February 2004

Index for February 3, 2004

Fairfield University selects new president

By Jill Kasiewicz Caseria, Editor

Faculty, staff, and alumni introduced themselves to Fr. von Arx following the announcement. Among them were (l-r) Dr. Jeanne Novotny, dean of the School of Nursing; Fred Wheeler, associate vice president for development; Madeleine Lacovara, M.A.'91, P'89; and Paul Carrier, S.J., University chaplain.

Jeffrey von Arx, S.J., University President-elect, says his first priority in his new post will be to get to know Fairfield's many constituencies. "One of my greatest fulfillments in life has been getting to know the individuality and particularity of the institutions, communities, and individuals in which and with whom I have been privileged to serve," he said at the Jan. 21 announcement in the John A. Barone Campus Center. "I look forward to getting to know Fairfield both as a deep personal joy, and as a response to God's call to service in this time and place in my life."

Fr. von Arx commented that he's also looking forward to meeting students. "If they want me to come to something," he added, "all they have to do is invite me."

Board of Trustees Chair Paul Huston '82 says the selection of Fr. von Arx as Fairfield University's eighth president was unanimous. "His commitment to Jesuit higher education is evidenced by his outstanding record, and throughout the selection process he clearly articulated his understanding of and commitment to Fairfield's distinctive mission." The 14-member search committee included trustees, faculty, students, administrators, alumni, and Jesuits.

Fr. von Arx, who has been a member of Fairfield University's Board of Trustees since 2002, has spent the past six years as dean of Fordham College at Rose Hill of Fordham University, where he is responsible for the undergraduate division of Fordham that has a student population of 3,200. Prior to Fordham, Fr. von Arx served as faculty member and chair in Georgetown University's history department. He was also a founding director of the Center for Australian and New Zealand Studies in the School of Foreign Service. Fr. von Arx received his undergraduate degree from Princeton University and master's and doctorate degrees from Yale University. In 1981, he graduated from the Weston School of Theology and was ordained.

University President Aloysius P. Kelley, S.J., commented on his successor's commitment to Jesuit higher education. "Fr. Von Arx's background is that of a dedicated scholar and an experienced educational administrator who, most importantly, has demonstrated an ardent commitment to Jesuit Catholic higher education," he said. "We heard today his first message to the Fairfield community and it is merely the prelude to his tenure that I have every confidence will ensure a vibrant and exciting future for Fairfield University." Fr. Kelley, the longest-serving president among the nation's 28 Jesuit colleges and universities, will retire at the end of the 2003-04 academic year after 25 years of service.

Board of Trustees Chair Paul Huston '82 (center) presented president-elect Fr. von Arx with a Fairfield athletic jacket. University President Aloysius P. Kelley, S.J. (left) will retire at the end of the academic year.

After the public announcement, Fr. von Arx expressed why he is interested in becoming Fairfield University's next president. Calling the position a "golden opportunity," he said this move is an appropriate one for him at this moment in his career. During the past six years at Fordham as dean, he added, he has learned "a tremendous lot in that job," and accomplished some great things. "I enjoy certain aspects of administration work, such as finding how to work through a complicated system to get things done," he said. "I look forward to the interesting challenges and opportunities that lie ahead ... Fairfield is in such good shape and is at the forefront in many aspects - it has balanced budgets, good student enrollment, and supportive donors. It's my opportunity to build on these successes and take the institution to the next level."

He also looks forward to integrating more service learning projects and opportunities for students.

His vision for Fairfield is that the University be a leader in several areas, including the creative renewal of Jesuit liberal arts education at the undergraduate level, the integration of life and learning, and curriculum, teaching, and student-centered research, "so that students graduate from Fairfield with a real sense of who they are before God and as members of society."

Fr. von Arx's presidency will begin in July.

Photos by Jean Santopatre

Convocation speaker delivers message of equality

By Alejandra Navarro, Publications Writer

Looking out at the diverse audience, civil rights activist Bob Zellner recalled the days when attending a similar integrated gathering would have sparked arrests, school expulsions, and sometimes bloodshed.

"You have never known the danger of being arrested or killed for a meeting like this," he told the crowd of mostly students at the Jan. 22 LaFarge Convocation in the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts.

But Zellner has. With humor, wit, and a southern drawl, Zellner detailed his experiences in the Civil Rights Movement, as a sympathetic observer and as the first white Southerner to serve as a field secretary for the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, registering African-American voters. For standing up for equality, Zellner was arrested 25 times 1961 to 1967.

Zellner received the John LaFarge, S.J., Award, named in honor of the Jesuit who dedicated his life to promoting human rights and ending racism.

"A man born to power, he used it for its most sacred purpose: to lift up those bowed down and to implement in tangible ways the demands of justice," said University President Aloysius P. Kelley, S.J., of Fr. LaFarge. "Bob Zellner, a white Southerner who risked his life in pursuit of justice, has done no less."

Zellner credited early human rights activists, including Fr. LaFarge.

"The work he did in the early part of the 1900s prepared the ground for the Civil Rights Movement that I was able to join," said Zellner, who teaches at Southampton College of Long Island University and is working on a memoir of the Southern Civil Rights Movement for his doctoral dissertation.

Zellner's 40-year devotion to equality started with a college assignment on the "race problem." Despite protests from his professor not to meet with African-American activists, he spoke to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for his research paper.

"He was not only brave, he was funny," he said of Dr. King, who invited Zellner to attend his first integrated meeting. Zellner and four other students who attended later faced arrest and expulsion from the college. The Ku Klux Klan burned crosses outside their dormitories and threatened to "string them up."

More than once, Zellner found himself in the middle of a hateful mob. He described the beatings of Freedom Riders who dared challenge segregation on a bus ride through the South, and his fight to keep from being dragged into the violence.

Zellner said he was impressed by the courage of the more than 60,000 young people who peacefully sat at segregated lunch counters waiting to be served or arrested. Many were students, some with much more to lose as the first in their families to go to college. "That struck something in my soul," he said.

Francesca Cobb '04, a Vision Award recipient who spoke at the convocation, said she appreciated learning about his experiences working alongside African-Americans for civil rights. "I have a lot of respect for those who are able to step up and take on that responsibility," she said.

Zellner said he followed the lead of the non-violent protesters who mustered courage many never knew they had.

"They went because there were people who went before: Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, Father LaFarge," Zellner said. "How could I not do it?"

This year's Vision Award recipients were:

• Rev. Doctor Robert A. Smith Jr., pastor and co-founder of the Church of the Savior in Bronx, N.Y., and a 1974 graduate of Fairfield University. He earned his doctorate of theology from Slidell Baptist Seminary in Slidell, La., and a master's of divinity degree from Andover Newton Theological Seminary in Newton Centre, Mass. He recently retired as a substance abuse specialist at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York.

• Dr. Judith Primavera, professor of psychology in the College of Arts and Sciences at Fairfield University and founder and director of the Adrienne Kirby Family Literacy Project in Bridgeport. A graduate of Mount Holyoke College, she earned a doctorate in clinical-community psychology from Yale University.

• Civic Leader George M. Bellinger, posthumously. Bellinger was the moving force behind the reconstruction of the Amistad Freedom Schooner and was the original chairman of Amistad America. An advocate for children, families, and communities, Bellinger was the founder, officer or board member of more than 20 organizations, including Bridgeport Hospital, CPTV, Bridgeport Public Education Fund, Bridgeport Regional Business Council, and United Way. He founded and operated Bar-Pat Manufacturing, recognized as one of the top 100 black businesses in the United States by Black Enterprise Magazine. Bellinger's wife, Barbara, accepted his award.

• Burim Gjidja '05, president of UMOJA, the African/Caribbean-American Student Association. Gjidja, active in campus groups, has been a resident advisor for two years and works in the Office of Alumni Relations.

• Francesca Cobb '04, the first African-American president of SALSA, the Spanish American and Latino Student Association. She is a student mentor and is an avid community volunteer.

Winners of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. essay contest sponsored by Fairfield University and the Connecticut Post were Ana Lea Ysabel Calabano of Multicultural Magnet School, Diana Vallecillo of Thomas Hooker School, and Sheanna Cuffee of Roosevelt School.

Photo by Jean Santopatre

Ignatian workshop highlights Jesuit mission

By Barbara D. Kiernan, Director of University Publications

Mark McGregor, S.J., assistant professor in the Department of Visual and Performing Arts, makes a point during the break out discussions on Ignatian pedagogy held in January. Seated next to him are Dolan School of Business faculty Dr. Gerry Campbell, chair and associate professor of information systems & operations management, and Dr. Bruce Bradford, associate professor of accounting.

Did you know that St. Ignatius Loyola was so vain in his young adulthood that he had his leg re-broken and reset (remember: there was no anesthesia 400 years ago) so he could strike a fine appearance in the elite circles to which he aspired? That his "conversion" experience included a gentle personal awakening during his long convalescence and later, a contemplative experience of God so powerful that it would energize, direct, and nourish the rest of his life? And that he made lots of mistakes anyway?

According to Vincent Duminuco, S.J., the series of fervent, but misguided efforts that characterized St. Ignatius's early efforts became building blocks to an educational system that has, for centuries, stood the test of time.

For two days in January, more than 20 faculty members immersed themselves in a workshop Fr. Duminuco led on Ignatian pedagogy. He defined pedagogy as "the way teachers accompany learners in their growth and development." Noting that teaching cannot be reduced to methodology or a bag of tricks, he said, "Ignatian pedagogy is an intentional process that includes a vision of the ideal person we hope to form."

Sponsored jointly by the Center for Academic Excellence and the Office of Catholic and Jesuit Mission and Identity, the workshop included lectures, group discussions, and question and answer feedback. Topics included the origins, underlying assumptions, goals, and methods of this enterprise called Jesuit education - and the challenges involved in engaging students on an effective level with certain course material.

At its best, he explained, Jesuit education is a collaborative process between teachers and students, based in the recognition that students bring a personal context and individual gifts to their learning. This personal view of and care for students was a radical departure from the prevailing mode of instruction in St. Ignatius's time, especially when combined with a process that included not only classroom learning, but reflection on the subject matter, action, and evaluation.

Fr. Duminuco is director of the International Jesuit Education Leadership Project, which trains lay persons for leadership positions in Jesuit schools, colleges, and universities in Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe. A founding member of the International Commission on the Apostolate of Jesuit Education, he has been active in Jesuit education nationally and internationally for years.

"Ignatian pedagogy was groundbreaking in its own day," says Dr. Paul Lakeland, professor of religious studies, "and it remains groundbreaking today. It is an approach that sets out to lead students to see their education as part of the process of making responsible decisions about their place in the world. It is a pedagogy for those who wish to be subjects of their own history."

Photo by Jean Santopatre

Dr. Bharat Bhalla, associate dean and director of graduate programs in the Charles F. Dolan School of Business, discussed "East Asia's Dynamic Development Model" at the Southern Finance Association's annual conference held in Charleston, S.C., on Dec. 5.

Dr. Mousumi Bhattacharya, assistant professor of human resource and strategic management in the Dolan School of Business, was quoted in a January Connecticut Post article on GE's CEO Jeff Immelt and the company's strong fourth-quarter earnings.

In a Nov. 23 Danbury News-Times article, Dr. Susan Birge, assistant vice president of student services, discussed the safety net Fairfield has in place to assist students suffering from depression or anxiety, or who engage in risky behavior.

Following the Rayovac announcement that it was closing its Remington operation in Bridgeport, the Connecticut Post interviewed Dr. Gerald Cavallo, associate professor of marketing in the Dolan School of Business, on the possibility of a consumer backlash. In the Jan. 15 article, Dr. Cavallo said that historically in America consumers boycott companies over issues such as unsafe working environments, not economic issues. On a large scale, he pointed out, consumers can even benefit from a plant closing if they can continue to purchase the product at the current or even lower price.

Dr. Javier Campos, associate professor of modern languages and literatures, organized a panel and presented a paper on "Testimonial Writing Under the Pinochet Regime" at the conference, Democracy in Latin America: Thirty Years After Chile's 9/11, held at the University of Albany in October.
    In November, Dr. Campos was invited to read his poetry at an International Writers Encounter in Santiago, Chile. The event coincided with the publication of his book, The Sharon Stone Look-Alike (RIL Editions, Chile, 2003), a collection of short stories about Latinos in the United States.

The Associated Press quoted Dr. Ralph Coury, professor of history in the College of Arts and Sciences, in an article about the Arab-American exhibit at Fairfield University. He created the display with his wife, Melissa. The article was published in December in the Connecticut Post, The Hartford Courant, The Hour in Norwalk, The Advocate in Stamford, the Greenwich Time, The Day in New London, the News-Times, and the New Haven Register. The exhibition was also posted on the WTNH-Channel 8 website.

Victor D'Ascenzo, major gifts officer in the Office of Development, served as the chairman of the 2003 Association of Fundraising Professionals Connecticut Philanthropy Conference held on Nov. 6 at the Ramada Plaza in Meriden, Conn. A record 230 development officers from around the state attended the event. The conference offered participants a choice of 24 professional sessions and an exhibitor's hall of 25 vendors who specialize in the area of fundraising.

The Connecticut Post published the selection of Dr. Edward Deak, professor of economics in the College of Arts and Sciences, as the first to hold the Roger M. Lynch Chair in Economics in the "Personnel File" column on Dec. 14.
    In December, the Connecticut Post tapped into Dr. Deak's expertise about the economy and job growth in three articles: "Productivity data stirs optimism for job gains," "Proceed with Caution; Analysts hedge bets on economic forecast for 2004," and "Economy Reviving, Stats Say." The New Haven Register quoted Dr. Deak in the article, "Future Bright for Job Market."
    Also in December, Dr. Deak discussed how the trend to send jobs abroad that initially affected manufacturing jobs, now includes white-collar jobs in an Associated Press article, "2003 was a Tough Year for Job Security," published in the Torrington Register Citizen, The Hour, and The Advocate. Manchester's Journal Inquirer published a question-and-answer interview with Dr. Deak, "Growth is in the Predictions for the State Next Year." In 2004, Dr. Deak said, "The national economy is going to grow about 4 percent. We're going to look for some job creation, capital spending by businesses, and hopefully, a gradual reduction in the military commitment outside the U.S. If we can squeeze that out, then the national economy looks pretty good."

Dr. Jesús Escobar, director of the art history program in the College of Arts and Sciences, had his new book, The Plaza Mayor and the Shaping of Baroque Madrid (Cambridge University Press, Dec. 2003), featured in the Fairfield Citizen-News "People in the News" column on Dec. 19. The book illustrates how the architecture and planning of the plaza relate to society, politics, and Spanish culture.

Dr. Robert Fedorchek, professor of modern languages and literatures in the College of Arts and Sciences, recently published The Garden with Seven Gates (Bucknell University Press, 2004), his translation of El jardín de las siete puertas, a collection of children's stories by Concha Castroviejo, a 20th-century Spanish novelist, short story writer, and journalist. Dr. Fedorchek will give a book reading and presentation at Barnes & Noble in Westport on March 21 at 2 p.m.
    The Catholic University of America Press accepted for publication Don Alvaro, or the Force of Fate, Dr. Fedorchek's translation of Don Alvaro o la fuerza del sino, the early 19th-century Spanish play by Angel de Saavedra on which Giuseppe Verdi based his opera La forza del destino.
    Dr. Fedorchek will be a reader and evaluator of Spanish-language translations and submissions to Marvels & Tales: Journal of Fairy-Tale Studies.

James Fitzpatrick, assistant vice president of student services, is featured in the winter 2003-04 issue of Company magazine. The article, "Homecoming," highlights Jesuit school alumni who return to their alma maters as faculty and administrators. The photo, which also features Gabrielle Roazzi '04, was taken by Jean Santopatre, University photojournalist.

The Fairfield Minuteman announced the arrival of Dr. Miriam Gogel as associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences in a Dec. article.

In January, Francis Hannafey, S.J., associate professor of religious studies in the College of Arts and Sciences, presented "Ethics and the Emotions: An Examination of the Work of Martha C. Nussbaum" at the annual meeting of the Society of Christian Ethics held this year in Chicago, IL.

In November, Dr. Ingeborg Haug, associate professor of marriage and family therapy in the Graduate School of Education and Allied Professions, presented "Innovations in Narrative Therapy" in Curitiba, Brazil, to the Brazilian Association of Marriage and Family Therapy. During her 10-day stay in Brazil, she supervised a group of eight advanced clinicians.

Christopher Hisey, conductor of Fairfield University's orchestra, was featured in the Connecticut Post in a January article, "Orchestra Tweaks Program for Rescheduled Concert," about the American Chamber Orchestra he founded last year.

Dr. Bob Kelly, assistant professor of economics in the College of Arts and Sciences, and his wife, Lorel, were featured in the Fairfield Citizen-News on Dec. 13 about the annual Colonial Gardens Christmas Cheer and Cookie Swap, which the couple hosted.

Dr. Wendy Kohli, associate professor and chair of curriculum and instruction in GSEAP, delivered the paper, "A Critical Exploration of the Ethical Formation of Teachers: Perspectives on Social Justice and Civic Courage in Teacher Education," at the annual meeting of the American Educational Studies Association held in Mexico City. Dr. Kohli, past president of the association, also served on a panel addressing the question, "Is There (Should There Be) a Social Foundations Canon?"

Managerial Finance published two articles by Dr. Nick Laopodis, associate professor of finance in the Dolan School of Business: "International Interest Rate Linkages: Implications for an International Investor" and "Financial Market Liberalization and Stock Market Efficiency: The Case of Greece."
    Dr. Laopodis also had two book chapters published: "Asymmetry in the Interest-Rate Volatility Transmission Mechanism: the German Leadership Hypothesis within EMS," in Contemporary Issues in International Finance and "Assessing the Probability of Default in Developing Country Debt" in Economic and Financial Development: Issues and Policies.
    In April, Dr. Laopodis delivered "Monetary Policy Implications of Interdependencies Among Real Short- and Long-Term Interest Rates" to the Eastern Finance Association conference in Florida. In June, he presented "Portfolio Diversification Benefits from an Integrated Europe" at the Athens Institute for Education and Research, Business Economics, Management, and Marketing Association conference in Athens, Greece. In October, he delivered "International Portfolio Diversification: Evidence from the U.S. and European Equity Markets" and "Portfolio Diversification Benefits within the European Union" at the Northeast Business & Economics Association conference in New Jersey.
    Dr. Laopodis presented "International Portfolio Diversification: Evidence from the U.S. and European Equity Markets" in December. He chaired a session, "Market Liberalization, Development and Investment in New Markets" to the Southern Finance Association in Charleston, S.C. He also discussed "Persistence Characteristics in Latin American Equity Markets" and "Market Liberalizations, Stock and Foreign Exchange Market Volatilities and Foreign Direct Investment Flows: The Case of Spain."

Dr. Anna Martin, associate professor of finance in the Dolan School of Business, delivered a doctorate seminar on "Impact of the Asian Crisis and Exchange Rate Regimes on Currency Bid-Ask Spreads" at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst.
    Dr. Martin also recently published the article, "Transaction vs. Economic Exposure: Which has Greater Cash Flow Consequences?" in the International Review of Economics and Finance and "Are Competitive Industry Signals Greater When Acquiring Privately-Held Firms?" in the American Business Review.

On Dec. 27, the Connecticut Post quoted Larri Mazon, director of multicultural relations, from the speech he gave at a Kwanzaa gathering at Mount Aery Baptist Church in Bridgeport in an article, "Kwanzaa Beginning Focuses on Unity."

Dr. David McFadden, chair of the history department and director of the Russian/East European Program in the College of Arts and Sciences, discussed the value of war veterans sharing their experiences in the classroom in a Dec. 7 Connecticut Post article, "Pearl Harbor Lives in Memories: Attack Survivors Sustain its Significance."

The Connecticut Post Winter 2004 Education Enrichment Guide, published on Jan. 4, featured Fairfield University's School of Nursing and quoted Dr. Jeanne Novotny, professor and dean of the School. "Today nurses are the leaders," Dr. Novotny said. "They have the ability to work toward the future, to influence public policy and management. Nursing is the healthcare career of the 21st century." The article included alumnae Lisa (Baranov) Kinsella '83, Amy Farmer '94, Marybethe Elledge '96, and Karen Simmons '94.

CNN's Carol Costello interviewed Dr. John Orman, professor of politics in the College of Arts and Sciences, on Jan. 19 and Jan. 20 on the results of the Iowa caucus. He also interviewed with CNN Radio.The Connecticut Post quoted Dr. Orman in two December articles: "Lieberman Devastated by Betrayal" and "Lieberman Camp More Resolved."
    Several media outlets turned to Dr. Orman for commentary on Gov. John Rowland's political scandal. On Dec. 16, Eyewitness News (ABC-TV in New York) and CBS-TV (New York) interviewed him. On Dec. 18, the News-Times quoted Dr. Orman in the article, "A Matter of Trust." He was also quoted in the New Haven Register's Dec. 19 article, "Political Observers Pan Rowland." The story also ran in Torrington's Register Citizen. A Dec. 23 Christian Science Monitor article quoted Dr. Orman, as did a Dec. 27 article, "Fallen So Far, So Fast: Rowland's Stained Image has few Precedents," in the Journal Inquirer. Dr. Orman also appeared in the Connecticut Post's On The Hill column, "Rowland Rapped on Words," and in an article, "State's Reputation Took a Major Hit in '03."

Dr. Gita Rajan, associate professor of English and member of the coordinating committee for the women's studies program in the College of Arts and Sciences, has been named the Jane Watson Irwin Visiting Endowed Chair in the Women's Studies Department at Hamilton College. Dr. Rajan will take this position for the 2004-05 academic year, and will pursue her research in gender studies and South Asian literature, art, and culture while at Hamilton. Her one-year position as endowed chair includes teaching three courses, arranging workshops for the women's studies faculty and students, and designing a speakers series to bring distinguished international scholars to Hamilton. Fairfield University's English department expresses their pride in Dr. Rajan's being selected for this prestigious position, says Dr. Johanna X. K. Garvey, chair of the English department, and faculty in women's studies are delighted that she has been recognized for her outstanding scholarship in gender studies.

The Washington Post published an op-ed piece by Dr. Gavriel Rosenfeld, assistant professor of history in the College of Arts and Sciences. Dr. Rosenfeld's "Without Ruins, Mindful of What?" about the memorial competition at Ground Zero in New York City appeared on Nov. 30.
    The New York Times quoted Dr. Rosenfeld in a Dec. 19 article, "Surplus History from Ground Zero; Left Mostly Out of Memorial Designs, Trade Center Steel Sits Rusting in Hangar," about the memorial design finalists deciding not to use WTC remnants in the proposals. "The eight finalists are using materials that could be in hotel lobbies or corporate plazas," Dr. Rosenfeld said. "When you turn to art to commemorate something this dramatic, it ends up diminishing the horror and distracting one from the actual authenticity of the event."
    Dr. Rosenfeld also discussed the memorial in the article, "WTC Memorial Stirs Debate," published in Westchester County's Journal-News on Jan. 11.

William Schimpf, vice president for student services, was interviewed by the News-Times for a Dec. 7 article on how universities protect their electrical systems from overload. He explained that Fairfield had renovated all its residence halls within the last five years to accommodate the increased electrical use.

Dr. James Simon, associate professor of English in the College of Arts and Sciences, participated in a panel discussion for News 12's Town Meeting, "Crisis in Connecticut," which aired on Dec. 15.

Dr. Marie-Agnès Sourieau, associate professor of modern languages and literatures in the College of Arts and Sciences, chaired a panel at the annual conference of the Haitian Studies Association's annual conference at Florida International University, Biscayne Campus, in October. She also presented a paper, "Toussaint Louverture by Jean Métellus," a Haitian playwright.
    Her afterword to the English translation of Gisèle Pineau's Exile According to Julia, was recently published by the University Press of Virginia. Her book chapter, "Jean-Jacques Dessalines de Vincent Placoly," a playwright from Martinique, appeared in Les Théâtres francophones et créolophones de la Caraïbe.

Keith Stetson, collection development librarian at DiMenna-Nyselius Library, touted the library's resources and services in a Connecticut Post article on Jan. 4. Stetson said of the library staff's dedication to service, "The staff here is excellent. They're friendly, and they're also very professional. If you want something, if you need something, they won't stop until you get it."

Brian Torff, director of the music program in the College of Arts and Sciences, performed a benefit concert at Carnegie Hall for Fiddlefest-Opus 118, a public school music program for strings based in Harlem on Dec. 2. Torff performed with composer and pianist Dave Grusin, jazz violinist Regina Carter, violinist Joshua Bell, and the Harlem string students. Itzhak Perlman, Yo Yo Ma, Mark O'Connor, and Pinchas Zukerman also performed.
    In January, Torff performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., with Paquito D'Rivera. He also performed in the music group, the Django Reinhardt Festival, at the Juvac Jazz Festival in Decatur, Ill.; with renowned jazz musician and music adjunct faculty member Florence Melnotte at the Silvermine Tavern in Norwalk, Conn.; and at the Town Crier in Pawling, N.Y.

On Dec. 4, The Fairfield Minuteman featured Dr. Kathleen Weiden, assistant professor of accounting in the Dolan School of Business, and a team of Fairfield University students who received an honorable mention in Deloitte Foundation's National Tax Case Study Competition.

Photo by Jean Santopatre

Service Anniversaries

February & March 2004

5 years
Pamela Kelly

15 years
Joseph Bouchard

25 years
Judith Arel

Birth

Jennifer Covino, publications writer - son, Patrick Robert, born Dec. 14, 2003.

Condolences

Anna Marie Hinkley, mother of Maureen Hinkley, project manager for SCT, died Dec. 10.
Helen B. Halloran, grandmother of Susanne Quinlivan, associate director of career planning, died Dec. 11.
Jane Hebert, sister of Susan Arribas, exchange administrator for CNS, died Dec. 18.
Mary Helen Leslie, mother of Rita Duda, associate director of human resources, died Dec. 27.
Alice Cassidy, mother of Dr. Kevin Cassidy, professor of politics, died Jan. 5.
Viola Peterman, mother-in-law of Michael Kreuzer, died Jan. 6.
Emily Weyant, mother of Karen Craig, secretary to the dean of freshman, died Jan. 13.
Anthony Mainiero, father of Dr. Lisa A. Mainiero, professor of management in the Charles F. Dolan School of Business, died Jan. 14.

New Employees

John Carey - assistant coach, men's basketball
Elizabeth Chatel - assistant director, alumni relations
Alejandra Navarro - publications writer, publications
Nina Riccio - publications writer, publications

School of Nursing

Professor distinguished for work with the critically ill

By Nina M. Riccio, Publications Writer

When a critically ill or older adult patient is put on a ventilator, the machine takes over the work of breathing. It's a remarkable, life-saving piece of equipment - but one that can have serious consequences. The longer the patient stays on the ventilator, the more the diaphragm muscles will atrophy. A delay in eating because of the severity of the illness, plus a lack of mobility because of the ventilator contribute further to muscle weakness. These conditions set the stage for immune system breakdown, so patients become prone to infection, which very often takes the form of ventilator-associated pneumonia.

This rapid, downward spiral caused by ventilator dependency is a problem that Dr. Carol Epstein, RN, associate professor in the School of Nursing, has seen all too often in her 20 years as a critical care nurse. She's focused her most recent research on weaning the critically ill off ventilators as soon as they're able. For the next phase of her work, she'll collaborate with Dr. Constantine Manthous, medical director of medical intensive care at Bridgeport Hospital.

"Weaning from a ventilator is as much an art as a science," Dr. Epstein explains. "When weaning, the machine is recalibrated to deliver less oxygen, or fewer breaths per minute, so that the patient must take over some of the work of breathing. He or she is generally monitored for two hours and blood gases are regularly checked to be sure the oxygen level in the blood is within normal range." If it is, the tube can be removed and the patient can continue breathing without intervention. But Dr. Epstein stresses that not all the factors that interfere with successful weaning are clearly understood. In addition to the actual mechanics of weaning, health care personnel must take into account pulmonary function and other factors - whether the patient needs a transfusion, for example, or whether he or she is fluid-overloaded. Her work with Dr. Manthous will provide more evidence for the science of weaning.

Though Dr. Epstein joined the staff of the School of Nursing just last fall, she's no stranger to Fairfield University. She attended the school for "two wonderful years" as an undergraduate during a period when the campus was caught in the throes of the anti-war movement. "It was a remarkable time to be in college," she recalls. "Professors as well as students were passionate about their beliefs, with some traveling to Washington to protest the war. And the school's Jesuit mission called for a commitment to social justice, so there was much dialogue on the subject." For financial reasons, she left Fairfield to return to work, eventually getting her bachelor's degree from Cornell, a BSN from Ursuline College, and her master's and doctoral degrees from Case Western Reserve in Ohio. Prior to her return to Fairfield, she served as an assistant professor at the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing at Case Western. Her work in mechanical ventilation has earned her several research awards, including one from the Society of Critical Care Medicine. This month, she will be inducted as a Fellow into the prestigious American College of Critical Care Medicine during its Annual Congress in Orlando.

Dr. Epstein was drawn to critical care nursing because of its unique challenges. "Patient illnesses are often complex, and nurses must act quickly and be flexible," she says. As is so often the case, her research was borne out of a need she identified when working in intensive care units. As much as she enjoys nursing, however, teaching undergrads has always had a special place in her heart. "I had a very good feeling about returning to the classroom," she says.

Photo by Jean Santopatre

Visiting Jesuit professor teaches watchdog skills

By Alejandra Navarro, Publications Writer

Rick Ryscavage, S.J., has witnessed international organizations with the best intentions fall short of their goals - and some fall from grace.

In West Africa, a handful of relief workers took advantage of children they were supposed to be helping. He helped develop stronger codes of conduct for international organizations to prevent similar violations, as a committee chair for INTERACTION, the largest coalition of U.S. humanitarian organizations.

"Even though an international organization's mission may be humanitarian and very positive, it may not always perform up to standards," says Fr. Ryscavage, the former national director of the Jesuit Refugee Service USA and visiting professor at Fairfield University.

"People have a responsibility to keep an eye on these groups and hold them accountable," he says. That is at the heart of his course, International Organizations.

In addition to an overview of international private and public groups, Fr. Ryscavage plans to provide his students with the knowledge to evaluate the growing number of international organizations working on projects across the globe.

Students will learn how to find out about an organization's funding sources, expenditures, and leaders, and how to determine if they are meeting their objectives. The class will discuss the complex issues - health, human rights, military security, trade and development, labor migration and refugees - that most often need to be addressed from a global perspective.

Fr. Ryscavage has worked closely with many of the issues and organizations that will come up in class - at the helm of the JRS in Washington, D.C., which provides services to refugees in more than 40 countries; as the U.S. national secretary for Jesuit Social and International Ministries; and as the president of the Jesuit Missions. He also taught and researched for the Oxford University Refugee Studies Center and at Campion Hall, Oxford's Jesuit college.

Dr. Katherine Kidd, director of international studies, says the class offers another opportunity to link the work at Fairfield with the four international Jesuit priorities, which are Africa, China, education, and migration.

"With his excellent academic record, his teaching experience at Oxford, and his hands-on experience in the international community, it will be very exciting for students to have someone who is a teacher and a scholar and a practitioner of international affairs," Dr. Kidd says.

Fr. Ryscavage hopes his students continue to follow the organizations and issues they learn in his class, and consider working with international groups to improve lives around the world. He's pleased to see that many of these organizations are using the policies and procedures he helped promote, including those in response to the violations in West Africa.

"It will directly affect the lives of hundreds and thousands of children who come into contact with relief workers," Fr. Ryscavage says. "To know you've been a part of creating that is wonderful."

Photo by Jean Santopatre

Employees "keep the promise" of Our Promise

By Lisa Roberts, Development Writer

Now in its fifth and final year, Our Promise: The Campaign for Fairfield University, is in the home stretch, with the historic achievement of raising $125 million in sight. Among those who have participated in Our Promise have been alumni, parents, and friends who are wholly committed to transforming the University and advancing its Jesuit and academic missions. This month, the invitation to participate will be formally extended to a key constituency of the University community - Fairfield's employees - who support and endorse its mission through their daily work.

The employee phase of the capital campaign is an opportunity for employees to "Keep the Promise" they make to Fairfield University every day, on a different level. That promise includes a commitment to Fairfield's students and the future they represent, as well as living out the Jesuit tradition of giving to others. For many, it's an opportunity to recognize the formidable investment others have made in the work they do, and to express appreciation for the benefits available to them as University employees.

"I'm extremely grateful for the superb education my son received here," says Dr. Susan Birge, assistant vice president of student services and co-chair of the employee phase with Dr. Kurt Schlicting, professor of sociology and anthropology in the College of Arts and Sciences. "For me, participating in the capital campaign is another way to show my gratitude for the valuable employee benefits, and also to demonstrate my support of the University's Jesuit mission."

Dr. Birge sees the employee phase as "a nice wrap-up" to this effort by development. "I think it rounds out the campaign," says Birge, "completing the effort to involve the entire University community."

Throughout February, all Fairfield University employees will be formally invited to participate in the campaign. According to Rich McCarty, advancement officer, employees who give $150 or more will receive a participation gift, and those who give $1,000 (or $85 per month through payroll deduction) will be eligible to join The President's Circle.

Upward Bound receives a four-year grant totaling more than $1 million
The U.S. Department of Education has awarded Fairfield University four years of continued funding for the Upward Bound program. The first year of funding (2003-04) is $341,408, with a total of $1,365,632 expected through 2008.

Since 1972, Fairfield University has provided the Upward Bound program to students from Bassick, Central, and Harding high schools in Bridgeport. Upward Bound works with qualified students, ages 13 to 19, who are motivated to attend college, but who are either from low-income households or are the first in their families to go on to higher education.

"Being from a low-income household puts kids at risk," says Dr. Georgia Day, assistant academic vice president. "What Upward Bound tries to do is provide these students with opportunities that a student from a more advantaged background may experience."

The program strengthens students' academic, intellectual, and social skills to prepare them for college. Services include academic advising, instruction by high school teachers and Fairfield University professors, tutoring, mentoring, trips to career sites, college visits, and counseling for parents. During the academic year, classes (in mathematics, science, computer literacy, English, history, and a foreign language) are held on Saturdays at the University. Students also have access to several campus facilities, including DiMenna-Nyselius Library and the John A. Barone Campus Center, and participate in the annual Hunger Cleanup. But the college experience doesn't end there. Several University students offer their tutoring services and expertise to Upward Bound scholars. And in the summer, Fairfield University provides up to 50 students with a six-week, on-campus residential program. "While other colleges and universities in Connecticut offer Upward Bound, we are one of the few with a residential program," says Dr. Day. "It's wonderful - students get to see the full aspect of what to expect on a college campus."

Exposure to places outside the Bridgeport-Fairfield area is a key aspect of the program. Last year, the group traveled to Washington, D.C., where students toured government facilities such as the U.S. Senate and met some elected officials. "Trips like this one provide opportunities that they are unlikely to have and simultaneously supplement their learning process. Plus, we often visit places the average tourist can't," says Ronnie Delva, project coordinator for Upward Bound.

Apart from academic and college trips, the program also includes recreational day excursions to ski areas and amusement parks. The trips are tied to the philosophy of preparing the students for college, says Delva. "We introduce them to differences - different cities, different states, different people. They have to learn about differences now, before they leave their familiar settings for college campuses."

And "prepared" for college is an understatement. Some recent Upward Bound students have enrolled in Cornell, Yale, and Fairfield. Graduates from Fairfield have gone on to medical and law school, or work in business or school systems.

"It's so rewarding when a prospective Upward Bound student shows interest and energy in joining the program," says Andrew Robertson, academic counselor for Upward Bound. "It makes you want to do anything you can to make them successful."

$670,000 grant will help music teachers develop skills
Fairfield University has received a three-year, $672,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Education to help music teachers develop and enhance their teaching skills and music programs. Fairfield will provide year-round professional development for all music teachers in the Bridgeport school district.

The University will offer an annual one-week Institute for Music Educators held in the summer; staff development days throughout the year; a mentor program; technology training in computer programs and music software; and membership to MENC, The National Association for Music Education. The funding will also pay for three teachers to attend the association's annual conference and will allow many of the teachers to attend local conferences.

With the help of the grant, teachers will have opportunities to discuss new teaching methods and share ideas with University faculty and their peers. "It means so much to these teachers because they have been working alone and without ongoing, music-specific support for so long," says Dr. Laura Nash, program director and visiting associate professor of classical music in the College of Arts and Sciences.

CT Department of Public Health awards $30,000 for lead testing program
The School of Nursing has received $30,000 from the Connecticut Department of Public Health for the Lead Free Families Program.

The program, directed by Dr. Phil Greiner, associate professor of nursing, will provide screening and medical management services to children who are at risk for lead poisoning, as well as education programs for parents about the dangers of lead poisoning. Services will also include recommendations for diagnostic testing, development of individualized case management plans, and educational materials.

The primary populations served will be children and families living in Bridgeport's East End, where lead paint and lead-contaminated soil is most prevalent, says Dr. Greiner. More than 80 percent of the homes in that area were built at the turn of the 20th century, he says. "At that time, that section of the city employed people in boat building. Lead paint was used on the boats and we believe the leftover could have been brought home and applied to the homes' exteriors." In the 1940s, paints that had a high lead content were used in interior rooms - such as bedrooms, bathrooms, and kitchens - due to their shiny, "pristine" quality. Additional lead content has been found in the soil throughout the area, from years of lead-based gasoline exhaust emitted by the cars and trucks on I-95, which runs through neighborhood, Dr. Greiner explains, as well as the bridges, which were covered with lead paint.

"The biggest risk to humans is the lead paint dust that comes to the surface from the exterior lead paints," says Dr. Greiner. "The paint chips can flake off, become crushed and airborne, and land on any horizontal surface." That dust, in turn, can be inadvertently carried or tracked into the homes, schools, day care centers, churches, or any area where food is prepared or where toddlers play with toys on the floor. "The toys are rolled on the floor and put in the mouth, or food is prepared on an unwashed surface, and the lead dust and flakes are unintentionally ingested," he says.

Fairfield University nursing students, the Health Promotion Center, and Dr. Greiner - as well as the East End Community Council, the City Health Department, and the regional office of the EPA - will be involved in the lead screening and education. "This is a community-focused, and community-based project," says Dr. Greiner. "It's about working with the local population and community partners to make a change in the neighborhood, and about gaining trust among a population that has learned to distrust outsiders. The project is also a service-learning opportunity for students, who can find ways to work as partners with underserved populations."

School of Nursing receives $30,000 grant to create geriatric nursing program
The Daphne Seybolt Culpeper Memorial Foundation has awarded the School of Nursing $10,000 to develop a geriatric nursing certificate program to address the critical need for education in the care of older adults.

"Geriatrics is a fairly new discipline," says Dr. Meredith Wallace, RN, assistant professor of nursing, who is coordinating the new certificate program. "Becoming credentialed in it will make nurses and their facilities better able to care for the growing number of older adults who will come to them for treatment."

Fairfield University wants to design a program that will benefit faculty and graduates of the School of Nursing, as well as practicing nurses from partner hospitals, which include Bridgeport Hospital and Greenwich Hospital. The certificate program will launch in fall 2004 or spring 2005, with the first class accommodating 20 students.

Sports

Club hockey places second in MCHC

By Jack Jones, Director of Sports Information

To those outside the Fairfield University club hockey family, the 2003-04 season looked to be a transition year - when the program would go from a varsity program to a club team. In the mind of head coach Bernard Gately, that wasn't necessarily true.

"We knew we would have a lot of good players, especially with four of the varsity players on the team," Gately says. "I felt that this was going to be a good team, so our success is not too surprising."

Gately has quietly led his squad to an 11-2 record, good enough for second place in the Metropolitan Collegiate Hockey Conference. The conference includes teams such as Fordham, Hofstra, the University at Albany, and Wagner College. With two games remaining plus playoffs, Fairfield could conceivably win the regular-season crown, quite an accomplishment for its first year in the MCHC.

"The MCHC is a decent league, especially the top half of the conference," Gately says. "The top tier of teams is very competitive, especially Wagner who beat us twice. Those two losses though were highlight games because they were the most competitive game we've played so far."

In close games, experience counts - which is where the varsity foursome comes into play. Goaltender Craig Schnappinger '04 as well as forwards Nick Stead '04, Tom Palladino '04, and Mike Chaconas '06 make up the foursome, and give the team a solid core of players.

"The fact that these players were part of the varsity program commands a great deal of respect among the other players," Gately says. "Craig is one of the top goalies in the league. He is probably the most experienced player on the team, which makes him a good leader."

Still, four players cannot make a team successful by themselves. This year's team has quite an assortment of talent on the roster. The first line of Joe McInerney '04, Mike Suprenant '04, and Jim Pagliaro '07 are the team's top scorers. McInerney leads the team in scoring, and has been a regular among the top ten scorers in the league. Pagliaro and Suprenant rank second and third among their teammates in scoring, respectively.

Schnappinger and defensemen Nate Bavers '04 and Kevin Harrigan '04 joined McInerney and Suprenant on the MCHC All-Star team. Only Fairfield and Fordham placed five players on the All-Star team.

"I am very pleased with the way the team has come together and played," Gately says. "We have two games left plus playoffs, and I think we can do well if we continue to play like we are right now."

By the numbers, the Fairfield University ice hockey club has five conference all-stars, four former varsity players and most importantly 11 wins with a possibility of reaching 13 by season's end. Gately hopes all of those numbers add up to a single numeral - the number one as in conference champion. That would make the year complete.

By Jack Jones, Director of Sports Information

Swimming and diving enjoys a stellar season
The men's and women's swimming and diving teams are in position to enjoy their first winning season since 1988-89. The men currently boast a 6-4 record with only one meet remaining, while the women hold a 7-4 mark with two meets left before the championship season. The key factors in the success of the teams have been the performances of senior captain Frank Vitulli '04 and Brittany Hunter '07. Vitulli has dominated the freestyle races in nearly every meet this season while setting new school marks in the 100-, 200-, 400-, and 800-meter freestyle events. Hunter has set school records as a member of the 200-meter and 200-yard freestyle relay team while individually setting marks in the 200-yard individual medley, 200-meter IM, 400-meter IM, 200 backstroke, 200-yard butterfly, 500-yard freestyle, and 800-meter freestyle.

Men's lacrosse team places high
The men's lacrosse team placed two individuals on the Face-Off Yearbook's Division I Preseason All-Americans list. Peter Vlahakis '04 garnered Third Team honors and Tom Werney '05 was given an honorable mention. Vlahakis, who was named preseason honorable mention as a junior, has finished each of his three seasons in the top-10 in the nation in face-off win percentage. For 2003, he ranked seventh in the country, posting a .633 face-off win percentage, collecting 107 wins in 169 attempts. Werney did not play last season, but returns to lead the Stags offensively. In 2002, Werney was a Great Western Lacrosse League and an All-New England Second Team selection. He was also fifth on the team in scoring, registering 16 goals and four assists for 20 points.

Film highlights breast cancer survivors
On Feb. 29 at 2 p.m. in Gonzaga Auditorium, the women's crew team and the Wellness and Prevention Center will host a screening of the critically acclaimed documentary, One in Nine.

This film, by Diane Cotting, highlights the emotions and struggles of nine women with breast cancer as they struggle to go beyond merely "surviving." Cotting, with her coach, Olympic Gold medalist Holly Metcalf, found eight other women from across the country willing to speak about their experiences.

Cotting will answer questions following the screening. For reservations, please call the Fairfield Crew office at ext. 2023 or e-mail aalbert@mail.fairfield.edu.

news Briefs

Student handbook receives Crystal Award
Fairfield University's student handbook for the 2003-04 academic year, produced for the first time as an interactive CD-ROM, received the Crystal Award of Excellence from The Communicator Awards. The CD, produced by John Ur of the Media Center, replaces the traditional print version of the handbook.

Designed and coded with Macromedia Flash (MX), the handbook provides students with everything from how to connect a computer to the University network and activate the phone line in their dorm rooms, to an interactive guide to Fairfield's rules, policies, and procedures. In addition, the CD contains two video components: an introduction by University President Aloysius P. Kelley, S.J., and a 30-minute history of the University's buildings. Undergraduate students received the CD at the beginning of the fall semester.

Phi Delta Kappa members support Operation Hope
Operation Hope received $650 in donations and gifts from members of the Fairfield University Chapter of Phi Delta Kappa during 2003. Operation Hope serves the needs of the homeless and hungry in Fairfield County.

Phi Delta Kappa is an organization of professional educators and graduate students pursuing study or research in education. Each year, its members donate money, gifts, and services to Operation Hope amid its broad program of charitable and educational support.

Dr. Benjamin Gampel of the Jewish Theological Seminary to speak
The Carl and Dorothy Bennett Center for Judaic Studies at Fairfield University will sponsor a lecture by Dr. Benjamin Gampel, Eli and Dinah Field Associate Professor of Jewish History at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, on Feb. 10 at 7:30 p.m. He will present "Riots, Inquisition, and Expulsions: The Transformation of Sephardic Jewry" in the Charles F. Dolan School of Business.

"The expulsion of Jews from Spain in 1492 and Portugal in 1497 were important turning points in Jewish history," says Dr. Ellen M. Umansky, Carl and Dorothy Bennett Professor of Judaic Studies. "We are fortunate to have Dr. Gampel, a highly esteemed scholar of Sephardic Jewry, share with us the significance of these events both for Spanish and Portuguese Jewry and for Judaism as a whole."

Reservations are requested. For information and to register, call ext. 2066.

A conversation on Dante and Islam
Dr. Maria Rosa Menocal, R. Selden Professor of Spanish and Portuguese and director of the Whitney Humanities Institute at Yale University, will speak on Dante and Islam on Feb. 19 at 4:30 p.m. in the Multimedia Room of the DiMenna-Nyselius Library. Dr. Menocal is the author of several critically acclaimed scholarly works. Her most recent book, The Ornament of the World: How Muslims, Jews, and Christians Created a Culture of Tolerance in Medieval Spain, is published by Back Bay Books (2003). For more information, call ext. 2134.

School of Engineering offers three certificate programs
This semester, the School of Engineering offers three new graduate-level certificate programs for professionals in the area of software engineering: network systems technology; application and data security; and Web applications development.

Each of the certificate programs require four courses for completion. They are an effective and efficient way for experienced professionals to update their skills and maintain or increase their marketability, says William Guelakis, director of the master's program in software engineering.

"We're targeting professionals who have degrees or experience in the field and are looking to upgrade their skills, since in this field it's not what you know, it's what you can do," Guelakis says. Major shifts occur in technology fields every three to five years, and information technology professionals often don't have the time or opportunity to keep up with the latest developments in their domain. The focused certificate programs can bring them up to speed, Guelakis adds.

Potential students who do not have an engineering background can take introductory courses to prepare for the certificate programs. The School of Engineering can guide candidates to basic courses that will ready them to enter one of the certificate programs.

The certificates are also a good way for professionals who are considering a master's degree to get started, Guelakis added. All of the classes required for the certificate programs can be applied toward the School of Engineering's master's degree in software engineering.

Murder mystery novel features Fairfield University

By Jill Kasiewicz Caseria, Editor

When it comes to solving mysteries, it takes wisdom, common sense, and creative perspective. But to crack some of the most puzzling cases, as seen in the new murder mystery novel, Ticked Off!, it sometimes takes the experience of a Fairfield University psychology professor and student charm.

Ticked Off!, written by Westport resident Gaila Ozaki Perran and published by 1stBooks, features a fictional Fairfield University professor of psychology and his assistant, a graduate student, as the primary crime solvers of the murder of a local hairdresser. The professor, "Don Sanford," combines his knowledge and skill of the human psyche with student David Trent's talent for charming the female suspects into confessing the details and piecing together the evidence.

Ticked Off! is based on The Cuckoo Clock, the first mystery novel written by Perran's father, Milton K. Ozaki, in 1946, who throughout his career authored 37 such tales. All were set in the Chicago area. Perran's book is updated to modern times and takes place along the I-95 corridor, from Fairfield to Norwalk. Area readers will recognize establishments mentioned throughout the story - from Fairfield's Joe's American Bar & Grill to Westport's Onion Alley.

The mystery begins when the stabbed body of hairdresser Frank Caponelli is found in his apartment. The apartment is locked from the inside and the weapon - a knife - is wiped clean and lying on the table beside him. The suspects are two businessmen and several women from Caponelli's life.

If there are any physical similarities between Prof. Sanford and Trent and an actual professor and graduate student, Perran insists it's purely coincidental. Most of the names are based on her friends and relatives, and her experience on Fairfield's campus is minimal, she says. It's evident. After all, how many professors have a personal cook, a live-in graduate student to help with research, and solve crimes on the side? But these amusing fictional elements only add to the book's appeal.

Perran, who has lived in the Fairfield-Westport area for 30 years, worked on Ticked Off! for more than a year. "I decided to write it on a whim," she says. She began revising her father's book in spring 2002, when she fell victim to the area's recurrent layoffs. While the initial rewrite took about two months, the editing and revisions lasted just over a year. Stumbling blocks included some of Westport's Main Street shops changing names and Fairfield University's pending approval of being mentioned at all.

But the fact-checking was worth the wait. Envisioning Prof. Sanford and Trent assembling the facts amidst the serenity of Fairfield's campus adds an element of intrigue to the academic setting, to say the least. "It would be an amusing read for students and faculty," says Perran.

Not to mention prospective students with an interest in detective work.

Happenings

English translation of Japanese play to premiere at Fairfield

By Jill Kasiewicz Caseria, Editor

The English language world premiere of the award-winning Japanese play, Tokyo Notes, presented by Theatre Fairfield, will debut in Fairfield University's Wien Theatre March 3 through 7. Playwright and original director, Hirata Oriza, will travel to campus for a three-day residency, during which he will view the performances and discuss his work with students, faculty, and the public. The play was translated in consultation with Hirata by Professor M. Cody Poulton of the University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.

The contemporary piece, which mixes world politics and social relations of the East and West, is set in 2004 in the lobby of a Tokyo art gallery that is hosting an exhibition of paintings by Jan Vermeer. The paintings have been sent to Japan for safe keeping during a war being waged in Europe and Russia.

Conversations in the art gallery reveal the variety of ways in which ordinary Japanese citizens deal with the commonplace events of their lives - while the country is increasingly drawn into the war. The play also addresses the struggles the Japanese face when dealing with the traditional world and the modern.

Written in 1994, Tokyo Notes is an example of hyperrealistic theatre, known in Japan as the quiet theatre movement, or shizuka na engeki, says Dr. Marti LoMonaco, chair of the department of visual and performing arts, who will direct the show.

Dr. LoMonaco admits her great "love, admiration, and fascination with Asian theatre," which is high among her specialties. Her personal experience in Asian theatre includes trips to Japan, her membership in the New York Japan Society, and the introduction of a new course this semester on Asian theatre which is part of the theatre, Asian studies, international studies, and world diversity programs.

Dr. LoMonaco's decision to direct Tokyo Notes at Fairfield stems from the 2000 performance she saw in New York City - in Japanese. And today, with the play eerily reflecting current world politics, she's even more interested. "It's almost like Hirata-san was looking into a crystal ball when he wrote this," she says.

All theatre students will be required to attend a performance of Tokyo Notes and an event with Hirata. Faculty several departments will incorporate the play and/or discussions with the playwright into their curricula.

An additional "premiere" within Tokyo Notes is in its production. For the first time, a student - Michele Fields '04 - is designing the set. Prior to the set's development, Field researched Japanese aesthetics and design, as well as works by Vermeer. Her set experience in summer stock productions, as well as through her coursework at Fairfield, prepared her to take on this premiere event. The design of Tokyo Notes, she says, will reflect the clean, simple lines of Japanese elegance, such as light and dark woods, few pieces of furniture, and a wall covered in Vermeer paintings.

Tokyo Notes won the Kishida Kunio Award, Japan's highest prize for new drama, in 1995. It has been produced more than 40 times worldwide in Japanese and in French.

Dr. LoMonaco enjoys exploring different ways of doing theatre. "Working at a university provides me with the freedom to experiment with different genres. This experimentation is a means of expressing ourselves in art."

Tokyo Notes also expands students' horizons, she adds. "It reveals who we are in this global community, and who they - in this case, the Japanese - are. For the actors, it puts them 'in' the Japanese mind and body. It's a completely different sense of being in the body." To facilitate this new body learning, Dr. LoMonaco has engaged a naturopathic physician skilled in traditional Chinese medicine to teach the cast the movement therapy chi gong.

Tickets sales for Tokyo Notes begin Feb. 9. Call the Box Office at ext. 4010.

Russian dancer Svetlana Biserova performed at the Quick Center's Jan. 11
Russian holiday celebration.

Russian Festival continues through April

• Through March 21: The Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts hosts a Russian costume and stage design art exhibition.
• Feb. 5: Russian Theatre Readings of Anton Chekhov's The Seagull at 7:30 p.m. in the Wien Experimental Theatre.
• Feb. 9: A screening of the Russian film, Vanya on 42nd Street (1994), at 7 p.m.
• March 6: The Amadeus Trio and distinguished actors James Noble and Kier Dullea perform at 8 p.m. for a Quick Center production of L'Histoire du Soldat (A Soldier's Tale). A pre-concert "Art to Heart" discussion with Dr. Laura Nash, director of classical music, will take place at 7 p.m.
• March 7: The Salzburg Marionettes perform Sergei Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf.
• March 8: A screening of the Russian film, East-West (1999), at 7 p.m.
• March 18: A Russian Theatre Reading of Ivan Turgenyev's Fortune's Fool at 7:30 p.m. in the Wien Experimental Theatre.
• March 21: An afternoon devoted to Russian arts. The events begin at 1 p.m. with Russian Masters of Music and Literature, a program of The Live Music Project. A Meet the Artist "Art to Heart" will take place after the show. At 2:15 p.m., the Quick Center will host a Russian food tasting, followed by a 2:45 p.m. screening of The Russian Ark (2002), directed by Aleksandr Sokúrov.
• April 15: A Russian Theatre Reading of Maxim Gorki's The Inspector General at 7:30 p.m. in the Wien Experimental Theatre.
• April 16: The Russian Arts and Letter Festival will culminate with the Moscow Festival Ballet's performance of Giselle at 8 p.m. The company, founded in 1989, has won rave reviews in tours of Europe, Asia, and the United States.

For tickets and more information, call the Box Office at ext. 4010.

Photo by Bob Winkler

Photographer donates works to Fairfield University

Cynthia Brumback, a creative photographer whose works range from penetrating floral montages to captivating depictions of nature and manmade marvels, has donated a selection of her work to the Thomas J. Walsh Art Gallery.

Brumback donated 10 of the pieces that were on display at the Gallery in an exhibition that ran through mid-December. The show, "Across Time: The Photographs of Cynthia Brumback," featured miniature still lifes, pieces combining old tintypes with natural settings, composites, and two-panel couplets covering Brumback's career from the 1970s through 2001.

The donation features several of Brumback's most popular works, including some of her large Asian images. Brumback created many of her photographs in China, where she has spent long visits with her husband, artist Wang Ming. Three years ago, Ming donated a collection of his works to the Gallery.

Brumback's commitment to education and her desire to see artwork appreciated and enjoyed by many moved her to make the donation. She said she was impressed with Fairfield University, and knew that the photographs would be taken care of and valued there. "I was struck by the educational environment," she adds.

Brumback's collection includes single images and sequences, a folding book format , and photo montage."She works with very universal topics that are highly spiritual and, in some ways, abstract in nature," Dr. Diana Mille, director of the Walsh Art Gallery, says. "She has the ability to combine the universal and the abstract with the particular."

Campus Currents is the official news publication of the Fairfield University community. It is published monthly. The editorial office is located in Bellarmine Hall, Room 203. Phone: 254-4000, ext. 2556. Fax: 254-4167.

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