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June 10, 2002

Volume 49, No. 33
SFSU's 101st Commencement Don Scoble to retire then go back to work STAR of the month Announcements
Building updates Student research winners Discounts on summer fun CampusMemo in July
Today FRS basic training Coming Up Defensive driving


SFSU's 101st Commencement: largest-ever graduating class, inspiring speeches, standing ovations

Nancy Pelosi and President Corrigan

Commencement ceremonies for SFSU's largest graduating class ever took place Saturday, May 25.

About half of the 7,186 students eligible to graduate took part in the event before a crowd of 22,000 family and friends.

Keynote speaker U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi urged the grads to use their imagination and assume leadership roles in addressing worldwide problems.

"We need your imagination to create partnerships flexible enough to accommodate differences of opinion and the willingness to work through those differences rather than to walk away," Pelosi said. "We need a new kind of global leadership, and I say this to you because you must be part of it, a new leadership which focuses on conflict prevention and resolution and is dedicated to the pursuit of peace."

After graduates entered the stadium, color guards of the San Francisco police and fire departments presented the colors in remembrance of the Sept. 11 tragedies. Corrigan announced the names of several Sept. 11 victims with ties to the University and asked the crowd for a moment of silence.

During the ceremonies, SFSU honored "Frasier" co-creator and executive producer Peter Casey as Alumnus of the Year, San Francisco urban planner John H. Jacobs and SFSU Vice President for Business and Finance Don Scoble as President's Medal awardees, and Habitat for Humanity International founder Millard Fuller as recipient of an honorary doctor of humane letters degree from the CSU system.

Fuller, who has helped fulfill the dream of owning a home for more than half a million people across the world, accepted his honorary degree to a standing ovation. He encouraged the Class of 2002 to set aside differences and engage themselves in their communities.

"We differ philosophically and religiously and politically, but we don't have to disagree on everything, and we don't have to hate one another," Fuller said. "We ought to learn how to love and be accepting and realize that whatever a person thinks, that we all are made in God's image, we all get sleepy at night, and we all ought to have a decent place in which to sleep."

Casey earned a bachelor's degree in radio and television in 1975. In his speech, he humorously encouraged graduates to pursue their dreams, no matter how unattainable they may seem.

Oldest Grad Harriet Miller

"It's better to aim for the stars and miss than aim for the gutter and hit it," he said. "After my stay here at State, I was willing to entertain the idea that the impossible just might be possible. And I hope each of you feels that way today."

Harriet Miller, at age 84 the oldest member of the graduating class, received a bachelor's degree in the psychosocial aspects of aging. She was honored on stage with her granddaughter, Rachel Kanewske, who graduated with a bachelor's degree in geography, and her grandson, Daniel Kanewske, who graduated from Humboldt State University with a bachelor's degree in math May 18. Miller received a standing ovation.

Student Speaker Glendy Chan

Glendy Chan, a 22-year-old San Francisco resident honored as the top graduate of the College of Business, was the student speaker.

"We all know that we're more interesting and multifaceted than the stereotypes commonly held about us," said Chan, who begins an accounting job with PriceWaterhouseCoopers in July.

"The power in knowing ourselves is that once we do, we can start working positively toward our goals."

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Don Scoble to retire then go back to work

Don Scoble

As announced in a recent letter by President Robert A. Corrigan to the campus community, Don Scoble will retire from his position as vice president for business and finance in August. However, the campus will continue to benefit from his presence. Scoble, at the request of Corrigan, has agreed to serve in a part-time post as chief of staff of the Office of the President.

The position of vice president for business and finance will be incorporated into the new post of vice president for administration and finance. Leroy Morishita, who has been serving as vice president of physical planning and development since September 2001, will assume this new position. He will oversee business, finance, physical planning and development.

Scoble, who has worked on campus for nearly four decades, was awarded the President's Medal at SFSU's 101st Commencement last month for his years of service and dedication to the University. He found out he would receive the award about 45 minutes before the ceremony.

"I hope at least that in some way this medal honors all of those faculty members who gave so much to me and who I have tried to pay back by giving as much as I can to this University that I love so much," Scoble said to the Commencement crowd.

He graduated from SFSU with a bachelor's degree in public relations in 1962 and a master's degree in finance in 1971.

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Announcements

Building updates

The yearlong construction on the Psychology building has been completed. Academic Services began moving occupants back into the building in early June and will continue to do so throughout the summer.

The 38-year-old building underwent a structural upgrade and seismic retrofit. It also received accessibility improvements and a new coat of paint.

Some CampusMemo readers may have noticed the scaffolding around the Humanities building. The structure is being recaulked and resealed to address water intrusion problems. The building will also be painted.

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Student research winners

SFSU students won awards in four categories, the most of any CSU campus, in the CSU Student Research Competition.

About 170 students from throughout the statewide system presented 146 academic research papers at the competition, held last month at CSU Long Beach. A panel of CSU faculty served as judges. First and second place winners received cash prizes.

The SFSU winners:

Laura Norelius, a graduate student in biomedical laboratory science, won first place in the health, nutrition and clinical sciences category for her presentation on "Techniques Affecting the Success of Mircobroth Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing of Anaerobic Bacteria."

David Backman, a graduate student in business, and Lauri Kanerva, a graduate student in kinesiology, won first place in the business, economics and public administration category for their presentation on "Using Regression Analysis to Determine the Relationship Between Organizational Culture, Firm Reputation and Financial Performance."

Ivor Francis, a graduate student in music, won second place in the creative arts and design category for his presentation titled "Flashback on 'Fifty Second Street': A Contemporary Reinterpretation of the Traditional Techniques."

Sandra Larkin, a graduate student in biomedical laboratory science, received honorable mention in the biological and agricultural sciences (molecular and cellular) category for her presentation titled "Secretory Phospholipase A2 is a Key Player in Acute Chest Syndrome in Sickle Cell Disease."

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Discounts on summer fun

The Office of Student Programs and Leadership Development is selling discount tickets for Six Flags Marine World (in Vallejo) and Waterworld USA (in Concord). Tickets are $29.99 for Marine World and $19.99 for Waterworld.

To purchase tickets, stop by Student Services building 105 or call ext. 8-3888.

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CampusMemo in July

The next issue of CampusMemo will appear July 8. All submissions should be sent to pubnews@sfsu.edu by 5 p.m. Tuesday, July 2.

The first issue of the 2002-2003 academic year will be published Monday, Aug. 26.

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Today

FRS basic training

The Accounts Payable Department is offering FRS basic training and year-end part 2 workshops. The workshop will cover the basics of using and understanding FRS, the university accounting and purchasing system. The workshops will be held from 10 a.m. to noon today and Tuesday in the NEC Conference Room on the fifth floor of the Administration building.

Users will learn what screens to use to manage their accounts and what information is provided on each screen. The year-end portion is a follow up for attendees from the April workshops. Those who did not attend the April workshop can still participate in this workshop.

Space is limited. To reserve a space, contact Mike Getman at ext. 8-7139 or mygetman@sfsu.edu.

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Coming Up

Defensive driving

The Department of General Services in the Office of Risk and Insurance Management will conduct defensive driver training courses from 8 to 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 to 4 p.m. Friday, July 19.

The classes will be held in the Plant Operations Training Room in the Corporation Yard.

Classes are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. To make a reservation, call ext. 8-1449.

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To send events: call EXT 8-1665 or send e-mail to pubnews@sfsu.edu



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Last modified June 10, 2002, by the Office of Public Affairs