Volume 55, Number 29   April 14, 2008         

SF Mayor to keynote 2008 Commencement
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom will be the keynote speaker at San Francisco State University's 107th Commencement on Saturday, May 24. Newsom, now in his second term, is internationally known for his commitment to social justice and other issues ranging from homelessness to the environment. Since he was elected San Francisco's 42nd mayor in 2004, Newsom and his administration have partnered with SF State on many initiatives and programs including SF Promise, a program that guarantees acceptance at SF State to San Francisco high school students who qualify for college.

Employee tuition fee waiver now available
The Fee Waiver and Reduction Program information for summer 2008 is now available in ADM 252. The fee waiver and reduction program enables eligible University employees to take courses, which are work related or are part of an approved individual career development plan, at reduced rates. For more information on the Fee Waiver & Reduction Program, visit www.sfsu.edu/~hrwww/index.html

2008 Panetta Congressional Internship Program
Faculty are encouraged to invite outstanding students to apply for the 2008 Panetta Congressional Internship Program. Offered during the fall semester, the program is open to students who are appointed by the presidents of each of the 23 CSU campuses. Students majoring in any subject are eligible. Applications require:

• A letter of interest from the student applicant
• An official transcript that demonstrates high academic achievement
• A letter of reference from an SF State faculty member
• Evidence of community service and commitment to public service
• Department chair signature

The application deadline is April 16. For application forms, contact Bonnie Hale at ext. 5-3841 or e-mail bhale@sfsu.edu

Faculty associate openings
Tenured faculty may apply for one of two faculty associate positions for fall 2008 in the Center for Teaching and Faculty Development (CFTD). Each position brings .20 assigned time to work on one of several possible projects related to teaching and scholarship, including universal design for learning, the scholarship of teaching and learning, and modeling and teaching equity and social justice. The deadline for proposals is April 25. For more information, contact CTFD at ctfd@sfsu.edu or ext. 8-6456. Applications are available at www.sfsu.edu/~ctfd

Search for dean of faculty affairs and professional development
Nominations and applications are invited for the position of dean of faculty affairs and professional development. The position description, including application instructions, is available on the Academic Affairs Web site: http://academic.sfsu.edu/positions.php The search committee will begin reviewing applications and nominations April 28. For additional information, contact Christine Nagaya at ext. 8-1142 or e-mail cnagaya1@sfsu.edu

News from the Academic Senate
The Academic Senate will meet Tuesday from 2 to 5 p.m. in the Nob Hill Room of the Seven Hills Conference Center. The agenda will include:

• Approval of the agenda for April 15, 2008
• Approval of the minutes from April 1, 2008
• A report from University Librarian Deborah Masters on Library renovations
• Recommendations from the Faculty Affairs Committee on clerical updates, second reading
• A recommendation from the Curriculum Review and Approval Committee regarding a Certificate in Dietetics: Focus on Older Adults, first reading
• Recommendation from the Educational Policies Council on the proposed discontinuance of the joint doctorate in Special Education, first reading
• A recommendation from the Educational Policies Council regarding the proposed discontinuance of the Interdisciplinary Digital Arts Certificate, first reading
• Recommendation from the Educational Policies Council about the proposed discontinuance of the B.S. in Business Administration concentration and minor in Human Resource Management, concentrations in Hotel Management; Restaurant & Institutional Foodservice Management; Commercial Recreation & Resort Management, first reading
• Recommendations from the Faculty Affairs Committee about a proposed policy on timely textbook adoptions, first reading
• A recommendation from the Academic Policies Committee about proposed course criteria per the Graduate Writing Assessment Requirements (GWAR), first reading

For more information, visit the Academic Senate Web site at www.sfsu.edu/~senate

Online elections for University-wide committees
Online elections will be held through April 18 for the following committee positions:

• Academic Freedom
• At-large Academic Senator
• Honorary Degree Committee
• University Advancement Activities Advisory Committee
• University Search Committee for Associate Vice President of Academic Resources
• University Tenure and Promotions Committee

Nominee position statements can be viewed at www.sfsu.edu/~senate/elections/

To access the voting system Web page, visit www.sfsu.edu/senatevote
After entering your SFSU ID and PAC number, a brief introduction to the voting system will be displayed. Votes are considered final after indicating "yes" to "cast your ballot." For questions, contact the Academic Senate office at ext. 5-1264 or e-mail senate@sfsu.edu

Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Report
The Academic Senate will sponsor a meeting to discuss the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Institutional Proposal Draft. Guest speaker Linda Buckley, associate vice president of Academic Planning and Educational Effectiveness, will give a 20-minute presentation and answer questions prior to the regularly scheduled Academic Senate Meeting on Tuesday, April 29. The report will begin at 1:30 p.m.

This week's Insiders include: Professor of Art Lewis DeSoto who is displaying a new exhibit, Theatre Arts Professor Joan Arhelger who designed the sets for "A Streetcar Named Desire," and a group of Librarians who attended the California Academic and Research Libraries biannual conference.

Read Insiders: www.sfsu.edu/~news/cmemo/spring08/apr14insiders.htm

This week in Newsmakers: Assistant Professor of Cinema Weimin Zhang discusses the symbolism of passing the 2008 Olympic torch; Assistant Professor of International Relations Andrei Tsygankov addresses "Russophobia" in U.S. politics and Associate Professor of Broadcast and Electronic Communication Arts Melissa Camacho comments on how the media depicts the "soccer mom."

Read Newsmakers: www.sfsu.edu/~news/cmemo/spring08/apr14news.htm

Monday
BSS faculty research series
Professor of Political Science Martin Carcieri will give the lecture, "Rawls, Affirmative Action and Reparations," Monday from 4 to 5:30 p.m. in HSS 361. The lecture is part of the BSS Faculty Research Series and is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Kathy Johnson at kathyjoh@sfsu.edu

Wednesday
AIDS Awareness Days events
The campus community is invited to attend a series of free events for the 12th annual AIDS Awareness Days on Tuesday and Wednesday across campus. For more information, contact Michael Ritter at ext. 8-7339. April 15 events include: EROS and AS Performing Arts presents Latex Workshops, Jack Adams Hall, Cesar Chavez Student Center, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; AIDS awareness films, Jack Adams Hall, Cesar Chavez Student Center, 3:30 to 5 p.m. April 16: Annual LATEXHIBITION, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Main Quad; speakers and handouts from community organizations, cultural performances, free HIV antibody testing by Student Health Services, noon to 2 p.m. Malcolm X Plaza and the Quad; youth panel on living with HIV, 2:30 to 4 p.m., Richard Oakes Multicultural Room, Cesar Chavez Student Center. 

Thursday
'Jesus Hopped the A Train'
The Theatre Arts Department presents an M.A. thesis production of "Jesus Hopped the A Train" at 8 p.m. April 17-18 and 2 p.m. April 19-20 in the Studio Theatre, Creative Arts building. Written by Stephen Adly Guirgis and directed by Ben Baker, "Jesus Hopped the A Train" centers on 30-year-old New York bike messenger Angel Cruz, who has lost his best friend to a religious cult. Admission is free. For details, call ext. 8-1341 or visit http://theatre.sfsu.edu

Health disparities seminar
Dr. Candace Wong will speak about "Reducing Cardiovascular Health Disparities among Asian Americans: Lessons Learned from Two Communities," on Thursday from noon to 1:15 p.m. in Room T-160 of the Cesar Chavez Student Center.  To RSVP, e-mail roma@sfsu.edu or call ext. 8-2978.

Friday
'Sound Come-Unity' concert
Spanning musical traditions from five continents, "Sound Come-Unity" features an all-star ensemble of Music, Dance and Ethnic Studies faculty, alumni and guest artists led by Associate Professor of World Music Hafez Modirzadeh at 7 p.m., Friday. The ensemble creates a unique, improvised sound with traditional vocals and instruments from across the globe. The concert is the grand finale of "ImprovisAsians 2008! Origins of Now," an annual week of workshops, performances and dialogues exploring the artistic contributions of Asian Americans within a larger social context. This event is presented by the SF State World Music and Dance Program in collaboration with Asian Improv aRts. For details, call ext. 8-1431 or visit: http://creativearts.sfsu.edu/pr

Coming Up
Chamber Singers' home concert
The SF State Chamber Singers, an advanced choral group in the School of Music and Dance conducted by Professor Joshua Habermann, perform their annual Home Concert at 8 p.m. April 19 at St. Albert’s Priory, 6172 Chabot Road, Oakland. The Chamber Singers of Albany High School will perform as well. The program includes works by Australian and German composers and traditional folk-song arrangements from Cuba and the Philippines. Admission is $15 general/$10 students and seniors. For details, call ext. 8-1431 or visit: http://musicdance.sfsu.edu.

Morrison Artists Series: East Coast Chamber Orchestra
The Morrison Artists Series presents its final concert of the 2007-08 season April 20 at 3 p.m. in McKenna Theatre, Creative Arts building with the East Coast Chamber Orchestra (ECCO). The 17-piece orchestra performs without a conductor. Admission is free. For details, call ext. 8-1431 or visit www.morrisonseries.org

Greek economic lecture
The Center for Modern Greek studies presents a lecture by Theodore Pelagidis, professor of economics at the University of Piraeus, Greece, on Monday, April 21 at 7:30 p.m. HUM 587. For more information, call ext. 8-1892 or visit www.sfsu.edu/~modgreek

Free autism lecture
Teachers, parents and alumni are invited to a free lecture by Assistant Professor of Special Education Pamela Wolfberg Thursday April 24 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. in HUM 301. The lecture, titled "Autism Today and Its Impact in the Classroom," is part of the College of Education speakers series. To RSVP, contact Carol Fuerth at ext. 8-3371 or cfuerth@sfsu.edu

Discussing the seven points of mind training
Tibetan Buddhist monk Khen Rinpoche will speak Saturday, April 26 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. in HSS 310. The talk will focus on the seven points of mind training, a fundamental practice in Mahayana Buddhist tradition. The talk is free. For more information contact the Institute for Holistic Health Studies at ext. 8-6416 or aburke@sfsu.edu

SF State Faculty Concert Series
At 8 p.m. April 28, Professor of Classical Piano William Corbett-Jones will be joined by San Francisco Symphony performers, cellist Margaret Tait and clarinetist Luis Baez, at a special concert in Knuth Hall, Creative Arts building. Admission is $10 general/$7 for students and seniors. For details, call ext. 8-1431 or visit http://musicdance.sfsu.edu

Piano students perform
The School of Music and Dance presents piano recitals by more than 20 students at 7:30 p.m. April 29 -- May 1 in Knuth Hall, Creative Arts building. Admission is free. The program includes solo classical works by Bach, Haydn, Rachmaninoff, Debussy, Stravinsky and Prokofiev. For details, call ext. 8-1431 or visit http://musicdance.sfsu.edu

For more upcoming events, see the University Calendar

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Last modified April 14, 2008 by University Communications.