March 2005

Volume 13, Number 7
The official news publication of Fairfield University

Index for March 1, 2005

Fairfield to inaugurate first Kelley Professor

By Nancy Habetz, Director of Media Relations

Dr. Paul F. Lakeland, professor of religious studies in the College of Arts and Sciences, will be inaugurated as the first Aloysius P. Kelley, S.J., Professor of Catholic Studies in a March 2 ceremony in the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts. Fr. Kelley, former president of Fairfield for whom the new chair is named, will be on hand for the 7:30 p.m. ceremony and reception following.

As part of the ceremony, Dr. Lakeland will deliver "In Praise of Folly." He is the author of several books and is a highly respected teacher and scholar whose expertise is frequently sought on subjects such as the laity, the papacy, postmodernism, and the church and politics.

Dr. George Dennis O'Brien, president emeritus of Rochester University and author of The Idea of a Catholic University, will speak on "The Quest for the Apostle Paul." The University will bestow on Dr. O'Brien an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree.

The establishment of a Chair in Catholic Studies at Fairfield was announced in May during a tribute ceremony for Fr. Kelley, honoring his 25 years as President of the University.

Dr. Lakeland was awarded the first place 2004 Catholic Press Award in theology for his ground-breaking work, The Liberation of the Laity: In Search of an Accountable Church. The book examines the idea of the laity throughout church history, looks at recent efforts to give the laity a more prominent place in church life, and suggests ways that a more empowered laity could strengthen the church in its current crisis. Dr. Lakeland has written some 35 scholarly articles and five other books.

Dr. Lakeland played a key role in developing the University's Honors Program and chaired the recent efforts to bring new direction and definition to Fairfield's core curriculum. He was the University's representative on the Rhodes Consultation, funded by the Lilly Endowment, that explored questions of mission and identity with faculty.

He is a member of the American Academy of Religion, where he currently chairs the Theology and Religious Reflection section, and the Catholic Theological Society of America. Dr. Lakeland is an editor for Religious Studies Review, a member of the editorial board of Cross Currents, co-editor of the Fortress Press series, Guides to Theological Inquiry, and co-convener of the independent ecumenical association of systematic and constructive theologians, The Workgroup for Constructive Theology.

Dr. Lakeland is called upon to speak at academic and religious conferences across the country and is quoted in national and international media. He recently returned from giving the keynote address for a three-day workshop presented by the School of Theology at Seattle University.

Dr. Lakeland received his doctoral degree in religion from Vanderbilt University in Nashville Tenn., a Licentiate in philosophy from Heythrop Pontifical Athenaeum, a master's degree from Oxford University in English language and literature, and a bachelor of divinity degree from the University of London.

Dr. George Dennis O'Brien is a past president of Bucknell University. He has been a member of the philosophy faculty and assistant dean of the College at Princeton University and taught at Middlebury College. He has written several books and articles on wide-ranging aspects of philosophy, religion, and modern art.

Dr. O'Brien was appointed vice president for the Commonweal Foundation in 1994 and is on the Board of LaSalle University in Philadelphia and the Salzburg Seminar in American Studies. He has chaired review and accreditation efforts at many higher education institutions.

A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Yale University with a bachelor's degree in English, he earned a doctoral degree in philosophy from the University of Chicago. His academic honors include a Carnegie Research Fellowship in University teaching and an American Council of Learned Societies Fellowship. He has been awarded honorary degrees from St. John Fisher, Hobart and William Smith, Middlebury College, Wilkes College, and Siena College.

For additional information, contact the Office of Special Events at ext. 2660

Photo by Jean Santopatre

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CNN's Charlayne Hunter-Gault inspires OVF audience

Award-winning journalist Charlayne Hunter-Gault, CNN's Johannesburg bureau chief and a respected commentator on African Affairs, spoke on feb. 23 at the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts. Her talk, "From Jim Crow America to Apartheid South Africa and beyond: A journalist's journey," was presented by Open VISIONS Forum.

Hunter-Gault's discussion wove her personal stories regarding the discrimination she faced as a young African American in the south, with issues facing Africa. She referred to her 1992 memoir, In My Place, which describes her experience as the first African-American to attend the University of Georgia. She expressed the hardships that Africa is facing with its education system, noting that institutions were a "new industry." However, in recognizing this point, Hunter-Gault feels that "students nurture dreams" and that, "dreams are propelled by ambition." Her drive and ultimate success to become a journalist, and her passion for the hardships of the African people, was an inspiration to all in attendence.

Photo by Bob Winkler

Strategic Planning meetings for the University community March 2 and 3

Fairfield University President Rev. Jeffrey von Arx, S.J., invites faculty and staff to attend one of two Strategic Planning community meetings taking place this week. The sessions will be held in the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts on Wed., March 2, at 2 p.m., and Thurs., March 3, at 10 a.m.

During the past three months, members of the three task forces - Core Curriculum, Living and Learning, and Jesuit Values in Professional Education - have been gathering data, exploring ideas, and consulting with experts in their area of concern. The purpose of this week's meetings is to give members of the University community a chance to ask the task forces questions about their work, and make suggestions as well.

"The success of our planning depends on your involvement," says Fr. von Arx. "Among the work of the task forces was the development of an on-going campus-wide conversation about how Fairfield can claim its distinctive place in American Catholic higher education. To that end, I am convening a community meeting - the purpose of which is to provide an update on the process and the work of the task forces."

Prior to attending a session, it may be helpful to review the strategic planning website, located on the campus Intranet, at http://info.fairfield.edu/strategicplan/. In addition, comments about the Strategic Plan can be submitted via e-mail to strategicplan@mail.fairfield.edu.

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Fairfield University's Couples: Drs. Wendy Kohli and Philip Bennett

By  Nina M. Riccio, Publications Writer

How do two urban, Jewish activists end up teaching at a small Jesuit university in bucolic Fairfield County?

Simply put, "We're both committed to a school that has a pronounced social justice mission," says Dr. Philip Bennett, a visiting associate professor of applied ethics with a dual appointment in the Graduate School of Education and Allied Professions (GSEAP) and the College of Arts and Sciences. He and his spouse, Dr. Wendy Kohli, associate professor and chair of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction in GSEAP, met at the State University of New York College at Cortland in the early 1970s. "We were both part of the same activist cadre, protesting the Vietnam War and advocating for peace," says Dr. Kohli, who was also involved in the burgeoning feminist movement. Their paths crossed occasionally during the following decade, as Dr. Kohli moved to Manhattan to teach high school, and Bennett traveled around the country in an old truck, lecturing on peace and doing workshops with school, church, and college groups.

By 1985, they were back in upstate New York. Dr. Kohli was finishing her doctoral degree at Syracuse University, and Bennett was teaching philosophy. It was then that they began dating.

It's clear that flexibility ­ and the ability to pick up and go ­ has been a big part of this duo's relationship. About the time Dr. Kohli accepted a tenure-track faculty position at Binghamton University, Dr. Bennett resigned his tenured position and went to work running an organization focused on peace education at Cornell's Center for Religion, Ethics, and Social Policy. In 1987, the two traveled to the former Soviet Union during the days of Mikhail Gorbachev's leadership and perestroika and conducted workshops on peace with Soviet citizens. "We really were conducting citizen diplomacy," says Dr. Bennett. "We'd talk openly about our mutual fear of nuclear war; the Soviets talked of the siege of Leningrad and their experiences during the war. It was the first time Americans and Soviets got together in an unauthorized way like that." There were several more trips to Moscow and Hungary, which was just emerging from the Soviet shadow. Dr. Kohli lectured at different Eastern European universities on the American systems of education, school reform, and feminism. "They had no theory of early childhood education," she says. "I was trying to introduce the idea of discussion in the classroom, letting kids participate in their own learning so that the classroom is not controlled by the teacher."

In 1994 the two opted to leave the New York winters for warmth and the chance to learn about a different part of the country when Dr. Kohli took a position at Louisiana State University (LSU). Dr. Bennett found a variety of jobs while in Baton Rouge ­ most notably as the Racial Justice Coordinator for the YWCA. "The Y is the going institution in the South for racial issues," he explains. "I'd set up dialogue groups, conferences, and bring in speakers." During their five years at LSU, they managed to schedule a seven-month trip, beginning with a teaching semester in New Zealand and returning by way of the rest of the world.

The upcoming marriage of Dr. Bennett's daughter, Alison, coupled with a devastating bicycle accident in which Dr. Bennett shattered his hip and was wheelchair-bound for months, were reasons for a move back north. After a couple of years at the New School in New York City, they moved to Connecticut and have become a part of the fabric of Fairfield University. Both are Ignatian Residential College mentors and are active in the Fairfield University Network for Social Justice. These days, much of their former activism is channeled to their students through their teaching. "When I talk to my classes about the need for urban school reform and social justice, I'm teaching my students to be activists for their own causes," says Dr. Kohli.

As for their marriage, "There's been a lot of amazing serendipity and cooperation between us so that we don't stick to something for the sake of security," she continues. "It's been an interesting ride!"

Photo by Jean Santopatre

Dr. Susan Birge, assistant vice president of Student Services, was quoted in a Connecticut Post article that described the dangers of students using the drug Adderall, a powerful and potentially addictive drug used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, as a study aid to cram for exams. The article was picked up by the Associate Press and appeared in more than 50 media outlets across the country, including Newsday (Long Island), The Advocate (Stamford), the Boston Globe and Boston.com, WCBS NewsRadio 880 (N.Y.), The Day (New London), WBZ-TV CBS 4 (Boston), KFMB-TV CBS 8 (San Diego), and The New York Times.

Dr. Mousumi Bhattacharya, assistant professor of strategy and human resources in the Charles F. Dolan School of Business (DSB), presented "Social Network Analysis and Human Resource Management" at the annual meeting of the Academy of Management in August 2004. This article, coauthored with Dr. Christopher Huntley, associate professor of information systems and operations management, appears as a book chapter in e-Human Resources Management: Managing Knowledge People (Idea Group, 2005). Dr. Bhattacharya won a nomination for Outstanding Empirical Paper at the Eastern Academy of Management meeting for the paper, "Human Resources and Competitive Advantage: The Effects of Skill, Behavior and HR Practice Flexibility on Firm Performance," co-authored with Dr. Donald Gibson, associate professor of management. A revised version of this paper, which takes a new look at the contribution of employee skills, behaviors, and human resource practices, is forthcoming in The Journal of Management (Issue 4, 2005). Boston Radio channel WBNW 1120 AM, Money Matters Radio Network, which provides financial news and business intelligence for and about women, interviewed Dr. Bhattacharya on the implications of the ousting of Carly Fiorina from her post as Hewlett Packard's chief executive officer. The interview aired on Feb. 12 and 13.

Dr. Arjun Chaudhuri, Rev. Thomas R. Fitzgerald, S.J., Professor of Marketing in DSB, presented and published a paper at the American Marketing Association's 2005 Winter Educators' Conference at San Antonio, Texas, in February. His paper, "Where's the Affect? An Investigation of Three Advertising Scales," was also published in the refereed proceedings of the conference.

Dr. Elia Chepaitis, associate professor of information systems and operations management in DSB, delivered "Whatever Happened to Y2K? Using a Premier Crisis Management Prototype to Study Post 9/11 Preparedness" at ISECON, the Information Systems Education Conference, in November. The paper was published in the conference proceedings. Dr. Chepaitis published the chapter, "The Limits of Impression Management through Information Technology in Russia: The Nascent Formation of Business Identity, Credibility, and Strategies" in Managing Impressions with Information Technology (Praeger Press, 2004).

Dr. Edward Deak, professor of economics in the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), was quoted in a story on the possibility of an economic comeback for Connecticut, which appeared in several area newspapers including the Norwalk Citizen-News  and the Fairfield Citizen-News  on Jan. 7. Dr. Deak commented on the state's slow job growth for articles in The Day (New London), the Record-Journal (Meriden), and the Connecticut Post, and again commented on the topic for a Jan. 25 article that ran in The Hartford Courant, the Republican-American (Waterbury), CNNMoney, and Black Enterprise Magazine. A Feb. 1 Associated Press article quoted Deak on unemployment numbers for the state. On the same day, he provided analysis for the Republican-American.

Dr. Elizabeth Dreyer, professor of religious studies in CAS, participated in a panel discussion on "Women, Spirituality and Theology" at the annual Foundations and Donors Interested in Catholic Activities meeting held in West Palm Beach, Fla., in January. In February, she gave the annual theology lecture at St. Joseph's College in West Hartford on "Spiritual Challenges to the Laity." On Feb. 1, The Hartford Courant reported the $20,000 Lilly Endowment grant from the Louisville Institute she received to research and write her next book, The Holy Spirit is Not Cinderella: Narratives of the Spirit in the Western Christian Medieval Tradition.

In February, Dr. Joy Gordon, associate professor of philosophy and director of legal studies, had her article, "Iraq: the real sanctions scandal," published in the English edition of Le Monde Diplomatique, and translated into French under the title, "La droite americaine diffame les nations unies," for the Paris edition. The article appeared in several foreign language editions, including Italian, German, Portuguese, and Persian. Dr. Gordon also published a policy brief, "The United Nations and Oil-for-Food: The Facts Behind the Volcker Commission's Interim Report," on the Volcker Commission's report that came out in early February. In addition, Dr. Gordon was interviewed by several radio stations on her article about the United Nation's oil-for-food program and the accusations being made against the program, and about security reform.

Dr. Donald Greenberg, associate professor of politics in CAS, and his wife, Maxine, authored an editorial on Bridgeport lawmakers that appeared in the Connecticut Post  on Jan. 22.

In a Feb. 7 Fairfield County Business Journal article on colleges offering classes that match market trends, Marianne Gumpper, director of graduate and continuing studies admission, commented on keeping abreast of marketplace trends. The article also appeared on www.blackenterprise.com.

Dr. Xin James He, associate professor of information systems and operations management in DSB, co-authored with Hengshan Wang of China the research paper, "Logistics Information System in China: An Overview," which appeared in Communications of the IIMA, October 2004. Dr. He and co-author Myron Sheu of California State University, Dominguez Hills, received the Best E-Commerce Paper Award for the research paper, "Measured Decision Support for Online Customers," at the annual conference of The Western Business & Management Association in October 2004.

Reference Librarian Jackie Kremer's review of the Internet resource CSRwire, a newswire dedicated to corporate social responsibility, was published in the February 2005 issue of Choice Magazine.

Dr. Paul Lakeland, the Aloysius P. Kelley, S.J., Professor in Catholic Studies, delivered the keynote address at a workshop on "The Liberation of the Laity: Pursuing Vatican II," hosted by the School of Theology at Seattle University on Feb. 3. On Feb. 4, Dr. Lakeland participated in a roundtable workshop with members of the Seattle area Voice of the Faithful, Call to Action, and Concerned Catholic Ministers. Dr. Lakeland also commented for a Republican-American article on the low number of Catholic parishioners signing petitions urging the repeal of Connecticut's death-penalty law on Jan. 18, saying that it would not deter the bishops' work against the death penalty. On Feb. 9, Dr. Lakeland was interviewed about the papacy by 570 News radio, CKGL in Canada.

Dr. Nick Laopodis, associate professor of finance in DSB, published "Volatility Linkages Among Short-Term and Long-Term Interest Rates: Implications for the Conduct of Monetary Policy" in the International Journal of Applied Business and Economic Research (2004) with S. Abosedra.

Dr. Mark LeClair, associate professor of economics in CAS, presented at the First International Workshop on Fair Trade in Newcastle, England, in January. Dr. LeClair, the sole participant from North America, participated in a panel discussion on the economics, structure, and future of fair trade. Dr. LeClair's 2002 article in World Development  was one of three papers used as a basis for the discussion.

Dr. Martha LoMonaco, chair of the visual and performing arts department (VPA), was appointed to the Fairfield Arts Council. The Fairfield Minuteman published a list of the new members on Jan. 20.

Dr. Lisa Mainiero, professor of management in DSB, co-authored, with Dr. Sherry Sullivan of Bowling Green University, the article entitled, "Kaleidoscope Careers: An Alternative Explanation for the Opt-Out Revolution," which appeared in The Academy of Management Executive. Her book chapter, "The Ethics of Office Romance," is forthcoming in an edited volume tentatively titled, "Gender and Career Development" by Ronald Burke and Mary Mattis (Edward Elgar Press). She presented "An Examination of Justice and Care Reactions to the Terrorist Attacks of September 11th, 2001" at the Academy of Management in New Orleans, La., with Dr. Don Gibson, associate professor of management in DSB.

Dr. Anna D. Martin, associate professor and chair of finance in DSB, published "Contagion Effects of the World's Largest Bankruptcy: The Case of WorldCom" in the February 2005 issue of the Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance. In a Feb. 7 article in The News-Times (Danbury) and on MSNBC online, said the debate over changing Social Security could become moot if the program goes bankrupt.

The Connecticut Business Times ran an article on grants the CAS received from the Earl W. and Hildagunda A. Brinkman Family Foundation for the new diversity seminar course co-taught by Larri Mazon, director of the Center for Multicultural Relations, and Dr. Elizabeth Gardner, professor of psychology, and from the Li Educational Foundation for Dr. Danke Li, assistant professor of history in CAS, to support the project, "China: Its People and Culture."

Martha Milcarek, assistant vice president for public relations, was interviewed by the Connecticut Post in February about the construction of the new Kelley Administrative Center.

Gary Nelson, director of Health Services, and Jeanne DiMuzio, director of wellness and prevention, along with Brian Callahan '06, were interviewed on Feb. 14 by WVIT TV, an NBC affiliate, about the growing concern that students nationwide are using Adderall as a study aid without realizing the health risks involved.

Dr. John Orman, professor of politics in CAS commented on Gov. Jodi Rell's popularity since becoming governor and following her cancer surgery, in a Jan. 5 article carried by several New England news outlets, including The Advocate, The Day (New London), and WFSB's website. Gov. Rell's State of the State address, Dr. Orman said, marks "a fresh start and new beginnings, new possibilities, new opportunities." In Jan. 6 Associated Press article carried in a number of media outlets, including Newsday (N.Y.), NBC30.com, and The Day, Dr. Orman said Gov. Rell's popularity may challenge the Democrat's power in Connecticut. In a Jan. 14 Republican-American article, Dr. Orman said treading carefully may be wise for Gov. Rell. "She probably gets 15 percent because she's not John Rowland and 15 percent for her heroic struggle with breast cancer," Dr. Orman said. "I don't know if it translates to policy. It's about her and her narrative. They probably don't even know what her positions are." Dr. Orman talked with Kyoto news in Japan after the President Bush's Inaugural address in January.

Head Coach Tim O'Toole commented for an Associated Press article on Fairfield basketball player and NBA hopeful Deng Gai. The article appeared the first week of February in a number of media outlets across the country, including the San Francisco Chronicle. "He's seen things we haven't and we don't want to," O'Toole said in a New York Times Feb. 3 editorial. "He's grown in every dimension of his life. None of the guys on the team have ever dealt with civil war. That's a reality for him."

Dr. Marci Patton, assistant professor of politics in CAS, commented for a Feb. 3 Connecticut Post article on GE's plans to phase out deals with Iran. "I wouldn't be surprised if the (Bush) administration is pressuring companies to pull out of Iran if they want future contracts with Iraq."

Mark Reed, dean of students, discussed Fairfield University's program aimed at reducing student drinking in a Jan 16 New York Times article. The article also quoted Lisa Arnold, the program's facilitator and an alcohol and drug counselor.

Dr. Gavriel Rosenfeld, associate professor of history in CAS, commented in a Connecticut Post article on Jan. 30 on the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz concentration camp. Continued education is imperative in preventing future tragedies, he said. "In a world where Prince Harry can attend a party dressed in a Nazi uniform and not think twice about it, it is clear that no matter how much we think we've heard and learned about the Holocaust there are always some who haven't."

Dr. Vincent Rosivach, professor of classical studies in CAS, recently gave the talk, "Tu ne mangeras pas ... sauf des choux: les leges sumptuariae romaines de la République," at the Centre des Études Classiques of Université de Montréal on Jan. 12.

Dr. David Schmidt, chair of the management department in DSB, published "Intellectual Property Battles in a Technological Global Economy: A Just War Analysis," in Business Ethics Quarterly, October 2004. Dr. Schmidt and Dr. Lisa Newton, professor of philosophy and applied ethics in CAS, published the book, Wake-Up Calls: Classic Cases in Business Ethics, 2nd edition (Thomson Southwestern, 2004). This book provides 10 classic cases of business ethics issues, with examples of how these cases help illuminate the current ethics scandals in business today.

Dr. Carl A. Scheraga, associate professor of business strategy and technology management in DSB, published "The Relative Efficiency in the Blending of Strategic Dimensions Utilized in the Generation of Customer Satisfaction in the LTL Motor Carrier Industry" in the Journal of the Transportation Research Forum, 2005; "The Relationship between Operational Efficiency and Customer Service: A Global Study of Thirty-Eight Large International Airlines," in Transportation Journal, 2004; and "Operational Efficiency versus Financial Mobility in the Global Airline Industry: A Data Envelopment and Tobit Analysis," in Transportation Research Series A, 2004.

In an article on the growing popularity of Internet blogs, appearing in the Easton Courier on Jan. 7 and the Huntington Herald on Feb.3, Dr. James Simon, associate professor of English in CAS, commented on the accuracy of information on blogs. "I believe the ability of everybody to create their own web logs and express their points of view is very healthy, but it's obviously very unscientific," he said. Dr. Simon was in the News 12 Connecticut studio to provide commentary following President Bush's State of the Union Address on Feb. 2.

On Feb. 7, the Seattle Post-Intellligencer quoted Dr. Tim Snyder, dean of CAS and an expert in risk analysis, in a story on an emergency evacuation test of the new double-decker Airbus A380. "You have taken a two-dimensional evacuation plan and made it three dimensional," Dr. Snyder said, noting concerns about the jet's size and what could happen in a real emergency but not necessarily in a drill.

Dr. Kraig Steffen, associate professor of chemistry in CAS, participated in the 2005 Tri-State Ice Bowl disc Frisbee competition at Cranbury Park in Norwalk. Dr. Steffen commented for an article about the event in The Advocate on Jan.16.

In a Jan. 28 Connecticut Post article on colleges using locally grown produce, Mark Tammone, executive director of food service, Sodexho, said the University has been buying locally for several years and that the produce has fewer pesticides and stays fresher.

In a Kansas City Star story about the nature of evil and God's existence following the devastating tsunami in the Indian Ocean, Dr. John E. Thiel, professor of religious studies in CAS, said, "The great Christian thinkers of the past, like St. Augustine, typically explained evil as something God allowed in order to bring a greater good from it. But this explanation can be emotionally difficult for believers because it means that God indirectly causes evil to occur." The article appeared in a number of media outlets across the country including, The Record (N.J.), Post-Standard (Syracuse), and The Charlotte Observer on Jan. 9.

Brian Torff, music program director in CAS, performed for the Fairfield University Dean's List dinner on Feb. 17 and at the New York City Knickerbocker jazz club on Feb 18 and 19, and was at the bass master class and performance at the American String Teacher's Association national conference in Reno, Nev., later in the month.

Michael Tortora, coordinator for information systems in Student Services, described how students, faculty, and staff who have StagBucks accounts could use their StagCards to buy merchandise at participating local businesses, in a Connecticut Post article on Jan. 21 and in the Fairfield Citizen-News on Jan. 28.

On Jan. 28, the Connecticut Post quoted University President Rev. Jeffrey P. von Arx, S.J., at the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Human Relations Convocation about his goal to increase the racial and economic diversity among faculty and students.

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Service Anniversaries

5 years
       Cynthia McLay
       Kathryn-ann Nichols
       Jeffrey Potocki
       Walter Stapleton

10 years
       Regina Switter

Condolences

Meong Shik Ahn, father of Dr. Justin Ahn, assistant professor of educational technology in the GSEAP, died in February.

Charlotte Gabriel, grandmother of Dana Ambrosini '99, assistant director of media relations, died Feb. 1.

Mary Lyons, former House Events Manager at the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts, died Jan. 28 after a long illness. "Mary cared about community and she involved herself in projects that reached many people," says Deb Sommers, director of programming at the Quick Center. "She not only spoke about the importance of community involvement, but followed through with her active participation. She helped build the volunteer organization for the Quick Center, serving for more than 12 years at the University. She will be missed by the Quick Center staff as well as the rest of the University community."

New Employees

Sheila McEnery - Assistant Director of Undergraduate Admission
Jennifer Piqueira - Assistant Director, Financial Aid
Roxann Riskin - Computer Tech I, Library
Lori Russell - Secretary III, Major Gifts
Roben Torosyan - Instructional Design Specialist, Center Academic Excellence

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2005 Fairfield Awards Dinner to honor four

The Alumni Association of Fairfield University will recognize four graduates at the Fairfield Awards Dinner on April 20. Chaired this year by University Trustee Ron Carapezzi '81, the annual event raises funds for the University's multicultural scholarships. Since its inception in 1988, the endowed Alumni Multicultural Scholarship Fund has raised more than $3.9 million and has provided financial aid to 80 recipients.

The 2005 awards, which will be held in New York City, will honor the Rev. W. Laurence O'Neil, S.J., M.A.'61, CT '72, with the Alumni Service Award; Geralyn Radowiecki Spollett '76, with the Alumni Professional Achievement Award; William Lucas '69, with the Distinguished Faculty/Administrator Award; and Doug Perlitz '92, with a special Humanitarian Award.

Ron Carapezzi '81
Dinner Chairperson

Ron Carapezzi '81, a finance major who spent a year playing shortstop with the Cincinnati Reds' minor league team, is president of GE Commercial & Industrial Financing and regularly deals with people and companies from every corner of the globe. "The world is becoming a smaller and smaller place," he says. "Thus, there's enormous value to learning the cultures and customs of others." That's part of the reason Carapezzi believes so strongly in expanding Fairfield's diversity. "Besides increasing opportunity for all, it provides a better, more real world experience for all of our students by giving them a chance to learn from people of various backgrounds."

Carapezzi and his wife, Newell, are long-time contributors to Fairfield. Together they established the Richard Magro Jr. '81 Scholarship, in memory of his good friend and classmate who died about 10 years ago. Carapezzi was also active on the class committee during the three-year Our Promise: The Campaign for Fairfield University.

Carapezzi recently won a Privilege & Responsibility award from his former high school for his contributions to scholarship funds, sports, and academics there. He has served on the board of the Domus Foundation in Stamford and is active in the Hephzibah Children's Association in Illinois. He and his wife live in Fairfield with their two young children, Ben and Grace.

Rev. W. Laurence O'Neil, S.J., M.A.'61, CT '72
Alumni Service Award

With 45 years of teaching and leadership experience on the Fairfield campus, the Rev. W. Laurence O'Neil, S.J., has become a vital part of the University community.

He joined the Prep faculty in 1955. Since then, Fr. O'Neil has had several job titles, but he has always been in a position of helping students excel in their studies and in their professions. Currently director of Student Support Services, Fr. O'Neil works with the University's international students, helping them adjust to university life in the United States. He cherishes the presence of a diverse student population on campus.

After teaching for three years at Fairfield Prep, he served as dean of discipline for two years, assistant principal for one year, and director of guidance for three years, before joining Fairfield University as the director of Career Planning and Placement in 1972. He became the dean of students in 1987, and in 1993, he was appointed to the position of director of Student Support Services. He was inducted into the Fairfield Prep Hall of Fame in 1981. In 2004 he received the Choice Award from the Office of Human Resources. As chaplain of the Alumni Association, he keeps in touch with many graduates. "I love to see students develop, graduate, and then report back their tremendous accomplishments," Fr. O'Neil says. "I appreciate being a part of their lives."

Fr. O'Neil entered the Society of Jesus in 1948. He received his bachelor's and master's degrees in philosophy from Boston College, and a master's degree in counseling and guidance from Fairfield University. He went on to earn a certificate of advanced study in counseling and guidance in 1972.

In 1992, his sister, Eileen Stanley, and her husband, John, established the Rev. W. Laurence O'Neil, S.J., Scholarship in 1992 to help students with financial need, particularly Latino students.

Geralyn Radowiecki Spollett '76
Alumni Professional Achievement Award

Geralyn Radowiecki Spollett was part of Fairfield University's third class of women on campus. "I knew of the Jesuit reputation as educators, and the nursing program was touted as progressive, which was also appealing," she remembers. "Plus, Fairfield provided me with scholarship money, and that meant a lot to me." After graduating with a BSN, Spollett went on to earn an MSN from Boston College, returning to Fairfield from 1986 to 1991 as an adjunct professor in the School of Nursing.

For 10 years, Spollett was an associate professor at the Yale School of Nursing in the Adult and Family Nurse Practitioner program. Now the associate director of the Yale Diabetes Center, Yale University School of Medicine, Spollett does clinical work, research, and education, and develops programs for African-Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans with diabetes. "For a nurse, diabetes is a wonderful field because it allows you to use all your skills and education in care and prevention. The focus of our care involves not just the individual, but the family and community as well," she says.

On the national level, Spollett is involved in the national board of the American Diabetes Association, and served on the National Certification Board for Diabetes Educators. As one of the foremost experts in her field, she is in demand on the lecture circuit, and has presented throughout the United States as well as Budapest, Mexico City, and Birmingham, England. She is an associate editor for Diabetes Spectrum, has written for most of the major diabetes journals, and has been a reviewer for many nurse practitioner journals and nursing texts focusing on the care of persons with diabetes. In 1994, she was selected by her students at Yale for the Excellence in Teaching Award, and the next year won the Connecticut State Award for Excellence in Clinical Practice from the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. Twice she has been honored by Fairfield University: In 1996, she received the Excellence in Nursing Award, and in 1998 she was chosen to receive the Distinguished Alumni Award. In her spare time, she has managed to co-author a book on diabetes management that will be published through the American Diabetes Association in June.

Spollett and her husband, David, a minister, are active in the greater Fairfield community and have two children, Andrew, 20, and Rachel, 17.

William Lucas '69
Distinguished Administrator Award

In 1966, the summer after his freshman year at Fairfield University, William J. Lucas landed a job in the accounting department. As a sophomore, he moved into a work-study position in the dean of students' office, where he worked for Dean Robert Griffin on a host of student-related activities for the remainder of his undergraduate years. "Bill was an amazing young man," recalls Griffin, today 81. "He applied himself to every task with diligence."

That quality helped Lucas secure a full-time position in financial aid after graduation, followed by a promotion to University comptroller three years later. In 1983, he was named vice president for finance by then-University President Aloysius P. Kelley, S.J. "It was of utmost importance to have someone in the position in whom I had complete confidence," says Fr. Kelley. "Bill had served the University so well that he was the clear choice. It's a decision I never regretted."

The fiscal year ending in June 2004 marked the University's 34th consecutive year of operating within a balanced budget. Given the ups and downs of the financial markets in that time frame, and measured within the framework of Fairfield's steady growth in size, reputation, and endowment, it's a record that stands impressively tall.

Lucas has put in his share of 10- to12-hour days over the years, carrying out or overseeing the wide-ranging responsibilities of the Finance Division by preparing for audits, floating bond issues, monitoring endowment growth, and supervising the departments of payroll, the bursar, accounting, purchasing, the physical plant, and human resources.

"I've been blessed with great people," says Lucas, eager to share credit with his staff. "They have tended to stay on, and we've been able to develop and promote a lot of people from within." That not only gives him satisfaction, but also taps into his own sense of gratitude for having risen through the ranks himself.

"If anything, it's been exciting to be part of Fairfield's growth and change," he says, noting that when he began working full-time, the University was half the size it is today in enrollment, facilities, faculty, and staff. "The challenge is to move everything forward while giving no one area too big a piece of the pie." That pie today includes an annual budget in excess of $100 million and an endowment that has more than doubled in the last decade.

New facilities, technologies, and services have made their way into the budget with regularity, annually altering a recipe whose ultimate success lies in the leavening effect of fiscal stability. "Seeking to become more, to become better as an institution, is part of the Jesuit vision. Investing in ourselves for the sake of our students has been part of that process," says Lucas.

Doug Perlitz '92
Humanitarian Award

On his first visit to Haiti during a mission trip his junior year, Doug Perlitz '92 turned to University chaplain Paul Carrier, S.J., and asked, "when will some of us stay?" Not surprisingly to those who know him, it was Perlitz himself who returned ­ and stayed.

After graduation, Perlitz moved to Belize to teach high school, then came back to the United States to earn a master's degree in theology from Boston College. But the abject poverty of the tiny island nation he had visited as a student haunted Perlitz. In 1996, he returned to work as a pastoral minister at Sacre Coeur Hospital in Milot. It was about this time that he met 9-year-old Wilnaud, a homeless boy who asked him, simply, "Doug, will you send me to school? I've always wanted to go." Perlitz told him yes, not having the faintest idea how he would make good on that promise.

"I learned one lesson out of Fairfield quickly," Perlitz told the crowd of graduates and their families when he delivered the 2002 Commencement address. "Don't ever promise things to 9-year-olds who have stars in their eyes - especially homeless, frightened ones that sleep under buses in Third World countries. They will demand that you deliver and they might even change your life."

Perlitz followed through on his promise to Wilnaud - and about 35 of his friends - by founding a school and outreach program for homeless boys in Cap Haitien, the former island capital and Haiti's second largest city. Today, the 13th Street intake center provides a safe, clean, environment for approximately 50 boys to shower, play sports, attend class, and receive meals. Those who are determined enough to come on a regular basis are asked to join the Project Pierre Toussaint village, a compound several miles outside the city where they live, attend classes, and learn vocational skills. The schools are supported largely by gifts from the Fairfield community, the Knights of Malta, and the Oblates of Mary Immaculate.

Perlitz's commitment to the boys was sorely tested a year ago when President Jean Bertrand Aristide was deposed in Haiti's 33rd coup and rebels entered Cap Haitien. "In what seemed like nanoseconds," recalls Perlitz, the police fled, the courthouse was burned, telephones were cut off, and masses of people were looting everything they could. "Hundreds, perhaps thousands, were killed over the next few weeks, some shot in the streets, and some sealed into sea containers." Though he admits he was torn, Perlitz stayed with the boys at Pierre Toussaint, knowing that leaving would add to their fear and sense of abandonment.

Says Fr. Carrier of his former student, "Doug is an extraordinary alumnus, living out the Jesuit vision of using one's talents to better the world."

For more information about the 2005 Fairfield Awards Dinner, or to attend, contact the Office of Special Events at ext. 2660.

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The new elements of natural science courses

By Alejandra Navarro, Publications Writer

For Dr. Kraig Steffen, associate professor of chemistry in the College of Arts and Sciences, an introductory chemistry course isn't just about the periodic table. Dr. Steffen rattles off some of the questions he poses to students in his core chemistry class: what makes up the synthetic and natural fabric in our clothes? How much exposure to a particular chemical represents a serious health risk? And will opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge provide us with a significant amount of new oil?

"Science can answer these questions," says Dr. Steffen, who makes an effort to illustrate the connections between science and issues students come across in their lives every day.

That's one of the goals in the new approach to natural science core courses adopted in April 2004. Two other goals for professors of chemistry, biology, and physics include ensuring students are able to analyze real data, such as statistical concepts, and providing them with a solid understanding of the scientific method to evaluate claims, identify reliable sources of information, and have a general idea of experimental design.

"We want them to get their hands dirty, figuratively if not literally," Dr. Steffen says.

In Dr. Jack Beal's astronomy course, students set up the University's telescope on the roof of Bannow Science Center to observe some of the planets of our solar system. "Students are always amazed at how fast the planets are moving with respect to the Earth during these observations," says Dr. Beal, chair of physics.

Knowing basic science can help students make good decisions about both personal and global issues. So whether a student plans to pursue a career in politics, economics, or social work, it's critical that he or she leaves Fairfield University with a firm understanding of science, Dr. Steffen notes. Students also gain a comprehension of what questions science can and cannot address. For more than 70 percent of Fairfield's graduates, these introductory courses will be the only science education they receive.

Natural science professors began revising core courses about five years ago with a grant from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, written by Dr. Paul Lakeland, the Aloysius P. Kelley, S.J., Professor of Catholic Studies, and administered by Dr. Dennis Keenan, professor of philosophy. The grant funded several workshops for the natural science professors on campus, site visits to other campuses, and outside speakers. The faculty had a clear consensus that there should be a course revision process to develop science courses with the same goals to provide a consistent science foundation for courses ranging in topics from "The Chemistry of Art" to "The Genetic Revolution."

Dr. April Hill, formerly of the biology department, contacted Science Education for New Civic Engagements and Responsibility (SENCER), a national program to improve the undergraduate science curriculum, funded by the National Science Foundation. In 2003, a team from Fairfield attended the summer workshop and returned with a plan to revise all science core courses. With work the professors had already accomplished, the Fairfield faculty were not only far ahead of most other SENCER teams, but also were more ambitious. While most universities focused on a few courses, Fairfield had plans to revise curricula across all of the natural sciences.

So far, about 30 of the most commonly offered natural science classes have been revised. The core science course review committee, which makes recommendations to the University's Curriculum Committee, includes Dr. Beal, Dr. Steffen, Dr. Glenn Sauer, chair of biology, Dr. Lisa Newton, professor of philosophy and director of environmental studies, and Trace Jordan, assistant director of the Morse Academic Plan, the core science curriculum at New York University. "The goal is to make a consistent and better learning environment," says Dr. Steffen.

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Fairfield University offers Saturday morning series on "Living Theology"

Here is a new reason to get up early on the weekend. In February, Fairfield University introduced "Living Theology," a Saturday morning lecture series. The sessions are held from 9:30 to noon in Canisius Hall, Room 15.

Dr. Paul Lakeland, the Aloysius P. Kelley, S.J., Professor of Catholic Studies and the organizer of the series, conducted the first session, "The Future of Ministry, Lay and Ordained," on Feb. 19.

"One of the responsibilities Fairfield University takes seriously as a Catholic university is to promote religious reflection among the Catholics of the diocese," said Dr. Lakeland, when announcing the series. "These sessions are intended to help local Catholics and others learn about the latest thinking in the Church and develop their own thoughts on these important topics. We confidently expect this venture to be just the beginning of a new relationship between Fairfield University and the local Catholic community, that they will come to see us as a place where they can learn more about their tradition, and indeed where they can contribute to the theological reflection that is truly the work of the whole church, lay and ordained."

The other sessions to be held this spring are:

• Sat., March 19: "Mary in the Church Today," presented by Dr. Nancy Dallavalle, associate professor of religious studies in CAS. Dr. Dallavalle has published extensively on topics including feminist theology and the nature of grace, and is the author of several entries in The Encyclopedia of Catholicism.
• Sat., April 9: "Life After Death," presented by Dr. John Thiel, professor of religious studies in CAS. Dr. Thiel is the author of God, Evil, and Innocent Suffering: A Theological Reflection, and several other books and scholarly articles.

Talking Heads open Hulley Unplugged Series

Bassist Tina Weymouth and drummer Chris Frantz, the husband-wife rhythm section for seminal rock/funk bands Talking Heads and The Tom Tom Club, relived memories of their 30-year musical career on Feb. 23 at The Levee. About 50 people attended the free, informal discussion, the first in the Jamie A. Hulley Unplugged Series sponsored by the Jamie A. Hulley Fund for the Arts. Pictured above (l-r) are Tom Tom Club collaborator Randy Funk, Tina Weymouth, Chris Frantz, and Brian Torff, Music Program director.

Photo by Bob Winkler

Theatre Fairfield presents Tim Robbins's Dead Man Walking

By Nina M. Riccio, Publications Writer

Beginning with its haunting opening scene, Theatre Fairfield's Dead Man Walking, staged in several matinee and evening performances last weekend at the Wien Experimental Theatre, was a powerful and riveting drama that accomplished exactly what it set out to do: force the viewer to question the justice of and the need for the death penalty. The play revolves around the true story of Prisoner 18375, a convicted rapist and murderer on Louisiana's Death Row, and the nun who befriends him. There are no easy answers here: Matthew Poncelot, so convincingly played by Nicholas Smaligo '05, is bigoted, arrogant, and downright creepy; not at all the type to elicit the viewer's sympathy. Struggling to see him as a human being instead of a monster, Sister Helen Prejean, C.S.J., the nun who befriends him, wrestles visibly with her disgust at his words and actions while advocating for him and guiding him spiritually. Theatre major Carla Wiegers '07 turned in an admirable performance in a difficult role as Sr. Helen.

Guest director Doug Moser says the issue of capital punishment couldn't be more timely. "It's a hotly debated issue on everyone's lips, not only because of the Michael Ross case in Connecticut, but because of what's going on in the country," he says. "I sincerely believe in Sr. Helen's struggle and in her faith." The sparse set and haunting statistics on the racial and economic injustices of the judicial system announced at intervals during the play ("99 percent of death row inmates are poor," intoned one) were intended to be compelling and uncomfortable. Lighting designer was Lynne Chase. Associate Professor Lynne Porter, director of the theatre program, was the producer, and Professor Susan Haggstrom was the technical director.

Actor Tim Robbins wrote the script, a staged version of the Academy-Award winning film starring Sean Penn and Susan Sarandon, saying he did so to bring attention to capital punishment and promote public discussion of the issue. Through his Dead Man Walking Theatre Project, Robbins invited the nation's 80 Jesuit schools and universities to perform a draft version of the adaptation. "Most of the other schools are doing it as staged readings," says Moser. "We did a full production, with major sound and lighting." As part of the agreement, the participating schools promised not to produce the play for commercial gain and pledged to involve another academic discipline in a study project on capital punishment. At Fairfield, the Ignatian Residential College planned several activities around the theme, including a screening of the film and a faculty seminar on the death penalty. Dr. Rose Rodrigues, assistant professor of sociology and anthropology, taught a course on the death penalty this past fall. And Sr. Prejean, who has dedicated the past 20 years to her mission of ending capital punishment, will speak at the Open VISIONS Forum on April 6.

"We can protect society without imitating the very violence we seek to eliminate!" Sr. Helen states in act one. Indeed, Dead Man Walking leaves the audience wrestling with an extremely uncomfortable question: Is it enough to passively trust that the judicial system will be fair and impartial in meeting out the most absolute of all punishments, or are we bound, by our faith or our ethics, to take an active stand on the issue?

Photo by Jean Santopatre

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Local organizations recruit nursing students with scholarship aid

The School of Nursing is creating partnerships with local hospitals and healthcare agencies that wish to attract nursing candidates to employment opportunities with scholarships that help pay some tuition costs.

Tsedron Normatsang of Woodbridge and Paula Scotti Shevlin of Darien are the two recipients selected for a $10,000 scholarship awarded by Stamford Hospital to Fairfield University accelerated degree nursing students, in exchange for a promise to work at the hospital for at least one year.

TransCon Builders, which owns several local rehabilitation, skilled care, and assisted living facilities, offers undergraduate and graduate nursing scholarships of $7,500 for one year and $15,000 for two years. Two of TransCon's facilities, Wilton Meadows and The Greens at Cannondale, are used as training sites for certain courses provided by the School of Nursing.

White Plains Hospital offers scholarships for $5,000 a year for up to two years of service for undergraduate and graduate nursing candidates.

Fairfield University is working on even more partnerships with healthcare employers, says Dr. Jeanne Novotny, FAAN, dean. "This is truly a win-win for our students and the local hospitals and healthcare agencies looking to employ them," she says. "We all know that nurses are in great demand and will continue to be for many years to come. These programs provide students who would like to enter the nursing field with substantial financial subsidies that enable them to pursue the nursing degree. At the same time, they guarantee nurses to local healthcare employers."

Banco Popular endows scholarship

The Fundación Banco Popular, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, has announced the establishment of a $50,000 endowed scholarship to assist students from Puerto Rico who attend Fairfield University.

David H. Chafey Jr. '76, president of Banco Popular, recently announced the scholarship. On hand for the announcement were University President Rev. Jeffrey P. von Arx, S.J., and Janet Canepa, director of Alumni Relations, along with other University alumni and parents.

Chafey joined Banco Popular in 1980 as vice president of the Investment Division. He served as senior vice president and supervisor of the Investment Group for several years. In 1990, he was called to lead the Financial Management Group and supervised the Comptroller's, Investment, Treasury, and Trust divisions. A year later, he was appointed chief financial officer and supervisor of U.S. Operations, and in 1995, senior executive vice president. Last April, he was named president.

Fundación Banco Popular was established in 1979 to support efforts, particularly educational projects such as libraries and scholarships, that improve the quality of life for Puerto Ricans over the long term.

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Making room for children on campus

By Alejandra Navarro, Publications writer

Laurie Conley of the undegraduate admission office and her daughter, Katie, attended the University's Brown Bag Luncheon, sponsored by the Office of Human Resources to discuss the possibility of having a daycare center on campus.

The University community could one day share campus with a much younger crowd, says a team of staff, faculty, and administrators who are investigating the possibility of having a day care center on campus.

"Daycare would certainly add value to the University," says Dr. Dina Franceschi, associate professor of economics, who delivered a presentation on the proposed daycare center at a Human Resources-sponsored Brown Bag Luncheon on Feb. 10. Dr. Franceschi is on a committee researching the issue, which includes Dr. Bob Epstein, associate professor of English; Mark Guglielmoni, director of human resources; Susan LaFrance, director of government grants; Dr. Mary Frances Malone, associate academic vice president; and Dr. Shelley Phelan, associate professor of biology.

Benefits of a daycare center are many, the committee found. A center could build community; increase employee productivity by having children close to work; recruit and retain employees; and provide a teaching and research tool for students and faculty, particularly those in the fields of teaching, psychology, and nursing. The students could also observe the social behavior of and interaction between children.

"This facility would be wonderful for my students to observe normal, healthy kids," says Dr. Suzanne Campbell, assistant professor of nursing, noting that her students generally only see ill children. She was one of about 100 University and Fairfield Prep employees who attended at the luncheon.

The University community has expressed a need for daycare. In a survey conducted in fall 2003, more than half of the 122 respondents say they supported an on-campus facility. Eighty parents who responded had children six months to six years old and indicated they would use the center. The survey was not sent to Prep faculty and staff - although many have since expressed interest in daycare - or students, particularly non-traditional and graduate students, who may have young children.

An outside daycare organization would likely run the program on campus, and several have indicated they could possibly make a profit on tuition. "There is the potential for the center to break even," Dr. Franceschi said. "Our goal would be to do this at little cost to the University."

Fairfield University, however, would likely need to provide funding for a space on campus that could meet state building codes to house a center.

The committee reviewed several potential sites including: The Levee; Southwell Hall; Teilhard de Chardin house within the Townhouse Complex; Townhouse 135; Dolan West; Alumni Hall; the Jesuit residence; and the ground floor of Gonzaga Hall. Each has its limitations. The Levee, for example, has space to care for up to 32 children, but the renovations could cost an estimated $297,600. Also, students may not favor having a space taken away from their use. Southwell Hall renovations are estimated to cost about $57,000, but due to its size could house only 16 to 25 children.

University President Rev. Jeffrey P. von Arx, S.J., attended the luncheon to express his support for the possibility of a daycare center on campus. He explained that the University has two processes to fund building projects. The first is through the capital budget, which is funded out of operating expenses, usually for smaller renovations. The second is a fundraising effort or substantive borrowing initiative, necessary for major renovations or a new facility. Fr. von Arx reiterated that a daycare center project would need to be considered along with the other space and programming priorities of the University. He also mentioned the necessity of having a business plan for the operation of a daycare center as an important step before further consideration of the project.

An expanded committee, representing all divisions of the University and Prep, will continue working with the original core group on bringing a daycare center to campus. Members include Dr. Epstein; Jill Kasiewicz Caseria, assistant director of University publications; Don Barton, accounting manager; Christina McGowan, reference librarian; Matthew Tellis, Fairfield Prep; Laura Cantrell, associate director of resident life; and Paul Cantrell, assistant director of recreation.

"It is important - for all of us who support a daycare center on campus - to have this issue continue to permeate our discussions if we want to see it to fruition," Dr. Franceschi said.

Photo by Jean Santopatre

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The Journey to Easter

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

During the past year, Jesus has reached a new celebrity status, appearing on the covers of Newsweek and Time magazines, two new books, Jesus in America and American Jesus: How the Son of God became a National Icon, and Mel Gibson's movie, The Passion of the Christ.

Before we let this media attention distract us, our observance of Lent, Holy Week, and Easter can help bring Jesus into sharper focus for us, as unsettling and uncomfortable as he was 2,000 years ago.

Author J.B. Philips offers a fantasy conversation between a senior angel and a very young angel. Their interchange can serve as a backdrop to our Lenten reflections:

The young angel says to the senior angel: "Do you mean that our great and glorious Prince went down in person to this fifth-rate little ball? Why should he do a thing like that? Do you mean to tell me that He stooped so low as to become one of those creeping, crawling creatures of that floating ball?"

The senior angel responds, "I do, and I don't think He would like you to call them creeping, crawling creatures in that tone of voice. For strange at it seems to us, He loves them. He went down to visit them to lift them up to become like Him."

The little angel looked blank, such a though was almost beyond his comprehension.

What would our little angel have to say about the pivotal scene of the Last Supper in which Jesus got up from table to wash his disciples' feet? Foot washing was considered so degrading that a master could not require it of a Jewish slave. With his act of humble service, Jesus symbolically overturned the whole social order, with the one on top becoming a servant, expressing and witnessing human relationships of mutuality and service ­ not domination. This provocative scene, which we might return to often during Lent, expresses what G.K. Chesterton calls, "the furious love of God." The Persian poet Hafiz, the great Sufi Master, describes that furious love with this verse:

"Love wants to reach out and manhandle us.
Break all our teacup talk of God.
God wants to manhandle us, lock us inside a tiny room with Himself and practice His dropkick.
The Beloved sometimes wants to do us a great favor.
Hold us upside down
And shake all the nonsense out."

The season of Lent is a time for God to shake all the nonsense out of us, a time for an intimate encounter of transformation, a time for us to respond to our real deep hunger and a moment for us to experience God's unconditional love and hospitality. Lent is an invitation to grow in freedom, to be a truly free person.

Playwright and novelist Albert Camus wrote: "The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very act of existence becomes an act of rebellion." The experience of Lent transforms us, strengthening us to rebel and resist all forms and forces of death in our world and in ourselves.

Jesus, the Teacher and Master, whom we remember as the foot-washing servant, calls us to deeper discipleship. He reminds us of our mission to do the works of mercy, which reverse all the works of violence and war. We are called to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked. We are to know that in doing so, we are reaching out to Jesus who lives among us in disguise, the most challenging of which is "Jesus, in my enemy, Jesus, in the stranger."

Jesus comes to us this Lent not to improve us like a self-help guru, but to transform us so that we may become like Him ­ offering food, drink, love, and forgiveness, in a mission of service and humility.

As we continue on our journey to Easter, let us remember two defining events in the life of Jesus.

• Jesus' last act of healing, as he healed the ear of the high priest's servant struck by Peter.
• As he was arrested, Jesus' last words to his disciples was, "Put away your swords."

What healing does Jesus bring to us this Lent? What words of challenge and transformation does he speak to us?

Listen!

Balancing work and family

Balancing work and family life is necessary to maintain both mental and physical health. However, creating and maintaining that balance isn't easy.

The question, "how do you do it all?" has probably been asked to most of us who have a career at Fairfield University and a family at home. For those of us who do do it all, somehow it just gets done. During working hours (which often extend beyond the 8:30 a.m.-to-4:30 p.m. "work day"), we conduct classes and attend meetings, write papers and grants, finish projects, and deliver presentations. At home, we drive family members to appointments and activities, prepare meals and clean up, help with homework, carve out a few moments of "quality time," and find time to tuck our children into bed.

But getting it all done does not imply that it gets done well and does not take into account the health cost of such extreme activity. In trying to be all things for all people, our calendars are packed, leaving little time for the unexpected. Unfortunately, the unexpected happens more often than not, delaying the onset of scheduled activities. Anxiety over being late causes the heart rate to accelerate, which translates to a loss of a few years of life. Moreover, we often begin the next activity in a less-than-optimal state of mind.

Nursing students are taught to prioritize tasks and document activities - in other words, to create the proverbial "to-do list." The list is an excellent tool in which to clear one's mind of details, allowing us to get a snapshot of our responsibilities. Ideally, it should contain small pieces of large jobs leading up to a deadline. While there will be days or weeks when the to-do list includes only work tasks or only home tasks, a balanced life should contain an equal number and equal time for each. If previously scheduled commitments shift the balance to include work activities, make up for it the next day by taking the time to have breakfast with your children in the morning or picking them up after school. Alternatively, if the list leans on the caregiving side, try calling a friend or neighbor and ask them if they can give your child a ride to band practice or your mother a ride to her doctor's appointment. (Just make a note to return the favor!)

If day after day becomes stacked in one direction or another, consider temporarily adapting the procrastinator club's motto, "Why do today what can be put off until tomorrow?" Be careful to remember in your procrastination that "tomorrow" never really ends up being tomorrow, but quickly becomes the deadline date for the paper or project, which also happens to be the date of your son's all-star play off, and the day you have two classes and four meetings, and the day your father falls and breaks a hip.

If you absolutely cannot procrastinate and still feel that you work too much, consider saying no to additional demands on your time. Obviously, this is much easier said than done, but it may be worth a try. The bottom line is that we own our own schedules. This implies the possibility of allowing ourselves to schedule some extra time between activities to allow ourselves to get where we are going, collect ourselves, or give us some free time. Yes, we may have to forgo an appointment or meeting, but the few minutes of quiet time may be far more valuable for our long-term health and well-being.

Meredith Wallace Ph.D., APRN-BC

The Elizabeth DeCamp McInerney
Professor of Health Sciences

By Jill Kasiewicz Caseria, Editor

This historic photograph captures a serene summer afternoon at 1306 Holland Hill Rd. Campus resources date this image to the early 1900s or so, when Broadway actress Minerva Coverdale called the antique house home.

The pace outside the Harrison House front porch has changed quite a bit since its early days. Back then, without neighboring houses, bustling SUV traffic, or a university named Fairfield across the street, its residents experienced a serenity that few in coastal Fairfield county can still claim today. The surrounding land (today, it's three-and-a-half acres) was covered with vegetation - rose and vegetable gardens, landscaped shrubbery, a variety of trees - and fowl.

Although the house is dated 1776, town land records indicate that William Banks and his wife, Catherine Morehouse Banks, constructed it in about 1850. Fairfield University acquired it in 1967, and in 1974 it was officially turned over to the Fairfield Jesuit Community Corp. Between these first and most recent owners, little can be confirmed of its inhabitants other than the fact that Broadway actress Minerva Coverdale and her husband, Mr. Haggerty, an owner of The Locke Steel Chain Company of Bridgeport, who lived there in the early 20th century, and later, the Harrison family, after whom the house is named.

Harrison House today.

Dr. Donald Oliver, today an optometrist practicing in Trumbull, and his sister, Barbara, grew up in the Harrison's lower-level two-room apartment, as his parents worked for the couple. Mr. Harrison worked for Seagram's, and during the week, Mr. Oliver was a driver and distributor. On the weekends, he maintained the house's grounds. Mrs. Oliver was the building's housekeeper. As a boy, Dr. Oliver helped his father with the gardening and maintenance of the home, including painting the two-and-a-half story exterior - three times.

It's hard to imagine the house surrounded by a garden in the back, a chicken coop housing a couple hundred fowl, and orchards, as well as an active root cellar that stored apples and vegetables grown on the property. But Dr. Oliver remembers all of these things, along with the hours it took to maintain them. "It took forever to mow the grass," he recalls. He also remembers the "fancy parties" the Harrisons hosted for Seagram's executives, and the cars he parked.

After the Harrison and Oliver families moved away, campus resources indicate that Annie O'Neill, the laundress and seamstress for the Jesuit community, lived for a short time in the basement apartment until 1986 when it was renovated for the Jesuits.

Since then, Jesuits and an occasional visiting instructor have made Harrison House their home. At its peak capacity, Jesuits have roomed on all levels - from the attic, which was once a small chapel (one bedroom) and upper floors (4 bedrooms) to the main floor's side porch (one bedroom) and the basement (2 bedrooms). Currently, only the upper floor bedrooms are occupied, and one is a guestroom. The attic, basement, root cellar, and garage are all used for storage.

The stately house on Holland Hill Road has undergone several renovations since the Banks family, the Broadway actress, the Seagram's executives, and the 300 chickens lived there. Nevertheless, the house has maintained its charm and elegance. Its grand porch and interior design reflect a time when its residents took a moment to savor the tranquility that once was.

Current Harrison House photo by Jean Santopatre

Sports

Sports teams follow the sun

By Jack Jones, Director of Sports Information

With its warm temperatures and blue skies during a time of year that often means snow and ice to New Englanders, traveling to Florida in March offer spring sports teams from the Northeast an opportunity to compete for the first time. The Fairfield athletic program will send the baseball, softball, women's rowing, and men's lacrosse teams to the Sunshine State this month to prepare student-athletes for the rigors of the compact spring schedule.

"The trip is very important to our success," says André Albert, head coach of the women's rowing team. "The ability to get on the water early and develop our skills through workouts makes a dramatic difference. We can't go outside in January and February, and you can't really measure someone's ability by what they do on machines. There is a dramatic difference in the student-athletes' skill level by the time we leave Florida at the end of the week."

During the week, the team will conduct daily workouts and fit in a scrimmage or two. The baseball and softball teams, on the other hand, will hit the ground running.

"We will play games every day when we are in Florida, with one day off," says Julie Brzezinski, head softball coach. "While we do want to win every game while we're down there, we also use the Florida games to experiment more than we would up here. We might juggle the batting order and try different combinations to see what works and what doesn't. Being outside is very important to us," she says, looking forward to getting the team on the field. "Continuously practicing inside takes away from a player's performance. It's especially vital for us this year because we have such a young team. Going south gives us the opportunity to work the kinks out so we are ready for the conference a few weeks later."

The baseball team alternates its spring break schedule between Virginia and Florida. This year, the team will stop in Virginia and play a very competitive schedule against teams like Virginia Commonwealth University, George Mason University, Liberty University, and Radford University.

"This year, we will play eight games in eight days," says John Slosar, head baseball coach. "We usually have one or two doubleheaders that allow us to have a couple days off. The competition is challenging, especially since many of the teams we will play have already played several games. In 2002, we opened up with Notre Dame, which was nationally ranked, and then went on to the NCAA tournament."

Both Brzezinski and Slosar prefer Florida to some of the other spring break venues because good weather is the rule rather than exception. In years past, tournaments in Maryland, North Carolina, and Virginia have been rained out or postponed due to an unexpected cold snap.

Head Men's Lacrosse Coach Ted Spencer combines the two philosophies of training and playing games. This year, the team will play Sacred Heart University on March 6, train in Florida during the week, and return to the schedule with a March 12 matchup with Yale University.

The softball team opens the home portion of its schedule on March 26 when it hosts Quinnipiac University, the University of Maine, and Boston College in the Fairfield Stag Classic.

The baseball team's home opener is March 23 against Central Connecticut State University.

Photo of Julie Brzezinski, head softball coach

News Briefs

CAE hosts workshop on March 1

The Center for Academic Excellence will host the workshop, "Managing Classroom Discussion: Evoking Listening and Understanding" today, March 1, at 3 p.m. in the Information Technology Center, Room 107C in the DiMenna-Nyselius Library. The session will include: demonstration of an in-class method for a "structured controversy," open discussion of applications to different disciplines, and useful readings and handouts.

Seating is limited to 32. For more information, call Larry Miners at ext. 2868.

Circle K sponsors blood drive this week

Within just an hour of your time, you can save up to three lives. Circle K is sponsoring a blood drive on March 1 and 2 from 11:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the Oak Room of the John A. Barone Campus Center. To make an appointment to donate, e-mail Bethany Reis '07 at 07_breis@stagweb.fairfield.edu.

Kelley Center construction to begin March 31

Let's say you need to register for a class, pay a tuition bill, and pick up your StagCard for a new semester. Right now, you'd have to go to three different buildings to get all of your tasks done. Next year, however, the Aloysius P. Kelley, S.J., Administrative Center will be the one stop you'll need. The groundbreaking for the new building is scheduled for March 31 at 4:30 p.m., across from the John A. Barone Campus Center. The Kelley Administrative Center will house various offices, including new and continuing student services, undergraduate admission, graduate and continuing studies admission, adult marketing, financial aid, student support services, residence life and housing, the StagCard office, and even a temporary member of the Bursar office during peak registration time.

SIRIUS airs Stags basketball

Fairfield University now has the opportunity to broadcast programming to a national audience, through a subscription to SIRIUS, a commercial-free satellite radio provider. In January, the University added an ISDN line to WVOF to ensure digital-quality sound. The in-studio line also provides WVOF with the ability to link up with other stations around the country. Faculty and administrators will be able to interview on satellite radio, which has better quality recording than a traditional telephone interview. So far, several basketball games have aired on SIRIUS; the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament in March may also air. Visit www.siruis.com for a complete programming schedule.

Nominate your favorite athlete for the Athletic Hall of Fame

It's time to nominate your favorite Stags athlete for induction into the 2005 Alumni Association Athletic Hall of Fame. Alumni who have graduated in classes up to and including 2000 are eligible, as are non-alumni who have achieved excellence and distinguished themselves in Fairfield's athletic program. All nominations must be received by March 7. Please use the online nomination form located at http://www.fairfield.edu/ar_hofnom.html. For more information, call Nicholas Segretario at ext. 2260.

Rock-N-Jock game on April 5

The fifth annual Rock-N-Jock Softball Game to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation will be held on April 5 at 4 p.m. on the softball field. This year, Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK), the National Leadership Honor Society, is organizing the event, and hopes to raise at least $3,000 for the foundation that grants the wishes of children with life-threatening illnesses. A silent auction will be held on April 4. Players and sponsors are invited to a reception following the game.

"ODK is only in its third year here on Fairfield's campus. We are excited about giving back to Make-A-Wish, as well as getting the Fairfield University community together for this amazing event," said Karen Seavers '05, ODK president. For more information or to make a donation, contact Seavers at 05_kseavers@stagweb.fairfield.edu.

Hunger Cleanup April 9

This year's annual Hunger Cleanup, a program of the National Student Campaign against Hunger and Homelessness, will be held on April 9. Every year, several hundred volunteers from the Fairfield University community fan out to non-profit organizations in the area to donate their time and energy to whatever project needs their help, while also working to raise money. Last year, 300 Fairfield participants collected more than $10,000. Student organizers hope to surpass last year's fundraising goal. For more information, e-mail hungercleanup@stagweb.fairfield.edu.

By Dana Ambrosini, Assistant Director of Media Relations

In February, Fairfield University students, faculty, and staff showed their support for U.S. troops and veterans by signing appreciation postcards and offer encouraging words and quotes to soldiers around the world. The effort is part of a nationwide campaign launched by Lutheran High School in Orange, Calif.

The students set a target of 1,000 cards, purchased by the Fairfield University Student Association and designed by juniors Ada Sim and Jenna Siraco, co-chairs of the Judiciary/Finance Committee of the Student Association.

Though an organization called "A Million Thanks," Lutheran High School's target is to send 1.4 million appreciation cards, a symbolic goal representing the number of troops in the Armed Services. Lutheran's aim is "to show our U.S. Military Men and Women, past and present, our appreciation for their sacrifices, dedication, and service to our country through our letters, e-mails, cards, prayers, and thoughts."

Lutheran is collecting cards from across the country, which are screened and then distributed to military bases and to veterans.

Sim was eager to get involved in the effort after seeing a news report about it and learning that soldiers often do not get many such missives this time of year. "After seeing the news report, we wanted to express to the soldiers that we appreciate everything that they have done for our nation," Sim says. Sim and Siraco also posted encouraging quotes in the John A. Barone Campus Center, such as Voltaire's "Appreciation is a wonderful thing. It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well," so that those signing the cards could borrow uplifting words of wisdom if they wished.

Trinity Irish Dance Company to grace the stage March 6

Trinity Irish Dance Company brings its unique blend of intricate patterns, lightning-quick stepping, and miraculous unison to the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts on March 6 at 3 p.m. The world famous Irish-American troupe's appearance will be followed by a post-show St. Patrick's Day Party for the whole family.

Emmy Award-winning choreographer Mark Howard is Trinity's artistic director and the main force behind the company's ever-expanding range and repertoire. With his cast ranging from children to adults, Howard is known for combining the two styles of Irish dancing - on soft shoes and hard heels - and both live and taped musical accompaniment to create a world all his own.

Trinity has performed around the globe, with sold-out tours of Europe and Asia and appearances at Washington, D.C.'s Kennedy Center, the Joyce and New Victory theaters in New York City, and Chicago's Auditorium Theatre.

For tickets, call the Box Office at ext. 4010.

Grammy-winning jazz pianist/vocalist Diane Schuur to perform March 19

diane schuur, a grammy-winning vocalist often called "the first lady of jazz," brings her talent to the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts on March 19 at 8 p.m. A pre-concert Art to Heart discussion with Brian Torff, Music Program director, will take place from 7 to 7:40 p.m. The concert is part of the Quick Center's season-long Jazz Tribute Project.

Throughout her career, Schuur has released 17 albums, and she's won two Grammy Awards for Best Jazz Vocalist. Her latest album, Midnight, is a collaboration with Barry Manilow. Manilow and veteran producer Eddie Arkin co-produced and co-wrote the album, which was recorded in the traditional way, with the musicians, including a 31-piece orchestra, performing in the studio at the same time. In the course of a year, the group and several lyricists worked painstakingly on the 13 new songs.

A tireless performer, Schuur has toured Japan, Europe, Malaysia, and South America. After her Quick Center appearance, she will tour Brazil, spend a week at The Blue Note in New York City, and finish the year with a concert at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

"When I sing, I feel this warmth exuding from my heart, out towards the people in the audience," she says. "It's a real energy exchange."

For tickets, call the Box Office at ext. 4010.

"Live! Lit" concludes its season with parenting tales

All parents can relate to the three stories that conclude this season's "Live! Lit" series at Fairfield University's Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts. "Live! Lit: On Parenting," an afternoon of readings of some of the world's best short fiction, will take place on March 13 at 3 p.m. Following a 2 p.m. tea, professional actors will read three stories in this popular Quick Center series.

Weston resident Chilton Ryan will direct the day's readings, which include Damon Runyon's Butch Minds the Baby read by Bridgeport resident Tom Zingarelli, the Quick Center's executive director. Eileen Lawless of Norwalk will read Burn Your Maps by Robyn Joy Leff. Ridgefield resident Carolyn Marble will take on Gish Jen's Who's Irish? Tess Link, an actress, writer and member of the Westport-based Theatre Artists Workshop, is the series creator.

For tickets, call the Box Office at ext. 4010.

Me and Jezebel comes to Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts

This month, the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts presents Me and Jezebel, a rollicking true story of how a well-meaning Connecticut writer spent a month with Bette Davis. Performances run from March 10 through March 12, at 8 p.m. Directed by Mark Graham, the performances will feature Weston author Elizabeth Fuller as herself, and actor Kelly Moore, a man who delivers a dead-on impersonation of Davis.

The story takes place in 1985, when Fuller, a Davis fan since childhood, met the actress through a mutual friend, who brought her to Fuller's house for dinner one night. When the friend was called away on a family emergency the next day and a New York hotel strike closed all alternatives, Davis called Fuller and asked if she could sleep over for a night, maybe two.

The next morning a limo pulled up to Fuller's home, toting Davis - followed by a station wagon filled with 18 pieces of Louis Vuitton luggage. The flamboyant actress stayed a full 32 days, during which she dished on rival Joan Crawford, lectured Fuller on her parenting skills, and set the living room drapes ablaze.

Me and Jezebel is the second of three Quick Center-based theater productions scheduled for the season. The final fully-staged production is Danger, People at Large, an evening of short comedies by Fred Stroppel featuring Broadway and television stars Jack Klugman and Brett Somers in their first appearance together in more than 30 years. Performances will take place from April 21 through April 23.

For tickets, call the Box Office at ext. 4010.

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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. Telephone: 254-4000, ext. 2556. Fax: 254-4167.

Editor
Jill Kasiewicz Caseria
Assistant Director of University Publications

Editorial Board
Martha Milcarek
Assistant Vice President for Public Relations
Barbara Kiernan
Director of University Publications
Jean Santopatre
University Photojournalist

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