Outlook / the University of Maryland, College Park (1999)

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Outlook

The University of Maryuvnd Faculty and Staff ^^eekly Newspaper

Volume J 3 •Number 17 • February 9, 1999

Electronic
Reading,

page 3

Seymour's

Close Enough,

pages

Athletics' Danita Nias
Named Executive Director
of Alumni Association

Danita Nias, senior associate
director of athletics at the
University of Maryland since
1995, will be the university's
new Executive Director of the
Alumni Association effective
Feb. 21. Nias replaces! Joan
Patterson, who retired recently
after working in alumni affairs

DanHa Nias

since 1972, heading the associ-
ation for the past five years.

Nias will oversee the activi-
ties of the Alumni Association,
which represents more than
200,000 graduates of the
University of Maryland, and the
Alumni Programs Office,
including marketing, member-
ship, component organiza-
tions, merchandising, pub-
lications and volunteer
management. The associa-
tion directs a network of
alumni clubs and chapters
across the nation and
overseas, as weU as S[>ecial
interest groups dedicated
to developing and rein-
forcing alumni support for
the university's mission.
Prominent on Nias's agen-
da will be planning and
construction of a new
AJumni Center, for which
the university is currently

Continuect on page 2

President William Jefferson Clinton kicks off a national recruiting campaign for the
Americorps volimteer service program in a speech at the University of Maryland Wednesday
afternoon, Feb, 10, in Ritchie Coliseum.

Hundreds of University of Maryland students as weU as current Americorps volunteers will
hear the president's speech on the same campus where he announced the formation of
Americorps in 1993. The imiversity has a long history of encouraging volunteer service, and
the state of Maryland was the first to require high school students to participate in volunteer
community service in order to receive a diplon^.

A limited number of tickets will be available for University of Maryland students for the
president's speech.

Black Student Enrollment up, but Challenges Remain

The numt>er of Afiican-
American students on campus
has risen slowly but steadily
since 1950 when the first
black student, Parren
Mitchell, was admitted to
CoUege I^rk after a legal bat-
de. In the last 10 years, the
black undergraduate student
body has grown from 10 per-
cent to 14 percent, and the
black graduate student body
from nine percent to 13 per-
cent. However, low retention
and graduation rates among
African-Americans continue to
baffle administrators.

"The numbers of African-
American students on campus
are increasing appreciably, as
reflected in the number of
African-American students that
comprise tlie freshman class of
the undergraduate student
body," says Cordell Black, assis-
tant vice president for academ-
ic affairs, who finds 14 percent
a wholesome number "We've
also seen significant improve-
ment in terms of skills and
capabilities," ,says Black,

What concerns him, howev-
er, are the low rates of gradua-
tion and retention among
black students. He dcscriljcs
these numbers as "disquieting"

While six-year retention
rates for African-American stu-
dents taking 30 credits or
more per year are 94,5 per-
cent — just marginally below
the 95. 1 percent average for
students of all races— black
students taking 20-2? cred-
its per year have a reten-
tion rate of 64,9 percent
which is well below the
75. 9 percent average.
Tliose taking fewer than
20 credits per year have
the lowest retention rate
of 10 percent, also below
the 15.6 percent average.

Black feels financial rea-
sons are one of the salient
causes of low retention of
black students. Joel Smith,
academic coordinator at
the Office of Multiedmlc
Studies (OMSE), agrees that
financial difficulties are a
leadit^ reason for drop-

outs.

The University of Maryland
does not offer any special
monetary awards or financial
incentives for minority stu-
dents ever since die federal
appeals court ruled in October
1994 to discontinue the
Benjamin Banneker scholar-
ship program designed to
attract and retain African-
American students.

"An African-American student
who's trying to handle a full-
time job, a full load of classes,
dealing with issues at home,
' uctional and administrative

problems;

up with a prejudiced roommate

is faced with quite a load."

—Joel Smith, OMSE

Instead, says Black, there is
an effort to encourage diversi-
ty when admitting students to
the university. In Fall 1998, 36
percent of the students -who
enrolled at the university were
not white, "These demograph-
ics, I am sure, encourage
African-American students as
one-diird of the student popu-
lation is made up of students
of color."

He points out
that he has met some
"incredibly gifted"
black snidents on
campus. "Tliey re not
just academically gift-
ed, but have a great
deal of talent and the
pcrseveiance to suc-
ceed."

Robert
Hampton, dean for
imder^aduate stud-
ies, agrees dial "some
of our best and briglit-
est students are
African Americans."
But he also shares
Black's concerns

about the low graduation rates,
adding that the university "is
working hard" to improve
these.

Most of the work in retain-
ing and helping students of
color adjust to university life is
done by campus support
^oups such as OMSE and the
Diversity Initiadve.

"The problems of black stu-
dents on campus are not quali-
tatively different from those of
white students — they are quan-
titatively different. And they ate
compounded in a predomi-
nandy white institution," says
Smith.

"An African-American stu-
dent who's trying to handle a
full-time job, a full load of
classes, dealing with issues at
. home, instrucfional and admin-
istrative problems, and then
lias to put up with a preju-
diced roommate is faced with
quite a load," says Smith.

Felicia Curry, a journalism
major who won Nyumburu

Continued on page 6

2 Outiook February 9. 1999

atim

Satellite Information Will Help
Scientists Improve Weather Forecasts

"The unusual thing about this picture is that it has always
been there. It has simply puzzled everybody. And since nobody
could come up with an answer to what it was, they bcgsn to
ignore it." — Roger Reartck, eTrteriUis professor of art, in an Oct.
19 London Times article about the (iiscot>ery that a long
ignored painting in a Venetian chapel was in fact the work of
l6th century master Vtttore Catpacdo.

"That enclosed suburban environment isn't very emotionally
or spiritually sustaining. It's an artificial enviroiunent, and it's very
focused on consumption. Our standard of living has gone up, so
we want to have more stuff, but you have to work a lot harder for
it. Wc pay a big price for that; there's a burnout factor setting in,"
— Mary Corbin Sies, associate professor of American Studies, in
an Oct. 18 Miami Herald Jfeatore about bow filmmakers view
suburban settings.

"The whole concept of awareness is racist; it should be
unawareness. Instead of teaching [race] is important, we should
be teaching the whole thing is imimportant.The focus should be
on how to judge character." — Edwin Locke, professor of man-
agement, in a Nov. 2 feature in Insight magazine examining
bow President Bill Clinton has managed to maintain the over-
whelming support of black voters in the face of the scandals
that surround him.

"The U.S. Senate is out of step with the American public on
the issue of treaty ratification. The majority of Americans feel so
strongly aix>ut the need for a global warming treaty that they are
willing to go forward even if the developing countries do not
join in." — Steven Kull. director of the university's Program on
International Policy Attitudes, in a Nov. 5 U.S. Newswire story
about a national poll on global warming issues.

"This is really an Issue of autonomy, not feshion. Klndei^art-
ners are developing a stronger sense of self, and choosing ^vhat
to wear is a safe way to assert their independence.This is a key
age at which children yearn to play a role in decision making, and
clothing is one area they feel they can give input." — Melanie
Killen, associate professor of human developtnent, in a
November article in Parents Magazine about conflicts between
parents and young children over clothing choices.

"I feel sorry for him. Within a year after the book comes out,
everything is exploding all over the place. He couldn't be more
wrong. The whole thesis is absolutely implausible. It makes
absolutely no sense." — Stephen Brush, distinguished university
professor of the history of science, in an Oct. 19 Dallas Morning
News article about the 1996 book "The End of Science" in which
author fobn Morgan contended that science was dead and there
is no new fundamental knowledge to discover.

"TTiere are structural reasons this came about - women working,
for example. But it's also manu£ictured by those who profit fiom it.
Now we've gotten used to it. We have litde or no choice; it's become
part of our ciilturc." — George Ritzer, sociology professor and author
of "The McDonaldizcdion of Society" in an Oct. 25 article in the
■Wlmington (Del.) Sunday News Journal, about the conveniences
that technology has created, and Americans' dependence on them.

"Predators eat, but w^hat meat they eat and how they obtain it
differs from group to group. And just as in the modern world,
hyenas go after prey one way, and leopards go after it another, so,
too, in the Mesozoic, spinosaurs were going after one son of food
source their own way; whereas alosaurs were pursuing food in a
different way, and tyrannosaurus in a different way from that." —
Thomas Holtz, professor of geology, on National Public Radio
News Nov. 12, explaining the significance of the discovery of a
new dinosaur species in the Sabaran Desert.

Predicting storms and floods
is difficult work for meteorolo-
gists because there are so many
factors that come into play. One
very important factor i.s wliat
scientists call land surface
hydrology - the amount of
water in soils, lakes and rivers,
and in tlie atmosphere over
land surfaces.

In the past, scientists have
been unable to get accurate
estimates of this hydrology for
use in weather and climate
models. However, a team of sci-
entists ftom the University of
Maryland, Princeton University
and the University of Washing-
ton now have developed a way
to use data fttim satellites to
measure land surface hydrology
over large areas.

The availabiUty of better
information on land surface
hydrology means severe weath-
er predictions can be made
sooner, and more accurately, say
die researchers, ivhosc work is
supported by NASA's Earth
Observing System. Their new
study on the measurement of
land surface hydrology was pre-
sented last month at the annual
meeting of the American
Meteorological Society in
Dallas.

"If you want improved flood
prediction or if you're trying to
understand the impact humans
are having on the climate, you

need to understand the bios-
phere and hydrological system,
because they're all linked
together," says Ralph Dubayah,
associate professor of geogra-
phy here at the university.

Co-researcher Eric Wood, a
Princeton hydrologist, says in
short-term weather prediction
(days to weeks), current atmos-
pheric data are added each day
to correct models for wind,
moisture, and temperature.
Adding data on soil moisture
thus will improve weather, he
explains.

Dubayah, along with Wood
and University of Washington
hydrologist Dennis Lettenmaier,
found that by studying satellite
information on vegetation, pre-
cipitation and surface heat, they
could determine how much
water flows in ftt»m streams, is
in the soil and how much evap-
orates into the atmosphere.

Studying Canadian boreal
forests and North American
gra.sslands, the researchers were
able to evaluate how land sur-
face hydrology effects weather
and climate. "Our strategy is to
use small-scale climate experi-
ments to understand how to
model surface hydrological
processes in different climate
regimes, and than to scale these
processes up to continental and
global scales," says Wood.

Human effects like deforesta-

tion also can cause severe
weather conditions. "If you cut
down trees in moimtainous
areas, a lot more water runs off
than soaks into the soil, and a
lot more water gets in the
stream faster causing flash
floods down stream," says
Dubayah.

Wood says that during the
simimertime there is a strong
cormection between soil mois-
ture and subsequent precipita-
tion because of the warm
atmosphere. This has been
demonstrated ttirough a num-
ber of recent studies, including
weather predictions during the
1S>93 Mississippi Rivet" floods
by the European Center for
Medium Range Weather
Forecasts. The 1993 models
contained improved procedures
for computing soil moisture and
were successful at predicting
heavy precipitation within the
Mississippi Basin.

In the future, new hydrologic
data will be used to evaluate
how land surface hydrology can
effect climate on longer time
scales, says Wood. The team
plans to apply the new tech-
niques to study Sahelian and
Sou diern Africa and the conU-
ncntal and tropical rainforests
in Brazil.

Athletics' Danita Nias Named Executive
Director of the Alumni Association

continued frmn page 1

soliciting funding gifts.

"Danita's energy, enthusiasm
and talent will provide the
spark to launch our alumni rela-
tions program to the next level,
which is crucial to the continu-
ing advance of this institution,"
says WilUam Dcsder, interim
vice president for University
Advancement. "She has done a
remarkable job in the Athletic
r>epartment, especially in work-
ing with volimteer leadership
and the Terrapin Club. That
experience wiU stand her in
good stead to develop stronger
relationships with our hundreds
of thousands of alimmi."

Prior to working in die ath-
letic department, Nias served as
a volunteer on the managing

board of the Terrapin Club and
contributed to an increase in
membership in that athletics
support group. She also has
served on the Business School
Alumni Board since 1997. She
has a bachelor's degree in busi-
ness from Maryland, and a mas-
ter's of social science degree
from Syracuse University.

"It's an honor for me to be
able to continue to serve the
university in this important
capacity," Nias says. "As an alum-
na, I'm ready to accept the chal-
lenge and lead the effort to rally
our ft-icnds in support of the
imiversity."

In her current position, Nias
manages day-to-day operations in
the Department of
Intercollegiate Athletics, and she
directs the development of mar-

keting plans for the various
teams. Her responsibilities also
include supervising personnel
and media relations units, direct-
ing the department-wide
Continuous Quality Improve-
ment program, and working
with a number of teams to
ensure that competitive and aca-
demic goals are achieved. She
also recruits and manages volun-
teers for Athletic Department
activities.

Nias also has worked as a
sales manager and senior
account manager for Learning
International, and as an account
manager for Xerox Corporation.

Outlook

Outlook is the weekly fsculty-staff newspaper serving the University of Maryland campus community. William Destler, Interim Vice President for University Advancement;
Teresa Flannery, Executive Director of University Communications and Director of Marketing; George Cathcart. Executive Editor: Jennifer Hawes, Editor;
Londa Scott Fort#, Assistant Editor; Valshalt Honawar, Graduate Assistant: Phillip Wlrb, Editorial Intern. Letters to the editor, story suggestions and campus infor-
mation are welcome. Please submit all material two weeks before the Tuesday of publication. Send material to Editor, OutlooK 2101 Turner Hall, College Park, WiD
20742.Tetephone (301) 405-4629; frmail outtook®accmall.umd.edu; fax (301) 314-9344. OuHookcan be found online at www.inform.umd. edu/outlook/

fobruary 9, 1999 Outlook 3

Don't Leave Home

Reading Room Offers Books Online

The next time you feel like a date Tvlth Mr.
Knightley, you don't need to walk as far as the
library or the bookstore.

Thanks to inforM, the campus-wide informa-
tion system, Mr. Kiiightley and several literary
character fevorites are just a few clicks away on
your computer. And free of charge, too.

At the Reading Room, a website hosted by
inforM

(www. inform .umd.edu/
EdRes/Re adingRoom) ,
you can read hundreds
of classics by some of
the greatest writers
of English literature
and several works
of non-fiction, plus
access numerous
information
resources.

The website has
been created by
inforM using
material
from

Project Gutenbeig (www.promo.net/pg) wliich
publishes on the Internet all those books whose
copyright laws have expired. Under the current
law, copyright on a book expires 50 years after
the death of its author

"Digital text online is becoming really popu-
lar, and several people log in to read books on
the internet," says Lida Larsen, coordinator of
online information resources at College Park, "I
think we are going to see much more electronic
publishing as publishers make more and more
books available electronic ally."

The number of readers is growing too, as
more and more people across the world
become internet-
savvy. Last
December, the
Reading Room
recorded as many as
235,000 hits from
readers across the
world, including
some from the cam-
pus community, says
Gina Jones, graduate
assistant at alTs who
w^orks on the
Reading Room web-
site.

Most of the hits
recorded are for the
Action subsection,

with the works of Kate Chopin being the most
popular, followed by Jane Austen, Jones adds
that books most popular with students include
"Wuthering Heights," the Bronte sisters' books,
and the plays of Aphra Behn.

"We also get many e-mails from students ask-
ing for help on their homework," she says with a
laugh. "There are those who write In saying,'!
have to read "Wuthering Heights" by Monday.
Don't you have a condensed version?'" She is
quick to add they try and point students to use-
ful websites and do not do their homework for
them,

InforM, which converts the book into text for-
mat, as they're available only as ASCn files and
Zip files on the Gutenberg website, has been
hosting the Reading Room for six years now.

"We splice the books into chapters before

''I fKink we are going to see
much more electronic pub-
lishing as publishers make
more and more books avail-
able electronically."

— Liela Larsen, coordinator of
online information resources

putting them into the Reading Room," says
Jones. This makes It much easier for readers to
access books as not everyone is comfortable
working with zipped files, or with reading it as
one big block of text, as it appears on the
Gutenbeig website.

The Gutenberg Project was started in 1971
when creator Michael Hart at the University of
Illinois, who had received $100 million worth of
computer time, typed into his computer the
Declaration of Independence and sent it out to
networks in the hope that it would become an
electronic fixture in computer libraries.

He later typed in books such as the Bible and
the plays of William
Shakespeare. Eventually,
other books were added. By
the year 2001, Hart hopes to
have more than 10,000
books online.

Authors whose works
are available at the Reading
Room range from Jane Austen
and the Bronte sisters to
Somerset Maugham, Henry
James and Kahlil Gibran. There
are plays by Sophocles and
Oscar Wilde In the drama sec-
tion, the Book of Mormon and
the Orations of John Qulncy
Adams in the non-fiction sec-
tion, and so on.
Other reading material available in the
Reading Room includes reviews and commen-
tary pieces by leading writers in the world
today.

For the section on fiction, says Larsen, "we
have tried to concentrate on women authors
over the years." But she also points out what
book goes in often depends on which book is
picked up by the volimteer who types it in.

While Larsen thinks the Gutenbeig Project is
a great idea, she does point to its one fault:
"There is no one who actually goes through the
text and compares it to the original, and says
every word is right," she says. But then again,
that's not a huge worry.After all, how many
among us would dare to tamper with the writ-
ing of Oscar Wilde?

— VAISHAU HONAWAR

^ ^ 4> ^tfc ^ ^

Show Closings Ni§ws$[

^ ^ ^ ^

Basking in 50-oegree weather and on aRThepls of Pun:_

tvtiy Phil's shadowless appearant^^stTiie»^|^it's hard to
agine more snow or Ice on the way this winter But given
the you-ncver-|tnow^ ^'^^i^^ weather diat is becoming com-
mon in Mar)^^:^, it pa)%TO be prej^^^.

So, should snow or ice come our way betw^^ now and
the beginning of spr^j^ here is the scoop on how it affects
the University of Maryland, its studefHs and employees.

On snowy or icy days, Frank Bre^ef, assistant vice presi-
dent of facilities management, arrives on campus at approxi-
mately 4:30 a.m. to observe she. conditions of campus roads,
parking lots, sidewalks and sTc^s. He then calls Vice President
for Academic Affairs and Provost Greg Geoffroy by 5:30 a.m.
to review conditions and make recommendations regarding
closing or delaying the opening of camp us. The safety of stu-
dents, faculty and staff is always the primary concern.

Brewer also takes into consideration the status of major
arteries on tlie way to campus, the condition of shutde bus
feeder routes, the extent of physical plant mobilization and
the weather forecast from two sources.

In the event of snow, students, faculty and staff should
tune into local radio and television stations (see listing
below) beginning at 6 a.m. to hear one of the following mes-
sages:The University of Maryland, College Park campus is
closed, or The University of Maryland, College Park campus
opening will be defayed for a specific nmnbcr of hours (usu-
ally two).

If no information is given, personnel should assume the
campus is open, ff closed, both day and evening classes are
canceled. The decision to close the campus or delay its open-
ing applies to everyone, excluding those individual designat-
ed as "essential".

As soon as a snow emergency decision is determined, the
University Relations office calls selected media. Although the
university tries to ensure its message is used, it cannot con-
trol aimouncements presented through radio or TV.

Snow closing Information also is available on the universi-
ty's homepage, www.umdedu, via Massmail or by calling
405-SNOW or 405-1000 to hear a recording informing callers
of delayed openings or closings.

All of these informaUon sources also are used in the event
snow or ice arrives after the campus opens and the imivers^
ty opts to close eariy.

Where to Tune in for
Snow Closing Information

Radio Stations

Washington:

WWRC/WGAY-FM

(570 AM/ 99.5 FM)

WAVA

( 105.1 FM)

WRQX

( 107.3 FM )

WETA

( 90.9 FM >

WTOP/WASH

C 107.7 FM/ 97,1 FM)

WMAL

(630 AM)

WHFS

(99.1FM)

WPGC

( 95.5 FM )

Baltimore:

WLIF

( 101.9 FM)

WBAL

( 1090 AM )

WCAO

(600 AM)

WPOC

(93.1 FM)

Tdevision Stations

Washington/Local :

WJLA-7

WRC-4

WUSA-9

WTTfrS

NewsChaimel 8 '

PGCC-TV

CABLENEWS21

Baltimore:

WMAR-2

WBAL-11

wjz-n

r

4 Outlook February' 9, 1999

da teli ne

mary

mem
'land

Your Guide to University Events
February 9-18

February 9

H 1 p.m. "How toAccessTcq)
Online .""Holzapfcl Hall; Career
Center Multi-Purpose Room. +7225.

6 2 p.m.Weh Clinic (sponsored
by aTTs). Armory', cwww, inform.
umd,edu/WcbClinics>

A/^ 4 p.m. Phj'sics Department
Lecture: "Massivf Black Holes and
the USA Graviialional Wave
Mission," Fttcr Bender, fellow for
Joint Institute for Laboratory'
Astrophysics. 1410 Physics Bldg.
5-5945.

Ji 7 p.m. Concert by The Guameri
String Quartet. An open rehearsal
in which the quartet will be read-
it^ throu^ Schumann's bptis 41,
No. 3, in A Major, and Dvorak's
String Quartet in A-flat Minor,
Opus 105.Ulrich Recital Hall.
Tkwes Bldg. 5-1150.

February 10

W 1 1 a.m. - 3 p.m. Career Scries:
"Rcsumania," a program where
employers critique resumes.
Career Center, ground floor,
Holzapfel Hall. Students call - .
5-5616. employers call 4-7225

^t/^ 4 pjn. Astronomy
Colloquium: "Probing Supermasshr
Black Holes with X-ray
Spectroscopy," Chris Reynolds,
I'niversity of Colorado. 2400
Computer and Space Sciences Bldg.

.® 7 p.m. Creative Writing at the
University of Maryland, Writers
Here and Now - Spring Readings:
Paul Muldoon, author of Meeting
tbe Bn"(/si!). Graduate Reserves
Room, McKeldin library. 5^3820.

1^ 8 p.m. University Theatre:
"Picasso at the Lapin Agile" by
Steve Martin. One of America's
favorite comedians delivers a hilar-
iokis taleabout the meeting of
some of the great (and noi-so-
gtcat minds) of the early 20th
Cenrury. Pugliese Theatre, Tawes
Bldg. 5-2201.'

February 11

^V^ 3:.W p.m. Department of
Meteorology: "Age of Stratospheric
Air:Theor)' Models and
Observations," Darryn Waugh,
Johns Hopkins University. 240C
C<)mputcr & Space Sciences Bldg,

W 8 p.m. University- Theatre;

"Picasso at the Lapin Agile" by Steve
M^irtin.Onc of America's favorite
comedians delivers a hilarious tale
about the meeting of some of the
great (and not-s(^great minds) of the
early 20th Century. Pugliese Theatre,
Tawes Bldg. 5-2201.*

February 12

&^" 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. "Lessons from
the Fast, Visions for the Future," 25th
Annual Maryland Student AfEtirs
Conference featuring keynote speak-
ers Patrick Terenzini and PolleyAnn
McClure. Stamp Student Union.
4^431.*

"O 1:30 p.m. Career Series: "Market
Yourself: How to Prepare for the
Career and Job Fair." 1 03 Hombake
library. South Wing. 5-5616.

Vf- 8 p.m. University Theatre:
"Picasso at the Lapin ^ilc" by Steve
Martin. One of America's fevorite
comedians delivers a hilarious talc
about tbe meeting of some of the
great (and not-so-great minds) of the
early 20th Century. Pugliese Theatre,
Tawes Bldg. 5-2201.*

February 13

^W 8 p.m. University Theatre:
" ncasso at the Lapin Agile," by Steve
Martin. One of America's favorite
comedians delivers a hilarious tale
about the meeting of some of the
great (and not-so-great minds) of the
early 20th century. Piiglicse Theatre.
5-2201.*

February 14

W 2 p.m. University Theatre:
"Picasso at the Lapin Agile," by Steve
Martin. One of America's fcivorile
comedians delivers a hilarious tale
about the meeting of some of the
great (and not-so-great minds) of the
early 20th century. Pugliese Theatre.
5-2201*

February 15

^V^ 4 p.m. Committee on History
and Philosophy of Science: "Classical
Cryptography," Lawrence Washington,
professor of mathematics. 1111 Plant
Sciences Bldg. fivet@physics.umd.edu.

Another Side of
Steve Martin

University Theatre pre-
sents the comedy "Picasso at
the Lapin Agile" Feb. 10-21.
Performances of the Steve
Martin play taiie place in the
Pugliese Theatre of the
Tawes Building Feb. 10-13
and 16-20 at 8 p.m.
Afternoon performances will
be held Feb. 14 and 21 at
2 p.m.

"This play is really a
breath of fresh air" says Scot
Reese, director of the pro-
duction. "It's just fun. It's the
youth of creativity. It's Steve
Martin. He knows art, he
knows music, he knows
comedy. He's taken life in
and he knows what an audi-
ence will like."

"Picasso at the Lapin
Agile" is a comedy about a
fictional meeting at a Paris
bar between Pablo Picasso and Albert Einstein.
Written in the early '90s, '"Picasso at the Lapin
.^ile" represents something of a departure for
playwright Martin, the former "wild and crazy
guy" of the 1970s.

Althou^ we're nearing the end of this mil-
lenniimi, "Picasso at the Lapin Agile "takes place
in 1904, says Reese. "Two great geniuses are on
the threshold of their big creative achievements.
They started in one part of the century and saw
how everything grew," he says. "As wc enter a
new millennitun, we can only wonder, 'Who will
be the next Picasso or Einstein?'"

Reese is an assistant professor in directing,
Black theatre and movement. His most recent
directing credits include "A Raisin in the Sun" at
Olney Theatre Center and "Pantomime" at
Roimd House Theatre.

Tickets are $10 standard admission and $7
for students and senior citizeas. For reservations
or additional information, call University Theatre
Box Office at 301405-2201.

' \

n - «.

.-».

t^'

February 16

^

12:30 p.m. School of Music: "The
Importance of Studying African-
American An Song: A Lecture
Recital," Darryl Taylor, UrUversity of
Northern Iowa. Ufrich Recital Hall
Tawes Fine Arts Bldg.

&a^ 4 p.m. Physics Department:
"Two-Photon Entanglement: From
'Ghost Image' to 'Quantum Eraser,"
Yanhua Shih, UMBC. 1410 Hiysics
Bldg. 5-3401.

J^ 8 p.m. University Theatre:
"Picasso at the Lapin Agile ," by Steve
Martin. One of America's favorite
comedians delivers a hilarious tale
about the meeting of some of the
great (and not-so-great minds) of
the early 20th century. Pugliese
Theatre, 5-2201.*

February 17

^e/^ Noon-1 : 30 p.m. CASL Speaking
Scholarship Series: "If You Can't
Communicate, You Can't Lead:
Communications and Presidential
Leadership," Martha Kumar, To wson
University. A brown hag lunch discus-
sion. 1102 Taliaferro Hall.

February 18

^V 8 p.m. University Theatre:
"Picasso at the Lapin Agile." by Steve
Martin. One of America's favorite
comedians delivers a hilarious talc
about the meeting of some of the
great (and not-so-great minds) of
the early 20th century. Pugliese
Theatre. 5-2201.*

Calendar Guide

Calendar phone nimibers listed as 4-xxxx or 5-xxxx .stand for the
prefix 314- or 405. Events are free and open to the public unless
noted by an asterisk (*}. Calendar information for Outlook is com-
piled from a combinarion of inforM's master calendar anti submis-
sions to the Outlook office. To n:ach the calentiar editor, call 405-7615
or e-mail OutIook@acaiiail. unid.edu.

Three Cheers for the Lady Terps!

Thursday, Feb. 11 is Facility and Staff Apprection Day at the Maryland Women's Basketball Game when the Lady Terps take on North Carolina
(#6) at Cole Field House, 7:30 p.m. Faculty and staff arc eligible to receive four free tickets to the game by showing a fiiculty /staff l.D. at the field
house ticket window, Ticket window hours are 8:3CM:30 p.m. Monday - Friday.

February 9, 1999 Outlook S

Prominent Photographers'
Work Displayed at Art Gallery

Photographic works by David Seymour are featured In the Cfoss
Enou^ extiibit at the Art Gallery.

The Art GaUciy presents
two exhibits running through
April 17. Close Enough displays
the photography of David
Seymour and Chiaroscuro
highlights the artwork of six
prominent photographers ftom
the inid-20th century.

David Seymour's (191 1-
1956) works represent a two-
way exchange between two
people, the mutual project of
both parties on both sides of
the lens. Themes of Close
Enough include documents of
the ravages of war and pho-
tographs of spontaneous
moments.

Chiaroscuro includes the
wforks of Berenice Abbott,
Ansel Adams, Ruth Bemhard,
Imogen Cunningham, I^ul

Strand and Edward Weston.
Many works will be familiar to
the view^er while others have
rarely been presented to the
public. Chiaroscuro is an
Italian word that translates as
"light and dark" and has typi-
cally been used to discuss the
treatment or balance of light
and shadow in paintings. Most
of the photographs were pro-
duced during the 1930s, '40s
and '50s.They represent
Modernism, tlie dominate art
movement at the time.

The gallery is open 1 1 a.m.-

4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
It also is open from 1 1 a.m. -

9 p.m. Thursday and 11 a.in.-

5 p.m. Saturday. For more infor-
mation on the Art Gallery call
405-ARTS.

Congressman to Address Information
Technology for the New Millennium

Acknowledging the achieve-
ments and contributions of
African Americans to the infor-
mation technology industry,
the College of Library and
Information Services hosts its
second annual "Celebration of
African Americans in the
Information Professions" in
conversation with U.S. Rep.
Major R. Owens (D-NY), the
only hbrarian ever elected into
Congress.

The congressman will deliv-
er the keynote address during
a ceremony honoring the sec-
ond annual James Partridge
Outstanding African American
Informarion Professional Award
recipient. The event takes

place Thursday, Feb. 18, in the
Multipurpose Room of the
Nyiunburu Cultural Center
from 3 to 5 p.m.

Owens' presentation, "A
POlidcal Guide for Information
Leaders in the 21st Century," will
address important issues feeing
information teclinology profes-
sions. He challenges information
technology leaders to be
equipped with the necessary
skills for functioning in tlie polit-
ical arena. He first suggests prac-
titioners acquire a politically
savvy awareness and provides a
global consideration forAMcan
Americans working in the infor-
mation technology industry.

Taylor Presents History through Song

The university celebrates Black History Month with a lecturer and a singer who are one in the
same. Darryl Taylor, professor of voice at the University of Northern low^, addresses "The
Importance of Studying African- American Art Song: A Lecture Recital," Tbesday, Feb. 16, at 12:15
p.m. in Ulrich Recital Hall,Tawes Fine Arts Building. His presentation wiU combine singing and dis-
cussion.

"It's neither all lecture nor all recital," says Taylor,
who has performed similar lectures at other promi-
nent institutions such as Juilliard and the University
of Micliigaji. "Tliere are a number of people doing
lecture recitals,"

Tayfor's lecture recital includes four songs by
George Walker and pieces by Leslie Adams.

"It's very important because African American art
song has been left out of the main stream," says
Regina McConnell, professor of voice in the School
of Music. "Anybody who's doing this needs to be
out there and doing performances. ...[Taylor] is very
much in demand for giving lecture tecitals on this
subject matter"

According to McConnell, art song is composed
and the text is most often secular. McComiell her-
self gives similar lectures around the country and
invited Taylor to come to Mar>1and. She gave a simi-
lar performance three years ago at the university
using the works of Harry T. Burleigli.

Taylor says his performances usually last an hour Darryl Taylor
or more, depending on the interaction and ques-
tions presented by the audience. "They ask a lot once it gets going," he says.

Taylor has been presenting this program for five years. His music has taken him around the
United States and Europe, at times appearing with an orchestra singing other material.

He talks about the importance of art song and its impaa on Black History month, which lasts
through February. "It is an integral pan," he says. "Black history is firmly entrenched in Western
Classical Music. ...It is American and it is part of our heritage, to deny it would be to impoverish
ourselves."

T^lor tries to inspire his audience with his unique presentation. 1 try as much as I can to embolden
people," he explains. "Not a lot of people know what black people have done, particularty in art song."

Taylor is founder of the African American Art Song Alliance.

Admission to the recital is free and the public is invited to attend. The program is sponsored by
the School of Music, the department of American Studies, the Conmiittee on Africa and the
Americas and the Nyumburu Center. For more information on the event please call 405-1 150.

— PfflLUPWlRTZ

Nyumburu Offers a Spirited Debate
and Some Spirited Blues

"African American Leadership for the Present
and the Future" is the subjea of a debate
Wednesday, Feb. 10, at 4 p.m. featuring Julianne
Malveaux and Armstrong Williams. Sponsored by
the Nyumburu Cultural Center, the Black Student
Union and the NAACP, the debate takes place in
Nyumburu's Multi-purpose room, and is moderat-
ed by Ronald Walters, director of the African
American Leadership Program on campus.

Malveaux, a syndicated columnist, can be
seen on television talk shows such as "CNN and
Company" and PBS's 'To the Contrary," Her radio
show "Julianne Malveaux's Capitol Report" is fea-
tured on WUB in New York Qty. She also writes
a monthly colmnn for USA Today, Essence maga-
zine and Black Issues in Higher Education.

As a scholar Malveaux has tauglit economics,
public policy and African American studies, most
recently at the University of California-Berkeley.
Her research focuses on the labor market, pubUc
policy and the impact of such policy on women
and people of color.

Williams has been called one of the "most
recognized conservative voices in America" by
the Washington Post. Focusing on issues such
welfare reform, affirmative action and especially
the restoration of morality in today's society,
Williams brings an independent view with a
refreshing twist to the central issues of the day

His highly charged column is distributed by

the lA. Times Syndicate, and appears regularly
in the Wall Street, Journal, The Washington
Times and the Detroit Free Press. The former
legislative adviser to U.S. Sen. Strom Thurmond is
also the host of a daily television show, "The
Armstrong Williams Show."

On Thursday, Feb. 1 1 , the Nyumburu Cultural
Center invites you to a jam session featuring
local blues artist BluesWorks and international
blues recording artists Chicago Beau. The perfor-
mance takes place from 6 to 9 p.m. in the
Center's Multi-purpose Room""

Formed in 1991 by Paul Watson and Judy
Luis-Watson, Blues Works is known to generate
liigh-spirited and fun concerts for everyone. The
trio (Akbar Sharrieff or Mark Puryear on guitar
and vocals roimds out the group) serves up
some well seasoned, acoustic-style Blues along
with its original material. Add vocal harmonies
with a touch of blues lore and you've got
BluesWoriis.

Chicago Beau is known all across the globe
for his innovative blues style. He is one of the
extraordinary Hues artists of his time, The
Chicago native gives a bright and soulful inter-
pretation of his "down home" Chicago licks that
mesmerizes aU who hear his works.

For more information about the debate or the
blues program, call the Nyumburu Cultural
Center at 314-7758.

6 Outlook February 9. 1999

Gelfandy Kim Receive First Faculty Research Support Award

The Diversity Initiative (DD Faculty
Relations Committee awarded the first
annual Faculty Research Support Award
to Michelc Gelfand, psychology, and
Seung-Kyung Kim, women's studies.
The nominees were so exceptional the
committee decided to provide two
awards instead of one.

"Both recipients stood out because
of their high quality proposals and
[because] their research promises to
reach us more about the impact of
diversity In International and organiza-
tional settings,** says Gabriele Strauch,
co-chair of the DI Faculty Relations
Committee.

The Dl Faculty
Relations Committee,
witli support fnim the
Office of Academic Affairs
and the Office of
Graduate Studies, began
this award to increase the
visibility and coherence
of campus diversity activi-
ties. "A lot of times peo-
ple are not aware of what
other people are doing
on campus, so tliis award
gives us a chance to high-
light and publicize those
activities under one
umbrella," says Marvin
Scott, co-chair of the Awards
Conmiittee,

Award winners are granted feculty
release time from one class for one
semester. In addition, they are given an
honorary advisory position on the
Faculty Relations Committee for one
academic year.

Recipients aie asked to disseminate
information about the project (what

MIchele Getfand

they were able to do during their facul-
ty release time) at the Amiual DI
Research Forum at the end of the
award period.

As recipients of this award Gelfimd
and Kim received the honors men-
tioned and will present the results of
their projects at the Annu:ii DI Research
Forum on April 7. Both have made sig-
nificant contributions to their areas of
expertise as well as to the University of
Maryland and are currently receiving
their faculty release time, which has
provided each of them with imique
opportunities.

Gelland, who has been teaching at
the university for two
years, says her research
and teacliing interests all
focus on one theme:
incorporating elements
of culture into theories
of social and organiza-
tional psychology in
order to understand
what is culture specific
and universal regarding
psychological processes
in organizations. Over
the last seven years
Gelfend has conducted
cross-cultural research
in China, Costs Rica,
Estonia, Greece, Japan, Turkey and the
United States.

Her research program focuses on
three areas: cultural influences on nego-
tiation, conflict resolution and justice;
diversity in groups; and theoretical
developments and methodological
issues In basic cross-cultural research
and Identifying dimensions of cultural
variation.

"There is an amazing amount of
work being done on diversity issues on
this campus, and I'm very glad to have
the opportunity to connect with peo-
ple who are committed to these issijps,'
Gelfand says. "And, being involved inj
the Faculty Relations Committee ImA '
already exposed me to many insp:
people,' she adds.

applied for tlie award from South Korea
where she was on sabbatical conduct-
ing anthropological fieldwork last
spring. When she returned from Korea
she wanted to link her international
studied to Asian American Studies. As a
result, she established an intensive
iii^ rhrcc^cek course titled "Asian

' !■ 'ifbmrrfr'in Elderly Women and Poverty,"

Gelfand has used her extra release; i u i j^^eb she taught last

wmter

time to work on two main projects
editing a special issue on cross-cultiii^
and national issues in organizational
psychology tor Applied Psychology':
International Reiietv, as well as writ-
ing her own paper on culttire and . - 1^ r-
negotiation for the issue; and develop-
ing a prospectus for a book, which she
envisions being titled "Cro.ss-Cultural
Perspectives in Organizational
Ps^ychology** (an advanced text for Ph.D.
students).

Kim, who has been at the university
for eight years, teaches various courses
directly related to diversity
issues. She taught the first
Asian American course,
"Asian American Women ',
in 1993 before the Asian
American Studies Project
(AASP) was established.
Also, she served as the
coordinator of the AASP
for two years, Ls a member
of the President's
Commission on Ethnic
Minority Issues, and serves
as the co-chair of the
Korea Coimcil.

Kim says receiving this
award gave her the oppor-
tunity or "push" to commit herself to
more transnational research. Kim

Seung-Kyung Kim

hi tlie course Kim and her students
explored the link between immigrant
women In the U.S. and how tliey are
;iffccted by welfare policy. They inter-
viewed and spent time with elderly
•Asian American women living in two
different low-Income apartment com-
plexes, as well as four different service
providers of these women in D.C.
"I'm grateful tills award gave me the
. impetus to get me thuiking about the
coimections among international stud-
ies, U.S. ethnic studies and women's
studies," Kim adds.

If you are interested in
applying for the Faculty
Support Award for
1999-2000 or would
like more information,
please contact Marvin
Scott at 405-2480 or
ms24@bss3.umd.edu, or
Michele Gelfand at 405-
6972 or mgelfand®
bss3.umd.cdu.
Applications must be
submitted by March 17,
1999-
, . —JAMIE F^EHERY

SIMMONS

Black Student Enrollment up, but Challenges Remain

continued from page I
Cultural Center's Miss Black
Unity pageant last November,
finds racism "is definitely
there" on campus, but believes
in fighting any prejudice just
by being who she is.

"This university is no differ-
ent from others in terms of dis-
crimination — it's going to be
the same everywhere, imless
you go to a historically black
coUe^, and there, too, you're
going to encoimter other kinds
of discrimination. You have to
fight it by simply concentrating
on the kind of person you are."

Curry, who won tuition for
two semesters as part of the
Miss Black Unity pageant, also
points out that there is finan-
cial help available for those
who look for it. "Tliere are tons
of resources for black stu-
dents—the money's out there.
We have to do the groundwork
and find out what these
resources are, and that's hard,
but if you do it, you'll come
out on top."

She feels students who really
want to go to college find a
way to do it. And while there

may not be any incentives from
the imiversity, organizations like
the National Association of
Black Journalists oifer several
scholarships, she says. OMSE
and Nyumburu are a ©eat help
in finding out about such
scholarships, she says.

Black, meanwhile, raises
a concern over the African-
American faculty on cam-
pus, which, he says, has not
reached a presence where
students feel they can have
a mentoring relationship
with and exposure to pro-
fessors from their own
racial ethnic bacl^round.At
present, 6. 1 percent of the
university faculty is African
American.

There is. Black says, a
need to do more to recruit
more African-American fac-
ulty and central administra-
tors. "There is, right now, an
emphasis in Academic
Aflairs to recruit faculty
from diverse racial and eth-
nic backgrounds. Central
administration encourages
departments to recruit
diverse faculty and particu-

larly those sections that are
under-represented, but the
final decision is largely that of
the departments themselves."
However, he adds, the uni-
versity, being a state institution

"This university is no different
from others in terms of dis-
crimination — it's going to be
the same everywhere, unless
you go to a historically black
college, and there, too, you're

Ing to encourrtar oUter kind
I discrimination. You have to
fight It by simply concentratin
fon the kind of person you
are."

is reluctant to venture full-
steam ahead into the territory
of affirmative action recruit-
ment. "Though it is conrniitted
to diversifying its workforce, it
can only go so far legally in its
efforts to recruit
African-American facul-
ty and central adminis-
trators."

Lonnie R. Gillian, assis-
tant to the president,
says the university has
a series of procedures
through wliich it
attempts to diversify
the workforce. Under
federal policy, depart-
ments are expected to
follow specific search
and selection proce-
dures wliile recruiting
staff and faculty.
There also is a diverse
group of people who
screen candidates for
various jobs, Gillian
adds.

Black recalls that in
1 979, the year he joined
— Felicia Curry, the university, there was
Journalism Student a huge drive to diversify

and desegregate the fac-

ulty, under pressure from the
federal government. "The uni-
versity recruited one of the
largest black faculdes that they
ever recruited, though you're
stiU talking small numbers... like
11-13 people who were hired
that particular year. But today,
the university tends to fall short
of even diese numbers."

He adds that retention of
black faculty members is also
fairly low. "The faculty hired in
1979 was depleted in a few
years as people moved to what
were perceived as more hos-
pitable, supportive universities."

Black says it is important to
create an environment where
Afiican-American faculty can
survive and thrive and have a
sense of being valued. "It did
not happen in the past, and it
doesn't happen today, in cer-
tain units," Black says. "I hap-
pen to know there are units
that are fundamentally homo-
geneous in their faculty— in
1999.YOU look around and see
academic units where no
progress has been made in
diversifying the faculty."

— VAISHAU HONAWAR

February 9, 1999 Outlook 7

University System of iVIaryland News

Task Force on Governance
Issues Report

Last spring, the General Assembly called
for a Task Force to review the University
System after its first decade of operation.
Chaired by Admiral Charles Larson, the
resultir^ 23-membcrTask Force met from
September tlirough late December, visiting
all 13 USM institutions, conducting four
regional public meetings, and holding a
series of hearings with key stakeholders
and consultants inArmapolis.

The report of the Task Force was sub-
mitted to the legislature on Jan. 13, and its
recommendations mdude:

- reaffirmation of and additions to the
goals of the USM's founding legislation;

- support for the USM's current gover-
nance structure;

- greater clarity in the roles of the
Regents and die Maryland Higher
Education Commission;

- greater management flexibility for the
USM institutions;

- formulation of a new statewide strate-
gic plan for higher education;

- exploration of establisliii^ the USM as
a "public corporation " ; and,

- enhanced state funding for the USM
institutions.

As of this writing, it remains unclear

whether these recommendations will
result in specific legislation during the
current session of the General Assembly.

Governor Names Three New Regents

Gov, Parris Glendcning recently named
Congressman Steny Hoyer of Prince
George's County, Leronia Josey of
Baltimore, and William Wood of Bediesda
to three vacant seats on the 1 7-member
USM Board of Regents. In annoimcing the
appointments, Glendening said, "The addi-
tion of these three outstanding individuals
to an already
excellent Board
of Regents will
be of tremen-
dous benefit in

FAST FACT: Did you know 38
percent of USM undergraduates
are part-time and the median age
for part-time undergraduates is 30?

our ongomg
effort to build
one of the
world's truly

great public institutions of higher learn-
ing."

Campaign Reaches Haliway Mark

Last Dec. 31 marked the halfway point
in the seven-year fund-raising Campaign
for the University System of Maryland. As
of that date, some $373 million had been
raised by the 13 USM institutions — just

ahead of the pace to meet the $700 mil-
lion goal.

According to Vice Chancellor for
Advancement John Martin, "Credit for the
success of the Campaign to date belongs
to the fundraising staffs at all of our insti-
tutions and to the tens of thousands of
donors who have recognized the impor-
tance of private support for Maryland's
public universities."

New Data Journal Available

Want to know the graduation rates for
students at USM institu-
tions? How about
enrollment projections
for the next decade or
room and board charges
over the last decade? All
this and much more can
be found in the just-
updated USM Data
Journal available on USM's web site at:
<www. usmh . usmd . edu/data>. The Data
Journal includes information for tlic acade-
mic year 1997-1998 on students, degrees,
employees and other interesting statistics
such as enrollment projections, graduation
and retention rates, and contract and grant
awards.

At Your Convenience: Computer^Based Training Has Arrived

Because of rapid growth m all areas of
information technology and the deploy-
ment of new software, most organizations,
including the university, are finding the
need for their employees to "re-skill" at an
accelerated rate. End-users are confronted
with new systems and programs while
their current system has not yet been mas-
tered.

With the implementation phase of the
Business Process Redesign (BPR) Project
underway, for example, during the next
several years new electronic forms and
application software will be implemented
to support university business processes
(personnel, payroll, budgeting, financial
accounting, purchasing, accounts payable,
equipment inventory and travel).
"Employees will learn how to initiate
nearly aU business transactions using
dieir desktop computers," says Julie
Phelps, the campus' comptroller.
"Paper forms will begin to dis-
appear, and our current cum-
bersome, time-consuming
manual procedures will be
replaced by streamlined
electronic processes." It is important aU
employees possess basic, but updated,
computer skills, making work more inter-
esting and employees more productive.

The campus rccendy completed a pilot
program testing the viability of computer-
based training (CRT) On this campus. As a
result, the campus is beginning to imple-
ment several CBT solutions for faculty and
staff.

CBT can be distributed through CD-
ROMs or installed on a computer desktop,
says Marvin Pyles, assistant director for
organizational development and training
in the Personnel Services department.
"You can go to a lab to take a class or stay
in your office and go at your own pace,"
says Pyles. CBT also can be accessed via

the Internet or through the campus
intranet. 'That's the beauty of CBT," says
Pyles, "It's there at your convenience,"
Eventually the campus will pursue
each of these alternatives in one way or
another. The campus also will offer
more hands-on training sessions
in the areas most important to
computer literacy.

Already, the campus is
moving forward with a
Faculty and St:tff
Computer Training
Facility, the Patapsco Training Facility,
located in room 2107 of the Patapsco
Building, scheduled for a March 1 open-
ing. The facility will have designated walk-
in hours where feculty and staff can
access CBT and experienced staff will
be on hand to assist.

The first phase of implementation
is the distribution of a
CD-ROM which has
25 computer-based train-
ing courses on it. The
CD-ROM courses cover
Microsoft products such
as Windows 95 and 98, and
the Microsoft Office 97 suite of Word,
Excel, Access, PowerPoint, Outiook and
Frontl^ge. It also includes an introduction
to basic Internet skills, and training on
Netscape Communicator and Microsoft
Explorer. All of this is available to campus
departments for $20,

"Twenty dollars buys an unlimited num-
ber of uses, for an imlimited number of
employees in the department," says Pyles.
"Departments can't beat tliat for economy
of scale. "

Departments may order as many copies
as needed, Wlien received, the department
is responsible for managing the distribu-
tion and use of the training programs
within their imits, IT suppon for these

software programs can be provided by
local IT personnel, or the campus help
desks. The distribution of the CD-ROMs
wiU be managed by the Office of
Information Technology, Software
Licensing Office.

CBT also aUows the campus to
stay current with software rel-
evant to campus use, as
well as to track and mea-
sure employee results.
Future plans include the
opening of a computer lab
for faculty and staff modeled
after the student WAM labs. Odier CBT
products also will be deployed, such as
professional skills courses. CBT will not
replace instructor-led training, but
enhance its effectiveness and supplement
the delivery of skill development training
and information.

As a follow-up to CBT, more classroom-
based training opportunities will be
offered to feculty and staff. Current sched-
ule and registration information can be
found at <inform.umd.edu/ShortCourse5>,

To order a CD-ROM including training
products, fax an Internal Service Request
to the alTs Software Licensing Office at
314-9220. More information about the
programs and how to order them can be
found through their web page at
<//inform . umd. edu/Software-Licensiiig> .
For more information about computer-
based training products and
opportunities, please contaa Marvin Pyles
in the Personnel Services Department at
405-5651,

I

lieromft Donations
[id Computer fl
7ience Department

The computer science
department received two sep-
arate donations from the
Microsoft Corpotadon.Thc
first gift is a donation of 20:
PC's to the department to
establish a Wmdows NT
Computer Science
Instructional Laboratory. In
addition, Microsoft provldi
substantial software including
20 licenses each for Microsoft
Windows NT 4.0. Microsoft
Visual Studio 7.0 Professional
Edition, Office 97 Professional
Edition and MSDN
Professional Subscription.

John Gannon, chair of the
department, has accepted the
Microsoft gift and is in discus-
sions with officials to identify
space to house the
Instructional Laboratory.

The department also
received a donation of
$15,000 from Microsoft to
support its high school pro-
gramming contest. This highly
successful outreach program,
begun in 1990, has been
instnmiental in attracting the
very best students to the
computer science program.
Twenty-five teams of liigh
school students from schools
in the Maryland, Virginia and
Washington. D. C, areas will
meet on Saturday, March 13,
to compete against one
another to solve a set of prob-
lems proposed by the com-
puter science faculty.

With the help of the
Microsoft gift, the first prize
will be $4,000, the second
prize of $2,500 is being
offered by tiic EDS
Corporation, and the third
prize will be $1,500. Because
of the size of the gift from
Microsoft there will be other
cash prizes offered to the
schools who finish below
third place.

Over the years, the popu!a^
ity of the contest has
increased significantly. This
year the department has 25
teams participating with 25
teams on the waitlist, a few of
which are In other states.
Other sponsors of the contest
inchide the Computer
Sciences Corporation, CDSi,
Inc., the Institute for Advanced
Computer Sciences (UML\CS),
Academic Information
Technology Services (alTs)
and the Graduate School of
Management andTeclinology
of University CoUege.The EDS
Corporation has provided a
$2,000 education scholarship
for a participant of the compe-
tition who meets the academ-
ic criteria for the computer
science curriculum.

I
I

8 Outlook FebruoT)- 9, 1999

Teaching with Technology

The Center forTeaching
Excellence and the Office of
hifbrmation Technology/Academic
Information Technolc^ Services are
sponsoring a Teacliing with
Technology Conference, Friday,April
30. Faculty are invited to submit pro-
posals for presentations, poster ses-
sions or panel discussions on topics
involving their uses of technology to
enhance or transform teachii^ and
learning on campus.

Details and on-line proposal appli-
cation are available at: <www. inform.
umd.edu/TWT>.XieadIine for propos-
als is Friday, Feb. 26. Contact the
conference coordinator at
dml6@uinail.

imid.edu if you have further ques-
tions.

Engineering Women

The university's Wonnen in
Engineering Program is offering two
one-week residential summer pro-
grams for 60 high school women
interested in math, science and engi-
neering. Participants will be exposed
to multiple options within the field
of engineering while experiencing
campus life for the week.

Students also will have the oppor-
tunity to participate in laboratory
work, field trips, team design projects
and meetings with professional
female en^eers. Applicants current-
ly must be enrolled in 10th or 11th
grade. The application deadline is
April 15.

To request a brochure/application,
please forward your name and
address to Kris Fretz by e-mailing:
kftetz®

wam.umd.edu or calling 405-3283.
This program is supported by the
Engineering Information Foundation,
the Maryland Space Grant
Consortium and the University of
Maryland,

Instant Instruction

Need help finding the electronic
and print resources you need? The
Arehitecture Library Spring Series of
Instant Instruction Workshops, "Drop-
In Demos," are being held on Tuesday
and Wednesday evenings, from 6 to 7
p.m., throughout the month of
February on the Architecture Library
Mezzanine. Leam how to find the
designs, pictures, photos and plans
you need.

Bring your topic/assignment with
you; staff will work with you to

choose and use the best resources
for your answers. For more informa-
tion, please contact Jean McEvoy at
405-9260 (jml 27@umaU.umd.edu), or
Anita Carrico at 405-6316
CacllO®uraail.
umd.edu).

KEYS to Science

Sunday, March 7, the university's
Society of Women Engineers (SWE)
Student Chapter invites girls ages 1 1-
13 to participate in innovative work-
shops, hands-on lab activities and to
interact with supportive role models.
The goal is to help girls who are

Outstanding Woman

The President's Commission on
Women's Issues is scekmg nomina-
tions for the 1999 Outstanding
Woman of the Year Award. The
Commission would like to consider
as many women as possible.

For a nomination form, contact
Janet TumbuU at 405^945.
Nominations are due March 1 for
presentation of the award on March
29.

Expressive Arts

Tlie Arts Academy, College of Arts
and Humanities, is offering a series of
workshops in computer graphics,
drawing and poetry writing as fol-
lows:

Intermediate Photoshop:
Saturday March 20,9:30 a.m.-3:30
p.m.

Intermediate Advanced
Photoshop: Saturday, March 27, 9:30
a.m. -3:30 p.m.

Beginning/ 1 n term ediate
Quark Xpress: Saturday, April 10,
9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Inter medi ate/Advanced

International CofFee Hour

Every Wednesday from 3-^:30 pm, in die base-
ment of Dorchester Hall, the Office of International
Education Services is hosting an informal social
gathering for students, faculty members and admin-
istrators who have an interest in international stu-
dents. For more information, please contact Samson
Kebede at 314-7742 or skebede@deans.umd.cdu.

SS

.c

excited about science and technolo-
gy at such a youti^ age choose sci-
ence and engineering tracks in high
school and beyond.

The event takes place from 9 a.m.
to 4 p.m. at the University of
Maryland. Due to the popularity of
the program, students will be select-
ed on a first-come, first-served basis.

For more information, please drop
by the Women in Engineering office
(1 106 Engineering Classroom
Building) or contact Tao Peng at 405-
0315 or tpeng@deans.umd.edu.

Information Forums

The Undergraduate Research
Associate Program (URAP)
announces two information forums
to be held T\iesday, Feb. 9, from
12:15-1:15 p.m. in the Maryland
Room, Marie Mount Hall, and
Wednesday, Feb. 10, from noon-1 p.m.
In Room 1213 Art/Sociology building.
Faculty are asked to armounce these
forums to their students so they can
find out more about how to get
involved in undergraduate research.
Students and faculty members who
have participated In the URAP pro-
gram will discuss their experiences.

For more information, contact
Maryam Chinisaz at 405-9342 or
mchinisa@deans.umd.edu

Quark Xpress: Saturday, April 17,
9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

TYiition for one-day workshops is
$100 per workshop, Tvith a 10 per-
cent discount for three or more, $80
per workshop for registered stu-
dents.

Computer Imaging and the
Intemet:Thursdays, March 29-April
19, 6-9 p.m., $280.

Drawing from the Figute:
Wednesdays, March 31 -May 5, 6:30-
9:30 p.m., $150.

Poetry Writing and
Appreciation for Children:
Saturdays, April 10-May 1, 10 a.m.-
noon, $70.

Early registration is recommended
as enrollment for workshops is limit-
ed. For a brochure with complete
information and a registration form,
call 405 0111.

USM FaciJty Development
Fund

The University System of Maryland
Faculty Development Fund has made
$15,000 available to support projects
addressing the development of dis-
tance education courses, fciculty
expertise in the use of current educa-
tional technology, web-based instruc-
tion or tutorial programs.

Application forms may be request-
ed from the Office of the Associate
Provost for Faculty Aflairs, 1119 Main

Administration Building. Proposals
should be submitted, by March 26,
to DrT.J. Bryan, USM Headquarters,
3300 Metzerott Rd.,Adelphi,MD
20783.

Latina Scholars Lecture Series

The Women's Studies department
is conducting a search for a Latina
scholar. The candidates will be giv-
ing public lectures during their visit
to campus. Faculty, staff and students
are invited to attend these lecture
series, all of which take place on
Wednesday afternoon, at 4: 1 5 p.m.in
the Women's Studies conference
room (2101RWoods Hall).The fol-
lowing are the remainli^ candidates
who are speaking this month:
Feb. 10

Momca Russel y Rodrigues, who is
an anthropologist by backgroimd.
This year she is a visiting scholar at
Duke and University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her work
looks at questions of sexuality, nation-
alism, race and gender. She will be
speaking on"'Entre Nosottas...':
Subversive Battles for Alternative
Latina Womanhood."
Feb. 17

linda Buckley Green, assistant prc>-
fessor, anthropology and internation-
al and public aflairs, Columbia
University. Her work focuses on
Mayan women of Guatemala, and
how violence has marked their lives.
The title of her lecture is "Collective
Dignity and Mutual Betrayal: The
Complexities of Violence for Ma^n
Widows in Rural Guatemala."
Feb. 24

Jane Juffer, who recently received
her Ph.D. in Latina/o literature,
department of English, University of
Ulmois at Urbana-Champaign. Her dis-
sertation and current work focuses
on Chicana women's writings. Her
talk is titled "Locating La Virgen and
La Malinche: Latinas, Sexuality and
Everyday Life."

For more information, please call
the Women's Studies department at
405-6877.

Commuter Service Award

Nominations and applications are
being sought for the 1999 Michelle
Angyelof Award for Outstanding
Service to Commuter Students. This
award recognizes an undergraduate
or graduate student who has made
significant contributions to the quali-
ty of life for commuter students dur-
ing the 1998-1999 academic year.
Contributions can include, but are
not limited to, advocacy for com-
muter interests and
programs, encouragement of com-
muter student involvement, and
addressing issues of security and
transportation.

To nominate a student or to
receive an application form, please
contact Haley J.Wliitlock at 314-7250
or hwhitloc® accmail .umd.edu. The
nomination deadline is Feb. 1 5; the
application deadline is March 8.