Presidents of Sonoma State University and the Sonoma Chapter of California Faculty Association sent a message to the campus community this week urging faculty, staff and students to "do more to help drive more funding to the CSU and higher education" to solve the crisis of underfunding that is taking its toll on university campuses in California.
The message is timed to provide input for Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger as he puts together his state budget proposal to be delivered in early January.
The message from Ruben Armiñana, President, Sonoma State University Andy Merrifield, President, Sonoma Chapter of California Faculty Association read:
"We are all aware of the economic crisis facing the State of California, the United States and the world and that this crisis has led to significant underfunding for the students and employees of Sonoma State University and the other 22 campuses of the California State University. All parts of the SSU community have been working to do what they can to protect the mission of our campus. That work is making a difference in Sacramento.
The CSU Board of Trustees has adopted a 2010-11 budget request that includes an additional $884 million for the 23 campuses to "recover and reinvest" in the CSU. California Faculty Association (CFA) has put together an "E-March" to urge support of full funding for the CSU. We are asking each of us to do more to help drive more funding to the CSU and higher education.
We would like to ask that you consider writing the elected members of the California Legislature and the Governor of the State to let them know that underfunding the university has direct negative impacts on each of us.
We have heard individual stories from students, parents, staff, faculty and administration that illustrate these points. Please include these specific examples--which carry great weight--in your letters.
We realize that this is a very busy time of year, but it is also the right time of the year to tell our story. The Governor is putting together his proposed budget for the State of California and the California State University to be delivered in early January. The legislature will be looking closely at his proposal.
Please go to http://www.sonoma.edu/uaffairs/legislators.shtml for the contact information for elected officials serving Sonoma State University's district.
For those students from other parts of the state, you can find the addresses of your elected officials at http://tinyurl.com/find-your-official or at the Advocacy Center @ SSU at http://tinyurl.com/advocacySSU."
Over the course of one week, the entire SSU campus worked together to raise more than 1800 pounds of non-perishable goods for the Redwood Empire Food Bank, making it the most successful food drive ever by the University.
Coordinated by the campus service organization Join Us Making Progress (JUMP), the partnership with the California State University Employee's Union (CSUEU) helped JUMP collect monetary donations and food, and connect the campus to the cause of relieving poverty locally.
"The need for food has increased both nationally and locally due to the economic downturn, and JUMP made working with local food assistance agencies a priority this year," said Alex Bush Director of JUMP's Hunger and Homelessness Programs.
The success was a result of a competition between clubs, Greek organizations, university organizations, and the schools of the university. The School of Extended Education won the competition, raising an impressive 319 pounds of food alone.
"Thanks to the tireless efforts of the organizations on campus, Sonoma State contributed more than 1,406 meals to people all over Sonoma County," Bush said. Redwood Empire Food Bank is an organization that provides food assistance to more than 70,000 people each month.
The food drive was part of of JUMP's National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week. Other events included a Hope for Hunger and Homelessness Panel with guest speaker Professor Sheila Katz and representatives from Redwood Empire Food Bank, Salvation Army, and Committees on the Shelterless.
Students also participated in several service projects, including making and serving Thanksgiving Dinner for the clients at Catholic Charity's Family Support Center in Santa Rosa, volunteering at Redwood Empire Food Bank, and serving meals at Glide Memorial Church in San Francisco, which was in collaboration with Residential Life.
The Western Association of Schools and Colleges has completed its report of the Educational Effectiveness Review conducted on Sonoma State University in early October. The team's report is available on line at http://www.sonoma.edu/aa/portfolio/.
Many SSU community members participated in this effort. The public encouraged to review the report.
The WASC Commission will act upon the report at its February 2010 meeting. Following the meeting, SSU will receive the WASC Commission letter, which will outline the University's accreditation status.
Sonoma State University Library Art Gallery is pleased to announce the opening of 10 sculptural installations by emerging Sonoma County sculptors, "I Think I See What You Mean by That." The show runs from Nov. 19, 2009 through Jan 10, 2010. The gallery is open 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday- Friday, and noon- 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday.
This fall 10 talented young sculptors, under the direction of Professor Jann Nunn, explore the art of alchemy and its relationship to the development of their work.
On display are works constructed of natural and synthetic materials that the artists have manipulated or otherwise transformed into provocative, fanciful, disturbing, or maddening installation pieces.
Each piece in the exhibition varies greatly in the use of materials, concepts, and technique just as each artist differs in personality and approach to their own studio practice.
Nick Harris, (above), in an ongoing series of works dealing with tough social issues displays a gritty work addressing mob mentality, directly referencing disturbing recent incidents of brutal attacks.
Diana Meehan explores water transportation devices and water use and abuse in her materially based installation.
Greg Looney uses dog fur and sound elements in his sculpture while Missy Engelhardt addresses the menacing nature of the ubiquitous plastic shopping bag and its deleterious affect on nature.
Kyle Alexander explores how everyday technology is changing our lives. Dan Humke's work delves into phenomenology. Kristin Palmer fabricates a serene interior space made of grapevines.
Arianna Vespe fabricates ethereal shapes that have a disappearing effect, made from hot glue. Chris Collette unearths "modern artifacts" while Rodney De Bois tackles the difficult, and personal, subject of the use of IEDs (improvised explosive devices) used in war-torn areas of the world such as Iraq.
The sound of jazz Big Band music will fill Warren Auditorium starting at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 13, with the debut of SSU's Jazz Orchestra under the leadership of Doug Leibinger, recently appointed Director of Jazz Studies.
While the 18-piece SSU group presently maintains the standard Big Band instrumentation (four trumpets, four trombones, five saxes and rhythm section), they are learning playing styles across the gamut - from Dave Brubeck's "The Duke" to Count Basie's "Scott's Place;" "Almost Like Being In Love" popularized by Natalie Cole to the New Orleans "second line" beat of Alan Baylock's "Hulabaloo" and Bob Mintzer's "March Majestic." A noted composer, arranger and trombone soloist, Leibinger is adding to the mix his "Vaca Frita" and his arrangement of the Miles Davis classic, "So What."
"The name, jazz orchestra," Leibinger says, "lends an air of formality to the music. The leading jazz orchestra composers are writing music as serious works of art, to distinguish it from the dance floor tradition."
Reflecting the trend toward a more sophisticated sound, the Jazz Orchestra saxophone section has morphed into a woodwind mini-orchestra, with sax players also doubling on flute, alto flute, oboe, clarinet and bass clarinet.
A Chicago native, Leibinger holds three degrees in jazz performance from the University of Miami - recently ranked by U.S. News and World Report as the second top jazz school in the nation.
During his graduate studies there, he directed the studio jazz band for four years and taught almost every class in the curriculum. Formerly on the faculty of the University of Missouri-Columbia, Leibinger was a trombone soloist on the UM Concert Jazz Band's recording of Maria Schneider's Three Romances," which was nominated for a Grammy award in 2004.
Ticket prices are $12 general; $10 SSU faculty, alumni and staff; $8 seniors and students. To purchase tickets contact the School of Performing Arts (SPA) Box Office at (707) 664-2353. For more information about SPA performances or to buy tickets online, visit www.sonoma.edu/performingarts/perf/.
Donn P. Reisen Memorial Scholarship Honors ZAP Co-Founder
Zinfandel Advocates & Producers announces the Donn P. Reisen Memorial Scholarship, which will support students pursuing a Wine Business MBA at Sonoma State University's Wine Business Institute, in memory of the distinguished wine industry executive who was one of the organization's founders and long-time leaders.
"This Scholarship honors the memory of Donn P. Reisen, who was fundamental to Zinfandel Advocates & Producers' growth over many years," explained Rebecca Robinson, ZAP's Executive Director, in making the announcement. The goal for endowing the scholarship is $500,000.
Beginning in the September 2010 semester, the Donn P. Reisen Memorial Scholarship will provide students in the Wine Business MBA (WBMBA) program at Sonoma State University with necessary funds to cover some portion of the cost of tuition and books.
"By providing a worthy and needy student with funds to pursue an MBA degree from the SSU Wine Business Institute, the Donn P. Reisen Scholarship seeks to memorialize the contributions Reisen made to the advancement of the California wine industry and to the enhancement of people's understanding and appreciation for fine wine the world over," adds Rebecca Robinson of ZAP.
"Before this generous gesture by the ZAP organization, there had been no scholarships for our students who were studying in the field of wine business, strategy and marketing," explains Linda Nowak, Executive Director of The Wine Business Institute at SSU. "This is a real milestone for the program," she adds.
Donn Reisen, a founding Board Member and past President of ZAP, passed away early in 2009. Donn's wife Marilyn Reisen brought together a group to investigate a way to honor Donn's memory.
The group consisted of Nicole Buttita of Ridge Vineyards, where Donn had worked for over 30 years, Greg Ralston (former Managing Director of Ch. Montelena), Lynne Barnard (President of Klinker Brick Winery) and Rebecca Robinson, Executive Director of Zinfandel Advocates & Producers.
"At a time when our industry was still in its formative years and led by a collection of dreamers, people the world over craved contact with the people living these dreams and Donn was our evangelist--his natural warmth, intelligence, and generosity allowed him to connect with people in a deep and very personal way. These relationships helped pave the way forward for our entire industry, including every member of ZAP," explains Mark Vernon of Ridge.
"It is fitting that we, as the direct beneficiaries of Donn's vision and passion, memorialize his work by providing scholarship support to students pursuing a Master's of Business Administration degree from the Wine Business Institute at Sonoma State University," he continues.
"Sonoma State University was chosen for several reasons: While there are many worthy universities and colleges that focus on all aspects of growing and producing wine (including UC Davis, which ZAP also supports), the Sonoma State Wine MBA is the only one of its kind in the country. The Sonoma State program currently does not have a student scholarship program. In addition, Donn was a graduate of a state university and Marilyn Reisen has a personal connection to Sonoma State," Vernon added.
Watch www.zinfandel.org and www.sonoma.edu/winebiz for the timeline to be announced as scholarship applications become available.
Zinfandel Advocates & Producers is incorporating the Scholarship into its overall programming, since the organization's goals include education as well as research. The Donn P. Reisen Scholarship program will be building a $500,000 endowment over the next three to five years. Contributions are welcome, made out to "ZAP," c/o Zinfandel Advocates & Producers, www.zinfandel.org, P.O. Box 1487 Rough & Ready, California95975.
Zinfandel Advocates & Producers:
The Association of Zinfandel Advocates & Producers is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) educational organization. ZAP is dedicated to advancing public knowledge of and appreciation for American Zinfandel and its unique place in our culture and history. Winegrowers, winemakers and wine enthusiasts combine to form the membership. The common focus is the preservation and recognition of Zinfandel as America's heritage wine. More at www.Zinfandel.org. The 19th Annual Zinfandel Advocates & Producers Festival takes place January 28-30, 2010, in San Francisco, headlining Chef Beverly Gannon, one of the founders of 'HAWAI`I regional cuisine.' In 2010 ZAP will be traveling to Dusseldorf,Germany (March 21-23), Denver (mid-April), Orange County (mid-April), Vancouver (April 22-24), Maui & Oahu, Hawaii (May 21-24), Calgary, Canada (June 10-12), Toronto & Montreal, Canada (late July) and cruising to Bordeaux and Oporto (August 10 - 24).
Sonoma State University Wine Business Institute:
Sonoma State's Wine Business Institute is located within the University's School of Business & Economics; a fully accredited AACSB institution. Sonoma State's program offers a specialized curriculum targeted on the business challenges of the wine industry. Courses are offered in Wine Marketing, Wine Finance and Accounting, Human Resources Management, Wine Business Strategies and Wine Production, Operations & Distribution The Institute is created through a partnership between the University and the wine industry, this is the first program in the United States to focus exclusively on the business aspects of the wine industry.
Ridge Vineyards:
Ridge Vineyards is based near the top of Monte Bello Ridge outside what today is Cupertino. Under the direction of Winemaker Paul Draper, cabernet and zinfandel account for most of the production; syrah, grenache, carignane, petite sirah and chardonnay also adding to the winery's offerings. Lytton Springs, in Sonoma County, became part of the Ridge estate in 1991. Paul Draper's approach is to find intense, flavorful grapes, intrude upon the process only when necessary and thus draw the fruit's distinctive character and richness into the wine. Ridge Vineyards, 408/867-3233, 17100 Monte Bello Road, Cupertino, CA 95014, wine@ridgewine.com.
Donations can be made out to ZAP and sent to ZAP, c/o The Donn P. Reisen Scholarship, P.O. Box 1487, Rough & Ready, California 95975, 530/274-4900,info@zinfandel.org, www.zinfandel.org.
Media contacts:
For ZAP: contact: Julie Ann Kodmur, (707) 963-9632, corking@julieannkodmur.com,www.zinfandel.org
For Sonoma State University: Linda Nowak, SSU Wine Business
Institute, (707 )664-2377, Linda.nowak@sonoma.edu, www.sonoma.edu/winebiz
For Ridge Vineyards: Mark Vernon, markv@ridgewine.com, 408/868-1336 or Nicole Buttitta, 408/868-1347, nbuttitta@ridgewine.com, www.ridgewine.com
