To: All Cal U students

From: Interim University President Geraldine M. Jones

It was wonderful to see so many of you in the Convocation Center Thursday for our Spring 2015 Student Convocation.

I believe it is important for you to have factual, up-to-date information about the University issues that affect your education and your campus experience.

I’m also glad to hear your questions and comments, good and bad. Listening to you, face to face, is one of the best ways for me to keep tabs on what our students are thinking.

I understand that not every issue can be resolved in a single session. So let me remind you about some of the excellent services available on our campus:

1. The Office of Academic Success in Noss Hall should be your first stop if you have questions about scheduling or staying on track academically.

The office has five Student Success Facilitators and an entire staff dedicated to your success. There are programs to help with basic study skills, and tutoring is available in the Math Lab, Reading Clinic and Writing Center.

2. The Office of Social Equity in South Hall can assist if you believe you have been treated unfairly because of your race, gender, disability, national origin or membership in another protected class. The office also addresses concerns about sexual harassment and other issues covered under Title IX.

You don’t need to file a complaint in order to talk with someone in the Office of Social Equity. The staff is available to consult on issues of concern, or just to listen.

3. The Wellness Center on the ground floor of Carter Hall supports your physical and mental health and well-being.

Professional staff at the Student Health Center can attend to your health care needs and help you achieve a healthful lifestyle. The Counseling Center advises on ways to make the best personal, social and psychological choices, especially in times of transition. Both centers can make appropriate referrals, as needed.

The End Violence (END V) Center provides education and resources related to sexual violence, intimate partner violence and stalking. And the Wellness Education Center offers programming and consultations on a wide range of issues, from nutrition and body image to STDs, smoking cessation and drug-and-alcohol awareness.

These are just a few of the student services available at your University. We also have services specifically for commuters and non-traditional students, veterans and service members, international students, students with disabilities … and the list goes on. The Cal U website can direct you to the information you need, or you can stop by the Student Affairs Office in Carter Hall, Suite G-35.

As I mentioned at Convocation, you can succeed — and there are many caring people to support you along the way.

I look forward to seeing you and your fellow students again on April 7, when we hold our next Campus Talk!

Meet Interim President Geraldine M. Jones

Audrey-Beth Fitch Women’s Studies Conference
“Stepping Inside the Personal, Public and Political Experience of (Dis)Abilities”
9:30 a.m.-4:45 p.m.
March 17, 2015
Cal U Convocation Center, North Wing

The discipline of Women’s and Gender Studies has begun to include an exploration of disability issues. In an effort to embrace this important change, the 10th annual Audrey -Beth Fitch Women’s Studies Conference focuses on issues encountered by people with disabilities and their family members.

Admission is free. Donations will be accepted to benefit the Autism Society of Pittsburgh. 

Conference schedule

• 9:30-11 a.m.: “The Family Next Door”
  This 83-minute film eloquently tells one family’s story of day-to-day life with four maturing children, two of them on the autism spectrum.  

• 11-11:30 a.m.: Q&A session
  Film director Barry Reese and the film’s “Mom,” Donna, discuss “The Family Next Door” and experiences with the filmmaking process. 
  (Lunch break)

• 12:30–1:45 p.m.: Panel discussion
  Two academics who have researched disability issues join two people who are living the experience. Topics include the impact and importance of self-care for caregivers; the gendered nature of caregiving, and how these expectations can impact men, women, children and families; and the everyday experiences, positive and negative, that arise for parents, caregivers and community members.

• 2–3:15 p.m.:“Square Pegs in Round Holes: Living with Autism in a Social World”
  Well-known speaker Rebecca Klaw shares her insights and leads a workshop focusing on the experience of living with autism and other disabilities. Klaw has trained consultants and direct care staff, teachers and parents in techniques that can drive developmental growth for individuals with autism spectrum disorder. 

• 3:30-4:45 p.m.: “Autism and Poverty”
  Licensed psychologist Dr. Daniel Marston examines how social justice and political issues, such as class/socio-economic status, intersect with disability issues such as autism to affect individuals and families.

Contact us

The public is welcome. Parking is available in the Vulcan Garage, off Third Street near the campus entrance. 

Directions and campus map

For more information, e-mail Dr. Marta McClintock-Comeaux, director of Women’s Studies, at mcclintock@calu.edu.

World Social Work Day
8:30 a.m.-2 p.m.
March 17
Kara Alumni House 

World Social Work Day is an international celebration of social work as a profession and a force for good in the world.

Join us March 17 for California University’s inaugural World Social Work Day event, sponsored by the Department of Social Work.

Event schedule

Kara Alumni House

• 8:30-9 a.m.— Registration and refreshments
• 9 a.m.— Welcome, Dr. Sheri Boyle, Dr. Bernadette Jeffrey and Dr. Thao Pham
• 9:30-11 a.m.— Keynote speaker, Dr. Mohamed Yamba, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and a native of Ghana; followed by a panel presentation by international graduate students

Carter Hall, Room G6

• 11 a.m.-1 p.m.— Potluck lunch and international student poster presentations

Kara Alumni House

• 1-2 p.m.— Closing discussions

Register to attend

Admission to the World Social Work Day event is free, but registration is requested.

To register, e-mail young_e@calu.edu or phone 724-938-5910.

The public is welcome to attend. Parking is available in the Vulcan Garage, off Third Street near the campus entrance.

Directions and campus map

Two Cal U hockey teams are headed to the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) National Tournaments.

Women’s hockey

The women’s hockey team competes in the ACHA Division II National Tournament March 4-8 at the York (Pa.) Ice Arena.

The Vulcans begin by facing the University of Buffalo at 10:30 a.m. March 4.

The Cal U women (10-6-2 overall) are making their fourth consecutive appearance in the ACHA Division II Nationals. In 2014 the team reached the ACHA national semifinals.

They won their second consecutive CHE championship this season. 

Men’s hockey

The CHE men’s I team competes in the ACHA Division III National Tournament March 10-14 at the Pelham (Ala.) Civic Center.

Cal U (22-3-1 overall) begins the tournament by playing Metropolitan State University-Denver at 10:30 a.m. March 10.

This season marks the ninth time in 11 years that the Vulcans will compete at the ACHA Division III Nationals. Cal U won the ACHA national title in 2008 and reached the semifinals in 2011 and 2012.

Keep in touch

Follow the Vulcans on Twitter @VulcansHockey, or look for them on Facebook.

‘The Vagina Monologues’
7 p.m. March 4, 5 and 6
Blaney Theatre

The Cal U Women’s Center marks V-Day, a global movement to end violence against women and girls, with its 12^th annual production of Eve Ensler’s play “The Vagina Monologues.”

Ticket price is $5 for students, $10 for non-students.

Tickets and merchandise are available at the Women’s Center, G45 Carter Hall, and at various table locations on campus.

Proceeds benefit the Women’s Center.

About the ‘Monologues’

Based on interviews with actual women, the play is a series of monologues, each one dealing with a different aspect of the feminine experience. Topics include sexuality, body image, menstruation, rape and female empowerment.

Performances are intended for an adult audience.

Questions?

For more information, visit the Women’s Center in Carter Hall, phone 724-938-5857 or send e-mail to womenscenter@calu.edu.

California University of Pennsylvania Council of Trustees
5 p.m.  March 4 (note new time!)
President’s Conference Room, Old Main

Because of inclement weather, the time for tonight’s meeting of the California University of Pennsylvania Council of Trustees has been changed.

The Trustees will hold their regular quarterly meeting at 5 p.m. in the President’s Conference Room in Old Main Hall.

The meeting is open to the public.

Swimmer Jade Arganbright, a sophomore, will compete in the 200-yard individual medley and in the 100- and 200-yard breaststroke events at the NCAA Division II National Championships. 

The championship competition will be held March 10-14 at the IU Natatorium in Indianapolis, Ind.

Arganbright heads to her first appearance at the Nationals after winning the same three events and being voted the MVP at last month’s PSAC Championship meet. 

Follow the Vulcans atwww.calvulcans.comor on Twitter at @calvulcans

Distance runner Alex Zanella, a junior, will compete in the 1-mile run at the NCAA Division II National Championships March 13-14 in Birmingham, Ala.

The championship competition will be held March 13-14 at the Birmingham CrossPlex in Birmingham, Ala. Zanella will compete in the preliminaries at 4:30 p.m. March 13, hoping to qualify for the finals at 4:15 p.m. March 14.

Zanella competed in the 2014 NCAA indoor national championships as part of Cal U’s distance medley relay team. Earlier this month she was named the Most Outstanding Track Athlete of the PSAC Women’s Track and Field Indoor Championships.

Follow the Vulcans atwww.calvulcans.comor on Twitter at @calvulcans

Planned power outage
7 a.m.-7 p.m.
March 8, 2015 

The Facilities Management Department has scheduled an electrical power outage to take place (weather permitting) from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday, March 8.

This scheduled outage is necessary to repair the Coover Hall electrical feed. It also will affect these buildings:
 
Eberly Hall *
Natali Student Center *
Keystone Hall
Gallagher *
Guesman Hall *
Building E *
Morgan Hall
Noss Hall *
Steele Hall *
Coover Hall
Convocation Center *
Watkins
Vulcan Hall *
Old Main
South Hall
New Science Hall
Pollock *
Helsel Hall
Hamer Hall *
 
All buildings marked with an asterisk (*) have emergency backup generators that will provide emergency lighting in most public areas.

Questions?

Contact the Facilities Management Department at 724-938-4410 with concerns or questions about this outage. 

Cal U’s student chapter of The Wildlife Society will host its 18^th annual Outdoor Bash and Wild Game Dinner at 6 p.m. March 21 at the Richeyville Volunteer Fire Hall in Richeyville, Pa. Doors open at 5 p.m.

In cooperation with the Pennsylvania Game Commission and the National Wild Turkey Federation Local #1, the chapter will offer a variety of game dishes, such as deer, elk, bear, pheasant, rabbit, wild turkey, duck and goose, alligator, steelhead and more.

Side dishes, desserts and drinks are also on the menu. Raffle and door prizes will be awarded throughout the evening.

Ticket price is $15 in advance or $20 at the door.

This fundraiser allows member of the Cal U chapter of the Wildlife Society to participate in hands-on workshops and attend conferences, where members are able to network with wildlife biology professionals.

To purchase tickets in advance, e-mail club adviser Dr. Carol Bocetti at bocetti@calu.edu or contact any Cal U student member of The Wildlife Society.

The Wildlife Society — a professional community of scientists, managers, educators, technicians, planners and others who work to study, manage and conserve wildlife and habitats worldwide — is celebrating its 78^th anniversary this year. 

Cal U’s PSAC champion women’s basketball team has earned the top seed and will host the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional March 13, 14 and 16 in Hamer Hall.

Under the direction of fourth-year head coach Jess Strom, the Vulcans (26-4) will play eighth seed Virginia State (20-9) at 7:30 p.m. March 13.

In other first-round games on March 13, third-seeded Bloomsburg (24-4) will play sixth-seeded Gannon (21-7) at noon, followed by second-seeded IUP (25-3) facing seventh-seeded Shepherd (21-9) at 2:30 p.m. Fourth-seeded West Chester (24-5) plays fifth-seeded West Liberty (23-8) at 5 p.m.

The Atlantic Regional semifinal games will be at 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. March 14, with the championship game set for 7 p.m. March 16.

The winning team will advance to the NCAA Division II “Elite Eight” National Championship Tournament, to be held March 24-27 in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Cal U is making its 12^th NCAA Division II Tournament Appearance in 14 years. The Vulcans have won four NCAA Regional championships, and they took the NCAA Division II national title in 2004.

Regionals feature 9 Pennsylvania schools

Nine universities from Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education— including the top-seeded women’s team from Cal U — will compete this weekend at the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional basketball championships.

California University of Pennsylvania and Westmoreland County Community College signed an agreement March 6 that will allow students enrolled at Cal U to complete the diploma or associate degree they began at WCCC.

This is the first reverse transfer agreement between California University and any community college.

It benefits students who earn college-level credits at WCCC but transfer to Cal U before completing the requirements for a community college diploma or an associate degree. 

Credits that transfer students have earned while working toward their bachelor’s degree will be sent back to the community college and evaluated for possible credit toward the completion of the associate degree requirements. 

Are you eligible?

To be eligible for the reverse transfer program, a Cal U student must meet these requirements:

• Transferred to California University with WCCC as the last school attended.
• Earned a minimum of 15 credits (excluding developmental courses) at WCCC.
• Earned a minimum 2.00 grade-point average in program courses at WCCC.
• Attended WCCC within the past five years.

Benefits of completing an associate degree

An associate degree is:

• A marketable credential. Because employers value the degree, you may be able to land a better job, or advance your career, while completing your bachelor’s degree.
• An educational milestone. Being recognized for completing a two-year degree may encourage you to stay on track and finish your four-year degree.

Learn more

Cal U students may contact the Office of Articulation and Transfer Evaluation in Dixon Hall, Room 210; visit www.calu.edu/transfer, call the office at 724-938-5939 or e-mail transfer@calu.edu. 

WCCC students may contact Robert Wright, counselor/associate professor, at wrightr@wccc.edu or 724-925-4282.

Visitor parking

For visitors, a parking fee of $5 will be in effect for ALL campus parking areas from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday, March 14. Payment at lot entrances must be made in cash. Drivers who wish to pay by credit card will be directed to the Vulcan Garage. 

Please look for signs on campus.

Attendants will help to direct guests to campus parking for:

• GLCC Allegheny National Championship cheer and dance competition, in the Convocation Center.
• Wild About Dance competition, in Steele Hall.
• NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional women’s basketball tournament, in Hamer Hall.

Individuals assigned to work at one of these events will be issued Event Staff permits by either Conference Services or the Athletic Department.

Campus permit holders

Campus parking permits will be honored on Saturday, March 14. However, because of the many events on campus, drivers may not be able to park in their designated lot.

If you are unable to park in your designated lot, campus permit holders should got to Lot 2 (in front of Dixon Hall) and ring the "help" button. You will be permitted to park in this lot on Saturday, March 14 only.

Campus traffic

With the exception of Mid-Mon Valley Transit Authority buses, there will be no through-traffic on Third or Hickory streets on campus. 

Directions and campus map

‘Joyfest’
7 p.m. March 21
Steele Hall Mainstage Theatre

Cal U’s own Young & Gifted Gospel Choir performs with award-winning gospel music artist Maurette Brown Clark when the Department of Music presents this year’s Joyfest gospel concert.

The performance also will feature the Heritage Gospel Chorale of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Gospel Choir and Clarion University Gospel Choir.

The free event is open to the campus community and to the public.

Directions and maps

Cal U’s 10^th annual Hip-hop Conference explores “The Role of Hip-hop and Social/Political Activism” with these events:

“Exploring the Legacies of the Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act Through the Lens of hip-hop — 50 Years Later”
6 p.m. March 26
Morgan Hall auditorium

Keynote panel members are: [LINKS go to speakers bio page, provided]

• Rakim, a hip-hop pioneer votes “greatest MC of all time” by Source magazine
• Dead Prez, socio-politcal hip-hop icons
• Anika Tillery, foster care supervisor from Brooklyn, N.Y.

“From the Front Lines of Ferguson, Mo. – The Death of Michael Brown and the Response of Black Communities, Black Athletes and Hip-hop”
1 p.m. March 27
Carter Hall Multipurpose Room

Panel members are:

• Dr. Stefan Bradley, protester and director of African American Studies at St. Louis University
• Dr. Vernon Mitchell, a St. Louis native and a visiting scholar at Princeton University
• Alicia Sange, protester and student at St. Louis University

Moderator for this panel is Dr. Timothy Konhaus, assistant professor at Penn Highlands Community College. 

Students from Propel Schools, in Pittsburgh, will attend this panel after touring the campus and meeting with members of Cal U student organizations, University administrators and interim President Geraldine M. Jones.

“A Tale of Three Cities: Hip-hop, Music and Culture”
2:30 p.m. March 27
Carter Hall Multipurpose Room

Panel members are:

• Dr. Treva Lindsey, assistant professor of Women’s Studies, Ohio State University
• Rev. Earle Fisher, doctoral student, Rhodes College
• Dr. David Canton, professor of history, Connecticut College 

Moderator for this panel is Cal U student Shylynn Prentice.

Hip-hop Day of Service
9 a.m.-1 p.m. March 28
Kingsley Center
6435 Frankstown Ave., East Liberty, Pa.

Cal U’s Hip-Hop Conference Planning Committee gives a presentation on “Historic Youth Activism” at the Carter G. Woodson Academy, a Saturday Academy designed to enrich the educational pursuits of young people ages 6-18.  

The academy’s 11-week program offers courses in arts, history and STEM (science, technology, engineering and math).

Join us

All Hip-hop Conference events at California University of Pennsylvania are free and open to the public. 

Visitor parking is available in the Vulcan Garage, off Third Street near the campus entrance.

Directions and campus map

Problem Gambling Conference
9 a.m.-4 p.m. April 2
Cal U Convocation Center

With support from the Washington County Drug and Alcohol Commission, California University of Pennsylvania presents its second annual conference addressing treatment and prevention of problem gambling.

The daylong educational and community outreach program explores the issue of problem gambling, discusses prevention and treatment strategies, and highlights available resources. 

The conference is designed for service professionals who address addiction, as well as anyone who has a friend or family member who struggles with problem gambling.

Conference speakers

Presenters are:

• Dr. John D. Massella, assistant professor and a licensed clinician who practices at the Cal U Counseling Center. [LINK to speakers page]
• Dr. Emily Sweitzer, professor of the Department of Modern Languages, Philosophy and Socio-Cultural Studies.
• Dr. Susan Ryan, associate professor of the Department of Earth Sciences 
• Robert Mehalik, Cal U’s alcohol and other drug (AOD) education specialist.  [LINK to speakers page; ADD info there if he provides a bio]
• Timothy Phillips, director, Westmoreland County Drug and Alcohol Prevention.
• Rueben Brock, Frederick Douglass Institute Visiting Scholar and assistant professor of the Department of Psychology.
• Tammy Taylor, prevention supervisor, Washington County Drug and Alcohol Commission.

Register now

Seating is limited. Registration is required by March 27. 

Register on OrgSync to guarantee a space.

The conference is approved for six (6) Continuing Education Units for LPC, LSW, NCC, PCB, ACT 48 and APA (pending).

Contact us

For more information, e-mail Donna George, AOD coalition coordinator for Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education, or call her at 724-938-5515.

A new edition of the Cal U Journal is available online. The latest headlines include: Despite snow, robots heat up Convocation Center; Students applaud airman at Convocation; Conference speakers address security gaps; Cal U, WCCC sign transfer agreement. Read the Journal online today.

Dr. Caryl Sheffield’s Last Lecture
3:30 p.m. March 31
North Wing, Cal U Convocation Center

As she prepares to retire after almost 30 years as a student, faculty member and administrator at Cal U, Dr. Caryl Sheffield caps off her distinguished academic career by delivering a multimedia “last lecture.”

Sheffield, an associate provost/associate vice president in the Office of Academic Affairs, looks back on her personal journey, as well as her career, within the historical context of the ongoing quest for racial, gender and social equity, especially during the 1950s and ’60s.  

About Dr. Sheffield

The granddaughter of a man who was lynched in southern Georgia in 1915, Sheffield grew up with 20 siblings in a family that stressed the value of education.

She attended the March on Washington in 1963, took part in campus protests in the ’70s, and spent six months in 2000 as a Fulbright Scholar at the University of the West Indies Institute of Education in Kingston, Jamaica.

Sheffield joined the faculty at California University in 1991, and was chair of the Department of Early, Middle and Special Education from 2002-2012.

She has been active with the Frederick Douglass Institute at Cal U and with the President’s Commission for the Status of Women, among other professional endeavors.

The Frederick Douglass Institute recently honored her by establishing the Dr. Caryl Sheffield Faculty Excellence Award, to be presented to faculty who exemplify excellence in teaching and mentoring.

Join us

The lecture is free and open to the entire campus community, as well as to the public.

Visitor parking is available in the Vulcan Garage, off Third Street near the campus entrance.

Get directions