News Digest

Staff position available
The Strategic Planning Council is seeking a staff representative to serve through June 2008. The council meets twice a month on average on Fridays between 9 and 11 a.m. during the semester. Individuals should be familiar with the University’s Strategic Plan and be willing to play an active role in the work of the council.

Staff members who are interested in serving should e-mail Ric Brown, provost and vice president for academic affairs at ricb@csus.edu by Friday, Nov. 11. For more information, call Rusty at 278-5925.

Proposals wanted
Writing Across the Curriculum invites all full-time and part-time faculty, administrators and staff to propose an individual presentation or panel for a half-day conference on successful approaches to reading and writing across disciplines. The conference will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Friday, Feb. 17 in the University Union Hinde Auditorium and Orchard and Forest Suites.

Proposal topics could include effective writing assignments or approaches to student reading and writing, departmental initiatives and projects that have been successful at improving student reading and writing, using technology to improve reading and writing, etc. To submit a proposal, send a 150-200 word abstract and title with name and department and, for panel proposals, the names of other presenters to: wac@csus.edu. The deadline to submit a proposal is Dec. 1.

Details: Dan Melzer at 278-6925. A conference program will be available in January at www.csus.edu/wac/conference.

Learn about law school
A free Sacramento State Law School Forum will be held from 3 to 6 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 15 in the Alumni Center. The event will give students the opportunity to talk one-on-one with law school representatives from more than 20 schools from California and across the country, such as Boalt Hall, Hastings, King Hall, McGeorge, Seton Hall and Gonzaga. They can also participate in an admissions workshop, an LSAT prep workshop, and a question and answer session. A Kaplan LSAT prep course will be given away and pre-law advisors and attorneys will be on hand.

Details: 278-5066

Forum focuses on intelligent design
The International Students Christian Fellowship will present an open forum on "Cosmic Fingerprints: Is There Design in the Universe?" from 1:30 to 3 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 10 in the University Union Redwood Room. The speaker will be Jeffery Kirkbride, professor and designer of the Montgomery Hill Observatory in San Jose. The astronomer will talk about Intelligent Design Theory, followed by a question and answer session. The event is open to the campus community and the public.

Details: 612-0508

Serna Center hosts annual forum
The Serna Center will present its Fall 2005 Forum from 1 to 3 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 8 in the University Union Orchard Suite. It will feature the research of scholar-in-residence and counselor education professor Susan Wycoff speaking on “An Examination of Leading Health-Related Issues and Disparities Among Latinos in the Sacramento Region: A Quality-of-Life Analysis.” It will also offer “The Experiences of our Student Interns: Catalina Alvarez, Parent-Led Assistance Network; Sara Granda, UC Davis Medical Center; and Cristina Tucker, Latino Coalition for a Healthy California.”

Details: 278-4512 or sernacenter@csus.edu

Find out about self-defense
The Women's Resource Center will host a free self-defense class from 5 to 8 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 8 in the University Union Redwood Room.

Details: Jessica Heskin at 278-7388

Wang nominations sought
Nominations are now being accepted for the Wang Family Excellence Awards. The awards recognize four faculty members from the CSU system “who, through extraordinary commitment and dedication have distinguished themselves by exemplary contributions and achievements in their academic disciplines.” There is also an award for an administrator for extraordinary accomplishments in appropriate areas of his or her university assignment.

Each honoree receives $20,000. The award was established in 1988 by CSU Trustee Stanley T. Wang. Candidates must be probationary or tenured faculty members or administrators. Any member of a CSU campus community may make nominations and self-nominations are permitted. The awards are presented at the May meeting of the CSU Board of Trustees.
Nomination forms and selection criteria are available in the Faculty Senate office in Sacramento 254. The deadline for nominations is 4 p.m., Friday, Nov. 19.

Details: 278-6593

More on mentoring
The Center for Teaching and Learning is hosting a brown bag discussion on “Finding a Mentoring Relationship” from noon to 1:15 p.m., Friday, Nov. 11 in the Center for Teaching and Learning, Library 4026.

To confirm attendance, call 278-5945 or e-mail ctl@csus.edu