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Charles
Middleton on
Jobs, Higher
Education, and
The Future of America
Tuesday,
September 7, 5:30-8:30pm
19 South Wabash, 2d floor
Cocktails at
5:30, presentation 6:00-6:30 followed by discussion and more
cocktails. $40 includes drinks, two cigars,
and sandwiches.
Reservations are required.
Did you know that the United States is no
longer in the top ten list of the best educated countries
as measured by the number of adults 25-40 who have an associates
degree or higher? Did you know that fewer than 20 years
ago we were number one?
This talk will present current data about the challenges we face
if we are to keep pace with the other nations who have figured
out that having a highly educated population is critical for
success in the international economy of the 21st century.
One interpretation might be, “We are toast! Hunker down
and pray for the future.” Another, “We need to do
something and do it now, the future is in our own hands but
what’s to be done given all the other American values that
contribute to this circumstance?” A third might be, “Holy
cow! Why aren’t we told these things so that we can have an
intelligent discussion about the options and what they will
mean?” A final one might be, “Cassandra is at the gates.
Tell her to go away!”
Lively discussion is the key to the success of the evening, so
bring your preconceptions, your knowledge, and your verbal
acuity and brace yourself for an truly engaged evening of
debate, America style.
Charles Middleton has been a university professor or
administrator for forty years. Prior to joining Roosevelt, he was
vice chancellor for Academic Affairs at the University System of
Maryland, provost and vice president of Academic Affairs at
Bowling Green State University, and dean of the College of Arts
and Sciences at the University of Colorado, Boulder.
Dr.
Middleton is a Fellow of the Institute for International
Education (Midwest), on the Board of Directors of the American
Council on Education (ACE), and chair of the Federation of
Illinois Independent Colleges and Universities.
He earned an
A.B. degree with honors in history from Florida State University
and both an M.A. and Ph.D. in history from Duke University.
Professor Middleton's academic expertise is in modern British
history from the late 18th Century to the early 19th Century. He
is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society.
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Charles Middleton,
President of Roosevelt University
Coming
up
Tuesday, Sept
14
The Ultimate Rooftop Cigar Party at Max
and Kim Kort's,
63 East Lake St.
Tuesday, Sept 21
Chris Jones, chief theater critic
for the Chicago Tribune, will talk about "The Death of the
Critic."
19 S. Wabash.
Tuesday, Oct
5
James Janega, Chicago Tribune, on "The Life of a War Reporter."
19 S. Wabash.
Tuesday, Oct
19
Emanuel Mayer, Classics Department, University of Chicago, on
"The History of the Garden Gnome."
19 S. Wabash.
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Letter from Urbana
by Abe Kocheril
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Spending time with the Cigar Society of Chicago over the past three
years has been fun and worthwhile. I have enjoyed the cigars, lectures
and informal discussions, and the fellowship with excellent people.
Having gotten to know many of you, I am happy to write the ”Letter from
Urbana” to stay in touch and let you know of happenings in another part
of the state.
The state’s financial troubles
have hit the University of Illinois hard. Since it is the largest employer in
Urbana-Champaign, the ripple effects have been tremendous. About 500 academic
professionals have left the University in the process. Despite this, the
University continues to bring education, culture, and a cosmopolitan flavor to
the community.
In my line of work in cardiac electrophysiology, catheter robotics is one of the
newest advances. My current hospital invested in this equipment and I have been
using it to good effect for patients. The local newspaper covered this recently
(right). Only two centers in Illinois have this equipment, the other being
Loyola University Medical Center.
The appreciation of cigars is alive and well in Urbana,
mainly among the University faculty. This group also appreciates wine and music,
two things that are near and dear to my heart. You might remember a
particular lecture on the subject.
I have started visiting the local cigar specialty store, nothing on the scale of
Iwan Ries & Co. Who would have predicted that a tightly-rolled bundle of dried
and fermented leaves could become such an important part of life?
The pace of life is significantly slower here than in Chicago, which is both
good and bad. Part of the good is the very manageable traffic. I do miss
Chicago, but feel that I made a good decision on the whole. Of course, I plan to
return to Chicago periodically, so you may see me around, with a cigar in hand.
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About
the Cigar Society of Chicago
ONE OF THE OLDEST
AND greatest traditions of the city clubs of Chicago is the discussion of intellectual, social, legal, artistic,
historical, scientific, musical, theatrical, and philosophical
issues in the company of educated, bright, and appropriately
provocative individuals, all under the beneficent influence of
substantial amounts of tobacco and spirits. The
Cigar Society of Chicago embraces this tradition and
extends it with its Informal Smokers,
University Series lectures, and Cigar Society
Dinners, in which cigars, and from time to time pipes and
cigarettes, appear as an important component of our version of
the classical
symposium. To be included in the Cigar Society's
mailing list, write to the
Secretary
at
CigarSociety@logicophilosophicus.org.
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