Cal Poly Report - January 27, 2010
News
Professors, Students Heading Home from January Arctic Research Project
Cal Poly Biology Professor Mark Moline, Computer Engineering Professor Christopher Clark and their students were scheduled to come home from the Arctic this week. The professors brought their collection of marine robots -- and two Cal Poly students -- to Norway to study the underwater Arctic ecosystem in January in collaboration with Norwegian biologists. Their two-week expedition to Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, was funded through the Norwegian Government, National Geographic, and the United States' National Science Foundation. The professors and students worked with divers, Autonomous Underwater Vehicles, a Remotely Operating Vehicle, and an ocean bottom crawler.
Details on thd Svalbard expedition
Cal Poly Offers Free Tax Prep Help Through March 13
Beginning Jan. 30, Cal Poly’s Orfalea College of Business will again provide free help with tax return preparation for individuals and families with incomes less than $50,000 year. The effort is part of the annual Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program sanctioned and coordinated by the IRS. All returns are prepared by trained accounting seniors and are reviewed by certified tax preparers. Spanish-speaking preparers will be available. Help will be available on campus from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. every Saturday from Jan. 30 to March 13.
Details on tax prep help
Faculty and Staff
Architecture Professor Receives National Recognition
Thomas Fowler IV, an associate professor in the Cal Poly Architecture Department, is the recipient of the 2009-10 Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA) Creative Achievement Award. Fowler was recognized for his development of the Collaborative Integrative-Interdisciplinary Digital-Design Studio. This studio infuses creativity into collaborative student teamwork and interweaves scholarship with academia and professional development with research and service at local and national levels.
More on Fowler
Patricia Ponce Appointed Associate Ombuds
In anticipation of the soon-to-be announced initiation of a student ombuds service, Patricia Ponce has been reassigned to the position of Associate Ombuds. Ponce is extraordinarily well qualified to take on this position, having a bachelor’s degree in social work, a master’s in counseling, and a doctorate from UCLA in education with a concentration in higher education. She has many years of experience at Cal Poly, working first in Student Affairs and then in Academic Affairs, most recently serving as PREFACE coordinator, director of Summer Academic Programs and coordinator of the Science Youth Camp. A separate announcement will be made shortly about the plan for PREFACE during 2010.
Service Awards Luncheon Tickets on Sale Feb. 1
Tickets for the Service Awards Luncheon will be available for purchase Feb. 1-26. Tickets are $10. Make checks payable to “Cal Poly Corporation."
State, Corporation and ASI employees with milestone service anniversaries in 2009 will be honored at the Service Awards Luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 10 in Chumash Auditorium. The theme for this year’s event will be "Cal Poly Through the Years – Appreciating the Past.” Master of Ceremonies will be Phil Bailey.
The main entrée selections are old-fashioned meatloaf or the vegetarian option of black bean meatloaf. Side dishes include: iceberg lettuce salad with thousand island dressing, creamy macaroni and cheese, home-style green bean casserole, dinner rolls with butter, apple crisp, coffee, iced tea and water
IMPORTANT NOTE: Tickets will be taken at the door to ensure seating for all ticket holders. To purchase tickets, contact Tracy Watson, ASI at ext. 6-1292; Geri Bolivar, Facility Services at ext. 6-2321; Carol Leong, College of Architecture and Environmental Design at ext. 6-1313; Colleen Rodriguez, Payroll at ext. 6-2606; or Jeanne Secrest, CP Corporation at ext. 6-1122.
Campus Announcements
Results of Innovative Surveys Made Available to Campus
Last winter and spring, Cal Poly administered two innovative campus surveys, one to students and the other to faculty and staff. The surveys were part of the ongoing WASC process of re-affirming the university’s accreditation. The results formed the backbone of the self-study, which was submitted to WASC on Dec. 3. The results are available at http://wasc.calpoly.edu/engagement/survey_results.html
Van Pool Has Openings for the Santa Maria, Atascadero and North Coast Areas
Want to save at the pump? We have the solution. There are vanpool openings for Santa Maria, Atascadero and the North Coast (Los Osos, Morro Bay, Cayucos, Cambria). Contact Susan Rains at srains@calpoly.edu or ext. 6-6680 for more information.
Sunday Computing Outages Set for Jan. 31 and Feb. 7
On consecutive Sundays, Jan. 31 and Feb. 7, Information Technology Services will perform work during a network and computing outage that will affect all central computing resources and campuswide wireless service. The scheduled outages will run from 4 a.m. to noon while ITS Network Administration upgrades the ITS data center network firewalls. Affected systems include the my.calpoly.edu portal page and all applications reached through the "single click access" channel, e-mail and calendar, all wireless service, PeopleSoft, the PolyData warehouse, health services resources, alumni and advancement resources, and System Status. Campuswide "wired" internet access will be operational, and the Cal Poly home page will not be affected. Network Administration staff are communicating with local area network coordinators across campus to clarify the impact. For a complete list of affected services, visit System Status on the Technology tab in the portal before the outage begins, or consult with your department’s technical support staff.
Foundation Board Meeting Set for Feb. 6
The Cal Poly Foundation Board of Directors will hold their board meeting, which is open to the public, beginning at 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 6, at the Bonderson Projects Center on campus. For more information about the meeting, or to obtain a copy of the agenda, call Sandra Ogren at ext. 6-1445.
Get a Ham Radio License - Testing Session Set for Feb. 6
The Cal Poly Amateur Radio Club will host a Ham Radio testing session Saturday, Feb. 6 at 9:30 a.m. in Engineering East, Room 129. The exam is $15, and attendees are asked to bring a pencil, their Social Security number and two forms of ID (one with a photo). RSVP for attendance to calpolyradioclub@gmail.com. Learn more about the Amateur Radio Club and the testing session at www.w6bhz.org.
WASC Visiting Team on Campus Feb. 10-12
On Feb. 10-12, Cal Poly will host a visiting team from WASC, the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. This occasion is part of the process of re-affirming the university's accreditation, which assures the value of our degrees and our eligibility for federal funding. The visiting team wants to know what you think about Cal Poly and its ability to provide a high-quality education. Open forums are scheduled for faculty on Feb. 10, from 2:10 to 3 p.m. in UU 220, and for staff on Feb. 11 from 10:10-11 a.m. in UU 220. Faculty and staff may also send comments to wasc2calpolyslo@yahoo.com. Comments sent to this address go directly to the team chair and will not be viewed by anyone at Cal Poly. For more information on the re-affirmation process and to read a summary of the report we recently submitted to WASC, visit http://wasc.calpoly.edu.
Wilderness First Aid Cerification Course Set for Feb. 13, 14
The Poly Escapes Outdoor Adventures Program will host a Wilderness First Aid class presented by the Wilderness Medicine Institute (WMI) of NOLS. The course provides WMI Wilderness First Aid Certification and Wilderness First Responder re-certification.
The class is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 13 and 14, in UU 220. Tuition is $145 for students and $195 for non-students and covers fees for the course only. Non-student participants can contact Nancy Clark at ext. 6-7007 or naclark@calpoly.edu for registration instructions.
The two-day course is fast-paced and hands-on and covers a wide range of wilderness medicine topics for people who travel in the outdoors. WMI's curriculum is unique and includes advanced topics that other programs leave out such as dislocation reduction, focused spinal assessment and epinephrine administration. This course is ideal for trip leaders, camp staff, outdoor enthusiasts and individuals in remote locations. WMI's course is pre-approved by the American Camping Association, the U.S. Forest Service and other governmental agencies. This course does not include CPR.
Deadline for Student Research Competition Entries is Feb. 18
The Research and Graduate Programs office encourages faculty and staff members to notify students about the CSU Student Research Competition, to be held April 30 and May 1 at San Jose State University. Students may adapt their senior projects or master's theses for entry in the competition. The deadline to submit entries for Cal Poly's March 6 campuswide review is Feb. 18. For more information, visit http://www.rgp.calpoly.edu/.
Student Financial Aid and Scholarship Deadline is March 2
The Financial Aid Office asks faculty and staff to remind students that the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) deadline is March 2. To apply for federal aid, state aid and Cal Poly Scholarships, students must complete the FAFSA every year. For questions, dial ext. 6-2927.
Events
Immigrant Education Advocate Paz Oliverez Speaks Jan. 28
How to best get education for undocumented students is the topic of the Jan. 28 Provocative Perspectives speaker series in the Sage Vista Grande Cafe at 7:30 a.m.. Speaker Paz Maya Olivérez currently serves as the executive director and founder of Futuros Educational Services. The nonprofit organization provides college-preparatory services to low-income and immigrant youth and professional development for school- and college-based professionals. Olivérez holds a doctorate in sociology from USC and earned her bachelor's degree in sociology from UC Santa Cruz.
See Annual Orchesis Dance Company Performance Jan. 29-31
Orchesis, Cal Poly's dance troupe, will present 'Continuum' on Friday and Saturday, Jan. 29 and 30 at 8 p.m. in the Spanos Theatre, with a 2 p.m. show set for Sunday, Jan. 31. Additional performances are set for Thursday through Friday, Feb. 4-6, at 8 p.m. in the Spanos Theatre. The performance is a fusion of edgy, contemporary dance genres with the lyric artistry of classical forms.
Get more information on the Orchesis performance
Hearst Lecture Series Continues with Michael Hughes Jan. 29
Cal Poly's Hearst Lecture Series continues Jan. 29 with a talk by Michael Hughes, design firm owner and associate professor of architecture at the University of Arkansas. Hughes’ Joy House Project, conducted with 12 graduate students from CU-Denver, won the Colorado AIA Young Architects Design Award in 2004 and the ACSA Collaborative Practice Award in 2006. He teaches second-year studio and has initiated a new design-build project, an outdoor classroom for a local elementary school.
More on Hughes and lecture
Hear Pacific Rep Opera Sing 'Paris d' Amour' Jan. 30
Celebrate PRO's Silver Anniversary loving and living through art, music, and opera. Enjoy Julia Child's recipes and Vina Robles wines while strolling the Left Bank listening to enchanting sounds of Cafe Musique and magical music by Maestro Robert Ashens and PRO's talented singers. Showtime is 6 p.m. in the Pavilion of the Performing Arts Center.
More on PRO Performance
Job Vacancies
State Employment Opportunities
The official listing of staff and management vacancies is posted at http://calpolyjobs.org. To apply, go online and complete the application form. For assistance, call Human Resources at ext. 6-2236.
#101993 – On-Call Groundsworker, Pool Position, Administration & Finance, Facility Services, temporary on-call through June 30, 2010, $15.58-$23.37 per hour. Closes: Feb. 7, 2010.
#101995 – Night Access and Building Services Assistant, Library Assistant I/II, Library, Public Services Library Assistant I: $15.60-$23.41 per hour. Library Assistant II: $17.65-$26.48 per hour, temporary intermittent through June 30, 2010. Closes: Feb. 5, 2010.
Faculty Employment Opportunities
Candidates are asked to visit the online employment Web site at http://calpolyjobs.org to complete an application and apply for any of the positions shown below. Submit all requested application materials as attachments to your online application, unless otherwise specified in the ad.
#101983 - Tenure Track, Digital Repository Librarian, Information Resources and Archives, Library, ext. 6-5785. Closes: Feb. 19, 2010.
#101984 - Tenure Track, Animal Physiologist, Biological Sciences Department, College of Science and Mathematics, ext. 6-5242. Review begins: Feb. 8, 2010.
#101985 - Tenure Track, Community Ecologist, Biological Sciences Department, College of Science and Mathematics, ext. 6-5242. Review begins: Feb. 8, 2010.
Corporation Employment Opportunities
Cal Poly Corporation is a separate corporation operating in concert with the university to provide a diverse range of services and resources to students, faculty and staff. For an application, visit Human Resources in the Corporation Administration Building, check the Web site at http://www.calpolycorporation.org or call ext. 6-1121.
Forestry Technician Swanton Pacific Ranch, $15.18- $22.05 per hour, requires bachelor’s degree in forestry and experience related to forest inventory, hazard tree evaluation, skills to prepare professional level reports from these activities, and a broad spectrum of field skills related to forest management or an equivalent combination of education and experience. This is a temporary one-year position with continuation dependent on funding.
ASI Employment Opportunities
Candidates are asked to visit http://www.asi.calpoly.edu to complete an application and apply for positions listed below. For more information, contact the ASI Business Office in UU, Room 212 or call ext. 6-5800.
Accounting Technician II, $19.02 per hour. Open until filled. Review begins Feb. 1, 2010.