Cal U Journal-February 2, 2015

California University

Volume 17, Number 2 Feb. 2, 2015 Read the JouRnal online: www.calu.edu/news/the-journal

New Programs Prepare Students for High-Demand Occupations

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Cal U students will again take part in presenting StormFest, set for Friday and Saturday at the Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh.

Students Preparing to Present StormFest Nearly 100 Cal U students will take part in presenting the eighth annual StormFest, set for Friday and Saturday at the Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh.

StormFest is a family-friendly educational event that explores geology, geography, meteorology and more. The 2015 event is hosted in part by the Southwestern Pennsylvania chapter of the American Meteorological Society (Cal U Meteorology Club) and the Department of Earth Sciences, in collaboration with the science center.

From 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday, schoolchildren in grades K-6 will visit the Carnegie Science Center to take part in StormFest activities.

StormFest is open to the general public from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday. Participation is free with paid admission to the science center.

Cal U students have designed more than 30 hands-on activities to teach children about the science behind weather and other natural phenomena. Crowd favorites include making rocks, — Continued on page 2

he University is enrolling students now in a variety of new programs designed to prepare them for careers in high-demand fields.

A new bachelor’s degree program that focuses on aberrant behavior is the only one of its kind in the nation. The B.A. in Sociology: Deviance concentration prepares students for employment in social service fields such as mental health or drug and alcohol services; victim services; corrections, parole and probation; child and youth services; school-based threat assessment; and more.

A traditional face-to-face program is available now, said program coordinator Dr. Emily Sweitzer, and the concentration will be offered online beginning in fall 2015. In either format, the program includes field experiences and an internship.

Two graduate-level programs in Applied Behavior Analysis, a “best practice” for managing behavior and teaching children with special needs, are slated to begin this summer. Students can earn an M.Ed. in Special Education: Applied Behavioral Analysis; those who already hold an approved master’s degree may enroll in a certificate program that prepares them for board certification.

Under recent legislation, insurers can offer reimbursement if state-licensed professionals provide coverage for the treatment of autism, explained Dr. Katherine Mitchem, of the Department of Special Education. This mandate has further increased the demand for professionals certified by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board, which sets ABA standards and administers the nationally recognized certification exam.

A 100 percent online program set to begin this summer addresses the need for economic and infrastructure security in a high-technology society. The 30-credit Professional Science Master in Cybersecurity incorporates a focus on management — Continued on page 2

Meter Adds Parking Option Near Gallagher Hall

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onvenient new options are available for motorists who need a parking space on the east end of campus.

Cal U’s Office of Parking and Transportation has installed a pay-bylicense meter in Lot 11, behind Gallagher Hall.

Or there’s an app for that.

This pilot project gives drivers, especially those without parking permits, convenient access to the Convocation Center, Morgan Hall and Gallagher Hall — Cal U’s primary dining facility during the Natali Student Center renovations.

Lot 11 permit holders will continue to have unmetered access to the parking area.

Drivers without Lot 11 permits can use the meter to pay by the hour for any available parking space in the lot. Similar to those found on city streets and at other State System schools, the meter can be found in the transit shelter behind

the building.

Drivers simply enter their license plate number, select the length of their stay and pay the rate indicated with $1 bills or a credit card. The rates for the pay-by-license meter in Lott 11 are the same as those for the parking garage.

Drivers who pay by credit card can choose the Extend-by-Phone service, which lets them receive parking expiration reminders and add time to their parking session via text message.

“Once they pay at the meter, there is no reason to go back to their car. The license plate becomes their permit,” explained Christopher Johnston, director of the Department of Parking and Transportation.

Drivers who prefer to bypass the meter altogether can use a free smartphone app to pay for parking.

After downloading the PassportParking Mobile Pay app

from iTunes or Google Play, a driver can link a credit card to his or her account and use the app to pay for parking in Lot 11.

“The purpose of this pilot project is to determine the value and flexibility of extending hourly paid parking options in high-traffic areas of campus,” Johnston added. “This project also maximizes use of Lot 11 for night classes and special events.”

Meter use will be evaluated during the upcoming spring and fall semesters. Once this phase of the pilot is completed, Johnston said, the Parking Advisory Committee, and the President’s Cabinet will receive a report.

At that point, University officials will decide whether to offer additional pay-by-license meters at other high-traffic areas on campus. If the project is expanded, officials may consider allowing students to use their CalCards to pay for metered parking.

Cal U’s Department of Parking and Transportation has installed a pay-by-license meter in Lot 11, behind Gallagher Hall.

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Feb. 2, 2015

Speaker Recalls Civil Rights Icon

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he keynote speaker at Cal U’s Martin Luther King Jr. program challenged Cal U students to move forward with the same drive displayed by many past civic leaders.

Derric I. Heck, director of strategic initiatives at Propel Schools, touched on key moments in the history of civil rights during his Jan. 20 talk in Vulcan Theatre.

Among them was the 381-day Montgomery Bus Boycott, which began when Rosa Parks refused to surrender her seat to a white passenger on Dec. 1, 1955.

“Could you imagine what could be accomplished today, in research or even your own studying, with that same kind of fortitude?” Heck asked.

An architect and longtime community advocate, Heck works with Propel schools and the Propel Foundation to offer quality choice in education to communities throughout western Pennsylvania, and to

inspire achievement among students.

He also is the founder of Project HOPE (Healthy Opportunities to Pursue Excellence), an initiative designed to mitigate disparities in academic outcomes through staff and scholar development.

He began his talk by describing the tension one feels when facing difficulties or confronting opposing ideas.

“You chose to enroll here and study here despite facing obstacles,” he said.

“Someone has sacrificed or given a bit of themselves for you to be here in this seat.

That’s tension.”

He also recalled Harriet Tubman, who was born into slavery but escaped and then made about 13 missions to rescue dozens of enslaved family members and friends.

“It takes incredible dignity and strength to (face) opposition and do what one knows is morally right,” said Heck, who also is a member of 100 Black Men of

Western Pennsylvania, and serves as a board member of the Afro-American Music Institute.

He concluded his talk by urging Cal U students to keep Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream of equality alive.

“I believe if you can face today’s challenges and look with hope to tomorrow, then you’re already winning,” he said. “Embrace each other’s differences, realize you’re not much different … and change can happen.”

LaMont Coleman, associate dean of Student Affairs/Multicultural Student Programs, said the University shares the values King espoused.

“We have a great tradition here of honoring Dr. King, who personifies our core values as well as education, leadership and service, which we try to instill into our entire University community.”

Derric I. Heck, director of strategic initiatives at Propel Schools, touched on key moments in the history of civil rights during his talk in Vulcan Theatre.

Students Prepare for Stormfest — Continued from page 1

Data collected from the National Survey of Student Engagement helps Cal U assess and improve the quality of its academic offerings to students.

Freshmen, Seniors Tapped for National Survey

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his spring the Office of Continuous Improvement will administer the National Survey of Student Engagement to a random sampling of Cal U’s first- and senior-year students.

The NSSE is administered by the Indiana University Center for Postsecondary Research in cooperation with the Indiana University Center for Survey Research at Indiana UniversityBloomington. Through IUB, some Cal U students will find an invitation to participate in their campus e-mail in-boxes.

The survey is completed online.

“I encourage all students to participate in this important study,” said interim University President Geraldine M. Jones.

“The results will allow us to assess and improve the quality of our academic offerings and other activities here at California University.”

The NSSE survey is short and easy for students to complete. It asks undergraduates about their interactions with educationally important activities and groups.

More than 1,000 four-year colleges and universities in the United States and Canada have used the NSSE to better understand the extent to which students and institutions are engaging in effective teaching and learning activities, and to

develop programs and practices that foster student engagement.

The results provide a “snapshot” of how undergraduates spend their time and what they gain from attending college.

Institutions will use their data to identify aspects of the undergraduate experience, both inside and outside the classroom, that can be improved through changes in policies and practices.

The information is also intended for use by prospective college students, their parents, college counselors, academic advisers, institutional research officers and researchers who want to learn more about how college students spend their time and what they gain from their experiences.

This month, NSSE invitations will be sent to students’ University e-mail addresses. IUB will send follow-up e-mails to the students through the end of March, and online survey administration will close June 1.

After IUB analyzes the NSSE data, the 2014 reports will be sent to participating universities. Results should be available in August.

For more information about the NSSE survey, contact Bruce Barnhart, acting provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, at 724-938-1673.

weather maps, updrafts and rain sticks, learning about geographic information systems (GIS), and creating “glurch,” a substance with both solid and liquid properties.

Cal U meteorology students will staff the event, along with students who are studying geology, GIS and emergency management, and parks and recreation. The Alpha Sigma Tau sorority and Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity will lend a hand, and Cal U again has recruited volunteers from Ohio University’s meteorology club.

Preparation for the two-day event is a yearlong endeavor, said junior Jensen Hufnagel, a geology major, meteorology club secretary and StormFest event coordinator.

“We started planning immediately after last year’s event ended,” said Hufnagel, who is working her third StormFest. “We started going through inventory and had to pick a date right away. I’ve been in contact with the Carnegie Science Center since.”

Nick “the Weather Dude” Walker, the on-camera meteorologist from The Weather Channel, will be at

StormFest 2015 on Saturday, with performances scheduled at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. in the Works Theater.

Kids aren’t the only ones who can enjoy the StormFest fun. The science center also plans a “21+ Night” from 6-10 p.m. Friday.

Patrons age 21 and older will have access to all four floors of science center exhibits. A cash bar will be open, and snacks will be available for purchase. Cost is $10 in advance or $15 at the door.

In the Works Theater, science center staff members will conduct hands-on activities, such as using liquid nitrogen and air cannons to explain weather effects.

On Saturday, each visitor who attends StormFest or the 21+ Night program will receive a free T-shirt if he or she completes at least 24 activities on Friday or 18 activities on Saturday.

“StormFest is a very good — and busy — experience,” Hufnagel added.

“You’re interacting with kids and adults, and you’re teaching all day.

“It’s hectic but also a lot of fun.”

For more information about StormFest 2015, e-mail event coordinator Jensen Hufnagel, at huf2018@caluedu.

New Programs to Begin — Continued from page 1 and leadership skills for professionals looking to advance their careers.

Program coordinator Dr. Weifeng Chen noted that a corporate- or industrybased capstone experience is included. This is typical of PSM programs, which generally require an internship or professional experience instead of a thesis.

A second PSM program, in applied mathematics, focuses on “big data” and statistical data analysis. The 30-credit online program was created in consultation with industry advisers, said program coordinator Dr. Melissa Sovak. Set to launch this summer, the program includes a capstone project that asks students to solve real-world data problems.

A new graduate-level program in conflict resolution is designed to build skills in mediation and arbitration, said Dr. Elizabeth Larsen, the program coordinator. The 30-credit Master of Social Science: Conflict Resolution concentration will be delivered 100 percent online, enhancing its appeal to busy professionals who work in government, law enforcement and court settings, or in fields such as counseling and eldercare. Attorneys, social workers and other professionals also may wish to develop expertise in conflict resolution. The program is slated for a summer start.

Information about these and other academic programs is available at www.calu.edu; for Global Online programs, visit www.calu.edu/go.

Feb. 2, 2015

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Campus BRIEFS Presentation Looks at Mentoring Dr. Karen Amrhein, director of First Year Experiences and Mentoring, presented a four-hour workshop, “Peer Mentoring: Building a Bridge to Student Success,” at the National Symposium on Student Retention this past November in Louisville, Ky. She is scheduled to present a similar workshop at the International Mentoring Association conference this April in Phoenix, Ariz.

Amrhein also gave a presentation last fall on “Spicing Up ALD Members’ Meetings” at the National Alpha Lambda Delta conference, held in Minneapolis.

FPDC Nominations Due Feb. 16

Purposeful Pushups Cal U students pump out 22 pushups on the campus Quad to raise awareness about the rising tide of military suicides. According to a recent report, 22 veterans take their own lives each day. To spotlight the issue, the Office of Veterans Affairs, the Veterans Club and Cal U Army ROTC have led pushup sessions at 11:22 a.m. each weekday since Jan. 22. The event is open to the campus community and the general public; it is scheduled to conclude on Feb. 20, after 22 sessions. For more photos, follow @CalUVetsAffairs on Twitter and look for the hashtag #22aDayCalU, or connect with Cal U veterans on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CalUVeterans.

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Foundation Bestows Awards

he Foundation for California University of Pennsylvania has announced that two individuals and one corporation have received its annual awards.

The 2014 recipient of the Job Johnson Award for leadership and community service is James Lopez ’81, the foundation board announced Dec. 8. Recipient of the Dixonians Award for service to the University is Norman G. Hasbrouck, who received the award posthumously. The Society of 1852 Award for philanthropy was presented to the William T. Morris Foundation.

The awards Job Johnson was among the founders of what eventually became California University. The award named in his honor recognizes alumni who have received recognition outside the University for excellence, innovation, community service or other notable achievements.

This year’s winner, Lopez, was appointed president and chief executive officer of Tembec in January 2006, after 16 years with the company.

With annual sales of almost $1.6 billion, Tembec is a manufacturer of forest products — lumber, paper pulp, paper and specialty cellulose pulp — and a global leader in sustainable forest management practices.

Lopez has been a generous benefactor to Cal U. He established the James ’81 and Aline ’83 Lopez Scholarship at Cal U, as well as donating to the Sigma Tau Gamma Endowed Scholarship and The Fund for Cal U. Lopez was the guest speaker at Cal U’s 2008 Honors Convocation The Dixonians Award is named in honor of John N. Dixon, the “Grand Old Man” among Cal U’s founders,

Women’s Commission Sets Dates

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From left, interim University President Geraldine M. Jones and Foundation board president Steven P. Stout ’85 present the 2014 Dixonians Award to Ellen and Tom ’06 Hasbrouck, who accepted the award on behalf of the late Norman Hasbrouck.

who served on the Board of Trustees for 46 years. This award honors individuals who unselfishly serve the University.

Hasbrouck began his 33-year career at Cal U in 1980, when he joined the staff as dean of admissions. He retired in 2013 as special assistant to the University President and director of Cal U’s Office of Continuous Improvement. His diverse contributions to the University included establishing four endowed scholarships to benefit Cal U students.

Hasbrouck was active in the community, where he held numerous leadership positions and memberships.

He also served as a youth soccer coach, referee and supervising official.

He and his wife, Ellen, have three children, all Cal U graduates: Chris ’03, Tom ’06 and Tasha ’13.

The Society of 1852 Award recognizes distinguished contributions to the enhancement and excellence of

California University.

The 2014 recipient, the William Thomas Morris Foundation, is a private philanthropic organization that supports the arts and culture, education, health care, and quality-oflife. A generous benefactor to Cal U since 2008, the foundation recently donated funds to provide scholarships for students who are admitted into the teacher education program. These scholarship recipients have successfully completed their first two years of study and met all the requirements to enter into their third year of study for teacher education.

Interim University President Geraldine M. Jones and Cal U Foundation board member William R. Booker ’74 formally presented the award to Robert Patti, vice president and secretary of the William T. Morris Foundation, at a Cal U alumni gathering earlier this month in New York City.

he President’s Commission for the Status of Women at California University of Pennsylvania meets monthly from noon-1 p.m. in Dixon Hall, Room 327. Meeting dates for this semester are Feb. 4, March 4, April 1 and May 6.

The commission’s mission is to promote a University culture supportive of inclusiveness, diversity and civility that empowers women and provides them with equality in the pursuit of study, work and career so they can be fully contributing members of the greater community. Commission meetings are open to the public.

Feb. 16 is the deadline for nominations for this year’s Faculty Professional Development Committee merit awards.

Each of the five FPDC subcommittees — Research, Teaching and Learning, Technology, Service and ServiceLearning, and Grants and Contracts — offers a merit award to recognize faculty who are currently engaged in these areas.

Award recipients will be recognized at special event where they will be given an award certificate and honors cords to wear at spring Commencement ceremonies, where they also are recognized.

Any Cal U employee or student may submit nominations. Self-nominations will be accepted. Nomination forms can be downloaded from the Cal U website.

Visit www.calu.edu and use the keyword “FPDC grants.”

Completed nomination forms must be received by noon in the Faculty Center, Room 134, Azorsky Hall.

Civil War Roundtable Meets Dr. Brian Jordan will be the featured speaker at this month’s meeting of the Civil War Roundtable at Cal U. He is a lecturer in the Department of Civil War Era Studies at Gettysburg College. Jordan earned his Ph.D. in 2013 from Yale University with highest distinction.

Jordan will discuss his recent book: “Marching Home: Union Veterans and Their Unending Civil War.” Jordan is the author of a number of articles, reviews and essays in scholarly journals and magazines, including Civil War History, The Journal of the Civil War Era, Ohio Valley History, Civil War News and The Civil War Monitor.

This free event on Feb. 12 at the Booker Great Room inside the Kara Alumni House is open to the Cal U community and general public.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and the meeting starts at 7 p.m.

For further information, e-mail stonewall1863@comcast.net or call 724-258-3406.

Convocation Thursday Interim University President Geraldine M. Jones will host the 2015 Spring Faculty and Staff Convocation on Thursday in Steele Hall Mainstage Theatre. The convocation, for University employees only, will be held during the common hour, beginning at 11 a.m.

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Feb. 2, 2015

Miller’s Record Still on the Books Editor’s Note: Cal U will hold its 20th annual Athletic Hall of Fame luncheon at 12:30 p.m. Feb. 21 in the south conference wing of the Cal U Convocation Center. For reservations, contact the Office of Alumni Relations at 724-938-4418.

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determined Kim Miller led the nation in batting — and she used that determination to eventually earned her degree from Cal U five years after her splendid playing career came to a close.

Miller was a two-time National Fastpich Coaches Association (NFCA) All-American and a three-time allconference third baseman for the Vulcan softball team from 2001-2004.

After attending Cal U and then working for several years, Miller returned to California and completed her bachelor’s degree in special/elementary education in 2009.

“Absolutely it was important for me to come back and finish as soon as I could,” said Miller, a restaurant manager. “I have not gone that (teaching) route, but it’s a wonderful Plan B to have.

“The professors were very engaged and got you involved with a lot of field experience and projects. They got you out there … so you knew what to expect.”

A member of four PSAC-West championship teams, Miller helped Cal U make four consecutive NCAA Division II Regional Tournament appearances, with two trips to the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference championship finals.

She led the NCAA Division II in batting her senior season. Eleven years

On Feb. 21 two-time All-American third baseman Kim Miller will become the 15th softball player to be inducted into the Cal U Athletic Hall of Fame.

later, her .523 average remains the singleseason school record and third best in PSAC history.

Along with earning first-team national All-American honors, Miller was selected as the 2004 PSAC-West Athlete of the Year.

Now she jokes about looking at the University magazine, The Cal U Review,

to see if her record remains intact.

“I look at the part on softball each summer to see if anyone has broken my batting average record. No one has yet, which is one thing I am very proud of,” Miller said, laughing.

“At the time I’m not even sure if I was aware of that, but now I check each year.”

Miller’s .390 career batting average still ranks fourth in school history, bolstered by a .409 showing in 2002, her first All-American season.

The 15th softball player to be inducted into the Cal U Athletic Hall of Fame, Miller played under current Cal U softball coach and 2013 NFCA Hall of Fame inductee Rick Bertagnolli.

“When (Bertagnolli) called, it brought back memories immediately and put me back on the field again, feeling the dirt and the air like when I was out there,” Miller said.

“It kind of brings everything back into perspective again, because over time you lose touch, even though your teammates are your friends forever. I would not have wanted to hear this news from anyone else.

“It’s so special to be recognized. It shows you must have left a mark.”

Bertagnolli emphasized that Miller brought more than just a powerful bat and swift glove to Cal U’s softball program.

Her 338 putouts in 2001 are ninth in the record books.

“Kimmie Miller is one of many great western Pennsylvania student-athletes that we’ve been blessed with here,” he said.

“More important than her obvious athletic accolades were her character and leadership abilities. Those traits played a huge role in her individual success and our team’s success during her four years.”

Miller, a 2000 graduate of ChartiersHouston High School, resides in Meadowlands, Pa., with her son Derrian, 9, and daughter Kenadie, who was born in December 2014.

Basketball Player Remembered Jazz Ensemble

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ressed in black T-shirts Conference, watched a brief video bearing Shanice Clark’s name tribute to Clark and observed a and number, the women’s moment of silence in her memory. basketball team lined up in In the Convocation the Convocation Center Jan. Center lobby, members of 24 for the first home game the Fastbreak booster club, after the death of their friend the Fellowship of and teammate.

Christian Athletes and the The T-shirts were Athletic Training Club “something the team wanted raised funds for the Clark to do, so they could feel that family by soliciting Shanice is always with them,” donations, selling ribbons said athletic director Dr. and raffling baskets of Shanice Clark Karen Hjerpe.

Cal U gear.

Clark, a senior, died Jan. 18 when The Athletics Department, she apparently aspirated chewing gum Student Association Inc., Vulcan in her sleep. Less than a week later, hockey and men’s golf programs, the campus community rallied to PSECU credit union, AVI food celebrate her life and support both the service, Cal U bookstore and Bee basketball program and Clark’s Graphix all donated fundraising family. items.

Before the game Vulcan basketball Sophomores Jawan Turner, fans heard a message from the Vondel Bell and Tom Greene sat Pennsylvania State Athletic quietly beside a Memory Box they

created to collect special remembrances and messages of condolence for the Clark family.

Students jotted notes and tucked them inside the brightly decorated box.

“There’s not much you can say to make people feel better when something like this happens,” Turner said. “But we wanted them to know that their daughter touched so many lives on campus.”

The crowd in the stands was one of the largest in recent memory for a women’s basketball game.

Like many students, sophomores Taylor Dawkins and Shante Wright said they don’t go to every game. “But we wanted to be here today, to show support for Shanice.”

“I am heartened by the support shown by our campus family,” said interim University President Geraldine M. Jones. “This is a reminder that every life is precious.”

on the Road

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he Cal U Jazz Ensemble will open its 2015 season with two off-campus performances later this month.

Under the direction of Marty Sharer, associate director of bands, the group will perform Feb. 15 at the Latitude 360 entertainment venue in Robinson Township and Feb. 21 at the South Fayette Jazz Festival at South Fayette High School in McDonald, Pa. Both shows begin at 6 p.m.

For more information about the show at Latitude 360, call 412-693-5555.

Headlining the jazz festival will be the Sax Pack, featuring Jeff Kashiwa, Steve Cole and Marcus Anderson.

Jazz ensembles from Duquesne University, as well as Peters Township, South Fayette and Upper St. Clair High Schools, also are on the program.

Tickets for the festival can be purchased at the door or online at sfeveningofjazz.bpt.me.

The California Journal is published by California University of Pennsylvania, a member of The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education.

Geraldine M. Jones Interim University President

Christine Kindl Editor

Dr. Bruce Barnhart Acting Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs

Dr. Nancy Pinardi Interim Vice President for Student Affairs

Robert Thorn Vice President for Administration and Finance

Craig Butzine Vice President for Marketing and University Relations

Office of Communications and Public Relations

250 University Avenue

California, PA 15419

Bruce Wald Wendy Mackall Jeff Bender Writers

724-938-4195

wald@calu.edu