Personal Safety Model
Thomas Gebhardt, director of Personal Safety & Off Campus Affairs, gave a presentation at the Hudson Mohawk Association of Colleges and Universities conference on Feb. 4 at Schenectady County Community College during a conference entitled "Off Campus Housing: A Symposium on Issues, Rights and Responsibilities."
Gebhardt spoke about successful "town - gown models," as well as issues of safety and security off campus, and alcohol and drug prevention. "Being asked to present at this conference on behalf of our committee on University and Community relations as a model for other institutions is further recognition of how far we have come and what we have learned regarding town - gown relations since the committee first met back in the fall of 1990," noted Gebhardt.
Series Promotes Bilingual Education
By Sullin Jose
As part of a five-year $1.1 million U.S. Department of Education grant to fund the Department of Educational Theory and Practice�s Language Advocacy Project, an ongoing series of discussions has been taking place on campus engaging the fields of teaching English as a second language and linguistics.
"Topics in Language Minority Advocacy" coordinates with the department�s graduate programs in Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), which is part of the Language Advocacy Project, which was begun in 1995 and is effective through the year 2001.
"The goal of the Language Advocacy Project is to prepare educators to work more effectively with minority and foreign language students," said Richard Light of the Department of Educational Theory and Practice and co-director of the funding project with department colleage Carla Meskill. "Its main focus is on preparing graduate students for certification to teach English as a second language to grades K-12."
The grant is funded by the Bilingual Education Act, and is used to help master�s students in the program with tuition costs and scholarships, as well as to support special speaker series like "Topics in Language Minority Advocacy." It also supports the hiring of specialists in the field to teach graduate level courses.
The first discussion of the series was given on Feb. 5 by Susan LaFond, a New York State United Teachers Trainer for Guilderland Schools on"Cooperative Learning For Limited English Proficient Students." A Feb. 12 discussion on "Conflict Resolution/Peer Mediation For Limited English Proficient Students" was led by Sandra Cuellar-Oxford, a conflict resolution consultant with Ulster Sullivan Mediation Center.
Today (Feb. 25) at 4:15 p.m. in HU 027, Rick Bates a Ph.D. candidate in reading, discusses "Instructional Support Programs, "Learning Disabilities" and ESL Reading." Upcoming topics include Jane Agee of the Department of Educational Theory and Practice discussing "Teaching Writing To ESL Learners," on March 9 at 4:15p.m. in HU B16; and David Pollack, a cross - cultural education specialist, discussing "Cross Cultural Understanding" on March 9 in HU B16.
The series will close on April 15 in LC 19 with a discussion on "Advocacy For Limited English Proficient Students" with Carmen Perez-Hogan, coordinator of the Office of Bilingual Education for the State Education Department.
Shirley M. Downey
Shirley M. Downey has been appointed the new director of the Career Services Center. As former assistant director for counseling, training and education at the University of Richmond in Virginia, she helped in creating and maintaining the career services satellite office within the Richmond E. Claiborne Robins School of Business.
"I am delighted Shirley Downey has accepted Albany�s offer of this critical leadership position," said James P. Doellefeld, Vice President for Student Affairs. "She brings a wealth of experience working in strong career development departments at Indiana University and University of Richmond. Her record of achievement is splendid. Her passion for excellence in service is consistent with Albany�s expectations and values. Her leadership will serve Albany students, academic departments and the wider government, businesses and education communities well as Albany elevates and advances its career services and placement functions."
While at Richmond, Downey designed and conducted a survey and focus groups for undergraduate students for career development. She also organized and coordinated two career fairs where students had a chance to meet and interview with prospective employers. As assistant and associate director of the College of Arts and Sciences at Indiana University, she advised students on career development and job placement. She also taught courses and conducted workshops on career planning methods for liberal arts students.
"I am thrilled to be joining the University at Albany team," said Downey. "The institution is clearly placing a high priority on Career Services. This is a great opportunity for me and I have every intention of bringing the Albany students the quality services they deserve."
Downey received a B.S. Business and Behavioral Sciences from Pennsylvania State University in May 1989 and a M.S. in College Student Personnel Services from Miami University in May 1991. She has made professional presentations and published articles on job search strategies and career planning.
Sullin Jose
Stone Adds to Management Faculty Honors
Dianna Stone of the management faculty School of Business has been elected a fellow of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP). The SIOP awards fellow status to a few scholars each year for their contributions to the field. Stone was recognized for her research in information privacy and disabilities.
Fellow status is limited to 2% of the organization�s membership. Stone is the third member of the management faculty to be named a fellow, joining Michael Kavanagh and Gary Yukl.
"We have a higher percentage of fellows than any other management department in the country," said Hal Gueutal, management faculty chair.
Two New Appointments
Two faculty members have been granted additional temporary appointments as adjunct assistant professors by the University.
Lenore Ginsburg of the School of Public Health began an adjunct position last semester in the Department of Epidemiology, effective through Summer 2000. Cyril Knoblauch of the Department of English and Interim Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences will begin a temporary appointment this Spring as adjunct with the Department of Communications.
Kosa to Streamline New Recruitment
In an effort to improve the procedures used for professional recruitments, about one year ago a committee was formed to analyze the recruitment process. In response to a recommendation by the committee, Steve Beditz, director of Human Resources Management, has announced that a new position has been created to assist all departments in recruitment activities.
Melissa Kosa, B.A. �93, MPA �97, has been appointed the University�s first recruitment coordinator in the Office of Human Resources, effective this semester. Kosa previously worked as a research project assistant for the Institute for Traffic Safety Management of the Research Foundation of SUNY, and as an academic advisor while still a graduate student at the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs & Policy.
"The procedures that govern professional recruitments were perceived to be overly complex, burdensome and time consuming," said Beditz. "The ad hoc committee�s review resulted in a re-engineering of the process, resulting in the elimination of several redundant or unnecessary steps.
"It became obvious, however, that to comply with all external mandates as well as internal controls, the creation of a new position as a resource dedicated to assisting all departments was needed. I believe Melissa Kosa will be an outstanding facilitator throughout the recruitment process in ensuring that requirements are met. She will also assist in making sure that position descriptions and ad placements result in our hiring the finest professional staff available."
