Vo l u me 13, Nu mbe r 27 o CT. 24, 2011
Re a d t h e Jo u Rn a l o n l in e : www.calu.edu/news/the-journal

This Week:
Mission Day,
Security
Conference

T

wo important and popular annual events
illustrate the broad range of ideas being
explored by Cal U’s students, faculty and
staff. This week the campus community is invited
to attend Mission Day XIII and the fifth annual
Conference on Homeland and International
Security.

Mission Day XIII

Skip and Co. artist Vince Cantola creates an airbrush design on Cal U student Nick Meston in the Performance Center during a
recent student event. The Natali Student Center is now open until 2 a.m. to give students more options for late-night activities.

Natali Student Center
Adds Late-Night Options

E

xtended hours at the Natali Student Center are
giving Cal U students more options for late-night
activities on campus.
The student center now is open until 2 a.m. every
day of the week. Students can relax with friends in
lounge areas or the Commuter Center, enjoy a game of
billiards in the Corner Pocket recreation room, play
videogames or take part in other activities suggested by
students and organized by the Student Activities Board.
The Flatz convenience store, which features freshly
made quesadillas — a student favorite — will remain
open until 1 a.m. every Monday through Saturday. On
Sundays, the Piazza Pizza shop will stay open until
midnight.

Late-night services and activities were added at the
request of Cal U students, said Dr. Nancy Pinardi,
acting vice president for Student Affairs.
“Listening and reacting to our students’ needs is a
Student Affairs priority,” she said. “Each semester, focus
groups are conducted to determine how best to meet the
needs of our students. Student focus groups this semester
indicated a desire to extend late-night hours in our
Natali Student Center.”
To provide more on-campus activities for students, a
free 11 p.m. show has been added to the nightly movie
lineup at the Vulcan Theater, inside the student center.
The 140-seat theater also hosts a free movie at 4 p.m.
— Continued on page 3

On Wednesday, Mission Day will feature Dr.
Sugata Mitra and his provocative idea of
“minimally invasive education.”
Mission Day begins at 8:30 a.m. in Steele
Hall’s Mainstage Theatre. Daytime classes will be
cancelled so all members of the campus
community can discuss the notion that
“education is a self-organizing system.”
Mitra is a professor of educational technology
in the School of Education, Communication and
Language Sciences at Newcastle University in the
United Kingdom. His “hole in the wall” project
demonstrates the power of curiosity to stimulate
self-instruction and peer-shared knowledge.
“Mission Day is a very special event, and I
believe those who participate will be intrigued by
Dr. Mitra ‘s perspective and presentation,” said
Cal U President Angelo Armenti, Jr.
“Events such as Mission Day harness the
variety of ideas assembled on our campus. We
never fail to come up with notions that we
otherwise would never have thought of. I urge the
University community to attend.”
A Cal U tradition since 1998, Mission Day
allows all members of the University community
to engage in dialogue, share ideas and voice
recommendations as equals in order to advance
the institution’s mission and goals.
— Continued on page 2

Students Take 9/11 Donations to Shanksville

A

fter conducting a weeklong
series of events recalling the
terrorist attacks of Sept. 11,
2001, a small group of Cal U students
delivered a commemorative flag and a
$1,200 donation to the National Flight
93 Memorial in Shanksville, Pa.
The memorial, recently dedicated as
a National Park Service site, marks the
location where a hijacked airliner crashlanded as its passengers and crew
attempted to wrest control from
terrorists believed to be steering the
plane toward Washington, D.C.
The funds presented at the memorial
were raised primarily through the sale of
special “Armenti’s Army” T-shirts
featuring an American flag design.
Students also signed “I Will
Remember …” pledge cards, which
were assembled into a flag-shaped
collage, and the Technology Education

Association of California (TEAC)
constructed a case to hold an American
flag that was dedicated to the memory
of Flight 93 and flown over Adamson
Stadium during the football game on
Oct. 10.
Coordinating the on-campus events
were Student Government, the Office of
Veterans Affairs, the Office of Civic
Engagement, the Inter-Residence Hall
Council, STAND Campus Ministry and
TEAC.
“It was an honor to represent Cal U
at the Flight 93 memorial,” said student
Sarah Newmeyer, an AmeriCorps
Community Fellow. “(The passengers
and crew) lost their lives to make mine
better, and I can never thank them
enough.”
Mike Mendolla, secretary of Student
Government, noted that Armenti’s
— Continued on page 3

Cal U students proudly pose with custom-designed T-shirts, a flag and a check before they
board a Vulcan Flyer for a trip to the National Flight 93 Memorial in Shanksville, Pa.

‘Lasting Light’
Continues
Through Nov. 7
University President Angelo Armenti, Jr.
applauds the work of writer and
photographer Stephen Trimble, who
wrote the text for ‘Lasting Light: 125
Years of Grand Canyon Photography.’
Trimble visited Cal U Oct. 11 to speak
with middle school students about the
Smithsonian Institution traveling
exhibition based on the book, and to
share images and stories about the
photos at a dinner with University
faculty, staff, alumni and friends.
‘Lasting Light’ will be on display in the
Manderino Library Gallery through Nov.
7. For gallery hours, visit www.calu.edu.

Campus BRIEFS
Scholarship
Dinner Thursday
The 15th annual Scholarship
Recognition Dinner will be held at 6 p.m.
Thursday in Gallagher Hall.
This invitation-only event gives donors
who have created privately funded
scholarships through the Foundation for
California University an opportunity to
meet the student recipients whose lives have
been changed through their generosity.
Both students and donors are reminded
that the event begins promptly at 6.
For giving opportunities, call the
Development office at 724-938-5775.

Solar Observations
on Campus
Members of the campus community
who would like to observe sunspots or learn
the basics of using a telescope may join the
Society of Physics Students at 11 a.m.
Tuesdays and Thursdays in the courtyard
outside the New Science building.
Solar observation depends on weather
conditions. In the event of inclement
weather, the activity will be postponed to
the next meeting time.
For more information, e-mail Steve
Allinger at all0395@calu.edu or Dr. Kausar
Yasmin at yasmin@calu.edu.

SECA Serves Spaghetti
on Halloween
As part of the 2011 SECA fundraising
campaign, “I give because ...,” a spaghettiand-meatballs lunch will be offered from
11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Oct. 31 in the
Performance Center.
Cost is $7. The meal includes salad,
dessert and beverage. All proceeds are
donated to SECA, the State Employees
Combined Appeal.
Tickets are available for dine-in or takeout options. Take-out tickets must be
purchased in advance.
All ticket-holders will be eligible for a
chance to win a door prize.
To purchase a lunch ticket and support
the annual SECA campaign, contact either
Dana Turcic (turcic@calu.edu) or Norm
Hasbrouck (hasbrouck@calu.edu).

2

PASSHE Approves 2012-2013
Appropriations Request

A

t its October meeting, the Board of
Governors of the Pennsylvania State
System of Higher Education
(PASSHE) approved a 2012-3013 state
appropriation request of $421.4 million, an
increase of 2.1 percent, or about the expected
rate of inflation.
The request for an additional $8.6 million
next year “reflects not only the recession
management procedures adopted by the State
System to address today’s challenging economic times,
but also the need to preserve academic quality and the
ability to continuously respond to the changing needs of
our students,” said board Chair Guido M. Pichini.
“Our university presidents and their leadership teams
are focused on finding the right balance in managing
expenditures to preserve the core academic programs on
our campuses and to invest in the new areas of study
requested by our students, whether it be a single class
needed to enhance their career development or an
advanced degree,” said Chancellor Dr. John C.
Cavanaugh.
PASSHE’s 2012-2013 proposed budget addresses
projected rate increases in employee benefits, primarily for

health care and retirement contributions for
employees enrolled in the State Employees
Retirement System or the Public School
Employee Retirement System.
Combined benefits costs are expected to
increase on average by 8.6 percent. Utility
costs are anticipated to rise by about 3
percent.
The proposed budget also reflects the
settlement of agreements with the American
Federation of State County and Municipal Employees
(AFSCME) and the Pennsylvania Doctors’ Alliance.
Negotiations are continuing with six other bargaining
units, including the Association of Pennsylvania State
College and University Faculties (APSCUF), which
represents PASSHE faculty and coaches. The wage
components of those agreements expired last summer.
The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education is
the largest provider of higher education in the
Commonwealth, with nearly 120,000 students.
The 14 PASSHE universities offer degree and
certificate programs in more than 120 areas of study.
About 500,000 PASSHE alumni live and work in
Pennsylvania.

Mission Day, Security Conference Set
— Continued from page 1
The conversation already has
begun on Twitter, the popular social
media site. To take part, follow
@CalUofPA and use the #calumday
hashtag to share your thoughts .
Registration for Mission Day XIII
on Oct. 26 is ongoing. Check the Cal
U website, www.calu.edu, for a link to
the registration page, or visit
www.calu.edu/events/missionday/index.htm. The website includes
links to videos about Mitra’s work.
Those in attendance will be
entered into a drawing for iPads,
Penguins tickets, student scholarships
and more.

Homeland Security
Conference
Cal U’s fifth annual Conference on
Homeland and International Security
will take place from 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
Tuesday in the Performance Center.
This year’s theme is Transnational
Crimes and Security.
Delivering the keynote address

Dr. Sugata Mitra

will be Maj. Gen. Donna F. Barbisch
’84, who retired after a 38-year career
in the U.S. Army. She now is
president of Global Deterrence
Alternatives and director of the
Institute for Global and Regional
Readiness.
Also on the program is former
special agent Mark Camillo ’76, a law
enforcement and security professional
who specializes in emergency
preparedness operations. He is senior

vice president of strategic planning for
Contemporary Services Corp., the
world’s largest event security firm, and
president of Apex Security Group, an
affiliated executive security company.
The conference is sponsored by
the Department of Justice, Law and
Society at Cal U. Cost is $25 per
person; fee includes lunch.
To register, send a check for $25,
payable to the Foundation for
California University; please include
“JLS” (Justice, Law and Society) in
the memo line. Mail checks to Dr.
Emily Sweitzer, Security Conference
Co-Chair, California University of
Pennsylvania, Department of Justice,
Law and Society, P.O. Box 30,
California, PA 15419.
Registration information for
groups and corporations is online at
www.calu.edu; look for the event in
the “News” or “Events” carousel on
the homepage.
For more information, contact Dr.
Emily Sweitzer at 724-938-4438 or
sweitzer@calu.edu.

Advocate Urges Dialogue About LGBT Rights

T

he only openly gay football team
captain in NCAA history told an
audience of Cal U students that
young, college-educated people are
among the most ardent supporters of gay
rights — but they need to continue
speaking out.
Brian Sims, the former captain of
Bloomsburg University’s football team,
spoke at Vulcan Theatre on Oct. 13 as
part of Diversity Awareness Month.
“You are all overwhelmingly
supportive of gay rights, but you think …
you’re the only ones, so therefore you are
quiet,” he said. “Good or bad, the more
people who talk about gay rights the
better.”
A successful policy attorney, Sims
speaks regularly as an advocate for the
rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender people. At Cal U he shared
his life story and discussed “LGBT
Advocates, Allies, Athletes and Policies.”
Sims was team captain and a
Regional All-American on Bloomsburg’s
2000 football squad, which reached the
NCAA Division II National
Championship game. He came out
shortly after his senior season, he said,
when the quarterback simply asked him
about his sexual preference.
“The team came out to me, really,
more than I came out to them,” Sims
said. “They all wanted to apologize for
any gay slurs they might have said, and I
almost had to give them permission to get

LGBT advocate Brian Sims (right) enjoys a discussion with LaMont Coleman (center) and
Sheleta Webb following his talk at Cal U as part of Diversity Awareness Month.

over it. I knew they did not really mean
anything (derogatory), because they were
just used to using stupid words.”
Sims recalled that his defensive line
coach made a snide comment while the
Huskies’ coaching staff and several
players were conducting a drill during a
summer football camp for 400 high
school students.
Team members who knew Sims’
sexual preference called him on it.

“The next morning the coach came
into the dorm, stood on top of the table
and said, ‘Yesterday I said something
really stupid. I’ve spent my entire career
trying to teach young men what it means
to be on a team and what sportsmanship
is, and yesterday you had to teach me. I
owe you all an apology.’ Then gave me a
bear hug.
“That really set the standard for the
coaching staff with me,” Sims added.

“He recognized really quickly that the
way my team reacted to me coming out
was exactly how any coach would want
any of their players to treat (a
teammate).”
A story about Sims that appeared on
the Outsports.com website in April 2009
drew a flood of e-mail. Shortly afterward
he spoke at Penn State, and since then he
has talked with students at 100 different
schools.
After graduation Sims attended law
school. The former staff counsel for
policy and planning at the Philadelphia
Bar Association, he was named one of
the 2010 Top 40 LGBT Attorneys Under
40 by the National LGBT Bar
Association. He also serves as president
of the board of directors for EqualityPA
and chairman of GALLOP, the Gay and
Lesbian Lawyers of Philadelphia.
“There has never been a better time in
history to be gay than right now,” he said.
“I do not mean to minimize the struggle
and the hard work left to do, but there’s
been so much progress.”
He urged the audience to question
those who say they oppose gay rights.
“They will say ‘just because,’ and ‘just
because’ is a lousy answer,” Sims said.
“If you are among the one in five
Americans who do not support gay
rights, the best thing you can do to
further your cause is just shut up.
Because every time you talk about it, you
make more people come to my side.”

Honor Society Wins National Award Center Adds
Late-Night
Options

F

irst Lady Barbara Armenti was the
guest speaker Oct. 6 when Cal U’s
chapter of Alpha Lambda Delta
received the society’s prestigious Order of
the Torch Award.
This year just seven of 272 ALD
chapters earned the honor, which is
based on a scrapbook highlighting the
chapter’s accomplishments during the
past year.
Founded in 1924, ALD is a national
honor society that recognizes academic
excellence among first-year students.
Members must maintain a grade-point
average of 3.5 or higher and rank in the
top 20 percent of their class. ALD
members also complete service projects,
such as helping with the local food
pantry and raising funds for the
American Heart Association.
“You have earned this prestigious
national award through your
commitment to scholarship, service and
professional development,” said the First
Lady, chair of the American Heart
Association in Washington County.
“President Armenti and I are so
proud that our students are so committed
to helping others.”
Cal U’s ALD chapter, just six years
old, also received the national office’s
Delta Award for increasing membership
by more than 25 percent in a single year.
Presenting both awards was Dr.
Herman “Butch” Hill, a professor at
Ohio University and vice president of

— Continued from page 1

Proudly posing in front of the Order of the Torch banner following the Oct. 6 ceremony are
(from left) Rhonda Gifford, Jessica Lane, Aaron McFadden, Ashley Baird, Lauren Vitt,
Herman ‘Butch’ Hill, Michael Amrhein, Karen Posa and First Lady Barbara Armenti.

finance and long-range planning for
ALD.
“One of my secret missions is to find
out exactly what you’re doing,” he joked.
“I don’t know of any other chapter that’s
been able to start from nothing and in
five years be able to receive the Torch
Award. Your scrapbook of activity
clearly shows that this chapter has done
some amazing things in a short period.”
Rhonda Gifford, director of Career
Services at Cal U, also spoke at the
event. She praised ALD’s participation in
the Career Advantage Program, which
offers a comprehensive program of
personalized, career-focused activities.
“By embracing this program you are
truly living out the mission of building
character and building careers,” she told

the students.
Senior adviser Aaron McFadden gave
welcoming remarks and Jessica Lane, a
founding member, described the
chapter’s history. Junior adviser Lauren
Vitt recognized past and present officers,
and Ashley Baird recognized scholarship
recipients. Advisers to the chapter are
Karen Posa, director of University-Wide
Mentoring, and Dr. Michael Amrhein,
director of the Office of Integration and
Outreach for T.E.A.M.S. at Cal U.
Chapters awarded the Order of the
Torch cannot apply for the next four
years. To reward chapters that continue
to excel, the national council presents the
Maintaining the Flame award. Winners
receive a patch to affix to their Order of
the Torch banner.

Students Take 9/11 Donations to Shanksville

— Continued from page 1

Army T-shirts have been used in the past to raise awareness for
particular causes. This time, 150 custom-designed shirts were
sold in four weeks.
Mendolla also spoke during a brief ceremony at the
memorial site.
“The speech was one of the proudest moments of my life,”

he said. “During first-year student orientation we talk about
giving our time, talent and treasure, and there could not be a
better cause than this. I will never forget what (those aboard
Flight 93) did for me.”
Walter Harris, president of Student Government, said the
Flight 93 passengers would always be remembered as heroes.
“The experience inspired me to consider more carefully the
actions that affect the perception of my character,” he said.

and 8 p.m. daily. Additional feature
films will be added as the box office
schedule permits.
The Underground Café will continue
from 9 p.m. to midnight every Thursday
in the Commuter Center. The
coffeehouse-style event showcases music
performed by students and local
musicians.
In addition, the Student Activities
Board has added a 10 p.m. comedy
show to the next two installments of its
Funny Freaking Friday series. On Nov. 4
and Dec. 2, comedians will perform at
both 7 and 10 p.m. in the student center.
Students also have requested more
special Residence Life programs, such as
videogame tournaments, team games,
“dorm wars” and pizza-night socials, said
Larry Sebek, dean for student services.
“I think it’s great that the University
staff members are listening to the
students by adding even more on
campus opportunities, especially late at
night,” said junior Michaela Prater, a
member of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.
“I can’t wait for my first late-night
quesadilla.”
A full schedule of campus activities is
available online; check the Events calendar at
the bottom of the Cal U homepage,
www.calu.edu. Click “more” to see a monthly
calendar or to find event details, registration
information and links to videos or other
resources. Visitors with Facebook accounts
can log in through the calendar to see which
of their Facebook “friends” plan to attend the
event.
The Events calendar also is available
through the free Cal Fusion app, available in
the iTunes Store and the Android
Marketplace.

3

Softball Team Wins Academic Honor

A

cademic recognition continues
to pour in for Cal U’s athletic
teams.
On Oct. 10 the National Fastpitch
Coaches Association (NFCA) named
Cal U an All-Academic Team. Nine
student-athletes received individual
academic laurels from the organization.
Vulcan softball earned the team
academic recognition from the NFCA
after posting a cumulative grade-point
average of 3.295 during the 2010-2011
academic year.
The team GPA ranked No. 27
nationally among NCAA Division II
programs.
Cal U was one of only six programs
from the Pennsylvania State Athletic
Conference (PSAC) to earn the allacademic honor.
In addition to the team award, the
Vulcans featured nine players who
achieved NFCA Scholar-Athlete status
by achieving a 3.50 GPA or higher
during the 2010-2011 academic year.
The honorees are Maria Greco, Alyson
Johnson, Melissa Lupinacci, Kristen
McKenzie, Randi Miller, Kaitlin

Schilling, Tara Oravec, Hope Spancake
and Natalie Wideman.
On the diamond last spring, the
softball team compiled a final overall
record of 29-14 and won its 14th
PSAC-West title under 18th-year head
coach Rick Bertagnolli. The Vulcans
also competed in the NCAA Division II
post-season Tournament for the 21st
time in 22 years.
“Obviously, I am very proud of the
team’s accomplishments academically
and athletically,” Bertagnolli said.
“When you look at the many teams
here that are getting recognized for
academics, it clearly reflects the support
and cooperation of the faculty, who are
committed to our students succeeding.”
Earlier this fall, the women’s
swimming, women’s tennis, and men’s
and women’s track and field teams also
received Academic All-American
honors from the College Swimming
Coaches Association of America
(CSCAA), the International Tennis
Association (ITA) and the U.S. Track &
Field & Cross Country Coaches
Association (USTFCCCA), respectively.

N

Senior pitcher Maria Greco was one of nine
Cal U softball players who achieved NFCA
Scholar-Athlete status by earning a 3.50
grade-point average or higher during the
2010-2011 academic year.

Cal Seeks Annual Coal Bowl Victory

A

third consecutive Coal Bowl
trophy will be on the line for the
Cal U football team Saturday
when the Vulcans travel to play rival IUP.
Kickoff at George P. Miller stadium in
Indiana is set for 1 p.m. This year’s Coal
Bowl will be broadcast live by WPCW.
The Coal Bowl trophy, which
resembles a coal miner’s lunch pail,
recognizes a football rivalry that dates to
1918. The winner of Saturday’s game will
keep the trophy on display until the teams
meet again.
The Coal Bowl was conceived by Bob
Lippencott ’66, a 2002 inductee in the Cal
U Athletic Hall of Fame, and his brother
Barry, an Indiana University of
Pennsylvania graduate. Bob Lippencott
played linebacker for the Vulcans, and his
brother was a standout end for the
Crimson Hawks.
Both have established endowed
football scholarships.
The Lippencott family, which has a
long history of working in the coal
industry, felt the game would be an
excellent platform to honor their families
and the region’s coal miners.
Once again the Pennsylvania Coal
Association is the presenting sponsor of
this event. Proceeds from the sponsorship
will be split evenly between the two

Preparing to present the Coal Bowl Trophy to California following last year’s 18-15 overtime
victory at Adamson Stadium are (from left) Bob Lippencott, Cooper Lippencott, Barry
Lippencott, and George Ellis, president of the Pennsylvania Coal Association.

universities to support scholarships for
student-athletes.
As part of the pre-game festivities, the
Cal U and IUP alumni associations are
co-hosting a “Coal Bowl Watch Party” at
noon at McFadden’s, on Pittsburgh’s
North Side. Food and non-alcoholic
beverages will be provided, and a cash bar

will be available.
Deadline to register for the alumni
event is Friday at 3 p.m.
For more information about the alumni
gathering, contact Ryan Jerico at 724-938-4620
or jerico@calu.edu, or Staci Tedro at 724-9384486. To register online, visit the alumni
section of the Cal U website at www.calu.edu.

‘Explorers’ Welcome on Discovery Days

T

he University introduces itself to
prospective students and their
families when Cal U holds its final
fall Discovery Day on Nov. 5.
On Discovery Days, high school

students who are beginning their college
search are invited to visit the campus and
learn about the University’s academic
offerings, housing, student activities,
athletic programs and more. Students

Nominees
Sought for
President’s
Faculty
Awards

may sit in on a class and take a tour. The
event runs from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
For more information, call Jenifer
Sigado at 724-938-1626 or e-mail
sigado@calu.edu.

ominations are being
accepted for the 2012
President’s Faculty
Awards. Tenured faculty members
who have demonstrated excellence
in teaching, research or service are
eligible to receive one of these
prestigious awards, which are
presented at the annual President’s
Gala.
Any member of the Cal U
community — students, faculty,
staff or alumni — may make a
nomination. Self-nominations are
permitted.
Nominations close at 4 p.m.
Friday.
Although a faculty member may
be nominated in multiple
categories, he or she may compete
for only one award.
The nominee may select the
category. For example, if a faculty
member is nominated in both the
teaching and service categories, he
or she may submit support
materials for one or the other, but
not both awards.
Support materials are due by 4
p.m. Nov. 14 .
University President Angelo
Armenti, Jr. established the awards
to recognize deserving faculty for
their outstanding work. Each 2012
award recipient will be honored at
the President’s Gala in June and
presented with a medallion, an
engraved paperweight and a $2,000
check.
The 2011 President’s Faculty
Award winners were Dr. Christine
Patti, honored for teaching; Dr.
Robert S. Whyte, for research; and
Dr. Ralph Belsterling, for service.
President’s Faculty Awards are
separate from the awards given by
the Faculty Professional
Development Committee, which
recognizes recipients at
Commencement.
Nominations will be accepted
by e-mail or paper copy. Please
submit e-mail nominations to the
President’s Faculty Awards
Committee chair, Dr. Joseph Heim,
at heim@calu.edu.
Send hard copies to Heim at the
Department of History and
Political Science, Box 6.
Each nomination must include
the name of the nominee, category
of nomination (teaching, research
or service), and the name of the
nominator.

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. Charles Mance
Vice President for University Technology Services

Craig Butzine
Vice President for Marketing and University Relations

Geraldine M. Jones
Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs

Ron Huiatt
Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations

Christine Kindl
Editor

Dr. Lenora Angelone
Vice President for Student Affairs

Robert Thorn
Interim Vice President for Administration and Finance

Bruce Wald, Wendy Mackall, Jeff Bender
Writers

Office of Communications and Public Relations

4

250 University Avenue

California, PA 15419

724-938-4195

wald@calu.edu