Humanities professor to deliver Phi Beta Kappa lecture tonight

The second annual Phi Beta Kappa Lecture at Geneseo will be given tonight, Feb. 21, by Richard Leppert, Fesler-Lambert Chair in the Humanities at the University of Minnesota. The title of Leppert’s talk will be "Music ‘pushed to the edge of existence’: Adorno, Listening, and the Question of Hope." The lecture, which is free and open to the public, is at 8 p.m. in the MacVittie College Union Ballroom. Leppert’s visit is part of the Phi Beta Kappa Visiting Scholar Program and is co-sponsored by the Geneseo Phi Beta Kappa chapter, Alpha Delta of New York.

American Democracy Project lecture Thursday

The SUNY Geneseo American Democracy Project invites members of the college community to a special event with Harry Boyte at 4:30 p.m. this Thursday, Feb. 24, in the MacVittie College Union Ballroom. Boyte will deliver a public address on civic engagement and higher education’s role in the renewal of democracy, building on his most recent book, Everyday Politics: Reconnecting Citizens and Public Life. Boyte is professor of political science and co-director of the Center for Democracy and Citizenship at the University of Minnesota. He is a member of the national Advisory Committee of the American Democracy Project, and has written seven books on community organizing, citizen action and citizenship. The talk is free and open to the public.

Civic Engagement Week designated for Feb. 22-Mar. 1 at Geneseo

February 22 through March 1 has been designated "Civic Engagement Week," a program of the American Democracy Project. Program organizers at SUNY Geneseo encourage members of the campus community, and students in particular, to stop by the Civic Engagement Fair scheduled for this Thursday, Feb. 24, from 12-2 p.m. in the MacVittie College Union Lobby to meet representatives of over 25 community organizations. "Civic Engagement Week is about building the Geneseo community, but it also creates opportunities for students to do class projects, directed studies, and internships," said Tom Matthews, director of leadership education, development and training at Geneseo.

According to Matthews, the following Community organizations and representatives have confirmed participation at the fair: Geneseo Village and Town Board members, Mayor Richard Hatheway, Supervisor Wes Kennison, Genesee Valley Council on the Arts, Geneseo/Groveland Food pantry, Hearthside Cats, Teresa House, Geneseo Fire Department, Genesee Valley Conservancy, Geneseo Town Republicans, Geneseo Town Democrats, Association for Preservation of Geneseo (APOG), Geneseo Garden Club, 1941 Historical Aircraft Group Museum, League of Women Voters, Livingston Tourism, Geneseo Church Pastors, Genesee Valley Citizens for Peace, Geneseo Community Players, Livingston County for Democracy, America Reads/America Counts, Livingston County Historian, Livingston County Planning Office, Geneseo Rotary, and Geneseo Kiwanis.

"Students will have an opportunity to meet representatives of these organizations, and talk with them about community issues, events, and programs," Matthews said. "They can find out what they do, and how they do it. This event grew out of conversations about the large numbers of students who registered and voted in Geneseo, and the feeling that the College needs to encourage students to engage in civic activities in our larger Geneseo community. It is about building community and also about discovering more service-learning opportunities."

Other Civic Engagement Week events are listed on the American Democracy Project website at http://democracy.geneseo.edu

Village to hold public hearing on rental housing

The Geneseo Village Board of Trustees will hold a public hearing on a proposed rental housing law at 7:15 p.m. Monday, Feb. 28, in the Geneseo Central School Auditorium, 4050 Avon Road. Students, Geneseo residents, and other interested parties are invited to attend. The rental housing law being considered by the Village Board of Trustees is designed to improve the quality, safety, and appearance of rental properties, and ensure that they are occupied and operated to standards consistent with those that prevail in the village. A registration and inspection system is proposed to give the village the opportunity to enforce local and state laws, particularly those related to fire safety, occupancy and property maintenance that it is presently unable to enforce.

Ehrenreich's "Nickel and Dime" selected for Summer Reading program

According to program coordinator Celia Easton, Barbara Ehrenreich's "Nickel and Dimed" has received the most votes in the 2005 Summer Reading Book poll and will serve as the selection for this summer’s program. A study of low-paid jobs by a cultural critic and journalist, "Nickel and Dimed" has been a popular summer reading choice on many campuses, engaging students in conversations about class, the economy, and their own work experiences.

Easton will send out a solicitation for Summer Reading Program discussion leaders at the beginning of March. "We have greatly improved the format and venues for the Sunday, August 28, discussions, allowing each group to meet and eat boxed dinners in separate rooms across campus," she said. She added that all members of the College community, including faculty, staff, and students, are welcome to serve as volunteer discussion leaders. Books for discussion leaders will be available in April.

Swim and diving teams wrap up successful season

SUNY Geneseo men’s and women’s swim teams have wrapped up a successful season, with the men’s swimming and diving team defending its SUNYAC Championship title. It was the team’s seventh consecutive SUNYAC championship. Senior Dan Allen was named Most Outstanding Swimmer of the meet, and Head Coach Paul Dotterweich earned Coach of the Year honors. At long last, the women’s skein of fifteen SUNYAC championships came to an end. Nonetheless, senior Erin Walsh was named the recipient of the Grace Mowatt Award for career achievement in SUNYAC swimming.

Vice President for Student and Campus Life Robert A. Bonfiglio invites members of the College community to join him in congratulating Dotterweich and Geneseo’s swimmers and divers on their impressive season.

Bonfiglio added that in the coming weeks, several of the College’s other teams will participate in SUNYAC championship events. "If you have not had the chance to attend a game and support our teams this year, I hope you will find the time to do so," he said. "Should the opportunity arise, I would also like to encourage you to personally congratulate Coach Dotterweich and the championship swimmers and divers for their amazing success." The members of our championship swimming and diving team are: Daniel Allen, Travis Brennan, Nicholas D'Alesandro, Kyle Dembrow, Patrick Dunn, Christian Foster, Charles Hake, Jeremy Hinman, Joshua Hinman, James Kallio, Dirk Keefe, Daniel Kelly, Christopher Laforest, Jeffrey Lipp, Ryan McArdle, John Moore, Uday Mukhlis, Christopher Phillips, Jason Norton, Brian Pittelli, Evan Smith, Timothy Stockton, Philip Szrama, Kevin Van Der Meid, Michael Wiese and John Zolna.

Faculty/Staff Safe Zone training offered

Once again this semester, a two-part Faculty/Staff Safe Zone training program will be offered, according to Gene Griffing, staff psychologist in the College’s Lauderdale Center for Student Health & Counseling. The program will take place from 12:45 to 1:50 p.m. on March 22 and 24 in room 111 of Sturges Hall. According to Griffing, attendance at both sessions is required to receive a Safe Zone sticker. Those interested in attending should contact Counseling Services at 245-5716 to sign up for the program.

According to program organizers, the Geneseo Safe Zone program attempts to increase awareness and acceptance of sexual diversity, particularly as it pertains to gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender individuals (GLBT), while providing a resource network for individuals with questions or concerns related to sexuality. Persons displaying Safe Zone stickers have chosen to visibly identify themselves as supporters of GLBT individuals. They are not trained counselors, but they are good supportive listeners who possess general information regarding sexual diversity and can guide individuals to appropriate campus and community resources and/or support systems. For additional information about the Safe Zone Program visit http://www.geneseo.edu/~safezone/

ENCompass Weekly seeks submissions for KUDOS section

ENCompass Weekly encourages faculty and staff to send news about recently published articles and books and recently delivered presentations for the publication’s Kudos section. Items may be sent to Sarah Grace Frisch at frisch@geneseo.edu or Mary E. McCrank at mccrank@geneseo.edu.

International film series to screen Columbian film Thursday

The Alan Lutkus International Film Series presents the film "María, llena eres de gracia" ("María, Full of Grace") at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 24, in Bailey Hall Auditorium (135).

Experience some of the pain of a 17-year-old Colombian girl who becomes a heroin courier to break out of her hopelessly monotonous life working on a flower plantation. Swallowing small balloons of the drug, which places her life in danger, Maria hopes her round-trip flights out of Colombia will lead to a better life for herself. A tense, realistic depiction of the drug trade and its unfortunate victims. Winner of the Dramatic Audience Award at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival. In Spanish, with English subtitles. Discussant: Rose McEwen of the foreign languages and literatures department. The film, a Columbian-United States production, was made in 2004 and runs 101 minutes.

All films in the series are free and open to the public. For a list of all films to be shown, with descriptions, show times and venue, see http://www.geneseo.edu/news/nrap.php?pg=Spring2005FilmSeries.html

Friday concert to feature Geneseo Wind Ensemble, Geneseo Trumpet Ensemble

The School of Performing Arts presents the Geneseo Wind Ensemble and the Geneseo Trumpet Ensemble with James Walker conducting. Also performing is Jonathan Kruger as guest trumpet soloist and composer. The concert will be at 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 25, in Wadsworth Auditorium. It is free and open to the public.

String Band to play at Square Dance Saturday

The School of Performing Arts presents square dancing with the Geneseo String Band at 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 26, in the MacVittie College Union Ballroom. Admission at the door is $3 for the general public, $1 for SUNY Geneseo students and spectators and free for children 12 and younger.

Opus Gallery show runs through Sunday

The Opus Gallery in the MacVittie College Union is displaying Geneseo student Rose Boucher’s Senior Show through Sunday, Feb. 27. The gallery is open from 1-5 p.m. daily and is free and open to the public.

Lederer Gallery exhibit closes Friday

The Bertha V.B. Lederer Gallery is displaying a new exhibit by two artists who explore contemporary themes through Friday. Brian Porter of Buffalo exhibits figure drawing and painting, and Bruce Erikson of Pittsburgh exhibits narrative figure painting. In addition, Erikson will give a slide lecture about his work from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Thursday in 109B Brodie Hall. The lecture is free and open to the public. For more information about the exhibit, go to http://www.geneseo.edu/news/nrap.php?pg=LedererGallerySpring2005.html

Tribute to oak tree opens Saturday at Lockhart Gallery

One of the Geneseo region’s most beloved symbols—the oak tree—will be celebrated in upcoming exhibits at the College’s Lockhart Gallery. The "Celebration of the Oaks" exhibit is being held in conjunction with the Genesee Valley Conservancy. The exhibit opens Saturday, Feb. 26, and will run through March 28. The opening reception will be held from 2-4 p.m. Saturday. For more information about the exhibit, go to http://www.geneseo.edu/news/nrap.php?pg=LockhartGallerySpring2005.html

Office of Communications and Publications offers guidelines for obtaining publicity

The last two months of the academic year are usually jam-packed with special events, lectures, concerts, presentations, award ceremonies and more, and the College’s Office of Communications and Publications is offering members of the campus community guidelines for obtaining advance publicity for the variety of events that are slated to take place.

Getting publicity—working with the Office of Communications and Publications: ENCompass Weekly, published by the Office of Communications and Publications in the Division of College Advancement, is the official online news vehicle for SUNY Geneseo, and is designed to provide information about the College to faculty, staff, students and friends of the College in a brief and timely format. ENCompass Weekly is posted online each Monday during the academic year, and the deadline for submissions is noon the Wednesday before publication. All submissions will be evaluated for timeliness, relevance and news value by ENCompass Weekly staff. Submissions and/or ideas for news briefs may be sent by e-mail to Sarah Grace Frisch at frisch@geneseo.edu or Mary E. McCrank at mccrank@geneseo.edu.

If a specific event, development or news story is likely to be of interest to a broader audience than the ENCompass Weekly readership, and/or is likely to be of interest to the news media, the Office of Communications and Publications will write a news release and disseminate it through a variety of channels, both internal and external. The College’s public relations staff will assess the news value of developments in your area, department or division, and determine the appropriate media targets and channels of distribution.

Specific services provided by the Media Relations staff include: initiating news coverage; responding to media requests for information; producing and distributing news stories via print, e-mail, fax, photography and the web; arranging interviews and media visits with faculty and staff when warranted; advising college departments and individuals on media and public relations; and coaching and preparing faculty, staff and students for media appearances and interviews.

How far in advance should I provide the Communications Office with information? If you have an event, development or news story that may be newsworthy and of interest to a broad external audience, it is never too early to advise the Office. To ensure effectiveness, the Office of Communications and Publications should be informed of a potential news story as soon as possible. If the news story concerns an emergency, the Office should be alerted immediately. Otherwise, the Office should be informed far enough in advance for proper preparation and dissemination of a news release about the event.

If you seek the Office’s assistance in publicizing an event that is of general interest to the public, give the office at least one month’s notice prior to the event itself (especially if the event is open to the public and attendance is encouraged). This is due to the fact that, for listings in calendars published by local and regional newspapers, a news release must be received by news editors at least two weeks in advance of the event (this is standard industry practice). In addition, the Communications Office needs one to two weeks to prepare the news release.

For news stories concerning faculty, staff, or student awards, presentations, grants, projects, research, or other such accomplishments, alert the Office as soon as the information is known. Proper notification allows the Office to coordinate the timing of the distribution of Geneseo news with other scheduled events.

What will Geneseo communications staff members need to know when I contact them about a story idea? Any good news story must contain five basic elements. These five elements are WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE and WHY. Ask yourself these questions about your story idea or news event, make your own notes, and then contact the Communications Office. (Reporters suggest that story ideas and news releases feature a "wow" or "gee whiz" factor in order to get a print or broadcast media outlet’s attention. Although this will not always be possible, experience has proven that it does help.)

For more guidelines on working with the Office of Communications and Publications, see
http://commpubs.geneseo.edu/areas/?pg=workmedia.html

For a calendar of events at Geneseo, see http://webevent.geneseo.edu

For news releases and breaking news about SUNY Geneseo, see http://www.geneseo.edu/news/

For up-to-the-minute information on SUNY Geneseo Blue Knights Intercollegiate Athletics & Recreation, see http://knights.geneseo.edu

For news from SUNY, visit http://www.suny.edu/SUNYNews/index.cfm