2010sept13journaldraft1:03-24-08 CAL U JOURNAL.qxd 9/8/10 2:38 PM Page 1

Volume 12, Number 20 SePT. 13, 2010

Civil Liberties in Wartime:
Focus of Constitution Day

H

ow are civil liberties
affected when a nation is
at war? The Cal U
community will examine this topic
at a Constitution Day program set
for 11 a.m. Friday in the
Performance Center inside the
Natali Student Center.
The purpose of Constitution
Day is to ensure students in the
United States are gaining an
increased knowledge and
appreciation for this valuable and
important document of freedom.
Following welcoming remarks
by Provost Geraldine Jones, Dr.
Michael Slaven of the Department
of History and Political Science
will present a tribute to the late
Sen. Robert C. Byrd of West
Virginia.
Byrd introduced the legislation
mandating Constitution Day
observances at all educational
institutions that receive federal
funding. Schools across the
country celebrate Constitution
Day on the anniversary of the

Cal U’s Constitution Day program
will begin with a tribute to the
late Sen. Robert C. Byrd of West
Virginia by Cal U faculty member
Dr. Michael Slaven.

document’s signing on Sept. 17,
1787.
“It is because of Senator
Byrd’s love of county and sense of
history that all educational
institutions commemorate this
special day,” said Dr. Melanie
Blumberg, a professor of political

science and campus director of the
American Democracy Project.
A panel of Cal U faculty
members will discuss “Civil
Liberties at Time of War.” Speakers and their topics are:
•Dr. Aref Al-Khattar, of the
Department of Justice, Law and
Society — “Ethnic Profiling
During Time of War.”
•Dr. Craig Smith, also of the
Department of History and
Political Science — “War and the
Supreme Court: A Historical
Perspective on Constitutional
Interpretation.“
•Dr. John Cencich, dean of the
School of Graduate Studies and
Research — “The Applicability of
the Geneva Conventions of 1949
to the Detention of Unlawful
Combatants.“
— Continued on page 3

Teamwork Plays Starring
Role in Debut of Desire2Learn

G

etting Cal U’s new learning management
system, Desire2Learn, up and running was
quite a production. But thanks to a team of
dedicated faculty members, administrators and staff,
the new software platform has been launched
successfully.
Representatives from a variety of disciplines
cleared their busy schedules to attend meetings, listen
to input from faculty and students, and facilitate
training sessions over the course of the past six
months.
Desire2Learn, which helps to deliver course
content and other information, takes the place of
both the Blackboard and eCollege learning
management systems.

Party
in the
Park
The Red
Jumpsuit
Apparatus will
perform at this
year’s Party in
the Park on
Sept. 18 at
Roadman Park.
The fifth annual
celebration
kicks off the
2010 home
football season.
See story on
page 3.

During the spring and summer, course shells were
migrated from both previous systems to
Desire2Learn, ensuring that course content would be
available in the new system for the start of the fall
semester.
Face-to-face classes, one-on-one workshops and
online training were facilitated through the Faculty
Professional Development Center.
Becky Nichols, director of Applications and
Academic Support and coordinator of the
Desire2Learn project, said it really was a team effort.
“Everyone worked so hard to meet our deadline
and make the transition as smooth as possible,” she
said.
— Continued on page 3

President Angelo Armenti, Jr. talks about Cal U Fusion during
the fall 2010 Faculty Convocation inside Morgan Hall
Auditorium.

Civility Rules
at Faculty
Convocation

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ivility was the watchword at the Fall 2010 Faculty
Convocation, where the newly elected president of
the local Association of Pennsylvania State College
and University Faculties (APSCUF) pledged to act in
accordance with Cal U’s core values.
“Civility requires that we express ourselves in ways that
demonstrate a respect toward others,” said Dr. Michael
Slavin, chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance. “I
promise to behave with civility, and I thank you for your
trust.”
Citing the high cost — both financial and personal — of
faculty grievances, Slavin announced a plan to examine the
evaluation process. By taking a proactive approach, he said,
the association and the University may find a way to better
resolve their differences.
Citing a prediction by University President Angelo
Armenti, Jr., Slavin noted that a third party will address
issues related to the new parking plan, which went into
effect Aug. 30. Two hearings on the matter have been
scheduled this fall.
After being introduced by Provost Geraldine Jones,
President Armenti reviewed a handout showing that 147
faculty members have not registered for parking.
Of the 124 faculty who purchased parking permits, 96
were given spaces in their preferred parking area. An
additional 91 faculty have registered and are on a waiting
list.
“Spaces will become available, and the faculty has
always had first preference,” President Armenti said. “If you
have not registered for parking, please do so.”
Despite the region’s economic challenges, enrollment at
Cal U continues to grow. Figures from the first day of
classes show the head count up by 365, or 4 percent,
compared to first-day totals in 2009. Over the past six years,
Cal U’s total full-time equivalent (FTE) enrollment has
increased by 43 percent.
“We continue to be attracting bright, young students
— Continued on page 3

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Forensic Team Finds Unmarked Graves

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earning how to use groundpenetrating radar (GPR) lets
forensic anthropology students
help people in the present connect with
the past.
Led by Drs. Cassandra Kuba and
John Nass, Cal U students have used
GPR to identify an 18th-century fort on
private property south of Avella, Pa.;
locate unmarked graves at Chartiers
Cross Roads Presbyterian Church near
Washington, Pa.; and help locate a road
leading to a Revolutionary War prisonerof-war camp near York, Pa.
GPR sends radar pulses into the soil
to create images of what lies
underground. Cal U obtained a GPR
unit last academic year.
“It’s similar to a Doppler radar that
sends out a signal to the atmosphere, but
the GPR is facing downward and sends a
signal into the ground,” said Kuba, chief
forensic anthropologist for Cal U’s
Institute of Criminological and Forensic
Sciences.
“The GPR machine bounces off soil
of different densities. It can sense if there
are objects in the way. It will bounce a
signal back. It allows the team to
determine if something is below the
surface.”
On a steamy weekend last month,
Cal U’s forensics team placed wooden
stakes about a meter apart in the
cemetery, creating a grid. The following
day the team maneuvered the GPR over
the area.
Many church members believe that
cemetery records are incomplete, and
they hope to identify any unmarked
graves as the congregation celebrates the
church’s 200th anniversary.
Names on the gravestones indicate
that people of Scottish, Irish or Welsh
descent are buried here.
Disturbances in the soil as far as 15
feet underground indicate the possible
presence of unmarked graves. Family
members may have been buried in wood

Cal U forensic anthropology students Danetta Snook (left) and Adina Necciai operate a ground-penetration radar machine while tracking
unmarked graves at the Chartiers Cross Roads Cemetery sites.

coffins placed one atop the other, Kuba
said.
“At least the church will know where
the people are, and based on the records
they have, they can create a memorial
stone,” she said.
The project is a win-win, she added.
The work would have been costly if the
University hadn’t been able to step in.
“Our students get experience utilizing
the device, so it’s beneficial to us and the
church,” she said.
Adina Necciai, who graduated last
month while working fulltime with PA
Mentor, aspires to do forensics work

with a victim witness unit in a district
attorney’s office. Her volunteer time with
the summer GPR projects along with
Danetta Snook and Donovan Marcoux
was time well she spent.
“I will always come out on weekends
and help, because they need it and I love
doing this,” she said. “It’s been a good
learning experience, and it’s important to
know how to do this.
Snook commented that the cemetery
search used a smaller grid than previous
GPR projects she had done.
“It’s really interesting and neat to see
the graphical image,” she said. “I have a

photography background, and this ties
in.”
Laurel King, an elder at the church,
said identifying graves had been a goal of
the church for quite some time.
“A lot of our families have
descendants who probably are buried
here, but they just don’t know,” she said.
“This helps them understand and even
honor them. We are very grateful for
California’s help.”
Chartiers Cross Roads Presbyterian
Church will hold its bicentennial worship
service at 11 a.m. Oct. 31. A deed to the Cross
Roads property was signed Oct. 31, 1810.

Campus BRIEFS
Convocation Tomorrow
President Angelo Armenti, Jr. will host
the 2010 Fall Staff Convocation on
Tuesday in the Performance Center,
beginning at 2 p.m.
Free and open to the
campus community and
the public, Cal U’s 23rd
annual Health Fair will
have nearly three dozen
health care providers and
industry representatives
in the Performance
Center Wednesday from
11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Mission Day
Examines Fusion

Annual Health Fair Set for Wednesday

N

early three dozen health care providers and
industry representatives will be on hand for Cal
U’s 23rd annual Health Fair, set for 11 a.m.-3
p.m. Wednesday in the Performance Center inside the
Natali Student Center. The health fair is free and open to
the campus community and the public.
Centerville Clinic will be offering flu shots. The cost
is $19, payable by cash or check.
Other exhibitors will be offering information,
services, screenings and giveaways.Music will be
provided by disc jockey Dr. Glo. Caricatures, massages,
temporary tattoos, and door prizes will be available.
Participating organizations include: The Children’s
Home of Pittsburgh and Lemieux Family Center,
Centerville Clinics, Dr. Bernard Doloback Dentistry,
Aetna CHIP, AVI Foodsystems, Fayette Podiatry

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Associates, SPHS Care Center, Redstone Pharmacy,
Pennsylvania Breast Coalition, West Penn Hospital Burn
Center, Central Blood Bank, Chestnut Counseling Center,
Greenbriar Treatment Center, First Step Family
Chiropractic, Mary Kay Cosmetics, Washington Drug and
Alcohol Commission Inc., The Real You, Beauti-Control
Spa Products, Big Brother & Big Sister of Laurel Region,
Orthopedic and Sport Physical Therapy Association, Mon
Valley YMCA, California University Counseling Center,
Monongahela Valley Hospital, Martinelli Eye and Laser
Centers, Washington Women’s Shelter, Canonsburg
General Hospital, Valley Women’s Hospital, Avon,
Physical Therapy Institute, Coffee Connections, Options
Resources Center, and Adagio Health.
For more information, call Fran Fayish at 724-9385922.

Cal U Fusion will be the focus of the
University’s 12th annual Mission Day, set
for Oct. 6.
Daytime classes
will be canceled
that day so that
students, faculty,
staff and alumni
can discuss the
University’s new mobile initiative for
teaching and learning.
Evening classes may be canceled at the
instructor’s discretion.
Sessions continue from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.,
beginning and ending in Steele Hall
Mainstage Theatre.
Mission Day allows all members of the
University community to engage in
dialogue, share ideas, voice
recommendations as equals in order to
advance the institution’s mission and goals.
Look for more details on Mission Day
XII online at www.calu.edu and in future
issues of the Journal.

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Party
Features
The Red
Jumpsuit
Apparatus

C

alifornia University of Pennsylvania will
kick off the 2010 home football season
with its fifth annual Party in the Park
and a performance by the nationally known
rock band The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus.
The party gets started at noon Sept. 18 in
Roadman Park, on Cal U’s south campus.
A Welcome Back Picnic hosted by
University President Angelo Armenti, Jr., a
performance by Uniontown band Stereotype
and a live broadcast by radio station The X all
begin at noon, with music by the Pittsburghbased band Gene the Werewolf at 1 p.m.
An alumni tailgate party begins at 1:30 p.m.
under the Vulcan Huddle tent.
The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus will perform
from 2-3:20 p.m. The first of the group’s three
albums, “Don’t You Fake It,” was certified gold
in late November 2006. Recent albums include
“Lonely Road” and “The Hell or High Water.”
The party concludes with a 3:30 p.m.
football game at Adamson Stadium’s HepnerBailey Field, where the nationally ranked Cal
U Vulcans take on their PSAC-East rival, East
Stroudsburg University.
Cal U students, faculty and staff may attend
the Party in the Park free with a valid CalCard.
Picnic guests pay $6.35 for adults, $3.75 for
children ages 7 and younger.
Current Cal U students with valid CalCards
may attend the football game at no charge.
Game tickets are available at the gate. Cost is
$8 for general admission seating, $5 for
students who do not attend Cal U.
For more information, contact Jenifer Sigado,
director of student orientation programs and the
University Welcome Center, at 724-938-1626 or
sigado@calu.edu.

President Angelo Armenti, Jr. addresses the faculty inside Morgan Hall Auditorium.

Civility Rules at Convocation
— Continued from page 1
looking to move onto higher education, and you (faculty)
play a very significant role in this,” the President said.
About 1,600 students attended orientation Aug. 26-29,
President Armenti reported. In addition to learning about
University traditions and the Cal U for Life program, one
orientation session focused on Cal U Fusion, a campus-wide
mobile technology initiative that has begun to explore
innovative ways to use handheld devices as tools for
teaching and learning.
Cal U Fusion will be the topic of Mission Day on Oct. 6.
“Mobile technology is definitely going to transform
higher education,” said President Armenti, as he
demonstrated a number of applications that might be used
in the classroom.
“With Cal U Fusion we intend to bring 21st-century
technology onto our campus and into our classrooms. Our
students deserve nothing less — and participation by you,
the faculty, is essential for this to succeed.”
During her welcoming remarks, Provost Jones noted the
retirement of five longtime faculty members who combined
to give 150 years of service to Cal U students. The provost
recognized retirees Edward Brown, Debra Clingerman,
John Shimkanin, William Yahner and John Vargo.

Seven to be Inducted
into Hall of Fame

U

niversity President Angelo Armenti, Jr. has announced that seven
individuals will comprise the 16th class named to the Cal U
Athletic Hall of Fame.
The 2010 inductees are the late Dr. Michael Duda, president emeritus;
Jason Foreman ’02, baseball; Dale Hamer ’60, official; John Kovalchick ’53,
baseball; DingDing Lu ’03, women’s
volleyball; Sara McKinney ’05,
women’s basketball; and Kerry
Novak-Drilak ’97, softball.
These former Vulcan standouts
will be inducted at the 2010 Cal U
Athletic Hall of Fame banquet, set
for 5:30 p.m. Oct. 15 in the
Performance Center.
The inductees will be shown on
the scoreboard during the Vulcans’
Homecoming football game against
Slippery Rock University on Oct. 16.
This year’s banquet also will
recognize Cal U’s 2003-2004
women’s basketball team. The
Vulcans won the 2004 NCAA
Division II National Championship
Sara McKinney
and finished 35-1 overall.
Tickets for the banquet are $35. For reservations, contact Montean Dean
of Cal U Alumni Relations at 724-938-4418 or dean@calu.edu. Proceeds
from the banquet will be used to establish a Hall of Fame athletic scholarship.
For more information, visit the Hall of Fame section of the Cal athletics
website at www.calvulcans.com. Profiles of the Hall of Fame inductees will
appear in upcoming editions of the Journal.

Maggy Aston, a drawing professor in the Department of Art
and Design (left), and Craig Fox, a philosophy instructor in the
Philosophy Department, share a laugh while learning about
how Cal U Fusion applications can be used in classrooms.

Jones also named the current faculty members receiving
promotions and introduced six new tenure-track faculty —
Drs. Jason Kight, Cynthia Persinger, Anthony Rodi,
Melissa Sovak, Christina Toras and Julie Warnick. This
year’s Frederick Douglass Scholar is Michelle Torregano.

Constitution Day Program Set
— Continued from page 1
Moderator will be Dr. Emily Sweitzer,
associate professor of justice and behavioral
crime and director of the Justice Studies
Program.
“Ever since the birth of our nation, the
government and the courts have struggled
with the need to effectively protect our
citizens from hostile actors during time of
war and the competing interest of ensuring
the civil and political rights of Americans and
enemies alike,” said Cencich. “The issues
surrounding America’s global war on
terrorism are by no means novel, yet the

answers remain unsettled.”
This year’s multidisciplinary panel seeks
to raise heightened awareness of this
controversial subject with the hope that
students and future leaders may one day find
those answers.
The program is co-sponsored by the
Office of the President, the Office of the
Provost, the American Democracy Project,
the School of Graduate Studies and
Research, the Department of History and
Political Science, and the Department of
Justice, Law and Society.
For more information, call the Department of
History and Political Science at 724-938-4054.

Teamwork Key to Desire2Learn
— Continued from page 1
With one learning management system, students and faculty will no longer need to learn
two different systems. Course content for all classes, including undergraduate, graduate and
Global Online, now can be accessed through Desire2Learn.
Starting this fall, all 14 universities in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education
(PASSHE) will use the Desire2Learn software platform.
“The switch to a unified learning management system such as Desire2Learn not only
provides for consistency in technological applications for our students, but also opens up more
opportunities for collaboration with other PASSHE schools,” said Dr. John Cencich, dean of
the School of Graduate Studies and Research.
“To add to this consistency, we also recently merged all Desire2Learn administration under
the Office of Web-based Programs, which will service the entire University community.”

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Trustees Semester Gets Off to Sweet Start
Hear About T
Parking,
Enrollment

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al U’s Council of Trustees toured
the Vulcan Garage before gathering
for their quarterly meeting Sept. 1.
The board was impressed with the 650space parking facility, which opened for the
start of the fall semester. Construction of
the five-level garage was completed in just
over a year.
“To go from piles of dirt to the opening
of the parking garage in that short a time is
pretty amazing,” said Trustee Annette
Ganassi.
The University initiated a paid parking
system that went into effect Aug. 30, and
“the anticipated parking crisis never
materialized,” said Cal U President Angelo
Armenti, Jr. “Things have gone fairly
smoothly,” he said.
Reporting for Academic Affairs,
Provost Geraldine Jones told the Trustees
that enrollment has increased by 4 percent
over last year’s record-setting headcount.
Student internships will increase to 242 this
fall, compared to 125 last year.
Largely due to the faculty’s scholarly
activities, 18 grants and contracts were
awarded over the past quarter, totaling $1.4
million. Of the 22 Cal U academic
programs recognized by PASSHE, 19 are
nationally accredited.
In other business:
•Robert Thorn, interim vice president of
Administration and Finance, reported that
the first phase of the Loop Road project,
which includes the opening of East Street
to traffic, was completed Aug. 25. The
second phase of the project is under way.
Eventually, the Loop Road will carry
vehicular traffic around Cal U’s perimeter,
creating a pedestrian-friendly campus.
•Lenora Angelone, vice president for
Student Affairs, told the Trustees that all
six residence halls and the Vulcan Village
housing complex are fully occupied.
•Angela Burrows, vice president for
University Relations, highlighted a number
of prominent media placements and broadbased coverage of summer events in her
report to the Trustees. The marketing team
was commended for their efforts in Cal U’s
designation as the official education
partner of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
•Ron Huiatt, vice president for
University Development and Alumni
Relations, told the Trustees that nearly
$22.5 million has been committed toward
the $35 million goal of The Campaign to
Build Character and Careers, which was
announced publicly in June 2009.
•Charles Mance, vice president for
University Technology Services, reported
that more than 1,200 campus e-mail
accounts have been switched to the new
domain address.

he new academic year began
with a sweet tradition of tasty
treats for students.
During the first week of the fall
semester, more than 800 dozen cookies,
baked and donated by members of 17
area churches, were distributed in the
Natali Student Center by STAND,
Students Taking a New Direction.
STAND is an interdenominational
campus ministry with a membership of
between 80 and 110 students each year.
It is led by minister Pete Ware, who is
sponsored by the Coalition for
Christian Outreach and the United
Campus Ministry Council.
This was the fourth consecutive
school year that began with free
cookies.
“The neat thing about this from the
local churches’ perspective is they’re not
just making cookies,” said Ware, who is
in his third year at Cal U. “I know those
in the churches pray for the students
and faculty as they are making the
cookies, so there’s something deeper to
this then just baking.”
The appetizing tradition was started
by missionaries Greg McKim and his
wife, Debbie. McKim is pastor of
Crossroads Community Church in
California, which holds Sunday
morning services at Coffee
Connections, a coffeehouse on Third
Street in the borough. The couple began
the cookie project with Assembly of
God churches, but other congregations
have since gotten involved.
“It’s not just about cookies. You
have people showing they care,” said
McKim. “When we started this, we saw

STAND members Emily Obenauf, an athletic training major (left), and Charisse Varga, a
languages major, help to hand out free cookies inside the Natali Student Center.

it really helped the campus ministry.
“We just want to start the new year
on Cal’s campus with an act of
kindness that has some cookies with it.”
Among the many people McKim
singled out for their assistance with the
project was Cal U’s Dr. Dan Engstrom,
associate dean in the College of
Education and Human Services.
Helping to hand out cookies for the
first time was Emily Obenauf, a senior
athletic training major who joined
STAND last spring.
“You get to meet new people — and
everybody likes free cookies,” she said.
“Many students have shown an interest
in STAND. I love it because it helps
you adjust to being away from home.
You also get to hang out with a group
of people who want you to do well and

stay away from trouble.”
Ware emphasized that the cookies
are served with no pressure to join the
group. He also noted that Cal U’s
Campus Ministry has added another
professional minister, Rebecca Verly.
“This is a place to help students
grow and explore their Christianity,”
Ware said.
“We want students to have a
Christian faith and to think about the
school’s core values,” Ware said, “what
it means to be a good citizen, a person
of integrity and character.”
Starting the new school year by
handing out free cookies has become a
community endeavor, McKim said. “A
lot of churches are involved, and it has
morphed into something bigger, which
is what we wanted to happen.”

Federal Grant Continues GACO Support

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al U’s Government Agency Coordination
Office (GACO) has been awarded a grant
of $149,515 from the Defense Logistics
Agency of Fort Belvoir, Va.
The federal grant will support GACO’s work in
providing contracting assistance services to
regional businesses through Aug. 31, 2011.
With offices on the Cal U campus, in
Pittsburgh and at Slippery Rock University,
GACO is a Procurement Technical Assistance
Center that helps businesses throughout western
Pennsylvania to pursue federal, state and local
government contracts and subcontracts.
Deborah Wojcik, GACO’s director, said the
three offices are providing services to 1,643
businesses in western Pennsylvania. These
businesses have reported receiving more than
30,079 contracts and subcontracts totaling nearly
$2.35 billion since 1985.
“The Defense Logistics Agency has been a
valuable partner in our economic revitalization
efforts,” said Cal U President Angelo Armenti, Jr.
“The agency’s funding support for GACO
enables us to continue to assist companies in all
aspects of government contracting. We are very
pleased that they have once again provided
funding for our program.”

Cal U President Angelo Armenti, Jr. presents a cooperative agreement for
$149,515 from the Defense Logistics Agency to Deborah Wojcik, GACO
director.

The California Journal is published weekly by California University of Pennsylvania, a member of The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education.
Dr. Angelo Armenti, Jr.
University President

Dr. Lenora Angelone
Vice President for Student Affairs

Geraldine M. Jones
Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs

Dr. Charles Mance
Vice President of Information Technology

Christine Kindl
Editor

Bruce Wald
Writer

Dr. Joyce Hanley
Executive Vice President

Ron Huiatt
Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations

Wendy Mackall
Writer

Jeff Bender
Writer

Robert Thorn
Interim Vice President for Administration and Finance

Office of Communications and Public Relations • 250 University Avenue, California, PA 15419 • 724-938-4195 • wald@calu.edu
The Journal is printed on paper made from trees harvested under the principles of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (www.SFIprogram.org).

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