FROM: Charles B. Reed, CSU Chancellor
Lillian Taiz, President, California Faculty Association
Pat Gantt, President, CSU Employees Union
Floyd Anscombe, President, Union of American Physicians and Dentists
James Banks, President, United Auto Workers
John Connor, Business Manager, State Employees Trade Council
Charles Goetzl, President, Academic Professionals of California
Sgt. Jim Procida, President, State University Police Association
As we begin a new year at the California State University, it is clear that 2008 will present significant budget challenges for the CSU system. Faced with a growing $14.5 billion state budget deficit, Governor Schwarzenegger has proposed a $312.9 million cut to the CSU budget approved by the board of trustees for the 2008-09 fiscal year. The proposed budget fails to fund access for 10,000 students and puts at risk our ability to provide quality education for the nearly 450,000 students already enrolled.
In the face of these proposed budget reductions, the CSU community - faculty, students, staff, alumni, administrators and the Board of Trustees - have agreed to work together to advocate that the legislature and the Governor consider alternative solutions. We are all alarmed by the $386.1 million reduction to the CSU budget consisting of the Governor's unallocated cut of $312.9 million and the $73.2 million necessary to avoid a 10 percent student fee increase in the 2008-09 academic year.
This funding reduction comes only three years after our budget was reduced by over $500 million during the 2002-03 and 2004-05 fiscal years, which led to significantly reduced student access, as well as a dramatic increase in student fees. History will likely be repeated if the Governor's proposed CSU budget reductions are sustained by the legislature.
Some policymakers believe that we should "live within our means" without new taxes and that resources to fund public services should be generated by a stronger California economy. As you know, the CSU is California's economic engine, strengthening the economy by graduating 90,000 students into the state's workforce every year.
We play a major role in the state's workforce in the areas of nursing, teaching, agriculture, business, public administration, and engineering. The CSU returns $4.41 to California's economy annually for every $1 invested by the state. Given the state's General Fund condition, we believe investing in the CSU is a smart solution to address the state's fiscal deficit.
Working together, the CSU community is urging the legislature and the Governor to support alternative options to maintain the state's investment in California's economic engine - the CSU. We are also asking the legislature and the Governor to find other sources of revenue - other than higher fees for our students and their families - as a way to support the CSU budget. There needs to be a more balanced budget approach that considers the CSU as a valuable investment in the future economy of California.
We would like to ask all members of the CSU community to help us advocate for the California State University by writing to your legislators, talking with your friends, and making your voice heard about the importance of restoring our budget and protecting the state's investment in higher education. As the budget process proceeds, we will be asking you to join us in our efforts to ensure that the CSU gets the budget our students and California deserves.
Thinking of building a dream winery? If you do, will the consumers come flocking to the tasting room?
Sonoma State University's Wine Entrepreneurship Course lays the groundwork for a successful wine business - from understanding the process of production to gaining loyal customers.
The class meets on Tuesdays for 13 weeks from 1-3 p.m. from February 5 - May 13 in Schulz 1121 on the Rohnert Park campus. The 13-week course, now in its sixth year, continues to win rave reviews from students and industry members alike for being an effective blend of academic rigor and insight from industry insiders.
"The diversity and expertise of the speakers is a key strength of the course" said Linda Nowak, Director of the SSU Wine Business Program. "It's a way to learn, to connect, to make your new brand even better."
The course is an ideal way for wine venturers to network to share their ideas, challenges, and identify a sustainable competitive advantage."
The class is being taught by industry expert and author, Ray Anderson, one of California's most admired wine educators who also serves as the Assistant Director of the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.
The author of "The Good Life Guide to Enjoying Wine," Johnson also teaches in the Wine Studies Program at the Santa Rosa Junior College. He earned his Master's in Wine Business from the University of Adelaide in South Australia.
His work in regional branding has been published in the International Journal of Wine Business Research and Vineyard & Winery Management.
Johnson will be inviting special guest speakers to enhance the class, sharing their success from the wine industry and beyond.
According to Dr. Liz Thach, SSU Wine Business Professor and Author, "the SSU Wine Entrepreneurship course is an excellent way for someone who is considering starting their own wine business to learn valuable information from the experts who have successfully done this. In addition, participants get to develop a business plan and receive feedback. There is no other venue that offers such useful information in a practical format".
Brent Bessire completed the course last year and says "the great thing about the Wine Entrepreneurship class is that it exposes you to so many areas of the business. You get a better understanding of options for distribution of your own wines as well as an understanding of some of the challenges of marketing and developing a brand."
The course brings in experts from all aspects of the wine industry, including accounting and financing. According to Armand Gilinsky, Professor of Management and expert in Wine Business Strategy, "the biggest problem for many wine ventures is that they are undercapitalized."
What is the most important step the new winery can take to solve that problem? Creating a distinct, sustainable, competitive advantage is at the top of the list, says Gilinsky.
For further information please go to: http://www.sonoma.edu/winebiz/ or contact The School of Extended Education at (707) 664-2394. The enrollment code is BUS NC 3939 noncredit with a fee of $495.
*All lectures and events are free unless otherwise noted.
"THE 2% SOLUTION" - Focus the Nation streams an interactive web-cast with Stanford University climate scientist Stephen Schneider, sustainability expert Hunter Lovins, green-jobs pioneer Van Jones and youth climate leaders, for a discussion of global warming solutions. Audiences weigh in with cell phone voting. Focus the Nation. 6 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 30. Cooperage.
CONVERSATION CAFE - Student Sustainability Coalition host brings professors from different disciplines, community members, graduate and undergrad students together to discuss "sustainability" including live web feeds and videos from universities across the state. Focus the Nation. 5 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 31. Cooperage.
PUBLIC VIEWING NIGHT AT SSU OBSERVATORY - View Mars, Orion, and friends. 7 p.m., Friday, Feb. 1. SSU Observatory. For details and map go to http://www.physastro.sonoma.edu/observatory/pvns08.html
COME UNDER THE INFLUENCE - A multi-media, multi-medium performance event created by student composers, dancers, designers and technicians. Center for the Performing Arts. 5 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 2 and Sunday, Feb. 3. Evert B. Person Theatre. (707) 664-2353. Call in advance for tickets.
YESTERDAY, TODAY AND TOMORROW - Celebrating two decades of musical collaboration in the wonderful world of lieder, Carol Menke, soprano, and Marilyn Thompson, pianist, perform the works of Robert Schumann, Joseph Marx, Gabriel Faure, Federico Mompou, Olivier Messiaen, and the English songs of Robert Sheldon. They will be joined by a surprise guest artist! Center for the Performing Arts. 8 p.m.. Saturday, Feb. 2. Ives 119. (707) 664-2353. Call in advance for tickets.
A TRIBUTE TO THE BLUES - The Faculty Jazz Sextet presents classic blues from Louis Armstrong to John Coltrane and contemporary blues from Barbara Dennerlien and Jessica Williams. Pete Estabrook, trumpet; Charlie McCarthy, saxophones; John Simon, piano; Randy Vincent, guitar; Mel Graves, bass; George Marsh, drums with featured guest bassist Jason Carr. Center for the Performing Arts. 8 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 2. Warren Auditorium. (707) 664-2353. Call in advance for tickets.
FILMS
AFTER LIFE - (1999, in Japanese w/English subtitles) A diverse group of people arrive at a drafty institution where they are offered condolences on their recent deaths and told they must select a treasured memory which will be recreated on film and recollected for eternity. Sonoma Film Institute. 7 p.m., Friday, Feb 1, and 4 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 3. Warren Auditorium, Ives Hall. FREE for SSU students w/ID. (707) 664-2606
RESIDENTIAL LIFE
ANNUAL RES LIFE FOOTBALL GAME - 2 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 27. South Lawn - across from Alicante and Burgandy Buildings in Sauvignon. (707) 664-4033.
*All lectures and events are free unless otherwise noted.
INMOTION FREE WEEK AT THE REC CENTER - Come check out all sorts of fitness, dance, and wellness classes at the SSU Recreation Center for free! Try kickboxing, yoga, spinning, bootcamp, hip-hop, and much more. Three days only - schedules available at the Rec Center. All abilities welcome and encouraged to attend! Noon. Monday, February 4 - Wednesday, February 6. Rec Center. (707) 664-3951.
MASSIVE SKY SURVEYS OF THE NEXT DECADE - Dr. David Wittman of the University of California, Davis will describe how systematic imaging of the sky to much fainter levels than ever before is expected to reveal everything from 200-meter rocks in Earth-crossing orbits to very distant galaxies. What Physicists Do. 4 p.m., Monday, February 4. Darwin 103. (707) 664-2119.
THE LAGUNA WATERSHED SCIENCE PROGRAM - A COLLABORATIVE AND INTEGRATIVE APPROACH TO CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT AND RESTORATION - Presentation by Dr. Christina Sloop, Research Director, Laguna Foundation. Biology Colloquium. Tuesday, February 5, Noon - 1 p.m., Darwin 103. (707) 664-2189.
"LIFE IS WITH PEOPLE": PERSPECTIVES ON EASTERN EUROPEAN JEWISH HISTORY AND CULTURE - Zachary Baker, Stanford University, presents a lecture as part of the 25th annual Holocaust and Genocide Lecture Series. 4 p.m., Tuesday, February 5. Warren Auditorium, (707) 664-4296.
POST "SUPER TUESDAY" FORUM - Analysis of the Super Tuesday Primary results by a panel of political commentators including political science professors Andy Merrifield and Dr. Catherine Nelson with Pete Golis, Editorial Director of the Press Democrat. 2 p.m., Wednesday, February 6, Schulz 3001. University Library.
FIRE IN OUR MIDST (A STATISTICIAN'S PERSPECTIVE) - Mathematical statistician Haiganoush Preisler of Cal State East Bay describes some of the exploratory analysis technique he uses in his work on a variety of data analysis issues concerning wild fires. These range from studies on effects of evolving climate on probabilities of forest fires to studies on effects of fires on the quality of the soil under trees and the air above them. Math Colloquium. Noon. Wednesday, February 6. Darwin 103. (707) 664-2368.
BIOINFORMATICS IN THE DRUG DEVELOPMENT PROCESS - Dr. Thomas Wu, Genentech, discusses how bioinformatics is performed in an industrial setting and how it contributes towards various aspects of the drug development process. Examples of how gene expression data can be used to identify possible drug targets and how genomic data can be used to improve an understanding of cancer will be presented. Engineering Science Lecture Series. 4-4:30 p.m., reception; 4:30-5:15 p.m., lecture; 5:15-5:30 p.m. Thursday, February 7. Cerent Engineering Science Complex, Salazar 2009A. (707) 664-2030.
BLACK COMEDY JAM - Featuring legendary Bay Area Comic W. Kamau Bell. Kamau's fearless cultural comedy addresses the thoughts of race and culture that many think, few speak, and even fewer laugh about. Bringing these ideas to light through humor, Bell's goal is to "end racism in about an hour". The Scene and Black Scholars United. 8 p.m., Thursday, February 7. The Pub. (707) 664-2382.
THE HISTORY, CONTROVERSY, AND EVOLUTION OF THE GOTO STATEMENT - Andru Luvisi, Sonoma State University, touches on how standard usage patterns for the Goto statement became embodied in higher level control structures, ways in which higher level control structures can often express the intent of the programmer more clearly than lower level control structures, some of the controversy surrounding the Goto statement, common reasons for and ways of using Goto, and common ways of implementing arbitrary control structures in languages that do not contain the Goto statement. Computer Science Colloquium. Noon, Thursday, February 7. Darwin 102. (707) 664-2667.
SSU SUSTAINABILITY DAY - This day-long event will include an interdisciplinary teach-in with keynote speakers, seminars and panel discussions, a sustainability fair featuring student clubs, local businesses, non-profits and community organizations, and a round-table discussion, engaging elected officials, students, faculty and administration in a dialogue focused on global climate change solutions. 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., Thursday, February 7. Commons. (209) 712-1787.
CLAIRE PORTER AND "PORTABLES" - Claire Porter brings her ingenious one woman show, Portables, as a series of comedic movement monologues that take audiences on a humorous journey in funny, absurd, and touching pieces of movement. Porter studied at Sonoma State University and will work with the Intermediate/Advanced Dance Block on an ensemble as part of her program. 7:30 p.m., Thursday, February 7, 8 p.m., Friday, February 8, and 8 p.m., Saturday, February 9. Evert B. Person Theatre. Purchase tickets by calling (707) 664-2353.
GALLERIES
ART FROM THE HEART 2008 - The twenty-fourth annual Art from the Heart silent art auction and party at the University Art Gallery. Proceeds from the auction directly benefit the Art Gallery's exhibition, publication, and lecture programs. Features modestly priced works of art and other items, such as stays at local inns and hotels, theatre and museum tickets, and bottles of wine, that are sold during a silent auction. Food and wine will be served. Free preview 11 a.m.-8 p.m., Wednesday, February 6; 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Thursday, February 7; and Friday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m., February 8. Tickets are $30 suggested donation. University Art Gallery. (707) 664-2295.
"LIFE? OR THEATRE? INTRODUCING CHARLOTTE SALOMON" - German-Jewish artist Charlotte Salomon created an unusual autobiography through more than 1,300 paintings that were created within 18 months between 1940 and 1942 while she was hiding from the Nazis. An exhibit of her work is running at the University Library Art Gallery through March 26. A gallery talk by Dr. Paula Birnbaum, University of San Francisco, explores the artist's life at 11 a.m., February 6, at the University Library Art Gallery. For information, contact Michaela Grobbel (707) 664-2637.
FILMS
STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN (A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH) - (1946) A stunning, subversive masterpiece from the creators of I Know Where I'm Going and Black Narcissus. Powell and Pressburger's visually ravishing film, in which an elaborate stairway connects a Technicolor earth with a monochrome Heaven. Sonoma Film Institute. 7 p.m., Thursday, February 7. Darwin 103. (707) 664-2606. FREE for SSU students w/ID.
RESIDENTIAL LIFE
SCENE IT BIG SCREEN MOVIE- American Gangster. 9 p.m., Saturday, February 9. Cooperage
*All lectures and events are free unless otherwise noted
THE ENLIGHTENMENT MOMENT - Dr. Bruce Elliot appears as the Marquis de Faux for an illuminating tour of French Court Society in Paris, 1750 at the height of the Enlightenment. Valentine Benefit for Sonoma State Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. 2 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 10. Evert B. Person Theatre. Admission is $15. (707) 664-2691.
TRUE STORIES FROM AN ISRAELI PRISON - Jeffery Goldberg provides a look at the Middle East conflict and the future of the region with a focus on the ability to criticize and still support Israel. Sonoma County's Jewish Student Connection. 7 p.m., Monday, Feb. 11. Cooperage
THE TUNGUSKA EVENT 100 YEARS LATER: FINDING NEAR EARTH OBJECTS BEFORE THEY FIND US - Dr. Donald K. Yeomans of Caltech's Jet Propulsion Laboratory discusses the daily bombardment of Earth by asteroid fragments and the ongoing NASA programs to understand and track Earth's nearest neighbors. 4 p.m., Monday, Feb. 11. Darwin 103. http://phys-astro.sonoma.edu/wpd/
DAHR JAMAIL ON IRAQ AND THE MIDDLE EAST - Award-winning independent reporter and photographer, Dahr Jamail, describes his experiences reporting in Iraq and the Middle East. Since 2003, Jamail has reported the important stories coming out of Iraq that mainstream outlets won't address. He has described the many ways that private businesses are profiting from the conflict. Presented by Project Censored. 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 12. Schulz 3001. (707) 664-2588.
THE PRIVATE LIVES OF DEAD BODIES: MOURNING HOMELESS YOUNG QUEERS - Dan Peacock, Resident Fellow at the Institute for the Study of Social Change at UC Berkeley, focuses on the production of scientific knowledge about marginal urban people by studying both behavioral-risk researchers and the humans they study. His talk traces the death of a collective home for some homeless young queers and the death of Green, a 23-year-old man. Noon, Tuesday, Feb. 12. Carson 68. (707) 664-2574.
THE CATSKILL KLEZMORIM - Robin Seletsky's nationally acclaimed Catskill Klezmorim comes from New York an afternoon concert at Congregation Beth Ami's Friedman Center, a workshop at SSU, and a final Tuesday lecture/performance as part of SSU's Holocaust Lecture Series. Concert, 2 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 10, Friedman Center. Workshop, 4 p.m., Monday, Feb. 11, Ives 119. Lecture, 4 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 12, Warren Auditorium. Workshop is free For concert tickets, (707) 360-3021.
PREDICTING SEX OF GOLDEN EAGLES USING DIFFERENT STATISTICAL TECHNIQUES - Kathy Gray of Chico State University explains three different methods for predicting the sex of Golden Eagles, using footpad size and body weight, which are common measurements collected in the field. Math Colloquium. Noon, Wednesday, Feb. 13. Darwin 103. (707) 664-2368.
COYOTE GRACE - Acoustic duet comprised of Joe Stevens, a transman singer/songwriter from Northern California, backed up by Ingrid Elizabeth on vocals and upright bass, a sassy femme originally hailing from the hills of Southeastern Ohio, performs bluegrass, old-time, folk rock, jazz, and cabarets alike. Center for Culture, Gender and Sexuality. 7 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 13. The Commons.
SHADOW IN THE CORNER - Donald Ensley, Signet Testing Labs, casts an overview of a FORTRAN program implementation of the Phong reflection model is given as a Powerpoint slide presentation with narrative including program origins, Phong model vectors used, grids, normals, and output graphical samples. Computer Science Colloquium. Noon, Thursday, Feb. 14. Darwin 102. (707) 664-2667.
PALESTINIANS AND ISRAELIS WORKING TOGETHER TO END THE CONFLICT - College-aged Israeli and Palestinian agents of change talk about the realities on the ground and what you can do to make a difference. One Voice Movement. 4-6 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 14. SSU Student Union Multi-purpose Room, www.onevoicemovement.org.
BACH VARIATIONS - Sonoma Baroque, directed by Michael Sand, teams up with soprano Ruth Escher to perform an all-Bach concert featuring Cantata 82, the Violin Concerto, and Sinfonias. Sonoma County Choral Society. 8 pm, Saturday, February 16. Ives 119. Tickets: $12 General, $10 Faculty/Alumni/Staff, $8 Students/Seniors, SSU Students free.
*All lectures and events are free unless otherwise noted.
MEN IN GREY FLANNEL SUITS: ANTAGONISMS BETWEEN MALE STEREOTYPES IN 1950S AMERICA - Dr. Juergen Martschukat explores the family focus in American postwar society and showing how fatherhood was shaped as predominant masculine identity and hegemonic gender concept in 1950s America and discuss the cultural conflict between the two dominant masculine stereotypes of "father" and "explorer." CCGS Heritage Lecture Series. Noon, Tuesday, February 19.
SURVIVOR PANEL - Hilde Catz, Hans Cohen, Lilian Judd describe their experiences as Holocaust survivors as part of the 25th Holocaust and Genocide Lecture Series. 4 p.m., Tuesday, February 19. Warren Auditorium. (707) 664-4296.
QUEER ANIMALITY IN CULTURAL IMAGINATION - Mel Y. Chen, a professor of Gender and Women's Studies at the University of California, Berkeley, describes the sometimes constructed, sometimes incidental, relationship of queerness to animality by examining a few cultural artifacts in detail, including political cartoons and Hollywood films. Noon, Tuesday, February 19. Carson 68. (707) 664-2574.
ISLAM 101 - Lecturer Ameena Jandali is a founding member of the Islamic Networks Group (ING), a nonprofit, educational organization promoting an understanding of the Islam through education and inter-religious dialogue as a vehicle for positive change. She has delivered hundreds of presentations in schools, colleges, universities, churches and on numerous television and radio programs on topics ranging from Women in Islam and Ramadan, to September 11th. ASP Religion and Spirituality Lecture Series. 7 p.m., Wednesday, February 20. Multi-Purpose Room of Student Union. (707) 664-2782.
THINKING ABOUT SYMMETRY - Geometry-and especially symmetry- is all around. Christine Latulippe of Cal Poly Pomona, helps teachers and others gain insight into symmetry including its mathematical, natural, and cultural significances. Math Colloquium. 4 p.m., Wednesday, February 20. Darwin 103. (707) 664-2368.
"PLAYING TRADITIONAL HINDUSTANI MUSIC ON A NEW ELECTRIC INSTRUMENT" - Teed Rockwell, Philosophy, is the first person to play traditional Indian Classical Music on the Touchstyle Fretboard (AKA Chapman Stick or Warr Guitar). He will discuss the difference and similarities in the approach towards improvisation in these very different traditions, and conclude with a performance of an Alap/Jhor in a Hindustani Raga. The Arts and Humanities Research and Creative Works Forum. Noon, Thursday, February 21. Schulz 3001, (707)664-4177.
ENTANGLED LIVES: A CONVERSATION BETWEEN DESCENDANTS OF MASTER AND SLAVE - Featuring Professor Ann Neel and her long-time colleague from Chicago, Pam Smith. Entangled Lives is about two women friends - one white, one black; one twenty years older than the other; one lesbian, one straight -- who learned that during the era of American slavery the ancestor of one was "owned" by an ancestor of the other. This presentation is about their struggles and revelations in coming to terms with that past. Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. 9:30 a.m., Friday, February 22. Multi-Purpose Room of the Student Union. (707) 664-3913.
TO BOLDLY GO WHERE NO DATABASE HAS GONE BEFORE: DATA INTEGRATION THROUGH DATA FEDERATION - Mary Roth, IBM, describes two different approaches to data integration, the benefits and drawbacks of each, and which approach appears to be gaining the most traction in the industry. Computer Science Colloquium. Noon, Thursday, February 21. Darwin 102. (707) 664-2667.
VOICE AND VIDEO OVER WIRELESS NETWORKS - Presentation by Professor Jerry Gibson, UC Santa Barbara, an IEEE Fellow & IEEE Distinguished Lecturer. Engineering Science Lecture Series. 4-4:30 p.m., reception; 4:30-5:15 p.m., lecture; 5:15-5:30 p.m. Thursday, February 21. Cerent Engineering Science Complex, Salazar 2009A. (707) 664-2030.
THE GOSPEL EXTRAVAGANZA - Experience Black History month with an evening of inspirational and uplifting music by a collection of artists. Black Scholars United. 7 p.m., Friday, February 22. Commons.
GALLERIES
"LIFE? OR THEATRE?" - German-Jewish artist Charlotte Salomon created an unusual autobiography through more than 1,300 paintings that were created within 18 months between 1940 and 1942 while she was hiding from the Nazis. An exhibit of her work is running at the University Library Art Gallery through March 26. University Library Art Gallery. (707) 664-2637.
PROJECTED IMAGE - An exhibit comprised of images projected on the gallery walls features artists Jesus Aguilar, Rebeca Bollinger, Jeanne C. Finley, John Muse, Paul Kos, and Tony Oursler. University Art Gallery. Opening Reception 4-6 p.m., Thursday, February 21. Gallery hours: Tuesday-Friday, 11 a.m.- 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Noon-4 p.m. (707) 664-2295.
FILMS
TEN CANOES- Rolf de Heer's cinematic interpretation of the rich oral culture of the Ganalbingu people of Northern Australia. Sonoma Film Institute. 7 p.m., Thursday, February 21 and Friday, February 22. Darwin 103. (707) 664-2606. FREE for SSU students w/ID.
"BAMBOOZLED" - A Black History Month Film Series presents by Black Scholars United. Noon, Tuesday, February 19. The Vineyard.
RESIDENTIAL LIFE
SCENE IT BIG SCREEN MOVIE - Featuring "Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married?" 9 p.m., Saturday, February 23. Cooperage.
COMEDY NIGHT - Comedians Arj Barker ("Flight of the Conchords", "Late Night with Conan O'Brien," and "The Late Show with David Letterman") and Joe Klocek (Comedy Central's "Live at Gotham" and runner up at the 2003 San Francisco International Comedy Competition) bring their own kind of humor to SSU. Associated Student Productions. 8 p.m., Thursday, February 21. Commons. (707) 664-2382. Free to students with ID; $5 general.
*All lectures and events are free unless otherwise noted
THE EVOLUTION OF GALAXIES IN DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTS - Dr. Jacqueline van Gorkom of Columbia University will show observations and simulations that suggest that the evolution of a galaxy may be seriously affected by its environment. What Physicists Do. 4 p.m., Monday, February 25. Darwin 103. http://phys-astro.sonoma.edu/wpd/.
LIVING WITH LIONS - Dr. Heather Watts, Department of Biology, discusses interspecific competition in the lives of spotted hyenas. Biology Colloquium. Noon-1 p.m., Tuesday, February 26. Darwin 103. (707) 664-2189.
"WHITE MAN'S BURDEN" - A Black History Month Film Series offering presented by Black Scholars United. Noon, February 26. The Vineyard.
HOLOCAUST IN HISTORICAL CONTEXT - Stephen Bittner, History, presents a lecture as part of the 25th Holocaust and Genocide Lecture Series. 4 p.m., Tuesday, February 26. Warren Auditorium. (707) 664-4296.
SOME WOMEN LIKE TO BE ON TOP: NATIONAL FANTASIES AND QUEER ANTI-NATIONAL SEXUAL POSITIONS - Dr. Robert McRuer, Professor of English at George Washington University, considers how the national fantasy of (disabled) men on top for the U.S.A. conflicts with a range of anti-national sexual positions, including women on top and the threatening possibility represented by queerness. Queer Lecture Series/CCGS Heritage Lecture Series. Noon, Tuesday, February 26. Carson 68. (707) 664-2710.
NICOLAS BOUVIER:IN PRAISE, SIMPLY, OF WHAT EXISTS - Professor Stephane Petermann gives a lecture on the Swiss author, traveller and photographer Nicolas Bouvier, as part of the Swiss Consulate's celebration of La Fete De La Francophonie. Rory McLean has called Bouvier, an enlightened world traveller, "Switzerland’s answer to Jack Kerouac." The Department of Modern Languages and Literatures screens Bouvier's film Le Hibou Et La Baleine immediately following the talk. 3 p.m., Tuesday, February 26. Schulz 3001, (707)664-4177.
TODD BARRICKLOW - Graduating with distinction in 1992 from SSU, Barricklow was an Artist in Residence in the Arts/Industry Program at the Kohler Company in Wisconsin in 1999. He shows regularly and works from his studio and home in Santa Rosa, where he works in ceramics, printmaking and metal. Visiting Artists Lecture Series. Noon, Tuesday, February 26. Art 102. Greg Roberts, (707) 664-3042.
MEASURING TO THE STARS: THE APOTHEOSIS OF TRIG - Math professor Rick Luttmann describes the series of clever mathematical applications of triangle trigonometry which, along with some physics, allows the inferences of distances to increasingly distant objects in the universe, beginning with the measurement of the earth and ending with the most distant galaxies. Math Colloquium. 4 p.m., Wednesday, February 27, Darwin 103. (707) 664-2368.
DISASTER RECOVERY - A HOLISTIC APPROACH - Many IT technologists think that disaster recovery is all about recovering the computer systems and applications after disaster strikes. But the real objective is business continuity - keeping the business running. Ron LaPedis, Citrix, presents the proper focus of a business continuity plan as well as a new product from Citrix that facilitates workforce recovery when disaster strikes. Computer Science Colloquium. Noon, Thursday, February 28. Darwin 102. (707) 664-2667.
THIRD ANNUAL BLACK HISTORY MONTH CLOSING CEREMONY - The Black History Month closing ceremony will have something for everyone; from live music to spoken word poetry. Black Scholars United. 8 p.m., Thursday, February 28. Warren Theatre.
THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES- As part of the V-Day 2008 College Campaign, the Center for Culture, Gender & Sexuality will present Eve Ensler's award-winning play, celebrating it's ten year anniversary. Proceeds benefit violence prevention programs on campus and in the community. 8 p.m., Friday, February 29 and Saturday, March 1. Cooperage. Tickets are $5 for SSU students, $10 for faculty/staff and $15 general admission. (707) 664-2382.
GALLERIES
"LIFE? OR THEATRE?" - German-Jewish artist Charlotte Salomon created an unusual autobiography through more than 1,300 paintings that were created within 18 months between 1940 and 1942 while she was hiding from the Nazis. An exhibit of her work is running at the University Library Art Gallery through March 26. University Library Art Gallery. (707) 664-2637.
PROJECTED IMAGE - An exhibit comprised of images projected on the gallery's walls features works by Jesus Aguilar, Rebeca Bollinger, Jeanne C. Finley, John Muse, Paul Kos, and Tony Oursler. Opens February 21. University Art Gallery. 11 a.m -4 p.m., Tuesday-Friday. Noon-4 p.m., Saturday and Sunday. University Art Gallery, (707) 664-2295.
FILMS
LIKE WATER FOR CHOCOLATE (COMO AGUA PARA CHOCOLATE)- (1992, in Spanish w/English subtitles) Alphonzo Arau's ode to the power of cooking adapted by Laura Esquival from her book. Sonoma Film Institute. 7 p.m., Thursday, February 28 and Friday, February 29. Darwin 103. (707) 664-2606.
A push across the country by students on university campuses to focus attention on climate change is being represented at Sonoma State University with the following events:
"THE 2% SOLUTION" - Focus the Nation streams an interactive web-cast with Stanford University climate scientist Stephen Schneider, sustainability expert Hunter Lovins, green-jobs pioneer Van Jones and youth climate leaders, for a discussion of global warming solutions. Audiences weigh in with cell phone voting. 6 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 30, Cooperage.
CONVERSATION CAFE - The Student Sustainability Coalition and the Hutchins Dialogue Center hosts professors from different disciplines, community members, graduate and undergraduate students to discuss "sustainability." Includes live web feeds and videos from universities across the state. 7 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 31., Cooperage.
SUSTAINABILITY DAY, FEBRUARY 7
9 -10:50 a.m. - Opening video and Plenary in the Commons. The first session of lectures and panels, focused on Solutions to Global Warming, include "One Planet- Sonoma Mountain Village", "More Green Buildings=Less Global GHGs", "Restoring Our Way to Sustainability", and "Copland Creek Experience".
11 -11:50 a.m. - Session two will concentrate on ways to act on global warming, and features "Truth in Media: Broadcasting Solutions", "Youth Movements: Activism's Role", "Alternate Routes to Reduction: SMART", "Copland Creek Experience".
Noon-2:50 p.m. - Session three will center on personal sustainability and host a Sustainability Fair: Student clubs, local businesses, non-profits and community organizations gather to table and network at the Student Recreation Center.
3 - 4 p.m. - Green Democracy: Faculty Senate hosts a round-table discussion, engaging elected officials, students, faculty and administration in a dialogue focused on global climate change solutions. May Boeve, the National Step It Up organizer, will conduct the closing Plenary. Commons.
In conjunction with SSU's Focus the Nation teach-in, the University Library has put together an exhibit of supporting library materials and websites, located on the south wing of the second floor. A bibliography is also available at the Reference Desk.
For more information, contact Timothy Dondero, (209) 712-1787, focusthenation@yahoo.com, www.focusthenation.org.
To view the complete agenda for the Sustainability Fair, visit www.ssufocusthenation.com
Construction of Tuscany, the next phase of housing at Sonoma State, has begun. Designed to hold almost 700 students, the Tuscany project (situated just south of Beaujolais Village) is scheduled to open in the fall of 2009. Once completed, Sonoma State will be able to accommodate almost 3,200 students in residence, nearly 40% of its estimated population.
''When the project is complete, Sonoma's ratio of residences to students will be among the highest in the CSU system," said Tim Tiemens, Director of Housing Services.
The Tuscany project will consist of eight, two-story residence clusters and a Student Activity room spread over the 12 acre site. 114 townhomes will be situated within the eight buildings and, in response to student feedback, will feature the best aspects of Sauvignon and Beaujolais Villages. Each townhome will have four bedrooms (two singles and two doubles) and four bathrooms, a kitchen with breakfast bar, dining room and living room.
The exterior of Tuscany will be similar to that of Sauvignon Village with each building featuring two tone stucco, redwood trim and red tile roofs. Buildings will surround separate courtyards and residents will have access to laundry facilities within their village and will be able to enjoy the pool at Beaujolais Village.
Additional construction for the Tuscany project will include the addition of a Student Activity room which will be located near a new entrance on East Cotati Avenue. The room will be used to house student related functions and accommodate meetings. A new parking area will border the south side of the project adjacent to East Cotati Avenue providing space for Tuscany residents. Finally, Beaujolais Village will receive a community building for student activities.
Preparation of the site began in December with the clearing of Eucalyptus trees along East Cotati Avenue. These trees were not native to the area, posed a fire hazard and because of their age, were a falling risk to students, cars and buildings. They will be replaced by trees and landscaping more appropriate to the University environment which will block the buildings from road noise and provide aesthetic beauty.
For more information, contact Neal Markley, (707) 664-4068.
An expert on climate change, astronomers who study galaxies, and a key figure in promoting energy efficiency in California are among the speakers scheduled in Sonoma State University's free public lecture series, "What Physicists Do," this spring.
Lectures will be on Mondays at 4 p.m. in room 103 Darwin Hall on the SSU campus. Coffee and cookies will be available in the Darwin lobby at 3:30 p.m.
The series will open Feb. 4 with University of California, Davis astronomer David Wittman describing "Massive Sky Surveys of the Next Decade."
The following Monday Donald K. Yeomans of Caltech's Jet Propulsion Laboratory will speak on "The Tunguska Event 100 Years Later: Finding Near Earth Objects before They Find Us." Yeomans is the manager of NASA's Near-Earth Object Program Office.
Columbia University astronomer Jacqueline van Gorkom will describe the evolution of galaxies in various environments February 25.
March 3 will see a talk on philosophical attempts to define a boundary between the scientific and its pretenders when physics professor Raymond Hall of California State University, Fresno speaks on "Demarcation: Is There a Sharp Line Between Science and Pseudoscience?"
"The Role of Energy Efficiency in California's Efforts to Curb Global Warming" will be the topic of Devra Wang of the Natural Resources Defense Council on March 10.
Tom Sanger of SRI International will describe "Studies of the Terrestrial Upper Atmosphere with Astronomical Instruments" on March 17.
University of California, Berkeley atmospheric scientist Inez Fung will speak April 7 on global warming. A member of the National Academy of Sciences and recipient of several national and international awards, Fung is an expert on climate and biogeochemical cycles, geophysical fluid dynamics, and atmosphere-biosphere interactions.
SSU engineering science professor Shailendhar Saraf will speak April 14 on "LIGO: Lasers, Optics, and Interferometry in the Search for Gravitational Waves."
He will be followed April 21 by SSU physics grad James Aroyan of JRJ Simulation & Design, describing his work on a number of projects from dolphins to touchscreens.
"Fabrication and Studies of Magnetic Nanostructures" will be the topic of SSU physicist Hongtao Shi April 28.
The series will conclude May 5 with Stanford University cosmologist Risa Wechsler describing her use of galaxies as probes of the dark matter believed to make up much of the Universe.
This will be the 75th semester for the series of public lectures. The series organizer, SSU professor Joe Tenn, is grateful to the donors who make it possible.
For a free poster describing all eleven lectures, visit http://phys-astro.sonoma.edu/wpd/, send e-mail to phys.astro@sonoma.edu, or call (707) 664-2119.
