Report on Cowell College 2015-2016

January 29, 2016

Dear Cowell Fellows,

Alice Folkins, Beverly Iniguez-Conrique, Alyssa Rodgers, and I all hope that your Winter Term is going
well. This is my Winter letter, helped by intelligent input from Alice, Beverly, and Alyssa.
First, please take out your calendars and mark some dates and some deadlines.
  • Tues Feb 9, the theme of College Night is The Circus. There are a limited number of tickets. First come, first served. Contact Alice.
  • Thurs March 4, the theme of College Night is the Heritage of the Philippines. We will let you know when tickets become available. In the spring more College Nights will occur.
  • March 17, Applications to become a Licker Chair are due at the end of this term. Consult the website or ask me about the program.
  • Friday, April 1, we hope to know if you would like to march in commencement. Bill Finnegan will be the keynote. Alice Folkins will send out more information, but we can order you a robe for free if you let us know that you wish to have one by April 1.
  • Friday April 29, alumnus Ren Weschler may be coming to town. More details will be sent out as we get closer to the event.
  • Saturday April 30, 10 – 11:30 AM, Jim Faris will lead a panel on the early days of printing at UCSC. Many alumni will be in attendance as that is the Saturday of Alumni Weekend. Should be a great time.
  • Sunday May 1, 10 – 11:30 AM, the annual brunch on the Provost’s lawn. This is the final one of my provostship. Come drink our champagne and mingle with our fantastic alumni.
  • Sunday May 1, 1- 2PM, the annual Dizikes Concert will be held outside the Dining Hall. Please come! This year’s theme is AMERICANA. The generous donor will be there. Let’s thank him for his generosity.
  • Thursday, May 5, the annual Deppe Lecture will take place at the Provost’s House. Expect more information from the Classics program.
  • May 25, 26 and 27, International Playhouse performances in the Stevenson Event Center.
  • Friday, June 3, the annual Licker lecture will be delivered by Kimberly Jannarone.
  • Monday, June 6, 5 to 7 PM, Join us at the Provost’s House for the annual Spring Gathering. This will be a chance for me to say goodbye and for the next provost to say hello. The gathering will be a potluck, and I will bring prosciutto and fruit in the company of hens.
  • Saturday, June 11, COMMENCEMENT. We will gather in the library at noon. Reserve your robes by April 1 please.
AND now, here is some good news for everyone.
The Miriam Ellis International Playhouse has received a gift from a loyal alumna of $250,000
to fund fully the endowment for the program. This huge gift will assure that MEIP continues
even after Miriam retires.
The First Year Honors Program, located at Cowell and at Crown, will be coordinated with the
Challenge Program to create a College Scholars Program. Cowell, Stevenson, Crown, Merrill,
Porter, and Kresge will all participate. This significant development was made possible by a
generous gift from David Kadish, the same alumnus who brings us the Dizikes Concert.
The Cowell Press is thriving. After the fantastic gift from Pat and Rowland Rebele saved the
Press from extinction, others have been coming forward. The current show at the Eloise
Pickard Smith Gallery, PRESSING ON, presents the work of talented students working at the
press over the years. Many alumni are following the example set by the Rebeles, and UCSC
can boast of being perhaps the only public research university where students can learn the
art of the letterpress. A beautiful weekend of celebrating the Press occurred on January 22,
23, and 24; and more celebrations are planned for Alumni Weekend. As noted above, on
April 30 alumni are planning an event in the Page Smith Library.
Alumna Alice Masek taught the art of paper-cutting to over 100 students. A gorgeous
hanging of the Vision of Black Elk hangs in the Provost’s House right now and is tentatively
slated to be placed permanently at Merrill.
On January Holocaust survivor Hedy Rose gave a very moving talk to over 400 students and
other members of the UCSC community and of the Santa Cruz community. The talk has been
recorded. After the conclusion of the talk, students stood in line for over an hour to shake
Hedy’s hand.
Cowell’s offering of enhancement courses continues to swell. In the Spring, courses will be
offered by Danny Sheehan, Pat Kelly, Donna Baldini, Addi Somekh, Gary Young, Deanna
Shemek, Ron Saufley and Eric Thiermann. Our students are extremely lucky!
Finally, the fountain has water again! Life is good.

Warm Wishes,

Faye