FEBRUARY 5, 2014

IN THIS ISSUE

1. The Power of Forgiveness film screening is tonight

The Power of Forgiveness, which examines the role forgiveness holds in various faith traditions, will be shown Wednesday, Feb. 5, at 7:30 p.m. in Cudahy Hall, 001. The film explores recent research into the psychological and physical effects of forgiveness on individuals and within relationships. Looking candidly at the intensity of anger and grief that human beings experience, the film shows the role that forgiveness can play in alleviating suffering and the physical, mental and spiritual benefits that come with it. It includes feature stories on the Amish, the 9/11 tragedy and peace-building in Northern Ireland, along with interviews with renowned Buddhist teacher Thich Nhat Hanh, Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel, and best-selling authors Thomas Moore, Marianne Williamson and others.

This event is sponsored by Gesu Parish. For more information and a full schedule of events, visit the Mission Week 2014 website.

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2. Morning prayer will be held every day during Mission Week

Begin each day of Mission Week with a brief interfaith prayer experience, focusing on one dimension of forgiveness. Morning prayer will be held from 8:10 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. in the AMU, Chapel of the Holy Family, each day of Mission Week. The daily morning prayer for tomorrow, Thursday, Feb. 6, "Forgiveness Within the Church," is co-sponsored by the Office of the Provost and Campus Ministry.

The St. John's Bible will be on display during the week, as a source of reflection and inspiration. For more information and a full schedule of events, visit the Mission Week 2014 website.

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3. Soup with Substance to discuss the need for restorative justice

Janine Geske, distinguished professor of law, will lead a discussion on "When Forgiveness Must Wait: The Need for Restorative Justice," at the next Soup with Substance, Thursday, Feb. 6, from noon to 1 p.m. in the AMU, 227. Geske will share her decades of experience in restorative justice and the effect it can have in healing loss or conflict.

This event is sponsored by Campus Ministry. For more information and a full schedule of events, visit the Mission Week 2014 website.

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4. Rev. Massingale to deliver lecture on race and reconciliation

Rev. Bryan Massingale will deliver "Race and Reconciliation," Thursday, Feb. 6, at 4 p.m. in the Weasler Auditorium. Father Massingale will address the profound ways in which issues of race and ethnicity can divide people and the reconciliation that is possible, personally, spiritually and nationally.

For more information and a full schedule of events, visit the Mission Week 2014 website.

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5. University mourns the death of long-time band director Dr. Nicholas J. Contorno

The university mourns the death of Dr. Nicholas J. Contorno, who served as director of music programs from 1983-2006. Contorno passed away Feb. 2, at the age of 75. A composer, educator and conductor, he was known fondly as "Dr. C" by his Marquette Band students. Contorno was active in Milwaukee's music scene and received the 2013 Lifetime Achievement in Music Award from the Civic Music Association.

The men's and women's basketball games this week will have a moment of silence for Contorno.

Contorno is survived by his wife, Lucille, and daughters Camille and Gina. Visitation will be held Friday, Feb. 14, from 10 a.m. until the 1 p.m. funeral Mass at St. Paul Catholic Church, S38-W31602 Highway D, Genesee Depot, Wis.

Please remember Contorno, his family and friends in prayer.

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6. Ciszek Lecture to focus on whether religion causes violence

Dr. William T. Cavanaugh, director of the Center for World Catholicism and Intercultural Theology and professor of Catholic studies at DePaul University, will present the 2014 Ciszek Lecture Monday, Feb. 17, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the AMU, Monaghan Ballrooms C/D. Cavanaugh, will deliver "Does Religion Cause Violence?," and will argue that secular ideologies like nationalism, Marxism and capitalism are just as inclined as religion to use violence to promote their ends.

A reception will follow the free event. The 2014 Ciszek Lecture is co-sponsored by the Student Council of the Knights of Columbus at Marquette and the Department of Theology. For additional information, contact Dr. Patrick Doyle, catalog librarian and philosophy collection development librarian, at (414) 288-8742.

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7. Encourage students to submit research for inaugural Marquette Undergraduate Humanities Conference

Faculty and staff are requested to encourage undergraduate students who have completed or plan on completing research in any topic of the humanities to submit their work to be presented at the inaugural Marquette Undergraduate Humanities Conference, which will promote interdisciplinary research. Undergraduates will be given the opportunity to present their original academic work, from this or previous semesters, as either a 20-minute presentation or a poster.

To be considered for participation, students must submit an abstract of 300 words or fewer by Wednesday, Feb. 19, to MuHuCon@gmail.com. The abstract should include a title, explanation of the research question or thesis, and up to seven key words about the topic. Special consideration will be given to research of an interdisciplinary nature.

The conference is sponsored by the Klingler College of Arts and Sciences. For more information, visit the Marquette University Humanities Conference Facebook page.

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8. Attend information sessions on Diversity Advocates Network, new Safe Zone program

The Division of Student Affairs' Diversity Committee and the Gender and Sexuality Resource Center are offering two training opportunities for faculty and staff this spring.

Diversity Advocates training will resume in March 2014, and is a training program for faculty and staff to provide support, mentorship and advocacy for students by promoting diversity and inclusion on campus. The new training provides more comprehensive tools for developing diversity consciousness, understanding social identities, identifying acts of discrimination, and stereotyping and developing advocacy skills.

Also this spring, the Gender and Sexuality Resource Center in the Office of the Provost will be launching a Safe Zone program to give faculty and staff opportunities to deepen their knowledge about LGBT and gender justice issues, student identity development, and religion and sexuality. Both individuals and departments can participate in Safe Zone training to help build safe spaces and strengthen the network of campus partners interested in gender, sexuality and diversity on campus.

The Division of Student Affairs and the GSRC will host several 45-minute information sessions on the training programs:

• Thursday, Feb. 6, at 10 a.m. in the AMU, 254
• Tuesday, Feb. 11, at 4 p.m. in the AMU, 254
• Friday, Feb. 21, at 11 a.m. in the AMU, 157
• Wednesday, Feb. 26, at 2 p.m. in the AMU, 163

For additional information or to request an information session for an office, contact Carla Fullwood, assistant dean for Intercultural Engagement; Dr. Angela Zapata, counselor and diversity coordinator in the Counseling Center; or Dr. Susannah Bartlow, director of the GSRC.

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9. Simmons Fund applications deadline is Feb. 15

The submission deadline for proposals to the Edward D. Simmons Religious Commitment Fund is Saturday, Feb. 15, for grants for the 2014-15 academic year. The fund finances small projects or seed money for programs and events that deepen the religious nature of Marquette. Grants generally range from $500 to $2,500 and are available to faculty and staff. Proposals that promote religious aspects of the mission of the university will be given preference.

Proposals can be submitted online. For more information about the fund and guidelines for submitting proposals, contact the Office of Mission and Ministry at (414) 288-1881.

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10. Law School holding information session Feb. 7

The Law School will host an on-campus information session for prospective students Friday, Feb. 7, at 11:45 a.m. in Eckstein Hall. The information session will give prospective students a chance to learn about the Law School, admissions, financial aid, enrollment policies and procedures, and the curriculum, as well as to take a student-led tour of the Law School.

Register online.

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11. Dining Services offering Russian cuisine buffet to coincide with Sochi Olympics

Dining Services is offering a Russian cuisine buffet presented by Chef Boris Martynov, to coincide with the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia. Martynov will prepare authentic Russian food Thursday, Feb. 13 in the AMU, Lunda Room, during the lunch hour. After 1:30 p.m., students can enjoy the buffet for $10.50. Martynov will also prepare a Russian cuisine luncheon Friday, Feb. 14, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Cobeen Dining Hall.

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12. Cudahy Hall to light up red on Friday to raise awareness about heart disease

The campus community is encouraged to wear red on National Wear Red Day, Friday, Feb. 7, to bring awareness to heart disease. To help raise awareness, Cudahy Hall will be lit red. The American Heart Association started National Wear Red Day to bring awareness to heart disease, which is the No. 1 killer of both women and men.

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13. Mission Week daily reflection: Forgiveness within our university

Each day of Mission Week, Dr. Michael Dante, director of the Faber Center for Ignatian Spirituality, will offer a reflection to echo the theme of the morning prayer. The Faber Center has also developed video reflections for the campus community, which are available on the Faber Center website.

Today, Dante explores forgiveness within our university:

Being part of a university community can be a rewarding experience. The vitality and curiosity of students brings a sense of renewal and rejuvenation each year. The exciting aspects and new discoveries of research inspire awe and wonder. Contributing to the noble work of higher education can produce much personal and professional satisfaction.

However, being at any university, Marquette included, also has a shadow side, one that can be painful for people in such institutions. On a large scale, tensions between administrative areas and academic units can create the condition for ill will and misunderstanding. Caricatures and offhand remarks about the "other" (faculty vs. staff, exempt vs. non-exempt employees, tenured vs. untenured or adjunct faculty, pursuit of the liberal arts vs. professional education, differences in rank and academic pedigree, etc.) often do not receive the critical examination that they deserve. Such caricatures diminish us and can lend themselves to unnecessary division or resentment. Further, in times of personal or institutional stress, we are tempted to feel the dissonance more acutely and assume the worst about each other. Indeed, university life can be painful for the people who work in this environment.

Bringing a spirit of forgiveness into university structures and systems requires patience, openness, and goodwill. Many people feel powerless in the face of large organizations, and the path to forgiveness in a university culture is a gradual and slow process. An important step is creating a community open to dialogue. Universities are, by definition, places of learning, where curiosity is encouraged. Bringing these innate assets of openness and curiosity into dialogue with others is important to the process of forgiveness. When people are genuinely interested and engaged in learning about the sources of conflict, open to hearing and holding these stories, something profound happens. Being heard and bearing witness to another's suffering offers a powerful opportunity for transformation. Understanding the pain caused and experienced ushers in a new awareness and appreciation for the other. Such an appreciation slowly creates the conditions for forgiveness to take root. Such graced moments of awareness gently usher in a spirit of forgiveness within the university culture.

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