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Submit items to Campus CurrentsThe Campus Currents is distributed every Friday. If you would like to include an item in the newsletter send it to: Campus Currents, Unit 9512 or by e-mail to Campus Currents. Deadline is Thursday at 8 a.m. Welcome to Black Hills State University - TopSarah Sandvick, secretary LOFTI/TTL
Wallerstein article published - TopDr. Nicholas Wallerstein, assistant professor of English, has just published an article entitled "The Rhetoric of Despair in Spenser, Shakespeare, and Milton."
The article argues that in Book 10 of "Milton's Paradise Lost Act III of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet," and Book 1 (Canto ix) of Spenser's "The Faerie Queene," three main characters face moments of absolute despair and a concomitant desire for instant death. Adam, Romeo, and the Red Crosse Knight all reach the conclusion that their own death is the only solution to their seemingly hopeless situations. The attractiveness of the sin of despair, though, is fully realized only through the power of rhetoric: each character falls prey to strong arguments in favor of death. The article contends that rhetoric participates in the formation of the attractiveness of despair, yet in a fundamentally flawed (at least to the Renaissance mind) way. For despair, on a theological level, is not only immoral but also irrational: it assumes that the sinner's sin is greater than God's mercy. This is of course an impossibility, since God's mercy, being an element or feature of God's love (agape), is by its very nature limitless. In fact, despair is considered a damnable sin precisely because, in the sinner's belief that his sin is greater than God's power to forgive the sin, the sinner is exhibiting superbia, or pride—the deadliest of the seven sins. And in committing this sin, the sinner is deprived of grace. Thus, in being inherently irrational, the arguments that Adam, Romeo, and the Red Crosse Knight promulgate or accept fail to fulfill the most central of rhetorical appeals: logos—the Aristotelian appeal to reason. Right reason is abdicated, and pathos, or emotional appeal, takes control, leading inexorably to spiritual, intellectual, and moral disease. Only through a logos-centered rhetoric of intercession—on the part of Eve, Friar Lawrence, and Una—is (respectively) Adam's, Romeo's, and the Red Crosse Knight's rhetoric of despair refuted, and salvation preserved. Summer workshop helps teachers hone science teaching skills - TopAn intensive four-day environmental science workshop let 20 area teachers submerge themselves with inquiry-based hands-on science in preparation for the fall school term. The workshop was conducted at Black Hills State University as part of a $1.4 million National Science Foundation grant to improve K-8 teachers' abilities to deliver high-quality, inquiry-based science teaching. The science project, available to 28 schools in western South Dakota, is titled Black Hills Science Teaching Project to Prepare K-8 Teachers for the New Millennium (BLAST). The workshop taught by Dr. Charles Lamb, lead scientist for BLAST and associate professor of biology at BHSU, took the teachers through a review of scientific inquiry with a focus on central themes in biology, current trends, environmental education, research and curriculum implementation. Lamb said he reintroduced the teachers to chemical and biological analysis as it relates to the environment. Some of these concepts were things they had learned in college years ago but perhaps hadn't recently applied.
Classes begin Aug. 31 - TopClasses for the fall 1999 semester begin Aug. 31 at Black Hills State University. Students who have not pre-registered can choose classes and register Monday, Aug. 30 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Student Union multi-purpose room. The English placement test, the math placement test and the ACT will also be given that day. Late registrations will be taken Aug. 31 through Sept. 3 in the Student Union room 220 during posted hours. All students must check in, during their designated time slot according to an alphabetical registration schedule, some time between Aug. 31 and Sept. 3. Contact the enrollment center for a copy of this schedule. Students can also finalize meal plans, purchase a parking permit and obtain student IDs at the Student Union during this time. Students may drop or add classes Aug. 25 - Sept. 3 in the Student Union room 220. After that date, drop and add will take place in the Student Union multipurpose room. All first-time borrowers and transfer students must attend a loan/debt information session before picking up student loan checks. These sessions will be in the Student Union bottom level Aug. 31 at 7:30 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 11 a.m., and 2 p.m., Sept. 1 at 8 a.m., 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., Sept. 2 at 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m., and Sept. 3 at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. New students will begin moving in to residence halls Aug. 27 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. These students may take part in the New Student Days program "Summer Craze '99" Aug. 27, 28 and 29. Returning students will move on campus Aug. 29 from noon to 6 p.m. For registration information contact the enrollment center at 642-6044. Business office staff will move to Student Union during registration week - TopDue to registration/fee payment for fall semester '99, the business office will be moving to the Student Union the week of Monday, Aug. 30 through Friday, Sept. 3rd. All business must be conducted between 7 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. beginning Monday, Aug. 30 through Friday, Sept. 3. Please come in the business office door if the window is closed. Personal checks cannot be cashed by the cashiers in the Student Union during fee payment. BH to celebrate 100 years of football - TopBlack Hills State University is inviting all former football players, coaches, trainers, cheerleaders and fans to celebrate 100 years of football Sept. 3 and 4.
The public is invited to attend the alumni Burger King tailgate party prior to the game Saturday, Sept. 4 from 2-4 p.m. at the north end of Lyle Hare Stadium. Free whoppers, chips and soda will be served at the tailgate. Burger King will be sponsoring free tailgate parties prior to all home football games this season. At 4 p.m. a special recognition will be held in honor of 100 years of football at Black Hills State. The Yellow Jackets kick off their 1999 football season with the game at 5 p.m. A steak fry Sept. 3 at the City Park will introduce all former players, coaches, trainers and cheerleaders to the current 1999 Yellow Jacket squad. Participants may also take part in a golf tournament or take a campus walking tour Saturday morning followed by a team meeting at 1 p.m. at the Young Center. For more information on the 100-year celebration or to register contact the BHSU insititutional advancement office at 642-6385 or see the web site at <http://www.bhsu.edu/alumni/archive/football100years/index.html>. The 1999-2000 BHSU theatre schedule announced - Top
All performances at 8 p.m. at Woodburn Auditorium except for the final performance of "Woods" which is at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday. All BHSU faculty, staff and students have free admission to the plays with their ACE card. Grants opportunities announced - TopBelow are the program materials received Aug. 19-25 in the grants office, 220 Woodburn. For copies of the information, contact our office at 642-6627 or e-mail requests to us at <grants@mystic.bhsu.edu>. Fellowship information will also be posted on the Student Union bulletin board near the information desk.
This week at BHSU - TopAug. 27, 28, 29
Monday, Aug. 30
Tuesday, Aug. 31
Wednesday, Sept. 1
Friday, Sept. 3
Saturday, Sept. 4
Monday, Sept. 6
Monthly campus calendar |
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The article appears in the
volume "Proceedings of the Seventh Northern Plains
Conference on Early British Literature" (Aberdeen, S.D.:
Northern State University Press, 1999). 
The festivities will begin Sept. 3 and
culminate Sept. 4 when the 1999 Yellow Jackets host the Dickinson
State University Blue Hawks in their season opener. This
celebration of a century of football is an opportunity for former
Yellow Jackets to reunite with college friends and to once again
enjoy the excitement of Yellow Jacket football. 