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Mid-Year Commencement
Scheduled
for January 23
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| Morris Rossabi |
The University will celebrate its mid-year
commencement on Sunday, January 23, 2005 at 1:00 p.m. in the Rec
Center on campus. In the event of inclement weather, the ceremony
will be held on Monday, January 24 at 7:00 p.m.
A total of 865 undergraduate students are scheduled to receive bachelor’s
degrees at the event, which marks the University’s 180th commencement.
All graduates will have completed their degree requirements between
August and December 2004.
Morris Rossabi, the Visiting Distinguished Fellow for the 2004-2005
academic year, will be the commencement speaker. An expert in east
and central Asian history, Rossabi is a professor of history at
the City University of New York.
President Arnold Speert will address the graduating class along
with Brandon Clay, senior class president. C.K. Leung, a senior
faculty member in the Christos M. Cotsakos College of Business,
will lead the academic procession in the role of University marshal.
Master’s degree candidates who anticipate graduating in January
will be invited to participate in the graduate commencement ceremony
on May 17 at 4:00 p.m. That specially designed graduate ceremony
was first offered last May to honor the achievements of graduate
students, and includes a hooding ceremony unique to graduate student
commencements.
Patriot Act is
Debated at Distinguished Lecturer Series
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| Janet Reno (left),
former attorney general in the Clinton administration, and Frank
Gaffney (right), a former assistant secretary of defense during
the Reagan administration, discussed the Patriot Act as part
of the University’s Distinguished Lecturer Series on December
3. The event was moderated by the Honorable William J. Martini
(center), U. S. District Judge for New Jersey. |
Faculty Granted
Tenure
The University’s Board of Trustees granted tenure to 22 faculty
members during the December 11, 2004 board meeting effective with
their service at the beginning of the next academic year in September
2005:
Carol Frierson-Campbell,
assistant professor, music
Martin Gritsch,
assistant professor, economics and finance
Thomas Gundling,
assistant professor, anthropology
Djanna Hill,
assistant professor, secondary and middle school education
Christian Holle,
assistant professor, psychology
Phoebe Jackson,
assistant professor, English
Ming Jian,
assistant professor, languages and cultures
Christine Kelly,
assistant professor, political science
Kem Louie,
associate professor, nursing
Howard Lune,
assistant professor, sociology
Grisel Maduro,
assistant professor, languages and cultures
Peter Mandik,
assistant professor, philosophy
Zachary Morgan,
assistant professor, history
Emmanuel Onaivi,
assistant professor, biology
Enrique Pumar,
assistant professor, sociology
Holly Seplocha,
assistant professor, elementary and early childhood education
Tricia Coxwell Snyder,
assistant professor, economics and finance
Barbara Suess,
assistant professor, English
Stephen L. Thompson,
assistant professor, philosophy
Kathleen Torsney,
assistant professor, psychology
Ronald Verdicchio,
assistant professor, elementary and early childhood education
Chriss Williams,
assistant professor, communication
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Zoom-In:
Coping with Holiday Stress
Editor’s
Note: With this issue, we begin a new feature, Zoom-In, in
which we will interview a campus expert on a current subject
in a brief format. In this issue, we speak with Glen Sherman,
director of the counseling, health and wellness center, about
coping with stress during the upcoming holiday season.
Q. For people who
experience stress during the holiday season, can you provide
some coping strategies?
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| Glen Sherman |
Sherman: One
of the biggest stressors for people this time of year is getting
caught up in the hype of the holidays. We are inundated with
stereotypical images of what a holiday should be. Too often,
we base our holidays on commercially driven images. The danger
in this is making a holiday that is not our own, and setting
us up for disappointment.
A solution would be to think through what
we think a fulfilling, enjoyable, and manageable holiday would
be for us. Take some time to figure out what’s meaningful
for you. This could be based on a tradition or not---it’s
OK for everyone to decide what that should be for themselves.
Another important point is to not have unrealistic expectations
about family gatherings. If at every family gathering problems
or arguments occur, it’s unrealistic to expect a holiday
event to be perfect. Expectations are based on experience,
so to minimize a disappointment, be realistic.
Think ahead and imagine how you would like that holiday to
be and plan accordingly. Here on campus, we are lucky to have
a period of time off for the holidays. If you have children,
think of one or two things to do during that time. If you
want to visit with family, think about how to structure that
time. The end result should be that you will have spent some
time that is meaningful for you and your family that doesn’t
have to be based on a commercial image and that has factored
in your own wishes. |
Achievements
Photographs by Leandro Katz,
communication, will be on exhibit from January 11 to March 5, 2005
in the Plaza Lobby and the Steinberg Room Gallery of the New York
Public Library for Performing Arts at Lincoln Center Plaza, New
York City. The exhibit, “Bedlam Days: The Early Plays of Charles
Ludlam and the Ridiculous Theatrical Company,” will include
67 photographs of Ludlam, who led an experimental theater company
in the late 1960s and 1970s. Katz, who documented Ludlam’s
productions, will sit on a panel to discuss Charles Ludlam on February
5 at 3:00 p.m….The William Paterson
University Percussion Ensemble will perform at the Music
Educators National Conference, Eastern Division Conference, in Baltimore
in March. The ensemble, currently led by Peter Jarvis and Payton
MacDonald, was selected from hundreds of applicants.
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Jazz Legend Clark
Terry Donates His Archive to William Paterson University
Jazz legend Clark Terry, a major figure
in the history of jazz and a “founding father" of jazz
education, has donated his extensive archive, including manuscripts,
recordings and memorabilia, to William Paterson University, home
of the internationally renowned jazz studies program. The establishment
of the archive was announced on December 8 during a special event
that featured a performance by Terry and the William Paterson Jazz
ensemble under the direction of David Demsey, professor of music
and coordinator of jazz studies. (More
Information)
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| Clark Terry performing with students |
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| Clark Terry with David Demsey, professor
of music and coordinator of the Jazz Studies Program, after
receiving a cake in honor of his 84th birthday. |
| 150th
ANNIVERSARY TRIVIA CONTEST
Editor’s Note:
This Trivia Contest is part of the University’s 150th
Anniversary celebration. There will be one question per issue
dealing with the history of the institution. Responses should
be sent to the efocus mailbox at efocus@wpunj.edu.
The first correct response will be declared the winner and
will receive a prize. Only one prize will be awarded per issue.
Answers will be published in the next issue.
Q. Which was the first organized women’s sport on campus?
A. Fencing
B. Tennis
C. Basketball
D. Softball
Pamela Firth,
library, is the winner of the December 1 contest. She was
the first person to respond with the correct answer which
was: Dr. Clair Wightman
(1937-1954) personally kept in touch with men and women in
service who were stationed all over the world. Paterson State
Teachers College was represented by 307 men and 21 women.
On Nov. 14, 1945, at a special evening program, the college
honored the men and women who had been or still were in military
service by the dedication of an honor roll with appropriate
ceremonies.
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A Good Time Was
Had By All
The University’s
Annual Holiday Social was held this year in the Café at 1600
Valley Road on Saturday, December 4. Guests enjoyed visiting with
colleagues and friends, and dancing to the music.
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| With President Arnold Speert and Mrs.
Myrna Speert (far right) at the Holiday Social are (from left)
Mary Ann Padula, Provost’s Office, and Michael Terranova;
Lee Vadala, former assistant to President Speert, and Louis
Terraneo; and Donna Santaniello, President’s Office, and
Mario Santaniello. Donna Santaniello and Padula were co-chairs
of the event. |
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| Two of the organizers of the event, Marion
Turkish (left), elementary and early childhood education, and
Susanna Tardi, sociology. |
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| Leading a group of guests in a conga line
is Francisco Diaz, campus activities and student leadership |
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Men's Basketball Look Ahead
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| Robert Sullivan |
The trio of senior guard Robert Sullivan
(11.9 ppg, 4.5 apg), junior guard Feron McGee (12.8 ppg, 4.9 rpg)
and junior forward Miguel Rodriguez (8.3 ppg, 9.5 rpg) have helped
the Pioneers (5-2, 2-2 NJAC) score in transition while also playing
their trademark stingy defense. The Pioneers will play their final
home game of 2004 against the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy on Saturday,
Dec. 18, at 1:00 p.m.
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Women's Basketball Look Ahead
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Adrienne Kopko |
The continual improvement of senior center Adrienne
Kopko (6.0 ppg, 7.6 rpg) has things looking upward for the Pioneers
(4-5, 2-2 NJAC). Her play in the low post, as well as the intangibles
sophomore guard Alima Williams (3.8 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 19 steals) provides,
will be on display when they play their last game of 2004 at Wilkes
on Tuesday, Dec. 21.
Swimming and Diving Look Ahead
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| Kristin Clegg |
Both the Pioneers' women's (9-2) and men's
teams (8-1) are riding winning streaks as they go on hiatus before
heading to Curacao, Netherlands Antilles, from Dec. 28-Jan. 5 for
their annual training trip. Junior Kristin Clegg made the NCAA "B"
cut in the 100 backstroke Dec. 11 vs. Adelphi. The women have won
eight straight meets and the men seven.
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