Faculty Jazz Concert
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Warren Auditorium

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The copy deadline is the Monday before the date of publication.

Submit material to
newsbytes@sonoma.edu

Jean Wasp,
Editor, 4-2057

Past issues
of NewsBytes

A Weekly E-Newsletter for SSU Faculty and Staff

Improvements and Changes to E-mail Starting March 1

The Information Technology team has made several improvements to the current e-mail system and plans to introduce a new system later this spring. Effective March 1, the e-mail trash folder will automatically empty every seven days to help keep deleted mail from using space in individual accounts. The affected folder names are "Trash" and "Deleted Items".

Currently, the e-mail system requires an LDAP username and password to read mail. IT recommends that users also configure their mail client to "authenticate" when sending mail. This means that users are asked for their LDAP password the first time they send a message during each session. Certain e-mail services might not be available unless authenticated. For detailed information on how to set an e-mail client to do this, contact the IT Helpdesk at 4-4357 or check out the online documentation at www.sonoma.edu/it/faq/. Note that this does not apply to webmail sessions.

This spring, IT migrates to a new mailing list manager called Mailman. Mailman has more capabilities than the current list manager and has a web interface that list owners can use to (un)subscribe members, add moderators, etc. To learn more about Mailman, see www.gnu.org/software/mailman/.

Online Experts Guide Has Search Engine, Photos

The SSU Experts Guide has been updated and nowincludes many new entries from recently-hired faculty. New categories on current research and community work have been added. Faculty are urged to check their listing to see if it needs additions or revisions. The guide can be found at www.sonoma.edu/pubs/experts.

Faculty not included in the guide can add their profile by filling out the form on the Web at www.sonoma.edu/pubs/experts/create.shtml. For the first time, the guide has its own search engine and entries can be searched by keyword or name. Faculty photographs have been added when available.

The guide continues to be an important resource for local media looking for expert commentary as well as for community groups looking for speakers. For further information, contact Jean Wasp, Media Relations Coordinator, 4-2057.

Staff Excellence Award Deadline is March 1

The Staff Excellence Award Program recognizes outstanding service by staff members who display excellence in the categories of creativity, leadership/teamwork, initiative, enhancing the work environment, and special contributions to the University as a whole. It is awarded to two employees per year. All non-MPP Sonoma State University staff, including members covered by bargaining units 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, confidential employees, and foundation employees in comparable positions are eligible for nomination. 

In addition, employees must have 12 months or moreof SSU employment, work half-time or more, and have a commendable work record to be eligible.  To nominate an employee, please download the nomination form and return it to Employee Relations in Salazar 2078 no later than March 1. Questions may be directed to terilynn.bench@sonoma.edu.

Volunteers Needed for "Expanding Your Horizons" Conference

Volunteers are needed to help at the 13th Annual Expanding Your Horizons Conference at Santa Rosa Junior College from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 5. The annual conference aims to encourage seventh and eighth-grade girls and young women to take more math and science in high school and to consider "non-traditional" career paths.

Approximately 500 participants are expected to attend the hands-on workshops led by women professionals in fields such as engineering, medicine, and environmental protection. If you can help out that day or before the conference, contact Sharon Cabaniss in the Mathematics
Department at 4-3921 or e-mail her at cabaniss@sonoma.edu. Find out more about the conference at www.eyh-soco.org.

Queer Studies Student Research Conference Seeks Material

The SSU Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, and Intersex Supporters Resource Coalition is sponsoring a “Queer Studies Student Research Conference” on campus June 23-24. The Coalition seeks papers, performance pieces and creative representations (visual arts, media, etc.) exploring broad themes in queer studies, interests, and experiences.

Topics can include, but are not limited to, issues of sexuality, gender identification, queer theory, HIV/AIDS, current political thought, and religion as they pertain to issues within the queer community. The LGBTQIS Resource Coalition encourages students to refine existing class projects, papers, and aesthetic/performative creative expressions for submission and review from undergraduate and graduate students.

Students are welcome to attend and present at the event. Deadline for individual and collective session proposals is March 15. Complete information is available online at
www.sonoma.edu/campuslife/outatsonoma/callforpapers.html