HIGHLIGHTS

Nominations Sought by March 10
    The University Senate Executive Committee is requesting nominations from the University community for the positions of Chair Elect and Secretary for the 2000-01 University Senate. The Chair Elect will serve as the faculty representative to the University Council in the 2000-01 academic year and will assume the position of University Senate Chair in 2001-02. The Chair plays an important role in shaping the Senate agenda, leading its meetings, and working with the Executive Committee to form the membership of Senate councils.
    The Secretary of the Senate serves, with the Chair and Chair Elect, as one of the three principal Senate officers, serves on the Executive Committee, plays a key role in the formation of the Senate councils, and reviews Senate correspondence.
    The nominees should have some prior experience on the Senate and/or its councils. Nominations should be forwarded by March 10 to Louis Roberts, chair of the University Senate, through the Senate office, (AD 259). Questions may be directed to Madelyn Cicero at 442-5406, mcicero@uamail.albany.edu. The nominations will be discussed at the March 13 Executive Committee meeting. Elections will take place at the April 3 Senate meeting.

Chemistry Professor Lectured on West African Herbal Medicine
    Rabi Ann Musah, a professor in the Department of Chemistry, lectured on “The Chemistry of West African Herbal Medicine” on February 16 at the Parkwood Restaurant in Clifton Park. The talk was for the Eastern New York American Chemical Society Section meeting. Musah's recent research has been on the isolation, analysis, biological evaluation and structure elucidation of natural products from medicinally important plants. She particularly focuses on those plants used in anti-cancer, anti-HIV, and cancer chemopreventive treatments. She plans to isolate, characterize and synthesize pharmacologically active compounds originating in the rain forest of West Africa.

Albany Pro Musica Appears at Convention
     Albany Pro Musica, under the direction of Artistic Director and Conductor David Griggs-Janower, performed at the American Choral Directors Association Eastern Division Convention on February 19 at the Hyatt Regency in Baltimore, Md.
    Founded in 1981, Albany Pro Musica is a mixed chorus of selected volunteers from seven counties in the Capital Region and surrounding areas.

Fellowships Offered
    The New York State Senate is offering Graduate/Post-Graduate fellowships for 2000-2001 designed to provide talented individuals with an intimate knowledge of New York State government, and to attract these individuals to public service careers.
    The 2000-2001 program begins September 16, 2000 and concludes on July 18, 2001. The application due date is May 5, 2000.
    Applicants must be U.S. citizens currently enrolled full-time (12 credits minimum). In addition they must be matriculated graduate students pursuing advanced degrees in accredited programs, and they must have completed or are about to complete at least two consecutive full-time semesters of graduate study in accredited programs, and have not graduated more than 30 days prior to the application deadline. All academic majors are invited to apply. Class work is prohibited during the full-time fellowship.
    Each fellow receives a fully taxable stipend of $25,000 and is eligible for certain benefits. Fellows are not Senate employees and do not earn vacation or personal leave.
    In addition to Legislative Fellows, the Senate sponsors the Richard J. Roth Journalism Fellowship for applicants who are demonstrably in pursuit of careers in journalism or public relations. A third fellowship, the Richard A. Wiebe Public Service Fellowship, is for individuals who are exceptionally well-suited for placement in a high-level leadership office.
    For application forms and additional information, contact     Professor Joseph F. Zimmerman, Graduate School of Public Affairs, 288 Richardson Hall (Downtown Campus), 135 Western Ave., Albany, N.Y. 12222. He may be reached at 442-5378 or 439-9440, e-mailed at zimmer@cnsvax.albany.edu., or faxed at 442-5298.

    As the University at Albany’s Annual Fund faculty/staff campaign gears up, James T. Fleming reflects on how the Annual Fund helped him help many students over the years.
    Fleming, former dean of the School of Education and a professor in the Department of Reading, says he has personally seen this money give promising doctoral students the extra support needed to conduct their research.
    “When I was dean, these flexible funds enabled me to provide direct assistance to students who otherwise would not have been able to do their research,” said Fleming, who joined the University more than 30 years ago.
    “The contributions we make as faculty and administrators, I think, are what make it possible to provide the best programs.  Working with doctoral students over the years, I find that they need more and better support,” he said, “and the Annual Fund helps us provide that support.”
    Tapping into the Annual Fund for relatively small incremental support for graduate research helps students excel, enriches their educational experience, and eventually impacts their contributions to their disciplines. It also enhances the academic reputation of the University.
    “I remember one individual was able to go to Russia to conduct his research,” Fleming said, “and another student traveled to South America for hers. Several others were able to pursue research in Portugal. That extra bit that allowed this travel and research had to come from private sources like the Annual Fund.  It allows our students to participate in high-level seminars in an international context.”
    Michael Boots, director of Annual Giving, said people may not realize they can give through a payroll deduction of as little as $2 per pay period.
    “As we become less dependent on the state, private gifts are becoming more important,” said Boots. “The state provides 22 percent of the University's operating budget.  The rest comes from other sources, including gifts to the University at Albany Foundation,” Boots said. “Each gift is so important to the Annual Fund. People may not know that when companies and foundations consider giving UAlbany larger gifts, one major criterion they look at is participation by alumni, parents, and faculty and staff.”
    He also pointed out that a donor can target his or her gift to a specific academic area. “The administrator - dean, department chair, program director, whoever - can use these valuable unrestricted funds to meet unanticipated needs or special opportunities, like lecture series and other special programs, or special research grants to graduate students, or acquisition of new equipment,” Boots said. “We call it a ‘Fund for Excellence’ because it really does provide that extra margin of support that allows us to reach for the best.”
    In addition to an Annual Fund goal of $2.1 million for this year, the University is building new chapters of the President's Club in the University’s schools and colleges. President's Club members are Annual Fund donors who have given $1,000 or more.
     Vice President for University Advancement Robert R. Ashton said, “The generous support of faculty is especially heartening because it comes from people who have devoted their professional lives to this University.”
     There are as many reasons to give as there are people, but for Professor Michael Sattinger of the Department of Economics, contributing to the Annual Fund simply means being a part of the University community.
     “I regard payroll donations to the Annual Fund as an easy and natural act that reflects a sense of community at the University,” Sattinger said. “That sense of community includes a common belief in the work of the University, in its contributions to our society and economy, and in the obligations of a public university to students who would otherwise lack the resources and ongoing assistance to complete an education.”
    He continued, “Donations also count as a gift exchange, in recognition of benefits we receive that go beyond the amenities of the workplace. These include access to library resources, performances by students, faculty and visitors to the music and theater departments, valiant efforts by our sports team, exhibits at the University Art Museum, and public lectures by faculty members and visitors.”
    Sattinger concluded, “I also donate to the Annual Fund in the hope that it will encourage donations and contributions from others. It should serve as a signal to faculty, students and taxpayers of our individual dedication to the University, encouraging them to contribute in their own ways to our institution.”
    To make a donation, contact Boots at (518) 442-3038.
 

1998-1999 Annual Fund Gifts from University Faculty and Staff     The University would like to extend sincere thanks to the hundreds of faculty and staff members who contributed to the 1998-1999 Annual Fund campaign and helped propel the fund to an all-time high of more than $2 million. Their generous gifts provided vital, unrestricted funds that directly supported student aid, instruction, research and numerous intellectual, cultural and social programs. While all gifts, regardless of size, reflect the generous and loyal support of our donors, we unfortunately have limited space in this publication.  Please be assured the University is grateful for gifts of all sizes.    The President's Club ($1,000 & Above) Anonymous  Robert R. Ashton  Raymond E. Benenson, Ph.D. Murray R. Blair, Ph.D. Lance F. Bosart, Ph.D.  Carl Carlucci, Ph.D. Christopher F. D'Elia, Ph.D. Vicki J. Dillon '74 Ronald Forbes, Ph.D.  Judy Genshaft, Ph.D. Karen R. Hitchcock, Ph.D. Robert W. Schwartz  Minerva Club ($500-$999) Christine A. Bouchard '73 Richard J. Farrell, Jr., Ed.D. '71 Mary P. Fiess  James T. Fleming, Ph.D.  Vesna Gjaja '72 Richard H. Hall, Ph.D.  Henry G. Kirchner, M.S. '67 Michael J. Sattinger, Ph.D.  Sandor P. Schuman, Ph.D. '79 Paul T. Stec, M.B.A. '81 Carillon Club ($250 - $499) Vincent J. Aceto, Ph.D. '53 Margaret H. Aldrich, M.S. '85 Karl K. Barbir, Ph.D.  Stephen J. Beditz '71 Michael A. Boots  Shai L. Brown '93 Lindsay N. Childs, Ph.D.  Julia M. Filippone, Ed.D. '97 Robert H. Gibson '64 Vincent P. Idone, Ph.D. '77 Karen Kirtley Cecilia A. Lauenstein  Maria Livolsi, M.S. '95 Brian S. MacHerone  James M. Mancuso, M.P.A. '89 Christine H. McKnight  Gregory J. Rickes '72 Kanzellar Sprague, M.S. '96 David S. Strogatz, Ph.D.  Albany Club ($100 - $249) Jennifer Anderson '94 Judith Baskin, Ph.D.  Leslie M. Bassett  Nancy Belowich-Negron  Thomas A. Birkland  Edward B. Blanchard, Ph.D.  Abraham Bolgatz  Deborah A. Bourassa  Carol F. Bullard, Ph.D. Kim Cardillo  Diane Cardone  Audrey Champagne, Ph.D. '57 Sorrell E. Chesin, Ph.D Regina T. Conboy  Michael Condon  Paul A. Cummings, Ph.D. '87 Sharon S. Dawes, Ph.D. '72 Frederick L. Dembowski, Ed.D. Dawn Du Bois  Mark V. Durand, Ph.D.  Janice A. Green  Albina Y. Grignon '71 Sophia R. Hammett  Francis J. Hartigan, M.L.S. '80 Brenda L. Hazard  Megan D. Hyland '92 Kenneth Jones  Kenneth Karlin  Dennis J. Kennedy  Jason N. Ladouceur  Marilyn N. Lucarelli  Lynne M. Macko '95 Susan Maloney, M.B.A. '84 David F. Mason  Roderick W. Mason, M.P.A. '71 Dr. Deborah C. May  Edward A. Mayer  Candace A. Merbler '79 Donald P. Mion '75 Marsha Mortimore  Mary E. Nelligan-Goodman  Noreen M. Normile '93 Susan Palmer  Theresa A. Pardo '82 Diana Paton  Carol A. Perrin  Louis J. Pietrocarlo  Sekharipura S. Ravi, Ph.D.  Charles A. Rogers '85 Eileen Scanlan '90 Mary L. Schimley  Christina Sebastian  Hany A. Shawky, Ph.D.  Kathleen Slusher  Helga Straif-Taylor, Ph.D. '72 Bruce P. Szelest '86 Denise L. Szelest '89 Harriet V. Temps, M.A. '91 Frank J. Thompson, Ph.D. Louise Tornatore '61 Sylvia M. Ulion '75 Dona Marie Whitfield-Owens  Sharon Whiting '73 Nancy J. Wilson      This report reflects gifts received between July 1, 1998 and June 30, 1999.  Contributions received after June 30, 1999 will be gratefully acknowledged in the 1999-2000 report.      In compiling any list of this magnitude mistakes are possible.  We apologize for any misspellings or omissions.  Please contact the Stewardship Office at 442-5884 to inform us of any errors so that we may correct them.  Thank you for your understanding, and most of all for your support of the University at Albany.     This year, many faculty and staff members made gifts in support of capital projects and endowment funds, such as our Campaign for the Libraries and student scholarships.  These contributions ensure the long-term growth and future success of the University. In appreciation and recognition of their gifts, we will publish a list of these donors in a future edition of Update.