News Release

Dec. 18, 2006

Boise State's Renaissance Institute for Adult Learners Announces Spring Schedule, Accepting Memberships

Boise State University’s Renaissance Institute invites members of the community to set some time aside this spring for learning.

Beginning in early January, participants can gain insight into the current issues before the Idaho Legislature, see a judge step away from his judicial bench and put on his musician’s hat to present “Beethoven the Humorist,” tackle the topic of nationalism, look back at the Trojan War to see what lessons it could teach contemporary American leaders or step back in time to Victorian England.

Some members will try their hand at drawing, while others will grapple with water issues that affect this region. Members can enhance their understanding of issues surrounding No Child Left Behind or learn what the term science means to a scientist.

“This is stress-free learning—no exams, no papers—just top notch instruction, lively discussion and the opportunity to mingle with engaging people who like to think,” said institute director Ellie McKinnon. “It is learning for people who never want to stop learning.”

A Renaissance Institute season membership costs $30 and includes seating at all lecture series presentations and the opportunity to enroll in short courses that range in cost from $30-$55. Classes meet once a week for two hours and vary from three to five weeks in length. The lecture series is comprised of independent lectures on a wide variety of topics.

The institute provides educational opportunities with the assistance of community partners, including the Log Cabin Literary Center, the Flicks Theater, The University of Idaho and the Simplot Performing Arts Academy.

To request a season brochure and membership information, contact Boise State Extended Studies at 426-1709 or visit www.boisestate.edu/extendedstudies/renaissance.

Following is a complete listing of the spring 2007 Renaissance Institute season:

Short Courses
“Idaho Political Issues,” 10 a.m.-noon Tuesdays, Jan. 9, 16, 23 and 30
This course will focus on issues of importance during the 2007 Idaho legislative session, including school funding, prison overcrowding, transportation needs, the grocery sales tax and topics emerging from the Boise State Public Policy Survey to be released in January. Participants also will discuss and debate the impact of a new governor, a new house speaker and new committee chairs. Instructors Stephanie Witt, former associate vice president for academic affairs at Boise State and chair of the Department of Public Policy and Administration, and James Weatherby, political analyst for KTVB, emeritus professor of public policy at Boise State and former director of the Association of Idaho Cities, have long been active in the Idaho public policy arena. Weatherby is also co-author of “Governing Idaho: Politics, People and Power.” Classes will be held at The Flicks Theater, 646 Fulton Street, Boise. Cost: $40

“Waters of the West — Implications for our Community,” 10 a.m.-noon Tuesdays, Feb. 20, 27 and March 6
This course of study, created by University of Idaho’s Peter Goodwin, consists of a series of lectures presented by individuals directly associated with water issues in the Treasure Valley and Idaho. Attorney Chris Meyers will address the issue of water quantity—who gets what and why. Dave Tuthill of Idaho Department of Water Resources will explain the water adjudication process. Boise State engineering professor George Murgel will discuss the quality of water with its implications to our environment and lifestyles. Boise city’s Robin Finch will discuss the efforts of the City of Boise to balance federal regulations and community concerns regarding the Lower Boise River. John Tracy of the Idaho Water Resources Research Institute will discuss the complexities of conjunctive water management in a rapidly urbanizing environment. Finally, the five speakers will come together to discuss with the audience a new paradigm in water management for the Treasure Valley. Classes will be held at the University of Idaho Boise Center, Room 156, 322 East Front St. Cost: $30

“Line by Line: An Experience in Portraiture,” 3-5 p.m. Tuesdays, April 3, 10, 17 and 24
If you’ve always wanted to learn how to reproduce someone’s likeness and have been afraid to try, this is the course for you. Renaissance Institute members will experience drawing through discussion and practice in a comfortable environment. Prior drawing skills are not required. Instructor Melanie Fales recently served as Boise Art Museum’s interim director as well as curator of education at the museum. She is an artist, arts educator and arts advocate and has taught drawing to students of all ages, from toddlers to adults. Classes have an enrollment limit of 20 people and will be held at Boise Art Museum, 670 Julia Davis Drive. Cost: $45 (Supplies list will be made available to participants.)

“A Brief History of Nationalism,” 11:30 am-1:30 p.m. Wednesdays, April 4, 11, 18 and 25
The 19th and 20th centuries were a period of exultant and unusually violent nationalism. Nationalism, the idea that nations deserve states of their own, remade the map of Europe, brought on the first and second world wars, and then re-emerged with the collapse of communism after 1989. Where did this ideology come from? Why is the idea that we are all members of nations so seductive? What is nationality? This course will examine the concept in theory and in practice. Instructor Nick Miller, professor of Central and Eastern European history in Boise State’s history department, has written two books and many articles on the history of the former Yugoslavia. Miller is currently serving as an expert witness in two cases before The Hague War Crimes Tribunal for Yugoslavia. Classes will be held at The Flicks Theater, 646 Fulton Street, Boise. Cost: $40


Lecture Series
“Who Is Being Left Behind by “No Child Left Behind?” 6:30-8:30 p.m. Jan. 11
Participants will discover research related to children’s motivation, engagement and cognition and consider this research relative to school reform, including “No Child Left Behind.” Anticipate an invigorating discussion of the research and motivation behind this effort, how it speaks to national and Idaho standardized testing, and what changes need to happen in the future.
Instructor Jeff Wilhelm, a Boise State English professor, is founding director of the Maine Writing Project and the Boise Writing Project for secondary teachers. He is a textbook author and former classroom teacher. Boise State Student Union, Hatch Ballroom, corner of University and Lincoln.

“The Trojan War and the Future of American Foreign Policy: A Cautionary Tale,” 10 a.m.-noon Feb. 7
Is history repeating itself—again? Instructor Greg Raymond will outline lessons from the world's most famous ancient war that have enormous implications for America’s future. The lecture will be based on his newest book, “After Iraq: The Imperiled American Imperium.” Raymond, an internationally respected scholar in the field of world politics, directs the Honors College at Boise State and is Frank Church Professor of International Relations at Boise State. He has been a Pew Faculty Fellow at Harvard University and a consultant to various government agencies. The Flicks Theater, 646 Fulton St.

“Beethoven the Humorist,” 10 a.m.-noon Feb. 13
Beethoven is often described as a defiant mortal raging against his ironic misfortune and cruel fate — deafness. Driven to the brink of suicide at the age of 32, he pulled himself back and went on to compose timeless masterpieces reflecting the dramatic struggles of his life. But there was another side of Beethoven that permeates his music. He had a robust sense of humor and a love of mischief, irony and parody that are as much a part of his music as his fate. Attend this lively presentation and learn to recognize and to enjoy this fun side of Beethoven’s music as Judge Stephen Trott reveals surprising aspects of Beethoven’s symphonies and compositions for the piano and string quartets. Trott is a distinguished jurist of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. He has served as chief of the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office, U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California and assistant attorney general of the Department of Justice. Trott shares his love of music with Boise Philharmonic enthusiasts as the presenter of pre-concert lectures. Esther Simplot Performing Arts Academy, Main Hall, 516 S. 9th.

“What is Science Anyway?” 10 a.m.-noon March 20
We are told in introductory science courses that scientists use the “scientific method.” But what is that really and does it always work? If some “scientific law” is not always applicable, is it a “law” at all? Is science black and white or shades of gray? This course explores how scientists approach basic questions of how the earth works from the perspective of the nature and process of science, misconceptions about science, scientific language and the importance of science to society. Walter Snyder is Boise State’s director of geoscience research, directs the Intermountain West Geothermal Consortium and serves as chair of the Geological Society of America’s Geology and Public Policy Committee. The Flicks Theater, 646 Fulton St.

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Contact: Ellie McKinnon, Extended Studies (208) 426-2047, emckinno@boisestate.edu 
Media Contact: Sherry Squires, University Communications, (208) 426-1563, ssquires@boisestate.edu

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Last reviewed on Wednesday, January 03, 2007