20051020IB

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Oct. 20, 2005

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Ingham to speak on Franciscan universities in the third millennium during SBU lecture

All are invited to attend a Nov. 8 public lecture by one of the world’s leading scholars of the Franciscan thinker John Duns Scotus, Sr. Mary Beth Ingham, C.S.J.

Sr. Mary Beth is associate academic vice president and professor at Loyola Marymount University, as well as the current holder of the Joseph A. Doino Visiting Professorship of Franciscan Studies at the Franciscan Institute. She has chosen as her topic the nature and mission of Franciscan universities in the 21st century as mirrored in the values laid out in Scotus’ philosophical writings.

“Sr. Mary Beth is one of the finest scholars of John Duns Scotus teaching and writing today. She has been in the forefront of recent efforts to demonstrate the critical importance of the thoughts of Scotus for the contemporary world here in the United States and abroad,” said Fr. Michael F. Cusato, O.F.M., director of The Franciscan Institute and dean of the School of Franciscan Studies. “Indeed, she is regarded as one of the primary and most articulate voices for the importance of Franciscan intellectual tradition in the Church today.”

Sr. Mary Beth, the author of “Scotus for Dunces” and co-author, with Dr. Mechthild Dreyer of Universitåt Mainz, of “The Philosophical Vision of John Duns Scotus,” has also taught in the summer program sessions at the Franciscan Institute in recent years.

As the current Doino Visiting Professor of Franciscan Studies, she is spending the semester on research, writing and lecturing, as well as working with the Institute to develop a series of lectures in 2007-2009 to commemorate the death of John Duns Scotus. The first conference will be held at St. Bonaventure University on Oct. 18-21, 2007.

Sr. Mary Beth’s lecture, “Responding from the Tradition with John Duns Scotus: Franciscan Universities in the Third Millennium,” will be delivered at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 8 — the Feast of Blessed John Duns Scotus — in the University Chapel, Doyle Hall. A reception will follow the convocation in the Doyle Dining Room.

Sr. Mary Beth’s lecture will be the 2nd annual Brady Endowment lecture at St. Bonaventure. The Brady Endowment, announced in 2004, was created to honor the memory of the late Fr. Ignatius Brady, O.F.M., through the generosity of the Province of St. John the Baptist, Order of Friars Minor, in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Those interested in attending the reception are asked to contact Debbie Woodward at (716) 375-2595 or by e-mail at dwoodwar@sbu.edu by Nov. 1.

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SBU Physics Department celebrates centenary of work of Albert Einstein

St. Bonaventure University’s Department of Physics, in conjunction with the office of the dean of the School of Arts and Sciences, will sponsor a public lecture about the works of Albert Einstein at 7 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 27, in the Garret Theater, located in the southeast end of Devereux Hall.

The lecture, titled “God’s Dice and Einstein,” will be of a non-mathematical nature, meant for the general public. St. Bonaventure will join in with physics departments throughout the world to commemorate the centenary year of the 1905 works of Albert Einstein. The featured speaker will be Dr. John F. Neeson, chair of the Department of Physics. His presentation will be a tribute to one of the most productive years of individual scientific achievement in history. Of Einstein’s 1905 papers, the most spectacular is on the subject of Special Relativity. Other papers on Brownian Motion and the Photoelectric Effect were also very significant to the scientific community, yet less well known to the public.

Following the presentation, a panel will discuss the impact of Einstein on other disciplines and questions from the audience will be taken.

Parking for the event will be provided at Hopkins Hall and St. Bonaventure physics majors will act as escorts to the lecture.

Dr. Neeson, professor of physics, joined St. Bonaventure in 1965 and was promoted to professor in 1975. He received a bachelor’s degree from Canisius College in 1958, a master’s degree from the University of Michigan in 1960 and a Ph.D. from SUNY Buffalo in 1965. Neeson is also a licensed professional engineer. He has served St. Bonaventure as the associate dean of arts and sciences as well as director of institutional research and academic services since 1977. He is published in the areas of low-energy nuclear physics, phonon-photon interaction, heat transfer, modeling of impedance to coronary blood flow and in the area of nuclear regulation.

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Array of presenters highlights fourth annual Girls' Day workshop

Girls’ Day 2005 will be hosted by St. Bonaventure University on Oct. 22 and will feature a number of professional women in the field of computer science.

The goal of the Girls’ Day program is to nurture the interest of girls at a middle school age in learning about computers. By exposing them to hands-on, interesting applications of computer technology, the Computer Science Department at St. Bonaventure hopes to grab the attention of these girls before they begin to shy away from math and science classes. The presenters of the various workshops hope to show the girls that they can have viable, interesting, profitable careers in the sciences, particularly computer science.

The Girls’ Day presenters are students, professors, graduates and guests with various backgrounds and experiences to share with the girls.

Alice for Beginners and Advanced Alice are programs that will allow participants to create computer-generated animations easily. Angela Colomaio and Gabriel Potter will present this workshop with assistance from Sharon Woodruff and Emilie Swan.

Angela Colomaio is a junior computer science major with a minor in business information systems. She is from Olean, N.Y., and in interested in computer programming and animation.

Gabriel Potter is a senior computer science major and a theater minor. He has been working with Alice since his sophomore year and attended every St. Bonaventure conference for Alice since then. He thinks that teaching a foundational program like Alice will help get students interested in technology at a young age.

Sharon Woodruff is a St. Bonaventure University graduate in computer science and is currently an assistant professor of computer science at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford. She has 20 years of teaching experience at Pitt-Bradford and has primary interests in database management and the social and ethical
implications of computing. She is a consultant for a multi-national corporation as well as local groups, and participated as a presenter and panelist at pervious Girls’ Days.

Emilie Swan is a student at St. Bernard’s in Bradford Pa. She has participated in both Girls’ Day and Alice Showcase events.

Handy with Hardware, presented by Ann Tenglund will allow participants to take computers apart and “see what makes them tick.”

Ann Tenglund is the coordinator of library and computer services and information literacy librarian at St,Bonaventure University’s Friedsam Memorial Library. She received her master’s in library science from Syracuse University and a subject master’s in education from St. Bonaventure University.

Pixel Perfect will teach students how to work with digital images using Adobe Photoshop Elements presented by Marcia Vick.

Marcia Vick is a graduate of St. Bonaventure University in computer science and was employed at Eastman Kodak for 12 years. There she developed and managed imagery analysis applications. She currently uses image processing for family-based applications.

Robots will be presented by Laurie MacVittie and Dr. Anne Foerst. The participants will program a robot to solve map problems.

Laurie MacVittie is a graduate of the University of Buffalo and Buffalo State College. She holds degrees in both physical education and elementary education. She has been involved in education for 23 years teaching children and adults. Currently, Laurie is a staff specialist with Cattaraugus Allegany BOCES. She is primarily responsible for developing math, science and technology programs for 22 area school districts.

Dr. Anne Foerst is a professor of computer science and technology at St. Bonaventure University. She works on social and religious mechanisms including the study of human interaction with robots. She was the theological advisor for humanoid robots, Cog and Kismet at MIT. Dr. Foerst has been featured on National Public Radio and works with other forms of public media, presenting all over the world on questions of human dignity in an age of bio-technology and robots.

Web Site Design will allow students to build a Girls’ Day Web site for family and friends to look at, presented by Barbara Snyderman.

Barbara Snyderman is a 1993 graduate of St. Bonaventure’s computer science department. She runs her own information technology consulting and Web design business: Business Information Technology Solutions, LLC in Rochester, N.Y. She focuses on helping small businesses and organizations promote themselves, communicate consistently with customers and economically sell their products and services on the Internet.

The schedule for Girls’ Day will include three 50-minute sessions in the morning and one 50-minute session in the afternoon. The day will feature a video presentation by Pamela Ludford, a PhD student in computer science at the University of Minnesota. To conclude the day, there will be a panel discussion with the presenters to allow participants to ask more questions and discuss what they experienced.

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Energy conservation hits home: taking responsibility for energy use

This year, institutions including SBU face an increased challenge in budgeting energy costs.

Several factors, including the effects of hurricanes Katrina and Rita, have conspired to drive energy prices up dramatically. Natural gas costs for this winter are predicted to be up to twice the level of last year. Because natural gas is used by many power plants to generate electricity, significant increases in electric bills are projected as well.

“Most of us have the importance of energy conservation at home sharply focused for us every month, when the bills arrive. But at work or at school, we are insulated from the direct effect of increased bills,” said Phil Winger, director of maintenance and physical plant for the University. “Our students, for example, do not see the energy bills for their campus apartments any more than our staff see the bills for their offices. Still, out of concern for the diversion of funds from other uses, we should all pay extra attention this year to conservation at SBU.”

Winger went on to describe some aspects of energy use at the University:

“The campus is heated with natural gas, though the central boiler plant can also burn fuel oil. Apartment-style housing units have gas furnaces, like many homes. Our large buildings, however, are heated by steam from central boilers. Only Francis Hall, the Richter Center and Hopkins Hall rely on independent boilers — the rest are connected to the central plant,” he said.

Control of steam heat is a challenging technical problem, Winger said. Individual steam radiators are essentially either on or off; there is little that can be done at the radiator to moderate its heat when it is on.

“A modest degree of control for the building as a whole is provided by varying the pressure of the steam” for all of SBU’s large residence halls, including Devereux, Doyle, Shay-Loughlen, Francis, Robinson and Falconio halls) and of Hickey Dining Hall, Butler Gymnasium and the Reilly Center as well, he said.

“In more modern buildings, such as the Quick Center, DeLaRoche Hall and Plassmann Annex, the steam is used to heat water, which is circulated to individual rooms. Water is easier to control than steam, and better local control of the heat is possible,” he said. “Still, typically many rooms are controlled by one thermostat (as in a home), and it is important to understand where the thermostat is in order to sensibly regulate heat in your area.”

One aspect of large building heating systems differs from familiar home systems. Because of the large population in some buildings, a great deal of fresh air is provided by the ventilation system. A large proportion of the heating energy required for the building — often more than half — is used just to heat this fresh air to acceptable temperature. Timers or other sensors are used to turn the ventilation off when the building is largely empty, so communication about building use is very important. Of course, open windows are uncontrolled energy consumers, wasting energy unchecked.

Winger noted one more important heat fact: domestic hot water for showers and the like is a significant user of fuel. “In the dorms, hot water use exceeds the demands of the heating system until late November,” he said. “Avoiding the waste of hot water is an important area for conservation.”

Winger offered a series of tips for conserving energy, both natural gas and electricity, which follow.

Tips for saving natural gas:

1. Set thermostats between 68-70 degrees for heating. Put on a sweater or socks if you are cold at this temperature.

2. Never set the thermostat all the way up or down. It does no good (the heating system will not warm a room any sooner than if the thermostat is just a little above room temperature) and it may do a great deal of harm, later, when you are not there.

3. Make sure windows are tightly closed and locked and keep windows closed in cold weather. If a steam radiator is too hot, turn it off; don’t expect to moderate its output any.

4. Take shorter showers. Don’t run hot water any longer than needed. Never let it run unattended. Immediately report any leaks.

5. Communicate changes in building schedule, or special event, to the Event Planning office. This permits Maintenance to alter ventilation schedules appropriately.

6. Close blinds, especially at night. Windows are the biggest source of heat loss from the building exterior.

7. Wash and dry only full loads of clothes, not just an item or two and wash in cool or warm water and use a cold-water detergent. If you do wash less than a full load, be sure to adjust the water level setting appropriately. Using hot water for clothes washing is advisable in only a few circumstances.

Tips for saving electricity:

1. Please turn off the lights when they are not in use. Lighting is far and away the biggest user of electricity on campus.

2. Turn off the air conditioning.

3. Don’t leave cooking equipment on.

4. Get rid of the electric space heater! Electricity is still several times more expensive than gas for heat.

5. Where thermostats have an AUTO setting for fan control, use it and set it no higher than 68 degrees. This allows the fan to rest when heat is not needed.

6. Convert to compact florescent light bulbs for lamps rather than common incandescent light bulbs. The florescent bulbs will provide just as much light and although they cost a little more to purchase, but will last four to ten times as long and consume only one fourth as much electricity as regular light bulbs.

7. Do not over-dry your clothes and clean the lint filter before every load. This improves air circulation and clothes dry quicker.

8. Unplug small appliances and electronics when not in use or use a power strip and turn off the power strip. According to studies, approximately 75% of the electricity used to power small electronics like VCR’s, DVD players, televisions, stereos and computers is consumed when the component is turned off and not in use, but still plugged in. This can be avoided by unplugging the appliance or using a power strip and turning off the switch on the power strip to cut all power to the component when not in use.

9. Unplug cell phone chargers and other battery chargers when the batteries are fully charged or when not in use.

10. To maximize savings with a laptop computer, but sure to put the AC adaptor on a power strip that can be turned off (or will turn off automatically). The transformer in the AC adapter draws power continuously, even when the laptop is not plugged into the adaptor.

11. Purchase only energy-efficient electrical devices. Energy-efficient appliances and office equipment are readily available and mean a 50 to 90 percent savings in energy consumption to use the device. Additionally, this equipment can reduce air-conditioning needs, noise from fans and transformers and electromagnetic field emissions from monitors. An energy star computer uses 70 percent less electricity than computers without this designation.

12. Common Misperceptions:
a. That equipment lasts longer if it is never turned off – NOT TRUE. This incorrect notion stems from the old days of early computers.
b. Screen Savers reduce energy use. They do NOT. Automatic switching to sleep mode or manually turning off monitors is the better energy-savings tactic.

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St. Bonaventure to host the IRS Tax Practitioner Fall Seminar

St. Bonaventure will host this year’s IRS Tax Practitioner Fall Seminar, on Tuesday, Dec.13, at the Premier Banquet Center located in Olean.

The full-day seminar is limited to 70 participants and registration will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. The cost of registration is $160 and the deadline for registration is Tuesday, Nov. 29.

Topics for the seminar will include:

• IRS Tax Law Changes: Tax law updates and changes for the 2005/2006-tax year. This includes an overview of issues such as the “Hurricane Katrina” law and energy bill currently under consideration.

• IRS Miscellaneous Updates: This session will cover index changes, miscellaneous items, IRS web site improvements, new forms to e-file and EFTPS improvements. Also areas of focus for IRS audits will be reviewed along with helpful information on IRS procedures.

• Advocacy in Action (Taxpayer Advocate Service): Various facets of the Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) program will be covered including how
TAS works within the IRS, the criteria for acceptance into the program and what to expect when a case is assigned to a case advocate. Also included in this session is the most significant problems covered in the National Taxpayer Advocate’s annual report to Congress and current TAS areas of emphasis.

• E-file (NYS Taxation and finance): This session will provide an explanation of the new legislation requiring certain tax preparers to e-file their clients’ New York State individual personal income tax returns beginning Jan. 1, 2006.

• NYS Taxation and Finance Tax Law Updates: A review of the new legislation changes affecting both personal and business tax returns. Also, current developments that are relevant to tax professionals including the new NYS Personal Income Tax Returns.

• Centralized Insolvency and Impact of the New Bankruptcy Law: There will be a discussion of the changes in Bankruptcy laws and how they will affect taxpayers and their practitioners.

• “Do the Right Thing” – NYS Tax Shelter Legislation and Voluntary Compliance Initiative: Find out about the Voluntary Compliance Initiative that gives taxpayers involved in a tax avoidance transaction an opportunity to “do the right thing” by reporting and paying underreported tax liabilities and interest during the period of Oct. 1, 2005 to March 1, 2006. This also includes an overview of the Tax Shelter Legislation that covers the disclosure requirements for taxpayers and material advisors involved in Reportable Transactions, the new and amended penalties and the extended Statute of Limitations.

• The 2006 Retirement Plan Formula you need to know (Service+Enforcement=Compliance): This will provide a check-up to preparers and clients for the road to retirement including new routes, knowing the limits and the tools to take along.

Attendees of this seminar will be awarded eight CPE credits for full participation.

For additional information on the seminar please contact Ann Lehman, academic coordinator for the School of Business, at 716-375-2111.

St. Bonaventure University is an approved sponsor of Continuing Professional Education Courses and Programs for Certified Public Accountants licensed and in practice in New York State.

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The fire inspector is coming

Every fall, the New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control sends an inspector to look at our campus. This year he will arrive on October 24 and spend the next two weeks looking thoroughly at every building.

The purpose of this inspection is beyond objection or quibble: protecting the safety of the students, staff and visitors at our University. There is a NYS Fire Code, which is the basis for the inspection, and which is the law. To ensure people pay attention, there is a system of significant fines for violations.

Here is some guidance on complying with the Fire Code requirements:

WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR CAMPUS FIRE SAFETY

1. Keep the fire exits clear. Don’t block the way with storage or with temporary setups for
special events.

2. Make sure fire doors close properly. All marked fire doors, such as those into stairways, are required to close and latch by themselves.

3. No extension cords. NYS Fire Code forbids extension cords as substitutes for permanent wiring. Exceptions are made only for:
a. Power strips having circuit breakers built into them, and
b. Genuinely temporary use for portable tools and cleaning equipment.

4. Control the amount of combustible materials. Neat storage. Limit papers on walls to 10% of
area. No combustibles hanging from ceilings. No shelf storage within 24 inches of the ceiling.

5. Don’t remove fire extinguishers or block access to them.

6. Report missing or burned out exit signs.

IN CASE OF FIRE:

Close the door on the fire.
Get everyone out.
Call in the alarm.

Report defects in fire safety equipment to supervisor or to Maintenance office at x2622.

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SBU kicks off United Way campaign with breakfast on campus

Growing programs and ties between St. Bonaventure and the United Way of Cattaraugus County Inc. were the focus as University employees gathered for a “Results You Can See” Campaign Kickoff breakfast Friday, Oct. 14, in The Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts.

Dr. Susan B. Anders, associate professor of accounting, who has led the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, a student volunteer effort with the United Way to provide tax accounting assistance to low-income families, said that she is working to expand the effort, a partnership of the University, United Way and Department of Social Services that has helped to return nearly $400,000 to the working poor of Cattaraugus County in two years.

She is applying for funding to provide mobile VITA sites in outlying areas of Cattaraugus County on Saturday evenings during the next tax season.

In addition, New York State is sending a letter to presidents of State University of New York schools, urging them to start or support a VITA, listing Anders as a resource and enclosing a copy of an article on SBU’s VITA program, which was co-authored by three students involved in the program and featured on the cover of the February 2005 issue of The CPA Journal.

Sarah McCue, a junior dual accounting and finance major who serves as an accounting intern with the American Red Cross, described her internship, which has included not only accounting for the donations given for disaster relief but also giving presentations on disaster preparedness, as one of the most rewarding experiences of her life.

“I have been able to integrate the knowledge and skills I have learned at St. Bonaventure” while helping the community, she said. “All of those things have made me see how important the American Red Cross is to the community.”

James M. Stitt, president and chief volunteer officer for the United Way, encouraged employees to be generous and encourage their co-workers to support the campaign as well, noting, “A strong community is a good place to call home.”

University president Sr. Margaret Carney, O.S.F., S.T.D., first recipient of the United Way’s Community Spirit Award in 2004, pointed out that despite the great generosity shown to victims of the tsunami and our recent natural disasters here at home in the U.S., it is vital to support the needs of our local community.

Jill Gray, operations manager for the Quick Center and campus campaign director, offered special thanks to United Way executive director Betty Carney, who will end a career of more than 20 years of service when she retires on Dec. 31.

In 2004, SBU supported the United Way to the tune of more than $10,000. Gray encouraged even greater SBU participation in this year’s campaign, which will run through Nov. 4.

“I thank you in advance for making this year’s campaign even more successful than last year’s. I challenge you to encourage your staff and fellow employees to pledge their support to prove SBU a good neighbor right here — where we live,” she said.

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St. Bonaventure plans events for Disability Awareness Month

As part of St. Bonaventure University’s Disability Awareness Month programming, the School of Business will be hosting a presentation on Working with Individuals with Disabilities.

The featured speakers will be Nancy Miller from the Rehabilitation Center and Leonard Liguori, executive director of Directions in Independent Living. The program will provide an overview of disability-related laws, as well as of the mission and services of both of these agencies with a focus on the many benefits of working with individuals with disabilities.

The presentation will begin at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 25th in Section A of the Dresser Auditorium, John J. Murphy Professional Building.

From 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 20, in Murphy’s Dresser Auditorium, SBU’s School of Education will sponsor a panel discussion titled “The Transitioning Needs of Students with Disabilities: Preparing for and During Higher Education.”

Panelists include Dr. Timothy Janikowski, director of the rehabilitation counseling program and co-director of the proposed mental health counseling program at the State University of New York at Buffalo; Fran Moyer, private practitioner and counselor for students with disabilities at Erie Community College’s South Campus; Heather Haas, school counselor and special educator at Hopevale Union Free School District; James Driscoll, school counselor at Olean Middle School; Ron Hager, disability unit attorney for Buffalo Neighborhood Legal Services; Kate Monroe, director of academic services at Hilbert College in Hamburg; and Aleasa Michnik, SBU elementary education/special education student.

These events are open to the public.

On Saturday, Oct. 15, a “Walk for Accessibility” was held to raise money for door assist devices to be installed in the John J. Murphy Professional Building. The goal was $2,600. Participants were asked to either raise money or make a donation the day of the walk.

On Wednesday, Oct. 19, in The Robert J. Jones Board of Trustees Room in Doyle Hall, SBU’s School of Arts and Sciences sponsored a presentation titled “Exploring Disability in Society: Historically and Philosophically.”

The guest speaker was Dr. Dwight Kauppi, a retired faculty member of the counseling and educational psychology department of the University of Buffalo, where he taught for 29 years. He received his Ph.D. in psychology in 1971 from the University of Minnesota and is a certified rehabilitation counselor and licensed psychologist.

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Friday Forum

All SBU faculty, staff and administrators are welcome to all the Friday Forums.

Date: Oct. 21, 2005 (this Friday)
Speaker: Dean Stephen Stahl
Time: Lunch starts at noon, Forum goes from 12:35 to 1:30 p.m., including Q&A
Place: University Club - Above Hickey
Title: "Winnemucca -- Another Jewel Thrown Upon the Lee Shore"

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Career Center News ...

For information on how to utilize a career fair, deadline for job quest sign ups, on-campus recruiting resumés deadline and interviews, visit the Career Center Events Web page.

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Newsmakers ...

Dr. Kevin Borgeson, assistant professor of sociology, recently finished doing consulting work on the topic of why children join hate groups for CNN Presents: the weekly long-running special topics program of the affiliate.

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Dr. Michael Chiariello, dean of Clare College, attended the annual conference of the Association for General and Liberal Studies (AGLS), in Fairfax, Va., Oct. 6-9, and assumed his seat on their Executive Council, to which he was elected last summer. Chiariello participated in an invitation-only panel to review a proposal to incorporate an Academic Quality Improvement Program (AQIP) for general education in institutions accredited by the North Central Higher Learning Commission. The Association for General and Liberal Studies, established in 1961, is a national organization for higher education faculty and administrators who share a commitment to the centrality of general and liberal education in the undergraduate experience.

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Fr. Michael Cusato, O.F.M., director of the Franciscan Institute and dean of the School of Franciscan Studies, was the keynote speaker at Siena College for its annual “Clare Lecture” held each year in conjunction with the Feast of St. Francis. His lecture, delivered on Oct. 3, was titled “Parallel Lives? Franciscan and Protestant Evangelicalism Compared.”

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