I met Ray MacConnell at my very first job after college: He worked in the advertising department and I worked in the editorial department of a local suburban weekly newspaper chain.

Ray left the newspapers to come to the University when Wilson Commons opened; the rest of us were jealous, I remember. I came by to see him after I started working here on campus myself. I walked into the office, and it was like I hadn?t seen him in 22 hours, not 22 years. Not only did he recognize and remember me, but he hadn?t changed a bit himself. He was as warm and funny and easy to talk to as ever. He even looked the same! (How do you do that, Ray?) I was able to catch up on what he was doing not only from him, but from one of the former CT editors, Steve Bradt, who was working in our PR office. That?s how I learned Ray has these great cooking talents (can I get a sample?) on top of his beautiful work with flowers (yes, he did the flowers for my wedding).

It?s great to see you again, Ray. Congratulations on the super job you?ve been doing for 25 years, and I wish you all the best for another 25!



Conversations that matter: Nora Rubel’s hope of shaping future political discourse on Israel and Palestine

Interpreted by some as an anti-Israel and anti-Zionist series, Rubel emphasized that while the need to support a particular side passionately is understandable, it is crucial to be aware of what you are standing behind by exposing yourself to historical and present knowledge.

We must keep fighting, and we will

While those with power myopically fret about the volume of speech and the health of grass, so many instead turn their attention to lives of hundreds of thousands of human beings.

Please stop messing with my pants

It started off with small things. One morning, the cuffs of my pants were slightly shorter, almost imperceptibly so.