Ag field day for FFA students Feb. 2
The College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology will host the 2008 Mid Winter State Finals and Field Day on Saturday, Feb. 2, in the Agriculture Science building, Viticulture and Enology Research Center and the campus tree fruit orchard. FFA members from through the state participate in a day of career-development events that begin at 8 a.m. Click here for details.

Student Rec Center celebrates second anniversary
As part of its anniversary celebration, “Two Years and Going Strong,” administrative staff at the Student Recreation Center offer faculty and staff use of the facility for $1 per day Monday, Feb. 4, through Feb. 10. At a celebration event 4-8 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 6, a group fitness class launches and a 30 percent discount will be available for personal training packages. For details, contact Maia Jost at 347.3876 or at majost@csufresno.edu.

African-American Read-in scheduled Feb. 4
The 19th annual African American Read-in takes place 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday, Feb. 4 in the Free Speech area, which spotlights African American literature. The event is sponsored by the San Joaquin Literary Association, Student of English Studies Association, Africana and American Indian Studies program and Black Students United.

Primate mate selection in Café Scientifique spotlight
Kaberi Kar-Gupta, a primatologist, will discuss how primates choose their mates during the Central Valley Café Scientifique session at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 4, at Lucy’s Lair, 10063 N. Maple Ave., Fresno. Central Valley Cafe Scientifique connects researchers from Fresno State and other organizations with community members for a discussion of scientific topics. Click here for details.

Presidential primary election is Feb. 5
The primary election is Tuesday, Feb. 5, when voters will have a choice of candidates for president and decide on several statewide ballot propositions. Included is Proposition 92, the Community College Initiative, a measure that would make major changes in state constitutionally required support of California’s community colleges. The measure is opposed by the California State University Board of Trustees. Details pro and con about Proposition 92 are at http://www.calstate.edu/prop92/index.shtml. Polls will be open Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Federal Networking Fair planned on campus Feb. 5
A Federal Networking Fair from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 5, will help faculty, staff and students learn about federal agencies that offer paid internships, scholarships, student employment programs, career and employment opportunities. The event will be held in the University Business Center under sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Hispanic Service Institutions National Program hosted at Fresno State. Details are available by e-mail at rogonzalez@csufresno.edu or phone at 278.8682.

International Coffee Hour debuts spring schedule
Spring semester Inernational Coffee Hour presentations begin at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 5, in USU 312-314, with a look at Hong Kong and Macau. International Coffee Hour provides students, faculty and staff an opportunity to learn more about various places and peoples from campus community members. Other presentations this month: Feb. 12, Vietnam; Feb. 19, French Guiana; and Feb. 26, Brazil. For more information, contact coordinator Sahil Saini at sahilsaini1@csufresno.edu. 

Building Bridges, Tackling Fears panel discussion Feb. 5
“Homophobia in the African American Community” is the topic of the monthly Building Bridges, Tackling Fears panel discussion series at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 5, in University Center Room 202. The discussion is sponsored by the Fresno State National Coalition Building Institute, part of the Central Valley Cultural Heritage Institute. For more information call 278.6946.

Feb. 6 deadline for Campus Master Plan EIR  comments
A public open-comment period about the scope of the Environmental Impact Report for the Campus Master Plan ends Wednesday, Feb. 6. A Web site devoted to the Master Plan is at www.csufresno.edu/masterplan.

Ethics Lecture Series considers genetically modified food
The Ethics Lecture Series will consider genetically modified food, humans sharing habitat with wildlife and stem cell research in four lectures beginning this month. James Prince (Biology) kicks off the series at noon Wednesday, Feb. 6, in the Alice Peters Auditorium with his topic “What is this I’m eating?” Madhu Katti (Biology) will talk Feb. 20 about “Urban Beavers, Suburban Bears, and Household Geckos: On Sharing our Habitat with Wildlife." Click here for details.

Translation of literature will be lecture topic
Ewa Hryniewicz-Yarbrough will discuss "The Translator's Craft" in a free lecture at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 8 at the Alice Peters Auditorium, sponsored by the Master of Fine Arts program. Her work has appeared in the New Yorker, the Paris Review and the Chicago Review, and her translations – from English to Polish and Polish to English – include a book by Phillip Levine (English, Emeritus). Hryniewicz-Yarbrough’s book, "They Carry a Promise," scheduled to publish in 2009, is a collection of poems by Janusz Szuber. 

African American recruitment conferences scheduled on campus
The 26th annual African American Student Recruitment Conferences for middle  and high school students are scheduled Feb. 8 and 29 on campus under sponsorship of University Outreach Services. ”The gatherings will address how students can survive their first year at college, financial aid, planning for the future and facing adversity,” said Tanya Crabb (Outreach), the event organizer. For more information call Crabb at 278.2048 or e-mail  tcrabb@csufresno.edu.

Snowfest 2008 hits the Sierra slopes Feb. 9
The Staff Asembly-sponsored Snowfest 2008, the annual family day of fun in the snow for staff and faculty, is coming Feb. 9 at the Sierra Summit Ski Resort, near Huntington Lake. The event costs $1 per person for refreshments, a chance at scores of donated prizes, the snowman-building contest and an opportunity to play in the snow. Lift tickets are $40 adult, $30 teen and $10 child. For a registration form or to volunteer, contact Brad Barker at 278.2763 or bradb@csufresno.edu; or Angel Langridge at 278.5030 or alangrid@csufresno.edu.

‘Mythbusters’ Fresno State appearance sold out
The Feb. 12 University Lecture Series appearance by Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman, hosts of the Discovery Channel’s “Mythbusters,” has sold out. The next event in the series will be March 13, when poet Yusef Komunyakaa talks about “Poetry and Prose.” Advance tickets ($6 for faculty, staff, seniors and Fresno State Alumni Association members) are available at the University Student Union information desk. Click here for details. www.csufresno.edu/universitylecture.

Creative rights in a digital age is lecture topic
Protecting creative work in a digital world will be discussed in depth by Dennis Wilson, a Fresno State alumnus and legal expert on the subject, at 7 p.m. Feb. 26 in the Alice Peters Auditorium. Wilson, and English literature and economics graduate (1988) will speak as part of the new College of Arts and Humanities Distinguished Alumni Lecture Series, whose presentations are free. Wilson’s topic is “Digital Rights, Virtual Worlds and New Media.”  Click here for details.

Monthly defensive driving course scheduled Feb. 29
The next defensive driving classroom course is scheduled at 8:30 a.m. Feb. 29 in USU Room 310 by the Office of Environmental Health and Safety/Risk Management. Any employee who operates a vehicle on university business – including a cart on campus – is required to complete defensive driver training. The course also is available online for those unable to participate in the monthly classroom session. Defensive driving cards must be renewed every four years. Click here for details.

WET Incubator part of March 3 TV documentary
Fresno State’s Water and Energy Technology Incubator will be the starting point for a “California Gold” report, “Farm Water: Growing More with Every Drop,” hosted by Huell Howser. David Zoldoske director of the International Center for Water Technology at Fresno State talked with Howser about the incubator’s efforts to develop innovative ideas into water-efficient clean-energy businesses. The documentary will air at 7 p.m. March 3 on Fresno PBS affiliate, KVPT, Channel 18. Art available

Diversity workshops available for faculty, staff, students
A pair of daylong workshops designed to help faculty, staff and students welcome diversity and reduce prejudice are scheduled March 8 and April 12. The National Coalition Building Institute campus chapter conducts the workshops, which are free to the campus community. Registration is limited to 60 participants. Click here for details.

Provost’s Award nominations open through March 7
Nominations are sought for the Provost’s Awards for Excellence in Teaching, Technology in Education, Graduate Teaching and Mentoring, Faculty Service, Distinguished Achievement in Research, Scholarship or Creative Activities and Promising New Faculty. The deadline is March 7 to nominate full-time, tenured/tenure track faculty. Accompanying the honors are monetary awards of $5,500 for Excellence in Teaching and $3,000 for the others. Click here for details.

Veritas Forum hosts columnist Navarette on campus
Plans are being made for the 2008 Veritas Forum at Fresno State, part of a dialogue on campuses nationwide designed to stimulate discussions of relationships between faith, truth and the pursuit of knowledge. The Fresno State event is tentatively scheduled March 26-28 and will feature appearances by syndicated columnist Ruben Navarette, who was reared in Sanger and now writes from San Diego. Students, faculty and staff are organizing the forum, including Gary Lentell (Physical Therapy), Honora Chapman (Classical Literatures and Languages), Hank Delcore (Anthropology) and Steve Olson (California Agricultural Technology Institute). Details will be posted at FresnoStateNews.com.

Women to be honored April 18 at Common Threads Awards Program
Reservations are being accepted for this year’s Common Threads Awards Program on April 18 at the University Courtyard Dining Hall, which honors six central San Joaquin Valley women for their agricultural, philanthropic and community service. Net proceeds from the luncheon go to the Ag One Foundation, the California Agricultural Leadership Foundation and charities of the honorees’ choice. Tickets are $35 before April 4 and $50 after the deadline. For ticket information, contact Christy Melvold at Ag One 278.4266 or via e-mail at cmelvold@csufresno.edu.