2012nov5journaldraft1.qxp_03-24-08 CAL U JOURNAL.qxd 10/30/12 7:39 AM Page 1
California University
VOLUME 14, NUMBER 29 NOV. 5, 2012 READ THE JOURNAL ONLINE: www.calu.edu/news/the-journal
Mission Day Topics: Enrollment, Success eports from Mission Day XIV soon will be posted online, so the entire campus community can explore ideas for boosting enrollment and supporting student success. The theme of the 14th annual Mission Day, held on Oct. 24, was “Maintaining Our Mission During a Time of Transition.” Acting President Geraldine M. Jones asked faculty, students and staff to focus on ideas to boost enrollment and retention, and for improving the overall educational experience at Cal U. “Transition presents an opportunity for us to regroup,” President Jones said. “It’s a chance to decide what is important to us as a University community, particularly those factors that affect our students.” Before three opening presentations in Steele Hall, Alexandra Brooks, president of Student Government, urged students in the audience to use Mission Day as a start for their campus connection. “Don’t let your campus involvement end here,” she said. “You should join clubs and organizations, attend events and become an active part of this University.” Presentations during the plenary session focused on student enrollment, undergraduate research and student success.
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Mission Day Follow-up Mission Day XIV group reports will soon be available for viewing on the Cal U website, www.calu.edu. Look for a link in the homepage “News” carousel.
Acting President Geraldine M. Jones addresses the University community in Steele Hall’s Mainstage Theatre during Mission Day 2012.
Dr. William Edmonds, dean of admissions, noted that Cal U has experienced its first decrease in enrollment in 14 years. Faculty, staff and current students all must participate in recruitment, he said, emphasizing that a
favorable first impression for prospective students can affect their college selection. With the region’s population of graduating high school seniors in steep decline, Cal U will raise the grade-point average required for admission while
Pro Tools Recording Workshops Planned
Dr. Mary Randall, a professor in the Department of Modern Languages and Cultures, teaches French to Alstom Grid engineers Ramaprasad ‘Rama’ Lakshminarayana, (left) and Jonathan Wright.
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usicians and recording engineers can learn to use the digital “tools of the trade” when Cal U offers a Pro Tools workshop and certification program in summer 2013. Pro Tools software is the industry standard for recording, editing and mixing music and sound. Under an agreement signed last spring, Cal U has become Pennsylvania’s only AVID Learning Partner, an educational provider for AVID-brand products, including Pro Tools. Training in the software is just one aspect of Cal U’s popular Bachelor of Arts in Commercial Music Technology program, which prepares students for Pro Tools certification as part of the curriculum. For the first time this summer, Cal U will offer Pro Tools training and certification to musicians and recording engineers who are not enrolled in the degree program. Registration is under way; each workshop will enroll 20 students on a first come, first served basis. No audition is required. Two five-day summer workshops will be held Participants will learn at individual workstations, complete with the latest hardware and software. These sessions are planned: — Continued on page 3
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Professor Helps Company Build French Connection t first glance, there is nothing atypical about lunchtime at Alstom Grid, an electrical grid solutions company in Charleroi, Pa. But after the phone calls to take-out eateries and the rustling of brown paper bags, nearly 25 Alstom Grid employees slip into a large conference room three days per week to take French lessons from Dr. Mary Randall, a professor in the Department of Modern Languages and Cultures at Cal U. “Etes-vous prêt pour l’examen?” she asks the class members as they arrive. The “students” laugh nervously at the idea of being ready to take a graded exam. They seem relieved to learn the “test” will be a collaborative effort.
taking a more holistic approach that places somewhat less emphasis on standardized test scores. “We are looking for reasons to admit a qualified student, not to deny them admission,” Edmonds said. “And we need to recognize that in the current climate, we are all recruiters here.” A presentation by faculty members Dr. John Nass and Dr. Summer ArrigoNelson focused on a new effort to promote undergraduate research. A 12member task force at Cal U will become part of PASSHE’s involvement with a nationwide initiative. “We have begun the process of assessing how to enhance and expand undergraduate research opportunities at Cal U,” Nass said. “This is an added dimension to undergraduate learning, and it can have a big impact.” Research opportunities can make graduates more employable, raise the University’s profile and even generate funds for the institution, Arrigo-Nelson said. “Undergraduate research makes students active participants in their own education. With faculty members serving as mentors, undergraduate research can be the educational experience of a lifetime.” Dr. Daniel Engstrom, associate provost/associate vice president for — Continued on page 2
Alstom Grid is one branch of the Alstom Group, a company headquartered in France that specializes in electrical grids, power generation and transportation infrastructure. Many of the Alstom Grid employees find it difficult to communicate with co-workers in other offices, especially those in French-speaking regions of Canada. “Alstom is a French-owned company, and it will be great to be able to communicate with some of the other offices,” said Nanci Twardowski, a project manager with the company. “Learning the French language and culture components will be very beneficial. “ After obtaining a grant to fund a lunchtime French — Continued on page 2