Posted on Feb 13, 2008

“Branches of Words,” a program of Middle Eastern and African music, American modern dance and poetry, will be held Friday, Feb. 15 at 8 p.m. at Emerson Auditorium in the Taylor Music Center.

The program will feature the Persian poetry of Hafez, the 14th century Sufi poet; actor and film director Mahmood Karimi-Hakak; musicians Zoe B. Zak and Zorkie Nelson; and the Albany-based Ellen Sinopoli Dance Company.

It is free to members of the Union Community and $15 for general admission.

Karimi-Hakak is artistic director of Mahak International Artists and professor of creative arts at Siena College in Albany. He has written, produced, directed, designed and acted in stage and screen productions in the United States, Europe and his native Iran. His literary credits include five plays, two books of poetry and translation of a dozen books.

Zak is a cantor, composer, performer and producer who weaves a tapestry of the ancient and the modern in her music. She was commissioned by Siena as music director for “Benedictus,” an Iranian-Israeli-American drama that debuted last year. She has been commissioned to produce many other works, including the music for “From Hodu to Cush,” an original theatrical interpretation of the Purim story for the Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York City.

Nelson, a native of Accra, Ghana, is a master percussionist, traditional flute player and vocalist. He has been a member of numerous traditional African music and dance groups, including the We Su Ma, Ebaahi-Gbi Ko, Gballoi (the prophet band), Lumei, Eshi Nyomor Mo and Tsui Anaa.

Sinopoli has choreographed 48 new works since creating her modern dance company in 1991 and has collaborated with dozens of artists throughout the Capital Region and beyond. Her troupe has performed locally as well as at Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center, Jacob’s Pillow Theater Festival and Ozawa Hall at Tanglewood. She teaches at The Sage Colleges.

Campus sponsors of “Branches of Words” include the departments of Music, Dance, English and Religious Studies; Asian Studies; Dean of Studies; Dean of Academic Departments; and Unitas.

Posted on Feb 13, 2008

All members of the Union community are invited to a campus-wide convocation marking Founders Day Thursday, Feb. 21, at 12:45 p.m. in Memorial Chapel. This event commemorates the 213^th anniversary of the granting of the College’s charter from the New York State Board of Regents.

“I hope you will join me in this celebration of Union’s history and rich past. Our strategic plan calls for us to use the past for inspiration. Founders Day provides such an opportunity,” said President Stephen C. Ainlay.

Two distinguished guests will be honored during Founders Day ceremonies.      

Paul LeClerc, president and CEO of the New York Public Library and former Union professor of French, will receive the inaugural John Bigelow Medal for contributions to the advancement of humanity. He also will give a keynote address on Bigelow, Union Class of 1835, an author, publisher, lawyer and statesman who was instrumental in the formation of the public library, a New York City landmark.

Schaffer Library is exhibiting selections from Bigelow's personal library, which was donated to the College and is housed in Special Collections.

LeClerc has been with the New York Public Library since 1993. He taught at Union from 1966 through 1979, chairing the Department of Modern Languages from 1971 through 1977. He was president of Hunter College in New York City from 1988 to 1993. He is a scholar of 18th-century French literature and the author or co-editor of five scholarly volumes on writers of the French Enlightenment. His contributions to French culture have earned him numerous honors, including the Order of the Academic Palms (Officier) and the French Legion of Honor (Chevalier). He received an honorary doctor of letters degree from Union in 1997.

Mark C. Litton, an English teacher at Miramonte High School in Orinda, Calif., will receive the Gideon Hawley Teacher Award during the Founders Day ceremonies. Named for the 1809 Union graduate who was New York state’s first superintendent of public education, the Gideon Hawley is presented to a secondary school teacher who has had a continuing influence on the academic life of a Union student. Litton was nominated by Thanh-Mai Bui-Duy ’11.

Posted on Feb 13, 2008

Student Jason Bye's unique approach to his senior thesis was recently featured in the Daily Gazette. Bye is attempting to market his family's homemade barbeque sauce, created more than two decades ago for his father's weekly poker games.

To read the article, click here (registration may be required)

Posted on Feb 12, 2008

Frank Campanella lowered his blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol. Richard Holton lost 24 pounds and is closing in on his high school weight. Diana Mirabile went down several dress sizes.

All three gained energy and incentives to stay fit and healthy, thanks to a new program run by Facilities Services that’s got a lot of folks pumped up and feeling good.

“Since I started the program, my energy has skyrocketed,” said Holton of Building Services. “I no longer get tired at 7 or 8 o’clock in the evening.”

Campanella, Holton, Mirabile and dozens of other employees who help keep Union’s historic buildings and grounds pristine year round are “Facilities Fitness Fanatics” – and proud of it.

Their motto, emblazoned on the pink and blue T-shirts they wear to work out: “We don’t just maintain buildings.”

The fitness and health program was launched in the fall by Director of Facilities and Planning Loren Rucinski after he took full measure of himself.

“I looked at a photo of myself taken on vacation and decided I was heading for the point of no return. My wife and I started the South Beach Diet and began going to the new Alumni Gym fitness center, and I dropped about 38 pounds,” Rucinski said. “Not only did I feel great physically, but I felt good about myself as well. I wanted to share that experience with my staff.”

The program that Rucinski launched is not for the feint of heart. Participants must agree to combine a regular exercise routine with a healthy diet. They must sign a contract, keep track of their workouts and stay focused for three months.

They must exercise before or immediately after work or during lunchtime at one of Union’s many fitness and athletic facilities or within a five-mile radius of campus.

Workouts must last 45-50 minutes.

Would-be cheaters, beware: Supervisors initial each participant’s program log to certify that all efforts are genuine.

The perks, in addition to dropped pounds and inches, include a set of earphones, the custom T-shirts, a water bottle and, if the program is successfully completed, 12 hours of  time off, as approved by the College’s Administration. That’s one hour of paid time off for every three workouts completed. Also available are three-ring binders with healthy recipes and exercise advice. The program has the full support of Diane Blake, vice president of Finance and Administration, who oversees Facilities.

“The time off is a nice incentive, but it’s not just about that,” said Guy French, Building Services set-up specialist and trucker. He also likes the intangible benefits, such as maintaining relationships. “I don’t go out to bars, so the gym is a way for me to socialize,” he said. “The program is convenient because the facilities are right here, and they’re free.”

Donna Sichack, a cleaner at College Park Hall and a member of the committee that oversees the Facilities Fitness Fanatics, said her 15-pound weight loss has given her new vitality. “I started to take a night class at Schenectady County Community College, which I never would have done before the program,” she said.      

“Working out is the easy part,” said committee member Connie Schmitz of Grounds, who contends that eating right is the biggest challenge. Schmitz was struggling to lose the last five pounds to reach her goal of losing four dress sizes, “and that’s when I needed more incentive. This program gave it to me.”

Holton couldn’t agree more. He started out at 220 pounds and is down to 196. He’s aiming for 186, a number that hasn’t appeared on his scale since high school, but he’s confident.

“It’s all about portion control,” said Holton, who has made some diet changes in addition to walking more often.

Of Facilities’ 110 members, 52 signed up for the first fitness program, and 33 completed it. This term, 34 staffers and nine managers are signed up. They walk, bike, run, play squash, swim or do other cardio, strength-building or weight-bearing exercises. Family members often join their fanatical quest for health and fitness.

“My husband joins me on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Richie’s wife joins him at the College Park Hall gym,” said Mirabile, a scheduling coordinator and buyer who chairs the program committee.

“This has improved communications and created new bonds,” Mirabile said. “We’ve got people excited about working out, getting healthy and just feeling good about themselves.”

Posted on Feb 12, 2008

Gretchel Hathaway Tyson, who has served in a number of key roles since joining Union in 1998, has been promoted to senior director for Campus Diversity and Affirmative Action. 

“I look forward to working with Dr. Tyson to strengthen the Union community,” said President Stephen C. Ainlay. “She will work with me to develop a range of programs that will cultivate an appreciation of the richness of a diverse campus and confront hatred in any form.”

Tyson holds a B.A. degree from Manhattanville College, an M.A. degree from Yeshiva University and a Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh. She has held the positions of director of Affirmative Action, Community Outreach, and the Science and Technology Entry Program. As a senior staff member, she will represent the College in local, regional and national meetings related to diversity, identifying and importing the most effective programs to Union.     

“She will continue to act as director of Affirmative Action and assist and advise me on all matters related to the recruitment and success of a diverse workforce and student body as well as other matters related to ensuring that Union is an inclusive community,” Ainlay said. 

In addition, Tyson will lead a search for a director of Multicultural Affairs, a new position at the College.