Student leaders from all facets of the SSU campus come together to promote racial equality and social justice as part of a photo exhibit, "Faces of Sonoma".
The Center for Culture, Gender and Sexuality (CCGS) sponsors the photo exhibit created by Daniel Esquivel, which opens on Monday April 30 with a reception from Noon-2 p.m. in the Student Union.
"Faces of Sonoma" depicts various SSU students, faculty, and staff that contribute to an ever growing diverse population on campus. The gallery will consist of black and white photography of individuals who enrich the campus community through their unique backgrounds. The theme of the gallery is internal diversity, concentrating on identities that are not outwardly visible to the human eye, including sexual orientation, religion, ability, and political affiliations.
The artist was inspired to do this project due to the sentiment expressed by various students who believed diversity was nonexistent at Sonoma State. Esquivel said, "I walk around Sonoma State to hear a significant amount of people say, 'there is no diversity on campus.' Though there might not outwardly look like there is diversity on campus, there is. One is quick to point out that Sonoma State has limited racial diversity and ignores other attributes that also contribute to a diverse campus climate."
This is Esquivel's senior project inspired by Faces of Sonoma, a section in the Sonoma State STAR of which he is the editor of the Student Life section. His goal is to put the spotlight on exceptional students and their involvements that also contribute to creating a diverse campus climate.
The CCGS, the host of the event, fosters a campus environment of mutual respect and appreciation. The center provides forums for the campus and surrounding community to advance their understanding of social justice issues and their intimate complexities.
For further information contact Bonnie Sugiyama, Interim Coordinator, Center for Culture, Gender, and Sexuality, (707) 664-2710 or via e-mail at bsugiyama@sonoma.edu.
Formal plans for the establishment of a Holocaust and Genocide Memorial Grove at Sonoma State University have been announced. The Grove will honor and memorialize all those who have suffered and have been victimized as a result of the Holocaust and other genocides. It is expected to be dedicated in early 2008.
The project will be built on the east side of the campus adjacent to the Alumni Grove by the lakes area, and near a path leading to the future Green Music Center. The Grove is a collaborative effort of a community group--the Alliance for the Study of the Holocaust-- the University's Center for the Study of the Holocaust and Genocide, and the School of Social Sciences.
"The special memorial is an important addition to SSU's landscape," said Dr. Elaine Leeder, Dean of Social Sciences and one of the key members of the planning group.
"It makes tangible all the work that the Center for the Study of Holocaust and Genocide and the Alliance have done at the campus for almost 25 years and honors those who were lost in atrocities committed throughout the world."
Leeder's grandmother, aunt, uncle and dozens of cousins were lost in the Holocaust during World War II. Dr. Myrna Goodman, the Director of SSU's Center for the Study of the Holocaust and Genocide, noted that while the Holocaust marked a crucial point in history, the first genocide of the twentieth century was the Armenian Genocide which lasted from 1915- 1917. Since the second half of the twentieth century, the world has witnessed approximately one genocide per decade.
An original sculpture for the Memorial Grove has been designed by art Jann Nunn, SSU Associate Professor of Sculpture. The sculpture/installation includes an internally illuminated glass column representing hope for the future with the goal that through educational efforts, such as those as offered by the Center, genocide will no longer be part of the landscape.
The sculpture includes two 40-foot-long railroad tracks embedded in the lawn. The converging steel lines emerge from a gentle slope of ground and intersect a pedestrian footpath. The steel lines come within six inches of each other, at which point they merge into the illuminated ten-foot tall glass column of light.
The railroad ties have been donated to the effort by Union Pacific.
"The narrowing distance between the tracks represents the hope of diminishing incidents of genocide as civilization progresses and we learn from past errors," said Nunn. Her work frequently addresses concerns of under-represented or marginalized groups or individuals.
Rows of ivory colored memorial bricks will be placed in the position of railroad ties relative to the steel tracks. The bricks will be sold by subscription with the proceeds benefiting the University's lecture series on the Holocaust and Genocide. "Each brick will be laser inscribed with names and memorial expressions that serve to remind us of past atrocities and provide hope for the future," Nunn added.
Two sizes of bricks will be sold to the public: 4X8 inch for $100, and 8X8 inch for $250. For information on purchasing bricks, contact Kate McClintock at (707) 664-2693 or e-mail kate.mcclintock@sonoma.edu. Information about the Memorial Grove is available at http://www.ssualumni.org/holo.htm as are forms for ordering the memorial bricks.
The initial concept of the Memorial Grove was shared last September at a special event honoring more than 50 Holocaust survivors in Sonoma County at which recent photographic portraits of local residents who survived or
escaped the Holocaust by Ilka Hartmann were shown.
The Alliance for the Study of the Holocaust is pleased to announce that those portraits, A SECOND GIFT OF LIFE, will be on display in the Gallery of the Center for Culture, Gender and Sexuality on the first floor of the Student Union on the Sonoma State University campus from May 1-28. The opening reception will be May 3 from 4 to 6 p.m.
More information about the Grove will be available at the reception.
NOTE: Digital photos of the model for the Memorial are available upon request.
SPECIAL LECTURE ON WORK-IN-PROGRESS
Sculpture professor Jann Nunn invites the community to an informal discussion to view the work-in-progress on Thursday, May 3 from noon to 1 p.m. in Art 115.
The Psi Chi Sorority and the Psychology Department have teamed up to host the second annual Walk for Autism Research on Saturday, April 28. The event is being sponsored nationwide by Autism Speaks and the National Alliance for Autism Research.
Autism is a complex neurobiological disorder that typically lasts throughout a person's lifetime. It is part of a group of disorders known as Autism Spectrum Disorders. Today, 1 in 150 individuals is diagnosed with autism, making it more common than pediatric cancer, diabetes, and AIDS combined.
In the Spring of 2006, Psi Chi hosted the first annual Walk for Autism Research and raised more than $10,000. This year, their goal is to double that number.
Autism Speaks and the National Alliance for Autism Research recently combined operations, bringing together two of the leading organizations dedicated to accelerating and funding biomedical research into the causes, prevention, treatments and cure for autism spectrum disorders; to increasing awareness of the nation's fastest growing developmental disorder; and to advocating for the needs of affected families.
Registration and participant check-in is at 9 a.m. in the main quad and the walk begins at 10 a.m. The route is approximately two miles long and goes throughout the Sonoma State campus. The Walk takes place rain or shine.
For more information, visit www.autismwalk.org.
The recent topic of fair trade is blended with one of our favorite taste treats when Adrienne Fitch-Frankel helps SSU students discover the down side of chocolate: forced slavery, and child labor, on Wednesday, April 25th on the first floor of the Student Union in the Multi-Purpose Room at 8:00pm. The event is free to everyone and will feature free chocolate tasting for all guests.
Milk chocolate or dark chocolate, sweet, semi-sweet or bitter, few among us ever think of underpaid workers, slavery, and forced child labor when thinking about this, one of our most classic taste treats. Adrienne Fitch-Frankel will be visiting the Sonoma State Student Union to speak about unfair labor practices abroad with farms and workers that pick the cocoa beans used in most mass produced chocolate. Topics will include slavery, poor working conditions, and abusive child labor used by some of the world’s largest chocolate producers. Immediately following the event will be a chocolate tasting featuring only fair trade chocolate that uses fair labor and economic practices
Adrienne Fitch Frankel works as the fair trade cocoa campaigner for Global Exchange, an organization that promotes international economic, ecological, and social justice. Being involved in advocacy and human and environmental rights issues for over a decade, Adrienne reaches out to chocolate lovers and chocolate makers alike to help create a world in which we are all free to enjoy guilt-free chocolate.
Sonoma State Associated Students Productions, and the Student Union present Adrienne Fitch-Frankel and Fair Trade Chocolate on Wednesday, April 25th on the first floor of the Sonoma State Student Union in the Multi-Purpose Room. The event is free to all and begins at 8:00pm with fair trade chocolate tasting immediately after. For more information please call 664-2382 or go online at www.sonoma.edu/AS/ASP.
Immigration reform and activism is the subject of the second annual Raza Youth Conference on April 28 at Sonoma State University. Sponsored by
MEChA (Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan), registration is free and the event is open to all high school students.
The conference theme is "Empower Yourself, Empower Our Community." The conference focuses on immigration reform, recent raids, the separation of families, the congressional component and what students can do to help.
The goals of the conference are to empower, educate, politicize, and unify while exposing students to the university environment.
Keynote speakers this year are Miguel Molina and Alicia Sanchez whose comments are focused on inspiring students as well as getting them started for a busy day.
Students can chose one of many educational workshops offered during the first session and then attend a cultural/political workshop during the second session.
This conference includes a free lunch for the students followed by cultural entertainment. Aztec dancers (Danza Mexica Coyolxauqui) along with spoken word and karaoke are among the festivities.
The conference includes a career fair in which community members are invited to reach out to the youth and provide information on employment opportunities, community services and volunteer opportunities.
The following is a tentative schedule of events:
8 to 10 am- Registration
9 to 10 am- Keynote Speakers
10:05 to 11 am- Workshop Session I
11:05 am to Noon- Workshop Session II
*Everything from Noon-Closing will take place in the Rancho Cotate Field
12:05 to 1:25 pm- Lunch and Entertainment
1:30 to 2:30 pm- Information Booths
2:35 to 3:35 pm- Caucus Discussions
3:40 to 4pm- CLosing/Buses Depart
To register for the conference or to receive more information contact Nicolas A. Reyes, MEChA co-chair, ryc@mechadesonoma.org, at (707) 280-3867.
Dr. Stephen Bittner, Assistant Professor of History at Sonoma State University, is available to comment on the death of former Russian President Boris Yeltsin and his impact on Russia and the Soviet Union.
Bittner has a Ph.D. in Russian History from the University of Chicago. Before coming to SSU, he was a visiting professor at Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania, and a fellow at the Kennan Institute for Advanced Russian Studies in Washington, D.C.
He is the editor of memoirs of Dmitrii Shepilov, a high-ranking official in the Soviet Communist Party who was implicated in an unsuccessful coup against Nikita Khrushchev in 1957, and who later spent forty years in obscurity nurturing a grudge against the former leader.
Bittner is also the author of a book entitled "Khrushchev's Thaw and Moscow's "Left Bank,"" which is about Moscow's Arbat neighborhood, a Soviet version of Saint-Germain des Pres in Paris or Greenwich Village in New York. It is forthcoming from Cornell University Press.
Professor Bittner can be reached at (707) 664-2447.
Recent photographic portraits by Ilka Hartmann of North Bay residents who survived the Holocaust are on exhibit at Sonoma State University from May 1-28 in the Gallery of the Center for Culture, Gender and Sexuality in the Student Union.
A reception for "A Second Gift of Life" is set for Thursday, May 3, from 4-6 p.m. in the gallery to celebrate the survivors. The video "Honoring the Survivors - 18 years of the Holocaust Lecture Series at Sonoma State University", by Ilka Hartmann and Joel Braverman will be screened. A model of the Holocaust and Genocide Memorial Grove planned by the University will be on display.
The event is co- sponsored by The Alliance for the Study of the Holocaust, the Center for the Study of the Holocaust and Genocide and the Center for Culture, Gender and Sexuality at Sonoma State University.
Ilka Hartmann, a native of Germany, is a photographer who has concentrated on human rights since she began photographing 30 years ago. She taught Holocaust Studies at Sonoma State University for 14 years and Photography as an Art Form at the renowned Graduate School of Art (Hochschule der Kuenste ) in Berlin.
For further information on her work, visit www.ilkahartmann.com.
Internationally- recognized authority on green building, smart growth and sustainability, Sim Van der Ryn shares his vision for creating more sustainable societies from 4-5:40 p.m. on May 9 in the Environmental Technology Center as part of the 2007 SSU Energy lecture series.
The lecture will be webcast in real time at http://drav.csumb.edu/r22386929.
Van der Ryn is a visionary, author, educator, public leader, and internationally-distinguished pioneer in ecological design. For more than 40 years, he has been at the forefront of integrating ecological principles into the built environment, creating multi-scale solutions driven by nature's intelligence.
He served as California's first energy-conscious State Architect, authored seven influential books, and won numerous honors and awards for his leadership and innovation in architecture and planning.
Van der Ryn's collaborative approach and meta- disciplinary accomplishments help show the way to an evolving planetary era that values both the integrity of ecological systems and the quality of life.
A recent New York Times profile writes, "Long before sustainability became the buzzword du jour, there was Sim Van der Ryn, the intrepid pioneer on the eco-frontier". The 70-year-old architect is part of a generation of visionaries who are more interested in the long term value of their work than in self promotion.
Van der Ryn says "we are engaged in an Ecological Revolution, every bit as profound as the preceding Industrial Revolution." While addressing an assembly of architects, Sim states, "The worst thing you can do is keep making no changes. That's where the risk lies."
Van der Ryn has also written several cutting edge books about sustainable planning and design including Design for Life (2006) Ecological Design (1996) with Stuart Cowan, and Sustainable Communities (1986) with Peter Calthorpe.
The Environmental Technology Center is located in the northwest corner of the campus adjacent to Parking Lot A on campus. Parking is $2.50.
For more information, contact Armando Navarro, Assistant Director, Environmental Technology Center, (707) 664-2577.
*All lectures are free unless otherwise noted.
FROM ZERO TO ONE BILLION ELECTRON VOLTS IN 3.3 CENTIMETERS - Dr. Wim Leemans of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory describes a new laser-driven accelerator which may open the way to very compact high-energy experiments and superbright free-electron lasers. "What Physicists Do" lecture series. 4 p.m., Monday, May 7, Darwin 103. (707) 664-2119.
BIOLOGY COLLOQUIUM - Lecture by Shola Sulaimon, a professor within the SSU Biology Department. Biology Colloquium. Noon-1 p.m., Tuesday, May 8. Darwin 103. (707) 664-2189.
FROM PARENTS IN HIDING TO THE LESBIAN BABY BOOM: A HISTORY OF LESBIAN MOTHERHOOD 1945-1980 - Daniel Winunwe Rivers discusses the changing social, political, and legal realities of lesbian motherhood from the Second World War to the beginning of the 1980s. Queer Studies lecture series. 12-12:50 p.m., Tuesday, May 8, Stevenson 1002. (707) 664-2306.
PROJECTING THE HOLOCAUST INTO THE FUTURE - Lawrence Baron, Professor of Judaic Studies at San Diego State University provides an excellent overview of recent movies dealing with the Holocaust. While broadening the common notion of "Holocaust cinema," Baron's cultural historicist approach casts light onto the increasingly larger role visual media play in the process of rising public awareness of the holocaust and genocide. Holocaust Lecture Series. 4-5:40 p.m., Tuesday, May 8, Warren Auditorium, (707) 664-4076.
IS IT KNOTTED? - Abigail Thompson of the University of California, Davis describes some coloring problems and their relation to the problem of deciding whether a particular knot is really knotted. The idea of a probabilistic proof of knottedness will also be introduced. Math Colloquium. 4-5 p.m., Wednesday, May 9, Darwin 103, (707) 664-3324.
RICK LUTTMAN FASHION SHOW Luttman displays some of his more eccentric outfits for all to enjoy. 6-8 p.m., Wednesday, May 9. The Cooperage. (707) 664-2057.
A CONVERSATION WITH SIM VAN DER RYN - Van Der Ryn is an internationally recognized authority on green building, smart growth and sustainability and will share what he has learned about economical design in his years of professional practice, public service and teaching as well as his vision on creating more sustainable societies. Spring 2007 Energy Forum. 4-5:40 p.m., Wednesday, May 9, Environmental Technology Center, (707) 664-2577.
WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION AND GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE - Presentation by Lynn Cominsky of the Astronomy and Physics department and Karina Nielsen of the Biology department. Noon-1:30 p.m., Thursday, May 10. Schulz 3001. University Library lecture series. Karen Brodsky, (707) 664-4240.
"THINK BIG: INTERNET CRIME AND ATTACKS" - Presentation by Dr. John Aycock, University of Calgary, on computer security issues. 10:45-11:35 a.m., Darwin 102. Computer Science Colloquium. George Ledin, (707) 664-2810.
ROSANA CASTRILLO DIAZ - Rosana Castrillo Diaz work explores the breakdown of visual familiarity through minimal use of materials and fragments of recognizable information. In her sculptures and drawings, she explores the limits of perception, presence and absence. Her subjects and materials cease to be objects and become personal abstractions for the viewer. Visiting Artists Lecture Series. Noon, Thursday, May 10, Art 108, (707) 664-3042.
FACES OF SONOMA - A photo exhibit that depicts various SSU students, faculty, and staff that contribute to an ever growing diverse population on campus. Monday thru Thursday: 7:30-10 p.m., Friday 7:30-6 p.m. and Saturday 10-2 p.m. May 1-28. CCGS Gallery, First Floor of Sonoma Student Union. (707) 664-2710.
A SECOND GIFT OF LIFE - A photo exhibit by Ilka Hartmann which honors North Bay residents who survived the Holocaust. Monday thru Thursday: 7:30-10 p.m., Friday 7:30-6 p.m. and Saturday 10-2 p.m. May 1-28. CCGS Gallery, First Floor of Sonoma Student Union. (707) 664-2710.
Films
BANLIEUE 13 / DISTRICT B-13 - In the near future, the worst ghettos of Paris, France are literally walled off and among the worst is District B13. Controlled by the ruthless crime lord, Taha, a young righteous punk named Leito is determined to bring him down. French Film lecture series. 7 p.m., Monday, May 7, Stevenson 2006. (707) 664-3159.
IM JULI \ IN JULY - Daniel is a young teacher in-spe, who in contrast to everyone else plans to stay in Hamburg for the summer. Juli, a girl at the flea-market, wants to get known to Daniel and manages to sell him a Mayan ring with a sun on it, foretelling him that he will meet a girl with a sun. Admission free.Films shown with English subtitles. 7 p.m., Wednesday, May 9, Erin Fisher Room second floor of Student Union. Michaela Grobbel, Department of Modern Languages and Literatures, (707) 664-2637.
THE END OF SUBURBIA - Through interviews with scientists and policy makers this documentary explores the premise that American suburbs, built on the easy availability of fossil fuels, may become untenable. CCGS Movie Fest. 12 p.m., Thursday, May 10, Erin Fisher Room in the Student Union, (707) 664-2710.
SONGS FROM THE SECOND FLOOR - Winner of the Cannes Special Jury Prize in 2000, the film is composed of only forty-six scenes, unspooled before a still camera like paintings come to life. Here Sweden's sanitized world first appears normal, yet as the camera rolls, the repressed returns: nightmares, terrors, the dead or the misshapen, and "little" social errors like racism and downsizing, each played out like a silent comedy. Sonoma Film Institute. 7:30 p.m., Thursday, May 10, Darwin 103, and 7 p.m., Friday, May 11, Warren Auditorium, (707) 664-2606.
STOMP THE YARD - After the death of his younger brother, a troubled 19-year-old street dancer from Los Angeles is able to bypass juvenile hall by enrolling in the historically black, Truth University in Atlanta, Georgia. Films are free and sponsored by the Office of Residential Life. Scene It Movie Series. 9 p.m., Saturday, May 12. The Cooperage. (707) 664-2804.
MUSICS SACRED AND PROFANE - Featured works include the Northern California premiere of Maslanka's Buddhist-inspired Give Us This Day, R.W. Smith's Inferno based on Dante's vision of Hell and Charles Ive's Variations on America. Also featured will be winner(s) of the 1st annual Student Concerto Competition. Admission is $10 general, $8 Faculty, Staff, Alumni, $6 seniors, and free with SSU student ID. 4 p.m., Sunday, May 6. Ives 119. (707) 664-2235.
INDIAN SINGING ENSEMBLE - Laxmi G. Tewari directs "I Can Sing, So You Can." Admission is free. Noon, Thursday, May 10. Ives 119. (707) 664-2235.
SSU LATIN JAZZ ENSEMBLE - Directed by Bob Afifi. Admission is free. 7:30 p.m., Thursday, May 10. Warren Auditorium. (707) 664-2235.
WORLD PEACE, WORLD FREEDOM - The SSU Chorus performs music central to the struggle for peace and freedom from Africa, South and Central America, Asia and beyond. Admission is $12 general, $10 Faculty, Staff, Alumni, $8 seniors, and free with SSU student ID. 8 p.m., Friday, May 11. Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, 8400 old Redwood Hwy, Windsor, and 8 p.m., Saturday, May 12, Holy Family Episcopal Church, 1500 E. Cotati Ave, Rohnert Park. (707) 664-2235.
SPRING DANCE ENSEMBLE CONCERT - Dances by Bay Area dancer-choreographers Carol Kueffer, Sheldon Smith, Nancy Lyons and Scott Wells. Directed by Nancy Lyons & Kristen Daley. Admission is $12 general, $10 faculty, alumni, staff, $8 seniors, and free with SSU student ID. Tuesday, May 8, 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, May 9, 7:30 p.m., Thursday, May 10, 7:30 p.m., Friday, May 11, 8:00 p.m., and Saturday, May 12, 8:00 p.m. Evert B. Person Theatre. (707) 664-2235.
Students at Sonoma State University have joined 536 other high school and college campuses nationwide in taking the Campus Climate Challenge, a movement to stop global warming by reducing the emissions of greenhouse gases to a level of "climate neutral."
Initiated by a resolution from the Academic Senate in 2002 to conduct a greenhouse gas inventory/audit, a handful of faculty members have prompted Associated Students, Green Campus, Project Earth, and Sonoma Earth Action to collaborate in bringing together a task force of nearly thirty students to quantify Sonoma State's ecological footprint. The audit is expected to be completed in May.
More than twenty professors from a dozen departments are sponsoring these students by offering internship credits for participating in the inventory.
Inspired by the quote from Anthony Cortese, "If you don't measure it, you won't manage it," the task force has taken on this first step of measuring.
In so doing, students are learning the ins and outs of the University's operations while forming relationships with Facilities Services, Administration, staff and faculty across the campus, as well as businesses and organizations around Sonoma County, and participating universities around California.
"This effort has required the uniting of the SSU campus community to rally around climate control. Besides empowering students to take responsibility for SSU's impact on the environment, the inventory has also provided a valuable service learning opportunity and a way for students to give back to the University, says Andrew Sloan, one of the organizers of the effort.
By setting 2006 as the baseline year, the task force hopes to reveal the areas of high emission and provide assistance to the University in creating and implementing a plan of reduction.
Data is currently being gathered by Solid Waste, University Travel, Private Transportation Survey and Facilities Collection teams that make up the student task force.
There is also the Public Relations team working to educate and spread awareness of the inventory and environmental consciousness around campus.
The task force has submitted an entry to an Energy Efficiency Partnership Program Best Practices Award Contest presented at the Sixth Annual Sustainability Conference held at UC Santa Barbara June 24-27. Last year, SSU took home four awards.
For further information, contact Jean Wasp, Media Relations Coordinator, (707) 664-2057.
* All lectures are free unless noted otherwise.
TURBULENT FIELDS - Ned Kahn, an artist whose works incorporate fluid dynamics, presents a series of videos and describe his recent work in visualizing turbulence on the scale of buildings. "What Physicists Do" lecture series. 4 p.m., Monday, Apr. 30, Darwin 103. (707) 664-2119.
FACES OF SONOMA OPENING RECEPTION - A photo exhibit that depicts various SSU students, faculty, and staff that contribute to an ever growing diverse population on campus. Noon-2 p.m., Monday, April 30. CCGS Gallery - 1st Floor Sonoma Student Union. (707) 664-2710.
BEYOND ANNE FRANK - Lecture and discussion by Diane Wolf, Professor of Sociology at the University of California, Davis, and author of Beyond Anne Frank, which she wrote on the postwar family lives of Jewish children who were hidden in Holland during World War II. Wolf challenges the image of the Netherlands created by the Anne Frank story. Holocaust Lecture Series. 4-5:40 p.m., Tuesday, May 1, Warren Auditorium, (707) 664-4076.
AGING, MITOCHONDRIA, AND TRIPLET REPEAT DISEASE - Lecture and discussion by Dr. Shona Mookerjee of the Buck institute for Age Research. Biology Colloquium. Noon -1 p.m., Tuesday, May 1. Darwin 103. (707) 664-2189.
CONSOLIDATING THE GENDERED CITIZEN: TRANS SURVIVAL, BUREAUCRATIC POWER, AND THE WAR ON TERROR - Dean Spade discusses the impact of the War on Terror on transgender rights, the bureaucratization of trans identities, and models of non-profit governance in social movements. Queer Studies lecture series. 12-12:50 p.m., Tuesday, May 1, Stevenson 1002. (707) 664-2306.
MULTIMEDIA EDUCATION RESOURCES FOR LEARNING AND ONLINE TEACHING - Interactive workshop led by Tom Carey. Technology in Teaching Series. 10-11 a.m., Wednesday, May 2, Schulz 3001. (707) 664-2873.
ANN WRIGHT - Wright is a retired U.S. Army Reserve colonel who resigned in 2003 due to the Bush Regime and War in Iraq. A suggested donation of $5-10 is welcomed at the door. Nobody turned away for lack of funds. 7 p.m., Wednesday, May 2. Sonoma Student Union Multi-Purpose Room (1st Floor). (707) 664-2500. Sponsored by Project Censored.
AUTHOR VICTOR VILLASENOR FINDING AND PROMOTING THE GENIUS IN ALL OF US - A lecture and discussion by Victor Villasaenor, a Mexican native who overcame racial, discrimination, and language barriers while coping with an undiagnosed learning disability. Admission is free to SSU students, staff, faculty and $5 general payable at the door. Part of the Heritage Lecture Series. 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, May 2. Cooperage. (707) 664-2710.
HOLOCAUST AND GENOCIDE MEMORIAL SCULPTURE - Presentation, lecture, and discussion by Jann Nunn, Sculpture Artist and Professor of Studio Art. Arts and Humanities Creative Research Forum. 12-12:50 p.m., Thursday, May 3, Art 115, (707) 664-2146.
THE LOCAL MEETS THE GLOBAL: THE BATTLE FOR NOT-SO-SCARCE RESOURCES - Presentation by Mike Ezra of the?American Multicultural Studies Department and by Paula Lane of the Education department. Noon-1:30 p.m., Thursday, May 3. Schulz 3001. University Library lecture series. Karen Brodsky, (707) 664-4240.
ELEMENTS OF COMPUTER GAME DESIGN - Jason Shankel of Maxis/Electronic Arts in Walnut Creek discusses the elements of a computer game design and explores how those elements interact to create the final product will be described and explored. Computer Science Colloquium. Noon, Thursday, May 3, Darwin 102. (707) 664-2667.
FACES OF SONOMA - A photo exhibit that depicts various SSU students, faculty, and staff that contribute to an ever growing diverse population on campus. Monday thru Thursday: 7:30-10 p.m., Friday 7:30-6 p.m. and Saturday 10-2 p.m. May 1-28. CCGS Gallery, First Floor of Sonoma Student Union. (707) 664-2710.
A SECOND GIFT OF LIFE - A photo exhibit by Ilka Hartmann which honors North Bay residents who survived the Holocaust. Monday thru Thursday: 7:30-10 p.m., Friday 7:30-6 p.m. and Saturday 10-2 p.m. May 1-28. CCGS Gallery, First Floor of Sonoma Student Union. (707) 664-2710.
Films
BARAKA - A world wide odyssey to capture the images which transcend language to tell the story of the earth's evolution and of human diversity, interconnectedness between humans and nature, and our impact on the surrounding world. Shot in 24 countries on six continents. CCGS Movie Fest. 12 p.m., Thursday, May 3, Student Union Multi-Purpose Room, (707) 664-2710.
PLAYTIME - Jacques Tati's film updates silent-comedy technique in a brilliant sound film. A group of tourists, whose lives on only occasionally crossed by Tati's Mr. Hulot, wander through the interchangeable glass- and-steel skyscrapers which comprise modern- day Paris. Sonoma Film Institute. 7:30 p.m., Thursday, May 3, Darwin 103, and 7 p.m., Friday, May 4, Warren Auditorium, (707) 664-2606.
BLOOD DIAMOND - A fisherman, a smuggler, and a syndicate of businessmen match wits over the possession of a priceless diamond. Films are free and sponsored by the Office of Residential Life. Scene It Movie Series. 9 p.m., Saturday, May 5. The Cooperage. (707) 664-2804.
Center for Performing Arts
SSU CLASSICAL GUITAR ENSEMBLE - Directed by Eric Cabalo. Admission is free. Noon, Thursday, May 3. Ives 119. (707) 664-2235.
DAMAGED BY DEFAULT - Theatre Arts and Communications Departments World Premiere movie by James Marchbanks. Admission is $8 general or free with SSU student ID. 7:30 p.m., Thursday, May 3. Warren Auditorium. (707) 664-2235.
CHAMBER MUSIC GUEST ARTIST SERIES - Featuring Judiyaba, cello; Marilyn Thompson, piano; Olga Rakitchenkov, harp. Admission is $12 general, $10 faculty, alumni, staff, $8 seniors, and free with SSU student ID. 8 p.m., Friday, May 4. Ives 119. (707) 664-2235.
BYRD TO BRITTEN AND BEYOND - Guest director Jenny Bent, music director of Chantons and choir director at Ursuline High School, leads the SSU Chamber Singers in a concert of English sacred music, beginning with work by William Byrd and proceeding all the way to the present. Admission is $12 general, $10 faculty, alumni, staff, $8 seniors, and free with SSU student ID. 8 p.m., Friday, May 4 and Saturday, May 5. Holy Family Episcopal Church. (707) 664-2235.
SPRING DANCE ENSEMBLE CONCERT - Dances by Bay Area dancer-choreographers Carol Kueffer, Sheldon Smith, Nancy Lyons and Scott Wells. Directed by Nancy Lyons & Kristen Daley. Admission is $12 general, $10 faculty, alumni, staff, $8 seniors, and free with SSU student ID. 7:30 p.m., Thursday, May 3, 8 p.m., Friday, May 4, and 8 p.m., Saturday, May 5. Evert B. Person Theatre. (707) 664-2235.
The second annual Sustainable Enterprise Conference takes place May 4-5 at Sonoma Mountain Village in Rohnert Park.
This year's theme, "At Work. For Life," focuses on cutting edge sustainable enterprise issues and opportunities, practical tools, successful case studies, interactive learning experiences, and new visions for business, non-profit, and government entities in the North Bay. SEC2007 is presented by Sonoma State University, The Sustainable Enterprise Coalition, the Green MBA program.
Workshop topics include increasing profits through sound environmental practices, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, affording solar energy, conservation investing, building "green" hotels and hospitals, and how schools and colleges can save the environment.
May 4 events focus on visions and tools for a sustainable enterprise. The keynote speaker will be Dave Martinelli, Vice President of Coleman Natural Foods, whose Petaluma Poultry division produces "Rocky the Range Chicken" and "Rosie the Organic Chicken."
Martinelli introduced and led Petaluma Poultry's implementation of a sustainability management system and will discuss the benefits, successes and challenges he faced.
The theme for May 5 events is Regional Sustainability. Keynote Speaker Carol Misseldine, currently serving as Sustainability Coordinator for Oakland's Public Works Agency, will discuss transforming cities and building sustainable systems. Misseldine brings 20 years' experience assisting corporate and governmental sectors to learn and apply fundamental principles of sustainability.
Last year's conference sold out at 240 attendees, and its popularity led the co-hosts to expand to 300 participants and a two-day format to maximize participation.
Business sponsors include Sonoma Mountain Village, PG&E, Agilent Technologies, North Bay Construction, Medtronics, SolarCraft, Paul Dolan Vineyards, Petaluma Poultry, Arntz Family Foundation, Whole Foods, Clif Bar, Earthsite, and others.
For complete details on schedules, speakers and rates, see http://www.sec2007.com/.
The Sustainable Enterprise 2007 conference is open to the public and welcomes all levels of interest and expertise in sustainability issues.
For more information contact Sofia Dumitru, Media Coordinator at (707) 776-2848 or Genevieve Taylor, Conference Director at (888) 497-3222.
Wireless mesh networks and their advantages and applications are the subject of the next Engineering Science lecture by Prasant Mohapatra of the University of California, Davis on Thursday, April 19 from 4:30- 5:15 p.m. in Salazar 2009A. The event is part of the Engineering Science lecture series.
Wireless mesh networks are becoming popular alternatives to wireless local area networks and for cost-effective use in varied application environments. There are several technical challenges that must be addressed for mesh networking to be as effective as any other form of broadband networking.
Much of these challenges relate to multi-hop wireless communication and limited capacity.
Mohapatra will facilitate further discussions on these challenges with application prospective as the primary goal. In this talk, he will overview the ongoing deployment of the Quail Ridge Wireless Mesh Network (QuRiNet); a wide-area network encompassing 2000 acres of wild life reserve.
A live demonstration of the use of a hybrid of sensors and multi-hop wireless networking for environmental application will be presented
Mohapatra is currently a Professor inthe Department of Computer Science at theUniversity of California, Davis. His research has been funded though grants from the National Science Foundation, Intel Corporation, Siemens, Panasonic Technologies, Hewlett Packard, and EMC Corporation.
The lecture series is sponsored by the Agilent Technologies Foundation under the SSU-Agilent Partnership Program.
For more information, contact Jagan Agrawal,Director of the Engineering Sciences Program, at (707) 664-4438.
Sonoma State University's School of Business and Economics has earned an initial accreditation in business from AACSB International - The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.
The University joins an elite group that makes up less than 10 percent of the world's business schools that have achieved business and/or accounting accreditation from AACSB.
"We now have been recognized for the quality of what the faculty, staff and students in the Department of Business Administration accomplish every day of the week," says James Robertson, Dean of the School.
"We have risen to a new plateau of continuous improvement and higher quality. A special thanks to all who labored so long and to the Administration for their support, our advisory boards for their input into our strategic planning and the donors who recently contributed a $5 million endowment for the School."
AACSB is the longest serving and largest global accrediting body for business schools that offer undergraduate, master's, and doctoral degrees in business and accounting and is considered the highest achievement in business school accreditation.
"It takes a great deal of commitment and determination to earn AACSB accreditation," said Jerry Trapnell, executive vice president and chief accreditation officer of AACSB International. "Schools must meet rigorous standards of excellence, as well as make a commitment to ongoing improvement that ensures that they will deliver a high quality education to students."
As required by AACSB standards, all accredited schools must gothrough a peer review every five years in order to maintain their accreditation.
For further information, contact James Robertson, Dean of the School of Business and Economics, (707) 664-2220.
Energy and climate change is the theme for the first annual Earth Week at Sonoma State University on April 16-20.
Associated Students Inc., along with local campus entities, host a series of activities and film viewings as part of the weeklong celebration.
On Monday, April 16, the Hutchins School of Liberal Studies and Friends of Copeland Creek show "The Great Warming" at 7 p.m. in Darwin 103. The event is part of the "Focus of the Nation" program in which over 1,000 college campuses take part in the symposium.
On Tuesday, April 17, a campus fair features more than thirty organizations promoting sustainable energy and a "green" lifestyle. A Critical Mass bicycle ride will be held throughout the campus.
Starting at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, the film "End of Suburbia" in the Student Union Multi-Purpose room in the Student Union explores the realities behind suburban sprawl as dwindling supplies of fossil fuels affect society. The event is sponsored by the Student Planning Association and Project Earth.
On Wednesday, April 18 at 7 p.m. in the Student Union Multi-Purpose Room, a "Stars of Sustainability" panel discussion includes leaders of campus sustainable programs discussing how they incorporate environmental consciousness and practice into their various campus jobs.
On Thursday, April 19, Sonoma Earth Action presents the viewing of "Ripe for Change" at 7 p.m. in the Schulz Viewing Room. This documentary examines the large scale food industry in California over the past thirty years with the concerns of health and diminishing resources. It interviews both industrial farmers and small landowners to expose the struggles of an increasingly globalized market.
All events are free and open to the general public. Parking is $2.50.
For more information, contact Jean Wasp, Media Relations Coordinator, at (707) 664-2057.
Wendy Northcutt, author of the celebrated book series called "The Darwin Awards," offers up her own brand of natural selection that salutes the improvement of the species by honoring those members who have accidentally removed themselves from it.
Her lecture is slated for Thursday, April 19 at 8 p.m. in the Cooperage. The event is free to SSU students with ID or $10 general admission.
The UC Berkeley molecular biologist discusses the creative, inane, and altogether awe-inspiring accidents that have improved the human gene pool and the poor departed souls that made the spectacular mishaps happen.
Such accidents as the drunk man who wanted a wild poisonous snake as a pet, the sober man who tried to rob a man that was selling a gun, and an elderly gentleman attempting to rid his lawn of gophers by electrifying the very ground he stood upon will be discussed.
Also on topic will be the honorable mentions of the Darwin Awards - those who had a bout with natural selection but survived with their reproductive capability intact.
For more information on the awards, visit http://darwinawards.com/.
For more information on the event, contact Jean Wasp, Media Relations Coordinator, (707) 664-2057.
Media research group Project Censored hosts a "no-holds-barred" second look at the world's three largest structural failures in history as San Francisco architect Richard Gage presents the results of his extensive research into the collapse of World Trade Center buildings 1, 2 and 7 on September 11, 2001.
A one-hour multimedia presentation is set for 7 p.m. on Friday, April 20 in Darwin 103. General admission is $10, students, $5.
Gage, founder of the organization "Architects & Engineers for 9/11 Truth," examines how World Trade Center 7, a 47-story high rise building, fell straight into its own foot print in 6.5 seconds, and why tons of molten metal were later found under the rubble.
The presentation includes a scrutiny of governmental building failure reports and "the holes they leave regarding the possible use of explosives on 9-11."
The accounts and conclusions of firemen, physicists and other experts are addressed and questions about the damage by jet impacts and fires on the World Trade Center twin towers are answered.
Gage has been a practicing architect for 20 years and designed numerous fire-protected steel-framed buildings. He became interested in the 9/11 WTC high-rise collapses after hearing the conclusions of self-described "reluctant 9/11 researcher," David Ray Griffin.
For further information, contact Emily Chavez, Project Censored, (707) 664-2500.
From "Americanizing Ugly Betty" to exploring gender differences in the criminal justice system, Sonoma State University offers two topical lectures this week at noon. Admission is free and all events are open to the media and general public.
Criminology and Criminal Justice professor Barbara Bloom discusses "Applying Gender-Responsive Strategies in the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation" at the Social Science Brown Bag lecture series on Tuesday, April 3 at noon in Stevenson 2011.
Bloom discusses her recent study which found that gender- responsive practice could lead to better outcomes for women offenders in institutional and community settings. She proposes six guiding principles of the practice that focus on gender, environment, relationships, services and supervision, socio-economic status, and community.
Bloom discusses the of differences in male and female pathways into criminality, their differential responses to custody and supervision, and other gender-based factors are central to reducing recidivism rates and improving the lives of women offenders and their children.
Patricia Kim-Rajal, professor in the Chicano and Latino Studies Department, presents her research on "Americanizing Betty and Latinizing MTV: How the Mainstream Media Codifies Latino Ethnicity" on Thursday, April 5 at noon in Stevenson 3082.
Kim-Rajal focuses on the changes mainstream television has made in order to "Americanize" Latin American telenovelas and contrasts them with MTV's efforts to "ethnicize" general-audience youth culture for its Latino-specific channel.
Pinpointing those elements that have been marked as either "Latino" or "American" in these programs reveals the specific symbols that define Latinos for those working in U.S. mainstream media.
The presentation also explores the relationship between these changes in commercial television content and the shifting nature of American communities and identities.
For further information, contact Jean Wasp, Media Relations Coordinator, (707) 664-2057.
*All lectures are free unless otherwise noted.
THE POWER OF THE SUN - Nobel Laureates Alan Heeger and Walter Kohn of the University of California, Santa Barbara appear in this recent film on the science of the silicon solar cell. Monday, April 23, 4-5:15 p.m. in Darwin 103, with coffee and cookies in the Darwin lobby at 3:30. (707) 664-2119.
SONG BIRD RESPONSES TO RIPARIAN RESTORATION: SUCCESS STORIES - Lecture and discussion by Chrissy Howell of the Point Reyes Bird Observatory. Biology Colloquium. Noon-1 p.m., Tuesday, April 24. Darwin 103. (707) 664-2189.
IN MY SHOES: STORIES OF YOUTH WITH LGBT PARENTS - A panel of young adults who have LGBT parents discuss their experiences and view the documentary "In My Shoes: Stories of Youth with LGBT Parents." Queer Studies lecture series. 12-12:50 p.m., Tuesday, April 24, Stevenson 1002. (707) 664-2306.
REVERBERATIONS OF GENOCIDE IN RWANDA - Lecture and discussion by Mathilde Mukatabana, Professor of History at Cosumnes Community College and President, Friends of Rwanda Association and was born and raised in Rwanda, East Africa but left due to political turmoil and upheavals in her native land and found refuge in neighboring countries before she moved to the United States to pursue her studies. Holocaust Lecture Series. 4-5:40 p.m., Tuesday, April 24, Warren Auditorium, (707) 664-4076.
SOME UNSOLVED PROBLEMS FOR LATIN SQUARES - Sherman Stein of the University of California, Davis discusses why in a Latin square of order n is an n by n square consisting of n 2 cells. In each cell is one of the integers from 1 to n. Each row and each column has no duplications. Stein describes a few results, and invites mathematicians and computer programmers to explore this new area. Math Colloquium. 4-5 p.m., Wednesday, April 25, Darwin 103, (707) 664-3324.
PG&E ENERGY PROGRAMS AND RESOURCES - Lecture and open forum with Robert Marcial, the Education Coordinator for Pacific Gas and Electric. Spring 2007 Energy Forum. 4-5:40 p.m., Wednesday, April 25, Environmental Technology Center, (707) 664-2577.
BRIDGING THE GENDER DIVIDE - Brigid Baron of Stanford University provides an overview of the latest research in understanding the "gender-divide" in the high-tech world and the efforts to draw girls into technology. Computer Science Colloquium. Noon, Thursday, April 26, Darwin 102. (707) 664-2667.
ANDREA HIGGINS - Stroke by stroke, painter Andrea Higgins applies her brush-marks to emulate the stitch-by-stitch patterns of fabric swatches, creating dynamic abstractions in her compositions. Her work has been exhibited at SFMOMA and venues throughout the United States and Asia. Visiting Artists Lecture Series. Noon, Thursday, April 26, Art 108, (707) 664-3042.
NO! - The groundbreaking feature-length documentary that unveils the reality of rape, other forms of sexual violence, and healing in African-American communities. Admission is free. CCGS Movie Fest. 12 p.m., Thursday, April 26, Student Union Multi-Purpose Room, (707) 664-2710.
STALINGRAD - A depiction of the brutal battle of Stalingrad, the Third Reich's 'high water mark', as seen through the eyes of German officer Hans von Witzland and his battalion. German Film Series. Admission free. Films shown with English subtitles. 7 p.m., Wednesday, April 25, Erin Fisher Room, second floor of Student Union. Michaela Grobbel, Department of Modern Languages and Literatures, (707) 664-2637.
SHERLOCK JR - Buster Keaton's metaphysical classic. How can you resist, as Penelope Gilliatt describes it, "Buster, a drowsy projectionist, dreams himself into the film he is showing - a universal fantasy made physical - Sherlock Jr. transports us because of its gaiety and also because it understands the truths about the universe, which lie in pretense and magic. Admission is $5 general or free with SSU student ID. Sonoma Film Institute. 4 p.m., Sunday, April 22, Warren Auditorium and 7:30 p.m., Thursday, April 26, Darwin 103. (707) 664-2606.
THE HOLIDAY - Two women troubled with guy-problems swap homes in each other's countries, where they each meet a local guy and fall in love. Films are free and sponsored by the Office of Residential Life. Scene It Movie Series. 9 p.m., Friday, April 27. The Cooperage. (707) 664-2804.
Admission tests, tuition payments and choosing classes are some of the topics explored at the Third Annual Parent Empowerment Conference from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on April 28 at various locations on the Sonoma State University campus.
Various topics explored at the conference, include understanding financial aid and college admission tests. Parents will receive a plethora of print and electronic resources to assist their college- bound student. Admissions and Records provides an overview of the private and public college systems.
The registration fee is $20 and includes breakfast and lunch. To obtain registration forms, contact local schools or the district office. Forms and information may also be obtained by calling University Support and Preparation Services at (707) 664-2428. Registration deadline is April 20.
