Chris Baker, alumnus of the University of Iowa School of Journalism and Mass Communication, will read from his new book, "Others Had It Worse: Sour Dock, Moonshine, and Hard Times in Davis County, Iowa," at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 5, in a free reading at Prairie Lights Books in downtown Iowa City.

The University of Iowa School of Music will present a jam session by jazz faculty members from 8 to 10 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 3, at George’s, 312 E. Market St. in downtown Iowa City. The performance, part of a monthly series, is free and open to the public.

Geoffrey G. O’Brien, graduate of the University of Iowa Writers’ Workshop, will read from "People on Sunday" at 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 9, in a free reading at Prairie Lights Books in downtown Iowa City. The reading also will be streamed live on the UI Writing University website.

The University of Iowa is pleased to announce the following faculty promotions. The promotions are effective for the 2013-14 academic year, beginning July 1.

The University of Iowa School of Music will present a faculty recital by Amy Schendel, assistant professor of trumpet, at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 30, in Riverside Recital Hall on the UI campus. The performance, which is free and open to the public, will also feature Elaina Burns on piano and Todd Schendel on trombone.

Offering too much support can be even more damaging to a relationship than giving too little, but "esteem support"—telling your partner you have faith that they'll figure out how to tackle the problem is most likely to be welcome, says Erika Lawrence, a UI psychologist.

Martin Luther King, Jr's "I Have a Dream" speech defined a movement to improve the lives of African-Americans in this country. “Its importance was immediately apparent,” says Colin Gordon, UI history professor.

The University of Iowa School of Music will present “Tony and Friends,” a free performance featuring UI cello faculty member Anthony Arnone, at 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 1, in Riverside Recital Hall on the UI campus.

Professor Katherine H. Tachau of the UI Department of History in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences has been appointed by President Barack Obama to the National Council on the Humanities, the advisory board for the National Endowment for the Humanities.

MBA programs face an array of challenges that will require a nimble response, and among those things that schools must address is what and how teachers teach, according to studies by two University of Iowa professors.

The University of Iowa Department of Theatre Arts will hold open auditions for productions, graduate directing projects, and workshops Aug. 29-Sept. 1.

Harilaos Stecopoulos, associate professor in the Department of English in the University of Iowa College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, will succeed Russell Scott Valentino as editor of "The Iowa Review" this fall.