April 6, 2006

Vol. 16, No. 37

The "8 1/2 x 11 News" is published each week by the University Advancement Division. News of campus interest should be sent to one of the following editors:   Ed Delaney, 412-268-1609 (ed47@andrew.cmu.edu)
  Bruce Gerson, 412-268-1613 (bg02@andrew.cmu.edu)
  Susan Cribbs, 412-268-7521 (cribbs@andrew.cmu.edu)

The newsletter is available on the official.cmu-news and cmu.misc.news bulletin boards.

2001 Editions are available online.

2002 Editions are available online.

2003 Editions are available online.

2004 Editions are available online.

2005 Editions are available online.

Previous editions are available online.

Following a national search, the university has named Jennifer Church dean of Student Affairs. Church, who has served as interim dean since June 2005, succeeds Michael Murphy, who was promoted to associate vice president of the university last summer. "After an extensive search, we've come to find what most of us assumed, that Jennifer Church was the best candidate for the job," said Vice President for Enrollment William Elliott. Further information: http://www.cmu.edu/PR/releases06/060403_church.html/.

ENGINEERING, BUSINESS RATED AMONG BEST GRAD PROGRAMS

Carnegie Mellon's graduate programs in engineering and business continue to be ranked among the nation's best, according to U.S. News & World Report magazine. Both programs moved up one spot in the publication's 2007 graduate program rankings. Carnegie Institute of Technology (CIT) was recognized as the eighth best program in the country. Five of CIT's graduate programs placed in the top 10, including Computer Engineering (3rd), Electrical Engineering (7th), Environmental Engineering (7th), Civil Engineering (10th) and Mechanical Engineering (10th).

—In the 2007 rankings of MBA programs, the Tepper School of Business moved up a notch to 16th with Cornell's Johnson School. Tepper's strengths in the specialty areas of Information Systems (2nd), Production and Operations Management (3rd) and Supply Chain and Logistics Management (5th) were recognized as well.

—Further information: http://www.cmu.edu/cmnews/extra/060331_gradrating.html/.

CELEBRATION OF TEACHING SCHEDULED FOR APRIL 27

Design Professor Mark Mentzer, winner of this year's Ryan Teaching Award, will be honored along with college and school teaching award winners during "A Celebration of Teaching at Carnegie Mellon" at 4:30 p.m., Thursday, April 27 in Rangos Hall, University Center (UC). College teaching award winners to be recognized are Tsuhan Chen (CIT), Charlee Brodsky (CFA), Scott Sandage (H&SS), Lowell Taylor and Ramayya Krishnan (Heinz), Gordon Rule and Peter Berget (MCS), Gregory Kesden (SCS) and Javier Pena and Sunder Kekre (Tepper). This year's award ceremony will feature keynote speaker Michael Pritchard, co-director of the Center for Ethics in Society at Western Michigan University. His talk is entitled "Teaching Ethics in Higher Education."

DEMOLITION TO MAKE ROOM FOR NEW GATES CENTER BEGINS APRIL 15

To prepare for the new Gates Center for Computer Science, four existing structures will be razed: the Planetary Robotics Building, the Campus Printing and Publications Building, the Row Garages and the Old Student Center. Demolition of the Planetary Robotics Building is expected to take place between April 15 and April 30; the Campus Printing and Publications Building and Row Garages will be taken down between May 1 and June 1, and the Old Student Center will be demolished between June 1 and August 1. Existing utilities will be relocated beginning June 1. The demolition projects will impact 163 campus parking spaces. Permit holders in affected lots will be offered alternative campus parking.

NEWS BRIEFS

—Carnegie Mellon will celebrate Administrative Professionals Day with a luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 1:45 p.m., Wednesday, April 26 in Rangos Hall, UC. KDKA-TV's Dave Crawley will be the keynote speaker. Also speaking will be Carnegie Mellon Vice President and CFO Deborah Moon and Associate Vice President for Human Resources Barbara Smith. The cost is $19.50 per person. To learn more or to register your group, visit http://hr.web.cmu.edu/ap-day/index.html. When registering employees, indicate the name and food choice of each person. Individuals can register themselves as long as an oracle string is provided. Direct questions and comments to Robin Monroe at ldhelp@andrew.cmu.edu.

—Faculty, staff and students are invited to the "Grand Re-Opening of the Carnegie Mellon Advising and Resource Center" (CMARC), 3 - 5 p.m., Friday, April 21. CMARC is located at A64 Cyert Hall (formerly the Computer Store).

—In connection with the Gates Center project, the university's Emergency Medical Services (EMS) has moved to Room BB2 of Doherty Apartments B Tower. Persons needing entry into the new office should dial the number indicated on the phone next to the main door of Doherty Apartments B Tower. However, persons having a medical emergency should contact University Police at 412-268-2323. Further information: http://www.cmuems.org/

—Registration has begun for this year's Take Our Daughters & Sons to Work event on April 27. The theme is "Shaping the Future." Register online at: http://www.andrew.cmu.edu/org/todtw/ by April 14. There is a special lunch program by Radio Disney and tickets are $3 at the UC Information Desk.

—For three weekends in April, Carnegie Mellon students will join their peers from the University of Pittsburgh and representatives from the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy and the City of Pittsburgh's Department of Public Works to help prevent erosion on the Panther Hollow slopes. The Schenley Park Restoration Initiative, scheduled for 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on April 8, 22 and 29, aims to ecologically and culturally revitalize the 80-acre Panther Hollow watershed. Volunteer teams will plant native Western Pennsylvania foliage that will protect Panther Hollow's slopes against erosion. Members of the campus community interested in volunteering this Saturday, April 8, should report to the Schenley Park Visitor Center at 9 a.m. for a light breakfast and opening remarks. Volunteers need not pre-register.

PERSONAL MENTION

—Professor Lawrence Carra of the School of Drama, who retired from the university in 1977, died March 30 at the age of 97. An obituary is posted at http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06092/678851-122.stm/.

—Distinguished Professor of Engineering and Public Policy and Electrical and Computer Engineering Alex Hills has completed an appointment as Erskine Fellow at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand. He spent January, February and March in New Zealand, where he taught courses based on his wireless work.

—The Division of Student Affairs has announced the selection of Andy Butler, an economics major and professional writing minor in the Science and Humanities Scholar program, as this year's Student Commencement Speaker. His speech is entitled "Forward."

—Michael Ransom has joined Carnegie Mellon's Corporate Relations team as associate director. His primary responsibilities will be to cultivate and develop comprehensive relationships with leading corporations with a focus on the College of Engineering. He previously was associate director of corporate and foundation relations at the University of Illinois and has more than 10 years of experience in university and corporate settings.

—Gil Taran and Mel Rosso-Llopart, faculty members in the Institute of Software Research International, traveled to Kazakhstan during spring break to conduct the first software engineering seminars there by a leading U.S. school. The visit was arranged by Carnegie Mellon alumnus Kanat Abirov (MSE '04) who works in the country's leading bank. Further information: http://www.cmu.edu/cmnews/extra/060405_kazakh.html/.

CALENDAR HIGHLIGHTS

—Thursday, April 6: Susan Polansky, teaching professor of Hispanic Studies, will deliver one of the University Lecture Series' "Last Lectures" at 4:30 p.m., Adamson Wing. Her talk is entitled "Lessons from Chocolate."

—Monday, April 10: Carnegie Mellon's annual Buhl Lecture, "Brighter Than a Quadrillion Suns: Photon Science in the 21st Century," Keith Hodgson, Stanford University. 4:30 p.m., Mellon Institute Auditorium. Free and open to the public. Followed by 5:30 p.m. reception. Information: http://www.cmu.edu/PR/releases06/060330_buhl.html/

—Monday, April 10: The Humanities Center at Carnegie Mellon will host the Pittsburgh premier of "Still Alive," a documentary directed by Polish filmmaker Maria Zmarz-Koczanowicz, at 7 p.m., in the Adamson Wing of Baker Hall. Further information: http://www.cmu.edu/PR/releases06/060330_polish.html/

—Thursday, April 13: Lecture. "From Avian Influenza to Global Internet Freedom." U.S. Under-Secretary of State Paula Dobriansky. 11 a.m., Rangos 3, UC. The lecture is open to the campus community.

—Friday, April 14: Mechanical Engineering Seminar. "Linking Mechanics to Biochemistry to Investigate Molecular and Cellular Behavior." Philip LeDuc, assistant professor, Mechanical Engineering. 10:30 - 11:30 a.m., Scaife Hall, 125.

—Tuesday, April 18: The School of Art will host a lecture by Krzysztof Wodiczko, the 21st Robert Lepper Distinguished Lecturer in Creative Inquiry. 6 p.m., McConomy Auditorium, UC. Wodiczko, an artist, philosopher and visionary, leads the Interrogative Design Group at MIT's Center for Advanced Visual Studies. Further information: http://www.cmu.edu/PR/releases06/060327_lepper.html/.

—April 27 - May 6: The School of Drama has announced the production of Shakespeare's "As You Like It," at the Philip Chosky Theater. Tickets are $22 - $25 with discounts for students, seniors and Carnegie Mellon faculty and staff. See http://www.cmu.edu/PR/releases06/060403_asyoulikeit.html/.

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