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Deadline for submissions is Tuesday at 5 p.m. of the week preceding publication. Send submissions to: pubnews@sfsu.edu. Please include a contact name and extension.
In accordance with the Board of Trustees policy, the CSU is conducting its three-year review of President Robert A. Corrigan. While certain SFSU officers and a random sampling of faculty, administrators and staff will be contacted for individual comments, all members of the campus community are invited to submit comments. Any comments should respond to the specific criteria posted on the CSU Web site at: www.calstate.edu/datastore/PresCriteria.shtml.
Those wishing to submit confidential letters should do so no later than Friday, March 15. Unsigned letters and petitions will not be accepted. Letters should be addressed to: Dr. Charles B. Reed, Chancellor, California State University, 401 Golden Shore, Suite 641, Long Beach, CA 90802-4210.
In an effort to assist faculty, staff and students find housing in San Francisco's tight urban housing market, the SFSU Foundation purchased an additional 153 apartments at The Villas Parkmerced in late December. The units are located adjacent to the campus on Holloway to Varela and Serrano to Font.
Units are currently available and faculty, staff and students are invited to call (415) 405-4600 or visit the residential management office located across the street from the University's Administration Building. The one-, two- and three-bedroom units are managed for the Foundation by Carmel Partners, Management of The Villas Parkmerced.
Information on the apartments is also available by e-mailing Linda Valdez at lindav@sfsu.edu.
The Foundation also owns 27 units, known as "Tapia Triangle," that were purchased two years ago. Both purchases were financed solely by the Foundation, a California 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation, established in 1946. No taxpayer money was used for either purchase.
As reported in an earlier edition of CampusMemo, HealthStart, the faculty/staff wellness program has changed its name to FitnessPlus. Both fee-based and free fitness programs are available year round. This semester's classes have space for new participants.
For details, call ext. 8-7874 or visit:www.sfsu.edu/~fitplus.
Faculty and staff are asked to encourage graduating students to attend free job search workshops as well as other Career Center events. A complete list of workshops, career fairs and participating employers is available on the "Events Calendar" link on the Career Center Web site: www.sfsu.edu/~career.
This Week
"New Generations: Collaborative Arts and Learning (CO-LAB)," an exhibit of work created by Bay Area artists teamed up with groups of youth artists, can be viewed at two venues through March 21. CO-LAB work can be seen at the Fine Arts Gallery, from noon to 4 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and at San Francisco Arts Commission Gallery from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. The Arts Commission Gallery is located at 401 Van Ness Ave. Both exhibitions are free.
The campus community is also invited to the CO-LAB opening reception from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday. Complimentary bus service between the Fine Arts Gallery and Arts Commission Gallery will be provided. For details, call ext. 8-6535.
Dimitris Tziovas, professor of Modern Greek Studies and director of the Centre for Byzantine, Ottoman and Modern Greek Studies at the University of Birmingham, will present two seminars today. "Self-identity and the Poetics of Manhood in Kazantzakis' 'Freedom or Death'" will be presented from 2:10 to 3:25 p.m. in HUM 384 and "Literary Responses to Censorship: Seferis' 'On Aspalathoi...'" will be presented from 6:10 to 8:55 p.m. in HUM 381.
Tziovas' visit is sponsored by the Alexander Onassis Public Benefit Foundation. For details, contact the Center for Modern Greek Studies at ext. 8-1892 or modgreek@sfsu.edu.
The SFSU Jazz Combo, organized by Andrew Speight, will give a free concert at 1 p.m. Tuesday in Knuth Hall. Speight, a member of the Music Department faculty, is an internationally known alto saxophonist.
David Hellman, senior assistant librarian, will discuss "The Book in the New Millennium" from 3 to 4 p.m. Tuesday in the deBellis Room on the sixth floor of the Library.
The presentation, part of the History of the Book Colloquium series, will be followed by a reception.
Rabbi Stuart Kelman of congregation Netivot Shalom in Berkeley will speak on "End of Life Issues: Jewish Funeral Practices" at noon Wednesday in HUM 416.
The event, sponsored by the Jewish Studies Program, is part of the Academica Judaica lecture series.
Joel Kassiola, dean of the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences, will speak on "The Aftermath of 9/11 and Environmental Political Theory" from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday in HSS 154. The event is part of the College's Faculty Lecture Series.
When the class clown is the teacher
"The Role of Humor in the Classroom," a discussion for faculty members about teaching, will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. Thursday in the Verducci Room of the University Club. The discussion is part of the "Let's Talk About Teaching" series. Refreshments will be provided.
For details and a complete series schedule, contact Ray Pestrong at ext. 8-2080 or rayp@sfsu.edu
"Improving Multimedia and Online Courses with Instructional Design," a live television satellite seminar on effective teaching, will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday in AV 36 of the Library.
The telecast, the third in a series of programs on instructional technology survival skills offered by PBS, will also be available on tape through the Audio Visual/Instructional Television Center.
For details or a participant's packet, contact Val Sakovich at ext. 8-2634 or sakovich@sfsu.edu or Brigid Duffy at ext. 8-1493 or bduffy@sfsu.edu.
All faculty, staff and student groups who wish to be included in the University open house "Sneak Preview 2002" program on Saturday, April 6, must submit their "Intent to Participate/Space Reservation" form by noon Friday.
Submissions should be sent to Frieda Lee, SSB 106, faxed to ext. 8-0903 or e-mailed to friedale@sfsu.edu.
The Philosophy Department presents the V.J. McGill Memorial Lecture for 2002 at 4 p.m. Friday in HUM 392. John McCumber, professor of German and philosophy at Northwestern University, will speak on "Language as a Common Good."
McCumber is the author of "Poetic Interaction: Language, Freedom, Reason."
Peter Radcliff, emeritus professor of philosophy, will introduce the lecture.
The campus community is invited to join Penelope V. Flores, Secondary Education, in celebrating the publication of "Reflections: Filipino American Readings for the Young and Old" at 6 p.m. Friday in the Cahill Lab, BH 352.
The book, edited by Flores, was recently published by the Philippine American Artists and Writers Association.
Coming Up
Martha Klironomos, Modern Greek Studies, will discuss "Diaspora Studies in The Academy Today" from 3 to 5 p.m. Wednesday, March 6, in the deBellis Room on the sixth floor of the Library. The event is sponsored by the Friends of J. Paul Leonard Library.
Robin Imhof, Library, will present "The History of the Mechanics' Institute Libraries in North America" from 3 to 4 p.m. Tuesday, March 12, in the deBellis Room on the sixth floor of the Library.
A Jan. 11 article in The Salinas Californian featured an S.F. State program that gives engineering students hands-on experience evaluating the energy efficiency of local big business. Recommendations by students have helped companies save from several thousands dollars to $200,000 a year. "It's a great financial benefit to industry, conserves natural resources, provides real-world training to students, benefits faculty members in their teaching and research and connects the university to the community," said Ahmad Ganji, professor of engineering and director of the nine-year old program.
In an effort to better understand the effects of global warning, William Cochlan, senior research scientist at the Romberg Tiburon Center for Environmental Studies, and graduate assistant Julian Herndon, are conducting a scientific experiment along the coasts of Antarctica, the Jan. 14 edition of the Marin Independent Journal reported. They will deposit a rust-like iron powder along the ocean surface to spur abundant growth of phytoplankton, an organism that naturally "traps" carbon dioxide, thus reducing warming. "We are not going down to solve global warming, but rather to try to understand the mechanisms at work there ... This experiment will give us a good sense of how the ocean works," Cochlan said.
A rise in demand for college courses in Arabic, Middle-East culture, and Islamic studies since Sept. 11 has spurred search committees across the country to find suitable professors to fill open tenure track positions, according to a Jan. 21 Newsweek article. "There's been a terrible dearth in hiring of Islamicists--until recently," said Rodger Birt, professor of humanities and chair of S.F. State's search team for an Islamic studies professor, which had begun before the attacks. The once esoteric field has become increasingly popular despite hiring freezes and a recession, the article stated.
The Jan. 21 issue of Publishers Weekly printed a Q&A with Jacob Needleman, professor of philosophy, regarding his new book, The American Soul: Rediscovering the Wisdom of the Founders. The book explores the spiritual wisdom of the founding fathers, like Washington, Franklin, Jefferson and Lincoln. "On many levels, the spirituality of Americans is becoming apparent since the Sept. 11 attacks," he said. "It is a spirituality that is the search for love, compassion and truth within ourselves."
Needleman was also part of a Feb. 17 KRON-Channel 4 interview, as well as interviews on KCBS-AM and KGO-AM on Feb. 18, President's Day. "You don't see people parading for their duties, just for their rights," he said in response to the surge of patriotism in the U.S. since the attacks. "But every right has a duty attached to it. When I have the freedom of speech, I also have the duty to try to speak the truth and to listen to others."
The introduction of S.F. State's new master's degree in human sexuality studies was featured in the Jan. 26 edition of the San Francisco Chronicle. The first of its kind in the Western United States, the program is intended for future teachers, ministers, health care providers, counselors and human resources specialists. "The most fundamental reason a program like this is needed is ... the majority of young people coming to state college have no basic sexual education, even human anatomy, how to protect themselves, let alone what's the meaning of sexual practice," said Gil Herdt, director of the program in Human Sexuality Studies.
George Lee, professor of international business, commented in a Feb. 13 KTVU-Channel 2 interview about proposed legislation before Congress that would limit financial contributions from special interest groups. "Some people call it U.S. democracy, other people call it plutocracy -- one dollar, one vote," he said. "We have a democracy where we get one vote. We have checks and balances, which is really great. But we have these special interest groups that spend a lot of money influencing legislation that puts money in their pockets, which is a big problem."
Robert Chope, professor of counseling, commented on Sherron Watkins' testimony before Congress on the collapse of Enron Corp. for a Feb. 14 KTVU-Channel 2 report. Watkins was the only top Enron executive to openly express concern over the company's off-the-books partnerships. "It took a tremendous amount of integrity to do what she did," said Chope, who has researched whistleblowers. "That's characteristic of people who are whistle blowers as they do this for personal ethics, but mostly for professional responsibility. You put those two things together then you add somebody who also has scientific knowledge or technical information and you'll have someone who has the potential to be a pretty good whistle blower."
In a KTVU-Channel 2 news broadcast that aired Feb. 18, Marshall Windmiller, emeritus professor of international relations, discussed the diplomatic repercussions of isolating specific countries for their terrorist ties, in response to President Bush's description of rogue countries North Korea, Iraq and Iran. "We can't do it alone. When you destroy the foundations of diplomacy, you destroy your ability to get people to support your cause," he said. "What President Bush has said may trigger a military action by the North Koreans, and they may be in a war they don't want."
A Feb. 3 San Francisco Chronicle story focused on the ambivalent feelings some minorities feel toward the U.S.-led war against terrorism and the recent outward shows of patriotism by many Americans, which remind them that they often haven't been treated as full citizens. James Quesada, associate professor of anthropology, acknowledged that the war on terrorism brings back memories for immigrants who left war-torn countries for the U.S. "This sounds callous, but I think there's a sense that Americans may not have a sense of what other people have gone through," he said. Queseda feels that these immigrants have a "hankering for Americans to empathize" with their experiences.
The rise in online research has put additional stress on already under-funded university libraries reports the Feb. 10 edition of the San Francisco Chronicle. While libraries scramble to provide patrons with access to digital material, they also try to instruct them on the perils of online-only research. Darlene Tong, head of information, research and instructional services at the J. Paul Leonard Library, said students often are not aware that information on private or commercial Web sites is not edited, fact checked or backed up by reliable research, unlike the information available in digital and online databases. "It is very hard to get students to distinguish because it looks the same," she said.
SFSU's Founders' Day: Party like it's 1899!
Come join the celebration Thursday, March 21, as SFSU turns 103. See the annoucnement on the back of this issue of CampusMemo for details.
Did you know ...
- In 1931, after SF State's student newspaper, the "Bay Leaf," calls for the school to adopt a mascot, a reader proposes the alligator -- because "it is strong and we hope our teams have strength. It is well-built and is steadfast, steadily moving toward its goal." The reader also proposes spelling the Golden Gaters with an "e" to typify our San Franciscan location to strangers. Students vote to adopt it. Contenders for the school mascot included the "Purple Puma," "Golden Seal," "Golden Lion," and "Golden Panther."
- In the mid 1940's, SFSU actually had two live baby alligators as mascots. Named "Oogie" and "Albert," the alligators were donated to a private zoo in 1947 when school officials realized that babies soon grow up.
Heard a report from Subject Matter Studies Coordinator Helen Goldsmith:
- Standards for subject matter preparation of prospective multiple subject (elementary school) and special education teachers have recently been changed by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing.
- Liberal Studies and Child & Adolescent Development (CAD) majors offer subject matter preparation programs so students do not have to take the Multiple Subjects Assessment for Teachers (MSAT) exam.
- A review of the current programs will be conducted.
- Standards are more specific and extensive than in the past; some substantial revisions may be necessary.
- Changes to the standards will impact many departments as most offer courses that satisfy the current Liberal Studies and CAD programs.
- Last week a team from SFSU attended a meeting organized by the CSU Statewide Academic Senate on "Subject Matter Preparation of Multiple Subject Teachers." SFSU's team consisted of Deans Jake Perea, Jerald Combs, Dan Buttlaire, Nancy McDermid, and Dave Dempsey from Geosciences, Richard Hoffman from History, Bob Cherny from History and Goldsmith.
- Faculty, staff and students with questions about the new standards can contact Goldsmith, the college dean, a member of the team, or the college's representative(s) to the Liberal Studies Council. A copy of the new standards is available at http://www.ctc.ca.gov/SB2042/SB2042_info.html. Click on "Standards of Program Quality and Effectiveness for the Subject Matter Requirement for the Multiple Subject Teaching Credential."
In the action part of the meeting, the Senate:
- Voted to return to the College of Business curriculum committee the proposed revision to its' undergraduate curricular program.
- Approved revision to the bachelor of arts degree in English: concentration in creative writing.
- Approved bachelor of science degree in apparel design and merchandising.
- Approved bachelor of science degree in interior design.
- Approved a resolution in support of amending the spring 2002 calendar for filing faculty activity reports (FAR). The last day for all faculty to submit FAR to departments is Monday, April 15.
The next meeting of the Academic Senate will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. Tuesday, March 5, in 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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Last modified February 20, 2002, by the Office of Public Affairs