March 2004

Index for March 2, 2004

2004 Fairfield Awards Dinner to honor six

By Jill Kasiewicz Caseria, Editor, and Jennifer Covino, Contributing Writer

His Excellency Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de Leon, former president of Mexico and director of the Yale Center for the Study of Globalization, will present the keynote address and receive the Fairfield University Distinguished Leadership Award at the 2004 Fairfield Awards Dinner on April 13 in New York City. Held annually by the Alumni Association, the dinner raises funds for the University's multicultural scholarships. The endowed Alumni Multicultural Scholarship Fund has raised more than $3.6 million since its inception in 1988 and has provided financial aid to more than 60 recipients.

This year's event will honor Barbara Kiernan, M.A.'90, P'02, '94, director of University publications and marketing communications, with the Distinguished Administrator Award; Jorge Figueredo '82, president of Liz Claiborne International, with the Alumni Professional Achievement Award; and Rosellen Walsh Schnurr '74 with the Alumni Service Award. Charles and Helen Dolan P'86, '85 will receive an Honorary Alumni Award.

The dinner chairman is Board of Trustee member E. Gerald Corrigan '63, managing director at Goldman Sachs. He joined Goldman Sachs in 1994, following a 25-year career with the Federal Reserve System. That same year, he presented the keynote address at Fairfield's 44th commencement ceremony. Corrigan earned a bachelor's degree in economics from Fairfield and master's and doctoral degrees in economics from Fordham University.

Distinguished Administrator Award
Barbara Kiernan, M.A.'90, P'02, '94

Most familiar to Fairfield University alumni as the editor of Fairfield Now, Barbara Kiernan, as Director of University Publications and Marketing Communications, has worn many hats throughout her career at fairfield. From producing the alumni magazine and the president's annual report, to overseeing the creation of admission marketing materials, course catalogs, newsletters, and countless other publications, she's become a fixture in the university community as the "voice" of Fairfield alumni, employees, and friends.

"Good writing, like a great singing voice, is a gift," she says. "When I'm working with others, I try to be aware that each person brings gifts to the table and that their gifts are as sacred as the ones I've received. Ignatian spirituality acknowledges God as the giver of these gifts, as do I. So in dealing with others, I am also dealing with the Giver of their gifts."

Kiernan began working at Fairfield in 1983, as a part-time circulation supervisor in the then-Nyselius Library, and went full-time 18 months later. In 1989, she moved to the Advancement Division as development writer, where she wrote grant proposals, produced scripts, and drafted speeches and correspondence to trustees, major donors, alumni, and the University community.

In 1995, she joined the public relations staff as University editor and was promoted to director of University publications two years later. Her responsibility for marketing communications was added in 1999.

Even after 20 years at Fairfield University, Kiernan has moments when reality breaks through the day-to-day pressures of multiple, intersecting deadlines. "I still can't believe I'm blessed to work at a place like this," she says, "where people are aware that how we treat each other is as important, if not more important, than getting a given task done."

Kiernan earned a bachelor's degree in English literature from Rosemont College and a master's degree in communication from Fairfield University. She is the mother of five sons, two of whom are Fairfield alumni. She also holds a certificate in spiritual direction from Mercy Center in Madison, Conn., and serves on the national executive committee of the Jesuit Advancement Administrators.

In addition to having many Fairfield publications receive regional and national awards, Kiernan has received some personal ones from the University as well: Administrator of the Year (1998) from the Center of Multicultural Relations, honorary membership in Alpha Sigma Nu (1999), and the Human Resources Choice Award (2003).

Alumni Professional Achievement Award
Jorge Figueredo '82

Jorge Figueredo '82 is president of Liz Claiborne International in New York City. He joined the organization in 1984 as warehouse personnel administrator, rising through the ranks to his current position. From 1986 until 1999, he served in the department of human resources in the positions of manager, director, vice president, and finally senior vice president. In 1999, he was named president of the company. In 1998, Human Resources Executive Magazine selected him as Human Resources Executive of the Year.

As president, Figueredo is responsible for a $350 million division operating in Asia, Canada, and Latin America, which distributes 14 brands. He also led the acquisition and integration of MEXX Europe and MEXX Canada, combining them with existing Liz Claiborne companies to create regional operations.

"Someone once said that success is when preparation and opportunity meet," says Figueredo, who credits hard work for his extraordinary transition from a human resources position to one in operations. Figueredo also gives credit to Fairfield University's curriculum. "Though it's my business achievements I'm now being recognized for, I'm a very strong proponent of the liberal arts education," says Figueredo, who majored in English. In addition, Fairfield's Jesuit environment, he says, instilled in him the value of "dealing with people honestly, fairly, and with integrity," especially during difficult situations.

He has recruited on campus for Liz Claiborne and recently hosted a dinner at the company for students in the University's Ignatian Residential College. He is also a member of the Fairfield University Trustees Advisory Council.

Figueredo received a bachelor's degree from Fairfield University in English and international business in 1982, and an MBA from New York University's Stern School of Business in 1994. He was named a David Rockefeller Fellow in 1999.

Alumni Service Award
Rosellen Walsh Schnurr '74

A member of the Board of Trustees, Rosellen Walsh Schnurr '74's dedication to Fairfield University is reflected in the countless hours and energy she has spent on building its future. She has served on numerous committees including co-chairing the Our Promise: The Campaign for Fairfield National Alumni Executive Committee and the Presidential search committee. She is also a liaison to the Trustees Advisory Council and a member of the President's Circle.

"I only involve myself in things I have a passion for," she said in a 2001 article about Our Promise, "which is why serving these last six years on Fairfield's Board has been so wonderful. Viewing the University on a larger scale and getting to work with other trustees has been a privileged experience."

Schnurr graduated from Fairfield University in 1974 and holds a master's degree from Georgetown University.

She is founder and president of the Board of Directors of the Sharon Day Care Center and has served as chair of the board of Indian Mountain School. She has also held teaching positions at The Salisbury School, Guilford High School, and Elizabeth A. Seton High School, and was dean of the liberal arts program at Katherine Gibbs School.

Honorary Alumni Award
Charles and Helen Dolan P'86, '85

Charles and Helen Dolan are long-time benefactors of Fairfield University. Over the years, their remarkable commitment to the University has served students on all levels of the Fairfield experience - by providing funds for facilities and academic programs.

In 1990, the Dolans made a $1 million gift to the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts. At the same time, the University's north campus buildings were named for members of the Dolan family in honor of a $4 million gift from the Dolan Family Foundation, which contributed to the acquisition of 13 acres and three structures purchased from the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. The buildings, which have housed residence halls, the Office of Student Services, University College, the health center, dining facilities, and numerous administrative and student-oriented offices, are named for Mr. Dolan's father, David, and uncles, John and Thomas.

In 2000, the Charles F. Dolan School of Business was named to recognize the couple's $25 million gift - the largest single gift in the University's history. The gift established several endowed chairs in various disciplines. Their gift also created the Dolan Lecture series, which has featured such business leaders as General Electric's Jack Welch, AT&T's C. Michael Armstrong, and Alan C. "Ace" Greenberg of The Bear Stearns Companies.

Mr. Dolan has been a member of the Board of Trustees at Fairfield University since 1981 and was awarded the University's 50th Anniversary Jubilee Medal in 1992. He is the founder and chairman of Cablevisions Systems, the nation's sixth-largest cable operator.

Charles and Helen have six children, including two graduates of Fairfield - Kathleen '85 and Deborah '86.

To attend the 2004 Fairfield Awards Dinner, call the Office of Special Events at ext. 2660.

Booth Ferris Foundation awards $100,000 to Fairfield University

By Dana Ambrosini, Assistant Director of Media Relations

Fairfield University's Center for Academic Excellence, an on-campus resource for professors seeking to learn and share information about the newest educational tools and techniques, has won a $100,000 grant from the Booth Ferris Foundation to continue rolling out its operations and conduct teaching workshops.

In recent years, more than 50 Fairfield University faculty members have been involved in projects that incorporate more interactivity - particularly via technology - into the classroom. The Center is designed to centralize the efforts of and act as a resource for faculty seeking to update their teaching methods, says Dr. Laurence Miners, associate professor of economics and director of the Center.

The CAE, located in Donnarumma Hall, was established last summer with startup funding from the Davis Educational Foundation. In the fall, Dr. Dee Fink, director of the Instructional Development Program at the University of Oklahoma, met with key faculty and administrators to discuss ways the Center could be effective in meeting its goals. During winter break, the CAE and Ignatian Residential College co-sponsored a two-day workshop on Ignatian Pedagogy presented by Rev. Vincent Duminuco, S.J., director of the International Jesuit Education Leadership Project.

This spring, the CAE is accepting proposals for funded release time next fall, to give two faculty members time to revamp one course each. Also this spring, the Center is hosting a series of workshops for faculty that is also open to educators from other institutions. Workshops topics include:

• Philosopher and thinker Parker J. Palmer and his book, The Courage to Teach, led by Rev. Francis T. Hannafey, S.J., associate professor of religious studies
• Active learning and student outcomes, facilitated by Dr. Patricia Calderwood, associate professor of curriculum and instruction in GSEAP
• Teaching online courses
• Using WebCT, an online course management system that allows professors to post assignments and grades, return graded homework and hold online chats and threaded discussions with students.

Finally, in June 2004, the CAE will sponsor Fairfield's fourth annual technology conference, Empowering the Learner: Technology, Pedagogy & Course Redesign IV.

"The grant from Booth Ferris is wonderful confirmation of the exciting work we have begun. It will help the Center for Academic Excellence become an integrated part of the campus community and a major source of pedagogical exploration and research," says Dr. Orin Grossman, academic vice president.

Global Outreach volunteers reach beyond borders

Global Outreach volunteers in Ecuador visited the town of 28 de agosto, which is built in a landfill. Pictured above (l-r) are Kimberley Robinson '04; Alison McHugh '04; Janet Canepa, director of alumni relations; Jill Macari '04; George O'Loughlin, a volunteer with Rostro de Cristo; Angel, a 28 de agosto resident, who is paralyzed; Angel's mother, Luisa, who is holding Angel; Clark Callahan, graduate assistant in the Department of Residential Life and a resident hall coordinator; and Ted Stevens '04.

By Alejandra Navarro, Publications Writer

Each night for 10 days in January, Kristen Nilsen '04 and 12 other Fairfield University seniors on the Global Outreach Program to Tijuana, Mexico, talked about the social and economic problems that plagued the people of this border town.

The group held a daily reflection to discuss and digest their experiences living among a poverty-stricken population. The students, who came from various backgrounds and religions, each contributed a different perspective on issues, such as the positive and negative roles of Mexican factories that provide jobs, but under difficult working conditions.

Because the Campus Ministry program has an Ignatian foundation, the students described the experience as "spiritual" rather than a reflection of a single religion.

"It is spiritual because you do question your relationship with God when you ask questions like, 'What does it mean that these people are so much poorer than we are?'" says Nilsen, who is Protestant. "It can help you define your beliefs."

For most students, the trip was about continuing their volunteer work on an international level. That is a goal for people of many religions, says Ted Stevens '04, one of 10 students participating in the Global Outreach program in Ecuador.

"I don't feel that helping to serve others is a Catholic trait," says Stevens, who is Catholic. "I think it's a good thing to do."

Campus Ministry has sent students abroad to live in poor communities for the past 15 years. In January, 28 Fairfield seniors spent time in Mexico, Ecuador, and Haiti. Students volunteered at schools, daycare centers, orphanages, and hospitals. Those in Mexico also worked in schools, painting, improving the grounds, and helping to make the foundation for a multipurpose room and a patio.

Participants devote up to a year to the program, meeting weekly the semester prior to the trip, and volunteering at the Prospect House soup kitchen the following semester. The students agree that their service work will continue.

"The end result is that they have a different consciousness of the world around them and a deeper understanding of the world and its problems," says Rev. Paul Carrier, S.J., University chaplain.

For Nilsen, the trip stirred emotions and awareness. "It was an eye-opening experience," says Nilsen, who met many migrant workers. "It made me realize that there are so many poor people everywhere in the world and they are really trying to make a life for themselves."

She said she selected the trip to Mexico because of the vigorous work component. She said she wanted to leave a physical contribution to the community, which she did in the form of improved schools.

Kimberley Robinson '04 had seen poor neighborhoods on visits back to her native Jamaica. But it was only a few weeks ago that she began to comprehend how people survive in extreme poverty.

"Seeing it doesn't have much meaning, but living in an impoverished community and speaking with the people - that definitely had a greater impact," Robinson says. "It brings you closer to understanding their lives."

Stevens witnessed the difficulties families faced trying to elevate themselves out of poverty. Class distinctions, clearly defined by skin color, surprised him.

"I didn't realize they had such extreme class differences," Stevens says. "The fact that the children go to the same school, doesn't equate to equal opportunity in the future. I think that needs to change."

Stevens plans to share his experiences to make people here aware of the problems in other parts of the world. Stevens, like many students, pointed out how positive the Ecuadorians were, despite their difficult situations.

"Most live in one-room houses and don't have running water, but they will do anything for you," Stevens says. "They are happy with what they have and it gave us a better appreciation for what we have."

Dispatch center renamed to honor former colleague
Security Director Todd Pelazza (pictured above left), along with security officers and staff, recently dedicated the University's dispatch center in honor of their former colleague, John Olenechuk (pictured far right). Olenechuk, who died in 2003, began working as a sergeant in the security office in 1986. Due to illness, he stepped down from that position in 1992 and, until 2000, was the dispatcher for evening calls to the center.
    At the ceremony, Pelazza remarked on Olenechuk's dedication and tireless efforts to the department. He was instrumental in developing the team's crime prevention work, he initiated the self-defense classes here on campus, and was part of the early planning stages of the dispatch center, Pelazza said. "For his contributions and years of service, as well as his role in designing the console, we thought it was appropriate to dedicate it to him."
    "Thank you for this honor," said Olenechuk's wife, Joanne (pictured with Pelazza), who attended the ceremony with the couple's sons and extended family. "I know, from where he is right now, he's smiling from ear to ear. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart."

Rev. Charles Allen, S.J., executive assistant to the president, spoke at the Y's Men of Westport/Weston meeting on Jan. 15, on the topic of "Living and Working with Today's College Students."

BizEd, published by AACSB International - The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, featured the Charles F. Dolan School of Business on the "Spotlight" page of the January/February 2004 issue.

Dr. Gerard Campbell, associate professor and chair of information systems and operations management in the Dolan School of Business, recently had his paper, "Using Game Theory to Introduce Ethics in Decision Sciences," accepted for publication in the Decision Sciences Journal of Innovative Education. The paper describes a teaching module Dr. Campbell developed for an Ignatian Residential College course focused on business ethics. He also uses the module in his Management Science with Spreadsheets course.

Dr. Arjun Chaudhuri, professor and chair of marketing in the Dolan School of Business, presented two papers at the American Marketing Association's 2004 Winter Educators' Conference in Scottsdale, Ariz., in February. Dr. Chaudhuri presented "Customer Value Outcomes in a Retail Environment," which he co-authored with Dr. Mark Ligas, assistant professor of marketing. He also presented "Testing the Independence of Affect Using Prosocial and Reptilian Feelings," which was published in the proceedings of the conference and earned a nomination for Best Conference Paper.

Dr. Elia Chepaitis, associate professor of information systems and operations management in the Dolan School of Business, will have her article, "Dumpster Diving and Information Responsibility: Research Projects as Change Agents," published in Information Systems Education Journal. The chapter, "Business Identity, Credibility, and Strategies in Russia: The Limits of Impression Management through Information and Communication Technologies in a Low-Trust Environment," will be published in Managing Impressions with Information Technology by Praeger Press. The paper, "The Impact of Y2K: Widening the Stakeholder Circle for Crisis Management," will be presented at the International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management in May in Brussels, Belgium. Dr. Chepaitis also received a contract from Idea Group Publishing to write a textbook on international information systems in the digital age.

Dr. Ralph M. Coury, professor of history in the College of Arts and Sciences, was elected to the National Executive Board of the Association of Arab American University Graduates.
    On Jan. 30, the international British daily newspaper, the Financial Times, published a letter by Dr. Coury under the heading "End clichéd view of Arab radicals."

Dr. Edward Deak, professor of economics in the College of Arts and Sciences, was quoted in a BusinessWeek Online article on Feb. 2, "Robbing Peter Jr. to Pay Paul Sr." Dr. Deak predicted that "Social Security taxes are going to have to be raised," and expressed concern about the number of people retiring who have not made preparations beyond relying on Social Security and Medicare. He also commented on job growth being the key to gauging the economy in a Jan. 31 Connecticut Post article, "Nation's Economic Growth Cools."

In January, Vice President of University Advancement George Diffley, Associate Vice President for Development Fredric Wheeler, and Major Gifts Officer Vic D'Ascenzo, were guest presenters at the Association of Fundraising Professionals - Fairfield County Chapter's monthly luncheon at the Peppermill Restaurant in Westport. The trio delivered the presentation, "The Basic Anatomy of a Capital Campaign," to 95 development officers from various non-profit organizations from Fairfield and Westchester counties.

In February, The Wilton Bulletin featured a talk by Dr. Daniel Geller, professor and chair of psychology and special education in the Graduate School of Education and Allied Professions, to members of SPED*NET Wilton (a special education network for parents) and the Connecticut Tourette Syndrome Association. Dr. Geller discussed major issues facing special-needs families and factors that influence successful adjustment.
    Dr. Geller presented an interactive forum for mothers of children with special challenges at the Darien YMCA on Feb. 11. On March 3 he will present one for fathers.

A Feb. 4 article in The Boston Globe, "Winless, Lieberman Drops Out," quoted Dr. Donald Greenberg, associate professor of politics in the College of Arts and Sciences. In the article, carried also in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Dr. Greenberg said, "Lieberman basically made himself the Republican in the race." He added that Lieberman was no more visible than the Rev. Al Sharpton or U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) two Democratic candidates consistently low in the polls.

Dr. Xin (James) He, associate professor of information systems and operations management in the Dolan School of Business, had two articles published: "Early Trends of ERP Implementation in China," in the proceedings of the Decision Sciences Institute in November 2003; and "Inventory Management under ERP Environment," in the proceedings of the Third International Conference on Electronics Commerce Engineering in October 2003. He also co-authored the article, "Intelligent Web User Interfaces," published in Communications of the IIMA in 2003, and was one of three authors of "Supply Chain Information Technology Metrics," published in the International Journal of Operations and Quantitative Management in 2003.

Dr. Nick Laopodis, associate professor of finance in the Dolan School of Business, published "European and International Asymmetry in the Volatility Transmission Mechanism: The 'German Dominance Hypothesis' Revisited" in the Journal of Economics and Business, and "Monetary Policy Implications of Co-Movements Among Interest Rates" in the Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money.

Dr. Paul Lakeland, professor and chair of religious studies in the College of Arts and Sciences, gave the keynote address at the Boston Conference, "Towards an Ecclesial Professional Ethic," held in February. The conference was part of a two-year initiative called, "The Church of the 21st Century." An excerpt of his book, The Liberation of the Laity - In Search of an Accountable Church, was featured in the center-page spread in the Feb. 8 issue of Catholic New Times, in Toronto.

Dr. Keith Martin, professor and Stephen and Camille Schramm Chair in Business in the Dolan School of Business, presented a paper in Bordeaux, France, titled "An International Survey of Case Use in Higher Education: Report of the WACRA Case Standards Setting Committee," an international committee on which he serves as vice chair. Dr. Martin also presented the paper, "Caravelli & McGuire, Inc.: A Corporate Case Study," in Portland, Ore. A case study, "Great Plans - Little Planning," was included as a chapter in Virtual Education: Cases in Learning & Teaching Technologies, published by IRM Press in 2003.

An article on emergency nursing by Dr. Anne Manton, RN, FAAN, associate professor of nursing in the School of Nursing, was published in the January 2004 issue of Imprint.

"Assessing the Math Online Tool: A Progress Report," an article by Dr. Laura McSweeney, assistant professor of mathematics in the College of Arts and Sciences, and Dr. Joan Weiss, associate professor of mathematics in the College of Arts and Sciences, was published in the fall 2003 issue of Mathematics and Computer Education. This reports on the success of the Math Online system to quiz students online and assess students' knowledge of calculus concepts.

Dr. John Orman, professor of politics in the College of Arts and Sciences, was quoted in a Feb. 1 article in The Dallas Morning News, titled "Catch a star; Celebrities are getting aboard the bandwagons of politicians." Dr. Orman, co-author of Celebrity Politics said, "Politics is now just one component of pop culture. That's why we're seeing more and more celebrities getting involved." Following the State of the Union Address, Dr. Orman provided commentary for News 12 Connecticut and was interviewed by WCBS Radio in New York. In addition, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation interviewed him on celebrity politics, and he continues to be interviewed weekly by Singapore Radio.
    Governor Rowland's political crisis also brought several interviews for Dr. Orman, including one on Feb. 1 in The New York Times that discussed Gov. Rowland's surprising support in cities. Dr. Orman said, "It would be really ironic if a Republican governor's last hope of support is the inner-city communities." Dr. Orman was also quoted in The New York Times in another article on Jan. 18, in The Christian Science Monitor on Jan. 13, and in a Jan. 9 Newsday article. The Connecticut Post quoted Dr. Orman in a Jan. 28 article, "Governor tries to maintain business as usual. Despite the governor's efforts, he's clearly in trouble."

Dr. Milo Peck Jr., assistant professor of accounting in the Dolan School of Business, explained, in a Jan. 11 Connecticut Post article, how the gift tax works. He said, "If something is truly a gift, it's the person who gives the gift who pays the taxes." It is a common misconception, he said, that recipients of gifts are liable for taxes.

The Connecticut Post quoted Dr. Raymond Poincelot, associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, in a Jan. 26 article on colleges adding individual majors. He said, "The idea is to offer a broad array of opportunities to students. Some students have a minor and want to turn it into a major. Environmental studies, for instance, is very popular at the moment."

Dr. Marice E. Rose, visiting assistant professor of art history in the College of Arts and Sciences, presented "Medieval Art in Ireland" to the Irish History Roundtable of New Haven on Jan 20. Dr. Rose also delivered "Evocations of Classical Culture on the Trier Ceiling" at the conference, "From Constantine to Tolkien: The Survival and Revival of Ancient Cultures," at Hood College in Frederick, Md., on Jan. 31. On Feb. 7, Dr. Rose presented "Images of Saints in Medieval Europe and Byzantium" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Dr. Winston Tellis, assistant professor of information systems and operations management in the Dolan School of Business, co-authored an article with lecturer Art McAdams, titled "Socialist Democracy and Software Development: The Case of Software Development in India," published in Issues in Information Systems.

Brian Torff, director of the music program in the College of Arts and Sciences, was the guest artist, clinician, and adjudicator for the North Dakota State University Jazz Festival in Fargo. Torff premiered three original works for big band: "A Night on the Underground Railroad," "Hear Me Out," and "Workin' On a Bassline." He performed with adjunct faculty member Florence Melnotte for Alliance Francais at Restaurant Jean-Louis in Greenwich, where Melnotte gave a talk on French jazz. Torff and Melnotte also played for the Dean's List dinner in the Dolan School of Business.

Photo by Jean Santopatre

Service Anniversaries

March 2004

Service Anniversary

5 years
Joan Millen
Colette Ostrowski
Ulysee Swinton

Births

Dina Franceschi, assistant professor of economics in the College of Arts and Sciences, son - Willem Jone McCarthy, born Jan. 10.
Mark Ligas, assistant professor of marketing in the Charles F. Dolan School of Business, daughter - Kyra Elizabeth, born Feb. 11.

Condolences

Marion Luckey, uncle of Cachet Bird, senior admission counselor, died on Jan. 18.
Reta Grunow, retired language lab supervisor, who died in February.
Teresa Delco, retired administrative assistant to academic vice president Rev. Christopher Mooney, S.J., died on Feb. 15.

New Employees

Jacqueline Rodriguez - operations assistant II, Excel
Tara Marie Sinko - secretary ll, Special Events
Danielle Visconti - security officer, Security
Robert Wething - counselor, Counseling Services

Charles F. Dolan School of Business

Dr. Milo Peck Jr.: Teaching the value of Monopoly money

By Alejandra Navarro, Publications Writer

Monopoly has always been about money, but Dr. Milo Peck Jr., assistant professor of accounting in the Charles F. Dolan School of Business, makes the board game about accounting.

dr. peck's version of the game, which he calls "full contact monopoly," is a lesson in documenting accounting transactions. he has made slight revisions to reach this goal, which include: paying a corporation (each player) $200 in operating revenues for passing go, and translating the community chest card, "you have won second prize in a beauty contest. collect $50" to read, "you win $100 award for beautification of property." In this game, no player can claim bankruptcy, but he or she can borrow money from the bank at 12 percent interest. And of course, students calculate federal taxes at the end of the game.

There's no shortage of interactive assignments in Dr. Peck's classroom. His students have participated in the "Tax Olympics" (complete with team shirts sponsored by a CPA Review Company) and the Accounting Scavenger Hunt. The game calls for students to hunt for accounting accessories - such as pink pearls and pocket protectors - to get a feel for the history of the field, and search for financial information on the Internet, such as finding a company's financial statement with a "contingent loss footnote."

Dr. Peck strives to make teaching and learning entertaining.

"I like performing and teaching is performing," he says. "And I've got a talent for it."

His unconventional lessons have gained an audience. He delivered a presentation on the accounting scavenger hunt at the Academy of Business Education in Key West, Fla., and at the Hawaiian International Conference on Business in 2002. Another paper about the Accounting Scavenger Hunt was presented at the 2003 American Accounting Association's annual meeting in Hawaii. He is currently working with co-authors Paul Mihalek and Dr. Barbara Lamberton, assistant professors at the University of Hartford, on publishing a paper on the Accounting Scavenger Hunt.

Dr. Peck shies away from the academic credits. "I enjoy the teaching aspect of my job," said Dr. Peck, who dons a scholarly style, accessorizing with an extensive collection of bowties. "I enjoy working with young people."

After earning a bachelor's degree from Middlebury College in 1973 and a master's degree from Northeastern University in 1974, Dr. Peck started his career as a fifth-grade teacher, coaching basketball on the side. To increase financial stability, he went back to school and earned a doctor of law from Suffolk University in 1978 and a master of law from Boston University in 1980.

Dr. Peck is a certified public accountant in Massachusetts, and licensed to practice law before both the federal and Massachusetts bars and the tax court. He also has 17 years combined experience as a banker, certified public accountant, investment advisor, and an executive with a financial services group.

With financial success, he returned to the classroom, teaching teaching at colleges in the late 1980s. He joined the faculty at Fairfield University in 1990. It didn't take long to win the hearts of students. In 1994, members of Alpha Sigma Nu selected Dr. Peck to receive the Teacher of the Year award.

Today, Dr. Peck encourages his students to make good ethical decisions. He stirs debates on the ethical questions his students will come across in their careers. He reminds students of the cost to society and to their dignity, when they help clients avoid taxes through unethical methods, even if it is within the law.

For as much as Monopoly can help teach the nuts and bolts of number crunching, life is not about who wins with the most money at the end of the game, he says. "Tombstones don't say your net worth."

Photo by Jean Santopatre

Bill Taylor joins School of Engineering

By Nina Riccio, Publications Writer

Armed with a master's degree in electrical engineering and a doctorate in biomedical engineering, Dr. Bill Taylor has developed a keen interest in an area of technology that happens to be hot right now - biosensors. Simply put, biosensors are analytical devices that can detect bacteria or chemicals and transmit that information so it can be interpreted. They're small, portable, and can be inexpensive to produce.

A few years from now, "it won't be at all unlikely to walk into any building, anywhere, and find a small bank of biosensors mounted on the wall," predicts Dr. Taylor, who joined the School of Engineering in February as the new associate dean. "Each biosensor would be capable of detecting the presence of an undesirable agent, such as ricin, anthrax, or smallpox."

Though Dr. Taylor acknowledges that the threat of bioterrorism has accelerated the research and development of biosensors, his interest in the devices leans towards their many uses in medicine. "Imagine not having to collect and store samples of blood or urine to conduct tests," he says. "With a biosensor, a doctor can gather information with a device similar to a thermometer." A portable sensor, for example, may one day be able to determine levels of trace minerals, hormones, and diagnostic enzymes, in addition to temperature.

At Fairfield, one of Dr. Taylor's mandates is to be sure the quality of curriculum continues to improve. This is done with a series of assessments, "many of which have been put in place over the last five years," says Dr. Taylor, whose most recent position was professor and department chair at West Virginia University. "Yet we need to evaluate our program continually and make sure it's responsive to the needs of our students and their potential employers." Students graduating from Fairfield, for example, generally go into industry. In New Mexico, where Dr. Taylor taught in the 1990s, students were more likely to work for one of the national laboratories after graduating.

"Ultimately, it's a wonderful strength for technology education to be gained within the context of a liberal arts education," says Dr. Taylor. "Lots of schools can turn out technocrats, but we want people who can reason, make policy decisions, and respond to the environment around them. Employers tell us that the biggest need they have is for employees who have the ability to think, work together, and solve problems. These qualities are the hallmarks of a liberal arts education. And as a Jesuit school," he adds, "it's a special calling to have graduate engineers who are also humanists."

Photo by Jean Santopatre

Help name a University road

McEleney Lane? Bellarmine Drive? Dolan Circle? Giving directions and getting around at Fairfield University just got easier - or at least it will be in the not-too-distant future.
    With new campus signage identified as a customer service priority, University officials are developing a plan that includes naming the streets and roadways after those who have been influential in the growth and development of Fairfield University or whose name is associated in some way with the institution. Now through June 1, University employees and alumni are welcome to submit suggestions. Names of individuals currently employed at Fairfield will not be considered.
    If there is someone whom you would like to see honored in this way, please send his or her name and a brief statement on why you think the individual deserves such an honor to roadways@mail.fairfield.edu by June 1.

Zakaria discusses fears surrounding terror threat

By Christian Villodas '04, Contributing Writer

With candor, wit, and intellect, Newsweek International editor Fareed Zakaria articulated his acute knowledge of global politics to a sold-out Open VISIONS Forum crowd at the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts last month.

In his address, the acclaimed author and columnist clarified the issues surrounding the terror threat posed to America and the world at large.

"The great danger we face (today) is the one we faced on September 11, which is people who are willing to kill themselves,"said Zakaria. "Regimes you can deter, states you can deter, but how do you deter somebody who wants to die?"

During a press conference earlier, Zakaria dispelled myths of America's role as a neo-colonialist.

"I'm an immigrant and when I look at the role of the United States in the world, I just think that overwhelmingly it has been a positive one. Yes, of course, like any great power the United States has had double standards ... it has done things for its narrow, short-term interests that perhaps were not the best manifestations of its broader interests, but compared to what? Compared to the Soviet Union, compared to Germany when it had that kind of problem?"

He continued, "Is the global AIDS crisis going to be solved if the United States becomes isolationist? Is the Palestinian problem going to be solved if the United States disengages? Is the North Korean problem going to be solved if we leave it to the tender mercies of China and South Korea? ... What you need and what you should be for is greater American engagement in a progressive and ameliorative fashion."

Conscious of emerging terror threats, Zakaria acknowledged post-Sept. 11 fears.

"It's important to be afraid, but not to run scared," he said. "I think it is important to be afraid because these dangers are real, and they're getting more real every year."

Zakaria emphasized that the United States should work with other nations to track the production of chemical weapons. He also touched upon the utility of instituting checks in order to better thwart future terrorist attacks.

"You don't know where the lab is where this stuff is being made," said Zakaria. "You want to make sure that the capabilities to do this (produce weapons) are under close surveillance."

He also addressed American involvement in Iraq and the June 30 date set for the transfer of power.

"The only legitimate authority we can imagine is something that involves the international community, because any Iraqi authority is going to be, by necessity, partial," he noted.

Although the world remains in flux, Zakaria acknowledged the reality of the global situation that lies before the United States and the world faced with the possibility of future terrorist attacks.

"This is going to be the shape of our lives," Zakaria said. "This will never end in that sense; it is just the nature of the new world. Globalization has made the privatization of violence possible."

University students and faculty, as well as Fairfield residents, were captured by the scope of Zakaria's comments. "He speaks extemporaneously in whole paragraphs," said Academic Vice President Dr. Orin Grossman of Zakaria's remarkable eloquence.

"His speech was inspiring because I felt like he wasn't pushing a political agenda," said Mikayla Palazzolo '04.

A graduate of Yale and Harvard, Zakaria's column has millions of readers worldwide. His book, The Future of Freedom: Illiberal Democracy at Home and Abroad, examines global political trends.

Photo by Bob Winkler

Shays moderates on-campus discussion of Patriot Act
Congressman Christopher Shays (pictured above, far right) moderated a panel discussion on the Patriot Act in the Charles F. Dolan School of Business on Feb. 7. Pictured above (l-r) are panel members Ed Cugell, Office of Chief Division Council, Federal Bureau of Investigation; Kevin O'Connor, United States attorney for the District of Connecticut; and Matt Berry, senior counsel in the Office of Legal Policy, Department of Justice. Also on the panel were Michael Golrick, city librarian of Bridgeport; Manny Margolis, legal advisor, Connecticut Civil Liberties Union; and Theresa Younger, executive director, Connecticut Civil Liberties Union.

Photo by Jean Santopatre

Kirby family grant to boost reading readiness
The Adrienne Kirby Family Literacy Project, a partnership between Fairfield University and Action for Bridgeport Community Development (ABCD), has received $27,500 to continue its work improving school readiness among the underserved children of Bridgeport. The grant, given by the F.M Kirby Foundation, will help the project increase language and reading-readiness skills, raise parental involvement in education, and decrease the "digital divide" by providing technology training to teachers and low-income children and parents.

"The beauty of the Family Literacy Project is that everyone benefits and is seen as a valuable resource," says Dr. Judy Primavera, project coordinator and professor of psychology in the College of Arts and Sciences. "Fairfield University students benefit because working in ABCD's Head Start classrooms brings what they learn in their textbooks to life, provides internship and research opportunities, places them right in the center of some of our nation's most important social issues, and, most of all, encourages them to value diversity, community service, and themselves. The Head Start children benefit from the hundreds of hours of one-on-one tutoring of school readiness skills and from having a 'college friend' as a role model."

She added that parents and teachers at ABCD benefit from the influx of literary resources and the friendships they develop with Fairfield University students in the project that is now in its twelfth year.

"We have the Kirby family and Foundation to thank for the magnitude of positive impact of our work," Dr. Primavera continues. "Without their personal commitment to our mission and their continued financial support of our activities, the Family Literacy Project would not be the nationally recognized program that it is today."

Humanitas Foundation funds "Companions" program at Ignatian Residential College
A $23,722 grant from Humanitas Foundation will allow alumni of the Ignatian Residential College a chance to reunite and build upon the personal exploration achieved during their sophomore year at the college.

The Companions Program offers juniors and seniors of the Ignatian Residential College an opportunity to continue to converse about, reflect upon, and discern the meanings and implications of insights discovered while in the Ignatian College. "We are delighted to have the opportunity to continue the spirit of the Ignatian Residential College beyond the sophomore year," says Dr. Mary Frances Malone, associate academic vice president and project director. "Our hope is that juniors and seniors will assume leadership positions in the Companions program and will serve as leaven to the University community in fostering the Ignatian ideals."

The program's expansion will also afford faculty an opportunity to offer upper-level courses that build upon the themes of the College, and will aim to foster greater undergraduate understanding of the meaning of personal vocation.

Tauck Foundation awards $9,000 to Summer Young Writers' Institute
The Tauck Foundation has awarded a $9,000 grant to Fairfield University's Connecticut Writing Project's Summer 2004 Young Writers' Institute. This is the second year the Foundation has funded this program.

The Young Writers' Institute is a program for area students entering grades 6 through 11. For two weeks, students engage in various workshops, writing fiction and non-fiction works including poems, stories, and personal narratives. Selections are bound into an anthology.

"The program is designed to enrich students' love for writing; it's a stimulating place for them to concentrate on their writing," says Dr. Betsy Bowen, associate professor of English in the College of Arts and Sciences and associate director of the CWP. "What I'm proudest about is that the program mixes urban and suburban kids, who may not normally come together. They all share the pleasure and desire to write. That desire connects and bonds them." Last year's participants were from schools throughout Connecticut, including Bridgeport, Fairfield, Milford, Norwalk, Stratford, and Weston.

Thanks to the Tauck Foundation's first $9,000 gift, CWP provided about half of the 40 participants with full or partial scholarships. With this year's funds, Dr. Bowen hopes to double the number of students participating in the program, as well as continue to offer scholarships. Program tuition is $650.

The program also provides free transportation to and from campus. Instructors are from schools in Fairfield, Greenwich, New Canaan, and Westport.

"For some of these students - for whom writing is a passion - school can be a lonely place. They feel different from their peers and odd about their excitement over writing," says Dr. Bowen. It's also difficult for some schools to supplement this desire to write and bring out the talents of these students, she adds. That's where the Summer Institute can fill the gaps and feed their passion, especially when local authors and illustrators visit the group and discuss their career paths.

Parents are pleased to see their children so happy in the program. "This is the first time my daughter has had the opportunity to share her passion for writing with others her age," writes one parent about her daughter's experience. "Your guest speakers not only inspire her to continue her work, but also give her practical information about getting published. Thank you so much for making this very deep, very positive experience possible."

Schechter Foundation funds Walsh Art Gallery exhibition
The Schechter Foundation has awarded $5,000 to the Thomas J. Walsh Art Gallery for the 2004-05 academic year. The grant will partly underwrite a photo exhibition scheduled for the upcoming fall semester.

The exhibition is a collection of images of the restoration of the Athenian Acropolis from 1975 to 2002, taken by Acropolis chief photographer Socratis Mavrommatis. Fairfield University will be the first North American venue to host the collection.

A generous grant from the Humanities Institute also contributed to the funding of this exhibition.

In addition to the exhibition, Dr. Diana Mille, Gallery director, and Dr. Katherine Schwab, from the art history program, are planning a teacher's workshop, tours and sessions for students from kindergarten through college, and educational materials - including a CD-ROM developed by Kristin Kane '04 - for use in the classroom. Kane assisted Cornelia Hadziaslani, head of information and education at the Acropolis Restoration Service, last summer at a conference in Boston. During winter recess, she traveled to Athens to conduct research for the CD. The trip was supported by the art history department's Mary Louise Larrabee Award for outstanding achievement in art history.

Among the materials planned for the exhibition are three educational kits depicting the Acropolis, a Greek temple, and the Parthenon frieze. All will be on display at the Gallery for school groups. The kits were given to Fairfield University by Hadziaslani.

Fairfield's hosting of the exhibition is originally due to the personal connections made by Dr. Schwab during her multiple research trips to the Acropolis, where she first met Mavrommatis and Hadziaslani. Dr. Schwab also attended the inaugural exhibition of Mavrommatis's photographs when it opened in Athens at the Benaki Museum in October 2002.

"The more they learned about Fairfield University, the more they were interested in what Fairfield could do for them on an educational level," she says.

"These photos are of the highest quality and extraordinary," she adds. "It's very generous of Mavrommatis and Hadziaslani to provide the supporting materials to use with the exhibition for teaching purposes."

Faculty Couple:

Dr. Katherine Schwab and Dr. Ron Davidson

By Jill Kasiewicz Caseria, Editor

Drs. Katherine Schwab and Ron Davidson's story began in 1990 in the John A. Barone Campus Center. Dr. Paul Lakeland, chair of religious studies, invited Dr. Schwab to have lunch with a group of colleagues and Dr. Davidson - who had just joined the faculty as a professor of religious studies. Dr. Lakeland introduced her as a "fellow Californian," thinking the two would be able to bond over their common roots.

Conversation quickly took a wrong turn, however, revealing the negative stereotypes each held for the other's geographic region. "I said I was from southern California," says Dr. Schwab, associate professor of visual and performing arts (who began teaching at Fairfield in 1988), "while he declared he was from the 'Northern State.'" Eyebrows were raised between the two as this distinction was set. They then challenged each other with the number of generations each family had lived in California (Dr. Schwab was sure she'd have the longer legacy). But Dr. Davidson's family beat hers by two - his great-grandfather was among those who struck gold in the 1850s. "Within a few minutes, we managed to 'offend' each other multiple times," she says, smiling.

Despite this less-than-promising first exchange, however, their commonalties ultimately outweighed their differences. They started dating about a year later. In 1993, they married in California's "Southern State" - the town of La Jolla - where Dr. Schwab's parents reside.

Their diverse specialties yet similar interests have carried them to far corners of the world, such as Nepal, Turkey, India, and Greece. He focuses on Buddhism, she on Greek and Roman art. Over the years, grants for research projects have led each of them to foreign regions and cities - "to learn, to live, to conduct research, and to get a sense of a place," says Dr. Davidson - with the other joining the adventure at the tail end of the "research" part on a few trips. Dr. Schwab will never forget her two weeks in Nepal in 2000, taking private painting lessons in Tibetan tanka painting, while her husband conducted research at a Buddhist refugee settlement. Her photographs from that trip, along with his research as reflected in the captions, were included in "The Mystical Arts of Tibet: Mandala, Photography, and Dance," a 2001 exhibition in the Thomas J. Walsh Art Gallery.

When one is away, the other awaits vivid e-mail messages, which often describe a place in such beautiful detail that the recipient feels transported to the far-away site. "Now that cyber cafes are readily available in so many places where we travel, staying in touch and sharing a sense of the surroundings has been possible," says Dr. Schwab.

They credit each other for opening their eyes to different perspectives in the arts, religion, and cultures. For example, Dr. Schwab introduced Dr. Davidson to archaeology ("I never really appreciated it before," he admits) and his projects rekindled an interest in Asian art for her. "I studied Asian art as a minor concentration in graduate school," she says, "but my revived interest has resulted in two new courses for the art history program." She adds that since her exposure to her husband's research, she's begun to see Asian artifacts not only in a museum setting but also in a living context. "There's a real difference," she says.

Many of the students they share, they say, have no idea they're a couple - and are rather surprised when they find out. "We work in completely different departments and have different schedules," says Dr. Davidson. So different, in fact, that commuting to campus together doesn't work for them. It's helpful, however, when a student has taken one of the other's courses. "A student who's taken Ron's upper Asian religion courses, or has a background in religions of that region, can participate in the correlating art course in a much deeper way than someone who hasn't," says Dr. Schwab. She also has lectured in her husband's courses. "Not as a spouse, but as an expert," clarifies Dr. Davidson. He's done the same in hers.

Their next adventure is scheduled for this summer, when Dr. Davidson will give the keynote address at a University of Vienna conference before spending two months conducting research in India. Dr. Schwab will meet him in India and plans to visit Amritsar to see the Sikhs' Golden Temple and Dharamsala and McLeod Ganj where she hopes to take more Tibetan painting lessons while immersed in a Tibetan community.

Photo by Jean Santopatre

Alumna shares personal job search experience
Trustee Diane Oakley '75 addressed Dolan School of Business students last month, discussing her recent lay-off experience and job search process. She offered tips such as networking, selling the "brand called you," and avoiding pigeon-holing oneself into a particular position.

Photo by Jean Santopatre

Lent 2004: A time of grace and reconciliation

By Rev. Paul E. Carrier, S.J., University Chaplain

Recently, I was reflecting on the meaning of grace, and how to share that with others. One Friday evening, I was watching an episode of Joan of Arcadia with my sister and, as regularly happens on the show, God speaks to the main character through people she meets. In this episode, God, in the person of a school security guard, asks her, "What do you think grace means?" I almost fell out of my chair. I listened carefully for the answer. "Grace is the touch of truth which helps us to see differently - ourselves, others, our world. Grace comes when we open our hearts to its presence. It comes to us through our everyday experiences, people we meet, what we see and read."

Grace puts us solidly on the road of discovery and revelation. It is neither for the fainthearted, nor for those who have all the answers. Grace is what happened to people like Isaiah and Peter in crucial moments in their lives. Grace helped them find their own voice and vision. We read in the Hebrew Scriptures that Isaiah had a powerful experience with God and his reaction was that he was lost, a person with unclean lips, totally unworthy. This is partially true. The deepest truth for Isaiah was that because of God's amazing grace, guilt had departed, sin was blotted out. His only response to this truth was to exclaim, "Here I am; send me!"

Peter had a similar awakening through a powerful encounter with Jesus. After an amazing, seemingly impossible catch of fish, Peter cries out, "Depart from me, I am a sinful person." Again, partially true. But because of God's amazing grace, Peter finds his own voice and vision and becomes a "people catcher." Grace comes to Peter through Jesus' words, "Be not afraid" - words that go straight to the heart. Jesus always sees a person, sees us, as God intended. Jesus sees beneath the sin and guilt and shame and fear, Jesus sees the divine image in every person. Jesus, if he had a reality show like Donald Trump, would not call it The Apprentice, but The Disciple. Jesus certainly would not evaluate or judge other people like a chief executive officer or a corporate head. A CEO evaluation of Jesus' followers would probably sound something like this:

"Peter is too emotional and prone to faulty snap judgments. James and John lack a team spirit and are prone to be hotheads. Thomas will miss meetings and is a skeptic. Simon is a left wing political zealot who would fight constantly with Matthew, an establishment tax collector. The only candidate you should retain is the highly motivated and competitive Judas Iscariot."

Because Jesus sees the heart, we can believe and come to know that grace comes to us when we feel we can no longer make it alone, when we feel we can no longer give, when we feel incapable of kindness, when we seem unable to love. Grace always comes to us as God's initiative. God acts first and makes the first move. We don't earn it or deserve it. Spiritual author, Philip Yancey reminds us, "God gives gifts, not wages!"

Like Isaiah and Peter, God needs us, and the rock bottom reality is that God loves us because of who He is and not because of who we are. God needs us and wants to send us love as we discover our own voice and vision.

This Lent, as we pray, serve, and sacrifice, may we hear Jesus say to us, and experience God's amazing grace as we hear, "Don't think so much. Surrender, believe. The unprepared move out to the world and witness. The words will come. Serve. Help. Love. It's impossible, just do it. Tell everyone, 'Help, love, serve!'"

This Lent, let us remember that God's amazing grace expressed as love and forgiveness is impossible. Let's just do it.

What makes a healthy community?

Most of us can recognize when a neighborhood is in trouble. It seems as if people just do not care about their surroundings. Yards are not well kept, paint is peeling, and junk litters the curbside. There seems to be little investment in the individual houses, and more critically, little involvement in the surrounding community by those who live there.

We can also tell when we are in a healthy environment. Healthy communities do not depend on wealth, although disposable income makes an improved visible community more possible. Communities of people with modest income can still invest in community improvement, and communities of people with wealth can have no real involvement in that community beyond a monetary investment.

Indicators of health at the community level include the way people interact and the way the physical environment fosters interaction and meets the needs of the people who live there. Indicators include communal investment in construction where common areas, roads, community lighting, areas for recreation, and security are sufficient. They also include a personal investment in the community, such as upkeep of housing, use of community facilities, and attendance at meetings where community decisions are made. And they include community leadership at a variety of levels that lead to logical growth that enhances the community environment.

So how is your environment? Does it contribute to a positive community or does it detract? Does it relax you or infuriate you? This is an area of constant challenge for me, as my colleagues in the School of Nursing will attest. I am often too busy to organize the constant flow of paper and information, so it ends up in piles on my desk and surrounding horizontal surfaces. One colleague, who faces similar challenges with multiple roles and mountains of paper, takes 20 minutes each morning to clear and file items from the previous day. She finds that it reduces her stress because she can now find things she needs - faster - and the uncluttered space is more relaxing. The same approach can be applied to your home. Thirty minutes invested per day in cleaning and organizing can make a big difference, even if the rest of the home needs a larger investment of time and effort!

What about our academic community? Fr. Kelley has contributed to creating our beautiful campus, our upgraded facilities, and a culture of caring for each other and those in surrounding communities who need additional support. What is your personal contribution to this community? While the answer to this question includes the quality that you put into your work here at Fairfield University, it also should include what you contribute personally to the betterment of our community. Think of it as the lay equivalent to the Jesuit sense of community.

Take the time to evaluate what you contribute to this community. Are you helping to create a healthy community through your behavior and language, or are you laying the foundation of a community in trouble? Do you pick up trash as you walk by or do you leave it for someone else to pick up? Does your school or department periodically evaluate your work environment and request support for positive changes? Is your department "user friendly", or does it create barriers (physical and organizational) for the very people you work to serve? Does this University look at its policies to see if they need to be changed or updated to reflect current organizational and educational trends?

The advent of a new President provides an opportunity for personal, departmental, school, and University-wide reflection on our community. We welcome Fr. von Arx to our campus and community. And we look forward to his leadership as we continue to foster a healthy community where individual and collective action toward improvement is the norm, and the support necessary for all sectors of the community is provided equitably, with the involvement of community members and leaders alike.

Philip A. Greiner, DNSc, RN

Associate Professor of Nursing; Director, Undergraduate Program; Director, Health Promotion Center

Dolan School of Business strengthens its MBA programs

The Charles F. Dolan School of Business will begin offering a revised MBA curriculum in fall 2004, reducing credits required for degree completion from 62 to 54 and placing more emphasis on the field of concentration chosen by the student. The School is also implementing revisions to its fifth-year MBA program in accounting or taxation, so that those who already hold a bachelor's degree in accounting may complete the MBA in approximately one year of full-time coursework.

MBA program revisions
In reworking its overall graduate curriculum, the Dolan School's MBA program now focuses more on concentration courses, puts credit requirements in line with those of other schools accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, and makes a business law and ethics course obligatory, according to Dr. Norm Solomon, dean.

The revised curriculum requires students to have completed basic economics and statistics courses, as well as a college-level math course, before entering the program, thereby raising students' preparation level and enabling the school to enhance core and breadth requirements within the program. "We're strengthening the program by expecting students to have certain basic classes completed," notes Dr. Solomon. "Class interaction will be enhanced because everyone will have the same fundamental background before beginning the MBA."

At the same time, the revisions add more credit hour requirements in each of the eight concentration areas. Entering students whose business degree was earned at an AACSB-accredited school may apply for course waivers, making it possible to complete the program with 36 required credit hours. One course that cannot be waived, however, is Business Law and Ethics. "In their deliberations, faculty recommended that, given the current business climate, advance-level work in this area would offer an advantage to our students," explains Dr. Solomon.

One-year MBA in accounting or taxation
Fairfield University had previously offered a five-year MBA program in accounting that consisted of 3.5 years of undergraduate work and another 1.5 years of graduate study. That formula, however, prevented many students from other schools from applying to Fairfield University's fifth-year MBA program.

The revised format alleviates this problem, features an updated curriculum, and provides more convenient course scheduling, says Dr. Paul Caster, associate professor of accounting and director of the graduate accounting program. The number of required classes ranges from 12 to 19.

In the program, students can now choose between a concentration in accounting, which has an emphasis on auditing and financial accounting, or taxation. The accounting concentration prepares them for entry-level positions in large public accounting firms. The concentration in taxation prepares students to begin professional careers on the tax staff.

"We are pleased to offer this valuable program to students from other universities," says Dr. Caster, "so they, too, can quickly and efficiently earn a master's degree."

Employees continue to advance Our Promise

By Lisa Roberts, Development Writer

Many thanks go to all employees who are "Keeping the Promise" of Fairfield moving forward through their financial contributions to Our Promise: The Campaign for Fairfield University. A month after the Employee Phase was launched, many first-time gifts from employees are coming in, pulling this important constituency together during the final push of the capital campaign.

Participation is key, agree co-chairs Dr. Susan Birge, assistant vice president of student services, and Dr. Kurt Schlichting, professor of sociology and anthropology, "as employee representation marks our level of commitment to Fairfield's students, and completes the circle of giving by involving the entire University community." The co-chairs are also heartened by the sacrifice many employees have made to convert their dedication to Fairfield University into dollars, recognizing that many employees with young families have stretched their budget in their generosity." One-time or multi-year gifts benefit the University by strengthening and stretching the promise of Fairfield.

Please consider sending your gift in today - and thanks again to those who have done so already.

Here are some things to consider:

• Payroll deduction has been the most popular method of employee giving to date. It can be as simple as deducting $5 a paycheck.
• That said, if every Fairfield employee gave 1 percent of their salary, just over a half-million dollars could be raised - sending a strong statement of support to those inside and outside the University community and, in particular, to our students.
• Those who give $125 or more will receive a participation gift, while a pledge of $85 per month will qualify employees to join The President's Circle.
• In addition to payroll deduction, gifts can be made in the form of stock, gifts-in-kind, bequests, memorial gifts, credit card, or checks.
• Employee gifts can be directed to the building fund, the Staff Association Scholarship, endowment, and/or the Annual Fund.

For more information, or to direct your gift today, contact Rich McCarty, advancement officer, at ext. 2026.

Sports

Making a splash: Stags duo sets new records in swimming and diving

By Julie Greco, Assistant Director of Sports Information

On Jan. 31, 2004, Fairfield University's swimming and diving teams accomplished something that hasn't been done since 1989 - they finished the regular season with a winning record. Back in 1988-89, Fairfield's men and women's swimming and diving teams finished with records of 7-7 and 10-3, respectively. At the end of February, both teams headed to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference championship, with the men boasting a 6-5 record and the women holding an 8-5 mark.

Many factors have contributed to the teams' successes this season, but perhaps the two biggest reasons are senior captain Frank Vitulli of Elmont, N.Y., and freshman swimmer Brittany Hunter of Mt. Kisco, N.Y.

Vitulli, a freestyle specialist, has led the Stags in nearly every meet this season as he continually breaks his own school records. To date, he holds 10. "As a swimmer, you dive into the pool week after week wanting to improve on your time from the previous meet," he says. "In my case, I hold the records for the events that I have been swimming." Vitulli has set the standard individually in many events, including the 100-meter freestyle, 200-meter freestyle, 400-meter freestyle, 800-meter freestyle, 1,000-yard freestyle, and the 1,650-yard freestyle, while swimming as a member of the 400-meter freestyle and 800-yard freestyle relay teams.

According to Head Coach Bill Farley, "Frank brings dedication, a tremendous work ethic, and leadership both in and out of the water. This season he has taken his swimming to a level that I believe he did not think of before. He is probably our most dependable performer and I will miss his presence next season."

Farley isn't the only one who will miss Vitulli's presence when he graduates, says Hunter. "I like to practice with Frank because we have different ways of swimming," she says. "I think that by swimming with him, parts of my race get better. When Frank graduates there will be a huge spot to fill."

Hunter, a versatile swimmer, has been dominant in nearly every event she swims, regardless of the stroke. She holds 16 school records in her short career on the team. Among those, she has set the mark in the 500-yard freestyle, 800-meter freestyle, 1,500-meter freestyle, 100-meter butterfly, 200-meter butterfly, 200-yard individual medley, 200-meter individual medley, and the 400-meter individual medley, while swimming as a member of the school record-breaking 400-meter freestyle relay team.

"Brittany is incredibly valuable to the team," says Farley. "When we are at a meet and we find that we have to win an event in order for the team to do well, we put her into it. It doesn't matter what the event is or if it's a good event for her. If we put her in, we know we have a chance."

Vitulli agrees that Hunter has been the key to the success of the women's team. "Brittany possesses so much natural talent," he says. "She dedicates herself to developing her skills each time she dives into the pool so the team can only expect even greater accomplishments from her in the future."

Both traveled to Baltimore, Md., to swim in the MAAC championships last month, a meet in which Farley was confident the Stags would fare well, thanks in large part to Vitulli and Hunter. The men placed fifth; the women's team tied for fifth place. Hunter was part of the freestyle relay team that took fourth place, breaking the school record by more than three seconds. "Frank and Brittany, along with several others, raced for first-place, and quite possibly, more school records, in their events," says Farley.

By Jack Jones, Director of Sports Information

Deng Gai '05 named to NABC All-District Team
Deng Gai '05 earned a spot on the National Association of Basketball Coaches All-District I team for the second straight season. The selection for the 15 All-District teams is by vote of the association's members. Gai led the team in scoring with 13.3 points per game through the first 16 games, before an ankle injury caused him to miss the last nine contests. Before his injury, Gai was ranked third in the nation with 4.1 blocks per game, after leading the country in that category for the first eight weeks of the season. The junior was also the team's leading rebounder with 137 caroms, and still leads the team with an 8.6 rebounding average. He recorded six double doubles this season, including 17 points and a career-high 18 rebounds against Hawaii in the Rainbow Classic championship game. Gai tied a Rainbow Classic record with 16 blocks in three games. Awards are nothing new for the forward, earning pre-season All-Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference by vote of the coaches, as well as from Street & Smith, The Sporting News, and Athlon's for the 2003-04 campaign.

Women's lacrosse selected as pre-season favorite
The Stags women's lacrosse team earned the top spot in the 2004 MAAC pre-season coaches poll. Fairfield picked up 47 points in the poll, having finished the 2003 campaign with an unblemished 6-0 mark in conference play. Junior Monica Janowitz earned the MAAC pre-season goaltender of the year, one of four Fairfield players to receive pre-season recognition. Senior Jessica Conahan, sophomore Beth Loffredo, and senior Colleen Sindall joined Janowitz on the pre-season All-MAAC team. The women's lacrosse team opened their regular season with a home game against Davidson.

Photo by Julie Greco

University College honors adult students In December, University College hosted a ceremony and reception for Cendant Mobility employees who received their certificates in graduate communication. Pictured left with the Cendant employees are (front row, l-r) Dr. Edna Wilson, dean of University College; Dr. Orin Grossman, academic vice president; Marge Glick, associate dean of University College (second row, center); and Dr. James Keenan, professor of communication.

news Briefs

Ruth W. Messinger to speak at Fairfield
Ruth W. Messinger, former Manhattan-borough president and president and executive director of American Jewish World Service, will speak at the Charles F. Dolan School of Business on March 11 at 7:30 p.m. Her lecture, which is co-sponsored by the Dolan School and the Carl and Dorothy Bennett Center for Judaic Studies, is entitled "Jews as Global Citizens: The Work of the American Jewish World Service."

The lecture will focus on the work and philosophy of AJWS, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to alleviating poverty, hunger, and disease in the developing world, and, through its Jewish Community Development Fund, building identity in Russia and Ukraine.

Messinger is currently a visiting professor at Hunter College where she teaches urban policy and politics. The Forward, an American Jewish weekly newspaper, has named Messinger one of the 50 most influential Jews of the year, for the past three years.

The lecture is free and open to the public, but reservations are requested. Call the Carl and Dorothy Bennett Center for Judaic Studies at ext. 2066.

University College to offer art tours
With spring just around the corner, Manhattan's myriad art galleries are gearing up for their new exhibits. University College at Fairfield University will offer expert-led tours of some of these hot spots in the city's art scene.

Joyce Zimmerman, a longtime Connecticut resident who has worked as an art advisor to corporations and collectors specializing in Connecticut artists, will take participants on an exploration and behind-the-scenes viewings of Manhattan's ever-changing art world. The itinerary of unique and unusual places will feature new stops, as well as favorites that have been visited by previous University College Manhattan Art Tour classes.

Among the sites that will be visited are the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of the City of New York, the Conservatory Garden in Central Park, and a private collection.

University College is offering two sections of the course. Participants can attend from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Wednesdays from March 17 through May 19 or Thursdays from March 18 through May 20.

To register, call 254-4288. For more information, call 254-4307.

University College to host personal enrichment seminars
University College at Fairfield University will host three personal enrichment seminars this spring.

"Life, Money, Values - Your Money Journey" will take place on March 20 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Participants will learn to break money's powerful grip on their lives and spirit, to examine their relationship with money and learn to recognize their "money messages" and the powerful effect those messages have on decision-making.

"Images of Women Throughout Christianity" will meet on Wednesdays from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. from April 7 through May 5. Using film, fiction, and essays, the course will examine the images and roles women have been placed into within Western cultures

"Living in the Moment" will meet on Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. from April 27 through May 12. The seminar will encourage participants to awaken to a deeper consciousness by focusing on "the now." Participants will learn to recognize some of their unconscious blocks and begin to embrace greater self-awareness and inner peace.

To register, call 254-4288. For more information, call 254-4307.

Sign up for the 2004 Hunger Cleanup
Now's the time to sign up for this spring's Hunger Cleanup. On Saturday, April 3, members of the Fairfield University community will volunteer in the area to improve conditions in places such as parks, community centers, nursing homes, and daycare centers. The funds raised will go to charities and relief agencies that fight hunger and homelessness.

This is the University's 16th Annual Hunger Cleanup. For the past three years, Fairfield has been the top-ranked university in the nation for funds raised. This year's goal is $17,000. Last year, the event raised approximately $13,000.

To sign up or for more information, e-mail the Hunger Cleanup committee at hungercleanup@stagweb.fairfield.edu.

Happenings

Irish traditionalists Altan perform at Quick Center's St. Patrick's Day Celebration

Altan, whose precision, grace, and authenticity have made it one of the premiere Celtic bands in the world, will perform a St. Patrick's Day Celebration on March 14 at 3 p.m. at the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts. This is Altan's only Connecticut concert this season.

Named for a mysterious lake behind Errigal Mountain in County Donegal, Altan has always been true to its roots, reveling in the intimacy of the music that sprang from the peat fire-warmed kitchens and pubs of this windswept corner of northwestern Ireland. The band takes pride in passing Gaelic lyrics, fiddle riffs, and tin whistle tunes down to the next generation. In doing so, it has risen to the highest ranks of Celtic music, joining a handful of traditionalists giving ancient melodies a thoroughly modern immediacy and resonance.

The group has recorded 10 albums over the years with current and past members and guest artists, each time adding another layer to its sound. With each member a virtuoso, the musicians have a unique gift of blending seamlessly and forming a tight performing unit. The group takes on touching old Irish songs and rollicking jigs and reels with the same passion and an obvious love of performing.

For tickets, call the box office at ext. 4010.

Singers/songwriters to perform at the Quick Center for the Arts

Canadian singer/songwriters Kate and Anna McGarrigle will bring their unique blend of harmony, charm, and originality to the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts on March 20 at 8 p.m.

Born in Montreal and raised in the mountain village of Saint-Sauveur-des-Monts, Quebec, the McGarrigle sisters took to music at an early age when they started piano lessons with the village nuns. The family often spent evenings singing around the living room piano and the McGarrigle girls gained plenty of early performing experience with relatives and friends.

By the 1960s, they'd gone their separate ways: Kate studied engineering at McGill University and Anna took up painting at L'Ecole des Beaux-Arts, both in Montreal. But they maintained their love of performing as part of the city's bustling folk music scene, singing and composing songs for appreciative audiences.

As performers, the McGarrigles are not known for resting on their laurels. The duo has recorded albums and has played concerts and festivals in Canada, the United States, and around the world. They headlined the famed Newport Folk Festival in 1992 and returned to Great Britain in 1993 for a string of sold-out shows.

In 2002, the sisters opened the Newport Folk Festival. They are currently in the middle of promoting their 2003 album, La vache qui pleure, and touring the United States.

For tickets, call the box office at ext. 4010.

The Live Music Project's Netta Hadari and Daniel Smith

Live Music Project The Live Music Project will perform on March 21 at 1 p.m. in the Wien Experimental Theatre. Part of the Regina A. Quick Center for the Art's ongoing Russian Arts and Letters Festival, the program will feature works by Tchaikovsky and Shostakovich, and a dramatic reading of selections from Dostoevsky's "Notes from the Underground" with an original musical accompaniment. For tickets, call the box office at ext. 4010. Photo by Jean Santopatre

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. E-mail: jcaseria@mail.fairfield.edu.

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