1. Campus community encouraged to sign Call to Service pledge

During the Inauguration of Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., last Friday, the campus community was invited to renew its commitment to service in betterment of our neighborhood and our world. The year-long Call to Service initiative asks students, faculty, staff, alumni and all members of the Marquette family to sign the pledge online, indicating a commitment to give service hours in the year ahead. The manner in which individuals choose to live out this commitment will be unique to them, such as participating with family, co-workers, or a group in a service project, volunteering on a recurring basis at a non-profit, or enhancing in a fresh way the service they may already be doing. The Call to Service website also provides suggestions and resources for service projects in the area and ways to connect directly with non-profits in need.

A panel of Marquette community members will share their thoughts Thursday, Sept. 29, at noon in AMU 163, on how they plan to respond to the Call to Service. Dessert and lemonade will be provided. Attendees should feel free to bring their lunch.

The panel marks the end of a weeklong opportunity for Marquette students to reflect on and respond to the Office of Student Development’s first “Big Question” of the year, “How do you plan to respond to the Inaugural Call to Service?” Students are encouraged to join the conversation and share their plans for this question and others, as the year progresses.

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2. Sen. Ron Johnson to speak at Law School

First-term Republican U.S. Senator Ron Johnson will be a guest for “On the Issues with Mike Gousha,” Thursday, Sept. 29, from 12:15 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. in Eckstein Hall.

A businessman from Oshkosh, Johnson was elected to the Senate in the Republican wave of 2010. Senator Johnson has been an outspoken critic of the federal government’s spending practices and says the nation’s debt crisis is threatening what he calls “American exceptionalism.” Is Washington capable of addressing our nation’s biggest problems? The freshman Senator will offer his assessment.

Register online.

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3. Doctrine of Mary's immaculate conception to be examined

The Theology Department will hold its annual Theotokus Lecture on Thursday, Sept. 29, at 7 p.m. in Cudahy 001 (lower level). Rev. Edward T. Oakes, S.J., Chester & Margaret Paluch Professor of Theology, at the University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Ill., will present "Predestination, Sola Gratia and Mary’s Immaculate Conception."

Father Oakes will discuss how the Catholic Church’s doctrine of Mary’s Immaculate Conception has long been regarded as a stumbling block to the eventual reunion of the Christian Churches. This doctrine seems to conflict with Scripture, which says that “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23), but when examined more closely, the doctrine actually dovetails with important Reformation concerns, especially unmerited grace and predestination, according to Father Oakes. His lecture will seek to illuminate the topics of unmerited grace and predestination through the prism of this doctrine.

Refreshments will be served.

For more information email Dr. Ulrich Lehner, assistant professor of theology.

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4. Torture and American democracy is topic of Klement lecture

"Reconciling American Democracy and Torture: From the Age of Contact to Abu Ghraib" is the subject of the Frank L. Klement Lecture, sponsored by the Department of History. Dr. W. Fitzhugh Brundage, William B. Umstead distinguished professor of history at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, will give the lecture at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 4, in Cudahy 001. Brundage is the author of The Southern Past: A Clash of Race and Memory and Lynching in the New South.

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5. Suicide among indigenous youth to be discussed

Allison Hedge Coke, poet and author of Blood Run, will discuss how situational depression can lead to suicide attempts by indigenous youth at “Blood on Our Hands: Preventing Suicide Among At-Risk Native Youth” Wednesday, Oct. 5, at 4 p.m. in the Weasler Auditorium.

Coke will explore how situational depression can lead to suicide attempts and if a disposable culture mentality is training youth to gamble with their lives.

The address is the keynote for a Native American youth conference on suicide taking place on campus for hundreds of Native Americans.

The program is sponsored by the Office of Public Affairs, Multicultural Affairs and the Department of English.

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6. Law lecture to address "Reality-Challenged Philosophies of Punishment"

The Law School will host its annual Barrock Lecture, Thursday, Oct. 6, at 12:15 p.m. in Eckstein Hall. Robert Weisberg, Edwin E. Huddleson, Jr. professor of law at Stanford University, will present “Reality-Challenged Philosophies of Punishment.”

The theme of “American exceptionalism” has found perverse corroboration in the size of the prison population, according to Weisberg. At the same time, discourse about the “purposes of punishment” is thriving, with a recent revival of highly abstract theorizing about the nature and legitimacy of retribution, he says. In this lecture, Weisberg will describe the disconnection and recommend ways of overcoming it, stressing that the abstract theorizing must be more sensitive to what punishment means and what effects it has in modern America.

Register online.

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7. "Ethics of Enhancement" to be discussed

The Klingler College of Arts and Sciences will host a lecture, “Ethics of Enhancement,” by Dr. Ryan Spellecy, associate professor of bioethics and medical humanities and psychiatry at the Medical College of Wisconsin, at 4 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 6, in Lalumiere 140.

Spellecy will discuss the use of enhancements, both artificial and natural, in such diverse arenas as sport, the workplace, medicine and academia. He will consider what, if anything, is ethically at stake in the use of such enhancements and whether or not it is unethical.

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8. Language and bilingualism in early childhood learning is subject of lecture

The College of Education’s Tommy G. Thompson Lecture, “Language, Bilingualism, Cognition and Learning in Early Childhood,” will be presented Thursday, Oct. 6. Dr. Eugene García, vice president for education partnerships at Arizona State University, will deliver the lecture at 4:30 p.m. in the AMU Monaghan Ballroom. García researches effective schooling for linguistically and culturally diverse student populations.

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9. Arab Americans and growth of Milwaukee to be discussed over soup

Two “Soups With Substance” this week will address what it means to be an Arab in the United States, and the growth of Milwaukee.

“American Arab: What does it mean to be an Arab living in America today?” will take place tomorrow, Sept. 27, at 12:30 p.m. in AMU 157. In the forthcoming film American Arab, Iraqi-American filmmaker Usama Alshaibi will share his own story and show clips from his forthcoming film to spark a discussion of the complexities of racism in post-9/11 America about the identity of, and perceptions about, Arab-Americans.

Dr. Thomas Jablonsky, professor of history and director of the Institute for Urban Life, will discuss “The Evolution of Milwaukee” Wednesday, Sept. 28, at noon in AMU 157. Jablonsky will lead a discussion about how the production of goods, and wealth, fractured the community between those with abundant resources and those who struggled to survive.

The events are sponsored by the Center for Peacemaking, Campus Ministry and Multicultural Affairs. The Sept. 27 event is cosponsored by the Arab Student Association.

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10. Math, psychology, biology and chemistry programs this week

The Department of Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science will hold two colloquiums this week. Dr. Donald Costello, distinguished lecturer for the Association for Computing Machinery, Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, will present “From the Enigma to Elliptic Curve Cryptography” Wednesday, Sept. 28, at 1 p.m. in Cudahy 401. Dr. Hans Volkmer, professor of mathematical sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, will present “Characterizations of probability distributions by order statistics” Friday, Sept. 30, at 4 p.m. in Cudahy 401.   

Dr. Helen Wilson, assistant professor of psychology at Rosalind Franklin University, will present a Department of Psychology colloquium Thursday, Sept. 29, at 3:30 p.m. in Cramer Hall 104J. Wilson will present “Effects of Violence Exposure on the Development of Sexual Risk Behavior in Low-Income African American Girls.”

The Department of Biological Sciences will host a seminar Friday, Sept. 30, at 3:30 p.m. in Wehr Life Sciences 111. Dr. John Corbett, chairman and professor of biochemistry at the Medical College of Wisconsin, will present “Out FoxO1ing Nitric Oxide-Mediated beta-cell Death.”

Dr. Ming Xian, assistant professor of chemistry at Washington State University at Pullman, will present “Chemical Tools for Probing Sulfur-related Biology Problems” for a Department of Chemistry colloquium. The program will be Friday, Sept. 30, at 4 p.m. in Todd Wehr Chemistry 121. Refreshments will be available beginning at 3:45 p.m.

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11. Tolkien manuscripts and Saint John's Bible to be discussed

Raynor Memorial Libraries' Department of Special Collections is hosting a series of introductory sessions for two of the department's most popular holdings — the J.R.R. Tolkien manuscripts and the Saint John's Bible.

The first two sessions are:

• Sept. 30, 3 p.m., J.R.R. Tolkien manuscripts
• Oct. 7, 3 p.m., Saint John's Bible

All presentations will be in the third floor Prucha Archives Reading Room and will run 45 minutes. No reservations are necessary.

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12. Contemplative interests of campus community to be addressed

The Marquette Contemplative Community is hosting an open house and reception Friday, Sept. 30, from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in Coughlin 001. Resources and ideas for university-wide contemplative practice will be discussed. The MCC’s purpose is to support the contemplative interests of the Marquette community. The MCC was awarded a Marquette University Simmons Religious Fund grant for 2011/12 to further these interests. For more information email Alice Gormley, database management/serials librarian for Raynor Memorial Libraries.

The MCC is also hosting a weekly meditation hour every Wednesday in the St. Joan of Arc Chapel, from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Attendees can come and go as they wish.

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13. Eastern Orthodox vespers service to be held Wednesday

Campus Ministry and the Marquette Chapter of Orthodox Christian Fellowship will hold an Eastern Orthodox Vespers service Wednesday, Sept. 28, at 6:30 p.m. in the Saint Joan of Arc Chapel. Vespers is an evening prayer service that is spiritually beautiful and peaceful, filled with God’s love in Christ through the Holy Spirit, according to Campus Ministry. For more information, contact Rev. John Jones, professor of philosophy, or Maria Tsikalas, president of OCF.

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14. Run/walk to feed the poor takes place Friday

Midnight Run's "Miles for Meals" fun run/walk takes place Friday, Sept. 30, at 5 p.m. beginning in Westowne Square. Check-in starts at 4:30 p.m. Register at Campus Ministry, AMU 236, by Sept 29.

"Miles for Meals" is a fundraiser for Midnight Run's Noon Run meal program that serves lunch to neighborhood poor Sunday through Friday.

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15. Bowling fundraiser taking place tonight

Bayanihan student organization will host a bowling fundraiser Monday, Sept. 26, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Annex. One game and shoes cost $4, and any game after is $2. The proceeds will help fund a conference Bayanihan is hosting next year.

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