Published: April 28, 2002

Students at the University of Colorado at Boulder will have a wider choice of courses this summer featuring guest faculty from universities around the world.

The Faculty-In-Residence-Summer-Term, or FIRST program, starts on May 13 and will continue throughout the summer. The 12 initial faculty members come from New Zealand, Sweden and France, in addition to the United States.

FIRST faculty will teach classes in journalism, music, psychology, law, business, communication, dance and art. Specific classes include "Images of Africa in the American Media," "Technology Tools for Music Educators" and "American Indians, Immigrants and the Law."

"Boulder in the summer is a great place to be," said Anne Heinz, associate vice chancellor of summer session. "Bringing top faculty here to teach during summer session provides students with exposure to more faculty and a greater selection of courses within a particular discipline."

For example, Diane Seligsohn, an American journalist based in Paris for the past 20 years, will teach a seminar examining U.S. media coverage of Africa and how this influences the perception that Americans have of African countries and their people.

Joel Janowitz, who is teaching watercolor painting, has taught at Harvard University, Princeton University and most recently at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

In addition to teaching, the FIRST program complements the scholarship of CU-Boulder's faculty. Many FIRST faculty members will conduct joint research projects with CU-Boulder faculty during their visits.

For example, Professor Mats Alvesson of Lund University in Sweden will work with CU-Boulder faculty on a research project at Storage Technology Corp. in Louisville in addition to teaching a senior seminar on organizational communication.

Each school and college at CU-Boulder sent a call out to all departments to nominate potential faculty to receive supplemental grants offered to FIRST faculty.

"We had an incredible turnout of nominees given that this is a brand new program," said Carol Mehls, summer session manager. "This is really meeting the needs of departments and students."

Summer classes can help CU students keep on course to graduate in four years, augment graduate students' degree programs, offer professionals courses needed for certificate programs and provide a head start for high school students heading to college, Heinz said. They also are open to students from other universities and members of the community.

Â鶹ÊÓƵ 6,500 students enroll in CU-Boulder's summer session and about 90 percent are CU undergraduates. All summer session students are eligible to live in campus housing.

Interested students can register for a summer class up to one week before the class begins. For registration information call (303) 492-5148 or 1-800-331-2801.

For more information about FIRST and other summer session classes visit the Web site at .