2009may18journaldraft1.qxp:03-24-08 CAL U JOURNAL.qxd 5/13/09 3:47 PM Page 1

California University

VOLUME 11, NUMBER 16 MAY 18, 2009

Chancellor:
‘Be Smart
Now’

F

Dr. Kalie Kossar reviews
teaching materials with
a Cal U student.
She and Dr. Katherine
Mitchem, both of the
Department of Special
education, will lead a
collaborative project
funded by a grant of
nearly $500,000 from
the U.S. Department
of Education.

Federal Grant for Special Education
Focuses on Teaching Math, Science

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alifornia University will receive
nearly $500,000 from the U.S.
Department of Education to
enhance special education teachers’
ability to teach mathematics and science
effectively.
HQ-TEEMS: Highly Qualified
Teachers in Exceptional Education,
Math and
Science is a collaborative project led
by Drs. Katherine Mitchem and Kalie

Kossar, both of Cal U’s Department of
Special Education.
The award of $478,862, to be
delivered over four years, was announced
by the University’s Office of Grants and
Contracts.
HQ-TEEMS will foster collaboration
between faculty in Cal U’s College of
Education and Human Services and
content specialists from the Eberly
School of Science and Technology.

Together they will help special
education teachers in grades K-12
become better qualified to teach middle
school math and science, improving the
education of students with disabilities.
“We are pleased to have this
opportunity to work with many other
stakeholders to continue to produce
qualified special educators both in our
programs and in the schools, leading to a
— Continued on page 3

or the second time in just eight
months, PASSHE Chancellor
Dr. John C. Cavanaugh visited
the Cal U campus and met with
faculty, staff and students.
His key message April 28 dealt
with how the state budget and the
federal “stimulus and stabilization
funds” will affect the State System of
Higher Education.
“I wanted to get some things on
your radar,” said Cavanaugh, who was
president of West Florida University
for six years before becoming
PASSHE’s third chancellor last
summer.
The governor’s budget for higher
education proposes a rollback to July
2008 funding levels, he said, restoring
the cuts made to this year’s funding.
The bulk of the federal stimulus
funding earmarked for education goes
to elementary and secondary schools,
he added.
Cavanaugh urged decision-makers
to look ahead three years, especially
when planning new programs or
considering budgets. The 2011-2012
academic year will be crucial for
PASSHE institutions, he said, because
the stimulus funding will end and a
new governor will be in office.
— Continued on page 3

Cal U Plans
Gala, Alumni
Festivities

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alifornia University will honor
alumni, recognize faculty and
raise funds for student
scholarships during the 2009 Alumni
Weekend and President’s Gala, set for
June 5-6.
President Angelo Armenti, Jr. and his
wife, Barbara, will host the annual
President’s Gala, “A Night on the
Riviera,” in the Grand Ballroom of the
Omni William Penn Hotel in downtown
Pittsburgh.
Proceeds from the fundraiser benefit
student scholarships.
The Gala reception begins at 6 p.m.
on June 6, followed by dinner at 7 p.m.
A silent auction, Monte Carlo games and
dancing also are on the agenda.
During the festivities, President
Armenti will honor Dr. Rose Greco
Hughes ’25, winner of the Lillian M.
Bassi Core Values Award. Also being
honored are faculty members Dr. Mary
O’Connor of the Department of
Nursing, who will receive the
— Continued on page 3

President Angelo Armenti, Jr.,
slips an academic hood over
the head of Indian rights
activist LaDonna Harris, who
received an honorary
doctorate during
Commencement
ceremonies May 2.

Advice to Grads: Cling
to Core Values

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alifornia University’s core values of integrity, civility
and responsibility took center stage when two
distinguished alumni addressed graduates at Cal U’s
168th Commencement.
Lt. Gen R. Stephen Whitcomb ’81 spoke to master’s
degree candidates, and Michele M. Mandell ’69 addressed the
undergraduates. Indian rights activist LaDonna Harris
received an honorary doctorate at the
— Continued on page 2

Global Online
graduate Paul
Grugin celebrates
at undergraduate
Commencement.
Grugin lives in
Japan but
traveled to Cal U
to receive his
diploma.

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Steele Hall Packed for Krauthammer Address

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peaking to a crowd of about 600
in Steele Hall Mainstage Theatre,
Pulitzer Prize-winning
commentator Dr. Charles Krauthammer
focused on domestic issues as he
analyzed President Barack Obama’s first
100 days in the Oval Office.
“Though as president he has to
manage them, I don’t think he’s
particularly interested in foreign
affairs,” Krauthammer said April 22.
“His speeches and addresses reveal a
man with an ambitious, almost breathtaking vision that is quite interesting
and almost unique, at least in recent
American history. I think he wants to
rewrite the ‘social contract,’ as it were,
that relates to government and the
individual.”
Krauthammer’s appearance was this
year’s installment in the Noss Lecture
Series, designed to bring thoughtprovoking speakers to campus. In his
address, Krauthammer made the point
that Obama has focused on three key
issues in the early days of his
presidency — health care, education
and energy.
The president ultimately wants to
nationalize health care, increase
government involvement to ensure
access to education from kindergarten
through college, and subsidize these
programs through a “carbon tax” on
energy, he said.
“He’s not trying to do too much, as
his critics say,” Krauthammer insisted.
“He’s trying to accomplish one thing:
He wants to level the differences
between classes, much like the
European system of social democracy.
He wants a fairness in American life he
feels was jeopardized by the wild
capitalism of the Reagan years.”
Krauthammer, a licensed
psychiatrist who no longer practices
medicine, joked that in political
Washington he still deals with people

Above: Dr. Krauthammer’s April 22 lecture focused on domestic
issues as he analyzed President Barack Obama’s first 100 days in
the Oval Office.
Left: Before his lecture, Pulitzer Prize-winning commentator
Charles Krauthammer enjoys a moment in the Kara Alumni House
with President Armenti and his wife, Barbara.

“(President Obama is)
trying to accomplish one
thing: He wants to level the
differences between classes,
much like the European
system of social democracy.
He wants a fairness in
American life he feels was
jeopardized by the wild
capitalism of the
Reagan years.”
— Dr. Charles Krauthammer
“who suffer from paranoia and
delusions of grandeur.” He writes a
syndicated weekly column published in
more than 190 newspapers worldwide,
and he contributes regularly to FOX
News and the televised “Inside
Washington” roundtable. He rushed

home to Washington after his talk to
meet a deadline for an article in The
Weekly Standard.
Moving the country from an
“American” system with greater risks
and rewards toward a more “European”
system of social democracy has its
challenges, Krauthammer told the
crowd.
Another pressing concern is the
economy, which can derail a president’s
agenda even though it is largely outside
his control.
“The only way to save the economy
is to have real reform of entitlements,
which is simply a way of saying Social
Security and Medicare,” he said. “Those
are the basic costs of the government
that are out of control.”
Raising the retirement age and
rationing health care may be required to
keep the country solvent, Krauthammer
predicted.
“Even though I am conservative and
have a lot of objection to the program I
just outlined, I’m trying to present it in

the most analytical and least ideological
and pretentious way I can as a fairly
reasonable alternative.”
Krauthammer called Obama “as
mysterious and unknown a president as
has ever been elected in American
history,” but praised his intellect and
political skills.
“I think he was elected, unlike many
of our presidents, not in order to be
somebody but in order to do
something,” Krauthammer said. “He is
very smart. He has a vision to make the
country more like Europe. His plan is
coherent, determined and thought
through by a man of remarkable
intelligence.”
Humor permeated Krauthammer’s
address, but the jabs were not aimed at
just one political party.
“A friend of mine told me that
American is changing,” he said, before
answering a handful of questions from
the audience. “Democrats are paying
taxes, and Republicans have found the
virtues of fiscal restraint.”

Advice to Graduates: Be True to Core Values
— Continued from page 1
undergraduate ceremony.
Mandell retired in March as
executive vice president of retail at
Talbots, a leading specialty retailer and
direct marketer of women’s apparel.
Cal U’s core values were blueprints
that paved the way for what she called a
wonderful life and an immensely
rewarding career.
“There are no better markers in
success for your life than these core
values that will give you success as a
person, a professional, a leader, parent
and a friend,” she said. “In every
element of your life and every decision
you will make, it is your integrity, your
honor and your ethics that will define
your reputation. They will define you as
a person.”
Mandell told the graduates that the
knowledge and values instilled at Cal U
give them a head start in their journey to
success.
“You’ve been educated and
influenced by people who live these core
values every day and instill these values
in everything they touch,” she said.
“This amazing University family expects
that we will all hold ourselves to those
same high standards.”
Mandell concluded her remarks by
emphasizing that today’s challenges will
change, but our values should not.
“Hold true to them, your inner
compass,” she said. “Value that

2

Above: Michele M. Mandell ’69 told the
undergraduates that Cal U’s core values of
integrity, civility and responsibility are
blueprints for an enjoyable life and
rewarding career.
Left: Lt. Gen R. Stephen Whitcomb ’81 advised
the master’s degree candidates to stay focused
and resilient and to believe in themselves.

tremendous gift of your experience here
at Cal U. Embrace and embody those
core values and live the life and career of
your dreams.”
Whitcomb, who was appointed the
63rd Inspector General of the Army in
February 2008, reminded the master’s
degree candidates to use the same
formula for success.
“As you go out tomorrow I want you
to demonstrate the same kind of
discipline and commitment that brought
you here tonight,” he said. “There will
be opportunities of a lifetime for some
of you, while others, because life can be

unfair, will fight for survival, hopefully
for a short period of time. But don’t give
up. Stay focused, stay resilient and
believe in yourselves.”
Whitcomb spoke about the need to
“pay it forward,” a concept the military
calls mentoring.
“You’re paying back what folks have
invested in you,” he said. “Each of you
has had someone sacrifice in some way
to get you here, and you must remember
that.”
Being a realist, Whitcomb said, he
understands that no one can be at the
top of his game every day, but he

challenged every graduate to make a
consistent effort.
“You have to get up every day and
ask yourself, ‘What am I going to do,
and how I am going to do it? (How can
I) feel good in my heart at the end of the
day and make a difference for somebody
else?’”
Harris, founder and president of
Americans for Indian Opportunity,
praised Cal U for its progressive attitude
and thanked the University for honoring
her.
“You have such a wonderful
opportunity to shape your
community, your state and your
country and have great influence,”
she told the undergraduates.
While congratulating graduates at
both ceremonies, President Armenti
urged them to become a part of the
University’s culture of philanthropy,
known by the name Cal U for Life.
He also asked the students to
incorporate the core values as proud
alumni.
“Our alumni constitute a very
accomplished group of individuals
and, as you join that elite company,
I have every confidence that you will
distinguish yourselves in similar
fashion,” he said.
“May your spirit encourage the
best in others, and may your legacy
be an inspiration to all who follow.
Congratulations and best wishes on
your magnificent achievement!”

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Cal U Plans Gala, Alumni Festivities June 5-6
— Continued from page 1
President’s Faculty Award for Service; Dr.
Rebecca Hess of the Health Science and
Sport Studies Department, winner of the
President’s Faculty Award for Teaching;
and Dr. Joseph Heim of the History and
Political Science Department, recipient of
the President’s Faculty Award for
Research.
Retired professors William Kania
(Business and Economics) and Leslie
Parkinson (Art) will receive the President’s
Emeriti Faculty Awards.
Honorary chairs for the Gala are
Thomas ’64 and Nancy ’66 Crumrine.
The President’s Gala is the highlight of
Alumni Weekend festivities that begin
June 5 with a 5 p.m. reception at the Kara
Alumni House. The annual Pioneer Dinner
follows at 6 p.m. Special recognition will
be given to the Class of 1959, but all
alumni may attend; ticket price is $15.

On June 6, the annual meeting of the
Alumni Association will open at 9 a.m. in
Room 206 of the Natali Student Center. At
11 a.m. guests will convene for the annual
Alumni Association Awards Luncheon in
the Performance Center of the student
center. Cost is $15.
Alumni award recipients are Dr. John
Thompson, winner of the John R. Gregg
Award for Loyalty and Service; Dr. Carol
Biddington, recipient of the C.B. Wilson
Distinguished Faculty Award; Josh Cramer
’05, winner of the W.B. Jackman Award of
Distinction; coach John Luckhardt,
receiving the Michael Duda Award for
Athletic Achievement; Dr. Carol B.
Mitchell ’72, ’75, winner of the
Pavlak/Shutsy Special Service Award;
William R. Maulsby ’72, recipient of the
Professional Excellence Award; Casey M.
Durdines ’07, winner of the Young Alumni
Award; and Sebastian “Sibby” LoNigro
’57, recipient of the Meritorious Award.

The annual President’s Gala will again take place at the elegant Grand Ballroom of
the Omni William Penn Hotel in downtown Pittsburgh.

Chancellor’s Advice: ‘Be Smart Now’
— Continued from page 1
“The thoughtful, informed
decisions we make now will
determine how to position ourselves
appropriately for 2011-12,”
Cavanaugh said. “That’s why there’s
a lot of debate right now in the
General Assembly on what to do
with the stimulus money. If we don’t
want to be over a barrel in 2011-12,
we have to be smart now in 200910.”
The General Assembly seems to
look favorably on PASSHE, he said,
and many questions asked during
the budget hearings reflected the
State System’s talking points.
“We have spent a lot of time
educating legislators about the great
job you and all your colleagues are
doing here in the State System,” said
Cavanaugh. “We want to make sure
they know more about why we do
what we do to give the best possible
education to the students we serve,
which is the real reason we’re here.”
In addition to budget matters,
the Chancellor briefly discussed the
swine flu outbreak, which so far has
had a minimal impact in
Pennsylvania.

Grant Focuses
on Math, Science
— Continued from page 1

PASSHE Chancellor Dr. John C. Cavanaugh addresses the Cal U community. It was
his second visit to campus in the past eight months.

Cavanaugh also answered
questions from the standing-roomonly audience in Natali 206-207.
Associate professor Linda Toth,
president of the APSCUF faculty
union, asked about ways that faculty
and administration might
collaborate to give students the most
effective education.
Cavanaugh began by suggesting
that PASSHE schools explore
working together “to become more
than the sum of their parts.”

“The first thing to do would
be to check all egos at the door
and just talk,” he said. “If you
put smart, creative people
together, incredible things can
happen. This system is filled with
an abundance of people who, at
the end of the day, want what’s
best for the education of our
students.
“Now is the time to do this,
because you are at your most
creative when times are tough.”

quality education for students with special
needs,” Kossar said.
The project addresses a shortage of special
education teachers who meet the state Education
Department’s latest requirements for professional
educators designated as “highly qualified
teachers” in math and science.
It will present licensed special education
teachers with information about science and
math topics; Pennsylvania Academic Content
Standards; and evidence-based interventions for
students with mild to moderate disabilities and
from diverse cultures.
Teachers currently working in Pennsylvania
schools will participate in training opportunities
designed and taught by Cal U faculty. The lessons
will be delivered both on-site and online.
In turn, those working teachers will mentor
pre-service educators who are placed in their
classrooms for fieldwork or student teaching
experiences.
The collaboration between classroom teachers
and Cal U’s math, science and education
specialists also will produce highly qualified
faculty at the university level, improving the
quality of teacher preparation programs.

Spring Break Takes
Students to Costa Rica

C

osta Rica became a classroom for
a group of Cal U students who
traveled to the Central American
country for 10 days during spring break.
The students, all members of the
Hispanic Student Association, visited the
Tamarindo Beach area along the Pacific
Ocean for a study-abroad trip. They were
accompanied by Dr. Margarita Ribar,
club adviser and chair of the Department
of Modern Languages and Cultures, and
Dr. Mariana Pensa, assistant professor.
The trip was intended to improve the
students’ language skills while exposing
them to the culture, history and natural
beauty of Costa Rica.
The students spent the mornings in
school, immersing themselves in the
Spanish language with a teacher who did
not communicate in English. The
building itself had a roof with no walls to

protect the students from the light
afternoon showers during the rainy
season — and also from the monkeys
that frolicked high above.
The students were able to practice
their language skills outside of the
classroom with “Mamasita,” described by
Ribar as a frail woman who worked at
the group of stucco houses the students
called home.
She cooked the visitors “gourmet
feasts with plenty of beans and rice,
platinos (plantains) and heaps of chicken
and real natural fruit juices made from
fruits we never heard of before,” the
travelers reported. And she was often
amused by the students’ attempts to
practice their Spanish by answering in the
subjunctive mood.
Afternoons and evenings were for
organized out-of-school activities or for

Cal U students
experienced all
facets of a
different culture
during their
memorable spring
break journey to
Costa Rica.

personal time to explore the Costa Rican
culture. The trips included a visit to the
Arenal Volcano.
“There is rainforest all around the
volcano,” student Katie Chappel reported
on her blog. “We drove out 4 hours and
spent the day doing canopy tours (zip
lines), riding horses, learning about
indigenous people and seeing a
butterfly/plant/frog area.”
The 10-day adventure became

personal for the group just before leaving
Costa Rica, when the students met a
mother and her two sons, ages 5 and 3.
She was seeking work and planning to
spend the night sleeping on the beach.
The students were able to provide the
family with a meal from the food they
had ordered at a nearby restaurant.
And then, it was time to leave, with
improved language skills and a cultural
experience to be remembered forever.

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DeLorenzo Honored at
International Conference

D
The many PSAC and NCAA Regional championship trophies that were on display at the April
23 Vulcan Pride Celebration clearly depict the success achieved by Cal U athletes during a
memorable 2008-2009 sports year.

Convocation Honors
‘World Class’ Athletes

N

ine teams and a number of
individual student-athletes who
contributed to Cal U’s rich
athletic tradition over the past year were
honored at a Vulcan Pride Celebration
April 23 in Hamer Hall gymnasium.
The women’s basketball, golf,
volleyball, tennis, swimming and hockey
teams were honored, along with football
and men’s soccer and hockey.
A dozen individual students and two
relay teams were recognized for achieving
All-American status.
“We gather to celebrate with awe,
respect and admiration the achievements
of nine Cal U teams that gave us a rare
glimpse of perfection — a state that is not
usually available to humans — even as
they gave us inspiration, hope and
confidence, not just for the future but,
more importantly, for our future,” said
Cal U President Angelo Armenti, Jr.
“When Cal U teams show themselves
to be world class, as these nine teams and
All-Americans clearly did, they remind us
by their excellent example of our own
personal and professional possibilities,
even as they inspire us to believe that we,
too, might become world class in our
own individual domains by emulating the
tremendous effort, selflessness, team
work and determination that they clearly
practiced.”
Dr. Thomas Pucci, Cal U’s athletic
director, added that it “has been a
memorable year — and we’re not done
yet.”
Coached by Heather Kearney, the
2008-2009 women’s basketball team went
29-5 overall and advanced to the NCAA
Elite Eight for a second consecutive
season and the fourth time in seven years,
The 2008 Vulcan football team, under
the guidance of coach John Luckhardt,
finished 12-2 overall and won a fourth
straight PSAC-West title, the first PSAC
championship the sport contested in 21
years. The team advanced to the national
semifinals for the second consecutive year.
Men’s soccer coach Dennis Laskey,
the dean of Vulcan head coaches in his
23rd season, led his team to the
program’s first PSAC championship and

second NCAA tourney appearance.
Coached by MerriLyn Gibbs, Cal’s
2008 women’s golf team also collected
the program’s first PSAC team title after
winning four regular season invitationals
last fall.
Volleyball head coach Stephanie
Burner, in her inaugural season, led the
Vulcan women to a school-best 40-2
overall record. This was the team’s second
consecutive PSAC title — its third in four
years — and its second consecutive
NCAA Elite Eight appearance.
The 2008 women’s tennis team and
head coach Pablo Montana compiled a
26-3 overall record last spring. The team
won its second straight PSAC title and
advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 round.
The 2008-2009 women’s swimming
team, coached by Ed Denny, finished
14th at the NCAA Division II National
Championships after a strong third-place
finish at the PSAC championships.
This winter the men’s hockey team
became the first in the 38-year history of
College Hockey East to win three
consecutive league titles. The team
finished 19-8 overall under head coach
Justin Berger.
In its first year, the women’s hockey
team compiled a 13-6 record and won the
Delaware Valley Collegiate Hockey
Conference regular season and playoff
championships. Head coach is Dave
Yanko. Assistant coach Pat Kenny spoke
on behalf of the hockey teams.
President Armenti expressed his hope
that Cal U will bring home the Dixon
Trophy, an annual award given to the best
overall athletic program in the PSAC.
Heading into the spring sports season,
the Vulcans were ranked No. 7 nationally
for the 2008-09 U.S. Sports Academy
Directors’ Cup.
President Armenti closed his remarks
by telling the student-athletes that they
had “honored yourselves and your
families, and set a great example for
others.”
“Your achievements will always be
remembered here,” he said. “Your names
will always be honored here, and your
presence will always be welcome.”

faculty member, teaching
r. Gary
both undergraduate and
DeLorenzo,
graduate courses.
assistant professor
Since coming to Cal U
in the Mathematics and
in 2005, DeLorenzo has
Computer Science
gained a reputation as
Department, received the
someone who excites his
2008 Ben Bauman Award
students and shares his
for Excellence at the 48th
industrial background to
annual conference of the
make courses more timely
International Association
and relevant. In addition to
for Computer Information
teaching, he has developed
Systems (IACIS). The
a passion for research.
award is named in memory
DeLorenzo has published a
of Bauman, a faculty
Dr. Gary DeLorenzo
number of papers in
member at James Madison
academic journals and has made
University, in Virginia, who was a
numerous conference presentations,
longtime IACIS member, officer,
both nationally and internationally.
director and contributor. The award
He also has formed a partnership
recognizes faculty excellence and
with the Sen. John Heinz Regional
service to the profession, the university
History Center in Pittsburgh to secure
and the community.
service learning opportunities for his
DeLorenzo spent more than 30
students by providing database
years in manufacturing and banking as
development and technical support to
a manager, senior systems analyst,
help manage the museum’s collections.
technical consultant and programmer.
The conference was held in
During his business career he served for
Savannah, Ga.
more than 15 years as an adjunct

Staff dinner reservations due June 5

A

ll RSVP cards for the Staff Recognition Dinner on June 26 must be
submitted to Campus Box 5 by June 5. Dinner tickets will be distributed
to each department via campus mail prior to the dinner. Please remember
to bring your tickets with you to the Performance Center on the evening of the
dinner.
A reservation made is a reservation paid. If you are unable to honor your
RSVP and must cancel for any reason, please contact Ext. 4432 with your regrets.
The President, Trustees and vice presidents look forward to celebrating an
evening in your honor and recognizing all the staff anniversaries previously
mentioned in the President’s memo. Reserve your seat now for what promises to
be a very memorable evening.

Cal U Students Tour Airport
Cal U students Carlyle Meekins (right) and Julia Engelhart look over land samples at
Pittsburgh International Airport. Last month Kevin Gurchak ’84, manager of Environmental
Compliance at Pittsburgh International Airport, invited students from Dr. Robert Whyte’s
Ecology class to tour the airport and observe the environmental and natural resource efforts.
Whyte, a professor in Cal U’s Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, plans to
bring Gurchak back to campus this fall as a guest lecturer.

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. Allan J. Golden
Vice President for Administration and Finance

Geraldine M. Jones
Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs

Dr. Lenora Angelone
Vice President for Student Development and Services

Dr. Joyce Hanley
Executive Vice President

Dr. Charles Mance
Vice President of Information Technology

Angela J. Burrows
Vice President for University Relations
Christine Kindl
Editor

Bruce Wald, Wendy Mackall
Writers

OfficeofCommunicationsandPublicRelations,
250UniversityAvenue,California,PA15419
724-938-4195wald@cup.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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