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Love is stronger than hate
Last week, the Richard Oakes Multicultural Center in the Student Center was vandalized. The incident prompted President Robert Corrigan to send the following message to the campus.
As a campus, we are one community, and last week's incident of vandalism in the Richard Oakes Multicultural Center is as much a "university" concern as it would be if it happened in a classroom or a university office. I don't know whether this was intended as a "hate crime," though the choice of the Multicultural Center does raise the question. So let me repeat an old message: This campus absolutely will not-does not-tolerate any speech or any acts that demean, disparage, or threaten others. Our aim is to make this campus a place that moves beyond tolerance to the deeper ties of mutual respect and genuine appreciation of our diversity. The spirit in which we seek to live together here is summed up on the banners we put up after September 11: "Love is stronger than hate."
We support this spirit with deeds, not just words. When incidents such as this occur, we put our full energy into identifying those responsible, and we employ the strongest available sanctions against them. But to act, we need to be aware of negative incidents. We learned only this week that an earlier act of vandalism in the Oakes Center, involving graffiti, was discovered but not reported, with the offending graffiti simply removed. Please, if you encounter anything that smacks of bigotry or hate, report it-to a faculty member, to the University Dean of Human Relations office, to Public Safety, to a supervisor. We have many avenues, all good ones, to start a response.
I believe that we are a healthy community and these recent acts do not reflect our true nature. I do urge us all, however, to make this an occasion for a deliberate, heartfelt recommitment to the values that sustain us most strongly. Let us prove each day that love is, indeed, stronger than hate.
New Humanities dean is excited to join SFSU
Paul Sherwin doesn't begin his new job as dean of the College of Humanities until July. Yet already he expects to feel right at home at SFSU, much as he did during his 25-year tenure as a professor and administrator at City College of New York (CCNY).
"Not only do I love San Francisco, but San Francisco State and CCNY both can rightfully claim to be the people's university, and both institutions are intertwined with their cities," Sherwin says, noting similarities in the schools' academic programs, organizational structures and cultural diversity.
Sherwin replaces Nancy McDermid, who retires in June after 23 years as dean of the College of the Humanities. He has been dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University since 1996.
Sherwin was on the English faculty at City College from 1971 to 1996 and also held various administrative positions during his tenure, including 10 years as dean of humanities and director of the college's Simon H. Rifkind Center for the Humanities. He was a member of City University of New York's doctoral English faculty from 1988 to 1996.
"Dr. Sherwin is the ideal candidate for the deanship of the College of Humanities," says Thomas J. La Belle, provost and vice president for academic affairs. "His strong teaching, leadership and administrative experience at urban universities illustrate broad knowledge of the humanities and a proven ability to work with colleagues and students of diverse backgrounds. In addition, his passion for teaching exemplifies San Francisco State's mission to promote excellence in instruction and intellectual accomplishment."
Sherwin says he will take time to "understand" SFSU before establishing his goals for the College of Humanities. However, a look at several of his career achievements may lend some ideas.
As dean of humanities at City College, he oversaw the hiring of nearly 50 new faculty members. More than half were female and more than one-third were African American, Hispanic or Asian.
"The overall quality and right mix of faculty is the heart, root and brain of every program," the Manhattan, N.Y., resident says of the importance of faculty hires.
Sherwin is also an accomplished fund-raiser, generating more than $3 million in grants at City College, including two prestigious Challenge Grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities. He raised an additional $4.5 million in matching funds and served as City College's acting vice president for development for two years.
A poetry aficionado since his teenage years, Sherwin wrote "Precious Bane: Collins and the Miltonic Legacy" in 1977 on the work of William Collins and its influence from John Milton. He has also published articles on Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" and John Keats.
Sherwin earned his doctorate in English, master's in philosophy and master's of arts in English from Yale University.
Aside from his fondness for SFSU and its strong Humanities programs, Sherwin chose to move across the country to be closer to his wife's family in Modesto and his daughter Rachel, who works for a dot-com company in Palo Alto.
This Week
"Protect your Sweetheart Week," an event to promote sexual health among students, runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. today through Friday in Malcolm X Plaza.
During the week, student groups will sell food, crafts and Valentine-related items in an effort to raise funds for their organizations. The American Heart Association, EROS Health Center, the Women's Center, the S.A.F.E. Place and other health organizations will provide informational handouts. Students will also have an opportunity to learn more about resources offered by Student Health Services.
The event is sponsored by the Office of Student Program/Leader ship Development.
Stephen Krashen, an expert on literacy and second language acquisition, will present "Second Language Acquisition and Bilingual Education: Condemned Without a Trial"from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday in Carol Channing Auditorium at Lowell Alternative High School, 1101 Eucalyptus Drive in San Francisco.
For details, contact Laureen Chew at ext. 8-1562 or laureenc@sfsu.edu or Rita Yee at ext. 8-1497 or ryee@sfsu.edu.
The SFSU Players Club will perform Tony Kushner's "Angels in America, Part I: Millennium Approaches" this week in the Little Theatre. Performances will be at 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday.
Tickets are $10 reserved and $8 for students and seniors. For advance tickets, call the Creative Arts Box Office from noon to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday at ext. 8-2467 or purchase tickets at the Box Office one hour before each show.
The deadline for submitting proposals for revised Segment III clusters and new clusters for this year's cycle is Friday. All proposals must be submitted to the Undergraduate Studies office in ADM 447.
For details, contact Ned Fielden at fielden@sfsu.edu.
The recruiting period for students to participate in Community Involvement Center (CIC) projects ends Friday. CIC asks faculty to inform their students of the center's academic internship opportunities.
For details, visit the CIC in building T-A (near the SFSU Bookstore), or contact the CIC at ext. 8-1486 or cic@thecity.sfsu.edu
Business dean search continues
William C. Hunter, the second of four candidates for dean of the College of Business, will be on campus Friday. Hunter, senior vice president and director of research of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, will participate in a reception from noon to 2 p.m. Friday in Room 1 of the University Club. His presentation is from 2 to 2:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 18, in BUS 202.
The presentation and reception for W. Gerald Platt, the final candidate for dean of the College of Business, has been scheduled:
Feb. 21-22: W. Gerald Platt, interim dean of the College of Business, San Francisco State University. Platt's presentation is from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Feb. 21 in BUS 202 and his reception is from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Feb. 22 in Room 1 of the University Club.
Next Week
Randall Nakayama, associate professor of English, will present "'Unpossible' Loves," from 4 to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 19, in HUM 203. Nakayama will speak on Sir John Harington's translation of Ariosto's narrative poem "Orlando Furioso."
Associated Students Performing Arts and Lectures presents an "Afternoon with bell hooks"at noon Wednesday, Feb. 20, in Jack Adams Hall of the Cesar Chavez Student Center. Admission is $7 students and $10 general. Tickets will be sold at the door.
For details, contact Scott Davey at ext. 8-2444 or scottdavey@telocity.com.
Coming Up
Registration forms and application guidelines for the 16th Annual CSU Student Research Competition are now available online at: www.sfsu.edu/~gadmit
Faculty are asked to refer interested students to this Web site.
The deadline to apply is Tuesday, Feb. 26.
In last week's story on the Dong Kingman exhibit at the Chinese American National Museum, CampusMemo neglected to credit Irene Andersen as co-curator of the exhibit. Andersen, the slide curator in the Art Department, curated the exhibit with Mark Johnson, director of the SFSU Fine Arts Gallery.
The Kingman exhibit, which features watercolors of San Francisco, runs through Feb. 28 at the Chinese American National Museum, 965 Clay St., San Francisco. For details, call (415) 391-1188.
Heard announcements from Chair Pamela Vaughn, CFA President Mitch Turitz and Statewide Academic Senator Jan Gregory:Heard a tribute for Tim Sampson from Chair Pamela Vaughn:
- Vaughn said that Senate agendas and minutes will no longer be sent out in hard copy to non-senate members but will be available electronically on the Senate Web site.
- Turitz announced that CFA was organizing a demonstration for Saturday, Feb. 9, 2002, from noon to 3 p.m., and a strike/work action planning meeting for Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2002, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the University Club.
- Gregory announced that the University Foundation is now accepting donations for the newly created Tim Sampson scholarship fund.
Heard a report from Provost La Belle:
- Vaughn said, "...Tim always reminded us of our own humanity and our connection with the rest of humanity. So let us all promise to put a face and to keep a face, a very human face, on all that we do as a university. Thanks Tim for showing us the way."
Heard a report from statewide senators:
- La Belle outlined work that is in process on improving our relationships with our community colleges.
Heard a discussion on shared governance:
- Robert Cherny announced that all faculty will be receiving ballots on changes in the statewide constitution that will adjust appropriation, further, that faculty salary compensation in the governor's budget is 1%, and there will be a revision in the budget numbers in May.
- Eunice Aaron announced that CSU alumni will be visiting the state legislature Feb. 20.
- Jan Gregory announced that the CSU Academic Senate Faculty Affairs Committee passed a resolution that encourages campuses to develop open policies for faculty evaluation.
In the action part of the meeting:
- The University Shared Governance Task Force, created last spring, conducted an open discussion on the issues, concerns and opinions surrounding shared governance at SFSU.
The next meeting of the Academic Senate will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 19, at Seven Hills Conference Center. All are welcome to attend. Visit the Academic Senate Web site: at www.sfsu.edu/~senate
- The Senate discussed the proposed changes to the College of Business undergraduate curricular program. It remains in first reading.
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Last modified February 20, 2002, by the Office of Public Affairs