Eleven students (10 from New Paltz) have received 14 scholarships to study abroad during the 2009-2010 academic year through the college’s Center for International Programs.

Bruce Sillner, dean of the Center for International Programs, said the number of scholarships received this year is a record-breaking amount.

“We are very proud of the New Paltz students who have been awarded scholarships to study abroad,” he said. “We commend them on their achievements and thank the advising staff of the Center for International Programs for guiding them through the process.”

Students are receiving support from international organizations, the U.S. government, the State University of New York system and the SUNY New Paltz Foundation. The students received scholarships to study in countries around the world – from Europe to Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Each scholarship will help the students fund their study abroad programs or overseas projects.

“We are particularly pleased that four New Paltz students are recipients of the Gilman International Scholarship as the momentum to establish this federally funded program came from New Paltz,” said Sillner.

The scholarship recipients are:

• Ebony Bowens ’10 (Asian Studies), who received a Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, a Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO) Scholarship and a Roger Bowen Scholarship to study in Japan;

• Ahmed Elsayed ’11 (Accounting, International Business), who received a Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship to studying in Egypt;

• Christopher L’Abbate ’10 (Asian Studies, History), who received a Japan Student Services Organization Scholarship (JASSO) to study in Japan;

• Ciara Moffatt ’10 (Anthropology), who received a Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship to study in Tanzania;

• Theresa Steele ’09 (Graphic Design), who received a Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, a J.P. Morgan US/Japan Bridging Scholarship and a Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO) Scholarship to study in Japan;

• Emily Sobel ’11 (Asian Studies), who received a Levin Institute Chinese Government Scholarship to study in China;

• Liam Stephens ’10 (International Business), who received a Levin Institute Chinese Government Scholarship to study in China;

• Elizabeth Cacioppo ’11 (Asian Studies, Political Science), who received a Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO) Scholarship to study in Japan;

• Theodore Svirbly ’12 (Asian Studies, Economics – International Economics), who received a Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO) Scholarship to study in Japan;

• Kerry Steed ’12 (Spanish), who received a Louis and Frances Ricciardi Saraceno Scholarship to study in Spain;

• Veronica O’Keefe ’09 (Philosophy, Printmaking), who received a U.S. Fulbright Scholarship to work on a project in China.

• Hao Jin of Baruch College in New York City received the Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO) Scholarship to study in Japan.

The Center for International Program sends approximately 350-400 students abroad each year and offers services on campus to approximately 600 international students.

Provost Donald Christian arrived at the college on Aug. 1.

Provost Donald Christian is on the path to discovering what makes New Paltz unique.

“I’m really excited to be here and looking forward to helping lead the wonderful academic programs we have here at the college,” he said.

The new provost and vice president for academic affairs arrived on campus on Aug. 1.

In his first few weeks, Christian has met with College President Steven Poskanzer and the campus’s academic deans. Christian has frequently met with his predecessor, David Lavallee, who he described as generous in sharing his insights about the college.. He said the entire campus community has ensured his transition to New Paltz has been seamless.

“The people here have been wonderfully helpful and welcoming and that makes a big difference,” he said.

Christian arrived from Wisconsin – where he was dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire – in early July. He said he has gotten to know his new Hudson Valley home by hiking local trails.

He added that he plans on applying that approach to getting to know the campus community. Once the fall semester gets started, Christian said he will go on “walkabouts” and get to know his surroundings even more.

In addition to getting to know how the campus works, Christian is also looking ahead to building on the academic programs, including developing more opportunities for students to collaborate with faculty on research projects.

Most of all, he is looking forward to having students on campus and will address the Class of 2013 at Fall Convocation this week.

Michael Patterson, director of Student Activities and Union Services (left), and Naomi Voight, keyboard specialist, in the department's new offices in the Student Union.

The Student Union’s Purple Lounge is no more.

In mid-June, the offices of Student Activities and Union Services and the Disability Resource Center relocated to newly renovated spaces. The offices were permanently moved to make way for the building’s 11,000-square-foot addition. The first, second and third floors on the north side of the building are currently undergoing demolition in anticipation of the erection of the new Student Union addition.

The Office of Student Activities and Union Services is now in room 211. All telephone extensions remain the same.

“We’re the same friendly folks,” said Michael Patterson, director of Student Activities and Union Services. “We’re just on the opposite side of the building now.”

The Student Activities and Union Services suite has an open reception area where Naomi Voight and student employees work, as well as four private offices and a storage room.

“Our new reception area is definitely more conducive to students,” said Patterson. “It is much more accommodating for student traffic.”

The Multi-Purpose Room in the Student Union was closed down at the end of the spring semester and into the summer. Patterson said the space will be fully functional by the fall. He advised those thinking of planning an event there to keep in mind the construction noise.

The space once known as the Purple Lounge in January 2009.

The new Disability Resource Center is adjacent to the Student Activities offices. The center has a reception area and three new offices. All telephone extensions for the center and its staff will remain the same.

Meanwhile, a temporary information desk has been set up in the second floor hallway outside of the new offices. The desk will be staffed, but some services – such as Trailways bus tickets – are being offered in the Student Activities office.

Both offices will be hosting open houses in the fall.

The college will have representatives in China and Iceland next year as a graduating senior and a full professor have received grants through the Fulbright program.

Veronica O'Keefe (Printmaking, Philosophy). Photo by Danielle Chery

Veronica O’Keefe ‘09 (Philosophy, Printmaking) has received the graduation gift of a lifetime when she was awarded a U.S. Student Fulbright grant to work on a photography project in northeast China.

“It gives me the opportunity to work on a project that I know I have the capacity to complete, but that I would never have been able to do on my own,” said O’Keefe. “I feel so fortunate to receive this award.”

Beginning in December, O’Keefe will photograph farms throughout the nation over the course of 10 months in order to compose a portrait of China’s farmers. Affiliated with Dalian University of Technology, she will use a medium-format film camera to capture the images.

“Veronica O’Keefe is one of the most outstanding students in the printmaking studio,” said Rimer Cardillo (Printmaking). “She freely moves from one media to another. She is a gifted artist, who is always very professional in completing art works from the original ideas to the end of the project. I know that she will do an excellent job in China.”

He added that there are plans for O’Keefe to display her Fulbright project in our school.

O’Keefe began learning Chinese in the college’s Asian Studies program with where she earned a minor. She is looking to increase her fluency in the language and has applied for a Critical Language Enhancement Award from the Fulbright Program. If she receives the award, she will be leaving for China in August.

O’Keefe, who has a background in documentary photography, said she spent about a year looking into and applying for the grant. She met with former Fulbright scholars, including Jonathan Schwartz (Political Science and International Relations) on campus, and worked with the Center for International Programs and the Institute for International Exchange in New York City.

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program allows for individually designed study/research or an English Teaching Assistantship operates in more than 140 countries.

Sue Books (Secondary Education)

Meanwhile, Sue Books (Secondary Education) will be spending the fall 2009 semester in Iceland as part of the Fulbright Scholars Program. At the Iceland University of Education in Reykjavik, she will be lecturing and conducting a comparative study of school policies as they relate to immigrant students.

“At this point in my career, I am particularly grateful for the opportunity to learn from others, especially those outside the U.S.,” she said. “I am looking forward to teaching in Iceland, to visiting schools, and to learning about the educational system there.”

Books, who has taught at the college since 1993, plans to incorporate information she gathers while in Iceland into a course on comparative education in China, the United States, Afghanistan and now Iceland.

“Although we will miss her for the semester, the School of Education and I applaud Dr. Sue Books in receiving a Fulbright Award to study in the country of Iceland,” said Robert Michael, dean of the School of Education.

Books is the 16th New Paltz professor to receive a Fulbright Scholar Award in the last 24 years.

The Fulbright Scholars Program provides U.S. faculty, administrators and professionals with grants to lecture, conduct research in a wide variety of academic and professional fields, or to participate in seminars.

Public Affairs intern Danielle Chery ‘09 (Journalism) contributed to this article.

School of Business Dean Hadi Salavitabar earned more than $600 in tips as a waiter for the Ulster County Red Cross Heroes Luncheon on April 10 at the Plaza Diner in New Paltz.

Campus community throws support behind RecycleMania competition

The campus began weighing its recyclable materials this month as part of RecycleMania, a national competition among colleges and universities. Chris St. John records the weight of the recyclable material T.J. Fisher (Facilities Operations and Maintenance) holds onto.

Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to participate in RecycleMania, a 10-week, national competition to promote waste reduction and recycling efforts on college and university campuses.

From late January to March 28, the college will report recycling data, which will be weighed on a weekly basis by Facilities Operations and Maintenance staff.

Brian Pine, director of Facilities Operations and Maintenance and the college’s recycling coordinator, said the results will then be ranked according to who collects the largest amount of recyclables per capita; the largest amount of total recyclables; the least amount of trash per capita; or have the highest recycling rate. With each week’s reports and rankings, participating schools watch how their results fluctuate against other schools and their own to rally their campus communities to reduce and recycle more.

The campus first participated in RecycleMania in 2006-2007 under the direction of Alexandria Wojcik ‘07, ‘09g (English).

“I’m excited about this program,” said Pine. “I know that our campus community will embrace this sustained effort, which will improve upon our existing program.”

Chris St. John (Facilities Operations and Maintenance) collects cardboard from the recycling and trash room in Bouton Hall before taking it outside to weigh it for RecycleMania.

Pine also said that participating in RecycleMania is one part of the campus’s larger commitment to The American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment, an institution-wide program that New Paltz became a member of last August.

Pine said the campus community can improve upon its waste stream by reducing waste through improved recycling and closely monitoring what is brought in so that there is less trash to begin with.

Updates on the campus’s involvement in the program will appear on www.newpaltz.edu/green. For more information about RecycleMania, visit www.recyclemania.org or contact Pine at x3322 or pineb@newpaltz.edu.

Biology Department co-sponsoring the Shawangunk winter lecture series

Through Feb. 26, the Biology Department is sponsoring a winter lecture series with the Shawangunk Ridge Biodiversity Partnership. This year’s topic is “Change and Stability: The Shawangunks as a Living Landscape.”

The series combines four lectures in New Paltz and two in Ellenville and is funded by a grant from the Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation of Connecticut. All lectures will be held on Thursdays from 7 to 8:30 p.m. and are free and open to the public. No advance registration is necessary.

The first lecture, titled “How Fire Resets the Forest Clock,” was held on Jan. 22 in the campus’s Lecture Center.

The following three lectures take place on campus in the Lecture Center (room 100 for Jan. 29 and Feb. 5 and room 102 for Feb. 12). The final two events will take place at the Ellenville Public Library and Museum.

The lectures on campus are as follows:

• Thursday, Jan. 22: “How Fire Resets the Forest Clock” with Gabe Chapin of The Nature Conservancy and Rob Mecus, a New York State Forest Ranger.
• Thursday, Jan. 29: ”Local Knowledge/Global Research:  How 100 Years of Shawangunk Data is Helping Answer Global Climate Change Questions” with Ben Cook of Columbia University’s Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory and Paul Huth of Mohonk Preserve’s Daniel Smiley Research Center.
• Thursday, Feb. 5: “Beavers: Nature’s Wetland Engineers or Nuisance?” with Dietland Muller-Schwarze of the College of Environmental Science and Forestry, State University of New York at Syracuse.
• Thursday, Feb. 12: (Lecture Center room 102) “Big Black Birds – Vultures, Crows and Ravens” with Kimberley Corwin of Breeding Bird Atlas, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

For more information, visit www.mohonkpreserve.org/index.php?events or contact Nadia Steinzor of Mohonk Preserve at (845) 255-0919 or Cara Lee of The Nature Conservancy at (845) 255-9051.

Faculty Governance presents spring 2009 meeting schedule

The Faculty Governance meeting schedule for this semester is set.

Academic Senate meetings are held from 3-5 p.m. on Fridays in Jacobson Faculty

Tower room 1010, unless otherwise noted. The meeting dates for the 2009 spring semester are Jan. 30, March 6, April 3 and May 1.

Faculty Meetings will be held from 3-5 p.m. on Fridays in Lecture Center room 102, unless otherwise noted. The meeting dates for the 2009 spring semester are Feb. 13, March 13, April 17 and May 8 from 10 a.m.-noon.

For more information, visit www.newpaltz.edu/governance.

The New Paltz Loop provides free transportation around the Town and Village of New Paltz to students, faculty and staff (who show a college ID). Bus service is provided by two Ulster County Area Transit (UCAT) buses (such as the one seen here).

Connecting the campus and local communities just got a little easier.

The Student Association, college staff and local government worked together to create a free, New Paltz bus loop. Bus service began on Dec. 29. The schedule runs 7:30 a.m.-10 p.m., Monday through Friday. A full schedule will be available at www.co.ulster.ny.us/ucat.

“It is great to see this many entities come together, all working on a project that alone none of us thought we could achieve,” said Ben Olsen ‘09 (Economics, Finance), president of the Student Association.

Bus stops on campus are at Route 32 near the Haggerty Administration Building circle; Huguenot St.; the Student Health Center; and at the Esopus and Lenape residence halls. Stops off campus include: the Trailways bus terminal on Main St.; Shoprite Plaza on Route 299; Stop and Shop Supermarket on Route 299; and New Paltz BOCES.

Students, faculty and staff with a valid college ID can ride for free. Cynthia Ruiz, director of the Ulster County Area Transit (UCAT), said the Student Association subsidizes all student rides and college faculty and staff also receive subsidized fares. The service is being funded by Ulster County, the Village of New Paltz and the Town of New Paltz; the college is paying for gas.

Ulster County Executive Mike Hein said he is very happy about the service, which will benefit the college and the whole New Paltz community.

“This is an example of how the county, towns and the colleges can work together to support the community with shared resources,” he said.

Olsen said he initially got the idea when, as he was running for Student Association president in 2007, he learned that among the key issues students wanted improved on campus was transportation to the surrounding community. Together, with former Student Association president Brian Gold ‘08 (International Relations), Olsen began researching how to acquire bus service for students.

Once he found out that the local community was interested, Olsen connected with John Shupe, assistant vice president for facilities management, and Julie Majak, director of administrative services, to find a company to work with. The group decided to work with UCAT.

Shupe also said he admires the forward-thinking approaches of Olsen and Gold. “The students initiated the project. We just helped to move it along,” he said.

Ruiz was equally impressed. “His (Olsen’s) dedication to the project and his proactive approach to working with the Town of New Paltz and with Ulster County is remarkable,” said Ruiz.

A ribbon cutting ceremony was held on Jan. 9 for members of the campus and local communities. The project is a collaborative project spearheaded by the SUNY New Paltz Student Association under the leadership of Student President Ben Olsen and former Student Association President Brian Gold; SUNY New Paltz; the Town of New Paltz; the New York State DOT and the Ulster County Area Transit (a service of Ulster County). An on-campus event will be held in February.

A ribbon cutting ceremony was held on Jan. 9 at the New Paltz Town Hall with representatives from the college; town, village and county officials; and members of the public. An on-campus ceremony is planned for early February.