News and Events

On July 26, enjoy a daylong road trip, sponsored by the Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park (NMSP), to Chicago's Millennium Park, the galleries of the Chicago Cultural Center, and the Illinois State Museum in the J.R. Thompson Center.

Participants will ride the 8:57 a.m. train from University Park to Millennium Station. First stop is Millennium Park to view the five “cousins” of the NMSP’s Mark diSuvero work, Yes, for Lady Day, as well as the other wondrous sculptures and structures in the park. Next stop is the Chicago Cultural Center, Michigan Avenue galleries, and the Sidney R. Yates Gallery. After a delicious lunch at Gold Coast Dogs, the trip culminates with a private tour by curator Doug Stapleton of the Illinois State Museum Chicago Gallery exhibit, L. Brent Kington: Mythic Metalsmith.

The fee for the daylong event is $10 plus rail fare and food. Participants must have a photo ID for admission to the Thompson Center. For more information or to register, contact the NMSP or call 708.534.4486.

Thursday afternoon, President Maimon held a Town Hall forum with members of the GSU faculty. Provost Joan Hudak joined Dr. Maimon.

As was the case during the Civil Service and A & P meetings earlier this spring, important questions were asked and answered. The administration addressed concerns about the new budget and praised the work done by PBAC. It was also announced that the search for a new dean of COE was continuing.

Dr. Maimon assured the group that the Town Hall forums would be ongoing as part of the administration’s dedication to a transparent planning and decision-making process.

Members of the GSU chapter of SUAA met for lunch and conversation with each other and President Maimon last week. During the business portion of the meeting, Dr. Addison Woodard discussed the need to continue to work diligently to protect pensions. Dr. Maimon took questions and comments from the members. Praise was offered for the recent budget process and questions about the university’s doctoral programs and E and F wing renovations were addressed.

The GSU Office of Economic Education, part of the College of Business and Public Administration, recently sponsored the 14th annual Economic Achievers program funded through a grant from the Illinois Council on Economic Education. Forty middle school students from Harvey/Dixmoor, South Holland, and Country Club Hills participated in a three-week summer session focusing on economic principles, financial literacy, career awareness,  and the study of entrepreneurship. 

During the third week of the program, students were on campus using the library and computer lab for research. The program culminated on June 26 with a field trip to the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and the Chicago Board of Trade. That evening, students, teachers, and parents attended an evening reception in the Hall of Honors.

According to Sheryl Szot Gallaher, Director of the Office of Economic Education, “The students are very excited to come to a real university. They used the university library and the ACS lab for their research and projects. The staff of both the library and the lab were very helpful. This was a great experience.”

An Open Letter to the GSU Community:

The Planning and Budget Advisory Committee (PBAC), co-chaired by Provost Jane Hudak and Executive Vice President Gebe Ejigu, has now forwarded to me its recommendations for budget allocations for FY ’09. I am pleased to accept these recommendations. About 90 percent of the increases in the recommended discretionary allocations are to units under the provost; 8.5 of the 9.5 new, base-funded lines are faculty positions; considerations for improved instruction, quality, and performance were key factors driving the PBAC recommendations.

The PBAC process was exemplary. Planning was done before we had knowledge of our final appropriation from the state. Although the General Assembly has appropriated  a 4.6 percent increase over FY’08 -- the second highest appropriation to any public university in the state -- no one has any idea about the final outcome, pending gubernatorial review. As a consequence, we had no choice but to project a conservative budget, totaling $48.6 million, an amount slightly lower than the “preliminary” budget that the GSU Board of Trustees authorized at its June 13, 2008 meeting. Let me point out again that without the extra revenue from tuition and fees, approved by the Board of Trustees in February, we would have been looking at an austerity budget, with jeopardy to the GSU mission. The success of the PBAC process had a great deal to do with the foresight of the Trustees in approving the significant increases in tuition and fees.

On June 6 and June 11, every budget unit - including Cabinet-level offices - presented to PBAC an analysis of past expenditures in light of GSU goals and a projection of future strategies and needs. This process was transparency in action. Everything was on the table for all to see. Every budget head publicly addressed tough questions about optimizing the use of current resources, cooperation across units, eliminating redundancies, and finding improved ways to reach our student-centered goals. On June 20, PBAC met to formulate their recommendations about allocations.

As the new fiscal year begins on July 1, GSU moves forward with deans and other budget heads knowledgeable about their own available funds and responsible for managing these resources. The Provost has made it clear to the deans that leadership in resource management will be a key factor in their evaluations.

In addition to the fair distribution of base allocations, PBAC has recommended, and I have accepted, one-time allocations to improve classroom furniture, enhance campus safety and security, modernize and improve development and fund-raising capacity, and automate our degree audit system. Further, I have accepted PBAC’s recommendation to set aside $250,000 as a Strategic Opportunity Fund that will be available for competitive grants to individuals or groups of faculty, staff, colleges, or administrative areas to advance any of the six strategic goals of the new strategic plan. In September, I will appoint a committee to develop the criteria, process, and timeline for the use of this fund. I have confidence that, through this fund, our entire university community will be actively engaged in exploring and executing creative and innovative opportunities.

As PBAC looks ahead, the committee has recommended - and I have accepted - the concept of a tuition revenue sharing model. During the next academic year, PBAC will be working out guidelines for this model that will promote the active engagement of our deans and program leaders in enrollment management and growth, while at the same time motivating cooperation, not competition, across units.

I want to commend everyone who participated in the PBAC process. It is gratifying to see that in only one year we have made outstanding progress toward broad-based participation in the complexities of strategic investment. I am convinced that GSU is now prepared to move forward to achieve our goals of achieving high quality in teaching, scholarship, and service.

I wish to extend special thanks to Dr. Hudak and Dr. Ejigu, the committee co-chairs. The strategic investment of resources is the life’s blood of university progress. PBAC has established a framework for broad-based campus ownership of resource allocation. PBAC is shared governance at its best.
 

Sincerely, 

Elaine P. Maimon, Ph.D.

President
 

View the FY 2009 Approved Operating Budget 

A town hall meeting for faculty will be held on Thursday, June 26, from 2 to 3:30 p.m., in Sherman Music Hall. After a few introductory comments, Dr. Maimon will open the meeting to faculty questions and comments. Faculty are encouraged to attend the meeting and contribute to the ongoing dialogue.

Learn how developing a Prior Learning Portfolio can help you earn credit toward your B.A. degree in Interdisciplinary Studies at a workshop on portfolio on Saturday, June 28, from 10 a.m. to noon, in Engbretson Hall. The portfolio workshop includes an explanation of the process, what prospective students are expected to submit to earn credit, and is open to the public.

To register, contact the SIDL office at 708.534.4092.

Katrina Dee Garrett of Highland, Indiana, is the 2008 recipient of the Robert A. Pringle Memorial Scholarship at GSU.

“This scholarship helps me get the tools I need to complete my degree. It will be a great assistance toward books, which are so expensive,” said Garrett who is studying for her Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies.

The Pringle Memorial Scholarship is named for Robert A. Pringle who helped create the original Board of Governors degree program from which the School of Interdisciplinary Learning has evolved. The Pringle family administers the scholarship through an endowment.

The School of Interdisciplinary Learning offers college credit based on learning gleaned from life experiences. It was created for students like Garrett with work and life experience equivalent, in many cases, to college level work. Students in the program complete degree requirements within the program, often tailoring undergraduate studies in preparation for graduate work.

Current Political and Justice Studies graduate student Patrick Usher, and Erica Bray-Parker (M.A. Political and Justice Studies, 1999) have been named James Madison Memorial Fellows. The James Madison Memorial Fellowship is extremely competitive, choosing approximately 50 high school teachers from across the nation every year.

Beyond the financial assistance that the awardees are granted, the James Madison Fellowship program brings the participants to a month long Summer Institute at Georgetown University (Washington, D.C.) where they take graduate classes and participate in discussions on American political, governmental, and Constitutional issues.

Usher, a teacher at Carl Sandburg High School, was awarded the fellowship last year and is currently attending the Summer Institute. Bray-Parker, a teacher at Glenbard North High School, earned the honor in 2008 and will attend next year.

Here are a few more bits of information to help you prepare for the GSU Votes Trivia Contest in September.

Suffrage
Suffrage is another word for the right to vote. So is franchise. To disenfranchise or disfranchise is to deny someone the rights of a citizen, such as the right to vote or hold office.

The 1972 presidential election in which Richard Nixon defeated George McGovern was the first presidential election in which the previously disenfranchised 18, 19, and 20 year olds voted. The 26th amendment, passed in 1971, set the minimum voting age at 18. They no longer suffered for their age.

The College of Health Professions has been renamed to better reflect the college’s growing range of academic programs. As of July 1, 2008, the college will be known as the College of Health and Human Services. The change was formally approved by the Board of Trustees at their recent June meeting.

The college’s strategic mission, however, remains the same. “We are excited about the name change,” said Dr. Linda Samson, college dean. “It is a better reflection of who we are and what we do. But the mission behind our name remains the same as we continue to focus on improving the lives of those in need of critical healthcare and human services.”

A town hall meeting for faculty will be held on Thursday, June 26, from 2 to 3:30 p.m., in Sherman Music Hall. After a few introductory comments, Dr. Maimon will open the meeting to questions and comments from attendees.

Previous GSU town hall meetings have been held with A.P. and Civil Service staff. They have been well attended and have generated many helpful questions and comments. All faculty are encouraged to attend the meeting and contribute to the ongoing dialogue.

GSU's Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park (NMSP) will host two sculpture-related trips this summer.

On July 26, art lovers will take a daylong road trip to Chicago's Millennium Park, the Chicago Cultural Center, several private art galleries, and the Illinois State Museum.

Work out your autumn wanderlust in September by joining our park curator for three days of art, sculpture, and Abe Lincoln as on a NMSP sponsored trip to St. Louis. The fall trip is from September 19 through 21.

Call 708.534.4486 for more information or to make your reservation today.

The GSU Family Development Center is currently enrolling students in its fall pre-kindergarten programs. Three, four, and five-year old children can attend full or half day programs that involve lots of fun, learning, laughter, and growth with other children and experienced pre-school educators. Registration is open to all children. Tuition adjustments are based on eligibility. For more information, call 708.235.7300.

Not available in any store! Free Jenzabar CX (CARS) Workshops while supplies last!

Time to preregister for upcoming CUG Jenzabar CX (CARS) workshops. Workshop sessions are scheduled every other Friday morning from 11 until noon in the ACS Lab, room D2435. Because the workshops are intended to be hands-on activities, space is limited to 20 participants. Reserve your seat now by pre-registering on the intranet.

Upcoming sessions:
June 27 – Orientation to Jenzabar CX Class Scheduling Functions taught by Pat Smith, Administrative Assistant, College of Education

July 11 – Jenzabar CX Student Registration Holds taught by Bonnie Lunde, Coordinator, College of Business and Public Administration

Don’t be shut out. Pre-register today!

Join friends and colleagues as they bid Judy Lewis, of the College of Health Professions, adieu this afternoon from 3:30 to 6 p.m. The farewell gathering will take place in the E-Lounge.

According to Susan Rakstang of Facilities Development and Management (FDM), the exterior concrete rehabilitation project continues to make progress. After completing repairs, the contractor applied a thick waterproofing coating on the walls for further protection.

As you may have noticed, the waterproofing coating is pink. But not to worry, the contractor will be covering the repaired walls with a metal panel system similar to the panels on the new front entry signs. Delivery of the metal panels is expected this week with installation taking place shortly thereafter.

Any questions, please do not hesitate to contact FDM at extension 4515.

Learn how developing a Prior Learning Portfolio can help you earn credit toward your B.A. degree in Interdisciplinary Studies. Portfolio workshops include an explanation of the process, what you are expected to submit to earn credit, and are open to the public.

The next workshop will be held on Saturday, June 28, from 10 a.m. to noon, in Engbretson Hall. To register, contact the SIDL office at 708.534.4092.

Proving yet again the worth of a GSU degree, two alumni have recently been appointed to high profile positions in the region.

John Cicero (Master of Health Administration) has been named the executive director of the Will County Health Department. Cicero also sits on the Governors State University Health Care Administration Advisory Committee.

Susan Riordan (B.S., Accounting, 2003) was recently elected the President of the Illinois CPA Society South Chapter.

The Friends of the GSU Library 34” by 64” bookshelf quilt will hang prominently in the GSU library. There is still space on the quilt shelf for a book title that you designate and the Friends of the Library create. Remember a special occasion or honor someone special by making a donation of $50 and having a book quilted onto the shelf. You can even provide a favorite piece of fabric to be used, (3" by 12" minimum, please). Please note, however, that if the fabric is “busy” it will be more difficult to read the title. 

For more information, call Susan at 708.235.7500 or visit the Friends website. Your donation is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.

Here are some more election trivia from GSU Votes to help you prepare for the Trivia Challenge in early September.

It’s Party Time
The Federalist Party (created by Alexander Hamilton) and the Democratic-Republican Party (created by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison) were the first political parties in the new United States. The Democratic and Republican parties we know today developed and evolved over time.

The first Democratic Party presidential candidate was Andrew Jackson in 1828. He won.

The first Republican Party presidential candidate was John C. Fremont in 1856. He lost to Democrat James Buchanan. The first victorious Republican presidential candidate was Abraham Lincoln in 1860.

For all of you who were not there and who did not know and for all of you who were and are now a bit confused, the Board of Trustees heard a report from the co-chairs of the Strategic Planning Committee, John Stoll and Karen D’Arcy, at their Friday, June 13 meeting. The report included a presentation of the most current draft of the strategic plan, which incorporated comments from the entire GSU community received during the charettes held several weeks ago. The draft plan will be reviewed in depth by the board during their August retreat. 

The View regrets the dissemination of misinformation and is pleased to correct it. 

The 77-minute, documentary film, King in Chicago, produced and directed by GSU adjunct professor and MFA graduate Seth McClellan will be shown at the Bronzeville Film Festival, on June 19, at 5:30 p.m., at the Illinois Institute of Technology, 10 W. 35th St., Chicago. The screening is free and open to the public.

In the national celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday each year, most Americans recall or learn about Dr. King's leadership in confronting southern racism in Selma and Montgomery, Alabama. Far less discussed is his prophetic leadership in 1966 confronting northern racism and poverty as part of the Chicago Freedom Movement. This film emphasizes King's understanding of the link between the goals of the Civil Rights Movement and the social injustice of poverty. Candid interviews with Jesse Jackson, James Bevel, Michael Pfleger, and others, period photos and stirring traditional music by Rutha Harris shine a light on their struggle for justice. This film provides invaluable context to the national conversation about the corrosive effects of pervasive racism and persistent poverty in the U. S. today. 

The Board of Trustees meeting on Friday, June 13, included several reports of great interest to and impact on the university community. The trustees also heard a presentation by William Sanders, President of the GSU Foundation Board of Directors. The presentation included a review of the recent history of the Foundation and the many changes to its structure, direction, and goals that have taken place since Joan Vaughan, Vice President for Institutional Advancement and CEO of the GSU Foundation, began work in January. Sanders also discussed several ongoing projects and innovations the Foundation hopes to implement in the coming fiscal year. 

Work continues on the Friends of the GSU Library 34” by 64” bookshelf quilt, which will hang prominently in the GSU library. There is still space on the quilt shelf for a book that you design and the Friends of the Library create. Remember a special occasion or honor someone special by making a donation of $50 and having a book quilted onto the shelf. You can even provide a favorite piece of fabric to be used, (3" by 12" minimum, please). Please note, however, that if the fabric is “busy” it will be more difficult to read the title.

For more information, call Susan at 708.235.7500 or visit the Friends website. Your donation is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.

There was a great turnout for the first CARS Users Group (CUG) workshop last Friday. Everyone in the overflow crowd felt it went well and they learned a lot. To avoid similar overcrowding at future workshops, participants are required to pre-register so that everyone has the space and equipment required to learn all they need to know about CARS.

The final two workshops of the season, held in the ACS Lab, room D2435, from 11 a.m. to noon, are:

June 27 – Class scheduling

July 11 – Placing and maintaining student registration holds

Don't be denied entrance to this important workshop. Pre-registration is required. For more information, contact Nick Battaglia. To register, visit the CUG website http://gsunet/its/t_cug.aspx?id=415. Link available through on campus computers only.

It may seem like a spur of the moment event, but this is actually a well-planned workshop on Impromptu by Dr. Linda Buyer. The workshop is free, and open to all those who need to know more about Impromptu. The first workshop will be on June 20, from 11 a.m. to noon, in the ACS Lab, room D2435. Participants must have a license to Impromptu to participate.

A retirement celebration in honor of Beth Hansen Shaw and Mark Hampton, both of the University Library, will be held on Tuesday, June 24, from 3 to 4 p.m., on the Library Balcony.

According to Eric Wignall, Coordinator of the Center for Online Teaching & Learning, this year's Faculty Summer Institute was a successful blend of presentations, workshops, and new ideas integrating technology with teaching. More than 50 faculty and staff attended the sessions.

Information on topics and presentation materials are available at the "Events/News" tab on the elearning website main page.

Dr. Rosemary Erickson Johnsen, Assistant Professor of English in the College of Arts and Sciences was appointed recently to the Modern Language Association’s Committee on the Status of Women in the Profession.

The MLA is an international organization for university faculty in English and modern languages with more than 30,000 members in 100 countries. The association serves as a forum for the discussion and dissemination of scholarly findings, teaching experiences, and standardized writing guidelines as it works to strengthen the study and teaching of language and literature.

Johnsen was appointed to the nine-member committee for a three-year term. Other committee members represent universities such as Columbia and Princeton. Her duties will include developing projects and programs that improve the status of women in the modern language profession.

The 2008-2009 season brings superb performances and riveting entertainment to The Center for Performing Arts. The season includes premier performances by NBC’s Last Comic Standing Live Tour, An Evening with David Crosby and Graham Nash, Christmas with Aaron Neville, and Mike Super – Magic and Illusion. The National Broadway production of Hairspray will join productions of the Mikado by Opera a la Carte, DRUMLine Live, and Sleeping Beauty by the New York Theatre Ballet. And that is not all. The Letterman, the Afro-Cuban All Stars, and the Kingston Trio will also perform.

In addition to the extensive programming for adults and families, children and their parents and grandparents can enjoy the delights of Magic Tree House: The Musical, Disney’s Aladdin, A Christmas Carol, To Kill a Mockingbird, and Junie B. Jones, among many others.

Subscriber tickets (three or more performances) go on sale on June 13. Individual performance ticket sales begin on August 1. Individual tickets for the March 13 and 14 performances of Hairspray will be on sale from September 15. For more information about The Center for Performing Arts 2008-2009 Season, contact 708.235.2222 or visit www.centertickets.net.

The CARS Users Group (CUG) will offer orientation and training sessions on selected topics every other Friday morning beginning on June 13, from 11 a.m. to noon, in the ACS Lab, room D2435.

June 13 – CARS data reports: executing requests; using FTP to download the data to your hard drive; importing the data into a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet

June 27 – Class scheduling

July 11 – Placing and maintaining student registration holds

CUG’s sessions will alternate Fridays with the Impromptu training sessions offered by Dr. Linda Buyer that meets in the same space and time slot. The next Impromptu training session is on June 20.

Participants must have a CARS user account. Space is limited. All training session are free. Act now while seats are still available. E-mail Nick Battaglia.

A retirement reception in honor of Beth Hansen Shaw and Mark Hampton, both of the University Library, will be held on Tuesday, June 24, from 3 to 4 p.m., on the Library Balcony. Join us in wishing both of them well and adieu.

With the presidential election just around the corner, here are a few more executive facts to help you understand the election process and prepare for the GSU Votes Trivia Challenge in September.

Presidential Requirements

Article II, Section 1, Clause 5 of the U.S. Constitution has only three requirements for a president. The president must be at least 35 years old, have lived in the United States for at least 14 years, and be a natural-born citizen.

Allocation of Electors and Electoral Votes

The Constitution also designates that the number of electors for each state equal the combined total of the state’s Senate membership (two for each state) and House of Representatives delegation (determined by population). The 23rd Amendment provides an additional three electors for the District of Columbia.

A town hall meeting for faculty will be held on Thursday, June 26, from 2:30 to 4 p.m., in Sherman Music Hall. After a few introductory comments, Dr. Maimon will open the meeting to questions and comments from attendees.

Previous GSU town hall meetings have been held with A.P. and Civil Service staff. They have been well attended and have generated many helpful questions and comments. All faculty are encouraged to attend the meeting and contribute to the ongoing dialogue.

There are still places available for in The Literacy Zone, a tutorial service beginning in July for students in grades second through fifth with reading problems. Children receive one-on-one attention based on their specific reading needs, which are determined by an individual assessment conducted at the beginning of the program. A case study report analyzing progress is shared with the parent or guardian at the end of the program.

The tutors who work in The Literacy Zone are certified, experienced teachers who are completing the Master of Arts in Reading Program at GSU. Faculty of the Graduate Reading Program supervise the tutoring sessions.

Enrollment is limited. The registration fee is $100, however, $30 is refunded to the parents/guardians of children who complete the program with good attendance and return all Literacy Zone materials.

Tutoring sessions are on Mondays through Thursdays, from July 8 through July 28. Sessions are either from 9 to 11 a.m. or from 1 to 3 p.m. Neither school districts nor GSU provide transportation.

The Literacy Zone is located in Room D34015. For more information, email Mary Hession or call 708.534.4129.

Learn how developing a Prior Learning Portfolio can help you earn credit toward your B.A. degree in Interdisciplinary Studies. Portfolio workshops include an explanation of the process, what you are expected to submit to earn credit, and are open to the public.

The next workshop will be held on Saturday, June 28, from 10 a.m. to noon, in Engbretson Hall. To register, contact the SIDL office at 708.534.4092.

The Department of Public Safety is hosting the Illinois Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run on Wednesday, June 11, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., on the university campus. All funds raised help special needs children in nearby communities attend summer camp.

All members of the GSU community, friends, and families are welcome to take part in the run and celebration. Joggers, walkers, cyclists, and spectators should meet at the east entrance (Crawford Avenue) of the campus at noon on Wednesday.

To participate in the run, to volunteer to help with post-run festivities, or to donate and enjoy the fun, contact Officer Crystal Richards at 708.534.4900, to register.

June 7 was a day for family and friends to cheer with pride as more than 450 students walked across the stage at the Tinley Park Convention Center, picked up their well-earned degrees, and flipped their tassels as new graduates of GSU.

Warner Saunders, co-anchor of the 5 p.m., 6 p.m., and 10 p.m. newscasts on Chicago’s NBC 5, received the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters. Carol Milhous, who earned a Master of Arts in Communication Studies, was the student speaker.

By Spring/Summer 2008, the Registrar’s Office will use the R25 Campus-Wide Academic and Event Scheduling and Schedule25 software for the academic calendar and academic class list and schedule.

Ultimately, R25 will make it easier to create and manage academic and non-academic events for GSU. R25’s master calendar will give all users the latest scheduled class and event information via the web. In addition to viewing information about upcoming classes and campus events, users can check the capacity of a room, space availability, and see many room features, including what equipment is in a room. The Schedule 25 program will help optimize facility use.

The colleges will continue to enter regular course information through CX. They will notice few if any changes in processing. More details on those changes will be forthcoming.

Facilities, Development and Management will continue to handle non-academic space scheduling as they currently do and will implement to R25 at a later time.

For more information, contact Bonnie Simpson, Assistant to Registrar, at x4504. 

The CARS Users Group (CUG) will begin offering orientation and training sessions on selected topics every other Friday morning beginning on June 13, from 11 a.m. to noon, in the ACS Lab, room D2435.

June 13 – CARS data reports: executing requests; using FTP to download the data to your hard drive; importing the data into a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet
June 27 – Class scheduling
July 11 – Placing and maintaining student registration holds

CUG’s sessions will alternate Fridays with the Impromptu training sessions offered by Dr. Linda Buyer that will meet in the same space and time slot. The next Impromptu training session is on June 20.

Participants must have a CARS user account. Space is limited. All training session are free. Act now while seats are still available. E-mail Nick Battaglia.

This is the season to learn about the wide variety of distance learning opportunities and programs available at each of the GSU off campus education centers. Information sessions on programs beginning Fall 2008 will be held at Triton College in River Grove, South Suburban College and University Center in Oak Forest, the Naperville Education Center, and the Kankakee Education Center. For more information, visit the School of Extended Learning’s website. 

The work of the Planning and Budget Advisory Council (PBAC) continues with presentations from each department on their budgetary requests for FY 09. The council will hear from the academic departments on Friday, June 6, in the Hall of Honors, and from the administration offices on Wednesday, June 11, in the Hall of Honors.

Departments will have the opportunity to present their budgetary needs for the new fiscal year with a contextual overview of FY 08. This overview will include salient points on department organizational structure, headcount, program and course offerings, graduation rates, faculty accomplishments, and grant activity. A review of the current operating budget will lead to an overview of and justification for new allocations for FY 09. Each department will also be asked to link FY 09 budget requests with the university’s strategic priorities.

The members of PBAC will meet again on Friday, June 20, in the Hall of Honors to deliberate the FY 09 budget requests and make recommendations to the President.

Scholarship applications are now being accepted for GSU Foundation and Alumni Association scholarships. Application booklets and information are available in the Office of Financial Aid. The application deadline is July 13, 2008.

In preparation for the Family Development Center’s (FDC) family picnic event, the horseshoe drive in front of the FDC will be temporarily closed. The road will be closed beginning at 11 p.m., on Thursday, June 5, and will reopen after the event on Friday, June 6, at approximately 2 p.m.

Parents picking up and dropping off children and those attending the picnic should park in lots A or B and walk to the FDC.

Whether you are an experienced quilter or a complete newby, your interest is the only qualification needed. Join a new, informal quilting group on campus - no chair, nothing mandatory stuff, no stuffiness - just the joy of quilting and sharing with friends.

The next meeting is on June 12, from noon to 1 p.m., on the Library balcony. Future meetings are tentatively scheduled for the second Thursday of each month, at the same time and location.
As a new group, there are plenty of opportunities for development. Participants are encouraged to bring their ideas, projects, even their quilting conundrums. Discussion will also focus on the future of the group and choosing a name.

For more information, contact Dianne Kronika at x3979.

The commencement ceremony will take place on Saturday, June 7, beginning at 11 a.m., at the Tinley Park Convention Center. Warner Saunders, co-anchor of the 5 p.m., 6 p.m., and 10 p.m. newscasts on Chicago’s NBC 5, will receive the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters. Carol Milhous, who will earn a Master of Arts in Communication Studies, is the student speaker.

Participants and volunteers are reminded to get there early. No one will be admitted without a ticket.

With the Democratic and Republican presidential candidates apparently chosen, it is time to consider who has the right to vote in the United States. Here are some more election trivia tidbits to help you prepare for the GSU Votes Trivia Challenge in early September.

15 – 19 – 26 - Hike! 
The 15th Amendment gave African American men the right to vote in 1870.
The 19th Amendment gave women the right to vote in 1920.
The 26th Amendment, ratified in 1971, lowered the voting age from 21 to 18.

The first annual Father’s Day Cook Out, sponsored by the Black Student Union and the GSU Student Senate, is on Saturday, June 14, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Cafeteria Annex and adjoining patio. Please note the time change.

Students, faculty, staff, and their family and friends are all welcome to enjoy some good food and great company. Volunteers are also welcome and needed!

To RSVP or volunteer, contact Black Student Union President Larry Bledsoe.

Dr. Linda Buyer and Kathy Miller were honored recently for their poster presentation at the National Association for Institutional Research (AIR) Forum in Seattle. Their presentation won third place in the Best Poster contest.

Their poster, Increasing Survey Response Rates: Combining Experimental Manipulations,
described an experiment conducted with the alumni surveys in 2007, which increased the response from under 10 percent the previous year to 23 percent. A continuation of the experiment this year yielded an increased even greater response rate (to 30 percent).

Look up in the sky! It’s a bird! A plane! No, it’s Falling Meteor by Jerry Peart and Flying Saucer by Jene Highstein! Join Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park director and curator Geoffrey Bates for a discussion of two of the park’s most celestial sculptures on June 3, at 12:30 p.m. and again at 3:45 p.m., in room D-1497. Bring lunch or a snack, enjoy the conversation, and learn how great art can fill the skies.

The College of Education and the Office of the Provost will host a First Friday, on Friday, June 6, at 3:30 p.m., in the FOC Lobby.

This summer, GSU Library is again offering a series of workshops for students, faculty, and staff including Formatting an APA Style Paper, Basic PowerPoint, and Genealogy. Workshop times and locations are available at the Workshop Calendar. Register online or at the Reference Desk. Walk ins are welcome. For more information contact Helen Benos, 708.235.7514.

The Black Student Union and the GSU Student Senate are sponsoring the first annual Father’s Day Cook Out on Saturday, June 14, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Cafeteria Annex and adjoining patio. Students, faculty, staff, and their family and friends are all welcome to enjoy some good food and great company. Volunteers are also welcome and needed!

To RSVP or volunteer, contact Black Student Union President Larry Bledsoe.