Annual
Campus Holiday Party Today

President Ruben Armiñana hosts the annual campus holiday party from 3-5 p.m. today at the Commons. University Dining Services has put together a special menu of tempting treats and decor for this year's event. Everyone is invited.

Spring Into
Convocation, Jan. 24

The Spring Convocation and Faculty Retreat will be held on the same day, January 24, 2008. In the morning Convocation will follow the format of Fall Convocation in Evert B. Person Theater. The Faculty Retreat will begin after lunch with an early evening drinks and appetizers social. Schools are being encouraged to have their meetings on January 23.


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Dining Winter
Break Hours

December 17-21

Charlie Brown's Cafe will be open at 7 a.m.

The University Club will also be open 11 a.m.-2 p.m. The menu will spotlight Chef specials daily.

December 24

For any who are lucky and working Christmas Eve, Charlie Brown's Cafe will be offering complemetary brewed coffee and pastries to the campus community. Brewed coffee will be available while CBC is open, food items will be available while supplies last.

Happy Holidays from University Dining Services

Educational Technologies Expert to
Lead School of Extended Education

Mark MerickelDr. Mark Merickel, an expert in emerging technologies in education from Oregon State University (OSU), has been named the new Dean of the School of Extended Education at Sonoma State University. Merickel takes charge of the school from retiring Dean Les Adler on January 14, 2008. He has been the Associate Dean of OSU's Extended Campus for the past seven years and served as the Lead Administrator of the OSU Ecampus over the last 10 months. During this period, in collaboration with the Deans across the university, he steered the growth of that unit from small beginnings to a $16 million annual operating budget.

Ecampus extends OSU to students around the state, nation, and the world, and each year delivers more than 500 accredited OSU courses via the Web, video/DVD and other technologies. Students can complete their degree, add a minor or take courses for graduate credit or professional development.

Merickel has focused his work on the application of emerging technologies for the delivery of teacher preparation, continuing professional development, and distance-delivered programs. He received his B.A. in industrial technology and holds teaching licenses in industrial and technology education, and an M.A. in industrial technology from California State University, Fresno.

He earned his Ph.D. in education with a concentration in teaching and learning with technology from Oregon State University and has been a tenured member of the faculty at Oregon State University since 1998.

He will be moving to Sonoma County with his wife Colleen. Dr. Merickel and his wife have two grown sons and a daughter-in-law who live in Bend, Oregon.

Provost Eduardo Ochoa says "Dr. Merickel brings to Sonoma State a proven track record of growing continuing education programs and revenues, an ability to work collaboratively with academic departments, superb communication skills, and a vision for the role of technology in higher education's future."

For more information on Dr. Merickel, see his biography from Oregon State University at merickel.shtml.

Follow the Judges and Take
the Holiday Decorating Tour

Want to find out what the judges for the door and cubicle decorating contest are facing? Here is a list of the entrants for this year's holiday contest with judging schedules to begin at 10 a.m. on Monday, December 17. The campus community is welcome to stop by these various locations to see what their colleagues have done to generate holiday spirit. Entrants and their locations are:
1. Payroll (Salazar Hall, second floor)
2. Biology (Darwin 200)
3. Chemistry/Physics and Astronomy (Darwin 300)
4. Post Office (Zinfandel)
5. Nursing (Nichols 256)
6. Psychology (Stevenson 3092)
7. Dining Services Office (Zinfandel)
8. Computer Science/Geology (Darwin 116)
9. Accounts Payable (A and F)
10. School of Education (Stevenson 1078)
11. Center for Community Engagement (next to Writing Center)
12. Sponsored Programs, Scheduling and Institutional Research (Stevenson 1050)

The judges will be Marybeth Hull, Robert Coe, Gina Voight, and Lorez Bailey. Ryan Ernst has donated a $50 gift card for Dining Services as one of the prizes

Judging categories are: Originality, Evokes Holiday Spirit, Department and SSU Integration, and Effort Involved. Photos of the winners will be published in an early January issue of NewsBytes.

Rec Center and Campus Rec Offer
Free Weeks and Intersession Hours

Campus Recreation offers its first of two free weeks of the new year, January 2-8, for eligible non-members including all faculty and staff. Faculty and staff are encouraged to establish their fitness and exercise routines early in the semester before hectic work routines take over. "Using the student recreation center and pool is a great way to maintain a healthy lifestyle and make connections with others on campus," says director Pam Su.

The many services offered at the Student Recreation Center include state-of-the-art cardio and weight lifting equipment, spin bikes, indoor track, basketball courts, exercise studios, game room, and access to spa, showers, and locker room. In addition, free week lap swimming will be available at the pool. Participants will be asked to show their employee ID for entry.

Intersession hours at the Center beginning January 2 are Monday-Friday, 6:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m., and Saturday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.  A second free week will be offered January 28 - February 3 during the first week of classes. For more information, phone 4-4FUN or visit www.sonoma.edu/campusrec.

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