The International Education and Graduate Programs Service of the U.S. Department of Education will award the University a two-year grant of $90,000 toward a curriculum enrichment in Africana Studies project. The project is scheduled to commence in June and end in June of 1999.

The grant will be used to enrich and expand curricula which value knowledge derived from the study of Africa in general, and South Africa in particular. This goal will be achieved through several programs. Participants will explore the unique historical and racial experiences between the South African black population and African Americans. Library studies related to African studies will be enhanced, while workshops will be organized to improve the study of Africa in the Capital District community.

In addition to collaborating with the Departments of Art, French, History and Social Welfare, plans are for the School of Business to be consulted for possible collaborative work in exploring opportunities in the newly evolving South African economy for the benefit of the New York State Business Community.

There are many factors involved in creating a safe environment. And the University Police Department (UPD) must be getting them right. For the month of March, felonies dropped from 19 last March to 11, a 42% decrease. This represents the lowest number of felonies in ten years. In addition, burglaries dropped from six to zero, grand larceny dropped 45%, petit larceny decreased 50%, and aggravated harassment declined 17% during the same period.

University Police Chief J. Frank Wiley attributes the decline to a number of elements. “The recently introduced community policing plan was a major contributor to the decrease in crime as well as the dedication and professionalism of our officers,” Wiley said. He added that the University community has also been very supportive of new programs and initiatives now in place.

Among some of the new programs is the Client Satisfaction Survey, which is given to anyone who has had contact with UPD and allows people to rate the Department’s performance on everything from how long it took them to answer the phone to whether the responding officer was friendly and understanding. Another successful aspect of the community-based system has been the Park, Walk and Talk program, where the officers get out of their patrol cars and interact more with people.

Directed Patrols, where officers are assigned to be at a specific place at a specific time, such as the walkways between the podium and the parking lots when classes end, is also a new feature.

The Performing Arts Center will be host when the Empire State Capital Region chapter of the American Society for Public Administrators and the School of Business sponsors “The Capital District — A Place of Crisis or Opportunity?,” an April 29 conference that reassesses what is being done and what can be done to make the best use of the resources in the capital region.

William Kennedy, Pulitzer Prize-winning author, New York State Writers Institute director and Department of English member, will be the keynote speaker for the 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. event. Other speakers include University at Albany President Hitchcock; John Bacheller, senior vice president and deputy commissioner of the Empire State Development Corporation; Kevin O’Connor, president of the Center for Economic Growth; Lewis Golub, chairman of the board and CEO of the Golub Corporation; and Charlotte Buchanan, former chair of the State Commission on the Capital Region.

In addition, presentations will be give by Thomas Rodick, director of research and statistics for the New York State Department of Labor; John Egan, executive director of the Albany County Airport Authority; Gerald Jennings, mayor of Albany; Stephen Curtis, president of Hudson Valley Community College; J. Michael O’Connell, mayor of Saratoga Springs; Albert Jurczynski, mayor of Schenectady; Richard Amadon, director of community relations and economic development for NYNEX Corporation; and David Buicko, chief operating officer of the Galesi Group.

Discussions will involve regional planning in the capital district, including past experiences; regional opportunities for economic development and for education and training; and how the region can take advantage of these opportunities. Cost is $30 per person, which includes continental breakfast, luncheon and parking.

Registration before April 18 is recommended. For information, contact Ed Hamilton at 453-1049.