This year, the “Year Of” will make students learn to look beyond themselves and see a bigger picture.

The committee planned many events, discussions, and activities throughout the year that will let students look beyond their view of what college is about, as co-chair of the “Year of” committee, Kathryn Adams, explains.

“When you look at an issue, it brings together all the subjects you’re learning,” Adams said. “You may not see it now, you’ll see it someday.”

Multimedia professor Svetlana Kasalovic is a co-chairman. Each year, the “Year of” committee comes up with a theme, which for this year is “Year of Self and Society: Fuzzy Boundaries and Discourses.” With such a theme, Adams hopes it will encourage discussion amongst campus.

“We want whatever the theme to be to encourage debate and to encourage students to have to grapple with something they might be uncomfortable to reconcile,” Adams said.

This year, events will include discussion panels involving religion, politics, the sciences, and the arts. Events will include “What Are Fuzzy Boundaries between Self and Society: An Open Discourse,” an all campus seminar in which participants will discuss what crosses the line between self and society.

Another discussion panel called “The Fuzzy Boundaries between Individual Expression and Social Responsibility” will involve panelists of different religions discussing the balance between freedom of speech and the freedom of practicing a certain religion, as Adams explains.

“In the wake of the Anti-Islamic film that in its intolerance for another faith prompted violent protests, we wish to provide a civil discourse on issues of religious understanding and inclusion and on the freedom to express,” said Adams.

 “What Are Fuzzy Boundaries between Self and Society” will take place in the Forum on Oct. 30 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. while “The Fuzzy Boundaries between Individual Expression and Social Responsibility” will take place on Thursday, Nov. 1, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the EATM auditorium.
When it comes to gathering people for panels and discussions of films being shown on campus to speak to Moorpark students, Adams says that they usually go right on board.
“When you’re passionate about something, you want to assess people who are ready to learn and who can make a difference,” said Adams.
An inspiration for this year’s themeis the effect of current events like the Occupy movement and this year’s election, and Adams hopes to get the effect of such events across to students.
“Your individual role affects a whole society and a whole future and not just our society because the United States has so much influence in the world,” Adams said.