NEWS

State Employees Holiday Food Drive
This year’s Holiday Food Drive will be held at Sacramento State from Nov.16 through Jan. 14.

This year the economic problems facing our nation make the Holiday Food Drive even more important. Monetary donations go the farthest, as bulk food can be purchased at lower costs.  Make checks payable to: State Employee Food Drive and mail to: Nancy Fox, department zip code 6076. Food collection boxes will soon be appearing in most department offices on campus.

As you plan your department holiday events, please consider including one or more of the following activities:

• Ask people to bring canned or monetary donations to holiday parties, potlucks, luncheons and gatherings.
• Place donation jars around so people can drop in their change.
• Hold a silent auction with donated items.
• Ask people to bring canned goods to campus events including lecture, athletic, theatre, dance and art events.
• Produce a talent show with the proceeds dedicated to the food drive.
• Challenge another office.
• Have a book sale.
• Have a rummage sale.
• Have a white elephant sale.

More information will soon be forthcoming regarding the Holiday Food Drive. For more information, contact Nancy Fox at foxna@csus.edu or 278-5241.
Submitted by University Transportation and Parking Services

“P:” drive down Nov. 10 morning
IRT will be performing maintenance on SacFiles from 12:01 a.m.-6 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 10. During the maintenance period, users may not be able to access files that are typically found on the “P:” drive.  If you have questions, call the IRT Service Desk at 278-7337. 
Submitted by Information Resources and Technology

GE newsletter
The fall edition of the General Education News available at www.csus.edu/acaf/GE/newsletter.stm.
The newsletter summarizes multiple campus discussions about GE, spotlights a new GE course on Ethnomathematics, presents the multiple GE offerings in the Music Department and reveals details of about the First Year Experience Program that has raised graduation rates by nearly 18 percent.
Submitted by Undergraduate Studies

Identify and request course texts on time to ensure equal access
The conversion and processing of textbooks and course-readers to accessible alternative formats by the Services to Students with Disabilities’ High Tech Center is time intensive and can take several weeks or more. Faculty can assist by in identifying and submitting requests to the Hornet Bookstore and/or ordering through other means for printed course materials (e.g. textbooks and course packs) by Nov. 20 to allow sufficient time for conversion of materials in time for the spring 2010 semester. 

A 3-minute “Timely Textbook Adoption” video featuring Sacramento State students with disabilities describing alternative ways they “read” books can be viewed at: www.csus.edu/accessibility/textbook.html.

The video and web page highlight the importance of ordering textbooks and course readers at least eight weeks prior to the semester to allow sufficient time for conversion to accessible formats if needed.    
Submitted by Services to Students with Disabilities and Accessible Technology Initiative

Research Funding Update available
The November issue of Research Funding Update is now available. This update is published monthly to alert the campus community to possible sources of external support for research, scholarly and creative activities. Both an abbreviated listing and a more detailed version are available on the web at www.csus.edu/research/funding/update.

This month’s highlight includes NIH and NSB feature articles along with targeted funding opportunity notices in: arts, humanities, education, community development, health, mental health, science and engineering.

Additional information about any of the opportunities announced in Research Funding Update can be obtained by clicking on the given web address or by contacting Research Administration at 278-7565.
Submitted by Research Administration

New Data Dashboard
The Office of Institutional Research has created a new Data Dashboard including information for fall 2009.  It shows eight main indicators of University effectiveness at a glance, such as enrollment, retention and graduation rate, admission, student FTE by college and diversity of the student body.  It is updated each fall semester after Census Date.  The dashboard is available online at www.csus.edu/oir. Click on “Data Center” then “University Dashboard.”

Send comments or questions about the dashboard to oir@csus.edu
Submitted by the Office of Institutional Research

University Factbook
The 2009 University Factbook is available from the Office of Institutional Research. The Factbook features student profiles as well as faculty and staff profiles. It also highlights statistics for admission, class size, degrees awarded, retention, graduation and alumni.  Many sections are broken down by college. Data was collected on Census Date and includes a five-year range.

The book is available online at www.csus.edu/oir. Click on “Data Center” then on “University Fact Book.” People can choose to view the entire book or selections.
Submitted by the Office of Institutional Research

EVENTS

General Education Mini-Conference and Recognition
The second annual General Education Mini-Conference and Recognition is noon-3 p.m., Friday, Nov. 13, in Library 11. Lunch is provided and there will be a student panel, several presentations by GE faculty working on GE Reads, and the First Year Seminar. The event is open to faculty, particularly those teaching GE, and is sponsored by the GE/GRPC Policy Committee and the Compass Grant, an initiative of the CSU and the Association of American Colleges and Universities. RSVP for lunch at jhecsh@csus.edu.
Submitted by Teacher Education

Human protection
The Sacramento State Committee for the Protection of Human Subjects will host a workshop to review campus, state and federal policies that affect the conduct of research involving humans10:30 a.m. – noon Nov. 12 in the Hornet Bookstore Building Boardroom (suite 3010).

The ethical principles of the Belmont report will be discussed, vulnerable populations will be identified and special attention will be given to clarifying elements needed when preparing a consent form. Faculty conducting or considering research that would involve human subjects for a workshop that are urged to attend.
Submitted by Research Administration

Ethics Symposium
Sacramento State will host its fourth annual Fall Ethics Symposium 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 9, in the University Union’s Hinde Auditorium. This year’s topic is “Ethics in Everyday Life: The Ethics of Food.”

The symposium will bring together scientists, ethicists and professionals who will explore ethical problems relating to food. Panel discussions include: “The Ethics of Genetically Modified Animals,” “It Shouldn't Happen to a Dog, or a Chicken: Why You Shouldn't Eat Meat,” and “Unlearned Lessons From the Diet and Health Cycle: U.S. and Asian Parallels.”

The symposium is sponsored by the Center for Practical and Professional Ethics’ RCA Program in Ethics. It is free and open to the campus community. Refreshments will be served.

For more times of events and more information visit www.csus.edu/cppe.
Center for Practical and Professional Ethics

MLK Prayer Breakfast
The Sacramento State Black Alumni Chapter will host the 27th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr., Prayer Breakfast 8 a.m. Saturday, Jan.16, in the University Union Ballroom. 

The event, “Living the Dream and Having All things in Common,” is presented by the Northern District Baptist Association Women’s Auxiliary. The keynote speaker is Rev. Dr. Claybon Lea, Jr., pastor of Mount Calvary Baptist Church in Fairfield and president of California State Baptist Convention, Inc.

Tickets are $27 for adults and $21 for children 12 and under. To attend, contact Evelyn Bradley-Owens at (916) 206-2995 or (916) 427-2447 before Dec. 31. Tickets will not be sold at the door.
Submitted by the Sacramento State Black Alumni Chapter

Human Resources

Excess Vacation Hours
Sacramento State employees are limited in the amount of vacation they can keep as an unused balance.  Those hours are reconciled annually and hours in excess of carry-over maximums must be used by Dec. 31 or be automatically forfeited. 

To view a vacation balance, visit www.csus.edu, log onto My Sac State using your username and password, and click on current leave balance under Payroll & Compensation.  The page will display current vacation balance and alert you if it is approaching the maximum.  The “Leave Accrual Information” link provides information on accrual rates and maximum carry-over hours.  People who do not have access to a computer may request a print-out from the timekeeper for their department. 

Exceptions to the carry-over policy must be approved by David Wagner, vice president for Human Resources, prior to the end of this calendar year. The request must include the reasons for the exception and be submitted in writing to the employee’s program center manager for a recommendation. For staff, if approved, the recommendation must include a plan for using accrued vacation before Dec. 31, 2010.  Title V requires that managers use any carried forward vacation by the end of March, 2010. In addition to use of accrued vacation, plans must address the usual accumulation of vacation leave time during the year to avoid this situation in the future.  The recommendation must be forwarded by the program center manager to Wagner by Dec. 9, 2009, for approval.  For more information, contact Human Resources at 278-6078. 

Request to Advertise
Beginning Monday, Nov. 9, the Office of Human Resources will begin using an electronic “Request to Advertise” process for all staff and MPP recruiting.  After that date, Human Resources will no longer accept hardcopy “Request to Advertise” submissions.

Training has been conducted for the majority of people responsible for submission and approval of a “Request to Advertise” for staff and MPP vacancies. People who have not received training can use the on-line tutorial at www.csus.edu/irt/acs/services/cms/training/hr89/upk-player/HR/toc.html.

Security access is required and may be established by completing the “Request to Advertise CMS User Access” form available at www.csus.edu/irt/acs/forms/index.stm.

Instructions for the staff and MPP employment processes can be found at www.csus.edu/hr/staff/staffempprocess2008.htm, and at www.csus.edu/hr/Faculty/MPP/indexmpp.htm.

Questions about the staff employment process should be directed to 278-6326. Questions about the MPP employment process should be directed to 278-6169.

Catastrophic leave donation program
Sacramento State employees may voluntarily donate to other employees up to a maximum of 40 hours of sick or vacation leave credits in one-hour increments each fiscal year. Bargaining Units 1, 8, 10 and 11 may donate only up to 16 hours per fiscal year. If employees are interested in donating time, a form can be obtained at www.csus.edu/hr/forms.htm#Disability, or visit the Human Resources Disability Leaves office in Sacramento Hall 162 or call 278-3522.

The following employees have been approved for the Catastrophic Leave Donation Program:

Ruth Schroeder, Human Resources
Steven Borden, Facilities
Maharisha Belton, Office of University Registrar
Lizza Roy, College of Business Administration
Kristen Abundis College of Education
Patricia Vercruyssen Department of Accounting Services
Irma Salas, Division on Social Work