November 12, 2001

The committee charged with developing plans for a University-wide Metanoia related to the terrorist attacks of September 11 has put together a set of speakers, panels, and workshops that cover a spectrum of topics, beginning today.

The four-day event, running from 10 a.m. November 12 through 8 p.m. November 15, includes a keynote speech by Philip C. Wilcox Jr., president of the Foundation for Middle East Peace and former U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Counter Terrorism, and a closing speech by Jamal Badawi, director of the Islamic Information Foundation and one of North America's foremost Muslim speakers for two decades.

Badawi will discuss the concept of peace in Islam, Jihad, Muslims relationships to non-Muslims, and September 11 events, including the issue of justice.

Other panels and seminars during the event will focus on everything from national security to anti-terrorist legislation being considered in Congress to students in the military, biological and chemical terrorism and peaceful alternatives to conflict.

Throughout the period, dozens of professors will be setting aside their normal class plans, instead focusing discussion on the four topic areas.

"I'm ecstatic that a small committee, working extraordinarily hard during a brief period of time, could assemble so many sterling panels covering such a wide array of subjects," said Paul Goodwin, a history professor and co-chair, with Chris Hattayer, an undergraduate student, of the Metanoia Committee. "This is a remarkable time in the history of our country - in the history of many countries - and it is incumbent upon us, as a community of scholars, to discuss these events within the community and the state."

Events scheduled so far include:

November 12

• 10 a.m.-noon, Room 382, Student Union: Islam and Muslims After the Attack: Impact and Policy Implications. Panelists will be Kathleen Moore, associate professor of political science; Anne D'Alleva, assistant professor of art, art history and women's studies; and Donna Hollenberg, associate professor of English.
• 1-2 p.m. and 2-3 p.m., Room 380, Student Union: Personal Aftermaths of September 11: An Experiential Workshop. Led by psychology students Carol Rodriguez and Jaimie Kwassman, the workshop is an open discussion of the events of September 11, and personal reactions to the attack. It will include
• 1-3 p.m., Room 382, Student Union: Feminism and Militarism, with Naomi Rogers, Yale University.
• 3:30 p.m., Room 382, Student Union: National Security, a Foreign Policy Panel, with Betty Hanson, a professor of political science and an expert on India; Jeffrey Lefebvre, a Middle East expert and associate professor of political science at the Stamford campus; Frank Costigliola, a history professor and expert on 20th-century U.S. foreign relations, and Barbara Altemus, a political science undergraduate student.
• 7 p.m., Northwest Campus Dining Hall: Terrorism: A Q&A, led by Paul Goodwin, a professor of history who teaches a course on the roots of terrorism. Goodwin also will lead a discussion about the movie The Siege, at 9 p.m. Movie will be shown in Video Theatre 2, Babbidge Library.

November 13

• 10 and 11 a.m., Room 380, Student Union: Understanding and Dealing with Traumatic Stress, led by George Allen, a professor of psychology, and graduate student Roxanne Donovan, both experts on stress management.
• Noon, Room 382, Student Union: Anti-Terrorist Legislation: The Implications. Overview and Q&A, by David Yalof, assistant professor of political science, an expert on the Presidency, the U.S. Supreme Court, and the Judiciary.
• 4 p.m., Room 382, Student Union: Communicating Cross-Culturally, an Interactive Workshop, led by Mark Wentzel, director of international student services and programs;
• 7 p.m., Room 380, Student Union: Civil Liberties and Anti-Terrorist Legislation, a debate between the College Democrats and the College Republicans.
• 7 p.m., South Campus Community Room: Terrorism Q&A, a discussion by Paul Goodwin, a professor of history, who teaches a course on the roots of terrorism.

November 14

• Noon, Room 380, Student Union: Biological and Chemical Terrorism, a panel discussion featuring Robert Vinopal, a professor of molecular and cell biology; Art Dimock, a lecturer in chemistry; and Larry Silbart, an associate professor of animal science.
• 2 p.m., Room 218A, Student Union: Some Thoughts on the Role of Science in the Aftermath of September 11, by Whitney Tabor, an assistant professor of psychology.
• 3:30 p.m., Room 216A, Student Union: Students in the Military, a discussion with Lt. Col. Paul Veilleux, instructor of military sciences, U.S. Army ROTC, and ROTC Cadets.
• 4 p.m., Room 218A, Student Union: September 11 and Beyond: A View From the Newsroom, with Thomas Scheffey, Connecticut Law Tribune; Barbara Roessner, The Hartford Courant; and Bethe Dufresne, The Day of New London.
• 8 p.m., Room 7, Merlin D. Bishop Center: Keynote Address - Philip C. Wilcox Jr., president of the Foundation for Middle East Peace, former U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Counter Terrorism, and former U.S. Consul General in Jerusalem.

November 15

• Noon, Room 218A, Student Union: Coming Out in Times of War, with Peter Hegarty, Yale University.
• 2 p.m., Room 380, Student Union: How to End Racism in our Communities, an interactive workshop moderated by Hedley Freake, nutritional sciences, and Khalid Al Yahya, political science.
• 4 p.m., Room 218A, Student Union: The Impact of September 11 and Peaceful Alternatives to the Conflict, with Gerald Sazama, a professor of economics, Karen Chow, an assistant professor of English. Christopher Doucot, founding member of the Hartford Catholic Worker; Charlie Prewitt, an emeritus professor at UConn who worked on the Manhattan Project; Joanne Sheehan, co-founder of the War Resister League's New England office; and Marcia Morris, American Friends Services Committee.
• 8 p.m., Konover Auditorium: Closing Session - September 11: Islam and World Peace. Jamal Badawi, director, Islamic Information Foundation, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.