The Yale Alumni Association of Greenwich, Connecticut and the Association of Yale Alumni have announced that the Greenwich Initiative Prize of $2,000 has been awarded this year to Ezra Stiles College for its students' plan to refurbish the existing Coffee House- Little Theatre in order to create an art gallery there as well. The student proposal, which was characterized as "both level-headed and appealing" by Ezra Stiles master Paul Fry, is backed by the Stiles Council, which will underwrite the costs budgeted beyond the Greenwich Award. This is the 12th year that the Greenwich alumni association has awarded this prize to a creative project that enhances the quality of student life at Yale.
Mark Schenker, director of summer and special programs and assistant dean of Yale College, will lead reading and discussion programs sponsored by Connecticut Reading Connections at two area libraries this spring. The first of these, titled "The Nation That Works: Immigration, Migration and American Identity," will begin on Wednesday, March 5, at the Bridgeport North Branch Library and Community Center. For information, call 203-576-7413 or 203-576-7832. The second program, "The 1960s: Transformations in American Values," will begin on Wednesday, April 2, at the New Haven Free Public Library. For information, call 203-946-8130.
The next two featured speakers in the Books Sandwiched In lecture series sponsored by the Friends of the New Haven Public Library will be Kai Erickson, professor of sociology and American studies, and Marie Borroff, Sterling Professor Emeritus of English. Professor Erickson will discuss William Julius Wilson's book "When Work Disappears: The World of the New Urban Poor" on Feb. 27, and Professor Borroff will talk about "Great Books" by David Denby on March 6. The Thursday book discussions are held 12:10-12:50 p.m. in the United Church on the Green, corner of Temple and Elm streets. Admission is free. Participants are invited to bring a lunch; coffee, tea and cookies are available in the basement of the church 11:20 a.m.-12:10 p.m. Cancellations due to snow will be announced on WELI.
"All Intelligence Testing Is Cross-Cultural" will be the title of a talk presented by Yale psychologist Robert Sternberg at noon on Thursday, Feb. 27, at the New Haven Lawn Club. Professor Sternberg will discuss his theory of intelligence, which takes into account "street smarts" and creativity, as well as analytical skills. The talk is sponsored by the International Center of New Haven. Tickets, which include lunch, are $25 for students and members of the International Center or the Lawn Club; $30 for all others. To make a reservation, call 432-6460.
David Apter, the Henry J. Heinz Ii Professor of Comparative Policial and Social Development, will assume the chairmanship of the sociology deparment on July 1. Professor Apter, who is also affiliated with the political science department, has been serving as acting chair of sociology this year, while Deborah Davis is on leave.