Florida State University State Bulletin, March 6-19, 2000: Article on FSU researchers find new way to map human brain

Volume 34 Number 15	March 6-March 19, 2000

FSU researchers find new way to map human brain
              Using a 150-year-old mathematical theorem, FSU researchers are creating cutting edge maps of the cerebellum to chart a groundbreaking new course in the study of the human brain.
              Monica Hurdal, a postdoctoral research associate of mathematics who is working under FSU Professor DeWitt Sumners, and a team of researchers have developed a one-of-a-kind computer program that can map the human brain in ways never done before. The program is a computer realization of the Riemann Mapping Theorem, which allows a three-dimensional surface to be flattened while preserving the angular information.
              While there are other researchers who are looking at new ways to create maps of the brain, the FSU team is the only group in the world to create conformal brain maps — those that preserve the angles — using information from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. Other techniques usually display cross-sections of the brain surface, making it difficult to view the entire brain surface at once. The new method allows researchers to observe the entire surface of the brain, particularly regions buried within cortical folds.
              “Everybody’s brain is different — like a fingerprint,” Hurdal said. “The fissures of the brain vary greatly from person to person, and we think this method will allow scientists to make comparisons that will hopefully lead to a greater understanding of how the brain works. Even though there has been a lot of research, we still know really very little about the brain.”
              This new way of brain mapping will allow scientists to impose a unique coordinate system on the brain’s surface in order to measure and compare brains. The maps can be used to compare anatomical regions of the brain, compare brains from two or more subjects and display data from positron emission tomography (PET) or functional MRI scans.
              “It’s a mathematically sound method to create maps that will allow comparison of brain activity to diagnose illness or identify a problem, such as a tumor,” she said. “These maps are unique for each person.”
              In addition to using them as diagnostic tools, Hurdal said doctors may eventually use the maps to help them prepare for brain surgery.
              The maps could also help researchers discover how different people’s brains handle the same task or how brains change as people age. The maps may also allow scientists to observe how diseases such as Alzheimer’s affect the way the brain functions, she said.
              Hurdal is using the computer program to produce maps in a number of different ways. For example, the new maps can be created in the Euclidean plane where distance is measured or scaled as expected, like on a road map.

              The program also can be used to create a map using hyperbolic geometry. With these hyperbolic maps, the software can be used to select map points or anatomical landmarks to be the new map center, forcing distortion to the map periphery. In this manner, the map focus can be changed to any desired location, much like moving a magnifying glass over a piece of paper or a micro-scope over a slide specimen. In addition, the hyperbolic maps are all the same shape — a circle — making it easier to compare different maps from different brains.
              Brain maps also can be created on a sphere, which is comparable to viewing the surface of the earth on a globe. Hurdal’s maps can be viewed at her Web site www.math.fsu.edu/~mhurdal.
              Hurdal is currently producing flat maps of the brains of some patients suffering from cerebellar ataxia — a disease that involves atrophy of the cerebellum — using data from the PET Imaging Center at the Veteran’s Affairs Medical Center at the University of Minnesota.
              Besides Hurdal and Sumners, who is a Lawton Distinguished Professor, the FSU team also includes math Professor Phil Bowers. Ken Stephenson from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and David Rottenberg from the PET Imaging Center in Minnesota also are working on the project. Collaborators from Denmark and Japan are working on related projects. Hurdal, Sumners and Rottenberg are members of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Human Brain Project.
              FSU mathematicians received a $300,000 research grant from the NIH, and the team’s research has been published in a number of scientific journals, including American Scientist, Canadian Geographic and Lecture Notes in Computer Science.

Campus must stick to rules during session
              The 2000 session of the Florida Legislature begins Tuesday, March 7, and, unless extended, will continue through May 5. FSU employees must adhere to the following university policies.
              President Sandy D’Alemberte is the registered lobbyist for FSU. Vice President for University Relations Beverly Spencer and Governmental Relations Director Kathleen Daly are registered to lobby for the State University System.
              No one on campus except D’Alemberte, Spencer and Daly are authorized to lobby for FSU or the SUS. However, the legislature periodically requests faculty or staff to attend committee meetings or formally respond to questions about certain issues. FSU employees who are asked to appear before committees should contact Daly at 4-4453. FSU must notify the chancellor’s office of any official legislative contact.
              A campus network of legislative liaisons is currently in place, with each division represented. The legislative liaisons are: Fred Leysieffer (Academic Affairs), 4-1816; Ralph Alvarez (Budget and Analysis), 4-4203; Glenn Thomas (Developmental Research School), 4-1025; Robley Light (Faculty Senate), 4-3844; Terry Fulcher (Finance and Administration), 4-4444; Jack Crow (Magnet Lab), 4-0311; Raymond Bye (Office of Research), 4-3347; Dick Mashburn (Student Affairs), 4-5590; Dawn Randle (University Relations), 4-1000; Meredith Charbula (University Attorney), 4-4440; Kim Fedele (Student Government), 4-1811; and Samantha Lane (SGA Legislative Affairs), 4-0079.
              Through this network, bills and information affecting education are routinely routed to appropriate departments and offices for timely responses and/or information. These responses are routed back to the division liaisons, to the Office of Governmental Relations, and ultimately to the SUS representatives who will serve collectively on the university’s behalf.

Decade may see catastrophic hurricanes

                The likelihood of a major hurricane hitting a densely populated area of the U.S. Gulf Coast within the next 10 years and leaving in its wake catastrophic social and economic damage is significant, FSU climatologist James Elsner said recently at the 2000 annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
              The conference, held in Washington, D.C., Feb. 17-22, brought together more than 4,000 scientists, educators, policy makers and journalists to share the latest research advances. The AAAS has 138,000 members from 130 countries, and its prestigious, peer-reviewed, weekly scientific journal, Science, is read by more than 500,000 people around the world.
              In his presentation, Elsner said that a nearly 30-year period of infrequent major landfalls will be supplanted by a return to conditions similar to those in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s, when several major hurricanes wreaked destruction along the coast from Texas to Maine.
              There is an increased likelihood that Category 4 hurricanes (winds 131 mph-155 mph) and Category 5 hurricanes (winds greater than 155 mph) will strike coastal areas of the Gulf of Mexico during the next 10 to 20 years, he said.
              His research shores up that of meteorologist William M. Gray of Colorado State University, known for accurately predicting the number of hurricanes likely to strike in a hurricane season. Elsner’s research into shifts in trends of landfall probabilities and classification of hurricanes fine-tunes Gray’s work by enabling Elsner to predict hurricane intensity, pinpoint the location of landfall and anticipate long-term changes in hurricane climate.
              Elsner’s research is based on historical and paleoclimate data, including over washed sand deposits, lake levels and tree rings. The data point to the North Atlantic oscillation as a possible link to understanding hurricane activity. FSU’s world-class statistics department allows Elsner to draw on expert analyses of this data.
              Only two Category 5 hurricanes have hit the United States since record-keeping began: the 1935 Labor Day hurricane that hit the Florida Keys and Hurricane Camille, which devastated the Mississippi coast in 1969.

              “The Gulf Coast has experienced tremendous population and construction growth over the past 30 years and we have greatly increased our vulnerability to devastating damage by developing heavily in these coastal regions over a period when strong storms were less frequent,” Elsner said.
              In addition to being used by insurance companies, Elsner’s research alerts emergency management teams — faced each year with evacuating residents in the path of storms — to hurricane vulnerability in their region. His work is funded by the National Science Foundation and the Risk Prediction Initiative, a consortium of re-insurance companies.
              Elsner and a multidisciplinary team of researchers from FSU and other Southern universities are developing a virtual natural hazards institute to study the impact and response to large-scale natural disasters in the Southeast.

An Open Letter to Faculty and Staff

March 6, 2000

Dear Colleagues:

                This Legislative session presents a great opportunity for the Florida State University as there is a strong possibility that the Legislature will create and fund a four-year medical school. Unlike large, highly-specialized medical schools with associated teaching hospitals, a distributed, community-based medical school is being proposed by Representative Durell Peaden in House Bill 1121.

                It is important for you to know that funding for medical schools in Florida is a separate line item in the Board of Regents’ and university’s budget and, unlike the general university budget, it is not enrollment driven. We are making every effort to ensure that a new medical school would not disrupt current university operations and academic programs, nor divert funds from existing university resources. Funding is being requested to enable the medical school to be created in such a way that it will enhance current university programs and resources. A new building would be constructed to house the College of Medicine. Each year we will request adequate funding to expand resources.

                To facilitate the smooth assimilation of the new College of Medicine into the university, enrollment would be phased in over a period of years. Currently, 30 students are enrolled in the existing Program in Medical Sciences (PIMS). Enrollment would be phased in by adding 10 students in 2001, 30 students in 2002, 50 students in 2003, 70 students in 2004, and 90 students in 2005; ultimately resulting in a maximum of 480 students.

                We think that having a new medical school will also benefit existing programs in several ways. First, there will be an expansion of library materials and other research resources from the new medical school funds, not a diversion of current funds and resources. Second, there will be expanded uses of technology funded through the medical school. Third, there will be available new sources of federal grants and foundation funding opportunities because the university would have a medical school. Until now, several funding opportunities have been lost because this university does not have a medical school. Fourth, the integrated service delivery model will provide opportunities for faculty and students in non-health related disciplines. The proposed medical school curriculum and clinical component stress the cooperation and use of a holistic, multidisciplinary approach to health care service delivery.

                We welcome your feedback and thoughts about how to make this a productive venture. We will be constantly communicating to you about events in the Legislature as they unfold. Also, I intend to speak to the Faculty Senate and invite Dr. Tom Johnson, an experienced medical educator, to discuss how a new medical school affected current programs at Michigan State University and North Dakota State University. All reports and other material are posted at www.fsu.com and I invite you to review them. We will keep this site current as well as the Provost’s News to Faculty site at fsu.edu/~acaffair.

Sincerely yours,

Lawrence G. Abele

                Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

For a summary of House Bill 1121, see below.

Summary of the ‘medical school bill’
              The following is a summary of House Bill 1121, which is sponsored by state Rep. Durell Peaden (R-Crestview).

The bill creates the Florida State University College of Medicine. Its principal mission is to train physicians to meet the primary health care needs of the state’s elderly, rural, minority and poor residents.

Legislative intent articulates a new model of medical education to deliver patient-centered health care services, building upon the success of the FSU Program in Medical Sciences. The purposes of the College of Medicine are listed, including preparing physicians to practice primary care, geriatric and rural medicine, to make use of emerging technologies, to enhance research in these areas, and to provide access to medical education for groups that are underrepresented in the medical profession.

The transition process, organizational structure, and admissions process are listed. The Program in Medical Sciences will evolve into the FSU College of Medicine. The current admissions process will be the basis for selection of students, with a special focus on identifying future primary care physicians who have demonstrated an interest in serving in underserved areas and providing elder care.

The partner organizations for clinical instruction are listed, which include, but are not limited to: Baptist Health Care in Pensacola; Sacred Heart Health System in Pensacola; West Florida Regional Medical Center in Pensacola; Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare in Tallahassee; Florida Hospital Health System in Orlando; Sarasota Memorial Health Care System in Sarasota; Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville; and rural hospitals in the state. FSU is directed to submit a plan by November 30, 2001, to increase opportunities for Florida medical school graduates to enter residencies in the state.

The medical school curricula and educational approach are listed. One of the primary missions of the College of Medicine is the development of a comprehensive geriatrics training program, including the establishment of an academic leadership position in geriatrics, as well as an external elder care advisory committee.

The medical needs of underserved areas, especially rural areas, will be another crucial focus of the new medical school. The College of Medicine is required to make a significant effort to increase participation of under-represented groups and socially and economically disadvantaged youth in science and medical programs.

The College of Medicine is encouraged to create technology-rich learning environments and expand the university’s existing technological infrastructure to enhance medical education.

Administration and faculty for the community-based training are prescribed. The College of Medicine is required to fully integrate health care service delivery with delivery competencies from other disciplines using a team-based approach. Indemnification from liability is provided for those individuals and entities providing sponsorship or training to students of the medical school. The bill becomes effective upon becoming a law.
              The bill can be viewed in its entirety at the Web sites http://www.leg. state.fl.us/session/2000/Senate/bills/billtext/pdf/S1692.pdf, or http://www. leg.state.fl.us/session/2000/Senate/bills/billtext/pdf/H1121.pdf.

...by the way
          n  Claudia Johnson, an FSU Film School screenwriter-in-residence, will address a meeting of the Friends of the FSU Libraries March 20, 7:30 p.m., at the Westminster House. Call 4-5211 for details.
          n Nominations for Exemplary Service Awards and the President’s Humanitarian of the Year Award are due March 17 in University Relations, 216 Westcott Building or cam-pus mail code 1350. The annual Employee Recognition Ceremony will be May 2, 9 a.m., in Miller Hall, C3300 University Center.
          n   Habitat for Humanity is recruiting faculty and staff volunteers for the third annual Jail and Bail fundraiser March 22 to build homes for local needy families. Participants will be “arrested” by police officers and taken to a jail cell on the Oglesby Union Green to raise bail money for the cause. Contact Patricia at pkh6469@garnet. acns.fsu.edu before March 20.

Channel will cover session from opening to ‘sine die’
              When Senate President Toni Jennings and House Speaker and FSU alumnus John Thrasher open the 2000 Florida Legislative Session on March 7, WFSU-TV’s Florida Channel will be there.
              In fact, the Florida Channel provides gavel-to-gavel coverage of debates, votes and committee meetings. This will be the third year that the Florida Channel staff — led by veteran producer Beth Switzer — will televise each day’s proceedings from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. into nearly 70 percent of Florida’s homes.
              During the session, the Florida Channel reaches 99 percent of Florida’s households with its half-hour news show Capitol Update. The show airs every day providing viewers with an analysis of the day’s legislative activities. The 30-minute news program airs on local cable stations, Public Broadcasting Service stations and Sunshine Network.
              The program provides the most in-depth, daily coverage of Florida Legislative news. Capitol Update offers viewers clear, concise reports on the impact of bills being considered by the Florida Legislature. Once again the show will feature segments like Bill Track, Budget Watch and live interviews from the State Capitol Rotunda.

              The Florida Channel reaches beyond the Capitol to the steps of the Florida Supreme Court. The Florida Channel broadcasts oral arguments presented to the Justices as part of FSU’s civic education program. Students studying law, high schools students and attorneys across Florida use the arguments for research and case study. Oral arguments are Webcast live on WFSU-TV’s Web site, which also provides video files of past oral arguments before the Court. In addition, the arguments are available in alternative text and audio versions on the Web.
              Pat Keating the general manager of the Public Broadcast Center, which oversees the Florida Channel, describes the channel’s purpose as “providing a link for all the citizens of the state of Florida to their government.”             Changes in communication technology have allowed the channel to expand its civic education program. Through television and the Internet, the Florida Channel brings Floridians a step closer to decisions that affect them.
              WFSU-TV and the Florida Channel are services of the Florida State University Communications Group.

ADA statement must be used in official newsletters
              Because of the prevalence of desktop publishing software, many campus departments are now producing their own newsletters. Therefore, newsletter editors are reminded that they must include the Americans with Disabilities Act statement in newsletters that represent an administrative or academic department of the university.
              The statement should be along the lines of: “(Name of newsletter) is available in alternative format (or list the formats that are available) by contacting the (department or department representative, phone number and address) or the University ADA director, campus mail code 2410. For people who are hearing or speech impaired, contact the phone number through the Florida Relay Service at 1-800-955-8770 (voice) or 1-800-955-8771 (TDD).”
              The recommended statement for instructions on participating in an activity, event and/or process is: “For more information, or for assistance in registering or to make an accommodation to participate in an (event/activity/process) due to a disability, contact (name, phone number, and address). Requests for special accommodation must be received at least five (5) working days before the (event/activity/process). For people who are hearing or speech impaired, contact (name, phone number) through the Florida Relay Service at 1-800-955-8770 (voice) or 1-800-955-8771 (TDD).”
              There is not a required number or type of alternative formats that must be available as long as the information can be provided for people with different types of disabilities. Employees with questions about the guidelines may call Robert Pullen, ADA director, Office of Diversity Enhancement at 4-8142.

Maintenance agreement promises big savings for campus
              A new, voluntary equipment maintenance services program will potentially save campus departments approximately 20 percent of their annual maintenance coverage costs.
              TELESERVE™ promises to reduce the administrative costs of processing orders and paying invoices to the many vendors who currently provide the university with maintenance and repair services.
              The comprehensive outsourced maintenance services program provides savings and greater efficiency than either traditional approaches to equipment maintenance or equipment maintenance insurance with conventional claims processing.
              Under the program, participating departments can continue to receive maintenance support from the same service providers they now use. A wide range of equipment is eligible for the program, including equipment used in laboratories for research, communications and data processing, and security equipment. Office and business machines that are typically covered by annual maintenance contracts also are eligible.
              Equipment can be added or removed at any time on a pro-rated basis.
              The program, offered through the joint effort of the Purchasing Department and the Payables and Disbursements Section of the Controller’s Office, is available to departments under a contract with Specialty Underwriters, an affiliate of CNA Insurance Companies. Robinson-Adams Insurance Inc. of Birmingham, Ala., acts as agent for the insurer.
              To learn more, visit the Purchasing Department’s Web site at http://www.vpfa.fsu.edu/purch/Equipment MaintenanceService.html, or contact David Best at 4-6850, or e-mail dbest@ admin.fsu.edu.

Online journal service boon for faculty
              FSU faculty might shout for joy with this news, even in the library. The University Libraries have now subscribed to JSTOR, an online academic journal storage service that makes 117 of the most high-profile journals available on any personal computer.
              JSTOR provides electronic access to the full text and image contents of non-current issues of journals that go back, in many cases, to their first issues. More than 520 U.S. and 110 international colleges and universities subscribe to the service. With such a large volume of members, the cost-effectiveness of the service becomes clear. Expenditures for journal subscriptions can be reduced through the consolidation of many titles into one Web-based service.
              From African American studies to finance, philosophy to statistics, the service promotes a wide range of research. The service allows cross-title and cross-disciplinary searches.
              “In discussions about whether the service would actually be useful, faculty time and again said the titles included in the service were the foremost in their fields,” said Charles Miller, director of University Libraries.
              William Berry, an FSU political science professor, was one faculty member who recommended the university subscribe to JSTOR.
              “If you have access to a computer and modem and an FSU account, you can read or print a copy of articles from the major journals of major disciplines from anywhere in the world,” Berry said. “It’s just immensely valuable.
              JSTOR was the idea of William G. Bowen, president of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. The library at Denison University, his alma mater, was forced to consider building a $5 million extension to house its growing collection of little-used journals and government documents. Bowen came up with a better way.
              The solution was JSTOR, a nonprofit New York City organization established to use digital technology to preserve, in a highly accessible way, core journal information. Working with the University of Michigan’s digital library group and funded with a Mellon Foundation grant, a pilot effort began in 1994 to scan 750,000 pages of journal material and develop software to make the journals accessible on the World Wide Web. The problem of physically storing journals in libraries everywhere could be alleviated and deterioration of the journals themselves would no longer be an issue.
              Faculty may visit JSTOR at www.fsu.edu/~library/luis.html.
              The Strozier Library reference department also will offer workshops on how to use the service. For workshop dates and times, or to schedule an individualized or class instruction, call 4-2706, or e-mail reference@reserves. lib.fsu.edu.

Foundation offers procedures class
              The accounting department of the FSU Foundation has developed a Foundation Users Training Program for university personnel. The program will concentrate on the Foundation’s mission, procedures for opening new funds, handling deposits, requesting disbursements and understanding its monthly fund reports.
              The classes will be offered each Wednesday afternoon as long as demand requires. To register, contact Mary McMillian at 4-8626, or e-mail mmcmillian@foun-dation.fsu.edu. Special accommodations for department wide training may be coordinated with McMillian.

Ice cream social will be a seniors’ scream
              The FSU community may join President Sandy D’Alemberte for the President’s Ice Cream Social and Senior Send-Off, March 17, 1p.m. -3p.m. on Landis Green. Free Haagen-Dazs ice cream, Coca-Cola and homemade cookies and brownies from Sodexho-Marriott Food Services will be served. Barley Thar, a local Irish band, will play traditional shamrock music and members of the Flying High Circus will perform. Students may play volleyball and dunk members of the administration in a dunking booth to benefit university service projects.

Children may take swim lessons this spring
              FSU Aquatics will offer American Red Cross children’s swim lessons throughout the spring and summer.     Registration for the classes that instruct infants to advanced swimmers starts weekdays March 6, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sessions are $50 per student.
              The two spring sessions will be: •March 20-April 6, 6:30-7:15 p.m.;

•April 10-27, 6:30-7:15 p.m.
              The four summer sessions will be: •May 8-May 25, 5:30-6:15 p.m. and 6:30-7:15 p.m.;

•May 30-June 15, 5:30-6:15 p.m. and 6:30-7:15 p.m.;

•June 26-July 13, 9:30-10:15 a.m., 5:30-6:15 p.m. and 6:30-7:15 p.m.;

•July 17-Aug. 4, 5:30-6:15 p.m. and 6:30-7:15 p.m.
              For more information, call Kris Achhamer, assistant Aquatics director, at 4-4531.

Employees may embark on travel training
              A Travel Office training session is scheduled for March 15, 1:30-4:30 p.m., in A6300 University Center.
              New travel representatives and those interested in a refresher course are encouraged to attend.
              To reserve a seat, call Jennifer Pittman, 4-9410.

              Dr. Kathleen Burnett (Information Studies) was awarded the Association of Library and Information Science Educators (ALISE) 2000 Methodology Paper award, with graduate students Boryung Ju and Robert F. Brooks, for developing a navigational preference measure for hypertext systems.
              Dr. Carol A. Darling (Family and Child Sciences) was elected president-elect of the National Council on Family Relations (NCFR), November 1999, and will preside as president of the organization from 2001-2003.
              Dr. Elizabeth B. Goldsmith (Textiles and Consumer Sciences) has been appointed to a three-year term as an external examiner to review theses and examination papers in family resource management and consumer economics for the University of the West Indies; was recognized for her five-year contribution to White House area planning by the National Park Service’s Office of the White House Liaison, Washington, D.C., December 1999; wrote the 2nd edition of Resource Management for Individuals and Families, Wadsworth, December 1999; co-presented a paper as the guest of the Irish government and Trinity College, “E-Commerce: An Emerging Issue in Consumer Education,” at the XIX International Consumer Studies and Home Economics Research Conference, Belfast, Northern Ireland, September 1999; attended Parliamentary meetings, met with the top experts on Irish architectural history, conducted research at the Irish Architectural Archives and was given a behind-the-scenes tour of Leinster House, the home of the Irish Parliament, Dublin, Ireland, September 1999.
              Dr. Wayne E. Hill (Family and Child Sciences) received Diplomat status in the American Association of Pastoral Counselors, Washington, D.C., January.
              Adam Hirsch (Law) wrote the article “The Problem of the Insolvent Heir,” published in the 74 Cornell Law Review, Vol. 587, 1989, which was favorably cited by the U.S. Supreme Court in Drye v. U.S., 120 S.Ct. 474, 1999.
              Dr. Grzegorz Karczewski (National High Magnetic Field Laboratory) has been awarded a 1999-2000 Fulbright Scholar grant to study “Electron-Electron Correlation in Two-Dimentional Electron Gas,” February.
              Dr. Evgueni Kontar (Oceanography) has been awarded a 1999-2000 Fulbright Scholar grant to study “Ecological Policy, Assessment and Prediction of the Fate of Chernobyl Radionuclides in the Black Sea,” February.
              Dr. Mary Ann Moore (Textiles and Consumer Sciences) was appointed as an affiliate representative to the 2000 Consumer Affairs Committee of the American Textile Manufacturers Institute; co-wrote the article “Colorfastness of Environ-mentally-Improved Fabrics,” with Helen H. Epps and Stephanie Massey, published in the journal American Dyestuff Reporter, 1999; co-wrote the article “The Heavy User of Clothing: Theoretical and Empirical Perspectives,” with Dr. Ronald E. Goldsmith (Marketing) and Pierre Beaudoin, published in the Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management; presented two research papers, “A Comparison of the Effect of Repeated Launderings and Detergent Use on the Performance Properties of Environmentally Improved and Classic Denim Fabrics,” with Amy Fox, and “Apparel Manufacturing Operation Management Analysis,” with Shu-Hwa Lin and Doris Kincade, and reviewed research abstracts at the annual conference of the International Textile and Apparel Association, Santa Fe, N.M., November 1999; gave two poster presentations, “Color-Fastness of Environmentally Improved and Classic Denim Fabrics,” with Amy Moore, and “Effectiveness of a Product Designed to Enhance the Properties of Dye Pickup,” with Peggy Allen and Natalie Bordelon, at the 1999 American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists’ International Conference and Exhibition, Charlotte, N.C., October 1999.
              Dr. Ann K. Mullis (Family and Child Sciences) received the Outstanding Collaborator Award 1999 given by the University of South Florida Collaborative for Children, Families and Communities in recognition for her excellent collaborative work on behalf of children and families, and in partnership with community groups, during the Partnerships for Children’s Health Conference in Tampa, December 1999.
              Stanford D. Olsen (Music) is the tenor soloist on a compact disc of Robert Shaw conducting the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus performing Dvorak’s “Stabat Mater” that has been nominated for two Grammy Awards: Best Classical Recording and Best Engineered Recording, January.
              Dr. Norma C. Presmeg (Curriculum and Instruction) has become one of four editors of a leading international journal of mathematics education, Educational Studies in Mathematics, published by Kluwer Academic Publishers, The Netherlands; was elected to a two-year term as co-chair of the American Educational Research Association special interest group “Research in Mathematics Education” and will become the group chairman in the second year; is in the third year of a four-year term on the Psychology of Mathematics Education (PME) International Committee that oversees the affairs of its International Group.
              Estella J. Sawyer (Building Services) received her General Equivalency Diploma (GED) while in the FSU Adult Basic Education Program, summer 1999.
              Dr. Oliver Steinbock (Chemistry) will receive the Conference of Southern Graduate Schools’ 2000 Achievement Award for New Scholars at the conference’s annual meeting, Nashville, Tenn., February.
              Dr. Bruce Stiftel (Urban and Regional Planning) is serving a two-year term as the president of the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning (ACSP), an association of more than 80 schools of urban planning in the United States, October 1999.

              Rob Atkinson (Law) wrote a review of the book Lawyering in Law’s Republic: William Simon’s The Practice of Justice: A Theory of Lawyers’ Ethics, published in 85 Virginia Law Review, Vol. 1501, 1999; wrote a paper, “Lucifer’s Fiasco: Lawyers, Liars, and L’Affaire Lewinsky,” published in the Fordham Law Review, Vol. 68, No. 567, 1999; wrote the paper “Brer Rabbit Professionalism: A Homily on Moral Heroes and Lawyerly Mores” published in the Florida State Law Review, Vol. 27, No. 137, 1999.
              Donna Christie (Law) wrote the chapter “The Conservation and Management of Stocks Located Solely Within the Exclusive Economic Zone 395” in the book Developments in International Fisheries Law, edited by Ellen Hey and published by Kluwer Law International, 1999.
              Dr. Rita-Marie Conrad (Educational Research) co-wrote the monograph “Faculty Guide for Moving Teaching and Learning to the Web,” with Dr. Judith Boettcher, executive director of the Corporation for Research and Educational Networking (CREN), published by the League for Innovation in the Community College, 1999.
              Dr. James B. Elsner (Meteorology) co-wrote the book Hurricanes of the North Atlantic: Climate and Society, with A. Kara, published by Oxford University Press, 1999; co-wrote the article “The Autocorrelation Function and Human Influences on Climate,” with A. Tsonis, published in Science, 1999; co-wrote the article “Fluctuations in North Atlantic Hurricane Frequency,” with A. Kara and M. Owens, published in the Journal of Climate, Vol. 12, 1999; co-wrote the article “Long-Range Correlations in the Extra-Tropical Atmospheric Circulation: Origin and Implications,” with A. Tsonis and P. Roebber, published in the Journal of Climate, Vol. 12, 1999.
              Elwin Griffith (Law) wrote an article, “The Transition Between Suspension of Deportation and Cancellation of Removal for Nonpermanent Residents Under the Immigration and Nationality Act: The Impact of the 1996 Reform Legislation,” published in the 48 Drake Law Review, Vol. 79, 1999.
              Melissa R. Gross (Information Studies) wrote an article, “The Imposed Query and Information Services for Children,” published in the Journal of Youth Services in Libraries, Vol. 13, 2000; has been selected to present “Imposed Queries in the Adult Room: Preliminary Findings from a Survey of Thirteen Libraries” at the Reference Research Forum, the annual meeting of the American Library Association, summer 2000; has been selected to develop a paper, “Imposed Information Seeking in Public Libraries and School Library Media Centers: A Common Behavior?” for the Information Seeking in Context conference, Sweden, August 2000.
              Dr. Janet E. Kodras (Geography) wrote the article “Geographies of Power,” published in the journal Political Geography, Vol. 18, 1999.
              Dr. Victoria-Maria Mac-Donald (Educational Foundations and Policy Studies) wrote an article, “The Paradox of Bureaucratization: New Views on Progressive Era Teachers and the Development of a Woman’s Profession,” published in the journal History of Education Quarterly, Vol. 39, No. 4, winter 1999.
              Dr. Hans Mueller (Classics) wrote a paper, “Ephialtes Accusator: A Case Study in Anecdotal History and Ideology,” published in the journal Athenaeum, Vol. 87, 1999.
              Dr. Patrick M. O’Sullivan (Geography) wrote the article “The Changing Politics of Place,” published in the journal Research in Review, Vol. 10, 1999
              Dr. Marsha Rehm (Family and Child Sciences) wrote the article “Vocation as Meaning Making Narrative: Implications for Vocational Education,” published in the Journal of Vocational Education Research, 1999; wrote an article, “Implications of a Workshop to Develop a Rationale for Computers in Trinidad and Tobago Home Economics Classrooms,” published in the Journal of Family and Consumer Sciences, Vol. 91, No. 5, 1999; wrote the article “Change: Learning a New Language,” and co-wrote the article “The Meaning of Curriculum: Alternative Paradigms,” with Jane Philhal and Margo Laird, both published in the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences Yearbook.
              Dr. Barney L. Warf (Geography) co-edited the book Cities in the Telecommunications Age: The Fracturing of Geographies, with J. Wheeler and Y. Aoyama, published by Rout-ledge, London, 2000; wrote the chapter “Compromising Positions: The Body in Cyberspace” published in the book Cities in the Telecommunications Age, 2000; co-wrote an article, “International Collaborative Learning on the World Wide Web,” with P. Vincent and D. Purcell, published in the Journal of Geography, Vol. 98, 1999; wrote an article, “Constructing a Dialogue: Geographic Education and the Geographic Research Community,” published in the journal Professional Geographer, Vol. 51, 1999; wrote the chapter “The Hyper-mobility of Capital and the Collapse of the Keynesian State,” published in the book Money and the Space Economy, edited by R. Martin and published by Wiley, London, 1999; wrote the article “Information Technology and Economic Development” published in the Economic Development Handbook, published by the American Chamber of Commerce, Alexandria, Va., 1999; wrote the article “Economic Geography” published in the National Geo-graphic Desk Reference by the National Geographic Society, Washington, D.C., 1999; made a presentation, “The Way it Wasn’t: Alternative Histories, Contingent Geographies,” at the meeting of the Association of American Geographers,Pitts-burgh, Pa., March 1999.

              Dr. Jay Baker (Geography) gave a presentation, “Sources of Information Used by the Public During Hurricane Threats,” at the meeting of the Association of American Geographers, Pittsburgh, Pa., March 1999.
              Michele Besant (Information Studies) made the panel presentation “Gender as a Variable: A Discussion of Current and Future Research,” which were the findings from “Listening To Lesbian Librarians: A Grounded Theory Study,” her dissertation research, as part of the gender special interest group panel at a meeting of the Association of Library and Information Science Educators (ALISE), January.
              Dr. Gary D. Burnett (Information Studies) presented the paper “The Relationship Between Undergraduate Concentrations and Employability,” co-written by Dr. Don L. Latham (Academic Affairs and Support) and Dr. Kathleen Burnett (Information Studies), at the 2000 national conference of the Association of Library and Information Science Educators, San Antonio, Texas, January.
              Dr. Jeanne Heitmeyer (Textiles & Consumer Sciences) made the presentation “The Examination of Self-Congruity and Status Consumption for Taiwanese Consumers Who Purchase Designer Versus Non-Designer Brand Blue Jeans,” and co-presented the paper “Know-ledge, Attitudes and Behavior of Parents of Pre-School Children About Sun Protection,” with Drs. Kay S. Grise and Catherine M. Black (Textiles and Consumer Sciences), at the annual meeting of the International Textile and Apparel Association, Santa Fe, N.M., November 1999; wrote the research article “College Students’ Attitudes Towards Obesity: Fashion, Style, and Garment Selection,” published in the Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management.
              Frank Garcia (Law) delivered a paper, “The Problem of Inequality and U.S.-Latin American Trade,” as part of the University of Houston Law Center’s Faculty Enrichment Series, January; wrote the article “The Integration of Smaller Economies into the FTAA,” published in the journal Kluwer’s 5 NAFTA: Law & Business. Review of the Americas, Vol. 221, 1999; wrote a book review of Fernando Teson’s A Philosophy of International Law, published in 93 American Journal of International Law, Vol. 746, 1999.
              Anita Gonzalez (Theatre) was an invited speaker at “Black Performance Theory: Performativity and the Narratives of Race,” a symposium that investigated and articulated the emergence of black performance theory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cam-bridge, Mass., February.
              Dr. Janet E. Kodras (Geography) gave the presentation “Race, Class and Health in Four American Communities: Intersections of Qualitative and Quantitative Research” at the meeting of the Association of American Geographers, Pittsburgh, Pa., March 1999.
              Dr. Aaron F. Lan (Modern Languages and Linguistics) presented a paper, “The Problematic of Chineseness in Recent Confucian Studies,” at the 39th annual meeting of the Southeast Conference of the Association for Asian Studies, Durham, N.C., January 2000.
              Dr. Leona LeBlanc Modern Languages and Linguistics presented a paper, “Anxiety and Foreign Language Learning: Applications at Technology,” at a meeting of the Southern Council on Language Teaching, Birmingham, Ala., February.
              Dr. Jonathan I. Leib (Geography) made the presentation “Jim Crow, Civil Defense and the Cold War: Preserving Segregated Savan-nah in the Event of Armageddon” at the meeting of the Association of American Geographers, Pittsburgh, Pa., March 1999.
              Charles McClure (Information Studies) made the presentation “Privacy in the Networked Environment: Too Little Too Late?” to the Governor’s Task Force on Privacy, January; made the presentation “Information Policies Affecting the New Congress: Mission Impossible?” at the research colloquia of the FSU Askew School of Public Administration and Policy and to the department of information management and science in the FSU College of Business.
              Dr. Kartik Pashupati (Communication) will present a paper, “Constructing Reality from Images: Applying Reader Response Analysis to Pictorial Fashion Advertisements,” co-written by Dr. Pushkala Raman (Marketing), at the annual conference of the American Academy of Advertising, Newport, R.I., April.
              Dr. Jane B. Robbins (Information Studies) presented the workshop “Leading Change, Listening and Shaping Organizational Cultures,” for the South-eastern Florida Library and Information Network’s Leadership Institute (Sunseekers), West Palm Beach, February.
              Drs. Philip E. Steinberg (Geography) and Myke H. Gluck (Information Studies) gave a presentation, “Mapping the Waves, Diving the Seas: From Pope Alexander VI to the CIA,” at the meeting of the Association of American Geographers, Pittsburgh, Pa., March 1999.
              Dr. Lori Walters (Modern Languages and Linguistics) will present the paper “The Androgynous ‘I’: Poet and Patron in Christine de Pizan’s Sept Psaumes Allegorisés” and will preside over a session on the manuscripts of de Pizan at the 35th International Congress on Medieval Studies, Kalamazoo, Mich., May 2000; as vice president for North America of the International Christine de Pizan Society, Walters will also preside over the annual meeting of the society with its president, Margarete Zimmermann of the Berlin Free University.
              Tom Warner (Law) gave a presentation on “Role of the Solicitor General in Florida” to the Tallahassee Bar Association, January; gave the address “Effectively Communicating with the Other Branches Government: Improving the Administration of Justice” at the annual education meeting of the Florida Conference of Circuit Judges, Amelia Island, January.

              Debi Barrett-Hayes (Developmental Research School) will serve as one of eight judges for the 2000 Imation Computer Art Scholarship program, Oakdale, Minn., February.
              Kate W. Gelabert (Theatre) led a panel discussion on New York City Showcases at the first National Symposium of Music Theatre Training Programs hosted by Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA., October 1999.

              Dr. Jorge Delva(Social Work) received a $214,000 Department of Children and Families grant to conduct the first statewide evaluation of Florida’s substance abuse treatment programs, with Dr. C. Aaron McNeece (Social Work), the project’s co-principal investigator, 1999; gave an invited speech, “Analysis Epidemiológico de Múltiple Niveles del uso de Drogas en Estados Unidos: Una Ilustración del Método Estadístico ‘Hierarchical Linear Modeling,’” about conducting population-based drug surveys, to the Executive Secretariat of the National Council on Drug Control and to faculty of the School of Public Health of the University of Chile, Santiago, Chile, November 1999; presented the papers “Effects of Mental Health Problems on the Effectiveness of Substance Abuse Treatment: Results of a Six-Month Follow-Up Study,” co-written with McNeece and FSU doctoral student Jane Allgood, and “Multi-Level Epidemiological Analysis of the Association Between Mental Health Problems and Drug use Among Mothers in the United States,” co-written with Dr. Sally G. Mathiesen (Social Work) and Dr. Akihito Kamata (Educational Research), at the world congress of the World Federation for Mental Health, Santiago, Chile, summer 1999; presented a paper, “Clusters of Drug Use Among Youths in Panama” written with investigators from Johns Hopkins University, Dr. Georgiy Bobashev of the Research Triangle Institute and Dr. James C. Anthony, at the 61st annual meeting of the College on Problems of Drug Dependence, Acapulco, Mexico, summer 1999.
              Dr. Daniel Jacobson (Geography) received a $132,000 National Science Foundation grant to study “Off-route Strategies in Non-Visual Navigation,” with R. Golledge, M. Blades and R. Kitchin, 1999; received a $45,000 National Institute for Disability Merit Fellowship to study “Developing Novel Access to Maps, Graphics and Graphs for Visually Impaired People,” 1999; received a $45,000 University of California-Santa Barbara “Research Across the Disciplines” grant to study “Haptic Soundscapes: Further Development, Usability Testing and Expansion,” with R.G. Golledge, M. Hegarty and M. Rice, 1999.
              Dr. I.M. Navon (Mathematics; Meteorology; Computational Science and Information Technology) has been awarded a three-month National Research Council Research Associateship award at the NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md., January.
              Dr. Jill B. Quadagno (Pepper Institute on Aging) received a three-year, $246,640 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Investigator Award in Health Policy Research to conduct research and write a book that will analyze the historical forces that led to the defeat of national health insurance proposals in the context of theories of American “exceptionalism” and use national health insurance as a case study to illustrate fundamental features of American political development, January.
              Dr. Per Arne Rikvold (MARTECH, Computational Science and Information Technology, Physics) received a three-year, $234,000 National Science Foundation grant for “Computational Studies of Statistical-Mechanical Models in Electrochemical Materials Science,” January.
              Dr. Philip E. Steinberg (Geography) received a grant from the American Geographical Society to conduct research on historic representations of the ocean, summer 2000; co-wrote the article “Troubled Water: Acquiescence, Conflict and the Politics of Place in Watershed Management,” with G. Clark, published in the journal Political Geography, Vol. 18, 1999; wrote the article “The Maritime Mystique: Sustainable Development, Capital Mobility and Nostalgia in the World Ocean” published in the journal Environment and Planning D: Society & Space, Vol. 17, 1999; served as coordinator of the Focus Section and wrote the “The Geography of Ocean-Space,” published in the journal Professional Geographer, Vol. 51, August 1999; wrote the article “Navigating to Multiple Horizons: Toward a Geography of Ocean-Space,” published in the journal Professional Geographer, Vol. 51, 1999.

              Dale F. Jordan (Theatre) is designing the scenery and lighting for “Peter Pan,” scheduled to open in March, at the National Theatre, Taipei, Taiwan; is designing the scenery and lighting for “They’re Playing Our Song,” scheduled to open in April, at the Clarence Brown Theatre, Tennessee.
              Dr. Arthur A. Raney (Communication) will present three papers, “Moral Judgment and Crime-Punishment Dramas: Predicting Disposition and Enjoyment,” “Enhanced Digital Television Services and the Enjoyment of Televised Sports: An Initial Experimental Study into the Relationship,” co-written with             Dr. Dale Brill (Communication) and FSU communication graduate student Keith Fernander, and “The Enjoyment of Violence in Mediated Sports,” co-written with Dr. Jennings Bryant of the University of Alabama, at the annual conference of the International Communication Association, Acapulco, Mexico, June.

MONDAY, MARCH 6
          Spring Break: Through March 10
          n   Men’s Golf: Seminole Classic, all day, Killearn Country Club and Inn, 100 Tyron Circle, 644-1403 (through March 7)

TUESDAY, MARCH 7
          Christian Faculty Fellowship: “The Upper Room Discourse,” brown-bag luncheon for faculty and doctoral students, 12:30-1:30 p.m., 305 Oglesby Union, 385-1921

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8
          n   Women’s Tennis: FSU vs. Baylor, 11 a.m., Scott Speicher Tennis Center, Chieftain Way, 644-1403

THURSDAY, MARCH 9
          n   Women’s Tennis: FSU vs. Tulane, 11 a.m., Scott Speicher Tennis Center, Chieftain Way, 644-1403

FRIDAY, MARCH 10
          n   Baseball: FSU vs. Duke University, 6 p.m., Dick Howser Stadium, Chieftain Way, 644-1403

SATURDAY, MARCH 11
          n   Baseball: FSU vs. Duke University, 6 p.m., Dick Howser Stadium, 644-1403

SUNDAY, MARCH 12
          n   Baseball: FSU vs. Duke University, 1 p.m., Dick Howser Stadium, 644-1403

MONDAY, MARCH 13
          Lunch and Learn Series: “Some Idiosyncrasies of Marine Creatures,” FSU oceanography Professor William K. Dewar, noon, Turnbull Center, 555 W. Pensacola St., 644-7553

TUESDAY, MARCH 14
          n   International Women’s Group: Focus on March holidays, 10 a.m.-noon, International Student and Scholar Center, 107 S. Wildwood Drive, 644-1702
          Faculty Luncheon Series: FSU history Associate Professor Jean C. Bryant, 12:30 p.m., Presbyterian University Center, 548 W. Park Ave., fee, 222-6320 (series general theme: “Liberal Education in an Age of Fragmentation”)
          Christian Faculty Fellowship: “The Upper Room Discourse,” brown-bag luncheon for faculty and doctoral students, 12:30-1:30 p.m., 305 Oglesby Union, 385-1921
          College of Law Mason Ladd Lecture: “Do Rational People Litigate?” Professor Samuel Issacaroff of Columbia University Law School, 3:30 p.m., 101 B.K. Roberts Hall, 425 W. Jefferson St., 644-7270
          n   Computer Science/School of Computational Science and Information Technology joint colloquium: Sushil Jajodia of George Mason University, 3:35 p.m., 4th floor, Dirac Science Library, 644-2296 (part of the “Security and Assurance in Information Technology” series)
          n   Baseball: FSU vs. University of South Florida, 6 p.m., Dick Howser Stadium, Chieftain Way, 644-1403
          Concert: Wind Orchestra and Chorus, 8 p.m., Ruby Diamond Auditorium, Westcott Building, 644-4774

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15
          n   FSU Day at the Capitol: The fourth annual event for legislators, lobbyists and the university community featuring academic displays and student performances that emphasize the FSU’s quality faculty, students and programs, courtyard between the old and new Capitol buildings, the Rotunda and second and third floors of the Capitol, 644-4453
          Track and Field: FSU Relays, all day, FSU campus, 644-1403 (through March 18)
          Faculty Senate meeting: 3:35 p.m., Dodd Hall Auditorium, 644-7497
          n   Softball: FSU vs. Princeton University, 5 and 7 p.m., Lady Seminole Soccer/Softball Complex, Chieftain Way, 644-1403

THURSDAY, MARCH 16
          n   Women’s Tennis: FSU vs. University of North Carolina, 2 p.m., Scott Speicher Tennis Center, Chieftain Way, 644-1403
          n   Softball: FSU vs. Iowa State University, 5 p.m., Lady Seminole Soccer/Softball Complex, Chieftain Way, 644-1403
          n   Concert: Concert Band, 8 p.m., Ruby Diamond Auditorium, Westcott Building, 644-4774

FRIDAY, MARCH 17
          Preview: For students who have been admitted to the university and their parents, including open houses by academic departments, 9 a.m.-noon, FSU campus, 644-1816
          n   Softball: Tallahassee Democrat Florida State Invitational, all day, Lady Seminole Soccer/Softball Complex, Chieftain Way, 644-1403 (through March 19)
          Global Gatherings Brown Bag Luncheon Series: “Latin Rhythms and Their African Roots,” students from the FSU School of Music, noon-1 p.m., International Student and Scholar Center, 107 S. Wildwood Drive, 644-1702, www.fsu.edu/~fsu-isc/
          n   Philosophy colloquium: “Moral Realism, Emotivism and Natural Law Theory,” philosophy Professor Jan Narveson of the University of Waterloo, 2:30 p.m., Dodd Hall Auditorium, 644-1483
          n   Concert: New Music Ensemble, 8 p.m., Dohnanyi Recital Hall, Housewright Music Building, 644-4774
          n   Student Campus Entertainment concert: “8 1/2 Souvenirs,” a French Cajun cabaret lounge act, 9:30 p.m., Club Downunder, Oglesby Union, fee, 644-6710 or www.fsu.edu/~scewebpg

SATURDAY, MARCH 18
          n   Men’s Tennis: FSU vs. University of North Carolina, 2 p.m., Scott Speicher Tennis Center, Chieftain Way, 644-1403
          Concert: Rainbow Concert, 8 p.m., Ruby Diamond Auditorium, Westcott Building, fee, 644-6500
          n   Student Campus Entertainment concert: “Fetch,” a local punk band, with opening act “Vanguard,” 9:30 p.m., Club Downunder, Oglesby Union, fee, 644-6710 or www.fsu.edu/~scewebpg

SUNDAY, MARCH 19
          n   Concert: Campus Band, 8 p.m., Ruby Diamond Auditorium, Westcott Building, 644-4774

              n  SABBATICAL LEAVE/LEAVE-WITHOUT-PAY: Employees in leave-without-pay status must contact their insurance representative to ensure that services continue without interruption.
              n  ONLINE REGISTRATION: The Office of Training and Development is pleased to announce that its easy online registration system, TrainingServer, just got easier! Employees can find a “cheat sheet” that lists concise step-by-step instructions for accessing and using the online registration system by visiting the Training Web site http://personnel.fsu.edu/train. And don’t forget ... computer access is available in the reception area of Personnel Services.
          n  TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT: The Office of Training and Development will offer the following free courses to all FSU employees in A6201 University Center, unless otherwise indicated:

Florida Institute of Government (FIOG) Supervisory Training Certificate Program: Mondays, March 6, 13, 20, 27 and April 3, 12:30-4:30 p.m. (must attend all 5 sessions);
Working Through the Classification Maze: Wednesday, March 8, 8:30-11 a.m.;
Compensation Training: Wednes-day, March 8, 2-4 p.m.;
Fundamentals of Discipline and Collective Bargaining Contract Administration: Thursday, March 9, 8:30-11:30 a.m.;
Attendance and Leave: Tuesday, March 14, 1:30-4:30 p.m.;
Change Management: Under-standing and Dealing With It (for BSP): Wednesday, March 15, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.;
Sexual Harassment Policy information session: Thursday, March 16, 9-10 a.m.;
Simplifying the Classification Maze: Tuesday, March 21, 1:30-4:30 p.m. (class will meet in A6301 University Center);
Interview Techniques Workshop: Wednesday, March 22, 8:30-noon.
              To register online or to print the registration form, visit the Web site http://personnel.fsu.edu/train. For additional help, call 4-7943. To request a form by FAX, call 4-TRAI(N). For additional FAX help, call 4-6162.
          n  ADVANCED CONNECTIONS CLASS SCHEDULE: Employees are encouraged to sign up for one of the following Advanced Connections Professional Development Program classes, which are part of the campuswide Service Excellence Initiative. All classes are 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Because lunch will be provided, no walk-ins are allowed. Pre-registration closes two days prior to the class date.

Wednesday, March 8, C4300 University Center;
Thursday, March 9, 311E Oglesby Union;
Tuesday, March 14, 311A Oglesby Union;
Thursday, March 16, C4300 University Center;
Tuesday, March 21, C4300 University Center.
          n  TRAINING INTEREST GROUP (TIG): Employees who are involved or interested in training issues are invited to attend monthly TIG meetings to network, and discuss and share ideas. The next TIG meeting will be Friday, March 17, 9-10:30 a.m. in A6201 University Center. Keynote speaker Robert Pullen will discuss the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and its implications for training. All are welcome to attend. For more information, call Martha Scott at 4-6162.
          n  NEW EMPLOYEE ORIEN-TATION (NEO): March NEOs will be on Mondays, March 13 and 27, 8:15 a.m.-noon, in A6201 University Center. Pre-registration is not required.
              nTHINKING ABOUT RETIRE-MENT?: Employees considering retirement should contact Leasa Howard, lhoward@admin.fsu.edu or Susan Rice, srice@admin.fsu.edu, or call 4-4016 to schedule an individual counseling session. The appointment should be scheduled at least 4 months prior to the anticipated retirement date.
          n  DON’T MISS OUT: The Division of Group Insurance uses the address listed on employees’ W-4 forms for all insurance-related mailouts. Employees should periodically check their W-4 addresses to ensure they receive health insurance ID cards, prescription drug cards, changes in premium information and the quarterly Benefits Bulletin. Corrections may be made online with assistance from department personnel representatives.
          n  FRS BENEFICIARY DESIG-NATION FORM CHANGE: Vested employees with the Florida Retirement System who want to submit new beneficiaries or change current beneficiaries must do so with the new form BEN-001. The old form, FRS-M10, is now obsolete and should be discarded. The new form is available at the Web site www.frs.state.fl.us, or by notifying Personnel.

Fortunas wins lifetime achievement award

                Paula Fortunas, vice president for Planned Giving at the FSU Foundation, has received the Quarter-Century Award given by the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE).
              The award recognizes lifetime achievement among development professionals.
              The announcement came as a complete surprise to Fortunas, who did not know she had been nominated for the prestigious award. She traveled to a CASE conference in Atlanta last month to accept it.
              “Paula has spent her entire career here at the Foundation and her presence has made a huge difference to the university and to our donors,” said Foundation President Jeff Robison, who nominated her for the award. “She is an out-standing per-former and sets a high standard for the rest of us to follow. For many donors, she’s practically a member of the family.”
              Fortunas began her career at the Foundation in 1964 as a student assistant, later worked as a graduate assistant, and eventually joined the full-time staff as business manager. In 1975, she was named director of Finance and Accounting, and in 1987 became vice president for planned giving.

              “My nomination letter for Paula says that I know of no other professional more deserving of this award, and I’m glad the awards committee saw it the same way,” Robison said after sharing the news with Fortunas. “She deserves this honor. She has earned every bit of it.”

Initiative provides students with more service options
              Through the StudentsFirst initiative, the university is continually working to improve student services and integrate new services into the existing service infrastructure. To that end, students’ access to their grades and financial aid information has been expanded.
              With online access and FSU’s automated voice response (AVR) telephone system, students will be able to access their grades and financial aid information in “real-time.” Should students ask about the new services, faculty and staff are encouraged to remind them of the following information.
              As of March 1, students can access their grade and financial aid information through the StudentsFirst Web site, also known as FSYou!, at www.ais.fsu.edu/ais/applications/student/index.html.
              Students also may continue to use the university’s AVR system at 4-8888 to access their grades and course registration information, and 4-0539 for their financial aid status and distribution information. Students may change their personal identification number (PIN) to access registration and student records information using either phone number.
              However, students can no longer use the FSUCard as a platform to retrieve their grades and financial aid distribution information. The FSUCard, though, will continue to offer long distance services with new, lower rates to faculty, staff and students. Through the efforts of the Office of Tele-communications and the FSUCard Center, the card’s phone services now provide speed dial and faster transfers to SunTrust Bank and customer service representatives, and soon will offer access to long distance account information on the World Wide Web.
              For details, call Student Financial Services at 4-9452 for questions about financial aid distribution and the Office of the Registrar at 4-1050 for questions about access to grades.

Community service - Staff lend their bucks, backs to cause
              FSU faculty and staff should congratulate themselves.
              In response to an appeal by the FSU chapter of Habitat for Humanity, faculty and staff members donated $2,920 toward the construction of a $35,000 house on 6th Avenue. The gift, one of the largest group donations made toward the community outreach component of FSU’s annual Martin Luther King celebration, was in addition to $2,813 raised by FSU students, faculty and staff during the MLK Walk for Habitat last November.
              However, generosity wasn’t limited to money. Faculty and staff also have volunteered their time and talents in building the house.
              Anyone interested in working on the house may volunteer by calling the chapter’s hotline at 847-4569. The house is scheduled to be finished and dedicated April 15.
              The chapter will help build another house beginning March 6 during the second annual Collegiate Challenge, through March 31.
              For more information, call chapter adviser Joe Donoghue, associate professor of geological sciences, 4-2703.