Volume 56, Number 36    May 18, 2009         

Pivnick to receive President's Medal
Alumni Hall of Famer and retired San Francisco public school teacher and administrator Izzy Pivnick will be awarded the prestigious President's Medal on May 22. The medal recognizes individuals whose contributions have provided long-lasting and widespread benefits for the University and the greater community. Pivnick (B.A. '47) was SF State student body president in 1946-47. He led 2,000 students in a peaceful City Hall demonstration that resulted in the sale of property to the state that is now SF State's permanent home. The highest award that a CSU president can bestow, the President's Medal has previously been awarded to a host of distinguished individuals including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senator Diane Feinstein and former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown.

Alumni Hall of Fame inductees announced
A popular actor will be honored as Alumnus of the Year, a former NFL star, the first woman to command a U.S. Navy ship, and an Academy Award-winning documentary filmmaker will be inducted into the SF State Alumni Hall of Fame at a campus ceremony on May 22.

• Jeffrey Tambor (B.A. '65) A six-time Emmy nominee will be named Alumnus of the Year. Tambor's four-decade acting career includes starring roles in the television hits "Arrested Development" and "The Larry Sanders Show," and appearances on other legendary sitcoms including "M*A*S*H," and "Taxi." Tambor made his Broadway debut in 1975 opposite George C. Scott in "Sly Fox" and most recently returned to Broadway in David Mamet's Pulitzer Prize-winning play "Glengarry Glen Ross." He will also be named Alumnus of the Year.

• Bill Baird (B.A. '62) was a seven-year defensive starter for the New York Jets and contributed to the legendary upset over the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III. When he retired, Baird held several team career records including most interceptions and longest punt return. Baird taught or coached at high schools and colleges including Fresno State and University of the Pacific and was previously inducted into the SF State Athletics Hall of Fame.

• Darlene Iskra (B.A. '74) joined the Navy in 1979 and broke the "brass ceiling" in 1990 when she became the nation's first female commander of a commissioned naval vessel, the U.S.S. Opportune. A Navy-trained diver, Iskra skippered the diving salvage ship in the Mediterranean during the Persian Gulf War. After retiring from the Navy in 2000, she helped pass the Defense Authorization Bill, which prevented the Department of Defense from requiring U.S. servicewomen to wear ethnic garments while stationed in Saudi Arabia.
  

• Steven Okazaki (B.A. '76) is an award-winning filmmaker who received his fourth Academy Award nomination in 2009 for the documentary short "The Conscience of Nhem En." He won an Oscar and a Peabody Award for his 1990 short subject documentary, "Days of Waiting," about a Caucasian artist who accompanied her Japanese-American husband to a World War II internment camp. Okazaki's "White Light/Black Rain: The Destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki" was nominated for a Grand Jury Prize at Sundance and won an Emmy in 2007. Other films nominated for Academy Awards were "Unfinished Business" and "The Mushroom Club."

Benefits and retirement services workshop series
Benefits and Retirement Services will host a TSA (403B) Workshop Series in May and June. Representatives from AIG, ING and TIAA-CREF will be on campus conducting one-hour informational workshops for employees interested in learning more about the 403B retirement savings plans. All sessions are scheduled from noon to 1p.m. in ADM 460. The dates are as follows:

• May 20, AIG
• May 27, ING
• June 10, TIAA-CREF

Workshops are limited to 20 participants per session. Check the Human Resources Web site prior to each session for updates or changes to the sessions. To reserve a spot, RSVP by e-mail to carolcro@sfsu.edu

Academic Senate
The following is a list of action items from the May 12 Academic Senate meeting:

• Heard a report from the Faculty Honors and Awards Committee. The 2009 distinguished faculty award recipients are: Andrea Boyle professor of nursing, Excellence in Service; David Matsumoto, professor of psychology, Excellence in Professional Achievement; and Linda Wanek, professor of physical therapy, Sarlo Award for Excellence in Teaching
• Elected Eric Hsu, assistant professor of mathematics, as the Academic Senate representative to the All-University Teacher Education Committee for a one-year term
• Elected Ricardo Gomes, chair of design and industry, as the Academic Senate representative to the Enrollment Management Committee for a three-year term.
• Elected Maxine Chernoff, creative writing chair, and Andrew Ichimura, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry, as Academic Senate representatives to the University Budget Committee for three-year terms
• Approved the revision of the Master of Science in Biomedical Laboratory Science degree program into two degree programs, Master of Science in Biomedical Science: Concentration in Biotechnology, and Master of Science in Biomedical Science: Concentration in Stem Cell Science
• Approved the addition of a Master of Science in Geographic Information Science degree to the master plan and approved the degree program
• Approved the revision of the Bachelor of Arts in Art degree program into four concentrations: B.A. in Art: Concentration in Art Education; B.A. in Art: Concentration in Art History; B.A. in Art: Concentration in Studio Art; and B.A. in Art: Concentration in Art History and Studio Art
• Approved a proposal for a College of Extended Learning Special Sessions B.A. Degree in Raza Studies as a one-time request for a single cohort of 33 students who will matriculate at SF State in Spring 2010
• Approved revisions to the withdrawal policy, #S98-196
• Approved revisions to the graduate section of the Written English Proficiency policy, #S07-14
• Approved a resolution commending John Gemello, provost and vice president for academic affairs
• Approved a resolution commending Gail Whitaker, dean of the College of Extended Learning and associate vice president for academic program development
• Approved a resolution commending outgoing members of the Academic Senate

The following are action items from the 2009-10 Academic Senate's May 12 spring organizational meeting:

• Elected Shawn Whalen as chair, Ray Trautman as vice-chair, Wei Ming Dariotis as secretary, and Bridget McCracken and Barbara Holzman as at-large members of the Executive Committee

University-wide election results announced
In the recently completed University-wide election, the following individuals were elected to serve:

Administrative Search Committee Pool
All nominees were elected. A full list will be posted on the Academic Senate Web site

At-Large Academic Senator

• Robert Collins, assistant professor of American Indian studies
• Cyrus Ginwala, assistant professor, school of music and dance
• Wenshen "Chris" Pong, professor of engineering

Academic Freedom Committee

• Ronald Purser, professor of management
• Dorothy Tsuruta, professor/chair of Africana studies

CSU/Statewide Academic Senator

• Andrea Boyle, associate professor, school of nursing

Honorary Degree Committee

• Shirin Khanmohamadi, associate professor of comparative and world literatures
• David Smith, assistant professor of classics

Post Promotion Increase (PPI) Appeals Committee

• Sergio Aragon, professor of chemistry
• Sudip Chattopadhyay, chair and professor of economics
• Jerry Shapiro, professor of social work
• Joseph Tuman, professor of communication studies
• Mitch Turitz, librarian

University Advancement Activities Advisory Committee

• Pete Palmer, professor of chemistry and biochemistry
  

Academic Senate 2008-09 Elections Committee members:

• Kate Hellenga, assistant professor of psychology
• Connie Ulasewicz, assistant professor of consumer and family studies/dietetics
• Mary Ann van Dam, assistant professor, school of nursing

This week in Insiders: Professor of Technical and Professional Writing Lu Rehling received a national honor and Professor of Art David Kuraoka opened an exhibit of his work.

Read Insiders: www.sfsu.edu/~news/cmemo/spring09/may18insiders.htm

This week in Newsmakers: Visiting Professor of Broadcast and Electronic Communication Arts David King Dunaway discusses Pete Seeger.

Read Newsmakers: www.sfsu.edu/~news/cmemo/spring09/may18news.htm

Monday
Free recital by ADORNO Ensemble
The ADORNO Ensemble, SF State’s new music ensemble-in-residence, will give a free performance Monday at 1 p.m. in Knuth Hall, Creative Arts building. For details, call ext. 8-1431.

San Francisco Greek Film Festival
The Center for Modern Greek Studies will co-sponsor the San Francisco Greek Film Festival from Monday through May 24 at the Delancey Screening Room, 600 Embarcadero in San Francisco. For more information, visit www.grfilm.com

International Museum Day sale
The Museum Studies Department will host a sale of items donated by faculty Monday from noon to 4 p.m. in HUM 510. Items for sale include: Persian rugs, books, jewelry and more. For more information, contact Museum Studies at ext. 5-0599. 

Coming Up
Service-learning and civic engagement workshop
Faculty and staff are invited to "Service-Learning and Civic Engagement: Thriving in Uncertain Times," a workshop that will explore where service-learning and civic engagement are currently and how they can be advanced and strengthened in the face of the current economic climate. The workshop will be held May 22 from 9 a.m. to noon at the offices of California Campus Compact/the Institute for Civic and Community Engagement, 2001 Junipero Serra Blvd., Pacific Plaza, Suite 750, in Daly City. Registration is required. The registration form is available for download at www.cacampuscompact.org For more information, contact Sheena Ansarinia at sheena@cacampuscompact.org or ext. 5-7587.

Toddler conference for parents and professionals
The 20th Annual RIE Infant Toddler Conference for Parents and Professionals will take place June 13 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at SF State. Eighteen workshops will be presented in three sessions on infant care. The event is cosponsored by the Psychology Department and Child and Adolescent Development Department. For more information or registration information, visit http://www.rie.org

For more upcoming events, see the University Calendar

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Last modified May 18, 2009 by University Communications.