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March/April 2006 Issue Faculty Senate Election Results Adminstrative Assistant Interns Selected Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day 2006 
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Changes in the Air As the spring semester flies by, I want to let you know of three important developments, two that I anticipate will have significant benefits for the College. The first is that, as of July 1, Science, Technology, and Society (STS), currently a program in Engineering, will come under the joint administration of the Colleges of Liberal Arts and Engineering. The second involves some enhanced services of the College's Research Office. The third is an especially tight budget situation that is having implications for faculty hiring. Science, Technology, and Society Program Directed by Martin Pietrucha, STS is known largely for its undergraduate curriculum and offers a number of general education courses in the science and society area. Meanwhile, the College also has a strong presence in the science and society area through the activities of faculty who comprise our SMTC (Science, Medicine, and Technology in Culture) program, currently directed by Susan Squier. SMTC has been involved primarily in research, graduate education, and some outreach through lectures and related events. A few years ago, the SMTC came under the umbrella of the Rock Ethics Institute, directed by Nancy Tuana, which also sponsors other science-related programs relevant to ethics. For example, the disability studies program, led by Michael Berube and Janet Lyon and now developing as a minor, was incubated through support from the Rock. Over the past few years, the directors of the Rock, SMTC, and STS have been working together informally, and began to discuss ways of more formal collaboration and linkage. Out of this grew the proposal to move part of the STS administration to Liberal Arts. Our short-term plans are to recruit Liberal Arts faculty in the area of bioethics and environmental ethics who will have tenure homes in STS. The bioethics position, for which we have made an offer that has been verbally accepted, is jointly funded by the Huck Institute of the Life Sciences and the Hershey Medical Center, while the environmental ethics position will be co-funded by the Penn State Institutes of the Environment. Some existing Liberal Arts faculty may desire affiliation with the program as well. Immediate plans are for STS to be the academic home of our new minors in biomedical ethics and disability studies. I anticipate that during the next few years, STS will also develop options or programs that will be open to graduate students who desire training in science, technology, and society issues. As we look to the future, STS will provide a strong institutional base for curricular growth in this important area as well as for a variety of interdisciplinary initiatives. I am delighted to welcome STS into Liberal Arts and look forward to enriched collaboration. New (and Old) Services of our Research Office In view of the financial imperatives going forward, we are also making some enhancements in our research office. Effective July 1, 2006, Alicia Knoedler, currently the proposal development and research consultant in the Department of Psychology, will become the college's collaborative grants development specialist. In addition to her responsibilities in psychology, Alicia will also work with Liberal Arts faculty in all social and behavioral science departments on large collaborative (cross-department and cross-college) proposals that contain significant behavioral or social science components. Many external sponsors are moving toward electronic proposal submission. Additionally, the federal government is in the process of launching their new Grants.gov submission system. With this in mind, now is a good time to get reacquainted with the College's Research Office and take advantage of their expertise in the grants and contracts area. Budget Matters Due to downturns in enrollment at both University Park and the campuses, along with rapidly rising costs in health benefits, the University budget is very tight this year and will be again next year. This translates into larger than usual recycling going from the colleges to central administration. This year, part of our recycling was permanent, and part temporary; next year, we will pay a 2% permanent tax. In anticipation of this, we have cut back our recruitment from our normal levels, though we will still be bringing in around twenty new faculty. Additionally, we are looking for economies in all areas of activity, and departments are doing the same. At the same time, we are emphasizing the importance of generating new revenue, and I am pleased to say that revenue from external funding, continuing education, and philanthropic gifts has increased during the past year. We will need to continue to be aggressive in these areas in order to offset as much of the general funds revenue loss as we can. I appreciate the efforts that departments and faculty are making in these areas. Although all departments do not have the same opportunities for these kinds of revenue, each department has opportunities in at least one area. I expect that these revenue problems are short term; University Park enrollment is structurally very stable, and all indications are that it will return to normal levels next year. The situation at some of our campuses is more fragile, but the campuses are making significant budget adjustments to deal with new enrollment realities. While the budget situation is an important constraint this year, I am confident that our new sources of revenue and greater efficiencies will allow us to continue our progress. Best wishes, Susan Welch Honors Stuart A. Selber, associate professor of English, has received two book awards. His monograph Multiliteracies for a Digital Age (Southern Illinois University Press), was awarded the 2005 Best Book in Technical or Scientific Communication by the National Council of Teachers of English. In addition, his co-edited collection Central Works in Technical Communication (Oxford University Press) was awarded the 2005 Best Collection of Essays in Technical or Scientific Communication by the National Council of Teachers of English. Aldon Nielsen, Kelly Professor of American Literature, was awarded the Josephine Miles prize for multicultural literature in a ceremony on December 2, 2005. The Josephine Miles Awards were "created to honor writers of exceptional works often not acknowledged by the mainstream literary community." Professor Nielsen won the award for his volume Integral Music: Languages of African American Innovation (University of Alabama Press). David Rosenbaum, Distinguished Professor of Psychology, has been elected a Fellow of the Society of Experimental Psychologists. Francis Dodoo, professor of sociology and demography, has been named a Liberal Arts Research professor. Faculty Grants James P. Dillard, professor of communications arts and sciences, from the University of Wisconsin, for “Pulmonary Benefits of Cystic Fibrosis Neonatal Screening.” Robert W. Drago, professor of labor studies and industrial relations and women's studies, from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, for “Who Wants and Gets Flexibility.” D. Wayne Osgood, PI, professor of crime, law, and justice and sociology, and Constance A. Flanagan, professor of agricultural and extension education, from the University of Pennsylvania, for “Time Trends in Attitudes and Values During the Transition to Adulthood.” P.T. Zeleza, professor of African studies and history, from the Ford Foundation, for “Africa and Its Diasporas: Dispersals and Linkages.” Thomas Benson, Caroline Eckhardt, Lovalerie King, B. Richard Page, and Elaine Richardson were elected to represent the College in the University Faculty Senate. These faculty represent your views to the Senate. Please let them know of your concerns. The following College of the Liberal Arts students are the 2005–2006 Evan Pugh recipients. This award is given to students in the upper 0.5% of their respective classes and have a cumulative GPA of 3.98 and above. Kristin Dressner Staff Honors We honored our staff award winners at a reception on February 15 at The Nittany Lion Inn. Congratulations to this year's winners! The Leadership Award recipient was Naomi McNulty, administrative assistant in the Department of Economics. The Career Achievement Award winner was Bonnie Marshall, Coordinator of Volunteer Engagement in the Office of Alumni Relations and Development. The winners of other awards were Esprit, Faye Maring (Alumni Relations and Development); Rising Star, Erin Eckley (Undergraduate Studies); Client Service, Gay Catherman (Economics); and Innovator, Kristie Kalvin (Communication Arts and Sciences and Philosophy). This year's awards committee included Tammy Accordino, Trish Alexander, Amy Bucha, James Dillard, Robin Kephart, Missy Price, Karen Sones, Connie Stahlman, and Betsy Will. Also honored were our ten-year and thirty-year service award recipients, whose names and photos are shown.
Staff Endowment Awards Announced The College is pleased to announce the award recipients from the Liberal Arts Staff and Children of Staff Program Support Fund. Selected as the staff recipients were: Emma Ford, Department of African and African American Studies, Department of Labor Studies and Industrial Relations, and Department of Women's Studies. Emma is working toward her second bachelor's degree and hopes to become a registered nurse. Kristie Kalvin, Department of Communication Arts and Sciences and Department of Philosophy. Kristie is taking credits toward her dual degrees of communication arts and sciences and women's studies and hopes to become an academic adviser. Toni Mooney, Department of African and African American Studies, Department of Labor Studies and Industrial Relations, and Department of Women's Studies. Toni is working toward the completion of her associate's degree and plans to pursue a bachelor's degree in letters, arts and sciences with a focus in the social sciences. The selection committee included Sally Arnold, Marilyn Byers, Robin Kephart, Melody Lane, Denise Surovec, and Betsy Will. From the children of staff portion of the endowment, funds were awarded to the following undergraduate students: Kristin Holsing, daughter of Cathy Holsing (Outreach Office). Kristin is a second-semester student at Behrend in the Health and Human Development College with an undeclared major. Ashley Miller, daughter of Sherri Miller (Sociology/Crime, Law and Justice) who is a seventh-semester marketing major and Randall Moore, son of Connie Moore (Psychology). Randall is an eighth-semester kinesiology major. If you are interested in making a contribution or have questions, please contact Marilyn Byers. Congratulations to the recipients and thank you to all who contributed to make these awards possible. Administrative Assistant Interns Selected During 2005, the Staff Administrative Committee 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 selection of Wendy Fultz from the Department of Anthropology for Spring 2006. In addition, from the Office of Undergraduate Studies staff, Erin Eckley was selected for Fall 2006. If you have the opportunity, please congratulate these individuals on their achievement. Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day, sponsored again this year by the Office of Human Resources and the Office of Educational Equity, will be held on Thursday, April 27. This year, at University Park, more than 45 career sites are participating. This will allow girls and boys in grades 6 through 12 an opportunity to explore career options. The day will begin with breakfast and registration in the South Annex of the Bryce Jordan Center, with welcoming remarks by Terrell Jones, vice provost for educational equity. The students and their mentors then visit their chosen career sites and return to the Jordan Center for a luncheon featuring speaker Chief Diane Conrad, chief of police of Ferguson Township and the first woman police chief in Centre County. Chief Conrad's talk is titled “Nontraditional Career Path.” The cost for the day is $20 per student and mentor pair; there will be an additional charge of $20 for a second mentor. Registration deadline is April 13. For more information: Call Carol Griffin at 863-6188. New Staff Collegues Nicole Arias, staff assistant V, psychology, Child Study Center, Psychological Clinic Promotions Gloria Rhule, associate director, Head Start Program, psychology Tracey Spalvins, research support technologist II, Fast Track/Head Start Programs, psychology Sandra Stewart, associate director, Fast Track Program, psychology Departures Dustin Rhoads, research support associate, Pennsylvania Commission on Sentencing Pablo Rivera, information technology specialist, Liberal Arts Computer Support Services Retirements William Flenner, system design specialist, Liberal Arts Computer Support Services Alice Fogg, manager of facilities, Office of the Dean The WebEvents Calendar features lectures, talks, and conferences sponsored by units within the College of the Liberal Arts and by the College itself. If you have something that you would like posted to the calendar for your department, please send entry submissions to Carol Sonenklar. The following lectures and symposia are listed on the WebEvents calendar. 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 (twenty-minute) presentation, by a visitor or a local speaker, on a topic related to any humanities discipline. Jonathan Eburne (jpe11@psu.edu) and Daniel Walden (dxw8@psu.edu) are the coordinators for the series this semester. We meet Mondays in 102 Kern at about 12:15 p.m. You can bring your lunch or buy a lunch tray in Kern Cafeteria (next door) and bring it into 102. Coffee and tea are provided in 102 (no charge). The speaker will begin at about 12:40 p.m. Allowing a few minutes for discussion, we'll conclude in time for classes that meet at 1:25 p.m. All students, faculty, colleagues, and friends are welcome. Speakers are: March 13, 2006 March 20, 2006 March 27, 2006 April 3, 2006 Francophone Studies Film Series March 16, 2006 The Institute for the Arts and Humanities presents Salman Rushdie. Free and open to the public. Tickets are required. April 11, 2006 April 11, 2006 Health as a Human Right Lecture Series March 20, 2006 March 27–28, 2006 April 10, 2006 Breaking the Silence Lecture Series This lecture, which is part of the Breaking the Silence Lecture Series, is sponsored by the Institute for the Arts and Humanities. The Breaking the Silence initiative is a collaboration of the Africana Research Center, the Richards Civil War Era Center, and the Rock Ethics Institute. The Nazi Doctors' Trial and its Legacy Lecture Series April 3, 2006 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 Michele Aitkin at 865-7691. As a reminder, if you are leaving the College, you will need to return your parking permit to 111 Sparks Building.
LA Times is compiled by Carol Sonenklar, Alumni Relations and Development Office, 13 Sparks, 865-8085. LA Times is also available on the Web here. This publication is available in alternative media on request. Penn State encourages qualified persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you anticipate needing any type of accommodation or have questions about the physical access provided, please consult Michelle Aitkin 814-865-7691 in advance of your participation or visit. The Pennsylvania State University is committed to the policy that all persons shall have equal access to programs, facilities, admission, and employment without regard to personal characteristics not related to ability, performance, or qualifications as determined by University policy or by state or federal authorities. It is the policy of the University to maintain an academic and work environment free of discrimination, including harassment. The Pennsylvania State University prohibits discrimination and harassment against any person because of age, ancestry, color, disability or handicap, national origin, race, religious creed, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status. Discrimination or harassment against faculty, staff, or students will not be tolerated at The Pennsylvania State University. Direct all inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policy to the Affirmative Action Director, The Pennsylvania State University, 328 Boucke Building, University Park, PA 16802-5901; Tel 814-865-4700/V, 814-863-1150/TTY U. Ed. LBA 06-200 |
Dean Welch with Naomi McNulty, Leadership Award winner
Dean Welch with Bonnie Marshall, Career Achievement recipient 
2005 Staff Award Winners 
30 Years of Penn State Service 
10 years of service to the College