News and Events

The State of Illinois is providing free flu vaccinations at GSU on Wednesday, October 21, in E-Lounge. An exact time will be announced later.

H1N1 (Swine Flu) vaccinations will not be available. People are advised to visit their healthcare provider for the swine flu vaccination.

The shots are available for employees and retirees only, who are insured under one of the State’s health insurance plans, which include the Quality Care Health Plan (QCHP), a PPO administered by CIGNA, or an HMO Plan. Dependents are not eligible for these free flu shots. 

Proper identification is required to obtain the free flu shots.

The Secretary of State’s Mobile Service Unit will be at GSU on Tuesday, September 1, from 1:30 to 7 p.m., in the Hall of Governors.

Services available at the mobile service unit include driver’s license renewal, replacement, and corrections; State ID card renewal, replacement, and corrections; vehicle sticker sales; passenger and b-truck license plates, vehicle title and registration, parking placards for persons with disabilities, and organ/tissue donor information. In addition, vision tests and the written driver’s license exam can be taken. No driving tests will be given.

The services provided are available to all qualified Illinois residents. State law allows driver’s license renewal up to one year in advance. Proper identification is required for new and duplicate driver’s licenses and state ID cards. Acceptable forms of payment include personal checks, cash, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover credit and debit cards.

For information, call 708.534.4550 or visit the Mobile Service Unit website. 

Nominations for the Dr. Gerald C. Baysore Award are currently being accepted. The award is presented to the GSU employee who most fully demonstrates the qualities of absolute integrity, total competence, generous dedication, and unfailing civility exhibited by Dr. Baysore during his eighteen-year service to the university. 

The Baysore Award will be presented by President Maimon during Convocation on September 10.

Nominations should explain how the employee includes the above four qualities in their day-to-day work and must be submitted to Penny Perdue, G334, by Friday, September 4.

The art professors and educators of the region will exhibit their artwork at the 2009 Regional College and University Art Faculty Exhibition at the GSU Visual Arts Gallery from September 7 through September 28. A reception to celebrate the show and the artists will be held Friday, September 11, from 6 to 9 p.m., in E-Lounge, next to the Visual Arts Gallery.

Art faculty from the surrounding region will be exhibiting their current work, which will include photography, painting, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, digital imaging, drawing and mixed media. This is the perfect opportunity for the public to view the creative work of art educators from the surrounding region including GSU’s own art faculty. 

The exhibit and reception are free and open to the public. For more information, call 708.534.4017, visit the Art Gallery website.

GSU’s Family Development Center (FDC) is holding a fundraiser in conjunction with Culver’s restaurant in Matteson on Saturday, September 8.

Simply stop in for a bite or cool down with some delicious ice cream and 10% of your sale will go towards the FDC.

Culver’s Matteson is located at 20716 S. Cicero Avenue, next to the Home Depot.

The Friends of the GSU Library extends a special thank you to Becky and Jim Nugent, the outgoing co-Presidents of the groups and their team of officers (Kelley Nichols - Vice President, Dianne Kronika - Secretary, and Jean Malloy - Treasurer). Becky and her team were successful in holding various fundraisers for the library.

On August 12, the Friends welcomed our newest team, Eric Nicholson – President; Dianne Kronika - Vice President; Pam Taylor – Secretary; and Jean Malloy, returning as Treasurer. Diane Nadler remains as webmaster for the group.
 

The Friends of the GSU Library meet on the second Wednesday of each month in the Library Administrative Conference room, from noon to 1 p.m. New members are always welcome.

Who is the best GSU employee you know?

Once again, it is time for nominations for the Dr. Gerald C. Baysore Award. This award is presented to the GSU employee who most fully demonstrates the following four qualities so consistently and fully embodied by Dr. Baysore during his eighteen-year service to the university:
 - absolute integrity
 - total competence
 - generous dedication
 - unfailing civility

The Baysore Award will be presented by President Maimon during Convocation on September 10.

Nominations must be received by Friday September 4 in order to be considered and should explain how the employee includes the above four qualities in their day to day work.

Please send your written nominations to Penny Perdue in room G334.

GSU is seeking comments from the public about the university in preparation for its periodic evaluation by its regional accrediting agency. The university will undergo a comprehensive evaluation visit November 16-18, 2009, by a team representing The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. Governors State University has been accredited by the Commission since 1975. The team will review the university’s ongoing ability to meet the Commission’s Criteria for Accreditation.

The public is invited to submit comments regarding the university
online at www.ncahlc.org (click File Third-Party Comments)
or by mail to:
Public Comment on Governors State University
The Higher Learning Commission
30 North LaSalle Street, Suite 2400
Chicago, IL 60602

Comments must address substantive matters related to the quality of the institution or its academic programs. Comments must be in writing and signed, including the name, address, and telephone number of the person providing the comments. Comments cannot be treated as confidential. All comments must be received by October 12, 2009.

Next week, GSU will be transitioning to a new food service provider for vending, catering, and cafeteria related operations.

Shannon Lauridsen will act as the new Food Services Director. Shannon is very enthusiastic about the opportunity here at GSU. “The reason I’m excited to be the Food Service Director at GSU is the people. This school has a great history of hard working and dedicated staff and students. I am glad to be a part of this campus community,” she said. “I know everyone will enjoy their dining experience with FSI.”

New vending machines will arrive late this week. In an effort to avoid any break in vending services while the café is closed this week, some of the old machines may temporarily be shifted to the side of the incoming new machines. All old vending machines will be removed from campus by the end of next week.

GSU's food service operations will reopen on Monday, August 31.

Contact Shannon Lauridsen at ext. 7433 with catering orders. Other questions should be directed to Jerad Garrison at ext. 7445.

Instructors are encouraged to recommend students for the University Honors Program which is designed to provide students with an opportunity to pursue an enriched education.

GSU honors students pursue greater depth within their academic major by completing one course of advanced work within their existing curriculum; obtain greater breadth by taking an interdisciplinary honors seminar in which guest speakers from across the university’s campus address a common integrative theme; and work on a final honors project in cooperation with a faculty mentor.

Honors students also have the combined benefits of attending a Fall Honors Retreat, a speaker’s series, the support and guidance of a faculty mentor, participation in special social and cultural events, a service learning project, and being a member of a community of scholars and learners.

Program completion will be reflected on student transcripts, during graduation, and in letters of commendation. For information, contact Dr. Larry Levinson at ext. 4578.

The Academic Resource Center is offering a free LSAT preparation class on Mondays, beginning September 21 and ending on May 24. The class is from 7:30 a.m. to 10:20 p.m., in room A2202.

University tutor David Sparks of the Academic Resource Center will teach the preparation class for the Law School Admissions Test. Class work will focus on the three main areas of the test: reading comprehension, logic reasoning, and analytical reasoning.

While many test prep services charge as much as $1,000 for LSAT prep class, GSU is offering this class at no charge. According to Sparks, “This is an opportunity for GSU to offer an important service to the community. Preparing for this test is not easy, and we don’t want cost to stop people from taking the course.”

Advance registration is required and seats are limited. For more information or to register, contact David Sparks at 708.235.3963.

As part of the Emergency Response Team’s ongoing training, volunteers across the campus continue to participate in CPR/AED training courses.

The fourth session concluded last week with Jon Cobb, Loretta Jones, Marlene Lees, Michel Ngussan, Susan Rakstang, Karen Stuenkel, and Pat Thompson earning their certificates.

The Emergency Response Team is always looking for additional volunteers to assist in the event of a campus emergency. Interested individuals should contact Colleen Rock at ext. 7384.

President Maimon will present her annual State of the University address during Convocation 2009. The event will be held on Thursday, September 10, at 2:30 p.m., in Sherman Hall, and is open to the entire GSU community. In addition to the President’s address, the winner of the Baysore Award will also be announced. Refreshments will be served.

The final phase of campus road construction begins this week. Work this week will include grinding the existing asphalt, laying down an asphalt-saturated paving fabric, and placing the final asphalt surface course.

To help expedite project completion before the start of the fall trimester, additional roadway/parking lot closures are necessary. The outer ring road closure at the carillon drive will be extended to parking lot E. This will require parking lots C and D to be closed from Monday night August 24, at 11 p.m. through Friday, August 28.

Parking lots A, B and E will remain open. Weather permitting, all lots and roadways will be open on Saturday, August 29. As has been the case for the past few weeks, please use the north (Stuenkel) entry to access parking lots A and B and use the east (Crawford) entry to access lot E.

Again, Facilities regrets this inconvenience. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Facilities at ext. 4515.

Don’t miss your chance to taste some of the finest food this side of I-57 at the Civil Service Cookout. The Cookout takes place today through Thursday, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., in the Cafeteria Annex.

Hot dogs, beef & veggie burgers, and chicken breast sandwiches will be available for purchase. Pop, water, cookies, and chips complete the meal as the perfect sides.

Volunteers are also still needed. For more info, contact Renee Rainey at ext. 7525.

The Secretary of State’s Mobile Service Unit will be at GSU on Tuesday, September 1, from 1:30 to 7 p.m., in the Hall of Governors.

Services available at the mobile service unit include driver’s license renewal, replacement, and corrections; State ID card renewal, replacement, and corrections; vehicle sticker sales; passenger and b-truck license plates, vehicle title and registration, parking placards for persons with disabilities, and organ/tissue donor information. In addition, vision tests and the written driver’s license exam can be taken. No driving tests will be given.

The services provided are available to all qualified Illinois residents. Acceptable forms of payment include personal checks, cash, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover credit and debit cards.

For information, call ext. 4550 or visit www.cyberdriveillinois.com.

Next week, GSU will welcome Food Services, Incorporated (FSI) to campus as its new provider for vending, catering, and cafeteria related operations.

Please pardon the dust this week as new vending machines are transitioned onto campus.

GSU food service operations will be closed for annual maintenance this week and will reopen on August 31. The annual Civil Service Cookout will provide tasty lunch options as an alternative.

Contact Jerad Garrison at ext. 7445 for additional information and with all catering requests for the months of August and September.

Governors State University’s Graduate Program in Reading is sponsoring The Literacy Zone, a reading tutorial program for students in grades six through twelve.

“This is a one-to-one program that brings students experiencing reading problems together with teachers who have the skills to help them,” explains Dr. Mary Hession, Coordinator of The Literacy Zone.

Students meet on campus with certified, experienced teachers enrolled in the Master of Arts Reading Program at GSU. Sessions are held on Tuesdays from 4:45 to 6:30 p.m., from September 15 through December 1. Enrollment is limited and transportation is not provided.

There is a $100 registration fee. However, $30 will be refunded to the parents/guardians of those students who complete the program with good attendance and return all Literacy Zone materials.

For more information, contact Mary Hession at ext. 4122.

The Civil Service Senate invites all Civil Service staff to a picnic and softball game between Gebe’s Twinkie All Stars and Elaine’s Grand Slam Cupcakes tomorrow. The picnic begins at 11 a.m., in E-Lounge and on the patio. The softball game begins at 1 p.m., in the open field east of E-Lounge.

Team members will be chosen from the willing participants attending the festivities. Team members will change as work schedules allow.

The GSU Idol Contest adds to the festivities. Contestants may sing/rap/tap/yodel Take Me Out to the Ballgame between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. The winner will be chosen by audience acclaim to perform at the softball game. Cheerleading cheers for either team will also be judged at the contest. The winning cheers will be performed during the game.

Student recipients of MAP grants received a letter this week informing them that the current state budget does not provide enough funding for the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) to support the scholarship and grant programs they administer.

Based on the current funding level, ISAC will only be able to fund MAP Grant awards for Fall 2009 and will not pay any MAP Grant awards for Winter 2010. Additional or supplemental grant funds are not available to make up for the winter shortfall.

The Office of Financial Aid suggests the following alternatives: 

• Student Employment (Federal Work-Study)
• Federal Direct Student Loans (Subsidized and/or Unsubsidized)
• Private Loans 

Students who wish to take advantage of the alternatives must complete a Winter 2010 MAP Replacement Revision Request Form. The form is available on the Financial Aid website under the heading “Forms.” Financial Aid will process the Revision Request Forms beginning November 2.

Contact the Office of Financial Aid at ext. 4480 with questions.

On Saturday, August 22, the GSU eLearning System (WebCT/Blackboard) will be down for maintenance beginning at 6 a.m. The system will be moved to newer servers and connected to a new IT infrastructure that will support GSU’s continued growth.

The system will be down most of the day (an estimated 12 hours). A message will be sent out after the system is back on line.

From Monday, August 24 through Wednesday, August 26, the north exterior stairway, ramp, and entrance to the FOC (opposite the E-wing entrance) will be closed.

The south FOC entry (facing the parking lots) will remain open and available for use. Please contact Facilities with questions at ext. 4515.

A SEEDS Peer Mentor is a GSU student who provides guidance to Learning Community Cohort students from Morton College. Mentors receive training and a $1,000 stipend to encourage, advise, and guide students to achieve in college and earn their degrees. Mentors serve as role models and assist their students in the transition to college life.

Applications are available at the GSU Latino Center for Excellence (A2133) and are due on September 4. Applicants must meet specific qualifications and mentoring requirements, but need not be members of an LCE cohort. For more information, call ext. 7609.

Assistant Professor of Addictions Studies (and GSU alum), Dr. Jacque Elder, recently conducted five days of training at the Center for Disease Control in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Dr. Eder was joined by two colleagues on the trip. The group trained physicians, nurses, social workers, outreach workers, and counselors how to conduct Brief Motivational Interviewing interventions with people suffering from HIV.  The training focused on Africa’s growing problem with alcohol consumption related to the dangers of mixing alcohol and ARV medications.

The GSU Foundation needs your help during its annual Phonathon. Student Phonathon callers help the Foundation raise contributions by calling alumni and reconnecting them with the university. Applicants must be friendly, persuasive, and dependable. The position pays $8 per hour, part time. For information and to apply, call 708.235.2188.

GSU faculty and staff recently received new funding for their research and program activities.

Kim Boland-Prom, Ph.D., LCSW, of Social Work received funding from the Association of Social Work Boards for her research on sanctioned social workers.

Hilary Burkinshaw of CenterPoint Business Development Center received funding from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a Procurement Technical Assistance Center.

Dianna Galante, Ph.D., of Mathematics received funding from Commonwealth Edison for Mathematics Teacher Education.

Philip Kletke, Ph.D., of Health Administration received funding from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality for his research on physician Medicaid participation.

Nancy MacMullen, Ph.D., of Nursing received funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration for the Nurse Faculty Loan Program.

You may have noticed people with clipboards, looking upward, and taking notes. They are energy performance contractors who are verifying quantities of ceiling mounted light fixtures that will be re-lamped with more energy efficient lamps throughout campus. 

Starting this week, contractors will begin work in the cafeteria kitchen and dining area and will then move to other parts of the university. Facilities Development and Management will coordinate with university departments, the Registrar’s Assistant, Public Function scheduling and the contractor so the work will proceed as smoothly as possible. The work takes 10 to 15 minutes per light fixture. The contractors work from 6 a.m. until 3 p.m. and work will likely continue through the New Year. 

For more information, contact Facilities at ext. 4515. 

Established in 1965, the Lincoln Academy of Illinois recognizes the accomplishments of individuals who it determines have brought honor to the State of Illinois by either their birth or residence in the state or by their commitment to the principles of democracy and humanity as exemplified by Abraham Lincoln.

Each year an outstanding senior from each of the four-year, degree-granting institutions of higher learning in Illinois is awarded the Student Lincoln Academy Medallion and thereby becomes a Student Laureate of The Lincoln Academy of Illinois. Student Laureates are honored for their overall excellence in curricular and extracurricular activities. The 2009 recipient will receive the Student Laureate Medallion, a certificate of achievement, and a check for $150. Award recipients will participate in a processional of state, civic, and academic leaders at the award ceremony held in Springfield on Saturday, November 7, 2009, in the Old State Capitol. Governor Pat Quinn, President of the Academy, has been invited to present the awards. A luncheon will be held in recognition of the recipients following the ceremony in the Executive Mansion.

GSU is accepting nominations for the Student Laureate Award from the 2010 graduating class (baccalaureate degree). The Student Laureate Nomination Form is located on the Student Life web page under Applications, Documents, and Forms. Please complete the Student Laureate Nomination Form and return it to Sara Appel by Wednesday, September 30. For more information, contact Sara Appel at 708.534.4552.

Civil Service staff are invited to a Chat with the President on Wednesday, September 2, at 1:30 p.m., in E-Lounge. Attendees are asked to bring questions and ideas to continue the open conversation with President Maimon and other university administrators. Contact Penny Perdue, at ext. 4130, for more information.

Due to the lack of nominations, no Employee of the Month was named for July. To ensure that recognition of deserving employees continues, faculty, staff, and students are encouraged to nominate someone who goes above and beyond in the workplace.

Nomination boxes are located near the Center for Performing Arts and on the first floor of the G-Wing by the College of Health & Human Services office. Nominations may also be dropped off at or sent to the Department of Human Resources. The deadline for the nominations is the 22^nd of every month.

Download Criteria 
Download Nomination Form

Applications for the Fall 2009 trimester Civil Service Scholarships are due Tuesday, September 8. Applicant need only be registered for three credit hours and either be an employed civil servant at GSU or a spouse or dependent child of an employed member of the GSU Civil Service.

Four awards of $250 each will be awarded. Contact Senatha Jenkins at ext. 4484 for more information.

At the end of the August, GSU will welcome a new food service provider for vending, catering, and cafeteria related operations. The new food service provider is Food Services, Incorporated (FSI), which also serves Kankakee Community College and Baker & Taylor.

GSU food service operations will be closed for annual maintenance beginning August 17 and will reopen on August 31. The annual Civil Service BBQ is scheduled for the week beginning August 24.

Contact Jerad Garrison for additional information and with all catering requests for the months of August and September.

Students with disabilities may use a variety of services or reasonable accommodations intended to reduce the effects that a disability may have on their performance in a traditional academic setting. Services do not lower course standards or alter degree requirements, but instead, provide students with an equal chance to demonstrate their academic abilities.

Any student may initiate a request for services by registering with ASSD. After providing information that documents the specific disability, students are provided assistance in selecting services that are an appropriate accommodation for their disability.

To learn more about the services offered by the Academic Resource Center, visit the ARC website or call 708.534.4508.

Dr. Raven James, Assistant Professor of Addictions Studies, and graduate student Colleen Wray recently presented at the 2009 National LGBTI Health Summit in Chicago. The presentation, entitled Working With LGBT Clients in Substance Abuse: What Counselors Need to Know, uses interactive and experiential activities to stress the importance of developing sensitivity to the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex persons in drug and alcohol treatment. The presenters also provided an overview of assessment and intervention issues and techniques and resources for referral, to better enable participants to become more effective at working with LGBTI persons.

The Student Involvement Fair provides a great opportunity to showcase your group or services to people who are interested and to recruit new and rejuvinate current memberships. The even will be held on Monday, September 28, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., in the Hall of Governors. To reserve a table for a student club or campus organization, contact Adam Taylor at ext 7362.

GSU’s Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park and The Center for Performing Arts are finalists in Placemaking Chicago’s What Makes Your Place Great Contest.

Visit www.placemakingchicago.com/places (click on “Vote for my Favorite Photo”) to vote for the NMSP and The Center.

Placemaking Chicago is a collaboration between the Project for Public Spaces and the Metropolitan Planning Council. The organization promotes improvement, fosters the creation of vital public destinations - the kind of places where people feel a strong stake in their communities, and commitment to making things better. Placemaking capitalizes on local community assets, inspiration, and potential, creating good public spaces that promote people’s health, happiness, and economic well-being.

Remember vote early and vote often.

Preparation for accreditation continuation by HLC is ongoing. A draft of Chapter 3 is now available for review and feedback via the GSU HLC 2009 website.

As a reminder, feedback is welcome and may be submitted to hlc@govst.edu.

The Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park is sponsoring Our House (Divided) outdoors in the park next to Bruce Nauman’s House Divided sculpture on Sunday, August 16, from 5 until 7:30 p.m. It is free and open to the public.

Our House (Divided) is a multi-facetted program, which will touch on history, memory, division, and change, and promises to be both moving and uplifting. It includes music performed by Red Riding Hood, a string quartet. Magda Brown, a survivor of the Birkenau concentration camp, will provide commentary on her experiences during World War II and subsequent life in the United States. Marshall Titus will perform solo vocal selections accompanied by Red Riding Hood and recite Abraham Lincoln’s 1858 House Divided speech.

The performance site will open at 4:30 p.m. Limited lawn chair seats are available on a first come-first served basis. Guests are welcome to bring chairs and blankets to sit on the ground. A shuttle bus will ferry visitors from parking lot E to the event area. The park will also offer a golf cart shuttle for those who have difficulty walking to the site.

In case of rain, the event will be held in Sherman Recital Hall. Guests should park in Lot C and follow signs directing patrons to the hall.

For more information, visit www.govst.edu/sculpture/, email sculpture@govst.edu, or call 708.534.4486.

The contractor is making progress on the road construction project. Currently, they are in the process of completing concrete walkways and roads at the main entry as well as new concrete curbs in areas where new asphalt paving will be laid. Due to the poor condition of the sub-base under the road at the carillon intersection, the contractor continues to dig out the unacceptable material. That intersection will remain closed for at least another week.

On Friday, August 14, the concrete work at the main entry will be open for pedestrians only (weather permitting). Access to the main entry will be open.

On Monday, August 17, the road at the driveway leading to C-wing entry will be closed so the contractors can continue their work. The C-wing entry will remain open. Construction, however, will impede vehicular and pedestrian access to that entry and its adjacent parking lot, so please use the main entry. Accessible parking is available at A-wing north entry.

The contractor will continue to work on new concrete curbs, new pavement, and lighting throughout campus. Some areas will require traffic controllers to allow safe pedestrian and vehicular passage. Please be aware of your surroundings during this construction and follow directions given by the traffic controllers.

For more information, contact Facilities Development and Management at ext. 4515.

Enjoy Into the Woods, the inaugural production of the Southland Area Theatre Ensemble (SLATE), on Friday, August 14 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, August 15, at 2 and 7:30 p.m., in The Center for Performing Arts.

Into the Woods is a classic musical about magical enchantment, which masterfully blends the stories of familiar storybook characters like Jack (of beanstalk fame), Rapunzel, Cinderella, and Little Red Ridinghood. Once protagonists of their own fairytales, the characters now meet each other as they venture into the woods. The various storylines are as familiar as childhood fairy tales, but exciting plot twists and wonderful songs add to the fun.

Great seats for Into the Woods are still available. Adult tickets are $18-21 and tickets for children under 16 are $16-19. Tickets may be purchased by calling The Center box office at 708.235.2222 or online.

The Emerald Literati Network honored Dr. Jun Zhao of CBPA recently. Her article, Individualism collectivism selected personality traits and psychological contract in employment: A comparative study, published in Management Research News, was chosen as a Highly Commended paper at the Literati Network Awards for Excellence 2009.

The Emerald Literati Network provides services and support for authors who publish with an Emerald journal and for the Editors of each of our journals. 

Congratulations, Dr. Zhao.

The Office of Financial Aid Office will distribute book cards in the Hall of Honors on Thursday, August 27, from 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., and Monday, August 31, from 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. 

From Friday, August 28, book cards may be picked up in the Office of Financial Aid, C1310, during business hours.

The Office of Financial Aid offers a $300, $500, or $700 book card advances to assist eligible students with the purchase of books and supplies. Student eligibility is determined by the following criteria:

• Completed a 2009/2010 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and awarded financial aid;
• Admitted to a degree-seeking program at GSU;
• Registered in at least six (6) credit hours;
• Maintain satisfactory academic progress; and
• Have enough financial aid to cover your tuition and fees, plus the $300, $500, or $700 book card advance.

Students are eligible for only one book card in one denomination per term and are not allowed to increase the amount on the card.

For more information, contact the Office of Financial Aid at ext 4481.

The GSU Foundation needs your help during its annual Phonathon. Student Phonathon callers help raise contributions by calling alumni and reconnecting them with the University. Applicants must be friendly, persuasive, and dependable. The position pays $8 per hour, part time.

For information and to apply, call 708.235.2188.

The Office of Student Involvement and Leadership will host an orientation for student club and organization advisors and officers on Friday, September 11, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., in the Cafeteria Annex.

This session will provide attendees with important information about policies, procedures, roles, and responsibilities. Participants will also have the opportunity to ask questions and share their experiences and ideas.

For more information or to R.S.V. P., by Wednesday, September 9, contact Adam Taylor at ext 7362.  

The Graduate Program in Reading is sponsoring The Literacy Zone, a reading tutorial program for students in grades six through twelve. Students meet on campus with certified, experienced teachers enrolled in the Master of Arts Reading Program at GSU. Sessions are held on Tuesdays from 4:45 to 6:30 p.m., from September 15 through December 1. Enrollment is limited. Transportation is not provided.

There is a $100 registration fee. However, $30 will be refunded to the parents/guardians of those students who complete the program with good attendance and return all Literacy Zone materials.

For more information, contact Mary Hession at ext. 4122.

Dr. Barbara Dunn received the ADR Volunteer Neutral Recognition from the judges of the Los Angeles Superior Court in appreciation of the volunteer services given. She also received the 2007 Mediator of the Year ADR Volunteer Neutral Recognition Award.

Dr. Dunn has volunteered to serve on the Superior Court Mediation Panels for Pro-Bono and Party Pay since 2001. She has worked closely with Cook County Municipal Court Judge Michael Stuttley to implement the mediation concept of Balance and Restorative Justice (BARJ), which helps reduce juvenile delinquency recidivism in Los Angeles, San Bernardino, and Orange Counties in California, as well as in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Dr. Dunn received her BOG bachelor’s degree from GSU in 1979.

As of Monday, August 10, 2009, GSU is returning to a regular Monday to Friday, 37.5-hour schedule. Employees are reminded to mark time sheets to reflect this change.

The Governors State Library is proud to add a selection of the New York Times Bestsellers to its book collection. The Friends of the GSU Library has provided funds since 2008 to purchase this collection.

All of these books are available to students, staff, and faculty for a four-week checkout period. Community members with valid public library cards are also invited to check out these books.

Several of the newest additions to the collection include Liberty and Tyranny, Outliers, Horse Soldiers, Girls from Ames, Wicked Prey, and 8^th Confession.

Take a minute or two, pick out several titles at Governors State Library, and get lost in a great book.

As part of the Emergency Response Team’s ongoing training, volunteers across the campus continue to participate in CPR/AED training courses.

The third session concluded last week with Karen Caesar-Smith, Carlos Cantu, Paula Cosenza, Jackie Johnson, Rebecca Schreurs, Gabrielle Sutton, and Yvonne Thigpen earning their certificates.

The Emergency Response Team is always looking for additional volunteers to assist in the event of a campus emergency. Interested individuals should contact Colleen Rock at ext. 7384. 

On Saturday, August 22, the GSU eLearning System (WebCT/Blackboard) will be down for maintenance beginning at 6 a.m. The system will be moved to newer servers and connected to a new ITS infrastructure that will support GSU’s continued growth.

The system will be down an estimated 12 hours. Notification will be emailed when the system is back on line.

This temporary inconvenience will result in better, faster systems that support student learning and instructional excellence.

Between now and September 5, the staff of the Center for Online Teaching and Learning will be providing one-on-one assistance to faculty who are new to CE-8. The Center will help you set up your course and make the syllabus available to students. Center staff will also help identify other additions you may want to do to web-enhance your course, to save time for you and your students, and enhance learning outcomes.

For an appointment, call Jan Engle at ext. 3073 or Barbara Mandel at ext 4940.

Several faculty researchers have expressed interest in pursuing the National Institute of Health’s Recovery Act Limited Competition: Academic Research Enhancement Award (or Request for Applications Number RFA-OD-09-007). This is an R15 grant program, which supports small research projects in the biomedical and behavioral sciences conducted by students and faculty in health professional schools and other academic components that have not been major recipients of NIH research grant funds.

The complete text of the grant announcement can be found on the web. Applications are due September 24, 2009.

If you are interested in pursuing this grant opportunity, notify the Office of Sponsored Programs and Research as soon as possible by completing an Intent to Submit Grant form. 

The Human Resources Department is pleased to announce that Connections, a quality-focused, customer service training program developed by Noel Levitz , Inc., will train 500 employees of Governors State University during the Fall 2009 trimester.

“In the higher-education marketplace, GSU’s goal is to keep our student relations and service skills as sharp as possible,” said President Elaine P. Maimon. “We must continue to learn ways to help improve our competitive edge. Everyone will gain from this type of facilitated interaction. Certainly, it benefits the students and community we serve, and will enhance our day to day communication with each other.”

“HR is coordinating Connections training, which includes all exempt and non-exempt status Civil Service and Administrative & Professional employees,” said Gail Bradshaw, Associate Vice-President of Human Resources and Diversity. “Groups of 16 to 18 trainees will be randomly assigned by HR to a group with people from other units and departments. This training is designed to be a dynamic, interactive process, facilitated by our own GSU employees. We want employees to be as participative as possible and to share ideas and observations on how to continuously improve the experience of current and potential students at GSU.”

Tony Tymkow, Training Project Coordinator added, “The process of training the trainers already began for 12 GSU group leaders. They are receiving intensive instruction from a Noel Levitz, Master Trainer. GSU units nominated our group leaders based on a unique set of criteria. The selection process was definitely competitive. Our plan is for 250 employees to complete training during the last three weeks of September and the remaining 250 employees to be trained by the last three weeks in October. During training, groups attend a two and half hour meeting once a week for three weeks. There is some homework to complete for the next meeting. Employees will be advised by e-mail from Connections@govst.edu of their specific training dates and times shortly. Unit Heads will be advised of employee training schedules.”

On Tuesday afternoon, GSU celebrated the success of a new, on campus workforce development program. The program, originally suggested by GSU Board of Trustees member Bruce Friefeld, was developed in coordinated with Workforce Services Division of Will County and has led to the summer employment of 19 high school and post-high school students at the university.

President Maimon commended the students for their hard work and reminded them that they were all “college material.” She encouraged them to pursue college degrees and elicited feedback on their positive experiences at the university. “The program is a perfect example of how the university is reaching out to and interacting with the region,” said Maimon. 

While Will County had a similar program several years ago, this current incarnation is the result of Federal stimulus money dedicated to training summer youth.

“GSU is great place for the students to gain real world work experience,” said Susan Flessner, Will County Administrative Manager for the program. “With the help of GSU’s human resources department we were easily able to match the students with jobs that fit their individual skill sets.” Program participants are currently assigned to departments throughout the university including institutional advancement, facilities, auxiliary services, and the academic colleges.

“This program has been a great success and we look forward to the possibility of continuing our relationship with GSU next year,” added Flessner.

Depending on their school schedules, the students will continue to work on campus through mid to late August.

At the end of the August, GSU will welcome a new food service provider for vending, catering, and cafeteria related operations. The new food service provider is Food Services, Incorporated (FSI), which also serves Kankakee Community College and Baker & Taylor.

GSU food service operations will be closed for annual maintenance beginning August 17 and will reopen on August 31. The annual Civil Service BBQ is scheduled for the week beginning August 24.

Contact Jerad Garrison for more information including any catering requirements during the next 30 days.

The Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park is sponsoring a day trip to the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago on Saturday, August 8. The focus of the visit is the exhibit of work by Olafur Eliasson. Eliasson is a Swedish installation artist whose works seek to transform spaces and visitors’ perceptions of their world.

The group will lunch at Elephant and Castle, a British style pub, before visiting the Loyola University Museum of Art to view Rodin: In His Own Words, Selections from the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Foundation.

The group will leave the University Park Metra Station at 8:57 a.m., take the Red Line subway to the Chicago Ave. stop, and walk from there. The return train from Randolph/Water St. station leaves at 5:38 p.m. or participants may choose to stay in Chicago longer and return on their own.

Pre registration is required. The cost is $16 for admission, rail transportation, and meals. For more information or to register, call 708.534.4848 or email Geoff Bates.

A Restorative Justice Campus Based Web Conference will be held on August 10 and 13, from noon to 1:30 p.m., in the Hall of Honors. The University of Colorado, a national leader in the implementation of restorative justice principles on campuses, will conduct the conference.

The university has already begun the process to incorporate restorative justice practices at GSU. They include peer mediation, victim-offender conferencing, and offender accountability. A post conference discussion will take place on August 13, from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.

Registration is free and required. Contact 708.235.3987, or email the Criminal Justice Program. 

The Governors State University Visual Arts Gallery presents Eternal Spaces: Studies in Movement and Value, an exhibition of "fumage" drawings by graduate student, Joyce Speechley, through August 11. A closing reception celebrating the exhibit will be held on August 11, from 6 to 9 p.m. in the gallery.

Speechley's drawings incorporate graphite, graphite powder, and fumage, a technique created by the artist employing flame and smoke on canvas. Speechley has received numerous awards and has published books for PCI Publishing in San Antonio, Texas and Schaffer Publishing in Torrance, California. Speechley shares her passion for the arts by teaching at the College of DuPage.

The Visual Arts Gallery is located in the E-Wing and is open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, call 708.534.4021.

Assistance in setting up Blackboard CE-8 (WebCT) course shells is available until September 5 from the staff of the Center for Online Teaching and Learning. One-on-one assistance will help faculty who are new to CE-8 set up courses and make syllabi available to students. Additional help in identifying ways to web-enhance courses to save instructor and student time and enhance learning outcomes is also available.

For an appointment, call Jan Engle at ext. 3073 or Barbara Mandel at ext.4940.

GSU’s energy contractor will install new domestic hot water pipes in the basement of the E and F wings on Friday, August 7. In order to do this work, there will be an interruption of hot water service throughout E and F wings. Facilities will lock the washrooms in the affected wings. Please use alternate washrooms on campus.

Facilities regrets any inconvenience. For more information, call Facilities at ext. 4515.

Into the Woods, the inaugural production of the Southland Area Theatre Ensemble (SLATE), will be on Friday, August 14 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, August 15, at 2 and 7:30 p.m., in The Center for Performing Arts.

Into the Woods is a classic musical about magical enchantment, which masterfully blends the stories of familiar storybook characters like Jack (of beanstalk fame), Rapunzel, Cinderella, and Little Red Ridinghood. Once protagonists of their own fairytales, the characters now meet each other as they venture into the woods. The various storylines are as familiar as childhood fairy tales, but exciting plot twists and wonderful songs add to the fun.

Great seats for Into the Woods are still available. Adult tickets are $18-21 and tickets for children under 16 are $16-19. Tickets may be purchased by calling The Center box office at 708.235.2222 or online.

The University Library is conducting a trial of ISI Web of Knowledge, which includes Web of Science, BIOSIS Previews, and Medline. Of particular interest to researchers across the spectrum of disciplines is Web of Science, which includes Arts and Humanities Citation Index, Social Sciences Citation Index, and Science Citation Index.

The Library is interested in your comments and observations on the effectiveness of these resources in tracking where research has been cited by others. Please take a few moments to explore these databases.

A link to the ISI Web of Knowledge is available on the library’s main website and under Web of Science.

Please use the link to comments at the end of the description of ISI Web of Knowledge and the Web of Science on the GSU library page to provide your comments.

The trial ends on August 31.

The GSU Soccer Club is currently playing weekly games and is looking for new members. Men and women are welcome to join, regardless of skill.

Weekly games take place on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons at 4:45 p.m. The club also participates in soccer tournaments and trips to Chicago Fire and international games.

Members of the Soccer Club enjoy camaraderie and a unique chance to interact with individuals from a variety of cultures and backgrounds. Plus, playing soccer is a great cardiovascular workout.

For more information, contact Jose Reyes at ext. 4494.

The Family Development Center (FDC) is offering students, faculty, and staff peace of mind while they are learning, studying, or working. The FDC offers childcare on Monday through Thursday, from 4 to 8 p.m., for children ages three to 12.

Supervised activities include homework and computer time, indoor gym and outdoor play activities, and use of creative play materials, books, and videos. Nourishing snacks are provided.

The cost is only $20 per child per evening. Prepay for 12 evenings and receive an additional three evenings for free, a savings of $60. Student Senate sponsored stipends are available for qualified students. Transportation is not provided.

For more information, visit the FDC website or call 708.235.7300.

An Enrichment Seminar on GSU’s Interdisciplinary Studies program will be held on August 5, from 3:30 to 5 p.m., in the Hall of Honors. Lana Bilyk, Student Services Coordinator, and Jennifer Finn, Assistant Director of Admission, will lead the discussion.

The seminar series focuses on the degree program and the related careers and opportunities open to graduates.

The series is sponsored by the Title V Cooperative Grant and the Latino Center for Excellence. For more information, contact 708.235.7609.