The Yellow Sheet for May 20, 2004May 20, 2004 | Volume 36, Number 29

News & Announcements

Information Dissemination Report... As a follow-up to last year's "Heart of Gustavus: A Community Conversation," the Information Dissemination Task Force, chaired by Leila Brammer (communication studies), presented a report regarding internal communications this spring to the Administrative Council. The cabinet reviewed the report and asked that the recommendations be reviewed and implemented by the staff in the Office of Marketing and Public Relations. Any questions may be directed to Leila Brammer (lbrammer@gustavus.edu) or Stacia Senne (x6395 or ssenne@gustavus.edu).

Community Giving Update... With the May 31 finish line approaching, five percent of the campus community (147 donors) has made a gift to one of the following Community Giving priorities for a total of $31,111.19.

1. Old Main Restoration (capital)
2. Faculty Development (endowment)
3. Student/Faculty Research (endowment)
4. Technology and Equipment (endowment)
5. The Gustavus Fund (current operations)

Including all giving to the college, total participation by faculty, staff, and administration is 30 percent. If you have not already done so, please consider making a gift prior to May 31. If you have questions, please contact Jim Isaak (x7073).

Summer Communication Notice... This is the final edition of The Yellow Sheet for this academic year. The newsletter will resume next fall. During the summer, the news staff in the Office of Marketing and Public Relations will publish and distribute a campus newsletter, The Summer Scoop, once each month on the following Thursdays: June 17, July 15, and Aug. 19. Once again, the publication will be online and all employees will receive notification of its availability via e-mail. A few copies will be printed and posted on bulletin boards or placed in public areas on campus. To submit items, send them via e-mail to ga_news@gustavus.edu by 4:30 p.m. on the Tuesday prior to publication. Submit news announcements, upcoming events, and building or office hours (or locations), as well as plugs (advertisements like for sale or rent items), or off-campus events. Items submitted for the Extraordinary People section will be included in The Summer Scoop, as well as in a summer Extraordinary People roundup upon the resumption of The Yellow Sheet in the fall. For more information regarding summer communications, contact Jonathan Kraatz (x7510 or jkraatz@gustavus.edu).

Homepage Refresh This Summer... The Gustavus Web team will be working this summer to enhance the Gustavus homepage (gustavus.edu). The updated page is intended to convey a vibrant and active campus while using new technologies to enhance usability and promote the promise of Gustavus. The update will also incorporate Extraordinary People, Extraordinary Place stories and photographs. Questions regarding this update should be sent to Jennifer Ringler (Web communications) at jringler@gustavus.edu.

Blue Cross Services Online... Blue Cross of Minnesota now offers many member services online. Learn about your health plan, verify coverage details, get an estimate of prescription costs, check claims, and much more. Members can also access personal health information by registering with the site.

Summer Voice Mail Greeting... All are reminded to change their voice mail greetings to accommodate summer schedules. To record an extended absence greeting, do the following:

1. Call the system and enter your password
2. Press 4 -- Personal Options
3. Press 3 -- Greetings
4. Press 2 -- Extended Absence Greetings
5. Listen to the instructions
6. Press * to exit until you hear "good-bye"

Anyone who has questions or needs assistance changing a message should call the telecommunications office (x6261).

President's Corner

This has been a most remarkable year for me. It has surely gone past faster than any I've ever experienced. I'm looking forward to summer and a different kind of schedule. But, while the academic year soon draws to a close, a number of activities will continue into the summer. Among them is the strategic planning process we have been engaged in for much of the year. The resulting goals and strategies will be refined. Priorities will be established and we'll get to work on them. We have already taken steps to improve compensation for our faculty and other employees in the next year. There is still work to be done in this area, but it will continue to be a priority. A concrete plan for our diversity initiatives will also be available for review within days. Fundraising strategies are being developed. Progress on the campus master plan will be made over the summer as one of its priorities, a new residence hall, begins to take shape.

While most of the academic programs take a breather, much important work continues over the summer. But whether you will be working here or elsewhere, just slowing down, or graduating to a new life, I wish you well. Personally, I will be looking forward to a new fall when the community gathers again. Thank you all for welcoming me into the community and for all the support and encouragement you have provided me. Thanks for everyone's role in making this a greater Gustavus.

Jim

Grant Awarded... Kate Wittenstein (history) has been awarded a grant to participate in a seminar on slavery at Columbia University (NYC) in August. The seminar is sponsored by the Gilder Lehrman Institute on American History and the Council of Independent Colleges.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Chapel Schedule... All are invited to the worship services at 10 a.m. weekdays and 10:30 a.m. Sundays in Christ Chapel. The upcoming schedule is as follows:

• May 21 -- Matt Haugen
  
• May 23 -- Seventh Sunday in Easter, Chaplain Rachel Larson
  
• May 24 -- Kari Lipke
• May 25 -- Litany for Travelers

Tree Dedication Wednesday... The public is invited to a re-dedication of a honey locust tree honoring David and Erik Aasen, sons of Nita Aasen and Paul Aasen (retired finanancial aid) at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 26 near the Lund Center lower level door. David and Erik worked on campus with Evelyn Young (retired dining service) as high school students; Erik also had worked at the Lund Information Desk and David was an instructor in the Tennis and Life program. They died in an automobile accident in 1994. Following the service, a reception will be held in the south lobby of Lund Center. The recently published book by Nita Aasen, titled Living Still, Loving Always, will be available for signing at the reception.

All-Employee Picnic... "The Islands are Calling" all College employees to the annual Gustavus community picnic from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesday, June 2 at the Johns Family Courtyard.

EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE:

Quarterly Award Recognition... The Gustavus Quarterly, the College's magazine, was recognized for overall design excellence in the 2004 Crystal Clarion Awards competition from the Association of Women in Communications, Twin Cities chapter. The top award, a Clarion, was given in the color magazine design category to the St. Peter design firm Envision: Design that Works and Gustavus. Gustavus and Envision also received recognition in the fundraising brochure category by receiving a Merit award for last year's Annual Fund brochure. The awards were presented May 19 at the Woman's Club of Minneapolis.

Deborah Goodwin, religion, presented a paper, titled "Hugh of Saint Victor's Model Pupil," at the 39th annual International Congress on Medieval Studies held May 6-9 at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Mich.

Jean Lavigne, geography, published an article, titled "Where the buffalo roam: boundaries and the politics of scale in the Yellowstone region," in volume 58 (4) of GeoJournal.

Svjetlana Madzar, economics and management, presented a paper, titled "Subordinates' information inquiry in uncertain times: Cross-cultural, multilevel consideration of leadership effect," at the European Academy of Management annual meeting in St. Andrews, Scotland.

Don Scheese, English, gave an invited presentation on April 25 at the Anasazi Heritage Center in Dolores, Colo. His slide lecture was titled "The Allure of the Anasazi: Representations of Ancestral Puebloans in Art and Literature," and was based on research done while Scheese was enrolled in the national parks "sabbatical in the parks" program during 2003-04. Scheese has done extensive fieldwork and archival research at the following parks: Aztec Ruins, Bandelier, Chaco Canyon, Grand Canyon, Hovenweep, and Mesa Verde, as well as at other sites and parks in the Southwest.

Steve Wright, music, gave a clinic, titled "Jazz Phrasing -- Make It Swing," May 13 at the annual Iowa Bandmasters Association convention in Des Moines. On Friday, May 7, the Gustavus Jazz Lab Band, under Wright's direction, performed as guest artists at the Waseca High School spring jazz concert.

Position Openings

• Health Professions Coordinator, Career Center

GUSTAVUS TIDBITS:

FUNDING OPPS:

• Fellowships Available... The George A. and Eliza Howard Foundation provides fellowships to support persons engaged in independent projects in literary criticism, film criticism and translation. Stipends are normally $20,000 and augment paid sabbatical leaves. Individuals must be nominated by their department chair. Applicants should have a significant record of publication beyond the dissertation. There are no residency requirements. The deadline is Oct. 18. For more information or a nomination form, see http://www.brown.edu/Divisions/Graduate_School/howard/.

IN THE MEDIA:

• On May 11, the Star Tribune of Minneapolis published an article, titled "Wetterling jumps into broader political arena in Congress bid," that included quotes from Don Ostrom (political science).
• On May 16, The Free Press of Mankato published an article on the St. Peter Community Garden that included quotes from student Sonia Brummer, organizer of a painting project at the garden on Saturday, May 15, that was partially funded by the Gustavus Community Service Center. The article appeared on the front page of The Valley section.
• The May 16th Free Press published a feature on student Mjonpaj Lee, who volunteers at the St. Peter Public Library teaching and reading about Hmong culture to children. The story ran on page B5 of The Valley section and included two black and white photographs -- one of Lee and the other included Maggie Ringler, daughter of Jennifer Ringler (Web communications).
• On May 18, the Star Tribune of Minneapolis published a story on the appointment of Randall Farrow ('83) as president of the River Falls (Wis.) Area Hospital.
  
  

Plugs

Housesitter Available: A dependable, 27-year-old woman is relocating to the St. Peter area from the Twin Cities and is interested in watching or renting a home for the summer. Non-smoker, has no pets, but will love yours if you want a pet sitter. For references, call Stan Shetka (art and art history) or Kiersten Shetka (507/744-2913). Call Erika Reckling (612/306-6697 or erikareckling@hotmail.com).

Looking to Rent: A University of Kentucky Ph.D. student is moving in July to St. Peter and teaching part-time at Minnesota State University, Mankato and is looking for a room to rent in St. Peter. Non-smoker, tidy, and considerate. Contact Christine Metzo (crmetz1@uky.edu or 859/420-8615).

For Rent: Two-bedroom home located on Lake Washington is available to a Gustavus staff member for the 2004-05 academic year for $650 per month. The home is semi-furnished to furnished and includes a washer, dryer, dishwasher, and other amenities. The price includes cable television and one-half of the heat and electricity. Call 952/758-3430.

For Rent: Three-bedroom home in nice south Minneapolis neighborhood. Great access to theatres and shopping. Available mid-summer for initial one-year term. Would be possible to carpool to campus with other Gustavus faculty. Contact Dave Olson (x6315 or dolson@gustavus.edu.) for further information.

For Rent: Very large bedroom with walk-in closet available next year for a commuting faculty or staff member who would like to stay in St. Peter two or three nights per week. Rent is negotiable. Call 934-6072 or x6058.

For Rent: Three-bedroom house close to campus on South Washington at Jefferson for rent for one or two semesters and possibly for this summer. Non-smoking, garage, cable ready, $900 per month, including utilities. Call Don Palmgren (931-1678 or dpalmgre@gustavus.edu).

For Sale: 1997 Buick LeSabre, V6, 4-door, custom; white with less than 85,000 miles; good tires, new alternator, runs great, body and interior in great shape, no rust. Asking $4,900. Call Diane or Dean (934-0187) after 5 p.m. or leave a message anytime.

For Sale: One of few remaining lots in the Nicollet Meadows subdivision in St. Peter. Financial assistance is offered to qualified homebuyers. Call 933-7421 for more information.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS:

To add or change items on the calendar, please fill out and submit a College Calendar event form. View the entire College Calendar online.