Volume 56, Number 3    September 2 , 2008         

Gemello to retire following 2008-09 academic year
John Gemello, provost and vice president for academic affairs, has announced that he will retire at the end of the 2008-09 academic year, following a long and distinguished career at the University. "It has been a privilege to serve as provost and to work with such rich and diverse talent as we have at the University," said Gemello, who joined SF State in 1975 as a lecturer in economics, moving to a tenure track post in 1978 and achieving full professor status in 1986. He served as chair of the Economics Department from 1986 to 1989 when he was tapped for the newly created position of associate vice president for academic resources. He was appointed to the position of provost, the second highest ranked position within the University, after a national search in 2003.

"John has one of the best minds and hearts of anyone with whom I have worked," President Robert A. Corrigan said. "To the University, he has been a splendid academic leader, helping to shape SF State in ways that will endure for years to come. To me, he has been a valued colleague, advisor and friend. Though I would have wished to be able to work with him for the rest of my time here, I am deeply grateful for the time we have had and all that he has done to help make SF State a greater University."

Welcome new members of the SF State community
Faculty and staff are invited to visit with colleagues and welcome new faculty, staff and administrators to campus with a celebration Sept. 11 from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Nob Hill Room, Seven Hills Conference Center. The celebration is sponsored by President Robert A. Corrigan, the Office of Academic Affairs and the University Women's Association. Recipients of the University Women's Association scholarships will be honored at the reception. Refreshments will be served.

Enrollment now open for Children's Campus
Children's Campus, a center for early care and education, professional development and research, will open January 26, 2009. Preferred enrollment application for staff and faculty is Aug. 29 to Sept. 12. Children's Campus will provide high-quality, year-round childcare and education for children of SF State faculty and staff. Located on campus at North State Drive, the program will serve children between the ages of six months and five years from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. All parents interested in enrolling in the program must complete a Children's Campus Application/Enrollment Request Form that is available in the Office of Human Resources (ADM 252) or on the Children's Campus Web site at http://childrenscampus.sfsu.edu 

Applications must be submitted in person starting Aug. 29 to the Bursar's Office (ADM first floor) to be date and time stamped. Faculty and staff applications will be accepted between August 29 and September 12, 2008, after which applications will be open to the public. For more information, call ext. 5-4011 or e-mail children@sfsu.edu

Celebrate nursing at SF State
The School of Nursing invites the campus community to attend a talk on the future of nursing education and tour its new Technology Learning Classrooms (TLC) on Oct. 1. The talk, led by executive officer from the Board of Registered Nursing and SF State alumna Ruth Ann Terry, MPH, RN, is at 1:30 p.m. in the Seven Hills Conference Center. The Learning Classrooms tour begins at 3 p.m. in Burk Hall. Technology demonstrations include computerized patient mannequins, which allow nursing students to hone their skills with critical care scenarios. Both events are free. For more information, contact Jennifer Pereira at ext. 8-0926 or jcp@sfsu.edu

Announcing retention, tenure and promotion information sessions
The Office of Faculty Affairs and Professional Development will hold four informal discussion sessions to help faculty prepare for retention, tenure and promotion. The sessions, conducted by Wanda Lee, dean of Faculty Affairs and Professional Development, and Nancy "Sami" Reist, chair of the University Tenure and Promotion Committee, will provide opportunities to ask questions, share information and discuss issues of retention, tenure and promotion.

The discussions will be held: Wednesday from 10 a.m. to noon, in BUS 202; Thursday from 1 to 3 p.m. in ADM 460; Friday from 10 a.m. to noon in ADM 460 and Sept. 8 from 1 to 3 p.m. in ADM 460. To register, call ext. 8-2204 or e-mail facaffrs@sfsu.edu

First Academic Senate meeting
The Academic Senate will hold its first fall meeting Sept. 9, at the Seven Hills Conference Center at 2 p.m. For more information check the Academic Senate Web site at www.sfsu.edu/~senate

This week in Insiders: Rafael M. Diaz of the Cesar Chavez Institute made three presentations at the 2008 AIDS Conference, and Jeff Babcock, Executive Director of the International Center for the Arts, was named Chairman of the Board of Leonardo/The International Society for the Arts, Sciences and Technology.  

Read Insiders: www.sfsu.edu/~news/cmemo/fall08/sept2insiders.htm

This week in Newsmakers: Professor of Communication Studies Joseph Tuman discusses coverage of the Democratic National Convention, and Associate Professor of International Relations Andrei P. Tsygankov discusses relations between Russia and Georgia.      

Read Newsmakers: www.sfsu.edu/~news/cmemo/fall08/sept2news.html

Wednesday
Covering the GOP Convention
The BSS 275 public lecture series continues Wednesday at 7:15 p.m. with "The Republican Convention Coverage and the Vice-Presidential Nomination Acceptance Speech: How McCain Won the Primary: Implications for his General Election Campaign." Assistant Professor of Political Science Francis Neely will discuss topics related to the Republican primary. The event is free and open to the public. For a complete schedule, visit www.sfsu.edu/~news/prsrelea/fy08/005.html

Thursday
Jules Tygiel Memorial Forum on post-9/11 world affairs
Foreign affairs experts will gather Thursday from 2 to 4 p.m. in SCI 270 for the seventh annual Jules Tygiel Memorial Forum on post-9/11 world affairs. The panel will be moderated by Associate History Professor Maziar Behrooz and will be followed by a question and answer session. The event is free and open to the public, and is sponsored by the departments of international relations, Jewish studies and faculty in Middle East and Islamic studies.  

Friday
Afternoon concerts begin
The School of Music and Dance opens its Concert Music course to the public with free engaging recitals featuring student, faculty and guest performances at 1:10 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Enjoy performances by solo artists and ensembles in jazz, world, chamber music, strings, choral music, dance and more. On Sept. 5, enjoy performances by guest artists Christine Kim, Roget Chahayed and Christina Lee, winners of the 26th annual San Francisco Young Pianists Competition. All concerts take place in Knuth Hall of the Creative Arts building. For the full schedule, call ext. 8-1431 or visit: http://creativearts.sfsu.edu/events

Coming Up
Blood drive coming
The Student Health Service and the Student Health Advisory Committee (SHAC) are teaming up with the Blood Centers of the Pacific to hold a blood drive on campus Sept. 8 and 9. The drive will take place in the Student Health Service conference room from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, contact Albert Angelo, health educator at ext. 8-3039 or aangelo@sfsu.edu

Trama textiles video screening
Broadcast and Electronic Communication Arts students present a screening of their video about Trama Textiles, a women's weaving collective in Guatemala -- shot on location over the summer -- at 7 p.m. Sept. 11 in Studio One of the Creative Arts building. Admission is free. Professor Betsy J. Blosser led this community service learning project, the fifth of its kind this decade.

'Underground America' reading
Creative Writing Professor Peter Orner will read from his new book, "Underground America," Sept. 11 at 4:30 p.m. in HUM 512. The book focuses on the human stories of undocumented workers. Orner will be joined by associate editors Annie Holmes, Mimi Lok and David Hill to read from the narratives.

Nonresident alien taxation workshops
Internal Audit will conduct a workshop on nonresident alien taxation on Sept. 18 from 9:30 a.m. to noon in the NEC conference room of the fifth floor of the Administration building. The workshop will provide an overview of nonresident alien taxation issues, including what it is, why we have to comply, risks for non-compliance, federal and state tax withholding rates and revised procedures and forms all departments must use when making payments to nonresident aliens. To register, contact Irene Donner at ext. 8-2763 or idonner@sfsu.edu  

For more upcoming events, see the University Calendar

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Last modified Sept.2, 2008 by University Communications.