EVENT:  In an era of dwindling state funding, what and who do public universities stand for? What forms of knowledge do they rightfully represent? How and for what do we train our students? How and by whom are these choices to be made? “Public/Not Public: Making the Humanities Count” will feature a panel of experts from science, engineering, economics, art, architecture and the humanities who will address these questions, offering different – and often clashing – perspectives on the purpose and mission of publicly supported universities.

WHEN/WHERE:   5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 23, Humanities Instructional Building, Room 135 (grid E8, bldg. 610 on campus map)

The event will also be streamed live on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Q_IOXnMKsc.

INFORMATION:  Media planning to attend should contact Laura Rico at 949-824-9055 or lrico@uci.edu. Parking is available for $10 in the Student Center Parking Structure, at Pereira and West Peltason drives. For more information and a list of panelists, visit http://uchri.org/events/.

BACKGROUND:  The panel discussion is sponsored by the University of California Humanities Research Institute, a multicampus entity based at UC Irvine. The institute bridges gaps between disciplines and seeks to overcome the intellectual and institutional barriers that can separate the humanities from other fields. Recognized nationally and internationally for its leadership, UCHRI also directs its own robust program of intellectual collaborations and public events focused on crucial issues for the future of higher education and the humanities: global perspectives and partnerships; the past, present and future of critical theory; California studies for the 21st century; digital innovation for learning and research; and translating humanities research to engage the public.