Dean's Message
New Initiatives in the College
The semester is already flying by. I want to report two new developments. First, this fall we are launching an exciting new undergraduate fellows program. This program allows students to earn their way to fellow status through enriching the normal plan of study, such as by enrolling in a double major, adding language study, enrolling in honors courses, keeping a high grade-point average, and in other ways. The challenge of completing these extras and maintaining a high grade point average will, we hope, improve the quality of the undergraduate experience, not just for these students but others as well. We’re inviting our new freshmen to participate. Moreover, students admitted to the fellows program, who continue to meet the requirements, will be admitted to the Schreyer Honors College in their sophomore or junior year. Click here to read more about the fellows program. Jack Selzer, associate dean for undergraduate and graduate studies, who deserves much of the credit for developing the program, is working with faculty throughout the College to develop and implement the program. I am enthusiastic about the potential of this new initiative.
Secondly, the College’s climate committee recently submitted a report to me on the College’s atmosphere, based on a survey done of faculty, staff, and students about a year ago. Overall, the survey suggests that most people are comfortable with the climate in the College, but some groups feel less comfortable than others. The committee made several suggestions for addressing specific issues relating to minority students, staff and faculty, as well as faculty in general. Suggestions were also made concerning strategic planning for diversity and better communication strategies to publicize both resources for diversity and avenues to address problems. Click here to read the executive summary of the report. The College’s Administrative Committee and Faculty Advisory Committee will be discussing the report and its recommendations.
With best wishes for a productive semester,
Faculty News
New Hires
African and African American Studies
Lindah Mhando, assistant professor of African and African American studies, received a Ph.D. in sociology from the State University of New York at Binghamton. She joined the department from a position as assistant professor at St. Cloud State University. Specializing in critical race theory, African philosophy, and global feminism, Lindah is the author of Dialoguing Global Peace and Social Justice Among Diaspora, published by African World Press. She is working on a book on Julius Nyerere, the first president of Tanzania, among other projects.
Political Science
Zaryab Iqbal joins us as an assistant professor in political science from a position as assistant professor at the University of South Carolina. She received her Ph.D. in political science from Emory University in 2004. Her primary research and teaching interests are in international relations, particularly international conflict and security. She is currently completing a book manuscript for Stanford University Press on the relationship between war and public health in a cross-national context. This project explores the various mechanisms through which violent conflict affects human security and the well-being of populations.
Christopher Zorn comes to Penn State as a professor of political science. Formerly a visiting scientist and program director for the law and social science program at the National Science Foundation, he joins us from the University of South Carolina, where he was a professor. Prior to working at the NSF, Zorn was the Winship Distinguished Research Professor of Political Science at Emory University, where he taught from 1996 to 2003. An Ohio State Ph.D., his research focuses on law and judicial politics, quantitative methodology, and international politics. He is beginning two large-scale projects, one on decision-making in the federal courts, the other integrating dominance- and proximity-based models in item response theory. He is a past winner of the Edward S. Corwin Award, the American Judicature Society Award, a John M. Olin Foundation Faculty Fellowship, and numerous grants from the National Science Foundation. He is the editor of the journal Political Analysis.
Awards
Jon Nussbaum, Professor of Communication Arts and Sciences and human development and family studies, NCA/ICA Outstanding Health Communication Scholar of 2007.
The 2008 Alumni Association Dissertation Award winners in the College of the Liberal Arts were Susan C. Bobb in Psychology and Nathan Paul Devir in Comparative Literature. The award recognizes excellence in research and scholarship by full-time graduate students. More award information can be found here.
Senate Election Results
Frederick Brown, Paul Clark, Grace Hampton, Brian Hesse were elected to represent the College in the Univrsity Faculty Senate. These faculty represent your views to the Senate. Please let them know of your concerns.
College News
Community Read 2008
Penn State's Department of English, the Center for American Literary Studies, the Institute for Arts and Humanities, and the Penn State University Libraries present Community Read 2008: A Farewell to Arms. The Community Read will feature a number of Hemingway-related lectures and discussions that will take place throughout March and April. All events are free and open to the public. Click here for the Community Read 2008 schedule of events.
Scholarship Applications Online
This semester the College of the Liberal Arts launched its first online scholarship application process. All full-time students with majors in the College of the Liberal Arts at University Park are eligible and encouraged to apply for scholarship funding. The online application serves as the application for all scholarships and awards offered through the College in 2008–2009. Departmental procedures may vary. Applications are due Friday, March 7, 2008.
The Liberal Arts Scholarship Application is available here.
Construction Update
Work on the northwest entrance of Sparks is still underway and, weather permitting, should be complete shortly.
United Way Fund-Raiser Announced
Are you a fan of live comedy? Do you enjoy going out on a Friday evening after a long work week for some laughter, fun, and relaxation? The United Way Committee is pleased to announce the College of the Liberal Arts’ Wise Crackers Comedy Night. The fun starts at 7:00 p.m. Friday, March 28 at the Ramada Inn, State College. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. and everyone 21 years of age or older is welcome to attend. The cost is $14 per ticket. Half of the ticket price will directly benefit the College’s United Way campaign. This could be an annual event for our campaign efforts, but your assistance is needed to make it successful. Please support our fund-raising efforts; gather your family, friends, and co-workers together, buy your ticket, come to the event, and laugh. As they say, laughter is the best medicine. Tickets are available by contacting Betsy Will by e-mail or by phone at 865-6487.
Lunch with Comparative Literature
The Comparative Literature Luncheon is a weekly, informal lunchtime gathering of students, faculty, and other members of the University community. Each week there is a short presentation, usually about 20 minutes, by a visitor or a local speaker on a topic related to any humanities discipline. A schedule is provided below.
Jonathan Eburne is the coordinator for the series this semester. The lunch group meets Mondays in 102 Kern at 12:15 p.m. You can bring your lunch or buy it at Kern Cafeteria next door. Coffee and tea are provided at no charge. The speaker will begin around 12:30 p.m. Including a few minutes allotted for discussion, the lunches conclude in time for classes that meet at 1:25 p.m. All students, faculty, colleagues, and friends are welcome to this free event. More information is available here.
Monday, February 25
Hermann Herlinghaus (professor of Latin American literature and cultural studies, University of Pittsburgh): "Violence Without Guilt: Ethical Narratives from the Globalized South"
Monday, March 3
Ruben Gallo (associate professor of Spanish, Princeton University): Title to be announced
Holocaust Exhibit at Library
An exhibit examining the story of thirteen Jews who escaped from a Nazi death march during World War II will open in March in the Libraries’ Diversity Room. "Anyone Would Have Done That: The Rescue of the Thirteen Jews from Ergoldsbach" (Germany) is sponsored by the Jewish Studies Program, and through the support of the Gene and Roz Chaiken Endowment for the Study of the Holocaust; the departments of Germanic and Slavic Languages and Literatures, Comparative Literature, and History; and the Penn State University Libraries.
The exhibit highlights the rescue of thirteen Jews on one of the death marches from the Buchenwald concentration camp at the end of World War II. While thousands perished, some 200 prisoners reached the small town of Ergoldsbach in Bavaria at the end of April, 1945, and from there thirteen of them managed to escape. They were found by Max Maurer, the local police sergeant, who—contrary to SS orders he had received that morning—did not shoot them on sight. Instead he arranged for a cart to take the emaciated men to a barn belonging to a farmer who was known for her opposition to the Nazis. They were hidden in the hay loft, fed by the farmer Anna Gnadl, and rescued by the U.S. troops the following morning.
John Weiner is the last surviving member of this group and was instrumental in creating this exhibit, which was first shown in Ergoldsbach and Bavarian schools in 2005. Weiner himself weighed fifty-three pounds when Anna Gnadl took him in; he finally left a Regensburg hospital after almost a year.
The exhibit includes various German newspaper clippings from the 1930s translated into English that give some insight into local politics during the Nazi regime. Additional documentation and material will be accessible online, including an interview with John Weiner taped in Sydney, Australia, where he emigrated after the war and became one of the city's best photographers.
The Penn State opening of the exhibit is scheduled for Wednesday, March 19, at 6:00 p.m., in Foster Auditorium. Several of the German organizers from Ergoldsbach and Gerhard F. Strasser, the German coordinator of this exhibit, will be present and will field questions from the audience.
For further information, please contact the Penn State University Libraries exhibit coordinator, Daniel C. Mack or Gerhard F. Strasser.
New State-Wide Organization in Applied Linguistics
On January 26, the Center for Language Acquisition and the Department of Applied Linguistics hosted the initial meeting of the newly formed Pennsylvania Applied Linguistics Consortium. The Consortium, PAALC, represents the major universities in the state with graduate programs in applied linguistics. Along with Penn State, the founding institutions include the University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon, Temple University, the University of Pennsylvania, and Indiana University. The goal of the consortium is to promote research and education in applied linguistics across the state. Among its planned activities are a graduate student conference and colloquium series, a visiting scholars and speakers program, shared research projects, and the establishment of a doctoral dissertation award in applied linguistics. In addition, PAALC expects to serve as a strong advocate for the teaching of World Languages in elementary, secondary, and post-secondary education across the state.
Spring 2008 Commencement
The spring 2008 undergraduate commencement ceremony for the College of the Liberal Arts will be held on Saturday, May 17, at 6:00 p.m. in the Bryce Jordan Center. Faculty at all locations are encouraged to attend the ceremony, as well as their own department reception to be held earlier in the day. More detailed information about the commencement receptions will be posted in upcoming editions of the LA Times and on our commencement Web page.
The Graduate School commencement ceremony will be held on Sunday, May 18, at 5:00 p.m. in the Bryce Jordan Center.
Liberal Arts Parking Hours
If you need to obtain or exchange parking permits, please come to Room 111 Sparks Building, Monday through Friday, from 9 to 11 a.m. and 2 to 4 p.m. only. Please remember to bring your license plate number(s) with you when you register for your permit. Once you have a permit, please be sure you report new or changed license plate numbers to Heather Summerlin by e-mail or by phone at 865-7691. As a reminder, if you are leaving the College, you will need to return your parking permit to 111 Sparks Building.
WebEvents Calendar
The WebEvents Calendar features lectures, talks, and conferences sponsored by the College. If you have something that you would like posted to the calendar for your department, please send entry submissions to Katy Heltman.
Staff News
Staff Awards Reception Scheduled
Please come and support the College staff on Wednesday, February 27 from 3:00–5:00 p.m. in the Boardroom of The Nittany Lion Inn. All recipients for the 2007 staff awards will be honored. The award categories are: our new LASER Award (Liberal Arts Staff Employee Recognition); and recognition will be given to those honored for exceptional performance in the categories of Rising Star, Esprit, and Exceptional Service. In addition, those who have reached the milestone of ten years of College service and thirty years of University service will also be acknowledged. We have some surprises planned for this year, so please save the date and join the fun as we honor our staff. This year’s winners are as follows.
Exceptional Service Award
Tracey Melnick
Esprit Award
Tanya Hockman and Bonnie Rossman
Rising Star Award
Katy Heltman
Liberal Arts Staff Employee Recognition (LASER)
Wendy Clark, Kim Keller, Avis Kunz, Connie Moore, Robin M. Robinson, Brad Winters
Ten Year College Service Award
JoElle DeVinney, Amy Dietz, Ed Dumond, Wendy Fultz, Chris Gamble, Sherri Gilliland, Tanya Hockman, Naomi McNulty, Antonia Mooney, Katelyn Perry, Karen Sones
Thirty Year University Service Award
Sally Arnold, Vicki Blazer, Ed Dumond, Melody Lane, Sandi Lucas
Staff Advisory Committee
The Staff Advisory Committee is busy working on your suggestions and is pleased to announce that we have had two suggestions approved. The LASER program was created to replace the staff awards normally announced in February but the committee felt it important to retain some of the existing awards. Thus, the Rising Star, Esprit, and the Exceptional Service Awards will continue to be awarded each year, and the committee is working on additional incentive programs.
Another suggestion approved will be implemented shortly. This suggestion involved matching a new staff member with an experienced staff member that performs similar duties but perhaps in another department.
The Staff Advisory Committee will be planning a Liberal Arts Family Outing on Sunday, June 29, at a Spikes game. The evening will start with a picnic prior to the first pitch at 6:05 p.m. Details to follow.
For a list of submitted suggestions, status of the suggestions, and to make a suggestion, see the Staff Advisory Committee Web site.
Save the Date for the Spikes
Mark your calendars for a Spikes Game and Liberal Arts Family Outing on Sunday, June 29, when the Spikes take on the Williamsport Crosscutters. The evening will start with a picnic at the Beaver Picnic Area (at the corner of University Drive and Park Avenue) prior to the first pitch at 6:05 p.m. There will be a fireworks display at the ball park following the conclusion of the game.
If you have questions about this event, or would like to help coordinate the picnic and game plans, please contact Christine Laur.
Staff Professional Development Sessions Continue
Many have taken advantage of attending the monthly workshops offered by the LA Office of Human Resources. The workshops are held in Room 124 Sparks from 8:30–10:30 a.m. and offer staff members the opportunity for professional development. Future workshop topics include:
February 20
S.U.M.O. (Shut Up, Move On)
Presenter: Cassandra Kitko, Health Matters
This program will show you six principles for reducing stress.
March 3
Understanding and Valuing Diversity
Presenter: Suzanne Adair, Affirmative Action Office
This is the first of a series of offerings related to diversity topics.
Interested staff members may register by contacting Betsy Will by e-mail or by phone at 865-6487. If you have suggestions for future workshops, please let us know.
Staff Congratulations
Congratulations to Amy Larimer, administrative assistant I, in the Department of Psychology who completed her associate's degree in LAS in December. If you see Amy, please congratulate her on her achievement.
The Staff Administrative Committee previously established an internship program to provide opportunities for staff members who may be interested in pursuing a career as an administrative assistant. The Committee is pleased to announce the latest selections of Christi Daniels from the Department of English for Spring 2008. In addition, from the Department of Psychology staff, Amy Larimer was selected for Fall 2008. If you have the opportunity, please congratulate these individuals on their achievement.
New Colleagues
Lisa Brooks, academic counselor, undergraduate studies
Andrea Crews, staff assistant V, undergraduate studies
Kimberly Johnson, staff assistant V, English
Shawna Michaels, college relations assistant, Alumni Relations and Development
Ryan Wellar, information technology specialist, ITLA
Theresa Wilson, research technologist, anthropology
Anita Woodman, external relations assistant, Alumni Relations and Development
Promotions
Christopher Thomas, IT consultant, ITLA
Margaret Yetter, staff assistant VII, English
Departures
Krista White, staff assistant VII, English
February 2008 Issue
LA Times is compiled by Jennie Daley, Alumni Relations and Development Office, 138 Sparks, 865-8085.
Past LA Times issues are also available on the Web here.
This publication is available in alternative media on request. Penn State is committed to affirmative action, equal opportunity, and diversity of its workforce.
U.Ed. LBA 08-141