Make-believe may become reality for K-12 students who will get a chance to learn about health care professions because of a new Sonoma State University program called "Kids Into Health."
The Kids Into Health Careers (KIHCs) program is part of a large federal grant of $750,000 over a three year period awarded to Dr. Wendy Smith, a SSU professor of nursing and Family Nurse Practitioner Program Director, to support the education of more family nurse practitioners in California.
A special initative of this grant is to increase the diversity in nursing by recruiting more men and minorities into the profession starting with school children, says initiative coordinator Sandra DeBella Bodley.
On a local level, Bodley is working with selected schools in the community to pair university nursing students with students interested in all types of heath careers in ages ranging from elementary school through high school.
Beginning this spring, SSU students will serve as mentors at Elsie Allen High School, Cook Junior High and Roseland Elementary School. These schools have been identified as the schools with the highest minority and under-represented enrollment in health careers in their area.
The program plans to implement a culturally-relevant career day and provide in-class speakers and motivators who represent various health careers to the K-12 students.
In addition to the local activities, nursing students from the SSU Student Nurses Association will be touring several Bay Area high schools to introduce students to health careers, demonstrate patient care skills and answer questions about career choices in the health sciences.
Applications are now being accepted for admission to the pioneering master of science in computer and engineering science degree at Sonoma State University that is sponsored by the telecommunications, optical, computer and electronics industries and community members of the North Bay region.
Preferred deadline to apply for admission for Spring '02 is November 16, and for admission for Fall '02 is February 15, 2002.
Program director Jagan Agrawal says the program, which began this fall, "received an overwhelming response from the potential students worldwide even at its infancy." Out of 48 admitted, 30 students enrolled in the first fall semester.
About half of these students are engineers and scientists in the region's telecommunications, computer, semiconductor, networking, optical components, electrical, medical and consumer goods industries, Agrawal says.
The MS-CES curriculum is designed to provide a deeper understanding of the underlying principles, enhance the working skills and practical knowledge of engineers, computer scientists and similar professionals. For admission into this interdisciplinary program an applicant should have earned a bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline, computer science, physics, chemistry or mathematics.
Agrawal says the partnership with the local high tech industries allows the program to draw upon the expertise in those industries to keep the curriculum technologically current and dynamic, bring practical experience of the experts in industries into the classrooms, make research and design projects meaningful.
More information can be found at the program's web-site at www.sonoma.edu/natsci/msces. To request application material for admission, call (707) 664-2030 or send an e-mail to msces@sonoma.edu, or write to: MS-CES Program, School of Natural Sciences, Sonoma State University, 1801 E. Cotati Ave., Rohnert Park, CA 94928.
For specific questions about the Program, contact Dr. Jagan Agrawal, Director, CES by email at: jagan.agrawal@sonoma.edu, or phone at (707) 664-4438.
Sonoma State University's AmeriCorps program will lead volunteers in a force of 330 at three Santa Rosa school sites for "Hands Across the County" from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, October 27.
Some 160 SSU students in the AmeriCorps program have signed up to work at everything from building sustainable gardens to refurbishing a clinic to repairing a playground. All projects will take place at schools in Southwest Santa Rosa. They will be joined by a total of 170 others from various organizations.
"SSU students work at the schools throughout the year to assist struggling learners. By bringing together volunteers, we are helping build a strong community support system for the schools," says Pam Nirdlinger of SSU's AmeriCorps Program.
They will be joined by 80 teens from the Youth Volunteer Corps; 20 Girl Scout Brownies; 20 members of a local church and 50 adults from school families and various clubs and service groups in the community.
The student volunteers will be at the following locations:
ROSELAND SCHOOL, 850 SEBASTOPOL ROAD, SANTA ROSA:
Fifteen different projects will include: refurbishing and painting the Roseland Children's Clinic and building an arbor in the family garden area, as well as replanting the sustainable garden and repainting and repairing from the halls to the library to the play ground. Some 80 teen volunteers from the Youth Volunteer Corps of the Volunteer Center of Santa Rosa will join them.
"The creation of the gardens at schools serves several important functions, giving students and teachers spaces for outdoor education and hands-on science projects, and involving parents in the continuation of the garden over the seasons, " Nirdlinger says.
KAWANA SCHOOL, 2121 MORAGA, SANTA ROSA
A large school garden project will be completed, playground equipment painted, and a protective coat applied to the murals. Parents, teachers, and members of a local service club will help.
BELLEVUE SCHOOL, 3223 PRIMROSE, SANTA ROSA
An existing abandoned garden will be reclaimed and large redwood trees will be planted to replace vandalized trees. A troop of 20 Girl Scout Brownies will be part of the work team.
Nirdlinger says the effort is organized to promote parent participation in the schools and link youth service groups to the schools for long-term service projects.
"Unraveling the Knot of Gender Violence" is the topic of a free public lecture by sociologist Allan Johnson on Thursday, Nov. 8 at Sonoma State University .
Johnson, the author of "The Gender Knot: Unraveling Our Patriarchal Legacy" will speak from 4 - 7 p.m. in room 3001 of the Jean and Charles Schulz Information Center. He will discuss how to make positive changes to eliminate male violence against women.
"Few subjects provoke as much defensiveness, discomfort, and confusion as does men's violence against women, " Johnson writes. "Millions of women are weary from the struggle to prevent violence, and many well-intentioned men do nothing because they can't see how to acknowledge what's going on without inviting guilt and blame simply for being men."
"A more productive approach begins with new ways to think about violence that are more likely to include - and keep - both men and women in the conversation," he says.
Johnson is a professor of sociology and women's studies at Hartford College for Women of the University of Hartford, Connecticut. He has worked on issues of social inequality since 1972.
"Do not be discouraged that it may be the spring of 2002 before we see significant changes in growth rates and employment," says economics professor Robert Eyler of Sonoma State University.
"A recession that lasts only nine months, especially after the attacks, is a sign of a healthy long-run economy which is much more important that a 35% drop in your IRA."
Eyler has added these thoughts to a new page to the web site of the recently resurrected Center for Regional Economic Analysis at the university. It can be found at www.sonoma.edu/org/crea/sept11.htm.
The website should be considered the central location for first-rate research, data, and analysis for local industry and governments of the North Bay, says the professor. A special emphasis is placed on businesses in technological and agricultural fields as well as governments in the university's service area. In addition, the CREA staff does contract research on business and economic problems for governmental organizations and private industry.
The industries of importance include the telecommunications, wine, tourism, and banking industries, says the professor who reports the newly-revised web site now has the following features:
* Links to data and information services for local, state, US, and international economic concerns.
* Report on the reaction of local real estate markets to macroeconomic changes, especially policy and financial markets.
* Industry-specific links that connect local firms with their industries.
In the coming month, the CREA will expand to provide:
* Daily news reports for each industry.
* CREA-generated economic indicators for Sonoma, Marin, and Napa counties updated quarterly.
* General reports to enhance the economic knowledge about the North Bay economy.
For further information, phone Eyler at (707) 664-4256 or e-mail eyler@sonoma.edu.
Latino film and culture will be on display at Sonoma State University as the 5th Annual Latino Film Festival comes to Sonoma County with two special weekends of cinema on Nov. 2, 3 and Nov. 9, 10 on the Rohnert Park campus.
This year, SSU has focused its lineup on themes from Mexico, to coincide with Day of the Dead celebrations and to honor the contribution of Mexican culture to local communities.
Filmmaker Oscar Guajardo, an SSU graduate, is bringing his own efforts back home with the premiere screening of his "Golden Era of Mexican Cinema."
The festival on campus begins with a weekend of ethnographic films in Darwin Hall. These documentaries explore the everyday lives of the indigenous cultures of Mexico and Puerto Rico. Both evenings, co-hosted by the SSU Anthropology Club, will include discussion groups led by anthropology professor Al Wahrhaftig.
Latino Film Festival organizers say this year's program promotes "cinematic crossroads where Latino artists from around the world exchange ideas, projects, and successes."
In the last five years, the festival has grown from just a couple of films in San Rafael to dozens of screenings in San Rafael, San Francisco, San Jose, and at Sonoma State University.
The schedule of film screenings includes:
FRIDAY, NOV. 2, 7 P.M.
$5, DARWIN HALL
Discussion led by SSU anthropology professor. Al Wahrhaftig to follow screening.
MEXICO UNMASKED: two powerful films provide a fascinating look into Mexico?s struggles, past and present.
"PANCHO VILLA AND OTHER STORIES" (Phillip Rodriguez, Mexico/USA 1999, 40 min.) This oral history of the Mexican Revolution and one of its most charismatic figures, Francisco "Pancho" Villa, features interviews with those who lived and fought alongside him.
"VOICES OF THE SIERRA TARAHUMARA" (Felix Gehm & Robert Brewster, Mexico/USA 2001, 50 min.) The Tarahumara, an isolated tribe in Mexico?s Sierra Madre range, struggles to regain control over its land and resources against the overwhelming outside forces of drug cartels, the World Bank, and the logging industry.
SATURDAY, NOV. 3, 7 P.M.
$5, DARWIN HALL
Discussion led by SSU anthropology professor. Al Wahrhaftig to follow screening.
"VIEQUES?A FEATURE FILM" (William Nemcik, Puerto Rico 2000, 92 min.) "Not one bomb more!" is the loud and insistent cry heard on the Puerto Rican island of Vieques. Earlier this year the Puerto Rican people voted for an end to the bombing. President Bush offered to comply with that request?by 2003. Assaulted for 60 years by constant noise, dangerously off-target and unexploded munitions, noxious chemicals, harassment by rapacious sailors, and a sharp increase in cancer rates, the people of Vieques are inspiring in their unity, use of civil disobedience, and proud shout of "Not one bomb more!" This potent documentary presents the people of Puerto Rico and their case against the Navy with rare eloquence.
FRIDAY, NOV. 9, 7:30 P.M.
$12/$10, EVERT B. PERSON THEATRE
"DIA DE LOS MUERTES PARTY" follows screening with filmmaker and SSU graduate Oscar Guajardo. Featuring Day of the Dead altars by Latino Stars and Sonoma Stars in collaboration with the Sonoma County Museum.
"THE GOLDEN ERA OF MEXICAN CINEMA" (Oscar Guajardo, USA 2001, 45 min)
Celebrate Mexican cinema?s "glory days"?the ?30s, ?40s, and ?50s?with this terrific documentary. Mexican cinema truly blossomed during this golden age. In 1949 alone Mexico produced over 100 features. Actors like Cantinflas, Jorge Negrete, Dolores del R?, Pedro Armend?iz, Pedro Infante, and Maria Felix brought a dramatic flair to the screen that thrilled moviegoers on both sides of the border. The film explores such near-forgotten popular genres as the wonderful musical rancher?s. Rare footage and revealing interviews make this both a great introduction to the era and a stimulating stroll down memory lane.
"A DAY WITHOUT A MEXICAN" (Yareli Arizmendi and Sergio Arau, USA 1998, 28 min.) A light-hearted mockumentary about what happens when Californians wake up to find that all of the Mexicans have disappeared without trace.
SATURDAY, NOV. 10, 4 AND 7:30 P.M.
$5, EVERT B. PERSON THEATRE
"FLIGHT OF FANCY" (Noel Qui?nes, Puerto Rico 2000, 90 min.) Filmed entirely in Aguadilla and Adjuntas, Puerto Rico, this captivating, magical film tells the story of Gabriel, a young boy in search of a father. Gabriel is unhappy that his mother, the beautiful widow Mercedes, is about to marry Frank, a rich landowner. While Gabriel unintentionally ruins his mother?s wedding, a sudden storm grounds a handsome pilot (ex-Superman Dean Cain). Also thickening the plot is the fable-like influence of an enigmatic "Merlin," who narrates the film. As is often true in life, it is the children who teach the adults?about love, honesty, and magic. Featuring the isolated glory of coastal Puerto Rico, this is an exciting, beautifully shot film for the entire family. (Bay Area Premiere)
"THE LAST ZAPATISTAS, FORGOTTEN HEROES" (Francesco Toboada, Mexico, 2001, 70 min.) Organized in 1910 by Emiliano Zapata, peasants of Morelos took up arms and directly challenged 400 years of Spanish-styled Mexican rule. Elders of the Mexican revolution tell us the story one more time. Only this time, we listen 100 years deeper into the struggle for indigenous and peasant rights. In this rare opportunity, several Veteranas and Veteranos showcase their personal memories and retell them as international treasures, retracing the contested histories of people, land and struggle.
Tickets are available at the Center for Performing Arts box office, (707) 664-2353 or the day of the screening.
For further information, contact Karen Pierce Gonzalez, (707) 792-4376 or professor Al Wahrhaftig, (707) 664-2319.
NOTE: Interviews and a digital photo of director Oscar Guajardo are available upon the request.
Filipino American culture will be celebrated at Sonoma State University on Thursday, Oct. 25. The event, part of Filipino American Heritage Month, will include poetry, Kali (Filipino Martial Arts) and Filipino Ethnic Contemporary music.
The poetry and discussion will be held from 4 to 6:40 p.m. in Rachel Carson Hall 68 on campus at 1801 E. Cotati Ave, Rohnert Park.
Special guest speakers will be Eileen Tabios, award-winning poet, editor and critic; Michelle Bautista, poet, Kali instructor and cultural activist; and Joey Ayala, musician/composer, and director of Pusod, a Berkeley-based Bayan/Nation-Ecology-Culture center.
For more information, phone the SSU InterCultural Center, Darius Spearman, (707) 664-2710
Kevin Danaher, founder of the international human rights group Global Exchange, will speak at Sonoma State University at 2 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 18.
His lecture, called "Globalization, Power and Terrorism," will be held in the multi-purpose room of the Student Union. The campus is located at 1801 E. Cotati Ave., Rohnert Park.
"Danaher is considered one of the most important social critics of the late 20th and 21st century," says Susan Garfin, SSU professor of sociology. "He is a champion of the rights of the underprivileged and an ardent fighter for social equality and justice. He goes beyond mere analysis of international events to provide motivation and viable ideas for action," Garfin says.
Danaher graduated from SSU in 1976 with a B.A. in sociology and this year was named a Distinguished Alumni.
After attending SSU, he earned his Ph.D. in sociology from U.C. Santa Cruz in 1982. He is well known for his dynamic speaking style aimed at encouraging people to expand their political vision and take charge of their lives.
His areas of expertise include: Elite Globalization vs. Demographic Globalizations; World Bank and IMF: More Harm Than Good; The World Trade Organization: Secret Global Government: World Hunger: U.S. Foreign Policy; and Building the Alternative Economy.
Danaher has lectured at numerous universities and to community organizations throughout the United States, from the World Affairs Council in Alaska to Dartmouth College in New Hampshire.
He has appeared on TV and radio shows around the country and has published articles in the Los Angeles Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, the International Herald Tribune, Harvard Educational Review, The Nation, The Progressive, and many others.
The event is sponsored by the SSU Department of Sociology and Project Censored.
DR. JIM CHRISTMANN, Professor of Biology, is available to comment on the nature and strategies of bio-terrorism and bio-warfare and how these threats are used to create hysteria. He can discuss current scientific tools that can be used to track the source of these agents and how the risks of infection can be managed.
A molecular geneticist in the Biology Department at Sonoma State University, Professor Christmann has spent his career using recombinant DNA and biochemical techniques studying gene function. He was drafted out of graduate school in 1969 and spent two years working on means of detection of bio-warfare agents while in the U.S.Army.
Office: (707) 664-3054
E-mail: james.christmann@sonoma.edu
DR. MARILYN DUDLEY-ROWLEY, Lecturer, Department of Sociology, is available to speak to journalists and to groups and to provide background material for the media on certain historical precedents following the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan; on the trans-nationalization of terrorism; and on the conditions that has led to the failure of the intelligence community in the area of human intelligence. Within sociology, her specialty is the performance of groups in extreme situations.
Office: (707) 664-2561
Home: (707) 874-3430
E-mail: MD_R@Hotmail.com
DR. ELAINE LEEDER, Dean of Social Sciences, Professor of Sociology, can address the growing peace movement and its new approaches to educating the public to alternatives to war; these alternatives would include engaging in quiet diplomacy, the building of alliances with countries heretofore not included in policy making, providing human aid to stricken countries, human rights work and assisting in the building of a Palestinian homeland.
She has taught courses on domestic violence, holocaust and genocide, social change and revolutions and writes in the areas of child abuse, wife battering, sexual assault, revolutions, anarchism, genocide and perpetrator behavior.
Office: (707) 664-2120
E-Mail: elaine.leeder@sonoma.edu.
DR. ANDY MERRIFIELD, Chair and Professor of Political Science, is available to comment on public opinion on foreign policy as it applies to peace, war, elections, civil liberties issues etc. He can comment on American foreign-policy making from the perspective of the presidency, congress, the bureaucracy, interest groups etc. and talk generally about the national institutions of government in the context of what is going on, in addition to media, interest groups etc. He can also discuss state, local and intergovernmental issues that arise during situations like those occuring in these times.
Office: (707) 664-3946
Home: (707) 526-7218
E-mail: andy.merrifield@sonoma.edu
DR. CATHERINE NELSON, Professor of Political Science, is available for comment on the various dimensions of public opinion as it has changed from the "dirty war" of Vietnam, to the "clean war" in the Gulf, to the "new kind of war" on terrorism.
She can also speak to the challenges to civil rights and liberties presented by requests from the Bush Administration for increased authority for surveillance and detention of individuals suspected of being involved in terrorist activity, and media coverage of events since September 11, especially how it has changed in reaction to the agenda of the Bush Administration. Dr. Nelson can also comment on changes in U.S. politics more generally since the terrorist attacks, as the dominant theme of unity emerges.
Dr. Nelson is Associate Professor of Political Science at Sonoma StateUniversity. She teaches American Government and Political Theory, with particular emphasis on race, gender, and rights issues, and Ethics in Public Administration. She has presented her research at regional andnational conferences, and given guest lecturers and media commentary in her areas of expertise.
Office: (707) 664-3963
E-mail: catherine.nelson@sonoma.edu
DR. WILLIAM POE, Professor of Archaeology, is available to speak to groups and provide background material for the media on Islam and on the relationship between religion and terrorism. "Arabic Language and Islamic Civilization" was one of the qualifying areas in Dr. Poe's Ph.D. in Mediterranean Studies from Brandeis University. He also has an M. Div. from Princeton Theological Seminary with a major in Old Testament.
He has conducted archaeological research at Hebron, in the occupied west bank, at Petra, Jordan, at Chavin de Huantar, Peru, at Ujuxte, Guatemala. His current research interests are in Belize. Within archaeology, his particular specialty is the application of GPS and GIS in the analysis of archaeological information.
Office: (707) 664-2580
E-mail: william.poe@sonoma.edu
KIRK TEMPLETON, President of the Sonoma State University Indian Cultural Club and Music and Dance Director of the SSU Middle Eastern Club, is available to speak to groups and the media on the historical background relating to Central Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East and cultural issues relating to the political and economic development of these areas in relationship to the West.
He is Director of Wind Mountain Institute, an educational and research organization focused on East/West cultural integration and economic development, especially in the field of Information Technology. He has been working with local Middle Eastern and Asian communities to increase communication and fellowship with the community at large. As a re-entry student at SSU, Templeton is doing research in quantum computing. He works part-time as a software engineer at a major telecommunications firm in Sonoma County. His background also includes banking and strategic consulting.
Office: (707) 665-8175
Home: (707) 874-2858
E-mail: kirk.templeton@alcatel.com
windmtn@sonic.net
DR. EILEEN THATCHER, Professor of Biology, is available for comment on various aspects relating to pathogenic organisms and viruses which may cause harm if used as agents of warfare or terrorism. She can address issues relating to the characteristics of the organisms and/or viruses; means of recognition; means of prevention and control; durability in the environment; and potential for causing damage in the population.
She teaches Microbiology, Bacteriology, Medical Microbiology, Virology, and Immunology. In addition, she consults in the biotechnology industry, particularly in areas relating to laboratory practices, and to assay and protocol design.
Office 707-664-2931
E-mail: thatcher@sonoma.edu
More than 100 Sonoma State University students, led by SSU senior David Wight, will relay from San Francisco back to Sonoma State in an effort to raise money for children in local hospitals.
The event titled "Skate-4-Fate" will take place on Saturday, Oct. 13. The money raised from sponsors will go to purchase toys and stuffed animals for children in local hospitals such as Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital.
Wight began the program in 1997, after he spent time in hospitals for a disease which was never classified nor cured. That year he skated from Monterey to San Francisco and raised over $1,700. This year, the third Skate-4-Fate will be set up like a team relay.
Participants will use any physical means they choose, such as in-line skating, bicycling, skateboarding or running, to complete as many sections of the over 60 mile distance as they can and will then break and others will
replace them if necessary. "We already have firm dedication from a number of individuals to travel the whole distance," says Wight.
Sonoma State University fraternity Phi Delta Theta, of which Wight is the vice president, as well as other fraternities and sororities and members of SSU Police Services will participate. But anyone is invited to join in, says Wight.
For further information, phone (707) 548-5746.
MEDIA ADVISORY:
A tough band of fifty fraternity brothers, police officers and others from Sonoma State University will travel the miles from Crissy Field in San Francisco to the SSU campus on Saturday in a drive to raise money for children in Sonoma County hospitals.
SSU senior David Wight, organizer of this third year of the Skate-4-Fate, says the group has already received $1,000 in pledges and may earn as much as $2,000 total from subsequent donations before the drive is over.
Wight says the group will gather at Crissy Field in San Francisco between 7:30-8a.m. on Saturday. Participants include10 people on roller blades, 30 on bicycles and 10 on skateboards or on foot. They will be wearing Skate-4-Fate t-shirts and expect to arrive back on the SSU campus between 5:30 and 7:30 p.m.
The co-founder of a noted human rights organization, the Emmy-winning producer of a San Francisco TV station and four others will be honored as Sonoma State University Distinguished Alumni on Thursday, Oct. 18.
The 2001 Distinguished Alumni Awards Banquet recognizes individuals for their outstanding achievements and contributions to the community and society.
The Awards Banquet will include a 6 p.m. reception and 7 p.m. dinner at the Doubletree Hotel, One Doubletree Drive, Rohnert Park. The cost for the event is $30 for Alumni Association members, SSU faculty and staff and $40 for non-members. Dress is business attire.Those who wish to attend should RSVP by Oct. 12 at (707) 664-2426.
The 2001 Distinguished Alumni are:
ALISSA ARP, DIRECTOR OF TOMBERG TIBURON CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
Alissa Arp, Ph.D, the director of the Romberg Tiburon Center for Environmental Studies and professor of biology at San Francisco State University, has recently been named a Distinguished Alumni for Sonoma State University for 2001. She lives in San Francisco.
Arp graduated with honors from SSU in 1997, earning a B.A. in biology, then went on to received her Ph.D. and M.A. from the U.C. Santa Barbara. She credits the education she received at SSU as being the only reason she became a scientist.
Arp is an internationally-renowned scientist and accomplished teacher. She is a key figure in the efforts to advance understanding and preservation of the San Francisco Bay Estuary and a strong community leader.
The first four scientific papers resulting from her graduate and postgraduate research were published in Science and received national media attention. Of special note is her participation in eight deep-sea dives and over 22 oceanographic expeditions, on six of which she served as chief scientist.
Teaching at SFSU since 1989, Arp has influenced many students. She states one of her most significant accomplishment is in the mentoring of numerous and successful undergraduate and graduate students, many of whom are underrepresented minorities and women, in her research laboratory.
She has worked to enhance the learning experience through curriculum development, securing support for facilities and providing research opportunities. Arp received the Meritorious Performance and Professional Promise Award from SFSU in 1990 and was elected as a Regular Fellow of the California Academy of Sciences in 1991.
KEVIN DANAHER, CO-FOUNDER OF GLOBAL EXCHANGE
Kevin Danaher, co-founder of Global Exchange, a noted human rights organization based in San Francisco, has been named a 2001 Distinguished Alumni for Sonoma State University. Danaher lives in San Francisco.
Danaher graduated from SSU in 1976 with a B.A. in sociology. His areas of expertise include: Elite Globalization vs. Demographic Globalizations; World Bank and IMF: More Harm Than Good; The World Trade Organization: Secret Global Government: World Hunger: U.S. Foreign Policy; and Building the Alternative Economy.
He has written or edited eight books dealing with U.S. foreign policy and the global economy. Danaher's most recent books are "Democratizing the Global Economy: The Battle Against the World Bank and the IMF"; "Globalize This!: The Battle Against the World Trade Organization and Corporate Rule"; "Corporations Are Gonna Get Your Mama: Globalization and the Downsizing of the American Dream"; "50 Years is Enough: The Case Against the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund."
SUE ELLEN MCCANN, AWARD WINNING KQED PRODUCER Sue Ellen McCann, the senior executive producer at KQED TV (Channel 9), has been named a 2001 Distinguished Alumni for Sonoma State University. She lives in San Francisco.
Sue Ellen McCann graduated from the Hutchins program at SSU in 1976 and received her Master of Fine Arts from the San Francisco Art Institute in 1989.
McCann was the recipient of a 2000 Emmy Award for a series of shorts she produced on the importance of voting. She was also honored at the 2001 National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Community Service and Public Service Announcement Emmy Awards for her documentary "No Turning Back." This program offered a local perspective focusing on the experiences of three refugees in the Bay Area seeking political asylum from the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service.
One of her most notable achievements has been the creation of an extensive outreach effort on behalf of KQED to the Bay Area's diverse communities.
McCann has been involved with the community through outreach efforts such as training environmental journalists in Nepal in documentary production for the Asia Foundation, creating teenage sex education CD ROMs for Bay Area teens, and creating touch screen kiosks for AIDS education for the National Task Force on AIDS Prevention.
She is a founding member of the Association of Independent Public Television Producers and has worked with the Bay Area Video Coalition to promote greater role for women in news media.
MARY SMITHBERGER, CHILD DEVELOPMENT EXPERT
Mary Smithberger, consultant in the Child Development Division in the California Department of Education, was recently named a 2001 Distinguished Alumni for Sonoma State University. Smithberger lives in Sacramento.
Smithberger has been a consultant in the Child Development Division since 1981. She is responsible for the Infant Capacity Building Plan, which entails developing and coordinating the implementation of a comprehensive plan to utilize $12 million in federal funds to improve the quality and quantity of child care services for infants, toddlers and their families in California.
The goal of the plan is to create support systems at the state and local level that will create systemic change in the way child care services for children under the age of three years of age are developed and provided to families on a daily basis.
Smithberger also oversees the Program for Infant/Toddler Caregivers (PITC), a nationally acclaimed project developed to improve the quality of child care services for infants, toddlers and their families, which has become the primary vehicle for implementation of the Infant Capacity Building Plan
Smithberger was the recipient of the 2001 Supported Life Institute Award for leadership in supporting inclusion of all people, including individuals with development disabilities.
EDWIN SAYRES, FOUNDER OF SPCA IN SAN FRANCISCO
Edwin Sayres, president of the San Francisco Society for the Prevention and Cruelty to Animals (SF/SPCA), was recently named a 2001 Distinguished Alumni for Sonoma State University. Sayres lives in San Rafael.
Sayres graduated from SSU with a B.A. in psychology in 1971 and a Master's in psychology in 1972. He is nationally recognized for his innovation in the design and function of animal shelters. His focus on education has brought instruction to thousands of children on animal care and his degree in psychology has influenced his development of pet therapy.
Sayres was named president of San Francisco Society for the Prevention and Cruelty to Animals (SF/SPCA) in November of 1998. This organization was founded in 1868 as a private, non-profit, animal welfare organization and is the national leader in saving lives and raising the status of companion animals.
Their adoption program is the cornerstone of the SF/SPCA, but the Society operates over 20 additional programs and services including: Community Veterinary Services, Spay/Neuter Clinic, Feral Cat Assistance Network Program, an extensive Behavior and Training Department, a Pet Training Academy, a Law and Advocacy Department, and Humane Education and Animal Assisted Therapy programs.
The Society also runs a Hearing Dog Program and a Doggy Day Care Center. They employ approximately 2230 staff members and operate on an annual budget of $14 million. The SF/SPCA has over 95,000 members and 1,200 volunteers. He is also the author of "Cinderella Dogs", a story of real-life fairy-tail adoptions from the San Francisco SPCA.
TOBY TYLER, DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, PG&E Toby Tyler, director of business development at PG&E, was recently named a 2001Distinguished Alumni for Sonoma State University. Tyler is a resident of Petaluma.
He graduated from SSU with distinction in 1988, receiving a B.A. in economics. Through his work as an intern at SSU under the supervision of Professors Steven Orlick and Stephen Lewis, he received an award at the CSU Research Competition for his efforts to establish school impact fees for commercial development in Sonoma County
Tyler was the first SSU graduate to be admitted to UC Berkeley's Hass Business School MBA Program from which he graduated in 1991 with an emphasis in Economic Analysis, Finance and Management Science.
Employed by PG&E since 1990, Tyler currently holds the position of director of business development. He is responsible for development of all third party fiber optic applications to utility infrastructure and negotiated contracts representing $5M in annual revenues in 1999. Tyler has held many positions at PG&E, including Director of Restructuring, Strategic Planner, Corporate Planning, Pricing Supervisor, Pricing and Regulatory Support, Resource Analyst and Technical Intern.
In addition to his full-time employment, Tyler boasts an impressive list of volunteer activities. Most notable is his role as the creator and maintainer of the Sonoma County Economic Forecast and the Sonoma County Indexes and Leading and Coincident Indicators. Forecasting is not his job and he is not compensated for his time, insights or data. He gives countless hours to the community as a donation of his time and talent.
For more information contact the Sonoma State University Alumni Relations Office at (707) 664-2426
Here is the breakdown of the various teach-ins at Sonoma State University this week. The public is invited. For information, call Philip Beard, (707) 664-2170.
THURSDAY, OCT. 4 (ALUMNI GROVE AMPHITHEATRE)
1. (12-12:30 p.m.) HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN? -- How Terrorists Work; Function and Limitations of Reactive Security Mechanisms (Military, Immigration, Airline).
2. (12:30-1 p.m.) WHY DID THIS HAPPEN? -- Roots of Terrorism; State-Sponsored Terrorism; Threatening Effects of Globalization.
3. (1-1:30 p.m.) WHO IS GUILTY? WHO IS RESPONSIBLE? WHO IS INNOCENT? -- Crime in Complex Societies.
4. (1:30-2 p.m.) WHAT SHOULD WE DO? -- Dictates and Dangers of Military Policy; Imperatives of Active Security Policy.
5. (2-3 p.m.) QUESTIONS/ANSWERS; Open Mike
FRIDAY, OCT. 5 (ZINFANDEL DINING HALL)
1. (12-12:30 p.m.) HOW DO WE KNOW WHAT'S TRUE? -- The Media's Role in Shaping Our Attitudes and Actions.
2. (12:30-1 p.m.) WHAT'S A "HOLY WAR"? Is American Threatened by Muslim Groups? -- Islam, and South Asian and Mideast Cultures.
3. (1-1:30 p.m.) HOW WILL OUR LIVES CHANGE? HOW SHOULD THEY? -- Social and Moral Impact, Short and Long Term.
4. (1:30-2 p.m.) WHAT SHALL I DO? -- Democratic Responsibility; Student's Role in Responding to the Crisis.
5. (2-3 p.m.) QUESTIONS/ANSWERS; Open Mike
Hydrogen technology and its future as an alternative to oil will have special emphasis at the upcoming conference called "Energy: Crisis and Opportunity" on Saturday, Oct. 13 at Sonoma State University in Rohnert Park.
The outdoor event will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the Commencement Lawn near the lakes. There is no charge.
Organizers say the event is being held to "give ordinary citizens a grasp of how the energy grid and power market work, the history of corporate involvement in California energy issues, the question of deregulation, and the outlook for fossil fuel and nuclear power."
"Experts will also discuss how hydrogen, the most abundant element in the universe, could soon make fossil fuels and nuclear energy obsolete, " says Bonnie Allen, one of the coordinators of the event.
Speakers include Dan Berman, co-author of "Who Owns the Sun"; Ty Cashman, a hydrogen energy expert and president of the Solar Economy Institute; Alexandra von Meier, director of the SSU Environmental Technology Center; and others drawn from the Sonoma State University faculty, the Alliance for Democracy, the Sierra Club, and regional experts.
In what's conceived as a series of short, lively talks with ample time for questions, recognized energy experts will chart a course from the present crisis to the "largely unpublicized but potentially bright future of sustainable energy," Allen says.
"We'll explore opportunities for change," says professor Phil Temko, "including conservation, increased efficiency, and the available and emerging renewable technologies such as photovoltaics, wind, wave power, and solar thermal concentrators. This is a chance for citizens to gain some clarity and optimism about our energy future. "
There will also be tours of the SSU Environmental Technology Center, displays by vendors and alternative energy interest groups, and alternative energy vehicles.
Parking is in lots A, G, and H. The Bicycle Coalition of Sonoma County will host a secure bicycle area. If it rains, the gathering will move to Ives Hall. Food will be on sale during the lunch break.
Donations are requested to help defray conference expenses.
The Alliance for Democracy will provide booklets with Web and print resources for those who want to go deeper into each speaker's topic.
Sponsors include the Alliance for Democracy; the SSU Philosophy Department; Environmental Studies and Planning Department; School of Social Sciences; School of Arts and Humanities; School of Natural Sciences; School of Business and Economics; School of Extended Education; Associated Students; SSU Alumni Association; Project Censored; the Sierra Club; and the Sonoma County Peace and Justice Center.
For further information, contact Bonnie Allen, (707) 763-2544
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- CONFERENCE PROGRAM:
ENERGY: CRISIS AND OPPORTUNITY, CHARTING THE
COURSE TO A SUSTAINABLE ENERGY FUTURE
9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
INTRODUCTION
SESSION #1: THE CRISIS
A. The 20th Century - Demands for Privatization--Deregulation & Its Consequences and Costs - Where Are We Now?
- Miles Everett, Historian, Alliance for Democracy
B. How the Power Grid System Works/How the Current Power Marketing System Works - Graham Brownstein, TURN
C. Problems with Reliance on Fossil Fuels and Nuclear - Dwight Cocke, TURN
SESSION #2: THE TECHNOLOGICAL OPPORTUNITIES AND PITFALLS
A. The Conservation Imperative - Maximizing Design and Efficiency - Dr. Alexandra von Meier, Environmental Studies, Sonoma State University
B. Renewable Energy Sources - Their Possibilities and Problems - Eric Wesselman, Sierra Club
C. Solar Thermal Concentrators - Joe Perkins, Alliance for Democracy
D. A Hydrogen-Based Economy - Ty Cashman, Wind Energy Coordinator under Gov. Jerry Brown.
PICNIC LUNCH: Bring or buy
SESSION #3: PUBLIC POLICY OPPORTUNITIES
A. Where California Legislature is Now
B. Privatization vs. Public Ownership - Dan Berman, co-author: "Who Owns the Sun"
C. State Control vs. Municipal or Regional Control
D. What Can People Do? - Audience Participation
SESSION #4: A REVIEW DISCUSSION AND A FORECAST
A. Concluding Vision: How Would Life Look In a Sustainable Society? - Zeno Swijtink, Philosophy Department, SSU.
TO: Faculty and Staff
FR: Ruben Arminana, President
RE: Loss of Jeannine Thompson
It is with profound shock and sorrow that we announce the sudden death from stroke of a beloved friend and colleague, Hutchins Provost Jeannine Thompson, as she was celebrating her birthday in the mountains with her husband.
Professor Thompson joined the Hutchins faculty in 1972 after her graduate work at UC Berkeley in German Language and Literature. Professor Thompson served her students and colleagues with inexhaustible integrity, ability and kindness. The faculty, staff, and students of the Hutchins School, as well as the rest of the University, will miss her good grace and humor.
A memorial service is scheduled for Friday, October 5, 3-5 p.m. in the University Art Gallery to celebrate the life of Professor Thompson. Our great sympathy goes out to her husband and family.
A memorial scholarship in Jeannine's name is being created. Please contact the Hutchins Office, x4-2491 for information.
