Sonoma State University's School of Education programs have been re-accredited by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing through 2010. One program in the School of Social Sciences and one in the School of Science and Technology have also been re-accredited.
Dean of the School of Education Marty Ruddell says "throughout the commentary from the accreditation teams was high praise by our candidates, graduates, and district partners for our faculty with respect to their teaching excellence, mentoring and advising, knowledge and expertise, and ability to bridge the gap between theory and practice."
The accreditation means that all of these programs meet State of California standards of quality, and that the University is approved by the State of California to recommend credentials in each program.
The programs are:
* Adapted Physical Education
* Administrative Services, Preliminary and Professional
* Education Specialist, Preliminary and Professional, Mild/Moderate, Moderate/Severe
* Multiple Subject
* Pupil Personnel Services/School Counseling
* Reading and Language Arts Specialist, Certificate/Credential
* Resource Specialist Certificate
* Single Subject
The accreditation visit on campus occurred March 5-9. Final approval for re-accreditation occurred at the Commission's Committee on Accreditation meeting on April 21.
MOTHER'S DAY TEA AND LECTURE WITH MEDEA BENJAMIN - Medea Benjamin, co-founder of the CODEPINK Women for Peace and Global Exchange, will take part in a Mother's Day tea as well as present a lecture about women's activism. Please call for tickets, as seating is reserved. 3 p.m. Sunday, May 8, The Commons, (707) 664-2500.
DIGGING FOR THE FOSSILS OF GALAXY FORMATION - Dr. Katherine Rhode of Wesleyan and Yale Universities will describe the properties of the globular cluster systems of massive galaxies and explain what they tell us about the galaxies' origins. What Physicists Do Lecture Series. 4 p.m., Tuesday, May 10, Stevenson 2006, (707) 664-2119.
REMEMBERING RWANDA - Lecture by Mathilde Mukantabana, President of Friends of Rwanda and Dr. Tharcisse Seminega, a Rwandan survivor. Holocaust Lecture Series. 4 p.m., Tuesday, May 10, Warren Auditorium, (707) 664-4076.
HUNGER AWARENESS DINNER - An interactive dinner when attendees experience first-hand how food is distributed throughout the world. 5 p.m., Wednesday, May 11, The Commons, (707) 664-4277.
SPAM AND THE LAW - Lecture by Ian Sweedler, Deputy Attorney General, California Department of Justice, on spam as been the subject of litigation based on laws of advertising, trespass, fraud and other general theories. Computer Science Colloquium. Noon, Thursday, May 12, Salazar 2016, (707) 664-2667.
PEACEOUT: PERFORMANCE, PROMOTION, AND PERSISTENCE IN THE QUEER HIP HOP CULTURE AND MICROECONOMICS - Lecture by Juba Kalamka about the development of Lesbian-Gay Transgender-Bisexual hip-hop (known as homo-hop) performers, promoters, and labels. Queer Studies Lecture Series. Noon, Thursday, May 12, Carson 68, (707) 664-2840.
RITE OF SWING - Jeff Derby directs the Tuesday Jazz Ensemble in a musical exploration of American post-bebop territories. 7:30 p.m., Thursday, May 12, Warren Auditorium, (707) 664-2353.
BACH IN MUeHLHAUSEN - The SSU Chamber Singers, joined by a small ensemble of period instruments from Jubilate Baroque Orchestra, present Bach cantatas 131, 150 and 196, written during the composer's Muehlhausen period. $12 general admission; $10 faculty, alumni and staff; $ 8 students and seniors; SSU students free. 8 p.m., Friday, May 13, St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, Liberty and Western St., Petaluma and 8 p.m., Saturday, May 14, Holy Family Episcopal Church, 1500 E. Cotati Ave at Snyder Lane, Rohnert Park (707) 664-2353.
PUBLIC VIEWING NIGHT - Explore the night sky at the SSU Observatory. Emphasis this night on the moon, Comet Tempel 1, and Jupiter. Please call ahead as weather conditions may cancel the viewing. 9 p.m., Friday, May 13, SSU Observatory, (707) 664-2267.
BLACK AND WHITE TO COLOR - Student instrumentalists present an evening of chamber works for solo piano and small ensembles. 8 p.m. Saturday, May 14, Ives 119, (707) 664-2353.
Traditional Mexican folk dance will be center of a Mexican Mother's Day celebration at Sonoma State University, featuring the talents of Ballet Folklorico Netzahualcoyotl, at 8 p.m. on Saturday, May 7 in Warren Auditorium.
Drawing on traditional dance, music and song as tools for the transmission of culture, Ballet Folklorico Night will represent the artistic variety of Mexico's different regions. This event features dances representing the Mexican states of Chihuahua, Jalisco, Michoacan, Norte, Oaxaca, Veracruz and many others.
In honor of Mexican Mother's Day, SSU students, mothers and children 12 and under will be admitted free of charge. Advance tickets are now available at the Sonoma Student Union, priced at $15 for general admission and $10 for SSU faculty and staff.
For more information on this or other ICC events, call (707) 664-2382, or online at http://www.sonoma.edu/ICC.
Medea Benjamin, co-founder of the CODEPINK Women for Peace and Global Exchange, will take part in a Mother's Day tea as well as present a lecture about women's activism at 3 p.m. on Sunday, May 8 at Sonoma State University in the Commons.
Benjamin will be also available after the tea to sign the newly-released CODEPINK book, "Stop the Next War Now," an anthology of noted women activists including Arundhati Roy, Helen Caldicott, Barbara Lee, Alice Walker, Naomi Klein, Phyllis Bennis, Barbara Ehrenreich, Amy Goodman, and many more.
The original 1870 proclamation of Mother's Day by Julia Ward Howe will be honored as well. Howe's proclamation was originally a protest to the carnage of war by women who lost their sons to the Civil War.
Please call for reservations, as reserved seating is required. Reservations are $20. If paying by credit card, contact Project Censored for will-call reservations at (707) 664-2500. This event is sponsored by Project Censored and Students for Media Democracy.
Note to news media: For interviews with Medea Benjamin, phone (415) 235-6517.
More than 150 colleges and universities from across the United States will be represented at the North Bay College Fair at Sonoma State University on from 9 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, April 27 in the main gymnasium.
The fair is free of charge for students, parents and others interested in learning more about colleges and universities across the nation. Representatives from such institutions as the Academy of Art College, Johns Hopkins University, Cal State Sacramento, and UC Berkeley will be on hand to answer questions and provide information on financial aid and the admissions process.
This event is sponsored by the Western Association of College Admission Counselors and Sonoma State University. For further information, please visit the SSU Prospective Students Web site at www.sonoma.edu/ar/prospective/nbcf.shtml or call the Sonoma State Student Outreach Office at (707) 664-3029.
Any middle school student can study earth science, but it takes a special kind of middle schooler to learn Mars science.
This is precisely what a Kelley Hunter's class from Windsor Middle School will be doing when they visit Dr. Richard Zimmer's Mars Habitat class at Sonoma State University today. Fusing lessons about natural science, outer space, and technology, the students will learn what it would be like for a colony of humans to live on The Red Planet.
The lessons taught to the middle schoolers will reflect what Hunter learned as a student in Dr. Zimmer's class over seven years ago. Zimmer's class, based on the science of Mars, teaches students about what kinds of technology would be required for sustainable life in a Martian colony and how colonists would adapt to Martian life. As a teacher, Kelley Hunter integrated versions of the same lessons into her middle school curriculum.
Those in Hunter's class are also enrolled in AVID, an acronym which stands for Advancement Via Individual Determination. AVID is a worldwide program that helps students that may be experiencing difficulty with success in school, and prepares them for college.
During their visit to Sonoma State, the Windsor middle schoolers will have the opportunity to work with current students from Dr. Zimmer's class in hands-on, Mars-related science projects. This will prove educational not only for the middle schoolers, but also for Zimmer's students, most of which are planning to become teachers upon graduation. In addition, NASA educator Tom Gates will instruct the group on new discoveries and theories involving Mars science.
For more information, contact Jean Wasp, Media Relations Coordinator, (707) 664-2057 or Dr. Richard Zimmer at (707) 664-3181.
The annual research and scholarly activity exposition for faculty at Sonoma State University is slated from 3:30-5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 20 in the Commons. This event provides an opportunity for recent grant recipients and other faculty to share their research and scholarly pursuits. The event is open to the public.
The faculty and a brief summary of their recent work includes:
UNDERSTANDING CONSUMER PREFERENCES, Tom Atkin, Business Administration - An Internet survey was developed by researchers from MIT, Northeastern, Sonoma State University, and the University of South Australia. Conjoint analysis was used to understand consumer preferences for different types of wine closures across three countries. The sample sizes are - United States (1691), Australia (1430), and New Zealand (493).
CALIFORNIA SERVICES FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING, Linda Blong, Anne Davin, California Institute on Human Services - California Services for Technical Assistance and Training is a project of the California Department of Education, Special Education Division. Through collaborative efforts, CalSTAT brings research-based training to schools and families, using workshops, online conferences, meetings, and publications. The project also recognizes and supports innovative, promising, and proven practices in schools and education agencies throughout the state.
THE FIRST 5 CALIFORNIA SPECIAL NEEDS PROJECT, Linda Brault, California Institute on Human Services - The First 5 California Special Needs Project is designed to improve the system, keeping families at the center, to promote strategies that improve practice in early identification of disabilities and other special needs and to promote school readiness. The project will assist families in navigating service systems, becoming advocates for their children, and accessing services while participating in inclusive settings.
HILTON/EARLY HEAD START TRAINING PROGRAM, Linda Brekkenn, California Institute on Human Services - This national training program is working with over 500 communities to support inclusion of infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families. Highlights of program outcomes and promising practices include increased access to services, informed families, and integrated services among Early Intervention, Early Head Start, Child Care and families.
CALIFORNIA PRESCHOOL INSTRUCTIONAL NETWORKS PROJECT, Melinda Brookshire, California Institute on Human Services - The purpose of the California Preschool Instructional Networks Project is to provide professional development and technical assistance to preschool teachers to ensure preschool children are ready for school. The focus for the first two years is on language and literacy. The CPIN is organized utilizing 11 regions of California.
BACKLASH CINEMA: CONSERVATIVE POLITICS AND CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN FILM, Marco Calavita, Communication Studies - A proposal for a book entitled "Backlash Cinema: Conservative Politics and Contemporary American Film" examines the ways in which many significant Hollywood films of the last 35 years have been mutually embedded in right-wing myths and discourses.
PRE-KINDERGARTEN LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT GUIDELINES CURRICULUM PROJECT, Ann Carr, California Institute on Human Services -The Pre-kindergarten Learning and Development Guidelines Curriculum Project developed curricular materials and methods that will help pre-kindergarten early care and education providers put into practice California Department of Education, Child Development Division Pre-kindergarten Learning and Development Guidelines, thereby increasing consistent, quality practice across CDE Pre-kindergarten settings.
INVESTIGATION INTO EXTREMELY LONG HOSPITALIZATIONS OF NEWBORNS IN THE U.S., Anita Catlin, Department of Nursing - Neonatal and pediatric nurses and physicians care for children who have been saved by technological support but who are then too ill to be discharged to home. To date there has been no research to identify newborn children who are unable to be discharged from the health care setting or what the causes are that contribute to the inability to be discharged. A national data set was analyzed for demographics and cost of care. A national survey of health care practitioners is being conducted, collecting demographic descriptions of newborns unable to be discharged and anecdotal reports describing such children and the responses of the providers to caring for them.
NASA EDUCATION AND PUBLIC OUTREACH AT SSU, Lynn Cominsky, Phil Plait, Sarah Silva, Tim Graves, Aurore Simonnet, Physics & Astronomy -NASA support for Education and Public Outreach at SSU involves several major projects, including the earth-orbiting satellites Swift, and XMM-Newton, as well as the Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope, due for launch in 2007. They develop formal space science educational materials for the classroom, train thousands of teachers each year through our Educator Ambassador program, develop web-based instructional environments, and contribute to planetarium and television shows. They have also built a robotic observatory in northern Sonoma County that is being used by high school and college students.
IDENTIFICATION OF SITES OF MDA-ACDTALDEHYDE ADDUCTS, Mark Kearley, Chemistry - Prolonged alcohol consumption can lead to liver injury. However, the chemical basis for the injury is unknown. Recent studies suggest two molecules, acetaldehyde and malondialdhyde, may be precursors to alcohol-induced liver damage.
SSU COMMUNITY COUNSELING CENTER, Mark Doolittle, Counseling - A university-community collaboration designed to bring the resources of the SSU Department of Counseling to provide free and low-cost services to the less advantaged members of the community through a variety of innovative programs which include Center offices (on-campus and Rohnert Park), Support Our Students Program, providing free counseling in Santa Rosa, Roseland, and SCOE schools, and Windsor Youth and Family Services
SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS ACADEMY FOR RURAL TEACHERS, James Fouche, Brett Christie, Susan Herring, Derek Girman, Mark Niemann, Sean McNeil and Janet Hardcastle - Curriculum Studies & Secondary Education, Mathematics, Biology & Educational Technology - SMART provides exemplary professional development to improve science and mathematics teaching and student performance. Goals: (1) partnership between Del Norte County and SSU, employing distance learning; (2) improved teacher workforce by improving content knowledge, instructional strategies and assessment; (3) increased student enrollment, diversity and performance; and (4) online video resources.
DESIRED RESULTS: ACCESS FOR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES PROJECT, Anne Kuschner and Emiliano Ayala - Desired Results: Access for Children with Disabilities Project is funded to develop a system of child outcomes and assessment methodologies that can be used to assess the progress of children with disabilities, birth to five years of age, and their families in the state of California. DR access is funded by the Special Education Division of the California Department of Education.
DESIRED RESULTS FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES TRAINING & TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROJECT, Anne Kuschner and Emiliano Ayala - The Desired Results Training and Technical Assistance Project trains participants about the Desired Results System, a results-based accountability system for California Department of Education center based programs and family childcare networks, and provides participants with tools to review and evaluate program practices and observe and record child progress.
SONOMA SERVES, Julie McClure - Sonoma SERVES makes a difference in the lives of children and families in our community through a range of exceptional programs. Through tutoring, after school mentoring, family literacy, and training programs, the program offers extra support for struggling students in community schools.
GEOEOARCHAEOLOGY RESEARCH, Jack Meyer, Anthropological Studies Center - The Anthropological Studies Center Geoarchaeology Program conducts research throughout the state to help archaeologists and cultural resource managers locate buried archaeological sites. This research focuses on the nature and completeness of California's archaeological record as a byproduct of Holocene landscape evolution. Some examples are presented to illustrate the methodological orientation, datasets, and research findings.
PRESERVATION IN PRACTICE: NEGOTIATING THE RENOVATION OF THE HISTORIC BUILT ENVIRONMENT, Melinda J. Milligan, Department of Sociology - A study of the negotiation of meaning construction and identity in relation to the built environment, with a specific focus on the renovation of historic houses in New Orleans. Analyzes the enactment of historic preservation practices to understand individual, legal, and cultural meanings of the built environment.
SEA PALMS AND BARNACLES: RESEARCH ON SLIMY AND SPINELESS SEASHORE DENIZENS ENLIVENS STUDENT LEARNING, K.J. Nielsen, S.A. Thompson, M. Parker, K. Lehmann and R. Kalmoni, Department of Biology- Sonoma State students have been working with Karina Nielsen on the ecology of the Sea Palm as well as barnacles that Charles Darwin studied. They are learning how changing ocean conditions and commercial exploitation impacts marine organisms so that natural resources can be better managed.
THE FAMILY VIOLENCE PREVENTION CLUSTER OF PROJECTS, Diane Nissen - The Family Violence Prevention Cluster Group currently operates the following state and federally funded projects:
* Adoptions Services: Designed to provide system-wide continuous improvement for adoptions specialists, supervisors, and county child welfare staff
* Capacity Building for Tribal Constituents: Training designed to increase coordination, knowledge, and skills among county child welfare staff and tribal representatives in their efforts to implement the Indian Child Welfare Act
* Mandated Child Abuse Reporter Training: Designed to help professionals become aware, confident and effective in spotting and reporting suspected child abuse
* Child Abuse Training and Technical Assistance Center: Provides training and technical assistance to professionals involved in child abuse prevention,intervention, and treatment throughout California
* Faith Leaders and Domestic Violence Prevention Training: Aims to provide faith leaders from all denominations with information, tools, and networking opportunities to create a more informed and substantive response to family violence
* Parent Outreach Project: A grassroots, community- based project designed to help prevent child abuse by assisting parents to access support services
* RURAL Project: Develops and delivers training for California's rural child welfare staff
* Cultural Competency: Provides training and technical assistance to social services professionals who work with diverse families
* Safe From the Start: Designed to raise awareness about the impact of violence on children and to promote and develop effective prevention and intervention strategies
* Tech Equity: Prepares middle and high school math, science and technology teachers to infuse gender equitable strategies into their classrooms
AMERICAN SCREAM: ALLEN GINSBERG'S 'HOWL' AND THE MAKING OF THE BEAT GENERATION, Jonah Raskin, Communications Department- American Scream: Allen Ginsberg's 'Howl' and the Making of the Beat Generation has been described as three books in one. It's the biography of a poet, the biography of a poem, and a biography of an historical era. By telling the story of "Howl," Ginsberg's signature poem, Raskin is able to depict the life and the times of Allen Ginsberg.
ASYNCHRONOUS ONLINE INSTRUCTION FOR BASIC LIBRARY SKILLS: A VIABLE OPTION?, Rick Robison, University Library - This study investigated the feasibility of creating an online tutorial to teach, in particular, task-oriented learning, such as basic library skills, and examined the hypothesis that students may learn as much through online, multimedia-based tutorials as they do through in-class instruction. Four sections of Freshmen Seminar students received instruction on basic library skills using an online tutorial and three sections received instruction through in-class drop-in workshops.
KECK LABORATORY MAGNETRON SPUTTERING SYSTEM, Hongtao Shi -A magnetron sputtering system is being developed within the Keck Laboratory that will be used to create magnetic thin films, which have the potential of information storage and retrieval. Keck Lab facilities will be used to analyze a wide range of properties of these materials in order to optimize their suitability for commercialization.
The Faculty Exposition is sponsored by the Faculty Subcommittee on Sponsored Programs, the Professional Development Subcommittee and the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs.
For further information, contact Jean Wasp, Media Relations Coordinator, (707) 664-2057.
The students of SSU invite the public to join in a week-long celebration of the Planet Earth from April 18-22. The week begins with a lecture by professor Alexandra Von Meier on biodiesel automobiles. Mid-week activities include a light bulb exchange, a visit from the Rolling Sunlight tour, and a screening of the student film, "Coffee with a Taste of the Moon."
Events culminate Friday with many organizations and clubs tabling from 11 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., live music and dancing from noon -1 p.m. Social and environmental activists will speak from 1-3 p.m., and march for peace begins at 4 p.m.
The events are sponsored by Associated Students, Sonoma Earth Action, and the Green Campus Program.
Highlights each day include:
Monday, April 18: SSU professor Alexandra Von Meier, nationally recognized energy expert, will speak at noon in the main quad on "Owning and Operating a Biodiesel Car."
Tuesday, April 19: Ride a bike to school day. Enter a drawing for a bicycle by taking part in an energy survey and exchanging an incandescent light bulb for a CFL bulb at the light bulb exchange. (This exchange will also be offered on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 11a.m.-2 p.m. in the Main Quad.)
Wednesday, April 20: The Green Campus Program will offer free solar-powered smoothies in cooperation with the Green Peace "Rolling Sunlight Tour."
Thursday, April 21: Righteous Fists of Harmony play at noon in the Main Quad. A student-directed film reflecting consumption patterns. "Coffee With a Taste of the Moon" is being screened in Schultz Library 2015B at 3 p.m.
Friday, April 22: Earth Day celebration all day. Tabling throughout the day, prize drawing, local rock band Val Konin plays from noon -1 p.m. Dancing by Grassroots Movement, representatives speaking about Depleted Uranium, worker's rights, climate change, and much more. Sign-making for the peace march from 3-4 p.m., culminating with a Peace March from the SSU campus to the Cotati Hub at 4 p.m.
From the math of origami to an historical murder mystery to a discussion on voting theory, undergraduate mathematics students and speakers from Northern California universities and colleges will present their theories, research and ideas at a conference at Sonoma State University on April 16.
SSU mathematics professors Brigitte Lahme, Izabela Kanaana and Jerry Morris have organized the department's first annual Northern California Undergraduate Mathematics Conference at various locations on campus during the day. A complete list of speakers can be found at the conference Web site at www.sonoma.edu/math/nocalumc.
"We are very excited about this opportunity to actively involve students in the mathematics community," says Lahme. "This kind of experience often leads to a corresponding growth in mathematical maturity." Kanaana notes that the conference is also a great way to find out what areas of mathematics other students are involved in and "it exposes undergraduates to a variety of non standard mathematical ideas."
The conference gives students an opportunity to practice talking about their work in mathematics in front of a friendly, peer audience. While sharing the results of work with peers is an essential part of an academic career, most national and local mathematics conferences usually only include poster sessions for undergraduates but no oral presentations.
Keynote speaker is Helen Moore, Associate Director of the American Institute of Mathematics, who received a National Science Foundation grant for her research on the theory of minimal surfaces, and currently works on mathematical models of diseases such as leukemia and HIV.
A grant from the National Science Foundation, administered through the Mathematical Association of America, supports the conference. It is the only one being held in California and registration is free. Morning refreshments and lunch will be provided for all conference participants.
For further information, contact Lahme at (707) 664-2238 or e-mail nocalumc@sonoma.edu.
THE NAVARRO TRIO - SSU's celebrated resident trio - violinist Jeremy Constant, cellist Jill Rachuy Brindel and pianist Marilyn Thompson-perform Mozart (E Major, K.V. 542) and Shostakovich (E Minor, op. 67). $12 general admission, $10 faculty, alumni and staff, $8 students/seniors, SSU students free. 4 p.m., Sunday, April 24, Ives 119, (707) 664-2353.
TRAIN YOUR BRAIN - Dr. Greg Alter, a pioneer in brain biofeedback will present his lecture on brainwaves and biofeedback. Dr Alter will demonstrate three approaches to "brain training:" brainwave variability, brain blood flow, and brainwave entrainment. Brain Biofeedback. 7 p.m., Monday, April 25, The Cooperage, (707) 664-2382.
CAMPUS AUTHOR SERIES - Lynne Morrow, Assistant Professor of Music, participated in Leonard Bernstein's Mass recorded in 2004. It is a stylist piece that crosses classical, jazz, folk, blues, gospel, Latin American and rock. Only the listener can decide if Bernstein's work is blasphemous and sacrilegious or sheer genius. Noon, Tuesday, April 26, Schulz 3001, (707) 664-2329.
JEWISH PARTISAN MOVEMENTS DURING THE HOLOCAUST - Lecture by Mitch Braff of the Jewish Partisan Education Foundation.Holocaust Lecture Series. 4 p.m., Tuesday, April 26, Warren Auditorium, (707) 664-4076.
TAKE BACK THE NIGHT MARCH AND RALLY - This annual speak-out allows victims and their loved ones to break the silence about sexual violence. A march around campus follows. 7 p.m., Tuesday, April 26, The Cooperage, (707) 664-2845.
NORTH BAY COLLEGE FAIR - More than 150 colleges and universities from across the United States will be represented at this fair aimed at students and parents interested in learning more about colleges from across the nation. 9 a.m., Wednesday, April 27, SSU Main Gymnasium, (707) 664-3029.
CAMPUS AUTHOR SERIES - William Babula, Dean of the Arts and Humanities, presents his fifth and last in his St. John detective series, "St. John's Bread." Listen as Babula reveals how St. John's partner, Mickey, needs "bread" to support his lifestyle choices and the cost it creates. Noon, Wednesday, April 27, Schulz 3001, (707) 664-2329.
PHISHING COUNTERMEASURES - Lecture by Aaron Emigh of Radix Partners. Starting with a threat model based on the information flow of a phishing attack, this presentation evaluates technical countermeasures applicable to detect phishing, reduce the deceptiveness of fraudulent content, provide a trusted path over the public internet and render illicitly obtained information valueless. Computer Science Colloquium. Noon, Thursday, April 28, Salazar 2016, (707) 664-2667.
CAMPUS AUTHOR SERIES - Presentation by Suzanne Toczyski, Department Chair of Modern Languages and Literature. There are very few who don't love chocolate in all forms. It is centuries old. "Chocolate French," with its forward written by Toczyski, takes readers on a chocolate lover's exploration of the relationship between French culture and global chocolate cuisine. Chef Mark Dierkhising offers a chocolate demonstration. Noon, Thursday, April 28, Schulz 3001, (707) 664-2329.
FLOWERS FROM THE HEARTLAND: SUPPORT IN THE RED STATES - Just days after the first same-sex marriage was performed in San Francisco City Hall, the flower bouquets started arriving. "Flowers From the Heartland" is a 25-minute documentary that follows these flowers from the moment they brought joy to countless newlyweds back to their source - The Heartland. Queer Studies Lecture Series. Noon, Thursday, April 28, Carson 68, (707) 664-2840.
PICASSO AT THE LAPIN AGILE - Steve Martin's smash comedy took Off-Broadway by storm; a story set in the Lapin Agile bar in 1904 Paris. Two regulars, Pablo Picasso and Albert Einstein, both on the verge of breakthroughs that would stamp their names on the century, argue about the art of physics and the physics of art. $15 general admission $12 faculty, alumni, staff, $8 students/seniors, SSU students free. Thursday, April 28-Sunday May 8, Evert B. Person Theatre, (707) 664-2353.
GAINING GROUND - The SSU Spring Dance Ensemble presents an evening including excerpts from Doug Elkins' Narcoleptic Lovers. Also featured on the spring program will be two new dance works by SSU Theatre Arts Faculty Kristen Daley. $15 general admission $12 faculty, alumni, staff, $8 students/seniors, SSU students free. Thursday, April 28-Sunday, May 8, Evert B. Person Theatre, (707) 664-2353.
ANOTHER OPENING, ANOTHER SHOW - Singers and actors of SSU's Musical Theatre Scenes Workshop perform condensed highlights from established music theatre classics and some newer fare as well. Admission is free. 7:30 p.m., Thursday, April 28 and 5 p.m., Saturday, April 30, Ives 119, (707) 664-2353.
Parents from around the San Francisco and the North Bay will gather on the campus of Sonoma State University to attend a "parent empowerment conference" entitled "Parents Determined to Make a Difference" on Saturday, April 16.
This 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. conference offers workshops on parent advocacy skills, financial aid awareness, college preparation and health. Many of the parents attending the conference have children participating in the federal pre-college programs Upward Bound and Talent Search, and GEAR UP. These are programs which have been identified for elimination in President Bush's 2006 budget proposal.
The conference will provide parents with the skills and knowledge necessary to be advocates on behalf of their children.
Speakers at the event include Sonoma State University President Dr. Ruben Arminana, Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey and Hydra Mendoza, 2005 California Association for Bilingual Education "Parent of the Year" Award Recipient.
The event is sponsored by Northern California Chapter of the Western Association of Educational Opportunity Personnel in collaboration with Sonoma State University.
For further information, contact Susan Wandling, Academic Talent Search, (707) 664-3122.
ART THERAPY: WHAT IT IS AND HOW/WHY IT MATTERS - Lecture by Suzanne Lovell of the SSU Psychology Department. Brown Bag Lecture Series. Noon, Tuesday, April 19, Stevenson 2011, (707) 664-2112.
CAMPUS AUTHOR SERIES - Liz Thach, Associate Professor of Business Administration, and panel edited "Wine: A Global Business." She will be joined by Mack Schwing, Director, Wine Business Program; Robert Eyler, Economics Department Chair and Associate Professor; Armand Gilinsky, Professor of Business; Terry Lease, Associate Professor of Business; and Tom Atkin, Assistant Professor of Business. Noon, Tuesday, April 19, Schulz 3001, (707) 664-2259.
THE WHITE ROSE: GERMAN STUDENTS' RESISTANCE MOVEMENT - Lecture by Ruth Sachs, Center for White Rose Studies. Holocaust Lecture Series. 4 p.m., Tuesday, April 19, Warren Auditorium, (707) 664-4076.
CAMPUS AUTHOR SERIES - Gillian Conoley, Assistant Professor in English, poet in-residence and founder and editor of Volt, will present her newly released book of poetry, "Profane Halo." In this book, Conoley continues her exploration into the impossible questions of grace and redemption, self and other, death in life, language and being, democracy and song. Noon, Wednesday, April 20, Schulz 3001, (707) 664-2259.
DYNAMICS AND ANIMATION FOR FILM: WHERE WE ARE, WHERE WE ARE GOING - Lecture by John Anderson of Pixar Animation Studios, Emeryville. In the last five years, physically-motivated procedural animation has become an increasingly important tool for character and effects animation. New technologies and faster hardware have opened the door to real-time procedural characters. Anderson lectures about this technology and its implication in the animation industry. Computer Science Colloquium. Noon, Thursday, April 21, Salazar 2016, (707) 664-2667.
CAMPUS AUTHOR SERIES - Roger Bell, Assistant Professor of Philosophy, has written an important and original work, "Sounding the Abyss: Reading Between Cavell and Derrida." Bell digs deep into the controversy surrounding the abyss in American philosophy between Cavell's hard analytic thought and Derrida's soft Continental thought. Noon, Thursday, April 21, Schulz 3001, (707) 664-2259.
ESTABLISHING RIGHTS FOR QUEER FAMILIES: SAME-SEX MARRIAGE AND PARENTAL RIGHTS DISCUSSION - Attorney Alexis C. Beach discusses the history of parental rights for queer families, what families need to do to establish parental rights, and the current legal status of same-sex marriage in California. Beach discusses her role in the marriage-equality case, Woo V. Lockyer, which is currently under review in the San Francisco Superior Court. Queer Studies Lecture Series. Noon, Thursday, April 21, Carson 68, (707) 664-2840.
TELEVISION MADE ME WHAT I AM TODAY - Lecture by communications professor Dr. Melinda Barnard exploring her "Three Arguments in Defense of the Mass Media." Noon, Thursday, April 21, Salazar 1052, (707) 664-2149.
CHILDREN'S SCHOOL DINNER OUT FUNDRAISER AT CHEVY'S--Enjoy dinner and drinks at Chevy's Fresh Mex Restaurant for the benefit of the Children's School. Tell your server that you are there for the Children's School fundraiser and Chevy's will donate 20% of your tab to the Children's School. Proceeds from this event will be used to buy things like indoor and outdoor toys and supplies for the School's fenced play areas. 4 p.m.-10 p.m., Thursday, April 21, Chevy's Santa Rosa at Railroad Square, (707) 664-2287.
ENSEMBLE ARTE FLAMENCO - An ambitious show with two guitars, two singers, a dancer and the poetry of GarcIa Lorca that features flamenco music and dance based on the original ancient rhythms of the Spanish Rom (Gypsies). Tickets are $15 general admission, $7 students, at the door. 8 p.m., Thursday, April 21 in the Commons.
FRIDAYS AT FOUR - The campus is invited to attend a community gathering in the University Club on selected Fridays from 4-6 p.m. as a networking opportunity for faculty, staff and students. Complimentary appetizers are offered along with a no-host bar. Sponsored by Administration and Finance, Sonoma State Enterprises, and Chair of the Faculty. 4 p.m., Friday, April 22. Lisa Andresen, 4-2994.
COUNTRY MUSIC SHOW - Country music greats Doc Kraft & Co. and Kitty Rose will present their signature brands of country music. $5 general admission, student admission is free. 8 p.m. Friday, April 22, The Pub, (707) 664-2382.
CONFESSIONS OF AN ECONOMIC HIT MAN - John Perkins, author of "Confessions of an Economic Hit Man," reveals his story of involvement in the hidden mechanics of imperial control, as well as the true stories behind such major events as the fall of the Shah, and the invasions of Panama and Iraq. A book signing will follow a question and answer session. Admission is $10 at the door. 7 p.m., Saturday, April 23, The Commons, (707) 664-2500. THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED.
BATTLE OF THE HOLE IN THE HEAD - The Sonoma County documentary "Battle of the Hole in the Head" documents the story of PG&E's plans in the 1960s to build the first commercial atomic power plant in the United States on Bodega Head and on top of the San Andreas fault line. PG&E was four years and millions of dollars into construction of this plant when it was stopped in its tracks by a small group of local residents. The film is followed by discussion with director Annette Arnold, producer Cathy Wild and a few of the residents of the Battle for Bodega Bay. 3 p.m., April 23, Stevenson 1002. Admission is free, though donations will be accepted to benefit the Hole in the Head Project. Sponsored by Project Censored, (707) 664-2500.
BIG GESTURES AND A JOLT - Stirring performances of new works by faculty composers Will Johnson, Mel Graves, Brian S. Wilson and Jeff Langley. $10 General admission, $8 faculty, alumni, staff, $6 students/seniors, SSU students free 8 p.m., Saturday, April 23, Ives 119 and Warren Auditorium, (707) 664-2353. THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED.
Galleries:
BACHELOR OF FINE ARTS EXHIBITION, PART II -- Featuring the work of Josh Black (printmaking), Erika Dawn (painting), Kathleen Gamboa (painting), Sami Lynn (printmaking), Robin Messina-Burgert (ceramic sculpture), Daniel Schomaker (printmaking), Monika Steiner (painting), Ciani Williams (printmaking), and Claire Zeidman (painting). The University Art Gallery is open Tuesday-Friday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday, noon to 4 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, phone (707) 664-2295.
For more events, visit the official SSU calendar at
Greg Sarris, acclaimed author, screenwriter and scholar, has been selected after a nationwide search for the Endowed Chair in Native American Studies within the School of Arts and Humanities at Sonoma State University. He joins SSU in Fall 2005.
"With Dr. Sarris as the Endowed Chair, SSU continues on its path of leadership in the field of Native American Studies, both in terms of scholarship and in terms of community and social policy impact," said Eduardo Ochoa, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Sonoma State University.
An Endowed Chair is a faculty position funded in perpetuity from the earnings on a gift and is filled by a prestigious scholar. These highly regarded positions help colleges recruit and retain the best professors in the nation. SSU's Endowed Chair focuses on writing and Native American Studies and is the only funded Endowed Chair in the Sonoma State's 42-year history.
"Greg Sarris is an incredibly talented teacher who will inspire our students as he joins our current faculty to reach out to young Native Americans in the community. I am delighted that he will be holding an Endowed Chair in the School of Arts and Humanities," says William Babula, Dean of the School of Arts and Humanities.
A Santa Rosa native and currently a professor of creative writing and literature at Loyola Marymount University, Sarris has published several books, including the widely anthologized collection of essays, "Keeping Slug Woman Alive: A Holistic Approach to American Indian Texts," "Watermelon Nights," and "Grand Avenue." Just recently, he finished his seventh book, a novel for Viking/Penguin. His earlier book, "Grand Avenue," was made into an HBO miniseries, which Sarris wrote and executive produced with Robert Redford.
"I want to teach small classes as much as possible. It is one of the things that attracted me to Sonoma State. One of my hopes is that the love I have for literature will be contagious," says Sarris.
Sarris holds a Ph.D. from Stanford University and is currently the Fletcher Jones Endowed Professor of Creative Writing and Literature at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. Before teaching at Loyola Marymount he taught at UCLA where he was a full professor for 10 years. He currently serves as chairman of his tribe, the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria.
"I am glad to be coming home to Sonoma County and that I have something to bring with me which is the experience I have gained while working, writing, and living in other places. It is going to be a remarkable opportunity to work with the faculty at Sonoma and hopefully play a part in the University's intellectual life. I was a Sonoma County student once too -- at SRJC. It was teachers and writers who put me on my path and I return that gift by teaching what I learned. Writing is my life. I owe teaching that love of writing to the younger generation," says Sarris.
The purpose of the endowed chair is to foster greater understanding of the Native American culture and communities of California. This Endowed Chair was made possible through the generous donation of $2.5 million from the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria.
"We are extremely pleased that the search committee chose such a fine example of excellence in writing, teaching and breadth of experience. This appointment will augment the growth of our small but excellent Native American Studies program and serve our students far into the future," said Ruben Arminana, SSU president.
The 18th Annual World of Work Career and Summer Job Fair at Sonoma State University will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursday, April 14 in the Main Quad on campus. Over 80 employers from a wide range of businesses and organizations are expected to attend.
Those who attend will have the opportunity to meet and network about careers, jobs, internships, and part-time opportunities with professionals from business, government, non-profit, social services, science and medical companies.
There will also be a Career Resource Corner to showcase useful career resources and assist resume critique by a career advisor. For a complete list of exhibitors, visit www.sonoma.edu/sas/crc/
For further information, contact the Career Center at (707) 664-2198.
The popular EXCEL Youth Enrichment Program at Sonoma State University has developed a new program this summer for high school students entering grades 10-12 from July 11-22.
The EXCEL Academy is an innovative two-week summer academic enrichment program on the SSU campus designed to provide a small-group learning environment for talented and motivated high school students who want to experience classes on a college campus. Over a dozen exciting classes in the arts, science and technology are offered this summer.
Classes include Architecture, Photography, Electromania, Poetry Slam, 3-D Animation, Extreme Archaeological Mystery, and many others. One and two week classes will run in the mornings and afternoons. To find out more, visit www.sonoma.edu/exed/excel/academy.htm or phone (707) 664-2394 to request a brochure.
ON THE GROUND IN IRAQ - Dahr Jamail, an independent, on-the-ground correspondent in Iraq for KPFA and IPS, will show footage and report on the US military onslaught in Fallujah, the Iraqi election, growing anti-American sentiment, and more. A question and answer period will follow his remarks. $10 general admission, $5 students. 2 p.m., Sunday April 10, Warren Auditorium, (707) 664-2500.
BEETHOVEN'S NINTH SYMPHONY - The SSU Chorus, an honor choir of high school students and community members, the Young People's Chamber Orchestra, and a professional orchestra of Santa Rosa Symphony players join to perform Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. $15 general, $12 faculty, alumni, staff, $8 students and seniors, SSU students free. 3 p.m., Sunday, April 10, Sonoma State University Gymnasium, (707) 664-2353.
CAMPUS AUTHOR SERIES-Steve Estes, Assistant Professor in History, presents his book, "I Am Man! Race, Manhood and the Civil Rights Movement." Tracingthe strategies from the integration of the U.S. military in the 1940s through the Million Man March in the 1990s, Estes shows that masculinism rallied men to action but left unchallenged many of the patriarchal assumptions that underlay American society. Noon, Tuesday, April 12, Schulz 3001, (707) 664-2259.
PHYSICS AND NATIONAL DEFENSE - Tom Ramos of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory will discuss some research he has been involved in from design of the x-ray laser that was part of Star Wars in the 1980s to developing technologies for fighting nuclear proliferation today. What Physicists Do Lecture Series. 4 p.m., Tuesday, April 12, Stevenson 2006, (707) 664-2119.
THE SOCIOLOGY OF RESISTANCE - Lecture presented by Dr. Myrna Goodman regarding the way society forms a resistance and the effects of such a movement. Holocaust Lecture Series. 4 p.m., Tuesday, April 12, Warren Auditorium,(707) 664-4076.
SEX SIGNALS - An educational, improvisational comedy show discusses the issues of dating, sex, communication, and sexual assault in a fun and refreshing fashion. This improv comedy show will effectively engage students in the subject of interpersonal sexual relationships. For more information, see the addendum release below. 7 p.m., Tuesday, April 12, Cooperage, (707) 664-2217.
CAMPUS AUTHOR SERIES - Nan Alamilla Boyd, Assistant Professor of Women's and Gender Studies, presents her book, "Wide-Open Town: A History of Queer San Francisco to 1965." Boyd argues that police persecution forged debates about rights and justice that transformed San Francisco's queer communities into the identity-based groups of today. Noon, Wednesday, April 13, Schulz 3001, (707) 664-2259.
GREEN BUILDING STRUCTURAL ALTERNATIVES: A COMPARISON OF FOUR OPTIONS - The Environmental Technology Center and the U.S. Green Building Council Redwood Empire Chapter host a green building workshop for building and design professionals. 5:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 13, Doubletree Hotel, Rohnert Park, (707) 664-2577.
WORLD OF WORK CAREER FAIR - Over 80 employers discuss opportunities for full-time positions, summer jobs and internships for students and graduating seniors. 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Main Quad. Anne Greenblatt, Salazar 1070, (707) 664-2198.
OUR LAST BEST CHANCE TO DEFEAT SPAMMERS, SCAMMERS, AND HACKERS - Lecture by Danny Goodman of Half Moon Bay. In this talk, the author of the book "Spam Wars" explains what is right and wrong with current legal and technological approaches to the spam problem, and demonstrate how close we are to ridding the Internet of those who take advantage of email users. Computer Science Colloquium. Noon, Thursday, April 14, Salazar 2016, (707) 664-2667.
HOW TO BEGIN A DETECTIVE NOVEL AND MAYBE FINISH - Lecture with William Babula, of the SSU English Department. Arts and Humanities Research and Creative Works Forum. Noon, Thursday, April 14, Schulz 1121, (707) 664-2146.
LITERARY NON-FICTION: A READING - Lecture by Noelle Oxenhandler of the SSU English Department. Arts and Humanities Research and Creative Works Forum. Noon, Thursday, April 14, Schulz 1121, (707) 664-2146.
CAMPUS AUTHOR SERIES - Marco Calavita, Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication Studies, presents his book, "Apprehending Politics: News Media and Individual Political Development." Through direct interviews with Generation X, Calavita has succeeded where others have failed at exploring the contextualized and ecological nature of individualpolitical development, and the specific roles of media in that development. Noon, Thursday, April 14, Schulz 3001, (707) 664-2259.
BOBBY SEALE - The founder and national organizer of the Black Panther Party will address proactive coalition-building with activists across themulti-cultural spectrum. Seale is the author of "Seize the Time: The Story of the Black Panther Party" and "A Lonely Rage: The Autobiography of Bobby Seale." $5 general admission, SSU students free. 7 p.m., Thursday, April 14, Cooperage, (707) 664-2382.
IMAGINING PEACE AND COMMUNITY IN A TIME OF VIOLENCE AND CHAOS - Award winning author Luis Rodriguez will talk about his book, "Always Running: La Vida Loca, Gang Days in LA" as well as address issues of gang violence and prevention. $15 general admission, $10 SSU faculty and staff, SSU students free. 7:30 p.m., Friday, April 15, Cooperage, (707) 664-2537.
DANZA MEXICA COYOLXAUQUI ANNIVERSARY - Danza Mexica Coyolxauqui celebrates its second anniversary with a traditional Aztec dance ceremony honoring the group. Aztec dancers from throughout Northern California are featured. 8 p.m., Saturday, April 16, SSU Arbor and lakes, (707) 318-6631.
GALLERIES
ANNUAL BFA EXHIBITION, PARTS I & II - BFA Exhibition2005 features the work of students graduating this Spring with their Bachelor of Fine Arts, an advanced degree requiring an additional year of focused study in their chosen medium. Due to the large number of students graduating this year, there will be two separate exhibitions. BFA, Part I opens on Thursday, April 7, 4-6 p.m., and will be on view through Sunday, April 17. BFA, Part II opens Thursday, April 21, 4-6 p.m., and will be on view through Sunday, May 1. Gallery hours are Tuesday - Friday, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.; weekends, noon - 4 p.m. Closed on Mondays and holidays. For more information, contact the gallery at (707) 664-2295.
For news on other lectures, films and special events at SSU, visit http://www.sonoma.edu/university/calendars.shtml.
The Sonoma Student Union InterCultural Center is proud to host "Imagining Peace and Community in a Time of Violence and Chaos: An Evening With Luis Rodriguez" at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, April 15, in the Cooperage.
Rodriguez is best known for the 1993 memoir of gang life, "Always Running: La Vida Loca, Gang Days in L.A." An international best seller, the memoir also garnered a Carl Sandburg Literary Award, a Chicago Sun-Times Book Award, and was designated a New York Times "Notable Book".
Written as a cautionary tale for Rodriguez's then 15-year-old son Ramiro - who had joined a Chicago gang -the memoir is popular among youth and teachers. Despite this, the American Library Association in 1999 called "Always Running" one of the ten most censored books in the United States. Efforts to remove his books from public school libraries and reading lists have occurred in Illinois, Michigan, Texas, and more recently in California, where the battles were quite heated.
The discussion on April 15, says Rodriguez will "start with my own experiences as well those from people I've worked with over the years. I don't preach 'anti-gang,' but by telling these stories and their results, I hope to teach about choice, their own value as human beings, and what to do in crisis."
Drugs and gangs don't exist in a vacuum, he says "but a truly aware, attentive, cohesive and caring community is the best way to deal with the rise of gangs and drugs."
Rodriguez has emerged as one of the leading Chicano writers in the country with eight nationally published books in memoir, children's literature and poetry. Luis Rodriguez's most recent books are "Hearts and Hands: Creating Community in Violent Times" and a short story collection,"The Republic of East LA: Stories."
The Sonoma Student Union InterCultural Center, the School of Social Sciences, Associated Students, and Instructionally Related Activities are sponsors of the event.
Admission in free for SSU students, $10 for SSU faculty and staff, and $15 for general admission. Special seating and admission to the VIP reception following the talk can be purchased for $75. Tickets are available at the Sonoma Student Union Front Desk (707) 664-2382.
For more information on these or other ICC events, phone (707) 664-2537, or online at www.sonoma.edu/ICC.
NOTE TO MEDIA: To request an interview, contact Steven Barclay Agency at (707) 773-0654.
Dorothy Granada, nurse and director of the Maria Luisa Ortiz clinic in Mulukuku, Nicaragua, will be at Sonoma State University at noon on Tuesday, April 5 in Stevenson 1002.
With a theme which announces "Hope and Inspiration Alive and Well in Mulukuku, Nicaragua!," her lecture is part of a nationwide tour to celebrate the tremendous progress made at the clinic which focuses on reproductive health care along with support to victims of domestic violence. Granada is a Chicana-Filipina nurse who has lived and worked in Nicaragua for 12 years, the last 11 years of which have been in Mulukuku.
Throughout her life, she has worked in public health with particular emphasis on what she calls "accompanying the poor." In 1997, she won the Pfeffer Peace Prize for her lifetime commitment to nonviolent social change.
She began her involvement in the nonviolence movement in 1978, when she campaigned for several years against the death penalty. In 1983 she organized and participated in the Fast For Life, a 3-year disarmament campaign that culminated in a 40 day fast beginning on Hiroshima Day.
The town of Mulukuku has come a long way in the 15 years of Granada's's association with the women's cooperative there. Founded in 1985 as a settlement for families displaced by the Contra War, it is a population center for 30,000 people. After the town's destruction in 1988 by Hurricane Joan, women formed the Maria Luisa Ortiz cooperative to rebuild their homes.
The clinic provides nutritional services to malnourished children, dentistry, emergency medical treatment and transport, and employs some alternative healing approaches, including massage and naturopathic medicine. A Nicaraguan doctor and several nurses staff the clinic.
Teams of medical doctors and dentists from throughout the United States also provide specialized care on a rotating basis. This year a long-planned-for sterile surgery unit was added to the clinic property, and the first surgeries were performed in November.
In 1985, with Peace Brigades International, Granada helped begin the escort service for the Families of the Disappeared in Guatemala and was a long term volunteer with Witness for Peace in Nicaragua. In 1987 after Vietnam veteran and peace activist Brian Willson was run over by a train at Concord Naval Weapons Station while protesting arms shipments to Central America, Dorothy lived "on the tracks," providing medical support to the protesters.
Granada, 74, a former Santa Cruz resident, was educated as a nurse and public health administrator in California and began her nursing career as a missionary in Ponce, Puerto Rico. She is a clinical instructor in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas.
She will also speak at the Peace and Justice Center in Santa Rosa on Thursday, April 7 at 7 p.m. For further information, contact Philip Beard, (707) 664-2170.
Social justice is at the heart of a $250,000 endowment made to Sonoma State University recently by a couple who hopes the gift will spur others to donate "to nudge the University in the direction they would like to see it go."
SSU professor Andrea Neves and her husband Bart Evans are longtime supporters of programs in education, including the building of classrooms in Africa.
Regular donors to Stanford University, Claremont McKenna College, and Phillips Exeter Academy, they have turned their sights this year towards SSU. Their initial $250,000 gift is to support the development of programs, events and other activities that will be shared by the School of Social Sciences and the School of Education.
"We are thrilled to have been given this opportunity by Dr. Neves and Mr. Evans," says Elaine Leeder, Dean of the School of Social Sciences. "Our hope is to bring to campus speakers who are committed to the issues of social justice."
Leeder indicated funds like these can be used to draw internationally-known speakers to the campus such as writer Maya Angelou or the recent Nobel Peace prize winner Wangari Maathai. She says use of the endowment will also focus around "issues of social responsibility and educating our students to becoming civically engaged."
School of Education Dean Marty Rudell also expressed pleasure that the School of Education is a recipient of this gift. "Dr. Neves taught in the School of Education for over 20 years and in her teaching addressed issues of social justice, equality, and the rights of all people. This gift will further the goals and ideals she has always professed."
Neves received her doctorate in education from Stanford University in 1984 and has been a professor at SSU since 1972, first as a professor in ethnic studies and later in the School of Education.
She has a strong international perspective and interest in social justice and her teaching and research have been in ethnic minority rights, social class, women's rights, and race issues both internationally and within the United States.
"I want to support students whose research interests reflect my own," she says. She also has a special interest in international education and is helping to build five schools in the bush country of the north Mara district of Tanzania near Lake Victoria.
Neves credits her interest in Tanzania to an international program she participated in at the School of Education at Stanford University. She visited Africa on a Fullbright-Hays Research Fellowship in 1997 and 2003 and has received other research and development funds for visits in 2000 and 2005. She and her husband recently returned from a five-week follow-up visit to the schools.
She has also worked as a consultant in Sonoma County schools on a variety of gender equity and bilingual issues and has been a visiting professor, educational researcher and trainer at Stanford.
Evans graduated from Claremont McKenna College with a bachelor's in Economics and from Stanford with bachelor's and master's degrees in engineering in 1970 and 1972, respectively.
He served for over thirty years as a civil affairs officer in the United States Army on active duty and in the reserves and had a very successful career of twenty-six years at Dionex Corporation in Sunnyvale. He is now semi-retired in the role of executive consultant to the CEO of the company.
CAPTIONS
Above, Andrea Neves and Bart Evans stand with the teaching staff at Komuge School in Tanzania, Africa. The couple paid for the furnishing of the school. All of the schools that the couple has helped were ones that Neves has done ethnographic research in over the past several years.
Right, Andrea Neves stands with teachers of the Kuruya School outside of a classroom in Africa that she donated. The school is located in the bush country of the Musoma region of Lake Victoria in Northern Tanzania.
