California University

Volume 21, Number 13 SEPT. 23, 2019
KEEP UP WITH CAL U NEWS ONLINE: calu.edu/news

President Highlights
Commitment to
Academic Excellence

A

commitment to maintaining
high academic standards is
paying off, President
Geraldine M. Jones said in her
remarks at Faculty-Staff Convocation
on Sept. 12.
First-year students entering
Cal U have an average high school
grade-point average of 3.27 this fall,
exceeding the average of 3.17 for
incoming students last year.
The number of entering freshmen
with a high school GPA of 3.0 or
higher rose by 9% this fall, compared
to last year, and Cal U saw a 12%
increase in first-year students with a
GPA of 3.5 or higher.
“Even in a highly competitive
market, we are maintaining our
standards,” President Jones said.
“Year after year, we are enrolling
more students with excellent academic
credentials.”
The number of transfer students
is slightly higher than a year ago, she
said.
The Enrollment Management
team is developing a five-year strategic
plan to address enrollment challenges.
Initiatives include ensuring
scholarships are used most effectively
to boost enrollment, introducing new
academic programs in molecular
biology and veterinary technology,
and adding concentrations in highdemand field such as corporate
communication, forensic investigation
and cyber forensics.
Cal U and other schools in
Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher
Education have joined Re-Up, a costeffective program that identifies and
engages with adults who have some
college credits but no degree.
Despite an enrollment drop,
Cal U closed the 2018-2019 fiscal year
with a shortfall of just 1% of the total
budget.

“Your careful spending made
that possible, and I thank you all,”
President Jones said.
“All of us are making do with less
as we work to keep this year’s deficit
within bounds.”
The President also updated faculty
and staff on the University’s effort to
be reaccredited by the Middle States
Commission on Higher Education.
Dozens of faculty, staff and
students have been hard at work on
the self-study report as Cal U prepares
for a site visit from the Middle States
accreditation team next spring.
“In order to earn reaccreditation,
our University must demonstrate that
it is building a campus-wide culture
of assessment,” said President Jones.
“We must show that we are setting
goals, measuring results and using
that data to drive improvements
that benefit our University and our
students.”
By continuing to work together,
President Jones said, Cal U will
remain a special place.
“Our University has weathered
many changes over the years, and
each time we have emerged stronger,”
she said.
“We can do it again. We owe it
to our students — past, present and
future — to build a more secure and
sustainable future for Cal U.”

Staff honors
At Convocation, President Jones
announced the first recipients of two
prestigious awards that recognize
staff members for outstanding job
performance and customer service.
Cindy Speer, administrative
assistant for the Department of
History, Politics, Society and Law,
received the Vulcan President’s Circle
Award. Rhonda Gifford,
— Continued on page 3

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Cal U’s program in geography was
among those ranked ‘most focused’
by College Factual, a website that
compares more than 1,400 higher
education institutions nationwide.

Cal U student Mecia Howard dances during last year’s Liberal Arts Festival. This year’s festival,
‘Culture and Arts,’ will take place Oct. 1 at the Convocation Center.

Celebrate Culture,
Arts, Diversity Oct. 1

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al U will celebrate “Cultures and
Arts” at the third Liberal Arts fall
festival.
The event, from 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m.
Oct. 1 at the Convocation Center,
celebrates the importance of a liberal arts
education by showcasing the departments
of Art and Languages; Communication,
Design and Culture; Criminal Justice;
English; History, Politics, Society and
Law; Music and Theatre; Psychology; and
the Honors Program.
Admission is free, and the Cal U
community and public are welcome to
attend.
Dr. Kristen Majocha, dean of the
College of Liberal Arts, is impressed with
the event’s impact.
“The considerable growth of the
Liberal Arts festival from year to year is a
testament to the importance the liberal arts
have in student’s ability to succeed after
graduation,” Majocha said.
“The Liberal Arts bring value to
the job market. This festival showcases
the breadth of offerings at Cal U

that give students what employers
want and desperately need — vision,
communication skills, ethical decisionmaking ability, etc. In other words,
leadership.”
More than 500 high school students
and teachers are expected to attend the
festival.
From 10-11 a.m., they will hear
presentations from Cal U faculty and
guest speakers.
Cal U student Dana Rhadi, the
University’s fourth visiting Fulbright
Foreign Language Teaching Assistant
in the Arabic program, will discuss the
culture of Bahrain. Other presentations
will discuss German culture, motifs in
early Islamic architecture and artistic
expressions of French monuments.
Cal U’s Dance Ensemble will perform.
Activities are scheduled to include
performances by the Young and Gifted
Gospel Choir; University a cappella
groups; the Cal U Dance Ensemble;
African, salsa, and Latino bands;
— Continued on page 3

Cal U Ranked Tops for Vets,
Adults and Arabic Programs

alifornia University of Pennsylvania
has been ranked among the top
5% best colleges for veterans and
adult learners by College Factual, a website
that compares more than 1,400 higher
education institutions nationwide.
Cal U ranked No. 10 among Top
Colleges for Veterans in the Mid-Atlantic
Region and No. 12 in the region among
Best Colleges for Non-traditional Students.
College Factual also included Cal
U in the top 5% for its Arabic language
program, ranking it the No. 1 “most
focused” Middle Easter language
program in the country and the No. 2

“most popular” program in the category.
The 2020 College Factual rankings
are intended to help prospective students
compare universities based on a wide
array of attributes.
In all, Cal U received 27 awards,
including a grade of “A” for the mid-Atlantic
region in the overall “Best Value” category.
College Factual recognized Cal U for
offering “Best Value” programs in computer
and information sciences, computer
information systems, health and physical
education, and visual and performing arts.
Programs in business administration
and management; parks, recreation,

leisure and fitness studies; health and
physical education; and social sciences
were recognized as “most popular.” And
Cal U’s geography/ cartography and
health and physical education offerings
were recognized as “most focused.”
College Factual explains that its rankings
are “outcomes focused” and do not rely
on subjective data self-reported by school
administrators. All U.S. colleges are ranked
together, and students can filter the results to
compare schools by region, by type and more.
For more Cal U results and
information about College Factual’s
methodologies, visit collegefactual.com.

Page 2

SEPT. 23, 2019

Professor Shows Off Mummies at Exhibit

“T

here may be a mummy
in your house,” says
Dr. Cassandra Kuba, professor
of anthropology at California University of
Pennsylvania.
Want proof? She’ll show you the
mummified mouse she found in her
basement, preserved after its death by the
dry, hot air circulating near her furnace.
Kuba will share her expertise and
artifacts Oct. 5 when Mummies of the
World: An Exhibition opens at the Carnegie
Science Center’s PPG Science Pavilion™
in Pittsburgh.
Visitors can meet Kuba and see
her collection of mummies outside the
exhibition.
Although she’s an expert in biological
anthropology and the study of the human
skeleton, Kuba’s display features a variety
of mummified animals, including that
unfortunate mouse and a chicken her
Cal U students have named “Reggie.”
All died naturally before their bodies were
preserved.
A frequent consultant on forensic and
archaeological cases, Kuba relishes the
chance to talk about anthropology with the
public, and especially with children. She’s

invited a few current and former students to
join her at the display table.
“I’m looking forward to the one-onone interactions with the public to explain
the mummification process that occurs in
animals and answer any questions they may
have,” Kuba says. “This is a wonderful
opportunity for Cal U to have our students
and alumni from the anthropology program
share their knowledge, too.”
More than 2 million people have seen
Mummies of the World during its global
tour, the Carnegie Science Center reports.
The exhibition area is dimly lit, hushed,
respectful of the human and animal
mummies whose presence teaches about
science, history and culture.
Outside the climate-controlled gallery,
the atmosphere is lighter. Kuba’s specimens
are encased in clear containers, and kids are
encouraged to pick them up, take a close
look and ask questions.
“We think Reggie will certainly appeal
to children’s natural curiosity,” Kuba says.
She will attend the media preview
for Mummies of the World on Oct. 2 and
the exhibition’s opening day, Oct. 5. She
hopes the Carnegie Science Center will
offer her additional dates before

Dr. Cassandra Kuba will discuss mummified animals at the Carnegie Science Center.

the exhibition closes this spring.
‘Mummies of the World: The
Exhibition’ is on display from Oct. 5,
2019, to April 19, 2020, at the Carnegie

Science Center, on Pittsburgh’s North
Shore. Tickets are on sale now. For details,
photos, hours, ticket prices and more, visit
carnegiesciencecenter.org.

Month Focuses
on Cyber Security

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Krista Wentz, of Gamma Sigma Sigma, participates in the Club and Organizational Fair, which
drew about 1,000 students.

Student Interest,
Energy Heats Up at Fair

T

he Fall Club and Organization
Fair took place on a warm day on
campus — and student interest
and energy was even hotter.
With more than 110 clubs and
organizations, Cal U offers groups
that will fit many interests, including
academics, faith and religion,
volunteering, sports, the arts, and event
planning.
Extracurricular involvement is more
than just a good time. It can improve
a student’s time-management and
professional skills and can be a great
item on a resume.
The fair is an ideal way for new
students to find out what’s available
to them as well as helping clubs and
organizations increase membership.
Junior Angela VanGorder, president
of the Judo and Self Defense Club,
benefited from the fair as a new student.
“I always wanted to do martial arts,
found out about it at the fair, joined it to
make friends and have never regretted
it,” said the dual major in mechatronics
and technical studies. “We’ve had many
people stop by today, and this is so worth
it.”
First-year students Derrica Kuhns,

a criminal justice major and featured
twirler with the Cal U Marching band,
and Michelle Douglas, a digital media
communications major, checked out the
options.
“There’s a lot to look at, and I really
enjoy it here,” Kuhns said. “Once the fall
(band) season ends, I know I will have
more time to do more clubs, and I’m
getting a good feel of what’s out there
today.”
Douglas added: “I’m interested in
joining the Printmaking Club and am not
sure what all I will get involved with, but
being new, this is very helpful.”
Emily Bard, a senior sociology major
and secretary and treasurer of the Travel
Club, was thrilled to have had more than
75 students fill out inquiry forms at their
table. The club is planning a three-day
trip to New York city this fall and a series
of day trips to such places as Ohiopyle
State Park and Deep Creek, Md.
“We are very excited because we have
new officers who have a lot of different
plans with a very good communication
level,” she said. “We believe we have a
lot of things to get people interested, and
today is a great way to let many students
know what we have to offer.”

al U will observe National
Cybersecurity Awareness Month
in October by offering training
and safety tips to students, faculty and
staff
Online training will be offered to
students throughout the month via
Desire2Learn, the University’s
web-based learning management
system for face-to-face and online
courses.
Faculty and staff may complete
security-awareness training through
ATLAS (Apply, Train, Learn and
Succeed), an online platform used
to manage professional development
training.
The training includes how to
recognize common scams, the
importance of choosing strong
passwords, and the types of
information, such as credit card and
Social Security numbers, that should not
be sent via email.
Dennis Carson, director of
Networking and Security at Cal U,
said companies frequently spend
considerable money on security controls
but less time is put into educating the
users about the direct risks they face.
“Security awareness is a life skill,

and this isn’t something that’s just going
to protect someone while they are at
Cal U,” he said. “The rest of your life
people will be targeting you trying to
steal your information, and if you don’t
recognize it and fall victim to identity
theft, it takes a long time to remediate.”
Throughout October, the
University’s social media accounts
will provide tips from University
Technology Services to protect personal
information online.
Carson warned that one person can
target tens of thousands of people with
a fraudulent email.
“We want the entire Cal U
community to take the training because
it’s so important for everyone to be
aware, cautious and knowledgeable in
protecting their personal information,”
he said.

Winter College
Registration Opens Oct. 7

R

egistration for Cal U’s five-week Winter College begins Oct. 7.
Students who attend any college, including the 14 universities in
Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education, may register for the
online classes offered during the break between the fall and spring semesters.
The winter session runs from Dec. 16 through Jan. 17.
This year’s Winter College offers 27 undergraduate and 26 graduate
courses. Online registration and a complete course list are available at
calu.edu/winter-college, along with information about tuition and fees, financial
aid, library services and technology support.
“Because Winter College courses are 100 percent online, they are especially
convenient for students who may be busy with work or family obligations between
the fall and spring semesters,” said Dr. Bruce Barnhart, Cal U’s provost and senior
vice president for Academic Affairs.

SEPT. 23, 2019

Page 3

Celebrate
Culture,
Arts
— Continued from page 1

Career Week will help students prepare for the Cal U Career Fair on Oct. 3.

Career Opportunities for Students

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al U’s Career and Professional Development Center
plans a full week of events Sept. 23-27 to help students
prepare to join the workforce.
Career information tables will be set up in the Natali
Student Center Food Court from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. throughout
the week.
Students will learn how to find internship and job
opportunities at next month’s Career Fair (Monday); schedule
an appointment for free professional clothing (Tuesday); get
advice on finding the right internship and graduate program
(Wednesday); get a Career Advantage check-up (Thursday),
and review their resumes and get interview tips (Friday).
Students can swipe their CalCards during Career Week
events to earn Career Advantage points, which can lead to
Career Advantage graduation cords.
The Cal U Fall Career Fair will be held 11 a.m-2 p.m.

Oct. 3 in the Convocation Center. More than 80 employers
are scheduled to attend to recruit for internships, jobs, and
volunteer opportunities.
Cal U students are encouraged to dress professionally and
bring resumes and their CalCards to the event.
“Whether students are exploring options, looking to
gain experience or trying to make connections, Career Week
and the Career Fair will help them gain their unique career
advantage.,” said Rhonda Gifford, director of the Career and
Professional Development Center.
Information about the Fall Career Fair, including a list
of employers who will be attending the fair, is available at
calu.joinhandshake.com. From the Handshake app, click
on the events tab.
For more information, contact the CPDC at 724-938-4413,
visit calu.edu/careers, or email careers@calu.edu.

and a Middle Eastern dancer.
Painting and drawing
demonstrations; cultural diversity
tables; a metal work showcase;
puppetry art; art technology; and
medieval sword-fighting demonstrations
are also on the schedule.
Students and faculty from the
College of Liberal Arts will present
academic works and share interactive
experiences with visitors.
Andrea Cencich, from Art and
Languages, is the event organizer, with
assistance from Sabrina Hykes-Davis,
from Music and Theatre,
Amanda Magdic, from the Admissions
Office; and Becky McMillen, from
University Conference Services.
“The festival is a wonderful way of
showing our openness and tolerance to
not only visiting high schools but our
campus and the community,” Cencich
said. “It’s so important to celebrate
culture, arts and diversity.”
“This festival allows high school
students to see how their college
experience can be enriching and
rewarding, not to mention absolutely
fun!” Majocha said.
The Office of the President is the
gold sponsor. Co-sponsoring the festival
are the Office of the Provost, College
of Liberal Arts, the Department of Art
and Languages, and Department of
Music and Theatre.
For more information contact
the Department of Art and Languages
at 724-938-4182 or email
cencich_a@calu.edu.

­­­Campus BRIEFS
Athletic Day of
Giving Benefits
Scholarships

President Geraldine M. Jones presents the Fall 2019 Vulcan Staff Awards to Cindy Speer (left)
and Rhonda Gifford.

President Highlights
Commitment to Excellence

— Continued from page 1

director of the Career & Professional
Development Center, won the Vulcan
Exceptional Service Award.
The Vulcan President’s Circle
Award recognizes a staff member
for outstanding job performance.
The Vulcan Exceptional Service
Award honors a staff member who
consistently provides superior service
to students, parents, fellow employees
and/or community members.

These awards were announced last
spring, and members of the campus
community were invited to submit
nominations to the awards committee,
led by Eric Guiser, director of
Human Resources.
“Staff members play a critical role
in University operations and campus
life and serving our students is so
important,” said President Jones.
“Our first two awardees demonstrate
Cal U’s commitment to excellence in
everything they do.”

Fans can help Cal U
student-athletes continue to succeed
on the playing field and in the
classroom during the second annual
Cal U Athletic Day of Giving on
Sept. 24.
Donations can be designated for
a particular team or to the Athletics
Department.
State funds cannot be used for
athletic scholarships.
To donate, visit
calu.edu/athletics-give.

National Voter
Registration Day
Sept. 24
Cal U will mark National Voter
Registration Day with a registration
drive from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sept. 24
in the lobby areas of Manderino
Library and the Natali Student
Center.
Dr. Bruce Barnhart, provost and
senior vice president for Academic
Affairs, will ask faculty to set aside
the first five minutes of class on
Sept. 24 for students to register to

vote by using their smart phones,
tablets and laptops.
Faculty teaching online classes
will also be asked to encourage their
students to register.

Three Open Houses
Planned for Fall
Cal U invites prospective
students to explore all that the
University has to offer at three
undergraduate events this fall.
The fall 2019 dates are:
• Saturday, Sept. 28
• Monday, Oct. 14
• Saturday, Nov. 9
Oct. 14 is an Academic
Experience Day, where visiting
students will sit in on classes taught
by Cal U faculty members.
During each of the Open House
events, students and families will
learn more about programs of study,
housing and student life.
Each event will begin with
registration at 9:30 a.m. in the
Natali Student Center followed by a
welcome and overview. All students
receive a free Cal U T-shirt at the
end of the day.
To register for an Open House
date and see a schedule of events,
visit calu.edu/visit or call
724-938-4404.

Page 4

SEPT. 23, 2019

Cal U Adds New Head Coaches

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al U’s athletic program has added
two new head coaches.
Alumna April Gitzen ’09, ’10
is Cal U’s new swimming coach, and
Anita Onufer will coach tennis.
Gitzen served as the head coach
of the men’s and women’s swimming
programs at West Virginia Wesleyan for
the past eight seasons.
She received Mountain East
Conference Coach of the Year honors
three times over the past two years,
receiving the accolade for men’s
swimming in both 2018 and 2019 and
women’s swimming in 2019. Both
teams won MEC team championships in
2019.
Gitzen served as the Student-Athlete
Advisory Committee (SAAC) advisor at
West Virginia Wesleyan for five years and
was also an adjunct professor in multiple
departments on campus.
At Cal U, she earned All-Pennsylvania
State Athletic Conference status as a
senior in the 400 individual medley
by placing second in the event with a
then-school record of 4 minutes, 36.66
seconds. She also received all-conference

April Gitzen

Anita Onufer

accolades as a member of the 400
medley relay and was a 2009 College
Swimming Coaches Association of
America (CSCAA) Scholar All-America
honoree.
She replaces Ed Denny, Cal U’s firstever women’s swimming coach, who
retired after 18 successful years earlier
this month.
“I want to thank University President
(Geraldine M.) Jones and Athletic
Director Dr. (Karen) Hjerpe for believing
in me and giving me this amazing
opportunity,” Gitzen said.
“I am honored to return to my alma
mater as its head coach and follow in the
footsteps of my mentor, Coach Denny.

I look forward to working with the
team and connecting with the alumni to
continue to build this program.”
Onufer spent the past two seasons on
the coaching staff at PSAC rival Seton
Hill after being a three-sport athlete
at Saint Vincent College, an NCAA
Division III program. She was a member
of the tennis, swimming and lacrosse
teams while with the Bearcats.
Onufer helped Seton Hill finish fourth
in the PSAC West standings in each of
the past two seasons.
As a tennis player, Onufer posted a
combined 10 wins in singles play and
15 wins in doubles over her last two
seasons. She played three seasons of
lacrosse at Saint Vincent, and in the pool,
Onufer was a member of the conference
champion 200 freestyle relay. She placed
third overall in the 100 butterfly at the
2014 conference meet.
“We are proud to have Anita join
our coaching staff,” said Hjerpe. “Her
knowledge of the PSAC and NCAA
Division II, along with her playing and
coaching experience are invaluable as we
move forward.”

Cal U Trains
Taiwan Officers
Chang-Han Yang (left) and
Pei-Fang Chung, crime scene officers
from the Tainan City Police Department,
receive certificates of completion and
present a gift of appreciation to criminal
justice professors Drs. Raymond Hsieh
(right), director of Cal U’s justice
studies program and John Cencich,
director of the criminal justice graduate
programs. Hsieh provided computer
forensic training for the officers, who
serve a city of nearly 2 million people
in Taiwan. The three-day course was
sponsored by the Pennsylvania Center
for Investigative and Forensic Sciences,
which Cencich also coordinates. “The
center has connections around the
world in the areas of international
law, crime, and security,” Cencich said.
“This allows us to broaden our network
of colleagues for academic
and professional purposes as well as
cultural exchange.”

A

Vulcans' Receive Academic
Achievement Awards

total of 72 California University
of Pennsylvania student-athletes,
representing all sports, recently earned
Division 2 Athletics Directors Association
(D2ADA5) Academic Achievement Awards for
the past academic year.
The Academic Achievement Awards
is a program that recognizes the academic
accomplishments of student-athletes at the
NCAA Division II level.
In order to receive the Academic Achievement Award,
student-athletes must have a cumulative grade-point average
of 3.50 or higher, have attended a minimum of two years
(four semesters) of college and have been an active member

of an intercollegiate team during their last
academic year.
The Cal U student-athletes were part of 975
Academic Achievement Award honorees from
the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference.
Overall, a total of 185 institutions and a 11,600
student-athletes were recognized. The PSAC
led all Division II conferences in recipients.
“These significant academic awards are a
testament to the dedication and commitment
of our student-athletes, coaches, faculty and academic support
staff here at California University,” said Dr. Karen Hjerpe,
Cal U’s athletic director. “We look for continued success both in
the classroom and on the field in 2019-2020.”

Scholarship
Fundraising
Success
Recognized

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ASE, the Council for
Advancement and Support
of Education, has honored
Cal U with its 2019 Educational
Fundraising Award.
A first-time winner, California is
the only university in Pennsylvania’s
State System of Higher Education
to receive the CASE fundraising
award this year.
“Scholarships are more
important than ever,” says
Anthony Mauro, vice president
for University Development and
Alumni Relations at Cal U.
“For many
students, a
scholarship
makes the
difference
between earning
a college degree
and taking
another path.
And our donors
take great pride
Anthony Mauro
in empowering
students to
succeed.”
Cal U was one of four schools
honored for overall performance
among public comprehensive
institutions with endowments
under $35 million. CASE bases
its selection on a review of data
submitted to its annual Voluntary
Support of Education (VSE) survey.
Among other characteristics, award
recipients demonstrate “solid
program growth” and “breadth in
the base of support” for fundraising
initiatives.
Cal U’s University Development
Office uses an affinity-based
fundraising model that encourages
donors to support scholarships and
programs that resonate with their
life experiences and their time at the
University.
“So many of our alumni tell
stories about an individual who
helped them stay in school,”
Mauro says. “Maybe it was a
family member who helped to
fund their education, or a professor
who influenced their career. Every
story is different, but they inspire
our donors to support scholarships
for a new generation of Cal U
students.”
For information about
supporting scholarships or
programs at California University
of Pennsylvania, visit
www.calu.edu/giving or
contact the Office of University
Development and Alumni Relations
at 724-938-5775.

The California Journal is published by California University of Pennsylvania, a member of Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education.
Geraldine M. Jones
University President
Dr. Bruce Barnhart
Provost and Senior Vice President
for Academic Affairs

Dr. Nancy Pinardi
Vice President for Student Affairs
Christine Kindl
Vice President for Communications
and Marketing

Office of Communications and Public Relations

Robert Thorn
Vice President for Administration and Finance
Anthony Mauro
Vice President for University
Development and Alumni Relations

250 University Avenue

California, PA 15419

T. David Garcia
Vice President for Enrollment
Management

724-938-4195

Wendy Mackall
Editor
Bruce Wald
Writer

wald@calu.edu­­­­­­­­­