Cal Poly Update - August 2009
Alumni News
PolyLink Alumni Photo of the Month:
How I Spent My Summer Vacation
Architecture Alum Curt Shupe (B.S. Architecture, 1978) is the August PolyLink Alumni Photo of the Month winner for this shot of himself and son Tommy inside the Chandelier 'Drive Thru' Tree near Leggett in northern Mendocino County. It was shot on a 2004 family vacation road trip through Northern California and Oregon. Shupe is a licensed architect in private practice in Palm Desert, specializing in custom residential and commercial work. He and his wife Robin have three children: Matthew 24, Amber 13, and Tommy, 9.
See the full-size photo on PolyLink in the University Photo Gallery - login required
See more of Shupe's photos on his PolyLink personal page - login required
Cal Poly On YouTube:
More Fun Than Shaking Wine in a Barrel
Check out the new Cal Poly YouTube video channel. You’ll find examples of hands-on student research and projects, campus developments and more - with new videos and student-created favorites added regularly. Become a YouTube Cal Poly channel subscriber for instant e-notice when new videos are added. New videos added this summer include a series on project-based classes in the College of Engineering. Students were involved in the research, design, testing and implementation of earthquake-safe wine barrel storage systems.
Browse Cal Poly Videos and Subscribe to Cal Poly on YouTube
See the YouTube Cal Poly video of Wine Barrel Quake Testing
Cal Poly Collegians Band Alumni Playing Madonna Inn Aug. 29
Beach Boys - The 1960 Collegians at Avila
It's like the swallows' return to Capistrano, only with more music: The Cal Poly Collegians band alumni reunite in San Luis Obispo every August to play a dance concert at the Madonna Inn. This year's Collegians Concert is Aug. 29 in the Madonna Inn Ballroom. Concerts are always free - but the Collegians welcome donations for scholarships for music students. The all-male Collegians ensemble was founded at Cal Poly in 1937 by longtime Music Department Head Harold P. Davidson. Members of the group from the classes of 1948 to 1963 are now part of the alumni band. The Aug. 29 concert is the ensemble’s 42nd.
More on the Collegians concert
PolyLink Alumni: 13,049 and Counting. Are You In Yet?
PolyLink, Cal Poly's free, private, secure social network for alumni, now has 13,049 alumni inside. Soon to come are the 4,000 "new" alumni who graduated in June. Grads: look for an e-mail headed to your basket in August with your First Time Login ID and instructions.
Alumni Win Free Cal Poly Gear
Congrats to PolyLink alumni Neal Pann (Architecture,1993), Jim Arao (Mechanical Engineering, 1986), Lasse Aspelin (Architecture, 1973), Laurie (Beatty) Constable (Ornamental Horticulture, 1988), Paul Cracknell (Ag Business 1991), and Colleen Clardy (Business, 2003). They're the winners of the "Help PolyLink Hit 13,000" drive in June. For logging in and being a part of PolyLink, each of them won a $25 gift card for Cal Poly gear from El Corral.
Visit PolyLink today at www.calpolylink.com | Shop for Cal Poly gear on the El Corral web site
Alumni in the News: Superlawyers, Ultimate Fighters, Word Wizards and More
Chuck Liddell (Business Administration '95) was named to both the UFC and Cal Poly Mustangs Hall of Fame. Computer Science (2005) alum and Urban Dictionary founder and author Aaron Peckham was interviewed by the New York Times and the Boston Globe about his site's reflection of - and influence on - pop culture. A Liberal Arts alumna launched a bridal fashion line after testing her mettle in Italy. A business alum made the 2009 list of Northern California 'Superlawyers.' Those are just a few of the Cal Poly Alumni who made headlines in the past few weeks. Who were the others? And do you know any of them?
Read the August 'Alumni in the News' roundup and find out
Missing The Mustang Maniacs? Come Back for Homecoming October 16, 17
Get in touch with your Mustang Spirit at Cal Poly's annual Homecoming celebration Friday and Saturday, Oct. 16 and 17. Cal Poly will take on Southern Utah University Oct. 17 in Alex G. Spanos Stadium. Enjoy the autumn afternoon beforehand at the annual Tailgate BBQ and Cal Poly Alumni Association Wine tasting on the O'Neill Green. Tickets to the barbecue and wine tasting sell out in the weeks before Homecoming every year. Get yours when they go on sale - watch for details in the September edition of Cal Poly Update.
Visit the Homecoming Web site
Scholarship Endowment Honors Architecture Alum
Friends and former professors of architecture alum Michael Shannon are honoring his memory by establishing an endowed scholarship at Cal Poly. The scholarship will provide support for students in architecture with physical disabilities. Shannon earned a bachelor’s degree in interior design in 1993 and a master of science in architecture in 1998 from Cal Poly. Shannon passed away recently at the age of 66.
More on Michael Shannon Scholarship
University News
Forbes Magazine Names Cal Poly One of America's Top Colleges
Cal Poly has been named one of America’s top colleges and universities by Forbes magazine. The list, released this week, puts Cal Poly at at No. 27 on the list of the country's 100 best public universities and No. 201 out of 600 colleges and universities. Cal Poly is the highest-ranked California State University campus on the list. It is the second year Forbes has produced the list. Cal Poly jumped up from No. 369 on last year’s list. “It's always good to be recognized as one of the best. Of course, the real evidence of Cal Poly's strength lies in what our alumni accomplish in their professional lives,” said Cal Poly President Warren J. Baker.
More on the Forbes ranking
Architecture, Agriculture, Among Nation's Best in Degrees to Minority Students
Cal Poly is among the Top 10 schools in the nation in granting degrees to Hispanic, Asian and other minority students in agriculture, architecture and engineering. Cal Poly students’ success placed the university among the Top 10 of the “Top 100 Degree Producers 2009” rankings compiled by the magazine “Diverse Issues in Higher Education. In the organization’s 2009 national rankings, Cal Poly was: No. 4 in granting agriculture degrees to Hispanic students; No. 5 in architecture degrees to students of all minority groups; No 5 in architecture degrees to Asian American students; No. 5 in architecture degrees to Hispanic students; No. 6 in agriculture degrees to Asian American students; No. 7 in agriculture degrees to students of all minority groups; and No. 8 in engineering degrees to Hispanic students. Cal Poly's College of Engineering also ranked high.
More on "Diverse Issues in Higher Education" rankings
Cal Poly Announces Employee Furloughs, $33.7 Million in Budget Cuts
Cal Poly administrators announced an employee furlough program and other moves they are making to trim $33.7 million from this year’s budget – the campus share of $564 million the California State University system must cut as the state’s fiscal crisis continues. As of Aug. 1, all Cal Poly employees -- including deans and top administrators as well as all faculty and staff -- are now required to take two unpaid days of leave per month (furloughs). Cal Poly has instituted a hiring freeze on all non-faculty positions and is implementing reductions in compensation costs. The university is also cutting other operating costs and delaying some construction projects.
More on the budget cuts | More on furloughs at Cal Poly and the CSU
Memo to employees from Provost Koob, Vice President Kelley on Cal Poly cuts
Cal Poly Education Still a Top Value
Students will now pay $2,066 per quarter to attend Cal Poly after the California State University’s Board of Trustees approved a systemwide increase in student fees. In spite of the increase, Cal Poly remains a bargain compared to similar institutions around the country. With the latest increase, Cal Poly fees will still be 29 percent lower than the current average fees for the University of California system and among the lowest in the country.
More on Cal Poly's top value
Rep. Lois Capps Outlines Federal Economic Stimulus Funding at Cal Poly
Cal Poly professors and students joined Congresswoman Lois Capps at a recent press conference that outlined university funding awards from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. To date, Cal Poly professors and students have received over half a million dollars in economic stimulus funding to help pay for research and teaching opportunities at the university over the next two years.
More on Capps' visit
A New Blend: Science & Math and Future Teachers
Cal Poly’s College of Education merged with the College of Science and Mathematics on July 1. The move will help address the state and national issue of preparing K-12 teachers to teach science and mathematics and will provide cost savings for the university.
More on the merger
Swiss Education Minister Tours Cal Poly Wine and Viticulture
Cal Poly hosted the minister of education from Vaud, Switzerland, and a delegation of Swiss VIPs in July as the university concluded a month-long exchange program for wine and viticulture students from California, Switzerland, Russia and Italy. The exchange program included eight students from Cal Poly; two from Fresno State University; 13 from the Engineering School of Enology Changins, Switzerland; one from the University of Moscow, Russia; and two from the University of the Sacred Heart in Piacenza, Italy.
More on the exchange program and Swiss VIPs' visit | See the KSBY News story
Cal Poly Wines Capture Medals in San Francisco
Wine Competition and California Mid-State Fair
Cal Poly captured medals with each of the four 2007 wines it entered in this year’s San Francisco International Wine Competition. Judges at the prestigious event awarded a double-gold medal to the Mustang Red wine (a blend of Paso Robles Zinfandel and Edna Valley Syrah). Cal Poly also captured a gold medal for its Syrah and silver medals for its Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Meanwhile, the 2007 Pinot Noir and Chardonnay also each won a gold medal in the wine competition for the California Mid-State Fair.
More on Cal Poly's award-winning wines
Cal Poly City and Regional Planning Department Honored
for Real World Community Development Projects
Cal Poly’s City and Regional Planning Department has been recognized with statewide academic merit awards for two projects. The projects, the Downtown Delano Urban Design Studio and the Draft Benicia Climate Action Plan, continue the department’s strong tradition of helping California’s communities to create excellent regional planning programs.
More on the awards
Today's Students
WOW! 3,000 New Students Coming to Campus Sept. 15-19
WOW 2009 will take place September 15-19. WOW (Week of Welcome) is Cal Poly's annual orientation for new freshmen and transfer students. Nearly 3,000 new students are expected to participate this fall. Events include WOW-A-RAMA (a gathering of all 3,000 WOW participants), SLO Bound (a tour of everything San Luis Obispo has to offer), college and department orientations, awareness presentations, and a campus Block Party showcasing dozens of Cal Poly's student clubs.
Details on WOW 2009
High School Students Learn the Fun of Engineering at Cal Poly
High school students came to Cal Poly this summer for an Engineering Possibilities in College (EPIC) summer camp sponsored by the Cal Poly Engineering Outreach Program. Approximately 140 students took part in the week long camp, including many female and low-income students from Santa Maria, San Luis Obispo and out of the area.
More on EPIC summer camp
Architecture Students and Faculty
Win Design Awards from Professional Group
Cal Poly graduating architecture students Zhong Ren Huang and Yang Wang received awards from the American Institute of Architects California Central Coast Chapter (AIA CCC). This is the first time the chapter has honored student work from any institution. Wang received an Honor Award for his project “Spider Tower.” Ren Huang received a Merit Award for his project “LA Skyscraper.” Students Kevin Bussett, Jason Pignolet and Tracy N. Wang were runners-up in the competition.
More on the design awards
Dairy Students Take the Silver Award at National Competition
A team of Cal Poly Dairy Science students placed second in the American Dairy Science Association Student Activity Division Quiz Bowl. The team – including members Travis Kamper, Annie Azivedo, David Jones and Kayla Machado – went through a double-elimination round without losing, including beating a team from Penn State. But the Cal Poly team lost narrowly to Penn State in the final round. The event was attended by more than 2,650 scientists from around the world.
More on student dairy victories
Student Project on San Francisco Quake Center Earns National Mention
June grad Rachel Glabe has received national recognition for her senior thesis project on a seismological research and monitoring facility capable of withstanding large earthquakes in San Francisco. Glabe received an honorable mention in a competition sponsored by the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA) and the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC). Her project was titled "Frequency In-Flux" and competed in Category II – which allowed for the greatest amount of design flexibility.
More on Glabe
Cal Poly President Recognizes
Campus Leaders for Diversity
Cal Poly President Warren J. Baker recently presented the President’s Diversity Award to the Multicultural Engineering Program and to Delta Lambda Phi fraternity. The groups received $1,000 each to help support their individual programs. The awards recognize campus units demonstrating a commitment to cultural diversity.
Read more about the award winners
Faculty & Staff
Cal Poly Professor Tong Named President
of American Dairy Science Association
Phillip Tong, dairy science professor and director of Cal Poly’s Dairy Products Technology Center, was recently named the 93rd president of the American Dairy Science Association. Tong was installed as the leader of the 103-year-old group at the organization’s joint meeting with the American Society of Animal Science and Canadian Animal Science. Also, Cal Poly Dairy Science professor Rafael Jimenez-Flores won the International Dairy Foods Association Research Award in Dairy Foods Processing.
More on Tong and Jimenez-Flores
Cal Poly Professor Emeritus to Receive 2009 Accounting Exemplar Award
Cal Poly Professor Emeritus Mary Beth Armstrong received the 2009 Accounting Exemplar Award for 2009 during the Public Interest Section Ethics Symposium Aug. 2 in New York. The event was part of the annual American Accounting Association meeting. The Public Interest Section Accounting Exemplar Award is given to either an accounting educator or an accounting practitioner who has made notable contributions to professionalism and ethics in accounting education and/or practice, by being an ethical role model or by making significant contributions to the profession of accounting in serving the public interest.
Read more about Armstrong
Passings:
Professor George Clucas
Retired Cal Poly professor George Gordon Clucas, 88, passed away July 11, at home with his family. He came to Cal Poly in 1956 as dean of finance and development. He left Cal Poly to work for a time at the CSU Chancellor's Office in the 1960s. After earning his doctorate from USC, Professor Clucas returned to Cal Poly as director of Research and Development. He went on to become the first dean of what was then the School of Business and Social Sciences. Later he joined the faculty of the Political Science Department to teach Public Administration. He retired in 1982.
Read the obituary in the SLO Tribune
Passings: Professor Robert Cleath
Robert L. Cleath passed away July 9. He was a minister, writer, editor, and professor. After teaching speech at Westmont College, Whitworth and UCSB, he served as assistant editor at Christianity Today for two years. He joined the Cal Poly faculty and spent 34 years at Cal Poly as a professor in the Speech Communications Department, where he was recognized as a Distinguished Teacher.
Read the obituary in the SLO Tribune
Passings: Professor Bill Armentrout, 90
William W. Armentrout, 90, formerly of Pismo Beach, died July 21 in Fairfield, Calif. Professor Armentrout was a member of the Cal Poly faculty from 1953 until his retirement as Emeritus Professor in 1980. He served in various capacities including Coordinator of Teacher Education and Licensing. He was a past president of Cal Poly Faculty Council.
Read the obituary in the SLO Tribune
Memorial Scholarship Endowment
Honors Art Rosen
The family of longtime professor Arthur “Art” Z. Rosen is honoring his memory by establishing an endowed scholarship at Cal Poly. The scholarship will provide support for students in the area of his life-long work and passion – physics. Rosen passed away recently at the age of 89. “Art had a life full of students, friends and family and was a man of people, causes, ethics and music. His interest in research and learning was inspirational,” said College of Science and Mathematics Dean Phil Bailey.
More on the Rosen scholarship
Coming Up
Karla Bonoff Plays Spanos Theatre Aug. 22
Enjoy an intimate evening with Karla Bonoff, one of America's foremost singer-songwriters. Since the late '70s, Bonoff has been writing songs made famous by folk and pop icons including Linda Ronstadt, Bonnie Raitt, Wynonna Judd, and Lynn Anderson. Hear her perform them in person with longtime collaborator, guitarist Kenny Edwards. Showtime is 8 p.m. in the Spanos Theatre.
More on Karla Bonoff
Country Classic Patsy Kline's Story on Stage Aug. 29
"Always...Patsy Kline" is based on a true story. From a chance encounter in a Texas honky tonk, Patsy Cline and Louise, her "biggest fan," form a lasting friendship. As Louise tells her story, Patsy belts and croons her biggest hits, including "Crazy," "Walkin' After Midnight" and "I Fall to Pieces," all backed by a boot-stompin' country band, the Bodacious Bobcats. The show stars Jill Turnbow as Louise and Amanda Baker as Patsy Cline. Thom Waldman directs. Don't miss this song-filled good time.
More on Patsy Kline
Swing to Glen Miller Orchestra Sept. 10
Cal Poly Arts presents The Glenn Miller Orchestra in concert Thursday, Sept. 10 at 7 p.m. The Glenn Miller Orchestra is one of the greatest bands of all time, with signature Big Band hits including “Moonlight Serenade,” “Tuxedo Junction” and Chattanooga Choo Choo.” The world-famous GMO touring ensemble is one of the most popular big bands around, entertaining generations old and new for more than 50 years.
More on the Glenn Miller concert