UAlbany Announces Two Goldwater Scholars
Two University at Albany Presidential Scholars, Amma F. Agyemang of Albany, a biochemistry/molecular biology major, and Peter S. Kutchukian of Castleton, a chemistry major, have won 2001 Goldwater Awards.

Amma aims to earn an M.D. in infectious diseases, and a Ph.D. in biochemistry/molecular biology with the long-range goal of pursuing a position at a medical school and conducting research and treatment for infectious diseases.

Peter’s goal is to earn an M.D./Ph.D. in infectious disease and medicinal chemistry. His long-range career goal is to conduct research in the pathogenesis of viral diseases and development of novel treatments.

Alain Kaloyeros, the Goldwater program faculty representative, said, “The Barry M. Goldwater awards are a glowing testimony to the national caliber and high-level scientific competitiveness of the University’s faculty and students. The success of both applications provides yet another example of the success of President Hitchcock’s pioneering vision and long-term strategic outlook for the University.” David Shub and Rabi Musah, mentors to the award winners, deserve special thanks.

Each year, the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation awards these prestigious scholarships, in the amount of $7,500 per year, to approximately 300 students across the country majoring in the sciences, mathematics, and engineering.

Criminal Justice, Public Administration in Top 10
By Lisa James Goldsberry
The University at Albany’s School of Criminal Justice and Department of Public Administration are among the top 10 in the nation, according to U.S. News & World Report’s annual rankings of “America’s Best Graduate Schools.”

UAlbany’s School of Criminal Justice was ranked No. 4 and the Department of Public Administration was ranked No. 8, up from No. 11 last year.

“The strong ranking testifies to the fact that Rockefeller College is one of the premier places in the country to study public administration, policy, and government,” said Frank Thompson, dean of the Nelson A. Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy. “Rockefeller College is in the top 5 percent of such schools across the nation year after year. Our programs attract fine faculty and students from all over the world and address national and global issues, but we feel a special commitment to engaging the needs of the Capital District and New York State.”

The Albany School of Criminal Justice became the first Ph.D.-granting program in the field to follow a program design now known as “The Albany Model,” which is emulated across the country. The school is committed to the interdisciplinary study of criminal justice. The major emphasis is on sophisticated research on crime measurement and causation, as well as research into questions of appropriate and effective methods of crime control in a democratic society.

The public administration and policy program offers an array of specialties from public finance to information management, to democracy and administration.

Students have opportunities to supplement their knowledge with internship experiences in the Capital Region or in Washington, D.C.

The results appeared in the 2002 America’s Best Graduate Schools guidebook. The current issue of U.S. News contains select rankings. The guidebook, with all the rankings and other features, is available, as well. The rankings and articles from “Best Graduate Schools” can also be found at U.S. News Online (http://www.usnews.com).

The rankings are one of many important criteria students consider when choosing a graduate school. U.S. News first ranked graduate schools in 1987 and has done so annually since 1990.

Many Westchester County Graduates Attend University at Albany
By Lisa James Goldsberry
With several of its schools ranked among the best in the nation and more than 100 degree programs, the University at Albany is frequently the destination of many exceptional high school students. Not surprisingly, The New York Times recently cited UAlbany as the second most popular choice for high school graduates in Westchester County.

In a survey of 27 high schools by the Westchester section of the Times, it was found that last year, 129 students from the county attended Albany, which is second only to Westchester County Community College.

The article listed various reasons for the University’s popularity, ranging from its affordability to its metropolitan location.

“Westchester County has some of the best public and private high schools in the country and many outstanding graduates,” said Harry Wood, director of undergraduate admissions and recruitment at UAlbany. “We are fortunate to attract the interest of enthusiastic students who are drawn to the many highly regarded programs at Albany. Many of these students have gone on to distinguish themselves here and in graduate schools and professional programs.”

EOP Hosts Reunion
May 4-6
The weekend of May 4-6 will be a time of celebration for UAlbany’s Educational Opportunities Program as it welcomes back its alumni for a weekend of information sharing, reminiscing, and re-establishing ties with the University and its current EOP student body.

The weekend will begin with an evening reception Friday, May 4, and will run through Sunday afternoon, May 6. This reunion is open to all EOP alumni from 1968-2000. Information, registration materials, and fee information can be downloaded off the University’s Web page, www.albany.edu, or one may call the EOP office at (518) 442-5180.

Thank you

President Hitchcock wishes to thank each and every UAlbany community member who worked the fifth annual Spring Clean-Up to help beautify our campuses for Commencement.

The turnout of volunteers far exceeds the numbers from past clean-up days and helps to assure the campus grounds will be in top condition for Commencement Weekend, May 19 and 20. A list of Clean-Up Day volunteers, as well as photographs of the fun had by everyone, will be available soon on the University Web site.

Bread and Roses Winners Announced

This year’s Bread and Roses Award winners are: Diane Cardone, Librada Pimentel-Brown, and Harriet Vincent Temps. Winners were announced yesterday during a reception at the UAlbany Campus Center Assembly Hall. Guest speaker for the event was Mary Frances Berry, chair of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, who spoke on the topic of “Race, Gender: The Enduring Paradox.”

The awards are given annually by the Council of Women’s Groups in order to honor men and women who have made extraordinary contributions on behalf of gender equity and/or enhanced the quality of life for women at the University. The name of the award recalls a slogan coined by union women at the beginning of the century. Striking for shorter workdays and vacation benefits as well as a decent workplace and higher wages, these women called not only for “bread,” or adequate pay, but also for “roses,” for a better quality of life.

The New York State Writers Institute was mentioned in an article from the April 16 issue of the Omaha World-Herald. Titled “Poetry Month is Romantic,” it listed several poetry readings for National Poetry Month. One of the poets listed was John Montague, who was identified in the article as a distinguished professor in the New York State Writers program at UAlbany.

William Rainbolt of the journalism program was quoted in an article from the April 13 edition of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. In an article titled “Media Watch: The Many Deaths of Great Journalism,” he shared his expertise on images of journalism in literature and film that portray the threat of greedy owners against good journalism or the damage that sensation-hungry reporters can do to the lives of those they cover.

Martin Fogelman of the School of Business was quoted in an Associated Press article on office politics and courtesy. In the article, he noted that businesses hesitate to specifically ban political discussion. The article was picked up by several newspapers, including The Detroit News, The Honolulu Advertiser, and USA Today.

The April 16 editions of both U.S. News & World Report and Newsweek magazines featured information and statistics on the census compiled by the Lewis Mumford Center. Newsweek’s article was titled “A Nation of Many Millions…of Divisions,” and the article in U.S. News was titled “Equal but Separate.”

Master Plan
Spring Progress
By Mike Boots

New Administration Building: The new Administration Building is through the concept design phase and currently in schematic design. The schematic design defines the specifics of the building’s space, including the sizes of offices and locations of walls, entrances, and windows. The new building will be the “entrance” to our campus, and will be located between State Quad and the podium, where the pay lot is currently located. This building will be off-center from the podium with the option to build a mirror image on the west side one day, nearer to Colonial over the old administration parking lot.

Smart Classrooms: Draper 316, a classroom on the Downtown Campus, will soon have a new face. This classroom is being converted into two spaces; one for 48 students and the other for 20. Each room will be electronically equipped with “smart classroom technology.” The room will be designed so that both spaces can be opened up into one large space by way of a retractable wall. Draper 316 renovations are scheduled to be complete by September 2001.

Library Upgrades: The Dewey Library will have new overhead lights installed this summer. Half the existing chandeliers will be replaced with modern versions. The new ones will have the capability of being automatically lowered for maintenance purposes. The other half of the lights will be replaced in the summer of 2002. The third floor of the main library will have new carpet installed this summer. This will complete the carpeting of the public spaces in the main library.

UAlbany Helps Tackle Racism
The School of Social Welfare is involved with a coalition of Albany County leaders that is seeking to overcome racism by encouraging a dialogue among people in small discussion groups.

Oscar Best, an assistant dean in the School of Social Welfare at UAlbany, is a member of the Tackling Racism in Albany County (TRAC) organizing committee. The organizing committee is made up of participants from county, town, and city governments; churches, synagogues, and religious organizations; civic groups; and police departments in Albany and Colonie.

“The School of Social Welfare is supporting TRAC in two specific ways,” said Best. “First, in keeping with President Hitchcock’s intent to sustain active ‘engagement’ between the University at Albany and the community, the School of Social Welfare is a full partner in the consortium of civic, community, religious, and public agencies and organizations that is promoting the ‘study circles’ initiative in Albany County. The School of Social Welfare has participated in every phase of the planning and implementation of ‘study circles’.”

In addition, the School of Social Welfare is assisting TRAC in assessing the impact of dialogues on racism and race relations by conducting an evaluation of ‘study circle’ participant attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors. TRAC organizers have already begun to seek public and private support for the expansion of the ‘study circles’ model throughout Albany County and are anxious to provide concrete evidence of effectiveness. “By applying the University’s resources in this fashion, we (UAlbany) are truly engaged with our neighbors,” said Best.

The idea for TRAC came from a state League of Women Voters project to identify issues in the criminal justice system. This project also used the ‘study circle’ method. In this method, participants work in groups of eight to 12 people, meeting once a week for five weeks, following published guides. In discussions, those participating are encouraged to explore their beliefs about people from other racial backgrounds, while thinking about how to build connections.

The TRAC organizing committee has tapped five ‘pilot groups’ to serve, hoping some of those participating will later facilitate other groups when a countywide program starts this month.

Best, who said he has made friends through his study circle, encourages others to join. “In those five weeks, I can’t tell you how much you will learn about yourself, as well as others,” he said.

Update on the Sweatshop Labor Task Force
The University at Albany Sweatshop Labor Task Force has worked diligently for a year to create a Statement of Principles for Workers Rights. Katharine Briar-Lawson, chair of the Task Force on Sweatshop Labor, said that the adoption of these principles will help to guide the treatment of workers producing goods bearing the University at Albany design, trademarks, etc.

The University at Albany is currently engaged in the selection of a new licensing contract to act on its behalf in the licensing of University designs and trademarks. All bidders will be expected to demonstrate how they would implement the Statement of Principles for Workers Rights. A new licensing contract is expected to be selected before the Fall 2001 term begins. Several student members of the Task Force will work with the selection committee during the summer.

The Task Force is fostering educational initiatives, including the introduction of a new major and minor in globalization and social justice.

Daniels Awarded Fulbright Senior Fellowship
Thomas Daniels, a full professor in the Department of Geography and Planning since August 1998, and director of the master’s program in planning, was awarded a Fulbright Senior Fellowship to conduct research and teach in Australia at the University of New South Wales, in the Faculty of the Built Environment. Beginning in 2002, he will use the award to conduct comparative research on sprawl, the spread of urban and suburban development into the countryside, in Australia and the United States. This is a continuation of the work he did in his latest book, When City and Country Collide, (Island Press, 1999).

Daniels will also be teaching metropolitan area planning at the same university. In addition, he hopes to attend several conferences, including the Australia-New Zealand Planning Conference and an Australian national conference on farmland preservation.

The New Library’s Latest Award
The new library adds the New York Construction News’ 2000 Award of Merit: Institutional Project plaque to its already highly decorated reputation. With the help of RGA Architects and Planners, the University at Albany’s new library has received a tremendous amount of recognition for its striking design and presence.

CTG Report
Theresa A. Prado directed the Center for Technology in Government’s Opening Gateways: A Practical Guide for Building Electronic Records Access Programs Project. The release of this report, which accessed the varied and synergistic talents of an international group of experts, further demonstrates the CTG’s effective leadership and ability to continuously produce highly commended publications.

New Employee Relations Associate
New University Employee Relations Associate Deb Shannon is coordinating staff training directions and working on labor relations issues. A native of England and graduate of the University of Rochester, she joined the Human Re-sources office in January after acting as director of human resources at Fleet Bank and Good Samaritan Lutheran Home.

Agee Wins Division K Research Award
The 2001 Division K Research Awards Committee presented Professor Jane Murray Agee of the School of Education’s Department of Educational Theory and Practice the American Educational Research Association Kappa Delta Pi/ Division K Research Award at its annual business meeting in Seattle in April. This award is given to a young researcher who has published a body of work on teaching or teacher education. Agee submitted three articles and a book chapter that focus on teaching and teacher education in secondary school English.

Committee on University and Community Relations
Thomas L. Gebhardt, the director of Personal Safety and Off-Campus Affairs, was a guest speaker at the 2001 annual statewide training and meeting conference of the Arizona Institutions of Higher Education Substance Abuse Prevention Consortium, held in Phoenix on March 30. As chair of the Committee on University and Community Relations, he presented strategies on how to manage and successfully build a campus and community coalition against drug and alcohol abuse.

The University at Albany and the Committee on University and Community Relations’ efforts to control drug and alcohol abuse were recognized in two national publications last fall.

The Catalyst - a publication of the Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention - highlighted the University of Arkansas’ use of Albany’s “hang tag” initiative. The tags were set in place to educate students, on and off campus, about alcohol use, noise and crowd control, and how to combat alcohol and drug issues.

The Strategizer is a publication developed by Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Education. They dealt with the question of “Do Campus and Community Coalitions Work?” by highlighting the committee’s “Cooperating Tavern” program.

The committee launched a campaign to improve enforcement of local laws and ordinances in the early 1990s. Its 1995 “Cooperating Tavern” program incorporated a Tavern Owner Advertisement Agreement that was developed with a representative of the Empire State Restaurant and Tavern Association, as well as the owners of 14 local bars and restaurants in surrounding student neighborhoods.

The owners’ agreement is on a voluntary basis and those participating can display the “Cooperating Tavern” logo in their windows and on their advertisements. When developing their advertising, they agree to follow a set of guidelines: to include statements asking their customers to act in a civil manner and respect local residents and property; to emphasize the legal drinking age and its enforcement; to avoid language or illustrations that encourage irresponsible drinking; and more promotion of nonalcoholic beverages and food specials.

Through both Gebhardt’s efforts and the committee’s, the number of alcohol- related incidents on and off campus has decreased over the past few years.

Appointments
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Carlos Santiago has announced the appointment of Robert Gibson as registrar. Gibson, a UAlbany alumnus, joined the University in 1966 as an academic adviser. He was director of the Advisement Services Center prior to becoming interim registrar in January 1999.

Gibson’s responsibilities in the Registrar’s Office have included implementing a new degree audit reporting system for all undergraduate programs and majors, and working with the Student Administration Implementation Team for the Integrated Administrative Systems project. Currently president of the SUNY Registrars Association, he is also a member of the Hudson Mohawk Association of Colleges and Universities’ Registrars Committee.

Active in University governance throughout his career, Gibson, onetime chair of the University Senate, has served on most UAlbany councils and committees. He has received the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Administrative Services and the President’s Undergraduate Leadership Award, as well as honors from the Student Association and University Action for the Disabled.

Jeffrey Collins has been named director of Graduate Studies. He joined the University in 1972 and has been associated with the Office of Graduate Stu-dies since 1976. Collins, who accepted the Graduate Stu-dies interim director post in 1998, has spent the past year functionally restructuring the office to incorporate the advantages of PeopleSoft. “Our goal is to help the academic programs/departments meet their enrollment targets by getting them information more quickly,” he noted. “We are moving toward giving them direct on line access to the application information.”

Steven Thomson, interim director of the Office of International Education since August 1999, has been appointed director. In that capacity, he oversees the study abroad and exchange programs for UAlbany students, services to international students who come to the University to study, and intensive English language training.

Under Thomson’s supervision, the Office of International Student Services merged with the Office of International Programs, creating the Office of International Education. In November 1999, the Intensive English Language Program joined the Office of International Education.

John Downey was named director of the Advisement Services Center/Undergraduate Studies (ASC/US), effective last December. After joining the University as ASC/US associate director in 1998, Downey oversaw training, and supervised several academic advisers, while continuing to advise students. As director, he manages Advisement Services Center operations, supervising two associate directors, an assistant director (pre-law adviser), and the pre-health adviser. Downey, a former assistant dean at the University of Richmond, will also continue to advise students and provide leadership training.

Dawn Kakumba has been appointed to the position of assistant director of ASC/US. Kakumba, a UAlbany alumna, has served as an academic adviser since 1987. As assistant director, she continues to interact with students, perform her duties as pre-law adviser for the University, and supervise two other advisers.

Philippe Abraham has also been appointed ASC/US associate director. Employed at ASC/US since 1989, he was senior academic adviser until two years ago, when he was promoted to assistant director. Abraham’s functions include advising students, serving as academic coordinator of orientation, and supervising four staff members.

Doctoral Student Wins Thayer Award
Steven Hartman, a UAlbany doctoral student, has won the prestigious Thayer Fellowship. The $7,000 Thayer Fellowship in the Arts is given to creative and performing artists as they graduate from the State University of New York to establish professional careers.

“The Thayer Fellowship helps the State University’s most gifted artists make the transition between campus study and a life in the arts,” said Chancellor Robert King. “This substantial award has helped launch the careers of talented musicians, actors, choreographers, and writers during the past 15 years.”

Hartman said, “The Thayer Fellowship will help me finish my story collection and novel, which need several months of focused work.” He plans to apply for residence in an artists’ colony.

A native of New York’s Southern Tier, Hartman is completing his first novel about a fictionalized Upstate New York community, In Another Place: Tall & Small Tales from Webb Mills. He is also working on a short story collection, The Desert Never Ends and Other Stories.

Hartman has worked as a graduate assistant at the New York State Writers Institute at UAlbany. The institute was founded by Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist William Kennedy, author of novels set in Albany which include Ironweed, Billy Phelan’s Greatest Game, and the Flaming Corsage.

“The main reason I came to Albany was because of Bill Kennedy and the way he treats place in his novels,” Hartman said. “I’m trying to capture the essence of place.”

Kennedy recommended Hartman for the Thayer award, as did SUNY Oswego alumna Alice McDermott, 1999 National Book Award winner for her novel, Charming Billy.

The Thayer fellowships were established in 1985-86 by the late Walter N. Thayer, chair of Whitney Communications, New York City, to honor his wife, Jeanne C. Thayer, a trustee of the State University from 1974 to 1984 and an active supporter of the arts. Mrs. Thayer, a trustee of the New York City Ballet and a member of the International Council of the Museum of Modern Art, now resides in California.

Applicants for the Thayer award must be completing baccalaureate or graduate degree programs at the State University. After an initial screening process, finalists are selected. The winner is chosen through audition and an interview with the Thayer Panel, a distinguished group of leaders in the arts, drawn from outside the State University.

Applications for the 2002 Thayer Fellowship Program are due in December of 2001. Application forms will be available later this year. For more information on the application process, contact Associate Provost Donald Steven, System Administration, at (518) 443-5505.

Joseph Edmondson Wins Swygert EOP Award
The winner of this year’s H. Patrick Swygert Equal Opportunities Program (EOP) Academic Scholarship is UAlbany junior Joseph Edmondson. This $500 scholarship, funded by the EOP office, recognizes the contributions of H. Patrick Swygert, UAlbany president from 1990-95.

Joseph is an accounting major with an overall grade point average of 3.89. He has also held numerous jobs on campus, including one as a student assistant in the EOP computer user room and another as a residential EOP student assistant for five weeks during the summer. He is a five-time member of the Dean’s List of Distinguished Students, a member of the Golden Key National Honors Society, and a recipient of the New York Yankee Community Council 1998 MVP Scholarship. In addition, he earned a place in the University’s prestigious Frederick Douglass Scholarship Program.

Obituaries

Professor Emeritus Alfred J. Cali
Professor Emeritus Alfred J. Cali, 75, passed away April 3 at St. Peter’s Hospital. Born in Rochester, he lived in the Albany area most of his life. Professor Cali joined the Department of Educational Administration and Policy Studies in 1959. Before his retirement in 1996, he was the primary adviser to more than 50 doctoral candidates and was a major consultant to Capital District school systems on policy and organizational issues. In addition, he was director of the Capital District Regional Education Planning Center, the Regional Communications Center for the Board of Cooperatives Educational Services, and served as project director of the Peace Corps training project.

Professor Cali is survived by his wife of 53 years, Mary L. Samere Cali; his children Joseph T. Cali, Richard J. Cali, Brian M. Cali, and Patricia A. Cali Becker; as well as seven grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews.

Professor David Hartley
Professor Emeritus David Sidwell Hartley, 84, died on April 20 at Broadmead Retirement Community in Cockeysville, Md. Born in New Albany, Ind., he held a bachelor’s degree from Rutgers University in agricultural sciences, and a master’s and doctorate of education from Columbia University. He served with the American Friends Service Committee in North Africa and Italy during World War II, assisting with relief efforts for refugees, and in the reconstruction of villages affected by the war. He worked for the New York State Department of Education, Division of Research in Albany, and later taught educational psychology at the State University College of Teachers at Albany. In 1952, he became the dean of men of the Teacher’s College, a position he held until 1960. From 1960 to 1962, he served as an adviser in student affairs at the University of Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan, under a grant from the Ford Foundation. Upon returning from Pakistan he established the Student Affairs Training Program at UAlbany. Vice President for Student Affairs James Doellefeld said, “David Hartley was among the senior campus leadership who guided the transition of the campus from Teacher’s College to University Center. His work was held in high regard by his colleagues and he was a man of high merit and distinction.” Hartley retired from the University in 1976.

He is survived by his wife, Margaret Wagner Hartley, originally from Baltimore, and a resident of Broadmead Retirement Community in Cockeysville, Md.; three children, Elizabeth Wiley of Willets, Calif., Virginia Dixon of Lombard, Ill., and Jonathan Hartley of Smithfield, Va., and six grandchildren.

University at Albany MBA Students Design Data System for Albany Medical Center
By Vinny Reda
Albany Medical Center physicians now have the most up-to-date data system in the world for exploring cancer trials, thanks to a Web site designed by a four-person team of MBA students from UAlbany.

Working with Carmela Ramnes of AMC, the students, whose concentration is in management information systems, designed a site that creates linkages to the major cancer protocol sites in the United States. Through the database, medical providers can access from 400 to 500 clinical trials and criteria pertaining to their particular patients. The trials remain current, because the system links directly into original source data.

The site will also allow cancer patients to access information at a lower-featured level in order to facilitate their participation in their treatment strategies.

“We were particularly impressed by the fact that the system allows us to access only the ‘Schema’ part of the clinical research data,” said Ramnes. “Other databases force the doctor to sift through extensive clinical reports. This system is easy to use, meets our needs to enhance patient care, and is superior to any other system we have seen or heard about.”

As with most MBA student field projects dealing with outside agencies, the cancer database project consumed two semesters and an average of 10 - 12 hours per week for the students. “Each student spent about one full day per week of that time down at Albany Medical Center working with Ramnes and the cancer specialists,” said Peter Ross, professor of the Department of Management Sciences & Information Systems.

The students did not have to be prodded to get to work. “The thing that the students all said was exciting about this project was that it was not simply about making a business run better so that it could make more money,” said Linda Krzykowski, director of UAlbany’s MBA program. “They could see the direct benefit it would have in helping people, and maybe saving lives.”

What made the experience more profound for the students was that all four have had a personal connection to cancer, including one whose father succumbed to the disease.

Honoring University at Albany Veterans
The University community will honor the dedication and sacrifices of its more than 3,000 military veterans with a special event Saturday, June 9, on the Uptown Campus. The event will take place from 10:15 a.m. to 3 p.m. A “Wall of Honor,” inscribed with the names of alumni, faculty, staff and students who served, will be unveiled. The nine-panel, 36-foot-long mural, featuring snapshots and illustrations of UAlbany veterans, is being produced by Albany artist Dahl Taylor.

At 10:15 a.m. there will be a recognition ceremony in the new library, featuring biographer and historian Joseph Persico, ’52, (collaborator on Colin Powell’s autobiography, My American Journey). Also speaking are Brigadier General William C. Martin of the NYS Division of Military and Naval Affairs, and Assemblyman James Tedisco; at 11:45 a.m. there will be a veterans’ reception on the academic podium in front of the main library; at 12:15 p.m. the Wall of Honor will be unveiled at the main library; a buffet lunch will be held outdoors on the podium at 12:30 p.m., and visits to Campaign Rooms begin at 2 p.m. in the Campus Center. Campaign Rooms include the Civil War, WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, and later military engagements.

For more information, call (518) 437-4493 or send an e-mail to: nmorrison@uamail.albany.edu.