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California University
VOLUME 15, NUMBER 24 NOV. 18, 2013 READ THE JOURNAL ONLINE: www.calu.edu/news/the-journal
PASSHE Chancellor Makes Visit to Campus
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Military members look on as Cal U dedicates 33 banners honoring service members and veterans. Watching the dedication are (from left) Pennsylvania National Guard member Carolyn Clements, military coordinator in the Office of Web‐Based Programs; Pvt. Ben Miller, a Cal U student and ROTC cadet; and Jesse Maundi ’11, an ROTC career counselor.
Events Pay Tribute to Veterans
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he University honored military veterans last month with grateful words from a soldier serving in Afghanistan, a campus-wide display of banners and the 40th annual Veterans Day dinner. The tributes will continue in the coming year, as Cal U hosts events commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. At the Veterans Day dinner, guest speaker Lt. Gen. Claude “Mick” Kicklighter announced that Cal U has joined the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration as a “commemorative partner,” one of 5,000 schools, patriotic organizations and other groups that will host events recalling the conflict in Southeast Asia. Kicklighter, who served as an Army officer for more than 30 years, is now the director of the Office of Commemorations for the Defense Department. He noted the University’s participation several years ago in a similar program marking the 50th anniversary of World War II. “California University was one of our very first university partners, and for many years it has been a staunch supporter of its military students,” Kicklighter said. American Legion Post 377 in California also is a — Continued on page 2
n only his sixth week as Chancellor of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, Frank T. Brogan visited the Cal U campus on Nov. 6. The visit was his ninth stop on a tour of all 14 PASSHE universities. A lifelong educator, Brogan previously served as chancellor of the State University System of Florida, was president of Florida Atlantic University and twice was elected lieutenant governor of Florida. “I am very excited to be working for a system that not only has such enormous regional impact, but at the same time … has such an enormous impact on the entire state of Pennsylvania,” Brogan said. The Chancellor said he hopes to link the 14 PASSHE schools more closely to create a stronger knowledge-based environment for its 115,000 students. At the same time, he said, it’s important for each school to maintain its unique identity. “It’s possible to maintain the individuality of California while still making it a stronger player on the (State) System side and on the commonwealth side. The two are not by any stretch of the imagination mutually exclusive.” It is imperative that Cal U, and all PASSHE schools, offer academic programs that fit real-world needs while maintaining their individuality, Brogan said. “In this market today, it’s not only important to be broad-based, it is equally important to be able make your case that therein lies something unique to your institution,” he said. “This University has been making difficult decisions right along the way, always looking at academic programs, always reviewing needs not just in this part of the commonwealth, but across the entire state, the country and the world.”
Interim President Geraldine M. Jones looks on as PASSHE Chancellor Frank T. Brogan addresses the media during his Nov. 6 visit to the Cal U campus.
Brogan said Cal U is offering a solid academic curriculum and not what he called a “scattershot of academic opportunity.” “It’s becoming clearer and clearer to me that what you offer at California is a very well-balanced opportunity, both in STEM education as well as the arts, humanities and fine arts. The opportunity is here for each student to come away with a well-balanced education.” During a brief interview with the media following his talk, Brogan was asked about his initial impression of Cal U. “This University is one with a great reputation, and I mean that,” said Brogan. “Cal U boasts solid — Continued on page 2
Climate Survey Results Show Comfort Level on Campus
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ore than eight out of 10 people on campus are comfortable with the overall atmosphere at Cal U, and an even higher percentage — 84 percent of students and 90 percent of faculty — say they are comfortable with the classroom climate. Those are just some of the findings of the Campus Climate Survey, part of a yearlong project to assess the atmosphere at Cal U. The survey project concluded Oct. 29 when Dr. Susan Rankin presented the survey results at a town hallstyle meeting in Steele Hall Mainstage Theatre. The voluntary survey of students, faculty and staff aimed to assess the “current attitudes, behaviors and standards and practices of employees and students” at the University. “Why do we care? Because the campus climate has an influence on
Dr. Susan Rankin presents the Campus Climate Survey results at a town hall‐ style meeting in Steele Hall Mainstage Theatre on Oct. 29.
student learning,” Rankin said. A former Penn State faculty member, coach and administrator, she is the founder of Rankin & Associates Consulting, which has conducted similar surveys at
colleges and universities across the country. At Cal U, the project was initiated by the Office of Social Equity and supported by the — Continued on page 4
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Holiday Musical ‘Miracle’ Opens Dec. 5
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he Department of Theatre and Dance welcomes the holiday season with “Miracle on 34th Street, The Musical,” a holiday favorite that’s new to the Cal U stage. Performances are set for 8 p.m. Dec. 5-7 in Steele Hall Mainstage Theatre, with matinees at 2 p.m. Dec. 7 and 8. All performances are open to the public. Children from eight area school districts will attend a Dec. 5 school matinee at 10 a.m. in Steele Hall. Cal U’s performance incorporates University students and community talent. Based on the 20th Century-Fox Pictures production, its book, music and lyrics are all by Meredith Wilson. Filled with humor, spectacle and such beloved songs as “Pinecones and Hollyberries” and “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas,” this heartwarming musical is pure family entertainment. The story takes place between the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and Christmas. It centers on a white-bearded gentleman who claims to be the real Santa Claus — and who brings about a genuine “miracle” on 34th Street, spreading a wave of love throughout New York City. Dr. Michele Pagen, a professor in the Department of Theatre and Dance, is directing the show. Kathy Sacco is providing musical direction, and choreography is by Maria Gismondi. Ticket price is $12 for patrons of all ages. Students with valid CalCards are admitted for 50 cents; a $5 deposit will be returned when the student attends a performance. For more information, or to order tickets (with a credit card) by phone, call the Steele Hall Box Office at 724-938-5943.
Cal U students Jordan Brooks and Kara Burkhart paint the set for ‘Miracle on 34th Street, The Musical,’ which will run from Dec. 5‐8 in Steele Hall’s Mainstage Theatre.
Events Pay Tribute to Military Veterans — Continued from page 1 partner in the Vietnam remembrance, he added. Honoring Vietnam veterans and their families will be the centerpiece of the commemoration, but Kicklighter also had words of praise for those currently serving in the military. “As an old soldier, I don’t know what you can say about this current generation of warriors: They’re absolutely magnificent,” he said. “Those men and women are being referred to as our current-day ‘greatest generation,’ and they’ve certainly earned that.” Earlier in the week, the campus community heard firsthand from one of those active-duty service members. U.S. Army 1st Lt. Joseph Sinclair ’12 telephoned from Afghanistan during a dedication ceremony for 33 banners that decorated the campus. Purchased by faculty, staff and students, sometimes with the help of a local business, each banner honored an active-duty service member or military veteran with ties to Cal U. One banner included Sinclair’s name. “After patrol one night I returned and was e-mailed a photo of a banner,” he
Interim University President Geraldine M. Jones awards the Presidential Patriotic Service Medallion to Charles B. Williamson ’90, as past Veterans Club presidents Jason Vipperman ’05 and Earl Bowser ’04 look on.
said. “It’s like Christmas getting e-mails, and seeing that banner really made my day. … “Even after graduation, Cal U is still reaching out … and I appreciate it.” The Office of Veterans Affairs organized the campus-wide project. The
all-weather banners were displayed throughout November, and the office plans to mount the display again next year. “Each one of these banners honors someone special,” interim President Geraldine M. Jones said at the dedication ceremony.
“Each banner is here because someone wanted to ensure that a family member, a friend or a colleague would be recognized for his or her service, especially during the month that includes Veterans Day. … You have made an important statement here, and our entire campus shares your pride.” A similar theme ran throughout the Veterans Day dinner, where Presidential Patriotic Service Medallions were presented to U.S. Marine Corps veteran Charles B. Williamson ’90, retired director of Veterans Affairs at Cal U, and junior Brittney Cassidy, who has served in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Three students — Joseph W. Bryan III, Joshua K. Hager and Joseph S. Lee — were recognized as recipients of the 2013-2014 Col. Arthur L. Bakewell Veterans Scholarships. Awarded annually since 1983 in memory of the longtime Cal U Veterans Club adviser, the Bakewell scholarships have grown from $250 to $1,000 through the generosity of the Veterans Scholarship Fund 500 Club. Dinner guests also learned that the Bursar’s Office and Office of Web-Based Programs will share the trophy awarded in the fourth annual Veterans Week Office Decorating Contest.
Chancellor Visits Campus
Campus BRIEFS
State System must remain relevant in a rapidly changing world. “As we continue the journey, we can just say we are fine, and in so many ways we absolutely are,” Brogan said. “Or we can have the courage to do what others are doing, which is to contest every basic assumption, accept nothing at face value, keep what’s been a rich, important part of our history and change what we’ve got to change to make sure we have a rightful place in the future.” The fourth Chancellor in PASSHE history left no doubt where the most important ingredient for future success lies. “At the end of the day, you’re the best part of this, because buildings are buildings and technology is technology,” he said. “We are not in the building or technology business. We are in the business of teaching students.”
‘Paradisio’ Ends Friday
— Continued from page 1 leadership. This is a fully functional part of the PASSHE system with designs on becoming an even more important part of the System in the future.” Brogan noted that no search for a permanent President has been scheduled, and he praised the work of interim President Geraldine M. Jones. “She’s an extraordinary leader, and her love of Cal is obvious after spending just five minutes with her. I believe the current leadership understands how to blend the very best of the past with the needs of the future for this institution.” Before addressing the media, Brogan concluded his forum by telling the Cal U community that both the University and the
“Paradisio,” a multi-media exhibition curated and installed by students from advanced drawing and painting courses in the Department of Art and Design, remains on display through Friday in the Vulcan Gallery, on the first floor of Vulcan Hall on campus. The exhibition includes works by students, faculty, staff, and alumni. Each piece examines the notion of paradise.
Teachin Examines ObamaCare Learn more about the Affordable Care Act, its impact on the health care industry and future goals of the “ObamaCare” program at a teach-in planned for 11 a.m. Thursday in Duda Hall, Room 103. Dr. Edmund Matecki, Dr. Craig Smith and Dr. Mary O’Conner will speak and answer questions. This American Democracy Project event is free and open to the public. Co-sponsors are the Department of History and Political Science and the College of Liberal Arts.
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Grants Support Student Research
T Singers from the Young and Gifted Gospel Choir will lend their voices to ‘Transformed — The Musical: The Story of African American Gospel Music’ at 8 p.m. Sunday in the Blaney Theatre in Steele Hall.
Young and Gifted Singers Present Story of Gospel
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ingers from the Young and Gifted Gospel Choir will lend their voices to “Transformed — The Musical: The Story of African American Gospel Music” at 8 p.m. Sunday in the Gerald and Carolyn Blaney Theatre in Steele Hall. The musical will be directed by Dr. Randy Tillmutt, assistant professor of music and a Frederick Douglass Institute Scholar at Cal U. It will depict the chronology and development of African-American gospel music from the 18th through the 20th centuries. In addition to gospel music sung by enslaved people in the American South, the production will highlight the Quartet Era, with songs popularized by the Golden Gate Quartet in the 1930s and ’40s; the music of Thomas Dorsey, known as the “father of AfricanAmerican gospel music” in the 1950s and ’60s; and the gospel sounds of James Cleveland, whose musical influence stretched from the 1950s to the ’80s. “All these time periods represent the different styles and phases in gospel music,” Tillmutt said. “The musical will include some songs that were pivotal in the development of this music genre.”
Soloists who auditioned earlier this semester will perform with the Young and Gifted Gospel Choir, and students from the Department of Theatre and Dance will provide production assistance. Stage director is senior Christina King, who has dual majors in theatre and public relations, with a minor in music. She has performed in and directed many shows, but this is her first musical-theater production. “Not only has this show lifted my spirits, but it has also been a learning process,” she said. “Gospel is a different style, so this is new, exciting and challenging for me. “Because I am working with actors who don’t have much experience, I almost get to be an acting coach as well as the director, which I love. “This is a wonderful senior year memory and a phenomenal experience for my future in the arts. I cannot wait for show time!” Ticket prices are $3.50 if purchased in advance, or $5.50 at the door. For advance tickets, call the Steele Box Office weekdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 724-938-5943. For more information, contact Dr. Randy Tillmutt at tillmutt@calu.edu.
hree undergraduate students — Caitlin Birmingham, Carl Jurkowski and Colin Stuart — are the 2013-2014 recipients of Jesse B. Guttman Student Research Grants. The research grant program rewards young scholars at Cal U who are actively pursuing new avenues of academic achievement within their specific disciplines of study. The program was established to honor the late Jesse B. Guttman, who along with his brothers, Leo and Howard, founded the Guttman Oil Co., Guttman Realty and Mon River Towing. These companies, now under the umbrella of the Guttman Group, employ numerous individuals in the Mon Valley. This year’s grant recipients are all students in the Eberly College of Science and Technology. Birmingham is an environmental studies major. Her project examines the microbial ecology of agricultural soil, with and without pesticide application. Her faculty mentor/sponsor is Dr. Sara Meiss, associate professor in the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences. Jurkowski, a geology major, will be using uranium-thorium-lead (U-Th-Pb) dating, also known as common lead dating, in research with zircons from the Granitic Gneiss Xenoliths of the Adah Kimberlite Intrusion in Adah, Pa. His faculty mentor/sponsor is Dr. Daniel Harris, assistant professor in the Department of Earth Sciences. Stuart, a biology major, is studying how the begonia plant colonizes in dry, high-altitude Andean environments, compared to the wetter rainforest areas of the Andes Mountains. His faculty mentor/sponsor is Dr. Mark Tebbitt, associate professor in the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences. A six-member team of faculty selects the Guttman grant recipients. The team includes Harris, as well as Dr. Rebecca Hess, of the Department of Exercise Science and Sport Studies; Dr. Elizabeth Larsen, Justice Law and Society; Dr. John Nass, Anthropology; Dr. Brian Paulson, Biological and Environmental Sciences; and Dr. Carolyn Wass, Social Work. Birmingham’s and Stuart’s project results will be presented this spring during Academic Excellence Days. Jurkowski’s findings will be presented next fall at the Student Scholarship and Creativity event. Established in 1988, the Jesse B. Guttman Research Endowment is the first permanent fund for research at Cal U. Both undergraduate and graduate students, in all disciplines, are eligible to apply for the research grant funding. Each applicant must have a faculty sponsor and be enrolled as a full-time student. Applicants must submit a proposal following the program’s guidelines, and a final report must be submitted at the completion of any funded project. The research must be completed within one year. For more information about the Guttman research grants, contact Suzanne Powers, director of Graduate Recruitment and Admissions, at powers_s@calu.edu.
Conference Explores Disaster Management
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t the seventh annual Conference on Homeland and International Security, a specialist in domestic security and civil-military relationships warned about the dangers of complacency and outlined the responsibilities of local and federal governments when a disaster occurs. Burt Tussing, director of homeland security for the Center for Strategic Leadership at the U.S. Army War College, gave the conference’s keynote presentation Nov. 4. “There is a domestic imperative that we have forgotten over the years, and that is cooperatively defending the homeland,” Tussing told an audience of about 150 people. “We are growing more and more complacent in our attitudes over time.” Tussing dissected the roles of local, state and federal governments in responding to catastrophes — both natural disasters and acts of terrorism. Local authorities handle 94 percent of all disaster management situations, while the military supports civil authorities only 2 percent of the time, he said. This separation of responsibilities can be traced to the Constitution, which designates different powers to each level of government. But responsibilities
Burt Tussing, director of homeland security for the Center for Strategic Leadership at the U.S. Army War College, gives the keynote presentation at Cal U’s seventh annual Conference on Homeland and International Security.
sometimes become unclear when it comes to preventing disasters and maintaining homeland security. One example of a gray area is defense against terrorism, which is technically the responsibility of local law enforcement, Tussing said. But when does terroristic activity beckon federal involvement? “There is this seam of ambiguity between what is the federal military’s or local law enforcement’s responsibility, and
that must be determined in each individual case,” Tussing said. “No matter the situation, there will always be conflict between the states and federal government. That is how our country was designed.” Although the lines of responsibility are sometimes vague, the federal government has an objective of reaching a “unity of effort,” Tussing explained. The military has established a Joint Action Plan for Unity to encourage
collaboration between local authorities and their area National Guard components to prepare for and defend against future natural and manmade disasters. Learning about this type of collaboration piqued the interest of students who attended the conference. “It was very interesting to learn about the different roles each level of government must take when responding to a disaster,” said Dillon Pook, a junior criminal justice major at Cal U. “It was especially interesting to learn the different tactics that are used to manage the relationship between civil authorities and the military. I learned a lot.” The conference topic is one that the entire world should pay attention to, said Dr. Mohamed Yamba, dean of the College of Liberal Arts. “I was born and raised in Ghana, where the relationship between the military and civil authorities was contentious and included six coup d’états in a decade,” he said in his opening remarks at the conference. “This conference shows us that military can assist the people — and that should interest the entire world.”
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Blackfeet Language Fading, Speaker Says
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ribal historian Klane King began Cal U’s celebration of Native American Heritage Month with one small but important word: Oki. It means “hello” in Blackfeet, the tribal language King teaches. He’s also a spiritual caregiver to Native American patients in Montana hospitals. “Wherever you go, the key is to learn how to say ‘hello’ in their language,” said King, who addressed more than 50 students in the Eberly auditorium on Oct. 29. “Just by doing that, you will break down barriers and open windows.” King is part of the Kainai, or Blood Tribe, within the Blackfeet Nation. He explained that Blackfeet Indians have always been part of the region that includes northern Montana and southern Alberta, Canada. “There are lots of theories that we (Blackfeet) came from the East because we were driven out, but there is no such thing as us being chased away from a land,” he said. “We have always lived, followed and
Tribal historian Klane King encourages the audience in Eberly Hall auditorium to learn more about their own heritage as well as other cultures during his talk during Cal U’s Native American Heritage Month celebration.
adapted to the herds of buffalo. Everything we have is made from the buffalo, from the robes we wear to our drums.” Although there are still more than 30,000 people among the four Blackfeet
bands, King noted that their native language is dying out. “Unfortunately, many of our older people with encyclopedic memories are dying faster than our younger ones are picking it up,” he explained. “We are
losing the language.” He encouraged the audience to learn more about their own heritage, as well as other cultures. “If you have the opportunity and can afford to take a trip somewhere, please do so,” he said. Designated by Congress and the president, National Native American Heritage Month honors the heritage and contributions of the first Americans to the history and culture of the United States. “We are very excited to be able to bring a respected Native community representative to the region,” said Dr. Clarissa Confer, director of the LaDonna Harris Indigenous Peoples Institute at Cal U and an associate professor in the Department of History and Political Science. “This type of sharing of indigenous knowledge in the context of modern issues helps to build bonds between the various groups and to encourage knowledge of and respect for American Indian cultures.”
Results Reported for Climate Survey — Continued from page 1 The University Choir will give two performances of oratorios from Handel’s ‘Messiah,’ on Thursday and Friday. For more information contact the Cal U Department of Music at 724‐938‐4878.
Choir to Sing ‘Messiah’
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he holidays are fast approaching, and Cal U’s Department of Music is hoping to create a festive mood for audiences with performances of a holiday classic. In collaboration with Elizabeth Forward High School students, the University Choir and Orchestra will give two performances of oratorios from Handel’s “Messiah,” on Thursday and Friday. Thursday’s performance will take place at 7 p.m. in the auditorium at Elizabeth Forward High School, 1000 Wigles Hill Road, Elizabeth. Ticket price is $5. Admission is free for Friday’s performance in the Morgan Hall auditorium, although scholarship donations are welcome. Both performances are open to the public. Plans for the collaboration began last spring. Cal U’s Dr. Yugo Ikach and Angela Milliren, choir director at Elizabeth Forward, discussed the project at a Pennsylvania Music Educators Association Junior Festival.
“We are doing the Christmas portion from Messiah and adding the holiday chorus, so we have about one hour of music,” said Ikach, director of University Choirs and Music Department chair. “It’s such a wonderful, real staple of the choral repertoire, and I would be remiss if I left this place someday having never done it. “We have had to work on this pretty much all semester, because it is difficult. But I think the students will make some really good memories with it.” Ikach also will be leading a sing-along “Messiah” Dec. 1 at the Parish of Immaculate Conception in Washington Pa. Although this takes place during the Thanksgiving break, Ikach hopes to fill the audience with members of the Cal U and Elizabeth Forward communities. “I strongly encourage anyone to bring their score and come sing in the audience,” he said. For more information contact the Cal U Department of Music at 724-938-4878.
President’s Commission for the Status of Women. The research was reviewed and approved by the Cal U Institutional Review Board. While acknowledging that the response was too small to generalize to the entire campus population, Rankin pointed to several “themes” that emerged from the survey, which was developed over a period of eight months with input from a committee of faculty, staff and students. Although overall satisfaction with the campus climate is high, particular groups — staff, minorities, people with disabilities and members of the LGBT community — report feeling less comfortable overall. Members of the same groups report feeling excluded, intimidated or disparaged more often than other respondents. “Climate is not one question, but a multitude of questions,” Rankin stressed. “Most people are happy with the classroom experience, but there are pockets of students and faculty who are not. Most people are happy with the work/life experience, but again, some are not. “There are opportunities to make things better.” Overall, about 22 percent of the campus community — 2,137 people — participated in the confidential survey. About 21 percent of students, 41 percent of faculty and 68 percent of staff responded online or with pencil and paper. A series of forums are being held to translate the survey results into positive action. Participants will be asked to help identify two or three actions that can be accomplished in the coming year. Students, faculty and staff may attend the remaining two sessions, at 2 p.m. Dec. 3 and 1 p.m. Dec. 4, both in Eberly Hall, Room 115. The full Campus Climate Project report is available online, on the webpage for the Office of Social Equity. To find the link, visit www.calu.edu, keywords “social equity.” Hard copies of the report are available in Manderino Library, in the Office of Social Equity and in the Office for Students with Disabilities. Researchers may contact the Office of Institutional Research, where the data is housed. “Everything that happens outside of Cal U happens here too,” Rankin said as she summarized the findings. “But overall, the majority of students think they are having a very positive academic experience.”
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