Release Date: January 12, 2005

MONMOUTH, Ill. — The topic “U.S. Intelligence” will kick off the 25th year of the Great Decisions program at Monmouth College on Jan. 19. William Urban, Lee L. Morgan Professor of History and International Studies, will introduce the topic at 7:30 p.m. in the Tartan Room of the college’s Stockdale Center.

Following Urban’s opening remarks, there will be approximately one hour of group discussion. Since 1981, Great Decisions has operated as a forum where the public and the academic community can freely meet in a congenial setting and talk about world affairs. All eight Great Decisions programs this semester are free and open to the public.

“Participating in the program will be a spirited group of faculty members, students, local luminaries and, on occasion, some radical Burlingtonites,” said Ira Smolensky, professor of political science, who is coordinating this year’s program along with Urban. “While Great Decisions has been a wonderfully successful undertaking for all these years, there is always a need for new participants and fresh perspectives.”

For those who don’t mind a little homework, a companion guide called “Great Decisions 2005” is available in the Monmouth College bookstore. It includes eight chapters, each of which takes about a half-hour to read. The final topic, “Global Water Issues,” will be discussed March 16.

“The book is optional, but I encourage people to read it because it presents an excellent and well-balanced introduction to each topic and does so in a very non-partisan way,” Smolensky said.

Great Decisions is a nationwide program sponsored by the Foreign Policy Association, a non-partisan, non-governmental association that works to increase Americans’ understanding of significant foreign policy issues.

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