Special SSU Discount on July 4th Pops Concert

Faculty, staff and alumni can find at seat at the very popular Independence Day on the Green on July 4 for $20 each. The kickoff event to the summer season of the Green Music Festival sells out quickly, so it is best to get tickets early. The program features Jeffrey Kahane 's performance of Gerswin's Rhapsody in Blue and a George M. Cohan sing-a-long. Seattle symphony conductor Alastair Willis leads a concert of American classics with the Santa Rosa Symphony. To purchase tickets, call the City Box Office at (866) 778-3378. Mention that you are a faculty, alumni or staff member of Sonoma State University. For further details, go to the Green Music Festival Web site at www.greenmusicfestival.org.

Meetings Set for Faculty Golden Handshake

The faculty Golden Handshake is available to members of bargaining unit 3, represented by the California Faculty Association, who are eligible to retire under PERS law and regulations. The early retirement incentive provides two full years of service credit for those who retire by July 28, 2004. To assist eligible employees in determing eligibility and the effect on their retirement plan, Human Resources will hold campus information workshops on the following dates in Stevenson 2011. No reservations are required but space is limited. The schedule of meetings is:
11 a.m., Wednesday, May 26
3 p.m., Thursday, May 27
4 p.m, Tuesday, June 1
9 a.m., Wednesday, June 2
Detailed information will be mailed to faculty soon, and is also available online at: www.calpers.ca.gov/index.jsp?bc=/member/retirement/goldhandshakeinfo.xml.

Prior Learning Portfolio Course Offered this Summer

Faculty are urged to recommend SSU undergraduate students, as well as those in the community who are considering an undergraduate degree, for a summer portfolio workshop supported by the Faculty Evaluated Prior Learning Program.

This mentoring seminar is offered 6-10 p.m. from June 22-July 27. The fee for the course is $495. It will be led by a graduate of FEPLP, Inese Heinzel. Heinzel is an independent communications consultant, project manager and professional trainer, with more than 25 years of experience and skills in organizational communications, training and development, instructional design, employee and public relations, and media production.

"This is a time and money saving option that new and continuing undergraduates should be advised about, if they are highly motivated students with substantial prior learning experience," says Barbara Lesch McCaffry, the faculty contact for the FEPL Program.

For more details, see the Extended Education summer catalogue Web page located at www.ssuexed.com/course.php?id=647&sem=Summer&year=2004. Address questions to McCaffry, the interim faculty contact for the FEPL Program, at 4-2273 or mccaffry@sonoma.edu. For details about the course, contact Inese Heinzel at heinzeli@sonoma.edu.

Bookstore Sale Offers 20% Off

The campus bookstore wants to show its appreciation to all staff and faculty during a difficult year, says staffer Marcia Harrigan, The following discounts are in effect from June 1-7. A staff identification is required to get the discount. Items on sale include all clothing plus already reduced clearance items, all imprinted gift items (excluding diploma frames), all bears, all general books, all art supplies, and all journals and bookmarks.

Staff Appreciation Day; RSVP Deadline is May 25

Interested in having lunch or a display booth on Staff Appreciation Day, June 1? RSVP's for lunch are due no later than May 25 to terilynn.bench@sonoma.edu. RSVP's for display booths are due no later than May 25 to carol.ingerman@sonoma.edu.

Desktop Yoga Returns for Summer

Desktop Yoga meets this summer at noon on Wednesdays from June 9 through August 11 in the multi-purpose room in the Student Union. The first class is free. The course offers a combination of invigorating and restful poses and movements and is designed to be especially beneficial to those who spend a great deal of time sitting or working at a computer, says instructor Kathleen Hardy. "It is suitable for everyone, regardless of fitness level or experience." Cost is $25 for the ten week session, or $4 for a drop-in pass. For information, contact Hardy at 4-2535.

Sidekicks Swim Open to Faculty and Staff Children

A swim program for children with special needs called Sidekicks Swim is scheduled for June 14-18 at the pool. The program is open to youth 5-18 yrs and children of faculty and staff are welcome. The program needs faculty or staff, or their family members, as volunteers in the program for one to two hours each day for one week. Contact Elaine McHugh, 4-2660, for more information.

Summer 2004 Employee Fee Waiver Program

Human Services is now accepting employee, dependent, spouse and domestic partner fee waiver applications for the summer 2004 semester. Course work taken at Sonoma State University during the summer is not eligible for employee fee waiver. Employees and their dependents, spouses or domestic partners should check with the CSU they plan to attend for the summer session to see if employee fee waiver benefits can be used for the summer 2004 semester. Information and forms for the program can be found at www.sonoma.edu/hs/erc/feewaiver.html. For further information, contact Carol Ingerman,
4-3100.