Circle, his essays and reviews on modern American literature and culture, as well as on writers such as Aharon Applefield, Milan Kundera, Czeslaw Milosz, and Salman Rushdie, have been published in Fitzgerald/Hemingway Annual, Magill’s Literary Annual, Magill’s Survey of World Literature, Masterplots II, Critique: Studies in Modern Fiction, Chicago Review, the Chicago Tribune, Illinois Issues, the Berkshire Eagle, and The World and I, and broadcast on WBBM-AM and WNIB-FM in Chicago.
Dr. Rodgers has been chair of the Massachusetts Foundation for the Humanities, vice president of the board of trustees of Fairview Hospital, a member of the board of directors of the Southern Berkshire Chamber of Commerce, a corporator of the Berkshire Museum and Berkshire Health Systems, and a visiting team chair for the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.
He earned a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago, an M.A. degree from the University of Bridgeport, and the B.S. degree, magna cum laude, from Mount Saint Mary’s College.
Simon’s Rock College of Bard is the nation’s only four-year college of the liberal arts and sciences specifically designed for younger scholars. Established in 1964, it accepts students after the 10th or 11th grade of high school into a program leading to the two-year Associate of Arts and four-year Bachelor of Arts degrees. In 1979, Simon’s Rock merged with Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, NY.
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Berkshire County to Elect DA, Governor, More in Primary Election
By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Pittsfield and beyond will elect a Massachusetts governor, attorney general, district attorney for Berkshire County, and other positions in the 2026 state election.
The City Council OK’d the issuance of the State Primary Election warrant, to be held on Tuesday, Sept. 1, and designated polling locations, hours, and police details.
The early voting period for the state primaries will be Aug. 22-28, while early voting for the Nov. 3 state election will be held Oct. 17-30.
In the primary election, voters choose the candidates they prefer for a political party to nominate in the general election held on Nov. 3.
The following positions will be on the primary ballot:
Senator in Congress for the Commonwealth
Governor for the Commonwealth
Lieutenant Governor for the Commonwealth
Attorney General for the Commonwealth
Secretary of State for the Commonwealth
Treasurer of State for the Commonwealth
Auditor for the Commonwealth
Representative in Congress for the First District
Governor's Councillor for the Eighth District
Senator in General Court for the Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin, and Hampden Districts
Representative in General Court for the Second Berkshire District
District Attorney for Berkshire County
Register of Probate for the Berkshire Middle District
There are no challengers on the Democratic primary ballot for the re-election of the governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, treasurer and auditor.
On the Republican primary ballot, Michael Minogue of Hamilton and Brian Shortsleeve or Barnstable are vying for the gubernatorial nomination to take on Maura Healey in November; there are no other GOP primary races involving the Berkshires.
As there are no Republican nominees on the primary ballot for secretary of state or auditor, and no independent running in the general election, meaning the primary will essentially determine the winner in those two elections.
For U.S. senator, Edward Markey is being challenged by Seth Moulton in the Democratic primary; the winner will face off against John Deaton of Bolton, who is running unopposed in the Republican primary.
For the Massachusetts 1st District representative in Congress, Richard Neal is being challenged by Jeromie Whalen of South Hadley; the winner will face off against independent Nadia Milleron of Sheffield.
Closer to home, Paul Mark is unchallenged for state Senate and Tricia Farley-Bouvier and Leigh Davis for state representatives in the Democratic primary, but John Barrett III is being challenged by Andrew Fitch in the 1st Berkshire District.
Tara Jacobs of North Adams is being challenged as District 8 Governor's Councillor by Michael Fenton of Springfield.
There are no Republican or independent candidates for these seats so the winners will essentially be determined by the Democratic primary.
Polling locations for Pittsfield's 7 wards are as usual; polls will open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. during the primaries on Sept. 1.
Pittsfield polling locations:
Ward 1, Precinct A Reid Middle School, 950 North Street
Ward 1, Precinct B Reid Middle School, 950 North Street
Ward 2, Precinct A Morningside Community School, 100 Burbank Street
Ward 2, Precinct B Somerset Fire Station, 9 Somerset Avenue
Ward 3, Precinct A Providence Court, 379 East Street
Ward 3, Precinct B Egremont School, 84 Egremont Avenue
Ward 4, Precinct A Herberg Middle School, 501 Pomeroy Avenue
Ward 4, Precinct B Williams School, 50 Bushey Road
Ward 5, Precinct A Pittsfield Library, One Wendell Avenue
Ward 5, Precinct B Pittsfield Library, One Wendell Avenue
Ward 6, Precinct A Columbus Arms Housing, 65 Columbus Ave.
Ward 6, Precinct B Silvio 0. Conte Community School, 200 West Union St.
Ward 7, Precinct A Pecks Road Fire Station, 54 Pecks Road
Ward 7, Precinct B Capeless Elementary School, 86 Brooks Avenue
Cassidy Flynn scattered five hits in a complete-game effort in the circle as Lenox upset top-seeded Hoosac Valley, 3-2, in the quarter-finals of the Division 5 State Tournament. click for more
Brayden Durant struck out seven and walked one in a complete-game effort on the mound Saturday to pitch the Drury baseball team to a 6-0 win over Keefe Tech in the quarter-finals of the Division 5 State Tournament at Joe Wolfe Field. click for more
