Family Weekend:
October 31 – November 1, 2008
Dear Liberal Arts Parents:
Please join us for the College of Liberal Arts’ Family Weekend October 31 and November 1, 2008. This annual event includes a variety of informative and entertaining sessions starting with our Parents’ Reception at the Littlefield House on Friday. Join Dean Randy Diehl and members of the Liberal Arts Parents’ League Advisory Committee to learn more about the League.
On Saturday morning, the College of Liberal Arts will host an Open House in the South Mall. Join me and representatives of the college for breakfast starting at 8:30. Staff from Academic Advising, Career Services, Liberal Arts Honors, the UTeach program and our Study Abroad Office will be on hand to answer your questions. Beginning at 9:30 a.m., there will be a series of short classes in the Liberal Arts buildings south of the tower designed to give you an idea of what your son or daughter experiences every day in our classrooms. No registration is required, but seating is limited.
Then at noon, the UT Parents’ Association will host its annual barbecue in Gregory Gym. This year’s barbecue will include the University Showcase, an exhibit of displays and interactive presentations, which will feature research, student programs and information from all the colleges at The University of Texas at Austin.
Please take a few minutes now to register for the weekend’s events. Along with the administration, faculty and staff of the College of Liberal Arts, I look forward to meeting you and your family at Family Weekend 2008.
Sincerely,
Randy Diehl
Dean, College of Liberal Arts
Main Events
Liberal Arts Parents' League Reception
Friday, October 31
7-8:30 p.m.
Littlefield House
Join Dean Randy Diehl and members of the Liberal Arts Parents’ League Advisory Committee to learn more about what the League is all about.
There is no charge for the reception. Please visit the Registration Information section for more details.
Liberal Arts Open House
Saturday, November 1
8:30 a.m. - noon
South Mall
Enjoy a continental breakfast and visit with the dean and directors of several of the college’s key programs, such as UTeach-Liberal Arts, Liberal Arts Honors, Liberal Arts Career Services and study abroad programs. College advisors will also be on hand to discuss academic programs.
Tickets for this event are not needed. Registration is requested for an estimated head-count only.
Mini-Classes with Faculty
Saturday, November 1
Session I, 9:30 - 10:10 a.m.
American Childhood and the ‘Golden Age’ of Children’s Literature, 1865-1920
Julia Mickenberg, Associate Professor, Department of American Studies
We will consider the “golden age” of children’s literature, in light of changes in American childhood and the development of institutions devoted to children’s nurture, protection, and entertainment. In addition, we’ll contrast the middle-class ideal of childhood, with the lingering problems of childhood poverty, labor, and cultural differences.
How our Words Reflect our Personality
James W. Pennebaker, Barbara Pierce Bush Regents Professor in Liberal Arts and Chair, Department of Psychology
When we speak or write, we use a class of words called function words – pronouns, prepositions, articles, etc. Although we rarely notice them, findings show they reflect people’s social and psychological states. We will examine recent breakthroughs in analysis to understand how depression, honesty, leadership, and other states are revealed through function words.
Session II, 10:20 - 11:00 a.m.
Europe in 1900: An Imaginary, Multimedia Journey in Time and Space
Elizabeth Richmond-Garza, Distinguished Teaching Associate Professor, Department of English; Director, Program in Comparative Literature
Exactly a century ago, Europe looked optimistically towards the dawn of a new modern age in art, history, culture and politics. But no one could have imagined the world war that erupted in 1914. Whether in London, Paris or Moscow, the lessons and works of the last turn of the century can help us to understand and cherish our own place in time and space.
The Vampire in Slavic Cultures
Thomas J. Garza, Distinguished Teaching Associate Professor, Department of Slavic and Eurasian Studies
Over 800 years before Bram Stoker wrote Dracula, the word “vampire” first appears in a medieval Russian text. Through a discussion of Slavic literature and film, we will trace the place of the vampire in Russian and Eastern European cultures, and how it connects to our own vampire stories today.
Session III, 11:10 - 11:50 a.m.
How Americans Choose Presidents
Bruce Buchanan, Professor, Department of Government
We will discuss the issues that have been most important in explaining whether John McCain or Barack Obama is ahead on November 1, just three days before the election. Among the potential explanations: campaign strategies, candidate qualifications, and unexpected “momentum shifters” like panic on Wall Street or foreign policy crises.
When Absolutes Collide
Sheldon Ekland-Olson, Rapoport Centennial Professor of Liberal Arts, Department of Sociology
Two imperatives claim to be universally accepted: 1) Life is sacred and should be protected; 2) Suffering once detected should be alleviated. No society has ever been found where these principles have been absent. So then, how do communities go about justifying the violation of these imperatives thought to be universally binding?
Please watch for additional information in the mail.
Registration Information
Liberal Arts Parents’ League Reception Dinner (no charge for the reception)
Mini-Classes with Faculty (no registration required)
Register Online
OR
By Phone
1-888-690-0012
Please register by October 10, 2007
Additional Information
Parking
For a flat rate, families may purchase a card providing come-and-go parking privileges at all UT parking garages during Family Weekend, Oct. 31-Nov. 2. The card can be purchased two ways. If purchased through Texas Parents online registration before Oct. 13, the cost will be $10. The card will be included on your Family Weekend registration packet, which can be picked up at Family Weekend Check-In. Or, it can be purchased at the Brazos or San Jacinto garages for $14 upon arrival on campus.
Maps of the campus parking garages can be found at www.utexas.edu/parking/maps
NOTE: Brazos and San Jacinto are the only garages normally open on the weekends. The other five garages will be available only to families with the special event swipe cards. The cards are valid from noon, Friday, Oct. 31 until 6 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 2.
University-Wide Events
Information about additional university events may be found at www.utexas.edu/parents/association
Disability Resources
Disability resources at The University of Texas at Austin may be found at www.utexas.edu/disability/
Additional Information
For further information, please contact Jean Johnson with the College of Liberal Arts at 512-232-6504 or jcjohnson@mail.utexas.edu.
Maps of the campus can be found at www.utexas.edu/maps/