Coming events

The SIU women's softball team hosts St. Louis in a doubleheader today, Wednesday, April 2, at Charlotte West Stadium. The first game begins at 4 p.m.

Amy M. Haddad, director of the Center for Health Policy and Ethics at Creighton University, presents the 2008 John & Marsha Ryan Bioethicist-in-Residence lecture at 5 p.m., today, Wednesday, April 2, in the SIU School of Law Courtroom. Admission is free.

University employees are invited to attend a retirement planning session Thursday, April 3, in the SIU School of Law Auditorium, room 120. The session is from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Marlys Johnson of the State Universities Retirement System will provide a general overview of retirement planning and how to use the online retirement estimator on the SURS Web site. For more information, contact the University's Human Resources Office at 618/453-6668.

The School of Music presents "Outside the Box," the second annual Festival of New Music at SIUC, April 3-16. "Outside the Box" features more than 20 concerts and events at various locations across campus and in Carbondale involving dozens of composers and musicians from SIUC plus a variety of guest composers, performers, and ensembles. Most concerts and events are free, all are open to the public. For details about these and more events, visit "Outside the Box '08."

The SIU men's tennis team hosts Indiana State at 3 p.m., Thursday, April 3, at University Courts. The match will be held at Sports Blast in Carbondale in case of inclement weather. Admission is free.

Izumi Shimada, professor of anthropology and the 2007 Excellence Through Commitment Awards Outstanding Scholar presents the lecture, "Alloying Archaeology and Science: Thirty Years of Evolution of an Archaeological Project in Peru," at 4 p.m., Thursday, April 3, in Life Science III Auditorium, Room 1059. Admission is free.

Visiting artist Paul Greenhalgh presents a lecture at 4 p.m., Thursday, April 3, in the University Museum Auditorium. Greenhalgh, the director and president of the Corcoran Gallery of Art and the Corcoran College of Art and Design in Washington, D.C., offers his views on issues pertaining to art and craft in contemporary practice. The lecture is free.

John J. McDermott, distinguished professor of philosophy at Texas A&M University, presents "The Loneliness of the Long Distance Humanities Teacher," at 4:30 p.m., Thursday, April 3, in the Old Baptist Foundation. This is the last College of Liberal Arts Humanities Forum presentations in this year's speakers series, "Value, Values, and the Humanities."

The Global Media Research Center sponsors a lecture by SIUC Department of Radio-Television faculty members Jacob J. Podber and Novotny Lawrence at 4:30 p.m., Thursday, April 3, in Communications Building, room 1032. Podber will discuss his book, "The Electronic Front Porch: An Oral History of the Arrival of Modern Media in Rural Appalachia and the Melungeon Community." Lawrence presents a lecture on his book, "Blaxploitation Films of the 1970's: Blackness and Genre." The event is free, and open to the public.

The play, "The Fastest Woman Alive," directed by special guest artist George Ferencz, of LaMama Theater, is being performed Thursday, April 3, through Sunday, April 6, in the Christian H. Moe Theater in the Communications Building. Performance times are 7:30 p.m., Thursday through Saturday, with 2 p.m. matinees on Saturday and Sunday. The play focuses on the exploits of Jackie Cochran, the first female pilot to break the sound barrier

The SIU men's baseball team host University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in a three-game series this weekend at Abe Martin Field. The Salukis play single games at 2 p.m.,. Friday, April 4, and Saturday, April 5, and then close the series at 1 p.m., Sunday, April 6. Admission is free.

The SIUC student-based Public Administration Student Organization is hosting a community walk at 11 a.m., Saturday, April 5, to raise money and awareness in the fight against multiple sclerosis. The walk is scheduled at the SIUC campus lake boat docks. Everyone is welcome to participate in the walk, make donations or simply come show support at the event. Registration is $10 and walkers will receive a T-shirt. All proceeds will go to the Gateway Chapter of the National MS Society to support those diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Participants will walk the 2.3-mile trail around the scenic campus lake and finish at noon. They are welcome to walk in honor of someone and may also seek sponsorships. In the event of rain, the walk will be moved to the SIUC Student Recreation Center.

The SIU women's softball team hosts Indiana State in a three-game series this weekend at Charlotte West Stadium. The Salukis play a doubleheader that begins at noon, Saturday, April 5, and a single game that starts at noon, Sunday, April 6.

The Grammy-nominated bluegrass family band, "Cherryholmes," performs at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, April 5, at Shryock Auditorium. The band received an award as the 2005 International Bluegrass Music Association's Entertainers of the Year. Tickets range from $15 to $35 and are available through Ticketmaster.

The SIU men's tennis team hosts Wichita State at 10 a.m., Sunday, April 6, at University Courts. The match will be held at Sports Blast in Carbondale in case of inclement weather. Admission is free.

The SIU men's baseball team hosts Murray State in a single game at 3 p.m., Monday, April 7, at Abe Martin Field. Admission is free.

The Global Media Research Center sponsors a lecture by Mia Consalvo, an assistant professor in the School of Telecommunications at Ohio University, at 4:30 p.m., Monday, April 7, in Communications Building, room 1032. She will be speaking on "Translating Vana diel: Japanese and North American Game Players Creating a Hybrid Culture."

Patricia Ryan Madson, a professor emerita from Stanford University, presents the University Honors Program's Charles D. Tenney Distinguished Lecture Series lecture at 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, April 8, in the Student Center Auditorium. She is the author of, "Improv Wisdom: Don't Prepare, Just Show Up." Admission is free. A book signing and reception follows in Corker Lounge.

Please visit the SIUC Public Events Calendar for information on these and many other events on campus.