f you don't quite know what to make of Susan Scotto, that's just the way she likes it. The unconventional lecturer in Russian language and literature is also working on a biography of two alumnae, has written mystery novels, and is the mother of two and the wife of associate professor of Russian Peter Scotto. But she's probably better known for her performance-art pieces about Barbie dolls, her penchant for leopard-patterned clothing, and this year's "Big Bitch" film series.

"When I was doing the Barbie shows, people asked, 'What does this have to do with Russian?' I replied, 'Why should performance art have to be related to what I teach?'" says Scotto. "I resist people's tendency to label others and define their roles. People are far more interesting and varied than we often give them credit for."

She opted off the tenure-track to pursue a variety of passions. "I gave up that security, but it's given me a lot more intellectual freedom." Currently, she's writing a biography of Charlotte and Mary Ely, class of 1861, who worked as missionaries in Turkey. Scotto attracted students to her Russian literature survey course with an online posting promising "Sex! Sin! Avant-garde hijinks!" (It's not just hype; read Tolstoy's Kreutzer Sonata.) She once taught Crime and Punishment by inviting New York City police chief John Timoney to explain why Raskolnikov would have been an immediate suspect in the book's murder. "Our students should realize that those beyond Mount Holyoke's gates have much to offer us in our daily work, and that what we do within these walls is important to those outside them," she explains.

Even when using more traditional teaching methods, Scotto is likely to wear something like an alligator-textured vinyl miniskirt. If she stands out in a largely tweedy academic crowd, that's fine. "Anyone who doesn't dress in accordance with her role gets looks, but the way I look may make people think about what they consider appropriate or inappropriate."

Her recent "Big Bitch" performances and film series might also be considered inappropriate by some. In her performance piece, Scotto says, "Use emotion to inspire you, but use your brains to get what you want. And [use] your body." She explains, "There's no one right way to live your life or to get what you want. Take the best route for yourself, take responsibility for your actions, and to hell with what everyone else thinks." Is Scotto serious? "I'm tackling subjects that I take very seriously, yet I'm doing it in a light-handed, comic manner so people will laugh and enjoy it while also being challenged to think."

What draws together all these disparate aspects of Scotto's personality? "I try and stay open to all possibilities. People are very happy to judge you, but if you're willing to take the heat, you're one step ahead of the game." As the sign on her office door says, "Of course it's hard. If it weren't hard, everyone would do it. Hard is what makes it great!"