Winter Weekend courses scheduled

Two Winter Weekend courses -- one on the evolution of the universe and one on attitudes toward dependent people -- are being offered on campus by the Alumni Association and the Center for Continuing Studies.

"Evolution of the Natural World: From the Birth of Time to the Death of the Dinosaur" will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 22, and 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 23.

Discussion will begin with a tour of the universe at its birth and will end with a look at the emergence of mammals as the dominant class of animals on earth. The weekend schedule will include lectures, demonstrations, discussions and a lab in which participants will measure dinosaur bones and footprints to answer for themselves the question "How fast could a Tyrannosaurus rex run?"

The course will be taught by Robert Clayton, the Enrico Fermi Distinguished Service Professor in Chemistry; David Jablonski, Professor in Geophysical Sciences; Edward Kolb, Professor in Astronomy & Astrophysics; and Michael LaBarbera, Associate Professor in Organismal Biology & Anatomy.

"Dependency and Disrepute: The Uneasy Case for Compassion" will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 12, and 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 13.

The class will be taught by Edward Rosenheim, the David B. and Clara E. Stern Professor Emeritus in English Language & Literature, and Margaret Rosenheim, the Helen Ross Professor in the School of Social Service Administration. For the past decade, the Rosenheims have researched and taught about the various forms of hostility and indifference toward dependent people, including the elderly, the mentally ill and the poor. Together they teach an interdisciplinary course that traces these attitudes as they surface in various forms of writing -- from statutes, legal opinions and research reports to works of fiction, drama and lyric poetry.

The cost of each Winter Weekend course is $95 if the registration form is postmarked on or before Jan. 7 for "Evolution of the Natural World" and on or before Jan. 28 for "Dependency and Disrepute"; after those dates, the cost is $110. The fee includes tuition, a preparatory reading packet, lunches and a reception at Robie House. To register, or for more information, call 702-2160.