Volume 56, Number 12    November 3, 2008         

Afiara Quartet garners International Award
The Afiara String Quartet, Quartet-in-Residence at the International Center for the Arts, added another impressive achievement to its resume when it won the 2008 Concert Artists Guild (CAG) International Competition. Afiara shared the honor with Brooklyn-based flutist Claire Chase. The winners were announced Wednesday, Oct. 22, at the Kosciuszko Foundation in New York City.
 
In addition to international recognition, the CAG Competition win brings the Afiara substantial career benefits. The quartet, comprised of violinists Valerie Li and Yuri Cho, violist David Samuel and cellist Adrian Fung, will be added to the CAG artist roster and receive two-year management contracts. CAG management services include bookings, tour management, marketing and publicity support, as well as recording and commissioning opportunities. Competition winners are also presented on the CAG Winners Series at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall.
 
The Afiara String Quartet was among the 70 soloists and ensembles invited to New York by the CAG Competition judges for live Semi-Final Auditions from 350 competition applicants. Of those 70 semi-finalists, 11 were named to perform at the Finals concert on Oct. 21. In the finals, Afiara performed Pannonia Boundless by Serbian composer Aleksandra Vrebalov, the Third through Fifth Movements of Alban Berg’s Lyric Suite, and the Fourth Movement of Beethoven’s String Quartet Opus 18, No. 1.

Temporary disruption of cablecast and audiovisual services
Academic Technology's Media Distribution and Support unit will be closed Nov. 6 and 7 so that it can relocate its services to BH 24. Faculty can make advance arrangements to ensure alternative means of audiovisual support on those days by calling ext. 8-1494. All services are expected to resume Nov. 10, in their new location in BH 24, where they will remain for the duration of the Library expansion and renovation project.

These services will be suspended on Nov. 6 and 7:

• Over the counter or phone audiovisual/enhanced classroom troubleshooting services
• Cablecast Media Viewing
• Media and audiovisual equipment over-the-counter pickup and deliveries (except for pre-existing delivery/pickups Nov 6)
• All television services, including off-air commercial channels

Please Note:

• On Nov. 5, only reserved media will be cablecast, no last minute requests
• Reserved media and audiovisual equipment will be set aside for pick up on Nov. 5
• Any pre-existing delivery and pickup requests for Nov. 6 will be honored
• All pre-existing cablecast requests for Nov. 6 and 7 will be cancelled, however faculty may pick up the actual media by Nov. 5 and use data projectors or televisions to show it in class
• Media and audiovisual equipment can be distributed on an extended loan basis, for return on Nov. 10

For questions or reservations, call ext. 8-1494. For more information about Academic Technology's services, call ext. 8-3308 or visit http://academic.sfsu.edu/ar/at/

Call for Honorary Degree Nominations
The University Honorary Degree Committee invites all members of the campus community to submit nominations for honorary doctoral degrees, to be conferred at Commencement 2009. The nomination deadline is Nov. 14. Nominees should be men and women whose lives and significant achievements serve as examples of the CSU's aspirations for its diverse student body. Incumbent elected officials are not eligible. Among past SF State honorary degree recipients are: Children's Defense Fund founder Marian Wright Edelman, Habitat for Humanity founder Millard Fuller, actor-activist Danny Glover, Rev. Cecil Williams of Glide Memorial Church; author-philanthropist Isabel Allende, labor leader Walter Johnson, and Delancey Street cofounder Mimi Silbert. Nominations, which are confidential, should be accompanied by a statement about the candidate and brief supporting materials. Please label nominations "Attn.: Honorary Degree Committee" and send or deliver them to the Office of the Provost, ADM 455.

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 the Nov. 4 meeting
• Approval of the minutes from the Oct. 21 meeting
• A report from University Librarian Deborah Masters on Library construction
• A report from Leroy Morishita, vice president and chief financial officer of administration and finance, and Carlos Davidson, director of the environmental studies program, on the seating of the University Sustainability Committee
• A recommendation from the Faculty Affairs Committee regarding proposed revisions to the retention, tenure and promotion policy, second reading
• A recommendation from the Curriculum Review and Approval Committee regarding proposed revisions to the BA program in Psychology, first reading
• A recommendation from the Curriculum Review and Approval Committee regarding proposed revisions to the BA in Journalism
• A recommendation from the Faculty Affairs Committee regarding proposed revisions to the retention, tenure and promotion policy, first reading
• A recommendation from the Executive Committee regarding a proposed resolution in support of International Education Week, first reading

For more information, visit:www.sfsu.edu/~senate

Accepting SF State Distinguished Faculty Awards nominations
The Academic Senate annually acknowledges outstanding faculty members for their extraordinary, meaningful and lasting contributions in the areas of teaching, professional achievement and service. Honorees receive a $4,000 stipend (pre-tax) for the Excellence in Professional Achievement award and the Excellence in Service award, and a $5,000 stipend (pre-tax) for the Sarlo Excellence in Teaching award, which is sponsored by the Sarlo Foundation. In addition, honorees receive a commemorative plaque and certificate. By recognizing the achievements of distinguished faculty in the areas of professional achievement, service and teaching, the Senate celebrates the climate of excellence created by faculty. Completed nominations should be submitted to the Faculty Honors and Awards Committee, Office of the Academic Senate, ADM 551, San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Avenue, CA 94132, by Dec. 5. Nomination forms and additional information are available at www.sfsu.edu/~senate/

This week in Insiders: Professor Emeritus of History Bill Issel appeared on a panel in Hungary; An exhibition of photos by Associate Professor of Foreign Languages and Literature Charles Egan opened; Associate Professor of Music Alissa Walters Deeter appeared in a performance of "La Llorona."   

Read Insiders: www.sfsu.edu/~news/cmemo/fall08/nov3insiders.htm

This week in Newsmakers: Professor of History Robert Cherny commented on political shifts and the economy, Professor of Economics Betty Blecha commented on Allen Greenspan's appearance before a congressional committee, and Kenneth Monteiro, dean of the College of Ethnic Studies discussed the legacy of the student-led strike at SF State in 1968.    

Read Newsmakers: www.sfsu.edu/~news/cmemo/fall08/nov3news.htm

This week we remember John Fell, professor emeritus of Cinema, who died at the age of 81.

Read In Memoriam : http://www.sfsu.edu/~news/cmemo/fall08/nov3memoriam.htm

Monday
'How Secular or Democratic Can A Jewish State Be?'
Ilan Troen, director of the Schusterman Center for Israel Studies and Stoll Family Chair in Israel Studies at Brandeis University, will deliver the lecture, "How Secular or Democratic Can A Jewish State Be?" Monday at 4 p.m. in HUM 587. The event is cosponsored by faculty in Middle East and Islamic Studies and the Department of International Relations. For more information, call the Department of Jewish Studies at ext. 8-6075.

Tuesday
Election night community event
The BSS 275 lecture series will host a special election night event with SF State political science professors Tuesday at 7:15 p.m. in Jack Adams Hall, Cesar Chavez Student Center. Political Science professors scheduled to speak include: Assistant Professor Graeme Boushey, Professor Francis Neely, Professor David Tabb, and Lecturer Erin Scholznick-Lee, who will provide real-time analysis. The event is free and open to the public. For a complete schedule, visit www.sfsu.edu/~news/prsrelea/fy08/005.html

Men's clothing and winter coat drive
The Student Fashion Association will collect clothing during its annual clothing drive from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday in Malcolm X Plaza. The group is specifically asking to receive men's clothing and any winter coats. For more information, contact sfa@sfsu.edu

Wednesday
Understanding the distressed student workshop
The Center for Teaching and Faculty Development will host "Understanding the Distressed Student: Enhancing Classroom Communication," Wednesday from noon to 2 p.m. in BH 333 to discuss how to enhance communication with a diverse student population, learn when to ask for guidance in helping students with problems and where to seek assistance. The workshop will be led by Pat Davis, coordinator of faculty and staff services/clinical counselor, and Taghi Amjadi, clinical counselor from Counseling and Psychological Services. To register, call ext. 8-6456, e-mail ctfdreg@sfsu.edu or visit http://power.sfsu.edu

Annual 'Lecture in the Classics'
The Fourth Annual Raoul Bertrand Lecture in Classics will take place Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. in HUM 587. This year's speaker is John Clarke, the Annie Laurie Howard Regents Professor in Fine Arts at the University of Texas at Austin. His talk is titled, "Roman Eyes: What Ancient Viewers Knew and Saw." A reception will follow.

Thursday
Artist Lecture Series: Masami Teraoka
Hawaii-based artist Masami Teraoka will present a lecture Thursday at 7 p.m. in FA 193. Known for his ukiyo-e style watercolors with Japanese and American typography, Teraoka has focused his recent work on large-scale paintings that address social issues and borrow from Renaissance paintings. For details, call ext. 8-2176 or visit www.masamiteraoka.com

The Culture of San Francisco State and the City
Joel Kassiola, dean of the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences, will offer his views on San Francisco and the University for new 2008-09 faculty on Thursday from 3 to 5 p.m. in ADM 460. A native New Yorker, Kassiola will offer observations on the city and campus from an East Coast-West Coast perspective. Attendees can pose questions about the University and San Francisco based on their first impressions after a few months at SF State. To register, call ext. 8-6456, e-mail ctfdreg@sfsu.edu, or enroll online through POWER at http://power.sfsu.edu

Biennial Radical Philosophy Association Conference
The Eighth Biennial Radical Philosophy Association Conference will take place Nov. 6-9 at the Seven Hills Conference Center. The conference is titled, "Art, Praxis and Social Transformation: Radical Dreams and Visions.  For more information, visit: www.sfsu.edu/~raza/rpa/

Friday
Harvest Concert
The SF State Chamber Singers and University Chorus perform Friday at 8 p.m. in the annual Harvest Concert, a benefit for the San Francisco Food Bank. The program includes Brahms' "Nänie" and selections from "West Side Story," in celebration of Leonard Bernstein's 90th birthday. Lecturer Vance George is conductor of the Chamber Singers, and Associate Professor David J. Xiques is conductor of the University Chorus. The concert takes place at Lakeside Presbyterian Church, 201 Eucalyptus Drive (at 19th Ave.), San Francisco. Admission is $15 general/$10 students and seniors. For details, call ext. 8-1431 or visit http://musicdance.sfsu.edu

Coming Up
'A Sufi Order in the Contemporary World'
University of California, Berkeley Professor of Persian and Islamic Studies Hamid Algar will deliver the lecture, "A Sufi Order in the Contemporary World: The Naqshbandiyya in Bosnia, Iran, Uzbekistan and Malaysia," at 9 a.m. on Nov. 12 in HSS 285. The lecture is presented by faculty in Middle East and Islamic Studies. 

Dissecting the election
On November 13, from 4 to 5:30 p.m. in HSS 361, the BSS Faculty Research Series will sponsor a post-2008 presidential election discussion featuring Political Science Professors Francis Neely, Erin Skolnick-Lee, Robert Smith and David Tabb discussing what happened during the election and why.

Interdisciplinarity in graduate education
The University Interdisciplinary Council will bring together a range of participants from across campus to discuss national trends and SF State's accomplishments in the promotion of interdisciplinarity in graduate education. Special attention will be given to opportunities for thematic linkage of graduate internship and research activities beyond college and discipline emphases. The symposium will be held Nov. 14 from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the Vista Room, BH 401. UIC will be hosting lunch. Contact Jerry Shapiro at jshap@sfsu.edu for registration information. Seating is limited.

Piano Week
The School of Music and Dance showcases the virtuosity of its faculty and the beauty of the piano with a special series of performances at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 12 through 14 in Knuth Hall, Creative Arts building. Performers include faculty pianists Roger Woodward, Victoria Neve, William Corbett-Jones, Inara Morgenstern, alumna and pianist Lori Lack and more. The Nov. 14 grand finale features the American premiere of Anne Boyd's composition Book of the Bells II, performed by Neve and Woodward. For details and tickets, call ext. 8-2467 or visit http://creativearts.sfsu.edu/pianoweek

Chess the musical
The Theatre Arts Department presents the musical "Chess" at 8 p.m. Nov. 14, 15, 20 and 21, 2 p.m. Nov. 16, and both 2 and 8 p.m. Nov. 22 in the Little Theatre, Creative Arts Building. Featuring music by former members of ABBA, "Chess" squares off in a Cold War tinged love triangle between two players in a world chess championship, and the woman who manages one and falls in love with the other. The play is inspired by the classic 1972 match between Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky. Assistant Professor Barbara Damashek, a past Tony Award nominee, directs. Tickets are $20 general/$15 students and seniors. For details and tickets, call ext. 8-2467 or visit http://creativearts.sfsu.edu/tickets

Morrison Artists Series: American Chamber Players
The College of Creative Arts' Morrison Artists Series presents a free concert by the American Chamber Players at 3 p.m. Nov. 16 in McKenna Theatre, Creative Arts building. This acclaimed ensemble led by NPR commentator and violist Miles Hoffman combines mixed strings, flute and piano in works by Mozart, Schoenfield, Bridge, Ginastera and Fauré. Bringing Bay Area audiences the world's finest chamber music since 1955, the Morrison Artists Series at SF State is "indispensable," the San Francisco Chronicle writes. Under the command of Artistic Director Saul Gropman, the series presents six free Sunday afternoon performances each year by acclaimed ensembles. For more information, visit http://musicdance.sfsu.edu/morrison

'Towers of Gold' discussion
Author and journalist Frances Dinkelspiel will discuss her new book, "Towers of Gold: How one Jewish Immigrant Named Isaias Hellman Created California," on Nov. 17 at 3:30 p.m. in HUM 587. The discussion is sponsored by the Department of Jewish Studies. For more information, contact ext. 8-6075.

Japanese tea ceremony
The Japanese Program, Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures and the College of Humanities will present a Japanese tea ceremony in the Omotesenke tradition as part of International Education Week. Five ceremony sessions will take place Nov. 19 in HUM 117, from 12:10 to 1 p.m., 1:10 to 2 p.m., 2:10 to 3 p.m., 3:10 to 4 p.m., and 4:10 to 5 p.m. Admission is $5 paid at the door and reservations are required. For more information or to RSVP, contact Midori McKeon at mmckeon@sfsu.edu

For more upcoming events, see the University Calendar

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Last modified Nov. 3, 2008 by University Communications.