Workshops for faculty grants/awards
The Office of Faculty Affairs and Professional Development invites faculty who would like assistance preparing their applications for the Affirmative Action, Mini-Grant, Summer Stipend and Vice President's Assigned Time award programs to attend one of its September workshops. The first is from 3 to 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 9, and the second is from 1 to 3 p.m. Friday, Sept. 24. Both will be held in room 460 of the Administration building.

The workshops will be conducted by Michelle Wolf, professor of broadcast and electronic arts, and Peggy Benton, professor of instructional technology.

R.S.V.P. to Michelle Wolf at mawolf@sfsu.edu.

University Budget Committee meeting
The University Budget Committee will meet from 2 to 4 p.m. Friday, Sept. 3, in room 560 of the Administration building.

Promote student participation
The Center for the Enhancement of Teaching invites faculty to hold a class session in the Collaboratory. The Collaboratory's environment, which includes the use of group-work software, helps facilitate active discussion by students and encourages critical thinking.

To reserve a session, contact Desiree Oliver at collab1@sfsu.edu or ext. 5-3540. More details and a registration calendar are available at: http://cet.sfsu.edu/collaboratory.

Help care for
campus cats
Faculty, staff and students are invited to help feed the campus feline population. Volunteers deliver food and water on one weekend day per month.

For details, contact Brigid Duffy at ext. 8-1493 or bduffy@sfsu.edu.

Today
Opening faculty meeting
The opening faculty meeting takes place at 9 a.m. today in McKenna Theatre of the Creative Arts building.

The meeting features remarks by Academic Senate Chair Caran Colvin, President Robert A. Corrigan and CFA Chapter President Mitch Turitz. In addition, Provost John Gemello will introduce new faculty members and administrators.

Refreshments will be available in the lobby of the Creative Arts building beginning at 8:15 a.m.

Wednesday
The American presidency
The College of Behavioral and Social Sciences is offering a two unit course/public lecture series on the presidential election this semester from 7:15 to 8:55 p.m. Wednesdays in room 133 of the Humanities building. The course features panel discussions by SFSU faculty experts. 

For details, see: http://bss.sfsu.edu.

August STAR of the Month: Carlina Victoria
Custodian Carlina Victoria has a knack for developing a good rapport with all of her co-workers. Part of that is the result of her hard work, which is much appreciated by those who work in the environments she cares for. But the main reason is the warmth and dignity she exudes as she goes about her daily tasks. Victoria is the August STAR of the Month.

"Carlina does an excellent job," said Barbara Nelson, director of campus support services. "She takes great pride in providing detailed custodial care to the premises, and everywhere she goes she is appreciated. Everybody loves the personal touch she gives."

Victoria began her SFSU career as what she calls the "emergency woman," meaning she was an on-call custodian who was dispatched to take care of emergency clean-up situations that arose in campus buildings. She also did general custodial work in the Lakeview Center, Humanities Building and other areas of campus.

Three years ago Victoria was assigned to the second floor of the Library. She says she loves it. She likes being around all the books -- which she dusts regularly, a truly Herculean task. And she enjoys her interaction with the Library staff.

There's another benefit: "When I have break time," she said, "I have books to read to help me with my English."

English is the second language for Victoria, a native of the Philippines. Because of her husband's work at a U.S. naval base in the Philippines, Victoria and her husband were offered a chance to emigrate to the United States in 1989, a chance they took to provide more options for their five children.

When they first arrived, Victoria worked three jobs at once -- baker, custodian for a San Francisco fitness center, and weekend care worker for the elderly -- so she was pleased when she was hired by SFSU in 1994. Getting to work at 6 a.m. is no problem compared with her 2 a.m. start time at the bakery, she says.

"I like it here very much," she said. "We have a nice future for our children."

Victoria recently bought a home in Sacramento. She spends weekends there, commuting to the Bay Area for the work week. She stays with one of her friends from church during the week.

Nominate a staff STAR: www.sfsu.edu/~news/star/starform.htm

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