Have an idea to help make Union more sustainable? Proposals are now being accepted for Presidential Green Grants to facilitate campus projectst hat will make Union more sustainable in such areas as energy use, recycling, transportation and dining, as well as for research projects that will contribute to sustainability at the regional or national level.
Students, faculty and staff may apply for funding up to $2,000. Proposals are due Friday, Oct. 16. For grant guidelines and other information, click here, or contact Jeffrey Corbin, assistant professor of biology, at sustain@union.edu.
“Politics of the Yukos Affair” by Robert Sharlet, the Chauncey Winters Research Professor of Political Science, recently was published in the volume, “Private and Civil Law in the Russian Federation,” edited by William Simons (Leiden-Boston: Martinus Nijhoff, 2009). This study of a major, post-Soviet Russian case of political justice, which concluded in 2005, originated from an international conference at Leiden University, the Netherlands, held in honor of Sharlet’s long-time professional collaborator, Professor Ferdinand J.M. Feldbrugge, who was knighted by the Dutch Crown at the event.
Prof. Hislope with president of Macedonia, Gjorge Ivanov
Cherrice Traver, dean of engineering, is profiled in the fall issue of SWE, the magazine of the Society of Women Engineers. In the article, Traver discusses her career, the challenges she faces and the traits of a good leader. To read, click here.
Robert Hislope, associate professor of political science, attended a reception in New Jersey recently with the president of the Republic of Macedonia, Gjorge Ivanov. Ivanov was in the United States for the U.N. General Assembly meeting in New York. Formerly a professor of political science at the University of Saints Cyril and Methodius, Ivanov hosted Hislope’s visits to his country between 2000 and 2003, during which Hislope interviewed a cross section of Macedonia’s political class.
Claire Hendry Foster '08, Looking Tree, 2009, soapstone and steel
In a new exhibit now on display in the Wikoff Student Gallery, Claire Hendry Foster ‘08 shows how commonplace materials like wood, metal and rock can be strikingly complex.
“Creatures in Stone and Steel,” which opens today and runs through Sunday, Nov. 8, features six of the alumna’s sketches and four sculptures.
Her sculptures, like much of her work, have helped Foster gain a deeper understanding of the promise of seemingly simple and unassuming things.
“Wood, stone, steel and clay all have unique properties and potentials,” she said. “Steel can be manipulated to be organic and inorganic, flowing and rigid. Stone can be carved and transformed into an object with life and presence. These sculptures reflect my desire to use stone and steel to bring to life the creatures of my imagination.”
An artist's reception will be held in the gallery Friday, Oct. 16, 5-7 p.m., in conjunction with Art Night Schenectady. For more information, visit www.union.edu/gallery.
The College is in the midst of an ambitious marketing plan designed to reshape its image as a “hidden gem,” a designation used by TheNew York Times in summer 2006, in a roundup of top colleges.
Branding Union – Jill Hungsberg & Michael Fallone of id29
“We certainly agree with the ‘gem’ part, but we’d like to change the ‘hidden’ part,” said Director of Communications and Marketing Jill Hungsberg, “Union has a lot going for it – many great people with impressive stories to tell – and we certainly want to get the word out.”
Members of the Office of Communications, which includes Web experts, writers, reporters and media relations professionals, have rallied around four major objectives this year:
Elevating Union’s reputation in the marketplace, especially among prospective students;
Developing a unified, compelling brand identity that communicates the College’s strengths in a consistent manner across channels;
Revamping www.union.edu to be more user-friendly, attractive and content-rich; and
Consulting with other campus departments and offices to help make their communications efforts more effective.
“The Internet has a huge role to play in addressing these objectives,” said Ken George, who joined the Communications team in August as Web director. “We’re focusing not only on using our Web site to promote Union, but also engaging our audiences in Facebook and other social networks.”
George comes to Union with 13 years of experience in Web communications and new media publishing for news organizations, the most recent being WBUR at Boston University, one of the nation’s largest National Public Radio stations.
Ken George, Web director
The “Union Reboot” project, he noted, “is all about a smarter use of digital spaces to showcase what makes Union special to prospective students, donors and others, while giving the campus community access to the information it needs.”
To help implement the marketing plan, the Office of Communications has partnered with top firms in the areas of Web site development, graphic design, branding and market research.
“This is an exciting process. We’re tackling our objectives on multiple fronts at once,” said Hungsberg. “By the end of the academic year, our constituents should begin to see real differences in how the College portrays itself.”
Faculty and students are invited to follow and discuss the relaunch of the Union Web site at www.unionreboot.org, or on our official Facebook and Twitter sites.
The College is now accepting proposals for internal review in preparation for the Jan. 28 program deadline for the National Science Foundation’s Major Research Instrumentation (MRI).
Proposal summaries are due Monday, Oct. 19, by 5 p.m.
Each summary must include a description of the potential impact on faculty research and benefit to students; the potential to supplement existing instrumentation; cost estimate, including potential long-term maintenance; and proposed location and physical space requirements.
“Due to federal funding constraints, there is a possibility that NSF will not offer an MRI competition in 2010,” noted Nicole Tama, associate director of Union’s Office of Foundation, Corporate and Government Relations. “Since there has been no official announcement yet, it is in our best interest to proceed for the January deadline so we do not miss an opportunity for funding.”
