SHORTCUTS:
• News
• Noteworthy
• Around Campus
• Announcements
• Transitions
• In the News

NEWS:

University, Community College Presidents to
Sign "Finish First" Agreement on March 31


WSU to Host Lecture: "Behind the Swoosh: Sweatshops and Social Justice"

Top of Page

NOTEWORTHY:

Stephanie Chalupka (Nursing) authored Control Banding for Risk Management of Source Chemical Agents and Other Occupational Hazards which appeared in the American Association of Occupational Health Nursing Journal. She also presented The Effects of Work-Related Maternal Risk Factors on Time to Pregnancy, Preterm Birth, and Birth Weight at the Massachusetts Association of Occupational Health Nurses Conference



Kelly Morgan '11 and Allison Dunn (Physical Geography) attended the Harvard Forest Ecological Symposium in Petersham, Mass., on March 17. At this conference, they presented a poster entitled "Carbon exchange of two New England forest stands & differential response to ice storm disturbance". In this work, they measured the effects of the late-2008 ice storm on forest growth and mortality. They found that older forest stands experienced significant decreases in live tree carbon storage due to ice storm disturbance, whereas younger forest stands continued to actively grow and sequester atmospheric CO2. They also used a woody debris respiration model to predict the long-term effects of the ice storm on carbon exchange, finding that woody debris in the heavily damaged stands will be a significant source of atmospheric CO2 for decades into the future.



Stephen A. Morreale (Criminal Justice) recently had a research article published in the The Journal of Criminal Justice Research (JCJR) - Volume 2, Number 1. The article was titled: "Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Gang Injunctions in California" and was co-authored with Matthew D. O'Deane of Kaplan University. Gang injunctions (civil law suits against gangs) are a proactive attempt to reduce gang crime. The purpose of this study was to determine whether gang injunctions reduce crime, when compared to baseline and matched control areas. Twenty-Five (25) gang injunctions from four California counties were evaluated by extracting crime data from court records and police agencies. Calls for service were evaluated for one year, both pre-injunction, and post-injunction, revealing that gang injunctions do reduce crime. Calls for service were significantly reduced compared to baseline and compared to matched controls.



Kat O'Connor (Visual and Performing Arts) had her acrylic painting Pool, Sabbaday Falls, accepted into ARTSWorcester's Biennial 2011. The exhibit was juried by Patricia Hickson from the Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford and is on display at the Aurora Gallery through April 29, 2011.

Top of Page

AROUND CAMPUS:

Auction Night Raises Over $24k

More than 250 attended the 20th Annual Student Government Association (SGA) Auction to Benefit Homeless and Children in Need last Friday. The auction alone raised over $24,000.

Prior to the auction the student committee raised additional money from coin drives, WSU Dance Company show, Unos fundraiser and Have-a-Heart sale, all of which will be factored into the final total. In addition, following the auction, donations will continue to come in. All of the funds raised will benefit Mustard Seed Foundation, which provides food and emergency services for the city's homeless; Abby's House, a local shelter for homeless women and Sherry's House, a place for Central New England families of children with cancer. Since the auction began, the SGA has contributed over $200,000 in proceeds to those in need. Special guests in attendance at the auction included Congressman McGovern and Massachusetts State Representative John Mahoney.

If you didn't have a chance to make the auction but would like to donate, please send cash or check (made out to SATF - Student Activities Trust Fund) to Tim Sullivan in the Student Activities Office (SC-207).


Student Athletes to be Honored at Reception

The Athletic Department cordially invites the university campus to a reception honoring the academic achievements of WSU student athletes on Thursday, April 7 at 2:30 p.m. in the Student Center Foster Room. Come celebrate the: Field Hockey team - recipients of the National Academic Award; Freshmen Student-Athletes being inducted into Phi Eta Sigma and Student-Athlete Honor Roll recipients (3.0 & above GPA).

Top of Page

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Call for Nominations: Ella May Whitney Award
Nominations are currently being accepted for the Ella May Whitney Award. This award is announced during the Commencement ceremony and is awarded to a senior. Criteria for selection include scholarship, social aptitude, personality, leadership, executive ability, growth, integrity and above all else, a participation in school activities. A minimum GPA is required for consideration. A cash prize is awarded along with the honor. Nominations are currently being accepted by faculty, staff and students until Friday, April 22. Nominations can be obtained by going to Student Activities website and clicking on the Ella May Whitney Award or by requesting a form to be sent to you by emailing tsullivan@worcester.edu. The selection process has been revised this year and we are looking for a few faculty and/or staff who would be interested in being a member of the selection committee. Please let Tim Sullivan know if you are interested.

403(b) - Tax-Sheltered Annuities
The annual notice of eligibility has been posted to the Payroll website (www.worcester.edu/payroll) on the Tax Sheltered Annuity page under the Benefits section. All employees, with the exception of student employees, are eligible to enroll in a tax-deferred savings plan referred to as a 403(b) or tax-sheltered annuity. In addition to the annual notice, you will also find the Commonwealth's Plan Summary outlining the policies, procedures, and regulations governing the administration of these plans. If you are interested in saving and investing to supplement your retirement income, please consider enrolling in a 403(b). You may obtain additional information and speak with a plan representative at the Employee Benefits Fair on April 21, 2011.

Colleague UIWeb Basics Demonstrations/Q & A Sessions
Two workshops demonstrating basic functionality of the web version of Datatel's Colleague database, called UIWeb, will be offered in LRC 319B (next to the Helpdesk) on the following dates and times:

Tuesday, April 5 at 2:30 p.m.
Wednesday, April 6 at 9:30 a.m.
Monday, May 2 at 2:30 p.m.

A member of the Information Technologies Colleague group will be available to answer questions. Choose the date that's best for your schedule.

EAP Monthly Newsletter
The ESI Employee Assistance Group, a service/benefit accessible to all WSU employees, produces a monthly newsletter. Click here for their April issue or visit www.theeap.com to learn more about what services they provide and/or previous newsletters.

Top of Page

TRANSITIONS:

Welcome to:

M. Renee Polakowski, Staff Assistant/Manager
of Financial Accounting/Fiscal Affairs

Top of Page

WSU IN THE NEWS:

Fallon awards $45,500 to eight nonprofit groups
Telegram & Gazette 3/28/11
$4000 to the Latino Education Institute at Worcester State University, to pilot new health and nutrition activities at Club Education. ...


Becker returning to Westborough
as Hastings School principal
TheDailyWestborough.com 3/28/11
Becker, who received her undergraduate and master's degrees from Worcester State College in 1981 and 1988, respectively lived in Westborough for 1982-89. The story of Becker's coming full circle in Westborough doesn't end there, however. ...


Firefighters take part in training exercise in Lunenburg
FireEngineering.com 3/27/11
Inside the building, Ryan Major, 20, who is studying nursing at Worcester State College, set off the alarm on his gear while pushing his way through the ...


Area College Roundup
Telegram & Gazette 3/27/11
Worcester State's Andrew Johnson competes in the high jump, an event he won at yesterday's Worcester City Championships.


BMR grad serves in Peace Corps, learns how others think outside the U.S.
The Call 3/27/11
After graduating from Blackstone-Millville Regional High School in 2000, he attended Worcester State College where he earned a bachelor of arts degree in ...


Worcester State finalist stresses teamwork
Telegram & Gazette 3/25/11
James F. Conneely told the Worcester State University Board of Trustees last night that one of ...


Bonofiglio pitches Lancers to victory
Telegram & Gazette 3/25/11
Freshman Nick Bonofiglio of Worcester pitched a complete game, allowing only four hits and an unearned run for the Lancers in a win at Assumption?s Rocheleau Field.


Worcester State Opens Northern Schedule with Triumph over Crosstown Rival WPI
d3baseball.com 3/24/11
Freshman Nick Bonofiglio (Worcester, MA/Holy Name) went seven strong innings allowing four hits and one unearned run with five strikeouts as Worcester State defeated crosstown rival WPI 6-1 at Assumption's Rocheleau Field in non-conference baseball action this afternoon.

Top of Page