Rec Center gets green light

The campus is one step closer to breaking ground on an innovative Recreation and Wellness Center that will combine exercise offerings with a state-of-the-art student health center.

In May, the CSU Board of Trustees gave final approval to the schematic drawings for the $71 million project, paving the way for work to begin in March 2008.

The Recreation and Wellness Center is part of the Spanos Sports Complex at the south end of campus, a multi-phase project for which the University has secured more than $25 million in private support. The center is funded primarily through a student fee approved by students in a 2005 referendum.

The first phase of the Complex, the Broad Athletic Facility, should be completed in the spring of 2008, allowing demolition of the field house currently on the site where the Recreation and Wellness Center will be built.

At 150,000 square feet, Sac State’s facility will be one of the largest recreation-wellness centers in the CSU system. It could also be the first campus building to be certified by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System, which recognizes “green” features such as sustainable site development and indoor environmental quality. As designed, the facility is expected to meet criteria for a LEED silver certification.

The center—which is expected to be open in August 2010—will provide a range of recreation options for students including workout facilities with both cardio and weight equipment, a climbing wall, an elevated indoor track, multiple- use athletic courts for intramural sports, and fitness classrooms. There will also be locker rooms, a child care center, meeting rooms, a café, and space for equipment rental and recreational sports offices.

It also will feature a full-service student wellness center integrated with the recreation center with examination rooms, and facilities for x-ray, nutrition counseling, sports medicine, physical therapy and optometry. Outside, a large quad will connect the center with the University Union and Tahoe Hall. www.SpanosSportsComplex.com

COOL COURSE

sports broadcasting

“Play by Play,” College of Continuing Education: Television and radio sportscaster Mark Demsky leads aspiring sportscasters through a six-week course that combines lectures on the nuts and bolts of calling a game with in-class practice and visits from guest speakers from the local sports broadcasting world. It culminates with an opportunity to call a game from a press box.

Class work: In a sort of United Nations simultaneous translation to the extreme, a tape of a sporting event plays in the front of the room while each student provides his or her own commentary—all at the same time. During the cacophony, Demsky walks the room, listening and offering critiques. But he also encourages each student to use their own style. “I stress for them to be individual, to develop who they are into a play-by-play broadcaster,” he says.

Students say: “This kind of analysis from someone with experience in the industry is invaluable,” says Stu Varner, who is taking Demsky’s course for the second time.

Assignments: Between classes, students are encouraged to “call” as many games as possible. Students leave the tapes with Demsky to review at the next class.
www.cce.csus.edu/broadcasting

Touched by Virginia Tech

Just as it did at campuses all over the country, the news of the shootings at Virginia Tech University shook Sac State.

In the days following, the campus expressed its sorrow to Virginia Tech students, faculty and staff, and families with messages and cards of condolence. A crowd of more than 200 gathered for a moment of silence and a candlelight vigil in the Library Quad.

The Virginia Tech incident also raised the issue of the University’s own emergency procedures. President Alexander Gonzalez and University Police Chief Ken Barnett sent a message to the campus outlining the emergency preparedness efforts the University has put in place, including systems to notify students, faculty and staff in the event of an incident. University Police also offered a list of strategies for campus residents to use to prepare themselves for a crisis.

Steps were taken to address the mental health of the campus as well. Free one-on-one counseling was available for students, faculty and staff. And the Counseling and Psychological Services Center provided guides to identifying distressed students as well as tips for students in managing stress caused by the event.
www.csus.edu/police

briefly

Spring enrollment—This past semester saw a record-breaking number of students enrolled at Sac State for a spring semester. A total of 27,314 students were enrolled, up nearly 600 from the prior spring. The University has been working hard to meet its enrollment targets, after a number of years falling below growth projections. Increases were seen in almost all ethnic minority categories, including a 7.3 percent increase in African American students and a 7.6 percent increase in Native American students.

New student housing—Sac State is building new apartment-style on-campus housing for 600 students, which will boost the overall number of students living on campus to more than 1,700. And beginning this fall, students who want to be near—but not on—campus can live in the new Upper Eastside Lofts on 65th Street. The University is leasing the lofts and resident assistants will live on site.

Evening career services—Help for job-hunters is now available at night. The Evening Community Career Services Program is keeping the doors of the Career Center open on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. A one-time fee of $75 entitles clients to a semester of sessions on life transitions, goal-setting, skills assessment, resumé writing, and interviewing, with a master’s-level career counseling student. Details: 278-6231.

Alumni support faculty—Efforts to improve professional development opportunities for faculty are getting a boost from the University’s Annual Fund program. The program solicits contributions from alumni and other friends of the University through phonathons, direct mail and other campaigns. The majority of the proceeds from the fund are now being allocated for faculty development. The Annual Fund is expected to exceed its $300,000 goal for the 2006-07 fiscal year.

Library’s treasure troves—The University Library was the recipient of two huge collections of historic and cultural significance this spring. A gift from the Refugee Educators’ Network provided more than 6,000 items including books, journals, films, clothing and other memorabilia from the Armenian, Cambodian, Chinese, Hmong, Karen, Korean, Lahu, Lao, Mien, Russian, Thai, Ukrainian and Vietnamese cultures. And an agreement with the City of Sacramento brought more than 1,100 symphonic scores and musical works from the former Sacramento Symphony to campus, where they will be made available for research and as a resource for performing organizations throughout the region.

‘Legal’ new word in downloads—Sac State students wanting to stock their MP3 players no longer have to fear wrath from the recording industry. The University now provides “Ruckus,” a free legal music subscription service that allows students to download an unlimited number of songs to Microsoft Windows computers and, for a fee, transfer music to a compatible portable player. After graduation, students can maintain their Ruckus membership as alumni.

Dyslexia links student and professor

As a sixth-grader in Korea, Ki-Tack Lim couldn’t read in his native language, let alone English. Today, he’s a Sac State mechanical engineering major, hoping to start his own school for students with learning disabilities back home.

The catalyst for this turnaround: Sac State special education professor EunMi Cho. The specialist in learning disabilities met Lim’s parents during a trip to Korea to teach special education workshops.

Since then she’s become not only Lim’s guardian, but a surrogate parent, helping to diagnose Ki-Tack with dyslexia and bringing him to the United States. “I feel like his mom now,” Cho says.

When Lim was diagnosed, there was no school in Korea that could help him. “In Korean culture, there is a strong focus on education,” Lim says. “But they would never think you could have a learning disability. If you were having trouble, they would say that you should start studying harder.”

Professor Cho researched options for Lim in the states and found a school that specializes in programs for boys with dyslexia. Lim enrolled with a very limited grasp of English, but by the time he graduated he was invited Dyslexia links student and professor Then&Now California State University, Sacramento campus birdseye view circa 1955 (left) and circa 2007. Ki-Tack Lim (left) wih Professor EunMi Cho Photo by MARY WEIKERT to speak at commencement.

And, perhaps because of the language issues—learning English as a second language even before he mastered reading Korean—Lim also discovered he is very adept at physics and math. When it came time for him to choose a university, Lim enrolled in Sac State’s engineering program, partly because of Cho.

“This is not a school for students with dyslexia,” Cho says. “But our campus provides excellent services to students with learning disabilities.”

Lim’s support network includes notetakers during lectures, additional time to complete exams and access to a private tutor.

Lim’s parents have been so happy with his progress, they bought land in Korea with hopes of opening a school for students with learning disabilities. After finishing his engineering program, Ki-Tack’s dream is to enter the teacher credential program in special education so he can teach at the school.

“I hope the students there can get help the way I did,” he says.

Not your ‘MTV’ spring break

Sometimes, spring break is more about building up than winding down

During this year’s break, one group of students built an irrigation system in Central America while others were pounding nails for Habitat for Humanity in Sacramento.

The Sac State chapter of “Engineers Without Borders” spent its holiday in Panama on a project to provide irrigation water to the village of Guabas Arribas. The students are evaluating a solar-powered pump design. Additional trips to implement and assess the completed project will follow.

Nineteen students participated in the inaugural Alternative Break, an campus-led effort to increase community engagement. This year, students helped Habitat for Humanity construct affordable housing for qualifying families.

Students had the option of volunteering one, two or three days of their break. They cleaned up lots prior to families moving in, dug foundations and helped organize ReStore, a clearinghouse for donated housing items.

Feeding the technology sector

How will the Sacramento Region find the workforce it needs to flourish in a technology-based society?

It’s the central question behind the University’s Center for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Excellence and it brought together educators, lawmakers, scientists and members of the business community for an April summit. In addition to looking at what the technology sector will require, the gathering looked at how to build a “pipeline” to get those highly trained workers into place. For the region to stay competitive, it will be vital to get more children to study science and math, go on to college, and pursue careers in technology, science and engineering.

Efforts to increase enrollment and graduation of students in STEM disciplines include a STEM Scholars public lecture series, where professors from the University’s science, technology, engineering and mathematics programs share their research with the Sacramento community.
www.csus.edu/stem

What's on your IPOD?

Pernell Sullivan, Senior, Business Administration (Finance) “Music, movies and podcasts like PTI (“Pardon the Interruption”). For music I like Lil’ Wayne, Jim Jones, Prince. I’ve got a little bit of everything on there, all type of genres: reggae, country, R & B. I mostly listen to it at work.”

Rolaine James,Junior, Criminal Justice “I have a lot of old stuff like Queen, Ray Charles and, ooh, I have Beach Boys, too. Everyone’s surprised when they hear that one. I listen to everything. I like UK artists and genres like grime and garage. I don’t download music, I buy CDs. That why it’s the older stuff.”

Dave Marzili, Junior, Mechanical Engineering Technology “It’s all music: Red Hot Chili Peppers, Fort Minor, Papa Roach, 3 Doors Down, Nailpin and Mistah Fab. I pick five or six songs from each group. I mostly listen between classes and on the Hornet Shuttle.”

Amanda Smith, Junior, Liberal Studies “Different groups like Matchbox 20, Savage Garden, Kelly Clarkson, 3 Doors Down, Lifehouse, just some random stuff. I listen during my breaks, while walking or doing homework.”

Charles Arimboanga, Senior, Psychology “A mix of everything from jazz to hip-hop to alternative rock. Even downloaded lecture notes. Walking around with music gives a soundtrack to your day, an outlet from your classes. You kind of get lost in your music.”