Bottomly comments on tensions between professors
President H. Kim Bottomly released a statement on the recent exchanges between sociology professor Thomas Cushman and mathematics professor Charles Bu. The recent tension began when Cushman allegedly accused Bu of being a Communist spy. Bu denounced the accusation in an article in The Wellesley News last week. Some students and faculty have responded strongly to the issue, and some have created petitions against Cushman. Bottomly has addressed the issue by calling on both members of faculty for an open discussion with a mediator to aid communication. She added that she condemns any acts of ethnic discrimination as intolerable and stresses that her “call for patience is not intended to imply tolerance of behavior that is clearly out of bounds at Wellesley College.”
Wellesley celebrates Halloween
Wellesley members across campus are planning events for this Halloween season. The Wellesley College Tupelos performed their “Spookie Tupie Teaser” on Saturday, with all the performances now available on YouTube. More activities are scheduled for this week, including the “Haunted Observatory” night on Thursday, organized by the ASTRO Club at the Whitin Observatory. That same night, the Film Society will be screening “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” at Jewett Auditorium. On Halloween night, the Shakespeare Society will host a “Haunted House” at the Shakespeare House.
SAAFE to host “Help Carry the Weight” event today
Sexual Assault Awareness for Everyone (SAAFE) will be hosting a “Help Carry the Weight” event today to demonstrate Wellesley’s support for survivors of sexual and domestic violence. The event was inspired by the actions of a Columbia University student, Emma Sulkowicz, who vowed this year to carry her mattress around campus so long as she attended the same college as her rapist. Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to participate in Wellesley’s first event of the kind by helping to carry a mattress together as a community. Activities planned include mattress decorating and pillow carrying to show support for sexual violence survivors.
College issues Ebola travel notice
The Wellesley College International Safety Committee has issued an Ebola travel notice to advise students, faculty and staff to refrain from traveling to Guinea, Liberia or Sierra Leone, in accordance to the Warning Level 3 travel notices issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. College funds to travel to the countries above will also be subject to prior approval by the Provost’s Office and the Committee. Students are advised to seek help from the College if they have any suspicions that they have been or will be exposed to the virus. Faculty and staff are likewise asked to contact both the College and their primary care physicians. The Committee is monitoring the issue.
