May 2004

Index for May 6, 2004

Board of Trustees approves 2004-05 budget

By Martha Milcarek, Assistant Vice President for Public Relations

At its March meeting, the Board of Trustees approved an operating budget of $118,053,000 for 2004-05 - an increase of 6.6 percent over the current year. An additional $23,840,000 was approved for capital expenditures that include restricted gift income and bond proceeds.

William Lucas, vice president for finance and administration, said the budget process is "always an exercise in compromise," and this year was no exception. He explained that after balancing all the competitive needs, the new budget provides $7.3 million in new funds and accomplishes several important objectives.

"The 2004-05 allocations enable the University to increase the total compensation pool by 5.4 percent; provide some much-needed increases in divisional operating funds; meet the challenges of cost increases for long-term contracts such as outsourced vendor contracts for food service, computer, and custodial services; and fund more than $340,000 for technology network and software licenses, etc.," he explained.

Following months of deliberations, the Budget Committee, composed of representatives from the administration, faculty, and student body, recommended the balanced budget to the University President, who then presented it to the Board at its recent meeting.

Tuition, room and board

For the coming year, undergraduate tuition for juniors and seniors will be $27,450; for incoming freshmen and sophomores, $27,930. Residence hall room and board will be $9,270; townhouse rental, $7,200; and the Apartment Village rental, $7,800. The overall package of tuition, fees, and residence hall room and board represents an increase to full-time students of 6.1 percent.

Lucas said the issue of tuition increases is always a sensitive one and every effort is made for Fairfield to remain an affordable choice. "Fairfield's tuition increase is similar to those increases recently announced by other universities in our peer group," he said. Recently, the Princeton Review selected Fairfield as one of the top 77 colleges and universities for "Best Value" based on the quality of the education offered at a reasonable price.

Department budgets

Last fall, the Budget Committee - as in previous years - heard presentations from department heads on how they used their current budget, Lucas said. Among those presenting were the offices and departments of Undergraduate Admission and Financial Aid, Campus Planning and Operations, Athletics, the School of Engineering, University College, Food Service Operation, and Security. The Committee also continued the process of holding open hearings, during which any member of the University community may present funding needs or priorities.

In January, the Committee reviewed department budget requests presented through the divisions of the University for funding approval. Included in this process are certain identified funding priorities.

As is the case each year, the University Budget Committee began its deliberations with a certain set of assumptions. These included continued concerns over the level of medical benefit increases, the determination of an appropriate salary increase pool, a review of the endowment spending policy, as well as a consideration of utilizing interest rate swap contracts to lower interest payments. A strategic decision was made to fund some divisional operating costs that historically have been unfunded and need to be regularized in the budget. Examples of some of these items are service contracts on scientific equipment, increased costs for the RecPlex, and a position that had been funded as part of the current capital campaign and is now being absorbed into the Advancement Division operating budget to maintain increasing levels of fundraising activity.

Compensation

Regarding compensation, the committee approved a 3.5 percent pool for merit increases as well as funding increases in the total benefits package, including medical premiums, pensions, FICA, life insurance, long-term disability, dependent grants-in-aid, unemployment compensation, and workers' compensation insurance - resulting in a total compensation package increase of 5.4 percent. This increase represents 54 percent of all new funds added to the budget. Consistent with past years, salary increases for administration and staff will be distributed on a merit system based on written performance evaluations. For FY '05, given the total salary pool for increases of 3.5 percent, individual increases will be based on the following performance scale: If the employee exceeds standards, 3 percent or more; meets standards, 2 to 3 percent; needs improvement, less than 2 percent. For faculty, salary increases will also be distributed on a merit system, based on individual School merit plans.

In view of the rapidly rising costs in benefits, the Board of Trustees has asked administration to do a comprehensive study on employee benefits in order to better control cost increases.

New positions and employee responsibility adjustments amounted to $400,000. These were funded under a combination of strategic initiatives, and regular divisional requests. Areas receiving funding for strategic initiatives included Academics, where a new faculty position was added; Advancement, with the addition of a major gifts officer; and some salary adjustments in other areas of the institution.

Other major allocations included funds necessary to meet normal increases in contracted services, including transportation, computer services, custodial services, and food service, amounting to $582,000. Depreciation expense for new capital assets and other renovations amounted to $700,000. Under the category of general operations, the increase was $1,010,000, primarily for utilities, insurance and bank fees, and additions to operating contingency, computer replacement funds, and bond interest.

FY '05 budget allocations continued the opportunity to provide limited operating fund increases. Total divisional requests approved were for $557,000.

A distinguishing feature of this year's budget was the strategic decision by the Board to include a bottom line of approximately $500,000 designated as an addition to the student financial aid endowment fund. "This is part of the efforts to balance both current, or short term, needs, as well as long term needs," Lucas said.

The capital budget includes funds for normal equipment purchases, major repairs and replacements, debt principal, and restricted gifts for renovations. Also included in capital this year is the addition of the CHEFA Series K bond funds designated for major projects that include the new boulevard, the restoration of Bellarmine Hall, a new quad heating plant, renovations to Rudolph F. Bannow Science Center and student townhouses, as well as a new telephone switch.

"While we have seen some indications of positive changes in the economy, the challenges facing institutions of higher education remain high due to their special needs in the areas of technology and personnel," Lucas said. "Despite the University's healthy financial picture, Fairfield is not immune to the pressures being faced by other institutions."

"Due to the hard work of the University Budget Committee, we have once again achieved a balanced budget - one that will help us make strides in moving forward," he continued. "I wish to thank the Committee for all its efforts and individuals across the institution who contributed to this process."

Additional information on University Intranet

Fairfield's Intranet (at info.fairfield.edu/finance) includes information on the comparative operating revenues and operating expenditures for FY '04 and FY '05, along with charts showing the major categories and their percentage relationship to the total. Also included are charts showing the total sources of additional funds that were added to balance the new FY '05 budget, as well as the uses of these new funds.

The total revenue chart includes the similarities of funding sources, led by tuition, which is approximately 71 percent of all revenue. The balance of the revenue budget includes auxiliary services, unrestricted gifts, investment income, and all other.

The total expenditures chart shows the breakdown of the total University expense budget in functional categories. Again, funding levels tend to be consistent. Compensation is the largest part of the overall University budget, at approximately 57 percent. General operations, at 11 percent, is for overhead items such as interest on debt, liability insurances, institutional fees for legal and audit; depreciation expense is consistent at approximately 8 percent of the total budget; contract services, at 11 percent, represents the major outsourced contracts for custodial, food service, computer services, athletic field maintenance, and transportation. The "all other" category, at 13 percent, includes printing, postage, supplies, etc., for all University departments. The final chart reflects the capital budget.

Ted Kennedy Jr. gives Ignatian Residential College lecture

By Alejandra Navarro, Publications Writer

As part of the second annual lecture of the Lilly Endowment for the Ignatian Residential College, this year's speaker, Ted Kennedy Jr., met with students in Loyola Hall.

Ted Kennedy Jr. was just 12 years old when his father, U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy, explained that young Ted would lose part of his leg - everything from the knee down - to bone cancer.

In his youth, Kennedy was frightened and embarrassed by his disability. In school, he waited for all the boys to leave the locker room before he took off his prosthetic leg. That was in the early 1970s, and many people believed that not living was better than living with a disability, he explained at the second annual lecture of the Lilly Endowment for the Ignatian Residential College. The lecture was part of the April 21 Open VISIONS Forum.

His understanding of his disability changed when he met people working in the Disability Rights Movement.

"It was an awakening for me," said Kennedy, an attorney who has spent most of his career working to improve the rights of people with disabilities and the terminally ill.

Kennedy is the co-founder and president of the Marwood Group, a firm serving clients in healthcare and financial services fields. He is the executive director of Facing the Challenge, a non-profit advocacy and public policy office for disability-related issues, and a teaching fellow on disability policy at Harvard. He has served as a board member for several non-profit organizations, including the Special Olympics, founded by his aunt, Eunice Kennedy Shriver.

Kennedy discussed the history of the disability movement, disability law, and the hardships the disabled population continues to face.

People with disabilities don't want to be pitied; they want to work, Kennedy said. Despite the strides made through the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, more than 70 percent of people with disabilities - able and willing to work - don't have jobs, he said. "What creates the problem is a society's perception of that person's disability," not the disability itself, he added.

Kennedy admitted that the Americans with Disabilities Act has failed to keep up with many of its goals, but added that it is relatively young and, "The opportunity to write and create good law still exists."

He raised a question that Ellen Dunleavy '06 had asked before the lecture: how he reconciled working to succeed in a capitalist society while simultaneously addressing issues of social justice - a question he said he truly appreciated because few people bother to ask it.

"I don't know the answer," Kennedy said. "For me, there has to be some sort of social value in what I do."

Growing up in the Kennedy clan, he said, community service was not only valued, but expected. His cousins passed over cushy internships to spend summers working in poor countries or alongside civil rights leaders, he said.

Kennedy said he appreciates being able to help improve the conditions of others. "I think God knew I would have the force and determination to live my life with one leg," he said. "I don't think there are any accidents in life."

Photo by Jean Santopatre

University names presidential inauguration committee

Although Fairfield University president-elect, Rev. Jeffrey von Arx, S.J., will not assume his duties as president until July, plans for his administration are in the works.

Fairfield's inauguration festivities are scheduled for Oct. 1 through Oct. 8, with the installation ceremony scheduled for Oct. 7, coinciding with the annual meeting of the University's Board of Trustees.

"The key to the success of any event is timely planning, effective organization, and precise execution accomplished through a team of talented and dedicated individuals," wrote University President Aloysius P. Kelley, S.J., in a letter to the 20-member inauguration committee he named, in consultation with Fr. von Arx. The committee, chaired by Martha Milcarek, assistant vice president for public relations, will assist in planning and executing the inaugural events.

"I am eager to get the committee work started quickly as there is much to do," says Milcarek. This is the second inauguration committee that she has chaired in her career.

The committee includes Rev. Charles Allen, S.J., executive assistant to the president; Janet Canepa, director of alumni relations; Rev. Paul Carrier, S.J., University chaplain; Kristine Carroll, director of special events; Julie Coyle Davis, director of constituent relations; Dr. Elizabeth Dreyer, professor of religious studies; Paul Duffy '05, president-elect of the Fairfield University Student Association; Nancy Habetz, director of media relations; Barbara Kiernan, director of University publications; Dr. Wendy Kohli, associate professor of curriculum and instruction and member of the faculty committee on public lectures and events; Dr. Mary Frances Malone, associate academic vice president; Rev. James Mayzik, S.J., director of the media center; Dr. Larry Miners, associate professor of economics; Todd Pelazza, director of security; Mark Reed, dean of students; Paul Richards '71, president-elect of the Fairfield University Alumni Association; Ric Taylor, associate vice president for campus operations; Dr. Winston Tellis, assistant professor of information systems and operations management and chair of the general faculty; and Tom Zingarelli, executive director, Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts.

Rev. Joe MacDonnell, S.J.: a new phase of life

By Barbara Kiernan, Director of University Publications

While his retirement won't be official until July 1, Rev. Joseph MacDonnell, S.J., professor of mathematics in the College of Arts and Sciences, stepped down from the classroom in December. "The first thing to go are the knees and the legs," quips the former multi-sport athlete. He joined Fairfield's faculty in 1969 after the Jesuits - he among them - were expelled by the Baath Party from Baghdad, Iraq.

At a farewell reception held in his honor last month, Fr. "Mac" chatted with faculty, administrators, and students, including Kathleen MacDonnell '05, his niece (left).

"Here, at Fairfield, I began another wonderful adventure," he says, attributing his relatively smooth adjustment to that dramatic turn of events in his life to "God's grace." "Every situation depends upon how you look at it," he says, "but in the end, God's grace takes care of it. I found myself grateful to be at Fairfield, with its wonderful students and wonderful staff. It could be otherwise, you know, but here there were many, many people who share the Jesuit vision."

In recent years, Fr. MacDonnell has suffered deteriorating health, including heart problems and end-case kidney failure. "I never heard him complain," says Rev. W. Laurence O'Neil, S.J., a childhood friend and director of student support services. Instead, Fr. MacDonnell tackled the rigors of self-dialysis with aplomb, hooking himself up to the equipment in his room twice a day, and overnight for six additional exchanges. Nurse volunteers assisted as needed for related needs.

The rigors of this routine took their toll, and he decided it was time to begin a new phase of life in what he hopes will be an active retirement. "I don't spend all day thinking about it, but dialysis has had to become my new full-time career," he says with a smile.

Recently uprooted, Fr. MacDonnell moved to the Jesuit retirement community in Weston, Mass., a week after Easter. He is rumored to have "picked up" a weekend parish assignment already, hardly missing a beat from his 32-year ministry to the people of neighboring St. Pius Parish in Fairfield, where he said Mass every Sunday.

"Fr. Mac fit himself into our rotating schedule so he could get to know all the people at St. Pius," says Rev. Lawrence Carroll, pastor. "His faithfulness to this community and to the Eucharist will be long remembered."

While at the University, Fr. MacDonnell often waxed poetic about the beauty of his field: mathematics. "I have always been grateful to teach mathematics," he says, "because I love it. It's like figuring out a crossword puzzle. And in it there's the joy of discovery."

Fr. O'Neil recalls many a time when, as dean of students, he'd encounter students struggling with mathematics. "I'd call and say, 'Joe, can you help this kid out?' He always said yes," recalls Fr. O'Neil.

In addition to his multifaceted ministry to students, Fr. MacDonnell, for years, organized days of reflection and evening discussion dinners for faculty and staff as a way to acquaint them with and anchor them in the Jesuit educational mission and the spirituality at its heart. Always one to enjoy a social gathering, he arranged the annual faculty/staff Christmas party at the St. Ignatius residence, and hung the welcoming outdoor holiday decorations with mathematical precision.

In his "spare time," Fr. MacDonnell has managed to write four books related to the Jesuit mission; has stayed active with an organization of alumni from the Baghdad mission; was involved with the Clavius Group, an association of Jesuit mathematicians; and enjoyed a particularly colorful hobby - constructing models of mathematical ruled surfaces. Many of these now hang in the Bannow Science Center atrium that bears Fr. MacDonnell's name.

"In my 59 years in the Society," says University President Aloysius P. Kelley, S.J., "I have known a lot of Jesuits, and about 10 I consider exceptional. Fr. Joe MacDonnell is on that list."

Photo by Jean Santopatre

In an April 9 article in The Advocate (Stamford), Dennis Amrine, associate director of career planning, discussed the benefits of Stamford-based Regus Group's plan to offer a three-month internship program modeled after the reality show, The Apprentice. Top interns, who work alongside executives, compete for a job offer. Amrine said not many internships give this level of experience, adding, "This would be a great experience even if you didn't get a position."

Dr. Diane Brousseau, professor of biology in the College of Arts and Sciences, received one of the SoundWaters Environmental Achievement Awards presented at the Sound Island Splash fundraiser in Greenwich. The Connecticut Post published the list of recipients on March 21.

Rev. Paul Carrier, S.J., University chaplain, was interviewed about conditions in Haiti following his return from the country in March. News 12 Connecticut, WTNH-TV in New Haven, WSTC-WNLK radio in Stamford/Norwalk, and WGCH in Greenwich interviewed him. In addition, the Fairfield Minuteman included a feature article. Doug Perlitz '92, founder and director of Project Pierre Toussaint in Cap Haitien, was on campus the following week speaking to classes and the Chapel community. He was interviewed for feature articles in the Fairfield Citizen-News, Fairfield Minuteman, and The News-Times in Danbury.

Several media outlets have tapped Dr. Edward Deak, Roger M. Lynch Professor of Economics in the College of Arts and Sciences, for comments on employment and other economic issues.
    In a March 15 New Haven Register article on sluggish job growth despite improvements in the economy, Dr. Deak said job losses could be seasonal, but warned, "We need new jobs for new income to support more consumer spending, or the whole thing won't hang together." He also said he expects 10,000 new jobs in 2004, but losing 800 jobs has not been a promising start. Dr. Deak also commented on the state's sluggish economy in a March 31 article in The Hartford Courant. Unemployment and underemployment - people making wages below their previous salaries - are contributing to the increase in late credit card payments, Dr. Deak said in a March 24 article in The Hartford Courant.
    But the surprising 308,000 new jobs that surfaced nationally in March gives Connecticut hope, Dr. Deak said in an April 3 article in The Hartford Courant. "Connecticut makes things and provides services for the rest of the country," he said. "If the country as a whole is showing this kind of economic strength, you can be pretty sure Connecticut is going to be pulled along." He also talked about the need for more jobs in an April 8 Westport Minuteman article. Dr. Deak also told The Hartford Courant in an April 15 article that the visa shortage will inconvenience the tourism industry, which relies on immigrant workers, but it likely won't be a large problem for the state's economy.
    An East Hartford Gazette reader referenced Dr. Deak's comments in a March 18 letter to the editor encouraging the city to hold off raises for city employees until the economy improves.
    The impact of higher oil prices is similar to what happens when jobs are sent out of the country, Dr. Deak said in a March 20 article on high gas prices in The Hartford Courant. "It's worsening the balance of payments," Dr. Deak said. "And what that means is that money that could be circulating here to buy domestic products is, in fact, pouring out of the country to support oil imports. And that is a problem."
    In a March 28 Connecticut Post article, Dr. Deak discussed the negative economic impact a long-term shutdown of Interstate 95 would have had on everything from shipping costs to summer tourism in New England, after a fiery accident destroyed a section of it in Bridgeport. The article also appeared in the Chronicle (Willimantic) on March 29.

Dr. Robert Fedorchek, professor of modern languages and literatures in the College of Arts and Sciences, engaged children and adults at the Barnes & Noble in Westport on March 21, by reading his translation of The Garden with Seven Gates, a compilation of 15 stories and fantasy tales, originally written in Spanish by Concha Castroviejo.

Dr. Elizabeth Gardner, professor of psychology, delivered the keynote speech at the Psi Chi psychology honor society induction ceremony at Sacred Heart University on April 28 and also spoke at the Psi Chi induction ceremony at Fairfield University on May 1.

"New Training Method Boosts Productivity," an article co-authored by Dr. Jennifer S. Goldberg, assistant professor of curriculum and instruction in the Graduate School of Education and Allied Professions, and Dr. Stephen R. Goldberg, CPA, associate professor of accounting at Grand Valley State University, appeared in the March issue of the Journal of Corporate Accounting & Finance.

Rev. Francis Hannafey, S.J., associate professor of religious studies in the College of Arts and Sciences, published with Michael J. Schuck the article, "Entrepreneurship and Morality in the Thought of John A. Ryan," which appeared in the winter/spring 2004 issue of the Josephinum Journal of Theology.

In April, Dr. Linda Henkel, assistant professor of psychology, presented "The price of remembering more: Age-related increases in source confusions due to repeated memory tests," research she co-authored with three Fairfield University students at the 10th Annual Cognitive Aging Conference in Atlanta, Ga. Seniors Elizabeth Dailey, Theresa Maisano, and Carolyn Waldecker collaborated with Dr. Henkel on the research conducted under her grant from the National Institute on Aging.

A March article in The Star-Ledger (Newark, N.J.) quoted Dr. Paul F. Lakeland, professor and chair of religious studies in the College of Arts and Sciences, on the affect the sexual abuse scandal will have on the future of the church. "The abuse problem is something that poor leadership certainly exacerbated, yet in many respects the bishops have not turned the spotlight on themselves," Dr. Lakeland said. "There is a zero tolerance for priests, but not for bishops." The Newhouse News Service distributed the story, which also appeared in the Express-Times (Easton, Penn.). Dr. Lakeland also wrote a review of three books - My Struggle for Freedom: Memoirs by Hans Kung, The Decline and Fall of the Catholic Church in America by David Carlin, and An American Conversation by Deal W. Hudson - in the March 12 Commonweal.

The Fairfield Citizen-News included a feature article in its April 9 edition on Rev. Joseph MacDonnell, S.J., retired professor of mathematics in the College of Arts and Sciences. The article focused on his years of teaching in Baghdad and at Fairfield University and his contributions to the community, especially at St. Pius X Church, where he assisted for 32 years.

Dr. Lisa Mainiero, professor of management in the Charles F. Dolan School of Business, commented for a Baltimore Sun article about office politics that were prompted by the television reality show, The Apprentice. In the April article, Dr. Mainiero said in real workplaces, workers are most likely to shift blame to one another when a promotion is at stake or when resources are scarce.

The Emergency Nurses Association awarded Dr. Anne P. Manton, associate professor of nursing in the School of Nursing, the Gail P. Lenehan Award for Advocacy for her leadership and dedication to emergency care. Dr. Manton received the award at the association's annual Leadership Challenge in Salt Lake City, Utah, in February. Nursing Spectrum (Lexington, Mass.) announced Dr. Manton's award in the March/April issue.

Marsha McCoy, visiting professor in classical studies of the College of Arts and Sciences, discussed "The Founding of Rome: Myth and Reality" with members of BACIO, the Italian Cultural Association of Fairfield County, on April 12 at the Bridgeport Public Library.

Dr. Sharlene McEvoy, professor of business law in the Dolan School of Business, presented "Age Discrimination in the Entertainment Industry: A Wrong Without Remedy?" as part of the Oxford Round Table at the University of Oxford in England in March. Dr. McEvoy also served as a panelist on "The Age Workforce Problems and Opportunities for Employers and Employees" at the roundtable discussion on employment discrimination and the law.

WICC radio interviewed Martha Milcarek, assistant vice president for public relations, on Fairfield University's ranking in the Princeton Review's America's Best Value Colleges, released in March.

In the April 5 issue of Advance for Respiratory Care Practitioners, Dr. Jeanne M. Novotny, dean of the School of Nursing, supported the research of a University of Pennsylvania professor that found patients' deaths after surgery are highest in hospitals where nurses with lower levels of education care for more patients. "It's not a negation of the good work others are doing or of those with associate degrees, but it should encourage nurses to pursue education to the level of baccalaureate and beyond," Dr. Novotny said. "Having a nurse workforce with higher education is in the public's interest and in the interest of employers."

Dr. John Orman, professor of politics in the College of Arts and Sciences, recently commented to several media outlets on a variety of issues, from Congressional races to national security.
    He discussed the advantage U.S. Sen. Christopher Dodd has over Republican Jack Orchulli in an article appearing in The Advocate (Stamford) and the Greenwich Time on March 9. In the 4th Congressional District race, the challenger, Westport First Selectman Diane Farrell, is running a robust campaign against incumbent U.S. Sen. Christopher Shays, Dr. Orman said in a March 21 article appearing in the same publications.
    Dr. Orman talked about Alan S. Plofsky, executive director of Connecticut's ethics commission, in a March 14 New York Times profile on Plofsky, who had has been critical of Gov. John Rowland and his recent scandal. CBS Radio interviewed Dr. Orman on March 18 about the allegations against the governor.
    In an April 9 Chicago Tribune article on National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice's testimony to the 9/11 Commission, some experts said her testimony could affect the Bush Administration's campaign. Dr. Orman said he didn't believe the event would linger long in the minds of most voters, adding, "Most Americans have a two- or three-day attention span." The article was also carried in several newspapers across the country.
    In a Feb. 29 article in the Herald Press (Middletown), Dr. Orman discussed the growing rift between those who oppose casinos in the state, mainly people in the suburbs, and those, primarily city officials, who see casinos as a source of jobs and tax relief.

Dr. Patricia Poli, associate professor of accounting in the Dolan School of Business and president of the Northeast Region of the American Accounting Association, appeared in the March 12 Newtown Bee for her role as an advisor to the Naugatuck Valley Community College's "fraud finders" academic challenge, where students track the illegal activity of a fraud perpetrator in a fictitious organization.

Brian Torff, director of the jazz and popular music program, played piano with fellow musicians Florence Melnotte on bass and Thierry Arpino on drums, at the Silvermine Tavern in Norwalk on April 2.

Dr. Michael Tucker, professor of finance in the Dolan School of Business, was interviewed by News 12 Connecticut on April 2 on the rising price of gasoline and its affect on other consumer items.

Dr. Edna Farace Wilson, dean of University College and chair of the United Way of Eastern Fairfield County's Project Blueprint, was quoted in a March Fairfield Citizen-News article on the Blueprint training program, which prepares a diverse population of professionals for leadership positions. She was also noted in the annual report of the United Way, published in the Fairfield Citizen-News.

The spring issue of Company magazine reported the appointment of Rev. Jeffrey von Arx, S.J., as president of Fairfield University following the retirement of Aloysius P. Kelley, S.J., effective July 1.

Women's Studies awards Cynthia Swift

The Women's Study award is given annually to a woman who has made a significant difference in the lives of students. At this year's ceremony, held April 29, the award was given to Cynthia Swift, of multicultural relations' academic advantage, for her efforts in helping AHANA students acclimate to the Fairfield community. "She helps our students reach their full potential by encouraging and supporting them, and she provides a way for them to move beyond themselves out into the world," says Dr. Sally O'Driscoll, co-director of the department of women's studies. "Like so many of our award-winners, she works tremendously hard, but out of the spotlight." Pictured above (l-r) are Larri Mazon, director of multicultural relations; Dr. O'Driscoll; Cynthia Swift; and Dr. Timothy Snyder, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.

Photo by Ron Bruner

Please note

Nina Riccio, publications writer/editor, will be the interim editor for the June, August, and September issues of Campus Currents while Jill Kasiewicz Caseria is on maternity leave. Nina may be reached at ext. 3329 or nriccio@mail.fairfield.edu.

Service Anniversaries

May 2004

5 years
Laura Dancho
Margarita Rosario

10 years
Allen Christy

15 years
Janice Buswell
Annie Forstrom

Condolences

Stanley Meyers, stepfather of Dr. Mark LeClair, associate professor of economics, died on April 15.

Mary Rowe, retired secretary for the athletic department, died on April 20.
    Serving the athletic directors for 27 years, Rowe came to Fairfield as the only full-time staff member in the department. "I did everything," Rowe said in a 1999 Campus Currents article. "I was business manager, ticket manager, I even typed term papers for some of the boys on my own time." She was also a maternal figure in the office, an unofficial counselor who listened to students' problems and helped where she could.
    Rowe was inducted into the Fairfield University Alumni Association Athletic Hall of Fame in 1989 for special service. The first woman inducted, it was a tribute to her pioneering work in the program and the affection in which she was held.
    Rowe worked for four athletic directors before retiring from the University in 1992. The only drawback to retirement, she once said, was that she missed the people she worked with every day.
    Predeceased by her husband, Rowe is survived by her sons, Edward - who teaches at Fairfield Prep - and Thomas, both Prep graduates ('59 and '63, respectively), and her grandson, Edward Jr., who graduated from Prep in 1987 and the University in 1991.

New Employees

Mary Ann Cass - payroll assistant
Patrick Nicas - systems mechanic, Energy Services

54th Commencement to feature Cokie Roberts

By Nancy Habetz, Director of Media Relations

ABC News's award-winning political commentator Cokie Roberts will address students and receive an honorary degree at Fairfield University's 54th commencement on May 23. Roberts, a veteran newswoman, has covered Congress, politics, and public policy for ABC for 15 years and serves as senior news analyst for National Public Radio. From 1996 to 2002 she co-anchored the weekly ABC interview program, This Week.

In more than 30 years in broadcasting, Roberts has won numerous awards, including two Emmys. She has been inducted into the Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame and was cited by the American Women in Radio and Television as one of the 50 greatest women in the history of broadcasting.

Roberts and her husband, Steven, write a weekly column syndicated in newspapers around the country. They are also contributing editors to USA Magazine and together wrote From this Day Forward, an account of their more than 35-year marriage and other unions in American history. An immediate bestseller, the book followed Roberts' other hit, We Are Our Mothers' Daughters. Roberts is now working on another book, Founding Mothers, the stories of the women who raised the nation.

This year, Roberts was appointed to the newly formed President's Commission on Service and Civic Participation.

Other honorary degree recipients include Rev. Mother Dolores Hart, Prioress, O.S.B., at Pax Abbey of Regina Laudis in Bethlehem, Conn.; Guido Calabresi, United States Circuit Judge for the Second Circuit; and James F. Hanrahan, founder, chancellor and headmaster emeritus of Saint Thomas More School.

Mother Dolores Hart, a cloistered Benedictine nun, was a well-known and successful actress of film, stage and television when she left her career to join the Regina Laudis community in 1963. She is often cited as starring opposite Elvis Presley in Loving You (1957) and King Creole (1958), but she also worked with such Hollywood giants as Anthony Quinn, Anna Magnani, Montgomery Clift, and Myrna Loy. On Broadway, she starred opposite George Peppard in The pleasure of his company, for which she received a Tony nomination. Her television work included Alfred Hitchcock Presents. In 1963 she left Hollywood and entered the Benedictine order. In a recent interview, she said she did not consider her decision to join the abbey a "walking away from Hollywood," but more "walking into something more significant and by that, I took Hollywood with me. I really loved my work and the people I worked with." She remains a voting member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences.

Before Judge Guido Calabresi was appointed United States Circuit Judge in July 1994, he was dean and Sterling Professor at the Yale Law School. He continues to serve as a member of that faculty as Sterling Professor Emeritus and Professional Lecturer.

Born in Milan, Italy, Judge Calabresi immigrated to the United States for political reasons in 1939. He and his parents became naturalized citizens in 1948. In a stellar academic career, he has earned degrees from Yale College, Magdalen College, Oxford University, Yale Law School, and Oxford University. A Rhodes Scholar and member of Phi Beta Kappa and Order of the Coif, Judge Calabresi served as the note editor of the Yale Law Journal while graduating first in his law school class.

He is the author of four books, including Ideals, Beliefs, Attitudes and the Law: Private Law Perspectives on a Public Law Problem, which received the American Bar Association's Silver Gavel Award; and A Common Law for the Age of Statutes, awarded the Triennial Book Award, Order of the Coif; and more than 90 articles on law and related subjects.

James F. Hanrahan was the coach of the Fairfield University men's basketball team and a teacher of mathematics at Fairfield College Preparatory School when he left in 1952 to establish Saint Thomas More School, a college preparatory boarding school in Oakdale, Conn., that serves 200 young men. The school motivates and challenges students who have good intellectual ability but who have not had the academic success of which they are capable. The highly structured environment helps to educate the whole person intellectually, physically, morally, and socially. As a result, nearly all of its graduates attend college.

A native of Waterbury, Conn., Hanrahan attended Saint Thomas Seminary in Bloomfield, Conn., and St. Mary's Seminary in Baltimore, Md. He graduated from Georgetown University in 1947 and received a master of arts degree from Fairfield University in 1953. He was headmaster for 37 years at the school he founded. His son, James F. Hanrahan Jr, followed him as headmaster.

James and his wife, the former Patricia Sweeney, have 13 children, six of whom graduated from Fairfield University.

Live from Bellarmine

Fairfield University's 54th Commencement is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Sunday, May 23, on the Bellarmine Lawn and Terrace, weather permitting. Exercises will be broadcast live at the following locations (no ticket needed):

• John A. Barone Campus Center Oak Room and Diner
• HAM Channel, Channel 64; simulcast on Channels 66, 67, 68, and 69
• www.fairfield.edu
• WVOF radio and webpage
• Cablevision of Conn.'s Educational Access Channel, Channel 78

In the event of inclement weather, commencement will be held at the Arena at HarborYard and will be broadcast via WVOF radio only. Watch Channel 105 (on campus) for weather announcements.

Alpha Sigma Nu's Teacher of the Year

By Nina M. Riccio, Publications Writer

What can you do with a major in physics?

Anything you want, says Dr. Mike Brienza of the Physics Department in the College of Arts and Sciences. He's just been chosen by Fairfield University's chapter of Alpha Sigma Nu, the National Jesuit Honor Society, as the 2004 Teacher of the Year. Dr. Brienza, who has been known to call physics "the liberal arts of the sciences," is passionate about his belief that a little physics can go a long way in teaching students how to think and solve problems. That passion shows in the classroom, say the students who voted for him.

"If every teacher were as interesting as Dr. Mike, I would never miss class," says Cathy Gruffi '06. "He is so relaxed and eager to answer questions that no one really minds that his tests are so difficult and his classes require more work. It's obvious he loves teaching."

Dr. Brienza "uses all sorts of models and even dances to explain concepts," adds Mary Beth Vingelen '06. "He's hands-down the smartest man I've ever met."

Dr. Brienza often ends his classes by exhorting students to "be passionate about what you do!" and it's clear he follows that mantra himself. "Physics is the perfect marriage partner for just about any career," he says. "Think about it! Wouldn't it be great to have legislators who are both attorneys and scientists? After all, this is the century of technology. If you are going to manage something, you'd better know what you're talking about. Marketing and product development are all about creativity, and if you're technically savvy you can put a little of this and a little of that together and create something new. Physicists make good financiers, too, because they understand how to write a good financial model, they understand the methodology." Physics is "unbelievably close" to philosophy, he adds, recalling that many of the great philosophers were also some of the greatest scientists and mathematicians.

To support his assertions that physics is the key to getting you where you want to go, Dr. Brienza points to his own career. After graduating from the University of Notre Dame (B.S.'60; Ph.D.'64) he went into industry, holding positions in engineering, research and development, marketing, and product development. He has worked in the aerospace and sewing machine industries, and holds 29 patents in everything from lasers and sewing machines to radar. Nine years ago he joined the physics faculty at Fairfield University as an adjunct professor and is now a visiting instructor. "I tell my students that I'm here because I want to be, not because I have to be," he says. "I think they know I really love what I do, and that I try to be available to them just about any day of the year - except Saturday afternoons in the fall when Notre Dame is playing football!"

Two years ago, concerned that the physics experiments in the curriculum "were about as interesting as watching grass grow," Dr. Brienza and colleagues Dr. Nancy Haegel, former physics professor, and Dr. Olivia Harriott, associate professor of biology, redesigned the physics curriculum to base much of the learning and experiments on human physiology. "Did you know that the brain uses a tremendous amount of its computing power just to keep you upright?" he asks. "It interprets messages from the ears about balance and, all in all, keeps this tall, awkward body balancing on two relatively small feet. In class, we have students measure parts of the body and learn about stability, forces, and torques. We use headphones and computer-generated sound to demonstrate how the ears locate sound and determine where it comes from. In the lab, we have students measure properties of their own eyes and write a prescription for themselves." The point, he says, is not just to make the learning fun. "I want them to see that it's relevant," "he says.

As for the award, "there's no greater honor," he says. "It's an overwhelming feeling when you know the people you are here to serve think you've done a good job."

Dr. Brienza will accept the award from Alpha Sigma Nu on May 19 at the Senior Brunch.

Photo by Jean Santopatre

Sigma Xi spring poster session

At the fourth annual session for the Sigma Xi student research poster session held in April, Sean Boyle '05 (center) explains his science project to Dr. Diane Brousseau (right), professor of biology. Boyle completed the project, "Do Lake Lillinonah Nuisance Blooms Fit the Conceptual Model?", with Cristina Worth '05.

Photo by Jean Santopatre

Fostering mission and identity among colleges and universities

By Barbara Kiernan, Director of University Publications

On April 2, 15 Fairfield faculty members and administrators joined peers representing Boston College and the College of the Holy Cross for a meeting called by Rev. Thomas J. Regan, S.J., provincial of the New England Jesuit Province and former philosophy professor at Fairfield University. Held at Holy Cross, the daylong gathering focused on the various efforts the three institutions are making to foster their Jesuit and Catholic mission and identity.

The day began with a keynote address by Fr. Regan, who spoke on "Jesuit Mission and Academic Culture" in America today, and posed concrete challenges for the constituencies represented: trustees, faculty, and administrators. Calling this a critical time for all of Catholic education, Fr. Regan urged the three very different Jesuit institutions to reflect on the nature of their shared mission and identity. At stake, he said, is the influence of the Jesuit mission on culture and the question of "how the lives of thousands of women and men will or will not be challenged and changed by the core values of a Jesuit education."

In many ways, those values stand in opposition to what today's academic culture promotes: "the ruthless melding of knowledge and power, replacing the seemingly outmoded coupling of knowledge with virtue," according to Fr. Regan. Yet secular success is a requirement of all institutions of higher education if they are to continue. "But can institutions whose bodies must be so secular to survive, ultimately have a religious and spiritual heart and soul?" he asked. Can they retain the essence of St. Ignatius' Spiritual Exercises, which presume the inherent dignity of all people and are meant to lead people to find God in all things? "Jesuit colleges and universities have been places of intellectual honesty, pluralism, and mutual respect ... places of creative companionship with colleagues and a focused care for students, students who are given the opportunities to learn and reflect about the complex matters of social justice and solidarity," he said.

A series of challenges to the three participating constituencies and small group discussions followed. Responding to Fr. Regan's talk were Dr. Patricia DeLeeuw, associate academic vice president for faculties at Boston College; Dr. Michael Collins, chair of the Board of Trustees at Holy Cross; and Dr. Paul Lakeland, professor of religious studies at Fairfield.

Representing Fairfield University were: Rev. Aloysius Kelley, S.J., University President; Rev. James Bowler, S.J., facilitator for Jesuit and Catholic mission and identity; George Diffley, vice president for advancement; Dr. Elizabeth Dreyer, professor of religious studies; Dr. Orin Grossman, academic vice president; Mark Guglielmoni, director of human resources; Rev. Frank Hannafey, S.J., associate professor of religious studies; Barbara Kiernan, director of University publications; Dr. Wendy Kohli, associate professor of graduate education; Dr. Paul Lakeland, professor of religious studies; Dr. Mary Frances Malone, associate academic vice president; Mark Reed, dean of students; Carolyn Rusiackas, associate University chaplain; Dr. Winston Tellis, assistant professor of information systems; Dr. Joan VanHise, associate professor of accounting; and Fredric Wheeler, associate vice president for development.

Reception honors College of Arts and Sciences faculty authors

At the reception, dean Dr. Timothy Snyder honored Dr. Richard Regan, assistant professor of English, with the Colleges's 2004 Distinguished Teaching Award. Dr. Regan was awarded for his use of technology and multimedia in English Composition and Shakespeare courses.

On April 29, the College of Arts and Sciences held a book reception recognizing recently published faculty. Dr. Richard Regan, assistant professor of English, was honored with the second annual College of Arts and Sciences 2004 Distinguished Teaching Award.

College of Arts and Sciences' faculty books published in 2003-04 include:

• Imperial Ascent: Mountaineering, Masculinity, and Empire (University Press of Colorado, 2003); Dr. Peter L. Bayers, assistant professor of English
• Kant on Causation: On the Fivefold Routes to the Principle of Causation (State University of New York Press, 2003); Dr. Steven M. Bayne, visiting instructor of philosophy
• La Mujer que se Parecia a Sharon Stone (RIL editors, International Book Publishers), Chile, 2003); Dr. Javier Campos, associate professor of modern languages and literatures
• Worldviews: An Introduction to the History and Philosophy of Science (Blackwell Publishers, 2004); Dr. Richard DeWitt, associate professor of philosophy
• The Plaza Mayor and the Shaping of Baroque Madrid (Cambridge University Press, 2003); Dr. Jesús Escobar, associate professor of visual and performing arts
• The Garden with Seven Gates (Bucknell University Press, 2003); Dr. Robert M. Fedorchek, professor of modern languages and literatures
• Constructive Spirit: Quakers in Revolutionary Russia (Intentional Productions, 2004); Dr. David McFadden, professor of history
• Ethics in America: Source Reader (Prentice Hall, 2003); Ethics in America: Study Guide (Prentice Hall, 2003); Wake-up Calls (South-Western, 2003) co-author with David Schmidt; Ethics and Sustainability (Pearson Education, 2002); Dr. Lisa H. Newton, professor of philosophy
• The Garden of Martyrs (Saint Martin's Press, 2004); Dr. Michael White, assistant professor of English

Photo by Ron Bruner

College of Arts and Sciences

Dr. Jesús Escobar: Award-winning researcher

By Meredith Guinness, Public Relations Writer

"I've always been interested in public spaces, the ways buildings can shape an environment and give it meaning," says Dr. Jesús Escobar, director of the Art History Program in the College of Arts and Sciences and specialist in early modern architecture and urbanism. He first recognized the special quality of public spaces when he was nine years old, during a visit to his father's hometown of Valle de Guadalupe, in Michoacán, Mexico. "Seeing how the plaza (the town square) was the center of all life there fascinated me," he says. "All streets led to it, and everyone spent part of their day at it."

Dr. Escobar's 2003 debut book, The Plaza Mayor and the Shaping of Baroque Madrid won the Eleanor Tufts Award, a prize given by the American Society for Hispanic Art Historical Studies. His book examines one of the most important of all Spanish city squares, the Plaza Mayor of Madrid. "I wanted to get at the process by which an urban space was formed by people - rulers, bureaucrats, architects, masons, alike," he says. "This, in turn, helps us understand how architecture came to define the Spanish capital." The more he learned, the closer he got to understanding Latin American squares - a topic he hopes to return to in the future.

An in-depth look at how architecture and planning related to society, politics, and Spanish culture, the book considers the transformation of Madrid from a secondary market town to the cosmopolitan capital of the Spanish Habsburg Empire. Moreover, Escobar considers the ways in which Madrid "fits into the architectural history of the Renaissance, whose scholars usually focus on Italy," he says. "This book will help reverse how we talk about Spain during the Renaissance, from a country that is remembered only by the Inquisition to one that made a significant contribution to Renaissance culture."

In their comments on the book, the judges for the Eleanor Tufts Award were particularly impressed by the thoroughness of Dr. Escobar's research, the rigor of his arguments and the significance of his findings.

"This book makes an important contribution to the study of Spanish architectural history, it fills a need for a book in English on the topic, and will likely remain an authoritative reference on the Plaza Mayor and the growth of Madrid ... for years to come," they wrote.

Dr. Escobar, who holds a doctorate from Princeton University, began to research this topic in 1992 for a dissertation. He put the work aside for a few years when he started teaching at Fairfield in 1996.

But in the past four years, the dissertation became a book, he says. "I wanted this revised project to be readable and appeal to a range of readers, including art and architectural historians and people interested in cultural history." That meant refining the argument and rewriting. His next task with the book is to find a translator. "There has already been interest in the book," he says, and a Spanish version would be especially welcome in Madrid, where there is a considerable audience for local history.

In March, Dr. Escobar won a Fulbright Senior Scholar grant to continue his research in Madrid, this time for a new project tentatively titled "Architecture and Politics in the Madrid of Philip IV." This book will look at a series of case studies of architecture and urban design in Madrid at its height as a ceremonial city in the 17th century.

"What interests me is that Madrid achieved its most spectacular appearance at the very moment that Spanish political power began to wane," he said.

Dr. Escobar will spend the fall 2004 semester researching at Madrid's municipal and notarial archives and the city's department of urbanism, and taking photographs of Baroque monuments for the book. Architectural photography is a hobby of his, he admits, and he's amassed hundreds of images of some of his favorite structures over the years. While in Spain, he will be affiliated with the Modern History Department of the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid.

He expects to complete this second book in about five years but, in the meantime, hopes to publish articles on aspects of his study as well.

Jill Kasiewicz Caseria contributed to this article.

Photo by Jean Santopatre

Faculty awards, research grants, and sabbaticals

The Faculty Research Committee has announced the following for 2004-2005:

Research Grants

• Dr. Sharon Abbott, assistant professor of sociology and anthropology, "Financial Support for Access to the Kinsey Archives."
• Dr. Kim Bridgford, professor of English, "'Ah Ha:' A Book of Poems and Photographs Based on a Trip to Iceland" (joint project with Dr. Kathryn Jo Yarrington, professor of studio art).
• Dr. David Crawford, assistant professor of sociology and anthropology, "Temporality, Labor, Organization, and Migration in Highland Morocco."
• Dr. Ron Davidson, professor of religious studies, travel to Uttarakhand pilgrimage sites.
• Dr. Rao Dukkipati, associate professor of engineering, "Improved Compatibility Between Lateral Stability and Curving Behavior of Modified Truck Designs."
• Dr. Jennifer Goldberg, assistant professor of curriculum and instruction, "A Detailed Investigation of Classroom Interaction in Science Classrooms."
• Dr. Joy Gordon, associate professor of philosophy, Research assistant to help in completion of book on the U.N. economic sanctions.
• Dr. Olivia Harriott, associate professor of biology, "The Microbiology of Marine Sponges."
• Dr. Jean Lange, associate professor of nursing, "Symptom Recognition and Help-Seeking Behaviors Among Puerto Rican Women at Risk for Coronary Heart Disease."
• Dr. Nikoforos Laopodis, associate professor of finance, "Dynamic Interdependencies Between Monetary Policy and the Stock Market: Evidence from the U.S."
• Dr. R. James Long, professor of philosophy, The financial preparation for publication of Book 2, Part 2, of Richard Fishacre's Sentences Commentary.
• Dr. Kathryn Jo Yarrington, professor of studio art, "'Ah Ha:' A Book of Poems and Photographs Based on a Trip to Iceland" (joint project with Dr. Kim Bridgford).

Senior Summer Fellowship

• Dr. Dennis Keenan, professor of philosophy, "Creation in Evolutionary Theory."

Summer Research Stipends

• Dr. Joy Gordon, associate professor of philosophy, "Completion of Book on the Economic Sanctions Imposed on Iraq 1990-2003."
• Dr. Jennifer Goldberg, assistant professor of curriculum and instruction, "Symbolic Play Within Science Classrooms."
• Dr. James He, associate professor of information systems, "Data Warehousing in Supply Chain Management."
• Dr. Nikiforos Laopodis, associate professor of finance, "Dynamic Interactions Among Interest Rates, Stock Market, Inflation, and Real Activity."
• Dr. Anna Martin, associate professor of finance, "Implications of Predicting Full Takeovers of Partially-Acquired Firms."
• Dr. Laura McSweeney, assistant professor of mathematics, "A Comparison of Spectral Control Charts."
• Dr. Gita Rajan, associate professor of English, "Portraying Identity: Subjects on the Canvas of Visual Culture."
• Dr. Joan Weiss, associate professor of mathematics, "Applying, Absorbing Markov Chains to Baseball."
• Dr. Kathryn Jo Yarrington, professor of studio art, "A Series of Site-specific Exhibitions and Collaborative Projects Exploring Spirituality and Place."

Sabbaticals

• Dr. Betsy Bowen, associate professor of English, "A Rhetorical Analysis of Writing and Adult Literacy" (preparation of book manuscript) - spring 2005.
• Dr. Kim Bridgford, professor of English, "Things Unseen" - spring 2005.
• Dr. Diane Brousseau, professor of biology, "Determining the Impact of Asian Shore Crab (hemigrapsus sanguineus) Predation on Benthic Invertebrate Fauna of Rocky Intertidal Habitats" - fall 2004.
• Dr. Arjun Chaudhuri, professor of marketing, "Understanding and Testing the Nature of Different Types of Value in Retailing" - fall 2004.
• Dr. Johanna Garvey, associate professor of English, Book Manuscript, To Pull the Sides of the Sea Together: Caribbean Women Writing Diaspora - spring 2005.
• Dr. Phil Greiner, associate professor of nursing, Innovative Public and Home Health nursing textbook - spring 2005.
• Dr. Sheila Grossman, associate professor of nursing, writing of book, Mentoring Nurses: The Process of Empowering Versus Enabling - spring 2005.
• Dr. Dennis Hodgson, professor of sociology and anthropology, "Malthus' Impact on 19th-Century American Population Thought" - fall 2004.
• Dr. Lisa Mainiero, professor of management, "Deconstructing Women's Careers: A Kaleidoscope of Life Events, Balance and Challenge" - spring 2005.
• Dr. David McFadden, professor of history, "American and Russian Studies Through Russian and American Eyes: Research, Teaching, and Program Development in Northwest Russia" - spring 2005.
• Dr. Leo O'Connor, professor of American Studies, "The Flickering Warrior: The Military in American Films" - spring 2005.
• Dr. Sally O'Driscoll, associate professor of English, "History and Authenticity: Class and Voice" - fall 2004.
• Dr. Rona Preli, associate professor and chair of marriage and family therapy, "11.0 Accreditation Standards for the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy" - spring 2005.
• Dr. Judy Primavera, professor of psychology, "Investigating the Long-Term Impact of a Community Intervention" - spring 2005.
• Dr. Susan Rakowitz, assistant professor of psychology, "Distinguishing Between Cognitive and Affective Explanations for False Fame and Illusionary Truth Effects" - fall 2004.
• Dr. Mariann Regan, professor of English, "Master-Slave Minds: A Memoir in History" - fall 2004.
• Dr. Richard Regan, assistant professor of English, "Shakespeare Online" - fall 2004.
• Dr. Marie-Agnès Sourieau, associate professor of modern languages and literatures, "Migrations poétiques en français: archéologies, géographies, mythologies." (Poetic Migrations in French: Archaeologies, Geographies, Mythologies) - fall 2004-spring 2005.

Pre-tenure sabbaticals

• Dr. Virginia Kelly, associate professor of counselor education, "Abusive Relationships: How They Develop, Maintain, and End" - spring 2005.
• Dr. Cathy Miners, assistant professor of economics, "Inflation and Price Dispersion and Assessing the Statistics Course Redesign" - spring 2005.

Ten faculty promoted

Congratulation to the following faculty:

• Dr. Robbin Crabtree, promoted to professor of communication.
• Dr. Dina Franceschi, promoted to associate professor of economics and granted tenure.
• Dr. Donald Gibson, associate professor of management, granted tenure.
• Dr. Christopher Huntley, promoted to associate professor of information systems and operations management and granted tenure.
• Dr. Dennis Keenan, promoted to professor of philosophy.
• Dr. Jean Lange, promoted to associate professor of nursing and granted tenure.
• Dr. Nikiforos Laopodis, associate professor of finance, granted tenure.
• Dr. Shelley Phelan, promoted to associate professor of biology and granted tenure.
• Dr. Gavriel Rosenfeld, promoted to associate professor of history and granted tenure.
• Dr. Glenn Sauer, promoted to associate professor of biology and granted tenure.

Paul Duffy '05, incoming FUSA president

By Nina M. Riccio, Publications Writer

This fall, Fairfield University will welcome two new presidents. One will reside in a stately office in Bellarmine Hall, while the other - Paul Duffy'05 - will be in the Fairfield University Student Associate office in the John A. Barone Campus Center. Campus Currents had the opportunity to speak with Duffy just before his April 28 inauguration. Described here are his plans for the upcoming year, his thoughts on the national presidential election, and the issues he finds most pressing for the near future.

Q. What has your involvement been with student government in the past?

A. I have been a resident assistant for the past two years in Regis and Jogues, and participated in Inter Residence Hall Government in my freshman year as president of Campion Hall. It was a great leadership experience. I then moved on to become the inter-residence hall government president for the various residence halls that make up the residence life community. The executive board of IRHG and I worked to bring a wide variety of programs to the various residence halls, and made sure those programs touched on as many areas of the residence life as we could. This past year I had the opportunity to be a campus interest governor for FUSA's board of governors. All of these areas of student government have helped me become a better student leader each year.

Q. What are the issues you see as most important this year?

A. I'd really like to open up communication between the students, faculty and administrators. We've been discussing ideas, such as talks modeled on town forums, where we could invite groups to discuss a pressing issue. I'd also like to continue working to improve relations between the beach residents and the 400 or so students living there. Within FUSA, we've talked about some fun ways to get these groups together.

Because this is an election year, I feel it's really important to see students fired up about the candidates and issues. I've already talked with (First Selectman) Ken Flatto about coming to campus to help relay information about these important topics, and I think that holding discussions with some political science professors would be helpful, too. I'm hoping the debate team will also get involved in the issues.

Q. Do you have plans for FUSA itself?

A. We'll be working on a website so each of the student clubs can write about their events and include photos. We're hoping to post photos of FUSA members so the student body will be able to see who is representing them. I'd like FUSA to co-sponsor more service activities, working with Campus Ministry and Multicultural Relations, for example. Overall, I hope to encourage more students to get involved, and to get them to participate in activities across class lines.

I want the students of Fairfield to feel FUSA is open to them, and to understand that each of them is an important part of the whole. What each person does only helps to make Fairfield's reputation greater.

Q. You've already met incoming president Rev. Jeffrey von Arx, S.J.?

A. Yes, and I found him to be a very warm individual. It seems like he is excited to be introduced to the student body and to become an active participant on campus. I think he'll bring a lot of fresh ideas from his experience at Fordham. He's got big shoes to fill, of course, but I'm confident that he'll be able to live up to the expectations of the students at Fairfield University.

Photo by Jean Santopatre

Engineering team places second in ASEE competition

By Nina M. Riccio, Publications Writer

Seniors Garrick Fearon, Ryan Metz, and Christopher Sullivan earned second place at the American Society for Engineering Education's competition in early April.

With only a week's warning, a three-person team of engineering undergraduates polished up a project they had been working on and won second place in the American Society for Engineering Education's competition in early April.

The seniors - Ryan Metz, Christopher Sullivan, and Garrick Fearon - had been developing the Vital Signs Baby Monitor for several months in the Design Project capstone class, coordinated by Alan Dubrow, adjunct professor of engineering, in which interdisciplinary teams of students work together to create a new product. Sullivan and Fearon study electrical engineering, and Metz studies computer engineering.

The Vital Signs monitor is intended to fit into a wrist strap that the baby can wear while awake or asleep. The wireless device continually monitors the baby's oxygen levels and pulse, sending a signal to a receiver if either of these goes below acceptable levels. The device determines the oxygen level by calculating the ratio of red to infrared light absorption that occurs in oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin. The monitor can be used for any baby, but those at risk for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome would especially benefit. "I believe it has real practical application," says Dr. Jerry Sergent, chairman of the Electrical Engineering Department and the group's mentor. "It would not be very expensive to produce, as the technology exists already. What was unique was the concept, the way it was all put together." A rechargeable battery powers the monitor.

The team has been working on the concept since last spring, says Sullivan, the team leader. Still, the prototype was in rough form when Dr. Paul Botosani, coordinator of the laboratories at the School of Engineering, urged them to enter the competition. "Both Dr. Botosani and Dr. Dubrow encouraged us to enter, and we jumped at the opportunity, though we were a little uncertain as to what we were getting into," says Sullivan. At the conference, held at Northeastern University, Sullivan presented the data. He credits his classes at Fairfield with giving him the confidence to do the talk. "Engineers by nature can tend to be introverted," he says. "Here, we spend a lot of time in class learning to prepare an organized, strong presentation, to market our ideas. After all, that's a big part of the business world."

Approximately 20 schools took part in the competition. The winning project, created by three students from Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston, was an electromechanical robot designed to negotiate obstacles in order to locate and pick up mines.

The team's terrific showing "was overwhelming, to say the least, although I can't say I was surprised," says Dr. Sergent. "They're very good students, very diligent. It speaks well of them that they did so well with so little time to prepare."

Next year's ASEE conference and competition will be held at Fairfield University.

Photo by Jean Santopatre

Alumni provide answers to life's big questions to

Ignatian Residential College students

By Jill Kasiewicz Caseria, editor, & Alejandra Navarro, publications writer

Balancing a career and personal life is the key to success, attorney James White '64 of Bridgeport's Pullman & Comley, LLC, told a group of 11 sophomores from the Ignatian Residential College in November. Achieving this equilibrium can be challenging, he explained, especially with the demands a career in law can bring.

Pullman & Comley - one of the 10 largest law firms in Connecticut - hosted the students for the two-hour visit. The event included a dinner with key members of the organization and a lively roundtable discussion ranging from issues that arise in law careers to living life with purpose.

Part of the Ignatian Residential College's programming, the dinner was one of three that students in the College have attended since March 2003. At the events, which have been held at a variety of organizations, students pose the "deep" questions they grapple with during their year with the College to executives in the field. Questions include whether or not a chosen career is an individual's true vocation and if it adds to or detracts from leading a meaningful life.

"The dinners provide students with the opportunity to have meaningful conversations with a group of professionals and ask them to look a little deeper into their chosen fields," says Dr. Mary Frances Malone, associate academic vice president. The dinners have been sponsored by members of the Fairfield University Trustee Advisory Council who have taken the initiative to invite groups of students to their offices for these events, she added.

The series began last spring when Susan Robinson King, M.A.'73, vice president for public affairs at the Carnegie Corp. in New York City and a member of TAC, invited a group of 34 students, faculty, and administrators for an evening discussion on the issue of religion and civic engagement. A dinner with UBS in Stamford is planned for the fall semester.

James White is a member of TAC and serves on the Board of Directors of the Fairfield University Alumni Association, At the Pullman & Comley event, he explained that part of achieving that purposeful balance between career and personal life is made by serving others participating in the professional, community, and charitable activities outside of the work environment. Most partners and several associates at Pullman & Comley serve on volunteer non-profit boards and committees, he said. "Many of these boards - from Little League to United Way, museums, and symphonies - actively seek to include attorneys and benefit from the experience, knowledge, and guidance attorneys can provide," he added. Pullman & Comley's attorneys also provide pro bono legal work through state and federal court-sponsored programs.

"The practice of law is a service, but it is also rigorous work," said Nancy Hancock, chair of the firm's business enterprises department, quickly dispelling any misconceptions students may have held about Hollywood's version of practicing law. "In most people's eyes, a lawyer is viewed as only slightly better than a waitress." In answering a question about managing a family with small children and a full-time career, she added, "It's tricky to balance the realities that life throws your way - the personal and the professional."

Several firm associates, including Jessica Grossarth '98, related their experiences in a busy law firm and how they arrived at their decisions to enter the field.

In March, Liz Claiborne in New York City hosted 11 Ignatian Residential College students to talk with company executives, including two Fairfield alumni - Jorge Figueredo '82 and Lisa Piovano Machacek '86. Before the dinner, students toured three show rooms featuring this fall's clothing collection for Lucky Brand Dungarees, Kenneth Cole, and Liz Claiborne - just a sampling of the company's 31 brands.

After seeing the hip and stylish fashion displays, students had the opportunity to ask executives about internships and probe them on how they arrived at their current positions.

But the discussion on how the professionals balanced their personal lives with work resonated most with the students. The executives agreed that the key was finding a company that would allow that balance to occur.

"The Liz Claiborne employees mentioned that the company shares many of their personal values," says Kristine Wilson '06. "I think this is an essential part of finding a company to work for. I will not work for a company that does not honor my personal values, such as volunteering or raising a family."

The company encourages employees to volunteer through LIZ ACTS (Liz Associates Committed to Service), which coordinates events such as serving meals to AIDS patients and giving holiday parties for underprivileged children.

Though the fashion industry has been criticized for poor working conditions, Rae Stack '06 appreciated the actions Liz Claiborne has taken to enhance the rights of its employees and its suppliers' employees. "Sure enough, companies that operate on a similar scale, or who compete with Liz Claiborne, have stepped up to the challenge," Stack says.

Stack would like to find an employer with similar values, but isn't worried if she doesn't because she says, "I am optimistic that I will be able to affect change in that company by living out my values and setting an example."

"The dinner program for the Ignatian Residential College has become a permanent part of the work conducted by volunteers involved with the academic resources committee of the Trustees Advisory Council," explains Noel Appel '80, Council liaison and director of foundation relations. "We have had various other members of the Council express an interest in meeting with the Ignatian Residential College leadership this summer to plan the calendar of dinners for next year. Members of the Committee are reaching into their organizations to recruit their colleagues and in so doing they are extending the impact of the College to a wider community beyond the students and the University staff."

Fairfield University's couples: Drs. Robbin Crabtree and David Sapp

By Jill Kasiewicz Caseria, Editor

"Most people meet in a bar; we met over theory," says Dr. Robbin Crabtree, chair and professor of communication in the College of Arts and Sciences. She smiles as she reminisces about her first encounter with her now-husband, Dr. David Sapp, assistant professor of English.

They met in the late 1990s. Both were teaching at New Mexico State University when their respective departments co-sponsored a lecture.

"At the lecture, we quickly discovered a shared intellectual compatibility that soon blossomed into a relationship," says David. "We shared the same excitement over pedagogies, theories, and issues in social justice and international politics."

Sure, it was their excitement over critical approaches to organizational studies that first attracted them. But they soon learned they also shared similar interests in independent films and international travel to out-of-the-way locations. Two years of courtship led to a wedding at a hot springs in Truth or Consequences, N.M., in 1999.

Soon after they were married, they left for Spain, where they spent Robbin's sabbatical year with Saint Louis University in Madrid teaching, conducting research, exploring the country, and taking side trips to Italy, Morocco, and France. "It was a great way to start our marriage," she says. "It was such a deep, bonding experience for both of us, being away in a foreign place together. I highly recommend starting a marriage that way."

The year in Spain was a turning point in their careers. There, they began writing together. The duo's first published article, "A Laboratory in Citizenship: Service Learning in the Technical Communication Classroom," published in Technical Communication Quarterly, has had a significant impact on their fields, and is referenced often in other publications. Since then, they've published two other articles together.

In addition, through the Saint Louis University connection, they became interested in the Jesuit mission and in teaching philosophy.

After the year in Spain, they applied for two different faculty positions at Fairfield University. Without mentioning they were a couple, to their delight, both emerged as the top picks in the separate search committees.

But even after they were hired in fall 2001, it took some faculty more than a year to figure out they were a couple. In fact, not knowing they were married, one faculty colleague suggested to Robbin that they get together. "She noticed that when we introduced ourselves at a meeting, we had a lot in common," says Robbin. They chuckle about it now.

Students tend to catch on sooner to their couplehood. The two often draw on each other's experiences and use them in class. Many communication majors take David's English classes, and he has served as their advisor. He helps Robbin develop workshops on workplace writing for her interns. They also make the daily commute together and often share their lunch in one another's office.

In addition, Robbin and David use each other as sounding boards when working on a new project and, at the end of each day, discuss what happened in the classroom. But there are times they make a conscious effort to turn off the "University talk" and focus on their hobbies, their Fairfield home, and their two dogs.

"New England is a different experience for both of us, coming from opposite ends of the country," says David, who is from Georgia. Robbin grew up in California. Yet, strolling through downtown Fairfield, you just might spot them enjoying this New England town. From grading papers in Borders to hanging out with other faculty friends and couples, they're building their academic and personal lives together here.

Photo by Jean Santopatre

Sports

Andrea Suriano '04: Tennis superstar

By Patrick Moran, Assistant Director of Sports Information

When Andrea Suriano '04 came to Fairfield University, she joined the women's tennis team despite never having played tennis competitively in high school. Yet just four short years later, she's a member of the first women's tennis team in the University's history to go to the NCAA Tournament, and is part of the winning combination at the 2004 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Women's Tennis Championships at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadow, N.Y.

"I didn't plan on playing tennis in college," says Suriano, who is from New Rochelle, N.Y. "I was always a soccer player. However, I ended up trying out for the tennis team as a freshman."

Including the MAAC Tournament, Suriano has a 23-6 singles record and has teamed up with Erin Reeves '04 for an 18-7 doubles record.

Her perfectionism on and off the court has been noted. At the MAAC Championships, she garnered a third appearance on the New York Lottery/MAAC All-Academic Team, and last season she was an Intercollegiate Tennis Association Scholar-Athlete Award honoree. "She is one of the most committed student-athletes at Fairfield University," says Head Coach Jeff Wyshner. "Even during a 20-minute van ride to a late night practice in the middle of winter, she has a book out and is working."

At the MAAC Tournament, she was a perfect 3-0 in singles matches, and teamed up with Reeves for a 3-0 record as well. In the first round she recorded a 6-1, 6-2 win at No. 3 singles against Manhattan's Alexandra Tomaszewska. In the semi-finals against Marist she was victorious against Annabel Hicks, winning 6-2, 6-3, and in the finals against Manhattan's Danielle Grenier 7-6, (4), 1-6, 6-4.

As a sophomore, she was the last player on the roster (No. 9); the following year, she began with a 0-4 record in singles play. However, she went on to win 13 of the next 14 matches, and earned a medal at the 2002 Eastern Collegiate Championships at West Point, in No. 2 doubles.

"She is as mentally tough as any player you will ever play against," Wyshner says, also noting her dedication and strong work ethic. "She is the player everyone hates to play against, because as a player you are going to have to be perfect to beat her."

Off the court, Suriano serves on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, is a member of Alpha Mu Gamma Honor Society for finance, and has been named to the Dean's List four times. She has interned at General Electric for the past two summers and, after graduation, she will enter the GE Financial Management Program.

With so much going on in her life, she has managed to keep things in perspective and to meet all the demands of being a student-athlete at Fairfield University. "Being involved in sports helps with time management," she says. "I'm always planning ahead and am careful not to fall behind."

Her new career will keep her busy, but she plans to keep tennis close to her heart. "Tennis will always be a part of my life," Suriano says. "I still want to compete. I want to see how far I can go with it."

The Stags are awaiting a May 8 word on their NCAA opponent. First-round action will take place May 14 through May 16.

By Jack Jones, Director of Sports Information

Senior student-athletes round out a stellar season

Jessica Conahan '04 was named a Division I Honorable Mention Player of the Week by Inside Lacrosse on April 5, becoming the first Stag to garner the honor this season. She posted five goals and four assists and won three draw controls in a win over Niagara, and followed up with five more goals and another assist in a victory over Canisius. Conahan picked up two groundballs and won a draw control against 14th-ranked Yale earlier that week.

Lindsay Sampson '04 of the women's soccer team was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa in April. Sampson, who earned a spot on the College Sports Information Directors of America Academic All-District team last fall, majors in English with a pre-law concentration. Sampson received honors on the field as well, taking home the Coaches' Award for her dedication on and off the field.

Peter Vlahakis '04 has ranked among the nation's leaders for face-off win percentage in lacrosse. He has hovered around 65 percent all season long, ranking fifth in Division I (as of April 19) with a .645 mark. To that point in the season, Vlahakis won 169 of the 262 face-offs he took, with three assists. The men's lacrosse team owns a 5-7 overall record, which includes a victory over nationally ranked Penn State.

news Briefs

New University Web project evolving

The development of Fairfield's new website is well underway. The Web committee, various departmental work groups, and the vendor, BigBad, Inc., have been working for several months with a target date of late summer for the launch of the new site.

According to Martha Milcarek, assistant vice president for public relations and Web committee facilitator, the strategic approach to the site, homepage design, and the selection of a content management system are complete. Work now is concentrated on refinements to the upper level pages, site hierarchy, lower level template design, content development, and image selection.

"The website is the true front door to the institution and making that front door appealing to our audience, individuals aged 14 to 74, has been a challenge. Compromise is the order of the day," Milcarek says.

The home page features primary or global links and tools as well as audience-specific links that permit users to quickly reach the information they seek. "The homepage also features animation that should be attractive and engaging to our visitors," Milcarek says. The site design incorporates the University's branding initiative, "Jesuit. Personal. Powerful."

Later this month, Laura Johnson, webmaster, will begin to gather content from various units across the University. Content work has been underway in some areas for months, and various offices and departments will soon need to determine what content can simply be moved over to the new site and where new content must be created. For further information about the project, contact Martha Milcarek at ext. 2118 or mmilcarek@mail.fairfield.edu, or Laura Johnson at ext. 3128.

Fairfield selected among America's best values

Fairfield University is one of the nation's 77 "best value" undergraduate institutions, and the only one in Connecticut, according to The Princeton Review's America's Best Value Colleges.

Dr. Orin Grossman, academic vice president, is pleased by the recognition. "We have this balancing act of working to provide our students with a very high quality education while still making Fairfield accessible to all talented students, regardless of income," he says. "This isn't always easy to achieve, so this recognition is particularly gratifying."

The Princeton Review selected the schools based on its analysis of quantitative and qualitative data the company obtained from administrators at more than 500 colleges, and surveys of students attending them. According to The Princeton Review's Robert Franek, assistant vice president for admissions services, institutions were identified by 30 factors that rated the colleges in three categories - academics, tuition, and tuition GPA (the sticker price minus average amount students receive in gift aid scholarships and grants). "The 77 schools we chose for this book may not be the least costly colleges in America, but they are all great education deals," Franek says. "We highly recommend them to students and parents seeking the best academic bang for their buck."

America's Best Value Colleges includes three-page profiles on the selected colleges and universities, advice about applying for admission and financial aid, and a list of the top 10 best value colleges overall.

Happenings

Photo exhibition to highlight 25 years of service

From May 17 through 23, the Thomas J. Walsh art gallery will feature an extensive photographic journey through the 25-year tenure of University president Aloysius P. Kelley, S.J. at Fairfield. The collection includes some not-so-serious images, such as the above photo "taken" at the 1999 Fairfield Awards Dinner, where Bill Cosby (who altered this photo for Fr. Kelley) entertained more than 800 University alumni, employees, and students.

And don't forget to save the date for a special end-of-year employee luncheon with Fr. Kelley on May 24 in the John A. Barone Campus Center Dining Room.

Fairfield University hosts poetry reading

Pictured above (l-r) are Hugh Abernethy, editor of Abbeywood; Rebecca Guess '04, Crystal Patenaude '04, Jillian Carney '04, Kim Henderson '05, Jonathan Kugler '04, Rebecca Hilliker '03, author Peter Duval, and Dr. Kim Bridgford, professor of English.

Several poets, including five Fairfield University students accepted for publication in Abbeywood, a national anthology, read from their works on April 15 in the DiMenna-Nyselius Library.

The event featured readings by Dr. Kim Bridgford, professor of English; author Peter Duval; Rebecca Hilliker '03; Hugh Abernethy, editor of Abbeywood; seniors Jillian Carney, Rebecca Guess, Jonathan Kugler, and Crystal Patenaude; and junior Kim Henderson.

After Henderson was accepted for publication in Abbeywood and the Texas Review last year, Dr. Bridgford encouraged several Fairfield students to submit their work. She was delighted the national publication accepted so many of her students' poems, saying it was a testament to the talent they possess.

Photo by Jean Santopatre

Celebrate family events on campus this summer

The Fairfield University campus is available to you and your family for your family's special event this summer. Whether it's your child's wedding reception, grandchild's christening, or that special wedding anniversary, the renovated, air-conditioned Oak Room in the John A. Barone Campus Center can accommodate up to 250 people. If you're planning a smaller-scale event, the Levee is also available.

For more information, contact Jim Fitzpatrick at ext. 2378, or e-mail your inquiry about availability and rates to jfitzpatrick@mail.fairfield.edu.

Staff Association cruises the Caribbean

During Spring Break, 68 members of the Fairfield University community, including Staff Association members, faculty, retirees, and their families, cruised on Royal Caribbean's Serenade of the Seas. The ship departed from Puerto Rico and stopped at the islands of St. Thomas, St. Martin, St. Lucia, Barbados, and Antigua. Pictured above (l-r) are George Carl, retired golf coach for Fairfield Prep; Linda White, Staff Association president and secretary in the College of Arts and Sciences; Ray Majsa, husband of Janice Majsa, administrative assistant for the Jesuit Community; Dr. Richard C. DeAngelis, retired associate professor of history; and Stephen Jakab, retired associate vice president for administration.

Sons and daughters at work
During April's Take Our Sons & Daughters to Work Day, fifth grader Taryn Petersen, daughter of Sue Petersen of residence life & housing, helped Joan Finlay in the Stag Card Office make one-day photo ID cards for the visitors. Here, Taryn hands Kevin Finlay his card. In the back waiting are (l-r) Jonathan Ficko (son of Frank Ficko, associate director of security), and Ryan Zsebik and Chuck Zsebik (sons of Debbie Zsebik, operations assistant/notary in security).

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.