University College gets new name, expanded curriculum

University College and the Division of Continuing Education have beenrenamed the School of Continuing Studies, Northwestern administratorsannounced June 1.

“The new name reflects the broad academic offerings of the school – adiverse range of continuing studies for a variety of students, from highschool seniors to college graduates,” Associate Provost and Dean RichardLorenzen said.

Along with the new name, the school’s curriculum will be expanded in thefall to include professional development programs in technologies andwriting. The programs are geared toward post-baccalaureate workingprofessionals and will allow students to earn degrees in a single academicyear.

“The curriculum is specifically designed for post-baccalaureate workingprofessionals seeking advanced, quality educational opportunities,”Lorenzen said.

The school currently offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs,credit certificate programs, summer session programs, college preparationprograms and the Institute for Learning in Retirement.

The curriculum changes will be introduced to prospective students during aseries of open houses in July and August, the first to be held July 12 at 4p.m.

Suitcase party taps Starlight as beneficiary for annual event

The Starlight Children’s Foundation will be the beneficiary of SuitcaseParty 2001, event organizers announced this week.

Starlight, founded in 1983, grants wishes to seriously, chronically andterminally ill children. The organization aids more than 55,000 childreneach month.

Suitcase Party organizers said Starlight was chosen partly because of thesize of the organization, which is larger than previous beneficiaries.

“We thought it was an opportunity to expand the direction Suitcase Party isheaded in,” said Public Relations co-Chairwoman Karen Sandler. “We felt inone sense they would help us broaden our reach.”

Going into its eighth year, Suitcase Party, which used to be organized byShepard Residential College and held in the Allison Hall dining hall, nowdraws about 2,000 students and raised more than $23,000 this April. At theparty, students buy tickets for chances to win trips across the country,which have included a Mardi Gras trip to New Orleans, a vacation to DisneyWorld and a Caribbean cruise.

Sandler said Starlight provides a good opportunity because though it is anational organization, it has a Chicago branch.

“We were looking for something with both a local and a national presence,”she said. “The community we’re part of is more than just Evanston.”

Up until last year, when the party raised money for the Chicago-basedInspiration Cafe, a restaurant and research center for the homeless, theevent has chosen Evanston-based charities. Sandler said Starlight isdiverse in the opportunities it offers in the area and across the nation.

“It makes it more convenient for us and more exciting because you’re alwaysdoing something different,” she said.

Traffic Institute appoints director, changes name

Northwestern’s Traffic Institute is steering in new directions.

Alexander Weiss has been appointed the new director of the Center forPublic Safety, formerly known as the Traffic Institute, administratorsannounced earlier this month.

Weiss, an associate professor of management and strategy at the KelloggGraduate School of Management, worked for the institute from 1986 to 1992.

After spending six years teaching at Indiana University at Bloomington, hereturned to the institute as executive associate director in August 1998.

He will succeed Noel Bufe, who directed the institute since 1978.

Weiss said the name was changed to illustrate the growth of the program.

The center has added programs in transportation engineering, policeinstructor training, public safety and security during its 64 years.

“The new name reflects the expanded scope of our original mission -education and training in traffic safety,” he said.

As part of its expansion, the center has developed partnerships within andoutside of NU, such as with the university’s center for biotechnology andwith the Northeastern Illinois Public Safety Training Academy.

The center will contain both the Traffic Institute and the Traffic Schoolof Safety.