The Dec. 22 issue of News Pulse will be printed on Dec. 29.

News Pulse will take a new direction in the new year.

In an effort to be more environmentally friendly and fiscally conscious, the newsletter for New Paltz faculty and staff – published by the Office of Public Affairs – will be moving to a completely online format beginning with the next issue, which comes out on Jan. 12. It will be available at the News Pulse Web site at www.newpaltz.edu/newspulse.

Submissions will continue to be accepted online at www.newpaltz.edu/newspulse/esubmit.cfm.

This is the latest transition to the newsletter, which debuted in 1998 as a weekly, two-page publication. News Pulse underwent a redesign in 2003: increasing to four pages, publishing twice a month. The Aug. 13, 2007 issue marked the publication’s foray into full color.

As we shift into the new format, we will be looking into ways to widen our coverage of the news, events, programs and people of the campus community.

Stay tuned for the next installment of News Pulse.

Erica Wagner (Career Resource Center), left, rejoices after accepting her degree in Humanistic and Multicultural Education at the December Graduate Commencement Ceremony in the Athletic and Wellness Center on Dec. 20. The two undergraduate ceremonies were held on Dec. 19 and 20 in the Athletic and Wellness Center.

For more photos of the undergraduate and graduate commencement ceremonies, visit www.newpaltz.edu/commencement.

An aerial photo of the Student Union Building shows the staging area set up in the Crispell Parking lot (top, left) and the concourse area between the building and the Haggerty Administration Building (not pictured) where the addition will be constructed.

With work on the Student Union Building’s addition scheduled to begin in the spring, a lot of preparation is taking place on the building’s interior over the winter break.

Project Manager Garry Nack (Facilities Design and Construction) said abatement and demolition of the Purple Lounge of the Student Union Building’s second floor began the week of Dec. 8. Once that work is complete, the space is being converted into offices for Student Activities and Union Services and the Disability Resource Center.

Nack said the main focus over the break will be on the basement hallway connecting Haggerty Administration Building and the Student Union Building. Abatement on the lower level of the Student Union Building began the week of Dec. 22. As a result, he said, the connection between the two buildings will be closed for about three weeks. Access to Records and Registration, Telecommunications, Administrative Services and Parking offices will be through Haggerty. In addition to abatement work, the glass wall on the basement floor will be replaced with a partition wall.

The $13.4 million project receives funding from the college’s capital budget, which is separate from the college operating budget. While state operating funds are facing cuts, funding for capital projects is still in place, allowing the campus to move forward with projects such as the Old Main renovation and the Student Union Building addition.

For more information on this and other construction projects on campus, visit www.newpaltz.edu/construction.

Campus loses Kurt Matzdorf, pioneer of college’s Metal Program

Kurt Matzdorf leading the procession as grand marshal at the December 2006 Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony in 2006.

Kurt Matzdorf (Metal, Emeritus), nationally renowned silversmith and founder of the college’s Metal Program, died on Dec. 20, 2008. He was 86.

Matzdorf, who was born in Stadtoldendorf, Germany, on May 26, 1922, taught at the college from 1957 to 1985. He founded the college’s gold and silversmithing programs in 1966., which was ranked as having the number one graduate metal program of its kind by U.S. News and World Report in 2008.

Kurt Matzdorf with College President Steven Poskanzer (wearing the presidential chain of office) at the December 2006 Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony in 2006.

“Kurt Matzdorf was a man of unwavering certainty and determination,” said Jamie Bennett and Myra Mimlitsch-Gray, professors in the program. “His vision and passion for the world of jewelry and silversmithing set a standard for this program and the profession. He championed an understanding of the practice through a thorough grounding in the history of jewelry and metal with an eye to the future. We will miss Kurt’s wisdom and good intentions.”

Since his retirement, Matzdorf created 16 college and university maces (one for New Paltz); 20 presidential chains of office (two for New Paltz); and 10 presidential medallions. In New York, Matzdorf created ceremonial maces and presidential chains of office for Rockefeller University, Long Island University, Manhattanville College and Regents’ College. Some of his other works include a chalice for the All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Atlanta and a president’s cup for the New York Public Library.

Kurt Matzdorf working in his studio in his early days at the college.

The mace that Matzdorf, a longtime resident of New Paltz, created for the college is carried by the grand marshal at both winter and spring commencement ceremonies. College President Steven Poskanzer wears a chain of office made by Matzdorf.

Throughout his career, he earned numerous awards and recognition, including the first National Metalsmiths Hall of Fame Award from the Florida Society of Goldsmiths and he was  named a State University of New York Exchange Scholar.

Matzdorf earned a diploma in sculpture from the Slade School of Fine Art at London University in 1949 and a master of fine arts in silversmithing from the University of Iowa in 1954.

Ceremonial spice container, sterling and parcel silt with blue enamels, 8 ½ inches high.

New York Public Library President’s cup, sterling silver and 14K gold, 13 inches high.

A memorial service will be scheduled after Jan. 1 and will be held at the Temple Emanuel in Kingston. For more information, contact Temple Emanuel at (845) 338-4271 or info@templeemanuelkkingston.org.

Campus faculty and staff makes change to Zimbra e-mail system

Since May, 490 out of 1,378 faculty and staff members have converted over to Zimbra, a new e-mail software program for the campus. Paul Chauvet (Computer Services) said most of the new users previously used GroupWise or NPMail.

Zimbra, a Yahoo-based software, offers such features as a calendar, collaboration and more space. The default storage on Zimbra is 500 MB and it goes up to 2,000 MB. NPMail’s default storage is 150 MB and the maximum is 250 MB.

“The number one advantage (of Zimbra) is that no matter where you are – New Paltz or anywhere in the world – the program looks the same,” said Chauvet.

Chauvet said another benefit of the Zimbra program is the system is more reliable, making data protection much easier.

Of the 490 faculty and staff members who converted, 400 went through group or individual training with Chauvet or his assistant, Taino Ryan ’09 (Computer Science).

Any NPMail users who would like to change over to Zimbra, can e-mail Chauvet at chauvetp@newpaltz.edu.

AWARDS, HONORS, APPOINTMENTS AND RECOGNITION

Ted Clark (Business Institute, Business) received a $17,446 grant from a major hospital consortium to study health care practices in the Hudson Valley. The study team will include 13 undergraduate and two graduate business students. In addition, Clark has been elected to the position of second vice president for the Business Marketing Association’s Hudson Valley Region and will be responsible for program development.

Howard Good (Communication and Media) had his 10-part prose poem, “A Tiny Fugue for Tomorrowland,” nominated by the journal Bartleby Snopes for a Pushcart Prize. This is Good’s third Pushcart nomination in three years. “Tiny Fugue” is the title poem in his latest chapbook, “Tomorrowland,” due out in December from Achilles Chapbooks. For more on the Pushcart, visit www.pushcartprize.com.

Margaret Johnson (Art Education) was selected to receive the National Art Education Association (NAEA) Eastern Region Art Educator of the Year Award, which will be presented during the 2009 NAEA National Convention in Minneapolis in April. The award recognizes Johnson’s leadership, commitment and service to the art education profession.

PUBLICATIONS

John Langan (English) had an article, “‘Through the Gates of Darkness’: The Cosmopolitan Gothic of J. Sheridan Le Fanu and Bram Stoker,” published in Studies in the Fantastic.

Clifford Opurum (Economics) recently published a chapter, titled “Globalization and Regional Integration: The ECOWAS Model, in the textbook Globalization of Business: Theories and Strategies for Tomorrow’s Managers.

Gerald Sorin (History) recently had two articles, “Bernard Malamud” and “World of Our Fathers,” published in the Encyclopedia of Jewish American Popular Culture. His review essay on A.B. Yehoshua’s new novel, “Friendly Fire,” has been published in the November issue of Ha’aretz Books. He also had an essay on “American Jews and Radicalism” appear in the just-published The Encyclopedia of the Jewish Diaspora, Ed. Avrum Ehrlich (Santa Barbara: ABC CLIO, 2008), and his review essay on A.B. Yehoshua’s latest novel, “Friendly Fire,” is in the November 2008 issue of “Books – Ha’aretz,” English edition.

PRESENTATIONS, EXHIBITIONS

Giovanna Deluca ’09 (Biology) and Chelsea Hull ’09 (Chemistry) presented posters at the American Chemical Society National Conference in Philadelphia, Pa. Deluca presented her work with Cynthia Colon ’09 (Chemistry), Daniel Cohen ’07 (Chemistry), Preeti Dhar (Chemistry) and Maureen Morrow (Biology). Hull also presented a poster with Pamela St. John (Chemistry). Kerri DeGroat ’08 (Chemistry) presented her research performed with Megan Ferguson (Chemistry).

Lauren Meeker (Anthropology) gave a talk, “Forgiving Thi Mau, a Girl Who ‘Dared to Defy,’” based on her research in Vietnam at Bard College on Nov. 14.

Three Geography Department faculty members presented research at the Annual Meeting of the Middle States Division of the Association of American Geographers at Millersville University in Pennsylvania, Nov. 7-8. John Sharp presented “Reading Iran: A Geopolitical Examination of Geography Texts.” Jo Margaret Mano presented “England’s Proposed Eco-Towns.” Larry McGlinn presented “Associations among GIS Datasets and Habitats” with David Jakim ’09 (Environmental Geochemical Science). Their project has been funded by the campus’s Summer Undergraduate Research program and Hudsonia in Annandale.

NEWS FROM HUMAN RESOURCES

The Office of Human Resources has announced the college’s new hires, promotions and transfers for November. New hires – Classified Staff: Brian Arvanetes (Custodial), cleaner; Elizabeth Bell (Library), clerk; Roseanna Bruno (Custodial), cleaner; Diana Cunningham (Education), secretary; Albert DiBella (Custodial), cleaner; Hush Elworth (Custodial), cleaner; Steven Lettis (Mail Services), supply assistant; Luis Morales (Custodial), cleaner; Alfred Pantojas (Custodial), cleaner; and Steven Rider Jr. (Heating Plant), plant utility helper. Professional Faculty: Catherine Davis (Psychological Counseling Center), senior counselor; Christina Landeta (Residence Life), complex director. Promotions – Classified Staff: Donna Provenzano (Library), clerk; Marie Dunne (Enrollment Management), administrative aide. Transfers – Classified Staff: Susan Buckbee (Anthropology), clerk (on-campus transfer from Psychology); Grace Vernooy (Payroll), calculation clerk (Albany transfer).