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Dear Colleagues,
Last week, the Academic Senate devoted the last half hour of its meeting to a discussion of the campus' response to the Sept. 11 attacks and their aftermath. I came away from the conversation feeling that we are doing quite well as a community, that, in fact, this campus has been something of an oasis for some of our faculty, students and staff. I am not discounting the pain and anxiety that many feel. It is reflected in such things as increased visits to Counseling and changes in student classroom behavior. One Senator reported that her students were showing problems in concentration, anxiety, and depression, some even questioning the value of their studies. Other faculty spoke of "visible sadness," a "loss of innocence" and more late papers. A department chair who has noticed some stress among new faculty, particularly international faculty, suggested a kind of continuation of faculty orientation, to give these colleagues more sense of how our emergency plan works and "where the safe have ns are." Linking all these comments was mutual concern and a desire to find more ways to help each other.
Many signs are positive. It was good to hear from OIP Director Yenbo Wu that our international student population is staying with us; we know of only one such student to date who has returned home. A faculty member with a Middle Eastern surname spoke of his painful experience with profiling as he sought to board a domestic flight, and concluded "It's good to be back on the campus." The "Love is stronger than hate" slogan and our efforts to communicate widely and often appear to be reassur ing and helpful. Students are talking openly and at length with each other through both planned and informal gatherings at the free speech area. Some of those sessions have lasted all afternoon. No incidents of harassment related to Sept. 11 have been reported, and Public Safety Chief Wible remarked that campus crime has declined since that day.
Some excellent suggestions emerged from the discussion. We're going to set up an electronic forum for faculty to share ideas about teaching and supporting their students most effectively in these difficult times. The Senate and I will be moving ahead more rapidly to plan a series of events, probably for the spring, to foster campuswide learning and discussion of the issues raised by the new world picture. Senate Chair Vaughn, Provost La Belle and I will continue to host small dinners for faculty, particularly those newly hired, and if issues emerge in those conversations that suggest a need for other meetings or support, we'll provide them. I think that many of us would benefit from a refresher on our emergency plan and procedures, and that will be forthcoming very soon.
But as I said to the Senate, we want your ideas for how best to continue to sustain our campus community. If there are things we are not doing that you think we should do, let me know. Now more than ever, we need to communicate with each other.
Robert A. Corrigan
President
Faculty and staff will soon find an information packet in their campus mailbox about the California State Employees Campaign (CSEC), an opportunity for campus employees to donate to their favorite causes. Please return contribution forms to the Office of Public Affairs, Lakeview Center, Room 110 or to Human Resources, ADM 252. Forms may be sent through campus mail or dropped off during normal business hours, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday - Friday. For more information, contact Beckie Jankiewicz at ext. 8-16 66.
Nathalie Destandau of the Learning Assistance Center will present the academic skills workshop "Revising Your Writing" today at noon in ADM 460.
The CIC is collecting canned goods for the Samaritan House in San Mateo. The CIC will be collecting canned foods in Building T-A and at table that will be in front of Malcom X Plaza from 12 to 2 p.m. today through Thursday and on Monday, Nov. 19, and Tuesday, Nov. 20. For details, contact Lori at ext. 8-1486.
The final fall event in the College of Humanities Colloquia will run from noon to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday in HUM 587. Maxine Chernoff, chair of creative writing, will speak on "'I Take My Waking Slow': An Intimate Look at the Writing Process."
Bill Christmas, professor of English, will offer a colloquium with slides on "The Gentleman's Magazine" from 4 to 5 p.m. Tuesday in HUM 203. The presentation is part of a colloquium series on the history of the book sponsored by the Department of English, the Graduate Literature Association and the Friends of the J. Paul Leonard Library. Refreshments will be served.
The Board of Directors will meet at 8 a.m. Wednesday in the Verducci Room of the University Club.
A reception for the Museum Studies' fall exhibition "Fire Beneath the Earth: Pottery from Pre-Conquest Nicaragua." will be held from 3 to 6 p.m. Wednesday in HUM 510.
The ceramics are on loan from the Mills College Art Museum. The exhibition is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Mon.-Fri., through Dec. 7 in HUM 510.
A memorial for Wolf Stadler, professor of engineering, will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday in the University Club.
Oloph K. Granath, DDS, will present "Honoring the Mouth-Body Relationship" from 12:10 to 1:45 p.m. Thursday in HSS 306.
Science and Engineering Dean candidate
Hector Flores, the first candidate for Dean of the College of Science and Engineering, will give a seminar entitled "Underground Plant Biochemistry: Basic and Applied Perspectives" at 2:30 p.m. Friday in SCI 101. After the seminar, Flores, professor of plant pathology and biotechnology at Pennsylvania State University, will be available for questions concerning his candidacy. There will be a reception from 2 to 2:30 p.m. in SCI 101.
John Hafernik, the second candidate for Dean of the College of Science and Engineering, will present "From Damsels in Distress to Sex Stings: Studies in Insect Evolution and Conservation" at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 20, in SCI 201. After the seminar, Hafernik, professor of biology and chair of biology at SFSU, will be available for questions. There will be a reception from 3:30 to 4 p.m. in SCI 101.
Jonathan Veitch, a candidate for Dean of Humanities, will participate in an open forum and reception from 4 to 6 p.m. Monday, Nov. 26 in the University Club. Veitch is chair of humanities at New School University in New York.
Nonresident alien taxation workshop for employees
Letters are being mailed this month to all current employees (faculty, staff, graduate teaching associates, and graduate assistants) who may be nonresident aliens (NRA), asking them to complete and return a Foreign National Information form to help SFSU ensure that appropriate taxes are being withheld for wages and other payments.
In order to assist NRA employees in this process, Internal Audit, Human Resources, and the Office of International Programs are inviting all NRA employees to attend an informational workshop on nonresident alien taxation that will run from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 27 in the NEC Conference Room, ADM 560. A separate workshop will be scheduled for student assistants.
The workshop will provide an overview of nonresident alien taxation issues, including what it is, why compliance is important, withholding rates and a Q&A session to address any concerns NRA employees may have. To register, contact Irene Donner at ext. 82763 or idonner@sfsu.edu.
Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, CampusMemo will not be published next Monday, Nov. 19. Publication will resume Monday, Nov. 26. Please note that all items submitted for the Nov. 26 edition must be received by 5 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 15. We appreciate your cooperation and understanding for this early deadline. Thank you and enjoy the holiday.
The J. Paul Leonard Library invites campus units to take possession of card catalogs that the Library no longer will house, particularly for Masters Theses from 19601990, and/or catalog cabinets for your resource collections. Please contact Robert Michalske at rsm5515@sfsu.edu or ext. 81632 by Monday, Nov. 26.
Heard from Chair Pamela Vaughn who announced:CampusMemo Archive
- A Lecturer Council meeting from 34 p.m. Nov. 27 in ADM 455.
- A memorandum was sent from the Executive Committee to Keith Morrison, Dean of the College of Creative Arts, with a recommendation regarding interdisciplinary arts in the College.
Heard from Bob Cherny, CSU Senator, about a recent special session of the CSU where it was reported that:
- Due to the economic downturn, energy purchases that jeopardized the state budgets, and the decline in tourism from the events of 9/11, the state's economy looks very grim for the next two years.
- In seeking to adjust state spending, the Department of Finance has asked the CSU for $25 million (1% cut) effective immediately and for scenarios of 3, 5, 10, & 15% cuts in next years budgets; however, the CSU has not complied on the basis that it is currently underfunded.
- Chancellor Reed stated that the CSU will not lay off tenured or tenuretrack faculty and that we will continue to hire T/TT faculty in large numbers.
- Recent changes to the teacher credentialing requirements in California are so sweeping a special systemwide conference will be held December 6 & 7.
Heard from Provost La Belle who reported that:
- Money generated from funding for the new summer program will make it possible for 7580 new tenure and tenuretrack appointments over the next five years.
- The new hires will not fill old positions but will be new faculty positions.
- The first 15 to 20 new hires will be made for this fall with searches beginning after midDecember.
- There are four goals for the new hires: (1) meet department enrollment targets, (2) enhance program quality, (3) target outstanding academics and (4) use some for adjunct or visiting professor position.
- The goals for hiring are in developmental phases and Provost La Belle requests input from faculty.
Heard from Marsha Melnick, former chair of the University Sabbatical Committee, who reported:
- That the committee had reviewed 49 proposals and recommended 30 to the Provost to be awarded sabbatical leaves.
- On the criteria for recommending the candidates
The Senate took the following actions:
- Approved changes to the Interdisciplinary Digital Arts Certificate Program.
- Approved changes to the membership of the University Committee on Written English Proficiency.
- Opened the floor to discussion about ways to keep in touch with and be sensitive to the emotions and concerns of students, faculty and staff relating to the tragedy of Sept. 11.
- Heard from Willie Mullins, Clinical Director, Counseling and Psychological Services about his view of the campus climate and what we may expect in the future
The next meeting of the Academic Senate will be held on: Tuesday, November 20th, 24 p.m. Seven Hills Conference Center *All are welcome to attend Visit the Academic Senate Website at www.sfsu.edu/~senate
To send events: call EXT 8-1665 or send e-mail to pubnews@sfsu.edu
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