Traffic disruptions with library excavation
Excavation that signals the start of construction on the expanded Henry Madden Library will lead to traffic disruptions around the south side of the campus weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. for the next six weeks or so. Barton Avenue will be closed to all but construction, delivery and emergency vehicles during those hours. Flaggers will direct traffic in areas affected by construction. Click here for details.

International Ed Week promotes partnerships
Best-selling author and internationally known global futurist Mary O'Hara Devereaux will keynote this year's International Education Week at Fresno State. Devereaux, founder and CEO of Global Foresight, will speak at 9 a.m. Nov. 16 on “Mastering Your Global Future: The Challenges for Higher Education.” Her presentation will be in the Concert Hall of the Music Building. The theme of this year’s week, which begins Nov. 13 and is built around 20 events, is “International Education: Engaging in Global Partnerships and Opportunities.” Bill Erysian, interim director of international programs at Fresno State, said this year’s busy schedule of events will reinforce “the topic of globalization, which is at the core of our advocacy role in international programs here on campus. International Education Week activities, which are free and open to the public, will be listed here.

ITS addresses e-mail issues
The ITS Department is working with a new system to filter spam from the campus e-mail system and help overcome some recent problems that arose during October because of a barrage of the unwanted spam messages. However, Jim Michael, associate director for Operating Systems Services at Fresno State asks for users’ patience during the time it takes to install the new system, which should be by the end of the year. Click here for details.

Library dean search near conclusion
Campus visits are ahead this month for three of the four finalists to succeed Michael Gorman as Dean of Library Services. One candidate, Carl Bengston of California State University, Stanislaus, was at Fresno State in October. The others visiting the campus are Paul Adalian of CSU, Channel Islands (Nov. 8-9), Peter McDonald of Syracuse University (Nov. 16-17) and Cesar Caballero, CSU, Los Agneles (Nov. 20-21). Click here for details.

Innovative teaching proposals sought
The deadline is Dec. 4 to submit proposals for the Provost's Awards for Curricular Innovation for Student Success, which encourages teaching approaches tha foster student engagement and deep learning. Proposals may be submitted by individual faculty, teams of faculty and entire departments. Click here for details.

Campus pistachio grove yields holiday gifts
Pistachios from the Fresno State Agricultural Laboratory’s first harvest are expected to be on sale in the campus Farm Market in time for winter holiday giving. The fruit of  3,000 trees in the 22-acre pistachio orchard at Sierra and Bullard avenues was harvested last month, giving students in pomology and agricultural mechanics programs valuable hands-on experience. The pistachio venture also will provide opportunities for student/faculty/industry research and give students practical experience managing a farm enterprise. Click here for details.

Research Activity Awards available
The Office of the Provost is offering Research Activity Awards of up to $25,000 for individual faculty members or faculty teams to develop proposals for major grants. The deadline to apply is Dec. 4. For more information contact Doug Carey in the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs at dcarey@csufresno.edu.  Click here for an application.  

ORSP grants
In one 10-day period in October, the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs announced 10 grant awards received totaling nearly $1.4 million. In his announcement of the success among several Fresno State entities, Dr. Thomas McClanahan, associate vice president for research acknowledged the commitment of the project directors and other faculty and staff who were instrumental in the process. On his list for praise are Amy Lukianov, Ashley Swearengin, Berta Gonzalez, Sharon Brown-Welty, Jane Middleton, David Foster, Steve Price, Gour Choudhury, Peter Canessa, John Weddington, David Zoldoske, Anne Murphy and Imelda Basurto. Click here for details.

Eleven selected for Academic Senate posts
Eleven faculty members were elected in the fall Academic Senate voting. Chosen as California State University systemwide senator from Fresno State was Dr. Gena Gechter (Health & Psychological Services). Elected to campus Academic Senate committees are Drs. Scott Sailor (Health & Human Services) and Glenn DeVoogd (Education & Human Development), Academic Policy & Planning Committee; Dr. Jason Charalambides (Engineering), General Education; Dr. Timothy Skeen (Arts & Humanities), Graduate; Drs. Julie Olson-Buchanan (Business) and James Farrar (Agricultural Sciences & Technology), Personnel; Drs. Sharon Benes (Agricultural Sciences & Technology), Jill Fields (Social Sciences) and Tony Vang (Education & Human Development), Research Awards Review; and Dr. Peggy Trueblood (Health & Human Services).

Assigned time, stipends available
Provost Jeri Echeverria says her office is supporting several opportunities for faculty to receive assigned time and/or stipends this Academic Year. The opportunities include assessment awards, civic education, the Center for Enhancement of Teaching and Learning, graduate augmentation, curricular innovation and research.  Click here for details.

Faculty get entrepreneur grants
Five Fresno State faculty members are recipients of $5,000 grants for entrepreneurial programs in several disciplines. The Lyles Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and the Coleman Foundation announced the awards to Chung Hoon Lee (Electrical and Computer Engineering), Tom Wielicki and Rafael Solis (Information Systems), Betsy Hays (Mass Communication and Journalism), Jia Wang (Management) and Miles Ishigaki (Music). Click here for details.

New master’s program in forensic science
The new two-year Professional Master’s of Science degree in forensic science is the only program of its kind in the central San Joaquin Valley and is drawing strong interest in the central San Joaquin Valley, Southern California and the Sacramento area. Hallmarks of the new program are personalized hands-on learning, low faculty-student ratio and personal contact with practicing forensic scientists, said Dr. David Frank, chair of the Chemistry Department. For more information, contact  Dr. Kevin Miller at 278.2311 or Dr. Eric Person at .278.2170. Click here for details.

CSU adds to graduation success
Nearly 87,700 students received degrees from the 23 California State University campuses during 2005-06, a 4.4 percent increase over 2004-05. Fresno State conferred undergraduate degrees upon 3,320 students, master’s degrees on 738 and joint doctoral degrees on seven candidates, accounting for 4,065 of the CSU total. Click here for the full report.

Emeriti honored at luncheon
Emeritus status was conferred on 72 distinguished former faculty members during a luncheon ceremony Oct. 4 at which University President John D. Welty noted that the group “touched the lives of thousands of students.” Emeriti were encouraged by English professor emeritus Jack McDermott to help the Campaign for Fresno State raise funds for enhanced academic programs, research facilities and partnership opportunities in the region and beyond. Click here for details.