Tuesday Teas on Writing Set at Williams College

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WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — This year's Tuesday Teas, a series of conversations with Williams College faculty about writing and publishing, begin on Tuesday, April 14, and will continue through the semester on Tuesdays at 4 p.m. in Griffin Hall, Room 3.

The public is invited and the event is free. Sandwiches and refreshments will be served.

The teas are organized by the Williams College libraries and sponsored by the office of the dean of the faculty.

"The goal of the Tuesday Teas is to foster a community conversation around issues of academic research, writing and artistic creation as they relate to publishing," said Christine Menard, head of research and reference services.

On April 14, Michael Glier, professor of art, will discuss how "Along A Long Line, the Blog Becomes a Book." He will talk about the publishing of paintings, photographs, and writings featured on his blog, "Along A Long Line."

Glier started the blog to record his journey from the Arctic Circle to the Equator, which he undertook to paint an extraordinary variety of landscapes. Glier's paintings have been exhibited in the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Drawing Center in New York. He received his bachelor's degree from Williams College in 1976 and his master's from Hunter College in 1979.

On April 21, Christopher Bolton, assistant professor of comparative and Japanese literature, will discuss "Schools, Cyborgs, and Other Serious Subjects: Inventing Mechademia."

Bolton will review his experiences as an editor for Mechademia, an annual forum of anime, manga and fan arts, and introduce his recent book "Sublime Voices: the Fictional Science and the Science Fiction of Abe Kobo." Interested in the relationship between literature and science, Bolton is exploring the ways in which digital texts change the reader's experience of a work of fiction. He received his doctorate in Japanese from Harvard University in 1998.

On April 28, Nicole Mellow, assistant professor of political science, will talk on "Discovering Disunion: Writing about Red and Blue America." The talk will detail her experiences writing "The State of Disunion: Regional Sources of Modern American Partisanship."

Mellow has instructed numerous political science courses at Williams, including a tutorial on "American Political Development: Continuity and Change." She received her bachelor's degree from Vassar College in 1992 and her doctorate from the University of Texas at Austin in 2003.

On May 5, Eiko Maruko Siniawer, assistant professor of art history, will lead a discussion titled "An Unlikely Book," about her new book "Ruffians, Yakuza, Nationalists: The Violent Politics of Modern Japan, 1860-1960."

Particularly interested in issues of political violence and democracy, Siniawer argues that because of the systemic nature of political violence in modern Japan, the country can be called a violent democracy.  She received her bachelor's degree from Williams College in 1997 and her doctorate in history from Harvard University in 2003.
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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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