The Yellow Sheet for May 14May 14, 2009 | Volume 41, Number 32

Volume 41, Number 32

News & Announcements

Commission Gustavus 150 Update... With a flurry of activity in April, the work of the Task Forces has come to an end with a final draft of 439 recommendations. To keep campus members informed, draft recommendations have been shared with those members who would be most involved with the implementation. During the last two weeks of May, the recommendations will be posted online for faculty, staff, administrators, students, alumni, and other Commission participants to review and provide input. This input will be used to assist the Board of Trustees in prioritizing the recommendations at a meeting in August.

Consultant to Present Market Research Findings... Elizabeth Scarborough, president of the Washington, D.C.-based higher education market research firm SimpsonScarborough, will be on campus on Monday, May 18, to present the findings of a recently completed market research initiative to the Gustavus community. Faculty, students, and staff are encouraged to attend either of two sessions in Alumni Hall, 10:30 a.m.-noon or 12:30-2 p.m. The presentations will cover the project's scope, goals, research design, and key findings regarding how Gustavus is perceived by its target audiences, as well as SimpsonScarborough's recommendations on how the College might best position itself to raise its visibility and realize its mission and goals through effective marketing. Refreshments will be served.

Gustavus to host Springfest... Several teachers in the Deaf/Hard of Hearing program for Region 9 and their school-age students will be on campus Wednesday, May 20, from 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m. to celebrate Springfest, an annual spring field trip. Gustavus faculty and staff will host a variety of activities including a bird watching event, a visit to the Olin observatory, and a kite-making and flying competition. For more information, or to volunteer your help with the celebration, contact Marketing and Communication at x7520.      

Ushers Needed for Commencement... Ushers are needed for Commencement on Sunday, May 31. Volunteers would need to arrive by noon and stay at least until the ceremony starts at 2 p.m. A few people are needed to stay through the ceremony, but if you need to leave, we would still welcome your help at the beginning. To volunteer or for more details, contact Dana Lamb at dlamb@gustavus.edu.

Volunteer Opportunity... Do you like kids? Are you looking for volunteer opportunities? You're in luck! Volunteer a few hours of your time Thursday mornings next semester from 9 to 11 a.m. playing with children while their parents learn English at the St. Peter Community Center. If interested, contact Christa at 320-491-0834 or cbolm@gustavus.edu for more information.

Memorial Celebration... There will be a memorial/celebration for Kathleen Owen, wife of Lawrence Owen (English, emeritus) in the Senior Room, St. Peter Community Center, on Saturday, May 23, at 1 p.m.

Reservations Due for Service Awards Dinner... Reservations for the Faculty and Administrator Service Awards Dinner should be made with the Office of Alumni Relations by Friday, May 15. The dinner will be held on Thursday, May 21, in Alumni Hall, preceded by a social hour beginning at 5 p.m.

Donate Your Stuff... Cleaning out your room? Donate your gently used school supplies! Faculty and staff are encouraged to pass this information to their students or colleagues leaving the College's employ. Materials will be distributed to students from low-income families in St. Peter. Collection boxes are located in the Jackson Campus Center, Bernadotte Library, and residence halls. Acceptable donations include: notebooks (minimum 50 usable pages), folders, binders, pens, pencils, markers, colored pencils, crayons, calculators, scissors, backpacks, post-its, paper clips, highlighters, and erasers. Books or textbooks will not be accepted. Donations accepted now through May 31.

Another Term Ends... The final Yellow Sheet of the 2008-09 academic year will be published next Thursday, May 21.

Campus Happenings

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:

• Friday, May 15 - Presentation of Schwalm-Brostrom Leadership in Service Award
• Sunday, May 17 - Mendelssohn's If You Rely on God to Guide You, with the Choir of Christ Chapel, Patricia Kazarow, conductor, and the Gustavus Philharmonic Orchestra, Brian Buckstead, conductor; Chaplain Brian Johnson, homilist
• Monday, May 18 - Vicar Peter Bauck
• Tuesday, May 19 - TBA
• Wednesday, May 20 - Morning Praise
• Thursday, May 21 - TBA
• Friday, May 22 - Mark Bjelland (geography)

Business after Hours... Gustavus will host a “Business After Hours” gathering beginning at 5 p.m. Tuesday, May 19, in the Three Crowns Room of the C. Charles Jackson Campus Center. "Business After Hours" is a membership program of the St. Peter Chamber of Commerce open to business leaders, the retail community, and industry to share information of common concern, network, and to learn more about the greater St. Peter business community. President Jack Ohle will bring a greeting and speak about "Gustavus: Present and Future." Complimentary hors d’ oeuvres will be served and all interested are welcome to attend. For more information, contact St. Peter Chamber of Commerce board member Dean Wahlund at x7521.

Alumna Returns to Present George Hall Lecture... The Department of Religion invites the Gustavus community to the 2009 George Hall Lecture, to be delivered by Mary Duvall, a 2005 graduate who is the Midwest grassroots advocacy organizer at Lutheran World Relief. The presentation is slated to begin at 7 p.m., Tuesday, May 19, in the Presidents Dining Room.

Off-Campus Events of Interest

Cox House Plant Sale... The Cox House's annual Heritage Plant Sale will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 16, at the E. St. Julien Cox House (500 North Washington, St. Peter). Old fashioned perennials, bulbs, herbs, rhubarb, raspberry plants, and small shrubs will be for sale. There will also be master gardeners at the Cox House to answer questions about gardening. Anyone interested in donating plants may bring potted plants to the Cox House on Thursday, May 14, or Friday, May 15, between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Money raised from the sale will support the E. St. Julien Cox House and Gardens. If you have questions, call Bev Wetherill (934-4417), Susan Stenson (931-0912), or Jen Baxa (934-4075).

Organ Concert in Rochester... David Fienen (music) will play a dedication recital on the new pipe organ at Bethel Lutheran Church in Rochester, Minn. (810 3rd Avenue SE) on Sunday, May 17, at 4 p.m. The instrument, originally a demonstration organ for Wickes Organ Company, Highland, Ill., is somewhat larger than the Christ Chapel Organ and has been refurbished, enlarged, revoiced, and newly installed at Bethel.

Extraordinary People

Heidi Meyer (nursing) attended AACN's 2009 Hot Issues Conference on "Technology: Transforming Nursing Education," April 23-25 in Salt Lake City, Utah. She also had a poster presentation titled "Use of Podcasts in a Baccalaureate Setting," at the conference.

Michele Koomen (education) presented a paper, "Understanding the process of applying inquiry teaching methods in elementary classrooms," and a poster, "The Practice of Inquiry within a Small Group of Hmong Youth," at the meeting of the National Association of Research in Science Teaching in Garden Grove, Calif., April 17-21. In addition, she has served on the Minnesota State Science Standards Revision Committee for the past year. She reports that the committee completed its work in February 2009 and that the proposed final draft of the Minnesota State Science Standards is now posted on the Minnesota Department of Education website. The proposed revised standards will now proceed through the state’s administrative rulemaking process. "The Academic Standards in Science: Final Draft" (April 2009) and "Academic Standards in Science 2009: Frequently Asked Questions" (FAQ) documents can be viewed and downloaded at http://education.state.mn.us/MDE/Academic_Excellence/Academic_Standards/Science/index.html.

Joy Reese and Tom McHugh (both admission) were both recently selected to participate in the Minnesota Association for College Admission Counseling's (MACAC) 2009-10 Leadership Development Program. Ten participants were selected from the ranks of high school guidance counselors, career center professionals, and college admission professionals with three or more years of experience assisting students in the transition to post-secondary education. The goal of the 11-month program is to provide a training forum for emerging leaders who will take new skills back to their own institutions, as well as apply these leadership skills to their work in professional organizations. Participants in the program attend specific seminars and events designed to focus on leadership skills and will be paired with mentors to work with throughout the year.

Steve Wright (music) presented trumpet clinics and was guest soloist for the Pine City, Minn., High School pops concert on May 4. He performed with both their jazz ensemble and concert band.

Student News

Lor Moua has been selected for the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Exceptional Research Opportunities Program (EXROP; http://www.hhmi.org/grants/individuals/exrop.html). The goal of this program is to "increase diversity within the ranks of the science professoriate." This program pairs outstanding students of promise with some of the top research investigators in the country for summer research experiences and also supports students through continued mentoring after the summer is over. Lor will be working in the lab of Julie Simpson at the Janelia Farm Research Institute (Ashburn, Va.) for the summer. Michael Ferragamo (biology, neuroscience) has been working with Lor on this opportunity and will act as Lor's mentor through the EXROP program.

Births

Lucas Aarón Adams was born to Ana Adams (MLLC-Spanish) and her husband, Brett, on Wednesday, April 29, at 6:27 p.m. at Methodist Hospital in St. Louis Park, Minn. He weighed 7lbs., 14 oz. and was 22 inches long. Ana reports that Lucas is a happy and content baby, and very much loved by his four-year-old brother, Tomás.

Position Openings

• Multicultural Recruitment Admission Counselor/Assistant Director (admission)

For more information on the aforementioned position(s), call human resources (x7304).

Congregational Outreach

Partners in Education... The Rev. Grady St. Dennis (church relations) will be giving his talk "Observing the Speed Limit of Life" at Mount Olivet Lutheran Church in Minneapolis tonight (Thursday, May 14) at 7 p.m. St. Dennis will also be giving his talk "Yes We Can: The Inspirational Story of 'Twenty-Somethings' Serving God in South Africa" on Sunday, May 17, at 9:30 a.m. at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in St. Paul. Partners in Education is a program coordinated by the Office of Church Relations in which participating faculty and staff members prepare topical presentations for adult forums, workshops, and seminars in congregations of the ELCA.

Retreats... The Gustavus Adolphus College Association of Congregations Retreat Center, coordinated by the Office of Church Relations, will host a women's retreat for All Saints Lutheran Church from Norwood-Young America, Minn., Saturday, May 16, and Sunday, May 17.

Music in Worship... Any Gustavus music ensemble or soloist is welcome to perform in congregations. For more information, contact Marilyn Beyer (x7001).

Funding Opps

The Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations' weekly program or funding opportunity highlight:

• Special NSF Major Research Instrumentation Competition... The National Science Foundation (NSF) has just announced a special Major Research Instrumentation competition as a result of federal stimulus funding (http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2009/nsf09561/nsf09561.htm). The deadline is August 10. Awards for instrumentation will be up to $6 million for non-Ph.D. granting institutions, with no cost sharing required. A maximum of two proposals per institution may be submitted for instrument acquisition through this competition. Faculty interested in submitting an application should send an e-mail so indicating to Bob Weisenfeld (bweis@gustavus.edu) by May 31. In the event that there is interest in submitting more than two proposals, Bob will follow up in June with those interested regarding the project selection process.
• National Endowment for the Humanities Teaching Development Fellowship... The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) awards Teaching Development Fellowships to support faculty pursuing research aimed specifically at deepening their core knowledge in the humanities to improve their undergraduate teaching. This is a relatively new initiative of the NEH. Projects must improve an existing undergraduate course that has been taught in at least three different terms and will continue to be taught by the applicant. Fellowships cover periods lasting from three to five months at stipends of $4,200 per month, with a maximum stipend of $21,000 for a five-month award period. See http://www.neh.gov/grants/guidelines/TD_Fellowships.html for more information. An early October 2009 deadline is anticipated. The website will be updated this summer. Until then, the current guidelines should only be used as a guide.

For more information on grants or proposal preparation, contact Bob Weisenfeld in the Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations (x7049 or bweis@gustavus.edu).

In the Media

Here are some noteworthy Gustavus-related stories that recently appeared in print or broadcast media locally, regionally, or around the nation:

• The Mankato Free Press printed a story about Commission Gustavus 150 in its Tuesday, May 5, edition. Barb Larson Taylor (president’s office), Trustee Jan Michaletz, and student Ben Batz were quoted in the story.
• The Mankato Free Press printed a story in its Tuesday, May 5, Sports section about the Gustavus softball team receiving an NCAA tournament berth.
• The Mankato Free Press printed a feature story in its Tuesday, May 5, Sports section about former men’s hockey coach Don Roberts receiving the Hobey Baker Legends of Hockey Award. Roberts and current head coach Brett Petersen were quoted in the story.
• Former men’s hockey coach Don Roberts appeared live in studio for an interview on KEYC-TV on Wednesday, May 6, about receiving the Hobey Baker Legends of Hockey Award.
• The St. Peter Herald printed news briefs about Gustavus athletic teams in NCAA post-season play, Arboretum Volunteer Day, and softball player Rachael Click being named NCAA National Softball Player of the Week in its Thursday, May 7, edition.
• The Mankato Free Press printed a feature story about women’s tennis player Erica Dobson in its Saturday, May 9, Sports section. Dobson and head coach Jon Carlson were quoted in the story.
• The Mankato Free Press printed a feature story about men’s tennis player Nick Hansen in its Sunday, May 10, Sports section. Hansen and head coach Steve Wilkinson were quoted in the story.
• The Mankato Free Press printed a story in its Sunday, May 10, Sports section about the women’s tennis team. Head coach Jon Carlson and student-athlete Ali O’Neal were quoted in the story.
• The Mankato Free Press printed a story in its Sunday, May 10, edition about Gustavus’s results in "Recyclemania."
• KEYC-TV ran a story on its Sunday, May 10, newscasts about the women’s softball team advancing to the Division III finals.
• KEYC-TV ran a story on its Sunday, May 10, newscasts about the men’s tennis team advancing to the NCAA tournament quarterfinals.
• The Mankato Free Press printed a story in its Monday, May 11, Sports section about the softball team advancing to the Division III Finals.
• The Mankato Free Press printed a story in its Monday, May 11, Sports section about the men’s tennis team advancing the NCAA tournament quarterfinals.

Anyone who has suggested additions for this list, suggestions for potential future media stories, or interest in being a media source should contact Marketing and Communication (x7520 or ga_news@gustavus.edu).

Hours

Library Hours for Finals: Thurs., May 21 - 8 a.m.-2 a.m.; Fri., May 22 - 8 a.m.-2 a.m.; Sat., May 23 - 8 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sun., May 24 - 8 a.m.-2 a.m.; Mon., May 25 - 8 a.m.-2 a.m.; Tues., May 26 - 8 a.m.-4:45 p.m.

Telecommunications Updates

The following are changes and additions for the "Personnel Phone Directory 2008-09"

• Mary Miller, Dining Service, phone: x7608 (addition)
• RayThrower, Campus Safety, phone: x8809 (deletion)
• Todd Waldron, Campus Safety, phone: x8809, e-mail: twaldron (addition)
• Norma Witter, Campus Safety, phone: x8809, e-mail: nwitter (addition)

For further information or corrections, contact Laura McCabe in telecommunications (x6261 or lmccabe@gustavus.edu).

Plugs

Apartment For Rent: Available July 1. Three bedrooms, hardwood floors, patio area, all appliances included (dishwasher and washer and dryer), off-street parking for two vehicles, 20-minute walk to campus. Historic building. Rent is $715.00 per month, including wireless internet, cable TV, and water/wastewater. Contact Lois Peterson at lpeterso@gustavus.edu or call 507-380-5251.

Lift Chair for Sale: Infinite-position electronic lift chair is ideal for people who have knee or back issues. Fully hand-controlled, the chair lifts, tilts to allow a person to stand, fully reclines, raises the foot rest, and has a back massager. The chair sells for over $1,000 new. Asking $700 for gently used, khaki-colored chair. E-mail Wendy at wbachman@gustavus.edu for photos or call 931-2139 for more information.

For Sale: Large Delsey hard-side suitcase, 30" high by 20" wide by 12" deep, used only once and in very good condition. Blue-gray color, Model No. 6177BL. $40. Contact Dennis Henry, x7314 or dchenry@gustavus.edu.

For Sale or Rent: 3-bedroom, 2-bath house built in 1890. All 3 bedrooms are on second floor. Huge detached, heated, 2-car garage + workshop. Open floor plan includes large 30'x13' living room, which opens to four-season porch with tons of natural light, and 18'x10' dining room. Kitchen has tons of cabinets and a newish refrigerator with ice and water in the door. Partially finished basement makes a great office. Near St. Peter Library/Community Center. See http://tinyurl.com/320mulberry for pictures. E-mail sommere@gustavus.edu or call 469-8574 for more information. Available Aug. 1; $169,000 or $850/mo. to rent.

"Plugs" is maintained as a forum by which members of the Gustavus community may offer goods and services to others in the community, or seek the same from them. It is not meant to accommodate ads or announcements from area businesses such as real estate agents and retailers, although from time to time such announcements may be published when deemed to be of particular interest to the community.

Thank Yous

Thanks to Volunteers... The Linnaeus Arboretum extends a big thank you to all the volunteers who helped out on the Volunteer Day last Friday as well as on Thursday afternoon. Invasive cedars were cut down throughout the deciduous and coniferous forests in the Arb; this species, while native to Minnesota, grows aggressively and tends to choke out other desirable native trees. The wildflower gardens near the Interpretive Center were weeded, cleaned, and raked, and the lilac bushes received fresh mulch thanks to our teams of volunteers. And finally, teams did an excellent job of picking up trash across the grounds, beautifying the arboretum that we all enjoy.

 



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

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The Yellow Sheet is a newsletter for Gustavus Adolphus College employees produced by the Office of Marketing and Communication. It is published weekly during the academic year (except during the week of Thanksgiving, the Christmas break, Touring Week, and the Spring and Easter breaks). Anyone may submit items by filling out an online submission form. While online submissions are preferred, items may also be submitted typewritten on a letter-sized sheet of paper. Send "snail mail" items to: The Yellow Sheet, Office of Marketing and Communication. Items must reach the office no later than 4:30 p.m. on the Tuesday before publication. The week of Nobel Conference the deadline is 4:30 p.m. Monday. For more information, contact Steve Waldhauser (waldo@gustavus.edu or x6413).

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