Campus News: July 24th, 2008

From Stuart Kaufman, Sports Information: Recently returning from a 10-day, five-game trip to Europe, Keene State men’s basketball coach Rob Colbert said he was initially concerned how his team would gel on the court.

Traveling to Greece and Italy on a tour run by USA Athletes International, Colbert had three of his former Owl players, Travon Little, Kevin Ritter, and Matt Hickey, on his nine-man squad. But with limited practice time, he did not know how the KSC trio would work with the other six players (who came from several New England schools, including LEC rival Rhode Island College, Lasell College, and Mount Ida College).

Colbert’s anxiety lasted until the start of the first game in Greece when his team got together for a pregame cheer. Before heading out on the court, the players got together and in unison yelled out “U-S-A.”

“When they put on that USA basketball jersey everything changed,” said Colbert. “You could see the look in their eyes. They were no longer from Keene State or Lasell; they were Americans representing their country.” The team did America proud, winning all five games on their schedule against competitive club programs made up of lower-tier national players. For the most part, the American team adjusted well to an international game that included a deeper three-point line, a trapezoid lane, and an eight-second backcourt rule.

Surprisingly, communication between players wasn’t much of an issue. Following the games, which took place in the evening due to the oppressive daytime heat, the players would get together for dinner and converse about the games, referred to as “friendlys” because no championship was awarded. Instead of exchanging addresses and numbers, the players swapped jerseys and permission to be on each other’s MySpace or Facebook pages.

Courtesy Photo; KSC players at the Acropolis (Front: Travon Little, Matt Hickey, Kevin Ritter; Back: Coach Rob Colbert)

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On Fri., July 18, the children from Kids on Campus brought yoga and dance, rubber band rocket launching, original comic book creations, and songs and dances from Hawaii to campus, and demonstrated what they had learned about dinosaurs, South America, trees, creative writing, and wilderness survival.

More than 130 students will go through the program this summer, which lasts three weeks. The last session is July 28 to August 1, and there are still seats left in some classes. Read more about Kids on Campus or register for the last session by calling 8-2290.

Amelia Mo, the daughter of Deng Pan (Mason Library); and Ryan Hamel, the son of Barbara Hamel (Music) were part of a Kids on Campus class called Yoga Games. The stuffed animal in the foreground is a “breathing buddy” who helped them during deep breathing exercises. Photo: Julio Del Sesto

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KSC Faculty Named for Tenure, Promotion

The University System of New Hampshire Board of Trustees, on recommendation from its Academic Affairs Committee, has promoted 14 Keene State College faculty members, awarding tenure to 11 professors.

Tenure:
Phyllis Benay (English and Interdisciplinary Studies)
Prudence Cuper (Education)
Brian Green (Sociology), Associate Professor
Linda Hadden (Management), Associate Professor
Kathleen Halverson (Library), Associate Professor
Karen Jennings (Psychology)
Karrie Kalich (Health Science), Associate Professor
Yuan Pan (Art)
Margaret Smith (Health Science)
Karen Stanish (Math)
Michael Welsh (Economics/Political Science)

Promotions:
Colin Abernethy (Chemistry), Associate Professor
Stephen Bigaj (Education), Professor
Suzanne Castriotta (Computer Science), Associate Professor
Vincent Ferlini (Math), Professor
Renate Gebauer (Biology), Professor
Maura Glennon (Music), Professor
Richard Jardine (Math), Professor
Daniel Patterson (Theatre & Dance), Professor
William Seigh (Theatre & Dance), Professor
Susan Theberge (Education), Professor

Emeritus:
Klaus Bayr, Professor of Geography (1969-2008)
Charles Beach, Associate Professor of Physical Education (1978-2008)
Sherry Bovinet, Professor of Physical Education (1970-2008)
Henry Freedman, Professor of Art History (1970-2007)
Russell Harkay, Professor of Physics ( 1980-2008)
Gladys Johnsen, Professor of Music (1993-2008)

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From Kim Pare, IT Group: The IT Group has been busy making changes to the wireless network – wireless networking is now available on the entire first floor of the Science Center, and you will notice new log-in options and enhanced security when you connect to the wireless network on campus.

We have divided the wireless network into three separate services to meet the needs of distinct user groups. These three new wireless network options (SSIDs) are: KSC_Secure, KSC_Student, and KSC_Guest.

Faculty and staff must use KSC_Secure to access Keene State resources from a campus or personally owned wireless device. This secured network connection will require authentication and will encrypt data between the computer and the wireless access points. Students may use this option if they want a secure encrypted wireless connection.

Guests of the College may use the wireless network by selecting the KSC_Guest option. This login will provide them with limited access to the Internet.

You will see these new log-in options throughout all of the wireless zones on campus. If you need instructions to configure your computer to access the wireless network, visit the HelpDesk, contact us at 8-2532, or stop by our office on the second floor of Elliot Center.

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From Tammy LaFreniere, Purchasing: The KSC Purchasing Office received a report that a department was contacted by phone and given the “opportunity” to purchase Dell cartridges at a supposedly reduced cost. Keene State College has a contract with Dell Computers for the supply of Dell printer cartridges. If you should receive a call from someone stating that they have Dell cartridges on hand and are willing to sell them at a reduced price, please refer them to us at 8-2493.

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From Heather Jasmin, Continuing Education: The Cheshire Academy for Lifelong Learning (CALL) is a program offered by Keene State College for learning in retirement. This program is nonresidential, and is offered on Fridays in the fall and spring. The upcoming Fall semester runs from September 26 through November 14.

Class topics include water birds, drawing, Celtic culture, fitness, the political economy of the 2008 election, and much more. Instructors include local experts as well as current and former KSC staff and faculty: Paul Cullity, Wendy Petschik, Frank Behrens, Joan Roelofs, and Janet Grayson. Registration is $65 per semester. A mandatory $20 yearly membership fee provides participants with discounts on campus merchandise and events, as well as access to the College library. For more information, contact the Office of Continuing Education at 8-2290.

Courtesy photo; CALL members discussing in class.

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From Patrick Hearn, Recreational Sports: The last Rec. Swim for the summer will be the noon swim on Fri., July 25. Pool renovations will begin on July 28. The pool is scheduled to reopen on Thurs., Aug. 24, in time for opening weekend. Thank you in advance for your patience, and we apologize for any inconvenience.

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From John Lorette, Physical Plant: On Sat., July 26, there will be a campus-wide power outage from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in order to conduct required inspection and maintenance of one of the College’s electrical substations.

This outage will include all campus buildings except: Cheshire House, Math Building, Center for Writing, 115 Winchester Street, Owl Athletic Complex on Krif Road, College Camp at Wilson Pond, and several of our residential houses (Carroll House, Proctor House, 83/85 Blake Street, 361 Main Street, 27 and 21 Appleton Street). Generators will be running in areas that require constant power to maintain essential equipment such as data servers and telephone lines.

Please remember to power down your workstation and shut off printers and other nonessential electronic equipment on Friday before you leave campus. Any questions or concerns should be addressed to John Lorette at 8-2202 or jlorette@keene.edu.

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Phyllis Benay (Center for Writing) presented at the International Conference on Interdisciplinary Social Sciences in Prato, Italy in July. She presented her paper, “Applying Constructive Developmental Theory to the Teaching of Rhetoric: How Cognitive Level Informs Writing Ability,” and was part of the plenary opening.

Kirsti Sandy (English),  Collie Fulford (Center for Writing), and Phyllis Benay (Center for Writing) have written a new text, Think, Write, Learn: A User’s Guide to Sustained Writing Projects, which will be used in the new ISPC Thinking and Writing courses.

Ann Atkinson (Communication), a member of the Executive Council of the Eastern Communication Association, was elected to the Publications Committee (starting at the 2009 convention in Philadelphia). In addition, she will continue as a member of the editorial board of Communication Quarterly, a journal of the Eastern Communication Association.

John E. Roberts (Art) was invited to participate in the 2008 Southern Graphics Council Membership Exchange Portfolio, a national printmaking portfolio exchange project entitled Multiple Compulsions, while on sabbatical this past semester.

James Stemp (Anthropology) presented the poster, “The Measurement and Discrimination of Lithic Microwear Using Laser Profilometry and Length-Scale Analysis” (co-authored with B. E. Childs, C. A. Brown and S. Vionnet) at the 37th International Symposium for Archaeometry in Siena, Italy in May. The poster summarizes two years’ worth of research on a new method to determine the uses of stone tools.

This summer Jim Chesebrough (Music) was on the faculty of the University of Kentucky Adult Instrumental Workshop in Lexington, Ky., conducted a band reading clinic entitled “Old and New” at the New England Band Directors Institute in Plymouth, N.H., and has been performing with the East Bay Jazz Ensemble.

Larry Welkowitz (Psychology) is mentioned in this month’s (July/August) issue of Psychology Today in “It’s All Geek to Me,” by Benjamin Nugent.

Mark Long’s (English) new book, Teaching North American Environmental Literature, will be published this fall. The book is co-edited with Laird Christensen (former KSC English major, now a professor at Green Mountain College) and Fred Waage.

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We are rebuilding our Faculty Experts section on the web and need your help.

Our information will be listed on our website and in a database for journalists working on local and national stories. Please take a minute to update your information, add to your list of publications and accomplishments, and send it to rdutcher@keene.edu.

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On July 1, acting Surgeon General Dr. Steven Galson presented Keene State College’s Early Sprouts program with a “Healthy Youth for a Healthy Future” Champion Award at the Rose Byrne Child Development Center in Manchester, N.H.

Dr. Galson’s was promoting the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ “Healthy Youth for a Healthy Future” initiative, which focuses on recognizing and showcasing communities that are addressing childhood overweight and obesity prevention by helping kids stay active, encouraging healthy eating habits, and promoting healthy choices.

The Early Sprouts program, led by Health Science Professor Dr. Karrie Kalich, is a 24-week nutrition and gardening curriculum for preschoolers that originated at Keene State in 2006. Kalich worked with KSC students and faculty from the Nutrition and Education departments to implement a program that engages preschool children and their families in a unique, healthy lifestyle-learning program centered on a working vegetable garden.

The Rose Byrne Child Development Center is one of six Head Start centers in southern New Hampshire that adopted the Early Sprouts program.

Learn more about, Keene State College’s Early Sprouts Program or the Surgeon General’s Initiative, and visit Keene State’s Early Sprouts gardens just beside the CDC in Elliot Center.

Photo by Ann Gagnon: Dr. Karrie Kalich and Surgeon General Dr. Steven Galson

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Provost Emile Netzhammer has announced the appointment of Helen Frink (photo, left) as director of the Honors Program. Dr. Frink just completed her term as chair of modern languages and was recognized in 2008 as a distinguished scholar.

He also announced that Sue Castriotta (photo, right) will serve as interim director of the Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching while the College conducts the search for a director in the fall semester.

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From John Lorette, Physical Plant: On Saturday, July 26, there will be a campus-wide power outage from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in order to conduct required inspection and maintenance of one of the College’s electrical substations.

This outage will include all campus buildings except: Cheshire House, Math Building, Center for Writing, 115 Winchester Street, Owl Athletic Complex on Krif Road, College Camp at Wilson Pond, and several of our residential houses (Carroll House, Proctor House, 83/85 Blake Street, 361 Main Street, 27 and 21 Appleton Street). Any questions or concerns should be addressed to John Lorette at 8-2202 or jlorette@keene.edu.

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Keene State College’s Pondside III residence hall recently received LEED® Silver Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). LEED® is a rating system for designing and constructing the world’s greenest, most energy-efficient, high-performance buildings. This was the first time Keene State chose to document its efforts for external review and certification through LEED.

Many have asked about the features that distinguish this building on our campus. LEED® certification of Pondside III was based on a number of green design and construction features (you can see the finished building in this slideshow):

• Sustainable interior surfaces and furniture such as a composite product made of recycled soda can shavings for countertops and windowsills
• All flooring materials include recycled content
• Lighting controls with motion-sensing on/off switches
• Low-energy lighting fixtures
• Natural light comes from the placement of glass walls, allowing spaces to be viewed from within the building and from outside, further encouraging students to socialize and work together
• Natural materials and colors serve to complement and mirror the building’s rural environmental context and emphasize the residential feeling of the structure.

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From Stuart Kaufman, Sports Information: This summer, KSC coaches hit the road in a new way: Rob Colbert and a squad of graduated basketball players from the Northeast just returned from Greece and Italy, and Ron Butcher will take a group of upperclassmen from his Owl men’s soccer team to Costa Rica from August 13 to 22.

The Owls will play four games against club and reserves teams before returning home and getting set for preseason camp. The KSC men’s soccer team opens up its season at the Salisbury (Md.) University Elmer Lord Soccer Classic on August 30 to 31.

USA Athletes International asked Colbert to put his traveling basketball team together. The 10-member squad included former Owls Travon Little, Matt Hickey, and Kevin Ritter as well as players from Rhode Island College and other area programs. They left on June 30 and returned July 9, playing two games in Athens and Bologna.

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From the IT Group: If you aren’t receiving a new computer this summer and are thinking about moving to Office 2007, summer is an ideal time to do it. To install Office 2007 on your current machine (take a quick peek first with a preview session) vist the software download page.

There are many support options available: our new Office 2007 training website, the “Get Started” tab located on the Office 2007 ribbon, as well as other information on the HelpDesk website.

The IT Group plans to migrate the entire campus to Office 2007 by Fall 2009 – please don’t hesitate to call the Help Desk at 8-2532, stop by our office on the second floor of Elliot Center, or e-mail helpdesk@keene.edu with questions regarding this or any other technology need.

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From Tammy LaFreniere, Purchasing: The standard IRS and USNH mileage reimbursement rate for the use of personal vehicles on USNH business has increased to 58.5 cents a mile (effective July 1, 2008). This is an increase of eight cents per mile from the 50.5-cent rate in effect for the first six months of 2008 and (according to the IRS) reflects the significant increase in gasoline prices.

Please remember that all travel reimbursements prior to July 1 will be at the 50.5 cents per mile rate.

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From Antje Hornbeck, College Relations: Congratulations to Pam Bond (Residential Life), who posted the 350th announcement to KSC’s On a Personal Note, the online forum for staff and faculty to share common interests. Pam will receive a surprise gift from HR.
The forum has been active since June 2004. It is a site where you can welcome new colleagues and greet old friends, advertise non-KSC events, find a workout buddy, look for an apartment, or invite people to your lunchtime activity.

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Congratulations to Erik Ullman (IT Group) and his wife, Melanie (KSC alumni), on the birth of their daughter, Zoe Grace, born on June 26. Zoe has two older brothers.

Anne Whittle (Admissions) sends along the following note: My family and I would like to thank the College community for the many acts of kindness shown to us at the time of our daughter’s death. This has been a very difficult time for us, but your friendship helped us through this sad time.
With sincere appreciation,
Ann Whittle

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From Karyn Kaminski, Human Resources: Please welcome the following newly hired staff member – Cecil Maxfield, Library Services Assistant, Mason Library.

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