East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania’s office of Residence life was the top fundraising team in this year’s Greater Pocono 24-hour “Relay for Life,” which was hosted at ESU’s Eiler-Martin Stadium on Saturday, June 11.

ESU’s Office of Residence Life has had a staff team in the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life since its beginning in Monroe County over 25 years ago. This year the team brought in approximately $20,700. Bob Moses, director of Residence Life, was the top fundraiser in the relay with $9,160 in donations. Kelly Weaber, residence director of Hawthorn Suites, was the second highest bringing in a total of $4,018.

“We will continue to relay until, hopefully, one day we will no longer need to…until a cure for cancer is discovered,” Moses said. This year, $108,000 was raised in total at the event. Money raised will support cancer research, education, advocacy and service to cancer patients. This year’s theme “Give Cancer the Boot,” had participants dress up in western wear.

“The university has been so great to the American Cancer Society and our community,” Lisa Hoey, American Cancer Society representative, said.

Pictured from left to right are members of the Residence Life team: Luke Ackerman, Allison White, Melissa Andreas, Kelly Weaber, Bob Moses, Patrick Monaghan, Rachel DiStefano, Cathy Gamez, Matthew Simmons, and Derek Hess.

Members of the Sterling Strauser Gallery Committee at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania have announced the acquisition of “Jill on her Tricycle,” a rare, large-scale painting of the artist’s daughter by the late acclaimed, self-taught artist Sterling Boyd Strauser (1907-1995). This most recent acquisition is significant for a number of reasons from a historical and artistic perspective. Of the thousands of paintings created by Strauser in his lifetime, there were only a few, like “Jill on her Tricycle” that he signed with his full name. The oil on Masonite painting (48” X 36”) is also featured in a catalog of Strauser’s work that was published on the occasion of the presentation of Sterling Strauser, A Modernist Revisited at the Reading Public Museum in Reading, Pa., in November 1999.

According to the former Director and CEO of the Reading Public Museum, Dr. Robert Metzger, a key period of Strauser’s work was between 1920 and 1950, between the two World Wars. “Jill on her Tricycle” was painted in 1940. “It was in these years that Sterling Strauser emerged and matured with an art that celebrated America’s transition from aesthetic follower to international leader of the art world.”

“‘Jill on her Tricycle’ will now take its rightful place in ESU’s collection alongside other significant works of Strauser including ‘Grandparents’(1940), and ‘Creveling Homestead: Landscape with House,’(1926),” said Robert Moses, director of residence life and housing at ESU and chair of the Sterling Strauser Gallery Committee. “Sterling’s work offers us a look back in time to a different Pocono region, and those who have the opportunity to see his work have a deep appreciation and fondness for its depiction of life in and around East Stroudsburg. We are very fortunate to bring this collection to the students at ESU and the community-at-large.”

Funding of this acquisition was generated from the proceeds of a series of Strauser events held at ESU’s Innovation Center from 2012 to 2015. Plans are underway for another such event, that will feature “Jill on her Tricycle” and other Strauser works, to supplement the Gallery’s funds in order to address future needs of the collection. The Sterling Strauser Gallery Committee is partnering with the Pocono Arts Council to raffle off one of two Strauser paintings donated to the Gallery by Mr. Moses. The intent is to sell 100 raffle tickets at $50 each in order to help preserve the Stauser collection at ESU. The raffle is expected to end in the fall of 2016. Both of the paintings to be raffled will be on display at the Pocono Arts Council offices until all of the tickets have been purchased. To buy a raffle ticket and take your chance to own the work of Sterling Strauser, contact the Pocono Arts Council at (570) 476-4460 or stop by their offices at 18 North Seventh Street, Stroudsburg, Pa.

Sterling Boyd Strauser (1907 – 1995), whose German name means “one who binds the flowers,” was born in Bloomsburg, Pa. in 1907, and later moved to East Stroudsburg, Pa., with his wife, Dorothy. Sterling and Dorothy were quick to influence the arts throughout the Pocono Region, both as well-known collectors and promoters of folk and outsider art.

The Sterling Strauser Gallery at ESU opened in May 2012 and is located on the third floor of the university’s Innovation Center, and features the works of Strauser, who lived and painted in East Stroudsburg from 1928 to 1995. The Gallery’s initial collection was made possible thanks to a generous donation of 114 of Strauser’s paintings by Grey and Linda Carters, philanthropists and ardent art dealers. In 1964, after meeting Sterling Strauser, Grey Carter began buying and selling works of art to meet his desire to acquire an art collection. His gift to ESU was intended to honor his longtime friend.

Strauser’s art is also included in the permanent collections of the American Museum in Bath, England; the Allentown Art Museum, Allentown, Pa.; Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pa.; Everhart Museum, Scranton, Pa.; Cheekwood Museum and Vanderbilt University, both in Nashville, Tenn.; Maier Museum of Art, Lynchburg, Va.; and numerous private and corporate collections.

For more information on the Sterling Strauser collection at ESU visit: esu.edu/strauser.

East Stroudsburg University Associate Professor and Chair of Art Joni Oye-Benintende of Stroudsburg was among those who earned honors during the “Art of the State: Pennsylvania 2016” juried exhibition presented by The State Museum of Pennsylvania in Harrisburg.

The exhibit showcases the talent, creativity and diversity of the state’s established and emerging artists. First, second, third and honorable mention prizes were awarded for submissions in painting, photography, sculpture, craft and work on paper. The William D. Davis Memorial Award for Drawing and The State Museum of Pennsylvania Purchase Award were also selected.

The winners were chosen from 123 works selected from more than 1,700 submissions. Oye-Benintende’s submission, “Ancient Scribe,” received third place in the sculpture category.

The 49th annual exhibit, sponsored by The State Museum and Jump Street, runs through September 11 and includes works by 117 artists from 34 counties. Jump Street is a Harrisburg-based non-profit organization dedicated to developing educational and economic opportunities with the arts for all age groups.

The State Museum of Pennsylvania, adjacent to the State Capitol in Harrisburg, is one of 24 historic sites and museums administered by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission as part of the Pennsylvania Trails of History®. The State Museum offers expansive collections interpreting Pennsylvania’s fascinating heritage.

A full gallery of Art of the State images is available at www.flickr.com/photos/patrailsofhistory. For more information about this exhibit contact Howard Pollman at 717-705-8639. You may also visit The State Museum online at www.statemuseumpa.org.

Thousands of kids growing up in Pennsylvania have a skill that can be a great advantage when they hit the job market: they are bilingual.

With the Hispanic population of the United States reaching 55 million people in 2014, including 38.4 million who grew up in Spanish-speaking homes, there is high demand across a wide spectrum of careers for employees who can act as interpreters and translators, and provide on-site expertise in Spanish language and culture.

That was brought home to 25 teens from schools in Allentown, Lancaster, Norristown and Harrisburg last month when they attended a camp at East Stroudsburg University called Spanish at Work. Of those teens, 11 were bilingual while others planned to study Spanish in high school.

The four-day camp was the brainchild of Jeff Ruth, Ph.D., professor and chair of modern languages at ESU, and two ESU alumni – Lorraine Angulo M’08 and Leo Teixeira ’03 M’05, both Spanish teachers who have taught classes at the university. The organizers sought to give the teens exposure to numerous careers where skills in English and Spanish are important.

The students heard from bilingual medical professionals, restaurant owners, Peace Corps alumni, a lawyer and courthouse workers, educators and a United Nations interpreter, all of whom use Spanish and English in their work. The last day, the teens spoke with ESU staff and others about college and how to make it affordable.

“It’s really important to help middle school and high school students understand that with the language experience they have in their family, they are sitting on capital,” Ruth said. “A lot of students don’t know that and it’s really empowering for them to come for an experience like this.”

Yet, some bilingual students downplay their Spanish skills because of the push to assimilate, Angulo said. “We wanted them to see in the real world how they can use their Spanish.”

“Many of those kids have already worked as an interpreter or translator at some point with their parents or grandparents,” Teixeira said.

Participants in the Spanish at Work camp had just completed eighth grade, and whether they were bilingual or being exposed to Spanish for the first time, they learned about the value of studying Spanish in high school and beyond.

“For college students nationwide who have a double major, a language is by far the most common second major,” Ruth said.

The teens stayed at Shawnee residence hall with chaperones from their schools and their days were packed with field trips and activities. At Pocono Medical Center, the students heard from medical professionals who use Spanish with immigrant patients and their families. The campers had lunch at Parchè 570, a restaurant in East Stroudsburg where they ate authentic Colombian cuisine and spoke to the three restaurant owners who are all bilingual and ESU alumni — Steve Barrientos, Yony Liriano and Josue Vasquez.

That day they also heard from Peace Corps alumna Letitia Lladoc, an adjunct professor at Northampton Community College in English as a Second Language and via Skype from Michelle Leip, who is working as a teacher trainer in the Peace Corps in Costa Rica.

Also that day, the students went to the Monroe County Courthouse and met several bilingual employees and attorney Maria Candelaria, who told them how busy she is, thanks in part to her ability to speak both Spanish and English.

One day they took an ESU bus to the United Nations in New York City and talked with a translator before visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Each evening, the students and their chaperones watched inspirational movies, such as “Stand and Deliver” based on a true story of a Los Angeles math teacher who demands a lot of his largely Hispanic students. The students got a chance to use ESU facilities including the gym and computer lab as well as to swim, play games, have a pizza party and help cook a Spanish meal.

The final day, the students heard from three bilingual ESU alumni — Deanna Repollet, business development manager for Major League Soccer Team Sporting Kansas City, Israel Marmolejos, principal at Great Meadows Middle School in Great Meadows, N.J. and Teixeira’s wife, Martha Vazquez Teixeira, an eighth grade Spanish teacher, all of whom told their own inspirational stories. The teens also spoke with Fernando Perez, Ed.D., associate professor and tutoring coordinator at ESU.

The camp – which was free to the teens – was made possible by a $15,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Education through a program called GEAR UP, which stands for Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs. The program is aimed at encouraging at-risk students to set their sights on college and help them prepare. ESU provided $15,000 in matching funds.

Margy Gallagher, who is a GEAR UP counselor with the Allentown School District and chaperoned six students from there, said the camp really showed the kids what an advantage it is to be bilingual and to pursue higher education. All the while, the organizers wove in lots of fun activities each day.

“It was amazing,” Gallagher said. “I honestly couldn’t say enough good things about it.”

“A lot of the students come from families where they might be the first to graduate from high school,” she said. “They didn’t understand that the ability to speak Spanish would be connected to jobs.”

Organizers Teixeira and Angulo could relate to the native Spanish speakers and non-native speakers because of their own backgrounds.

Angulo grew up speaking only English but took Spanish in school and earned her master’s degree in Spanish from ESU in 2008. She has taught Spanish at Pocono Mountain School District and works periodically as an adjunct professor at ESU.

Teixeira, who teaches Spanish at Hackettstown High School, grew up in Brazil speaking Portuguese, and learned Spanish after arriving in the United States at age 23. He received his bachelor’s degree in biology and marine science from ESU before getting his master’s in instructional technology with a focus on a second language.

Teixeira, Angulo and Ruth hope to repeat the program next year.

Gallagher said the organizers should be encouraged by the rave reviews she heard from her Allentown students.

The day they went to New York, she asked her group what they liked best. Their answer? “Everything!”

Thanks to continued cost-saving efforts by East Stroudsburg University and the 13 other universities within Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education, combined with increased investment by the Commonwealth, the State System Board of Governors approved the smallest tuition increase in more than a decade. The 2.5 percent tuition increase for the 2016-2017 academic year amounts to just $89 per semester.

With a base tuition rate for most full-time Pennsylvania residents—who comprise about 90 percent of all State System students—at $3,619 per semester, or $7,238 for the full year, the State System universities remain the lowest-cost option among all four-year colleges and universities in the state.

The 14 State System universities have eliminated nearly $300 million in expenditures from their combined operating budgets over the last decade in order to balance their budgets and to help hold down student costs. The Commonwealth, meanwhile, has boosted funding to the State System by about $31.5 million over the last two years, after seven straight years of flat or reduced general fund appropriations.

“The universities have worked extremely hard to control their day-to-day operating costs, even in the face of enormous fiscal challenges,” said newly elected Board Chair Cynthia D. Shapira. “Many of those challenges remain; but, with the benefit of increased funding from the state again this year, the Board was able to approve a very modest tuition increase for next year.

“We are grateful to the Legislature and Governor Wolf for the increased investment in our students and our universities, and we pledge to make the most of that investment, to help ensure our students have continued access to high-quality, high-value educational experiences that will lead to their future success.”

The recently passed 2016-17 state budget includes about $444.2 million for the State System, up from about $412.8 million in 2014-15. The System received an approximately $20.6 million increase last year and will get an additional $10.8 million this year.

“The funding we receive from the state represents an important investment that benefits not only our students, but also the Commonwealth, where the vast majority of our students reside and where they will remain after graduation to live, work and raise their families,” said Chancellor Frank T. Brogan. “Their success is very much tied to Pennsylvania’s success.”

Even with the consecutive increases in Commonwealth support, the State System will receive about $60 million less from the state this year than it did in 2007-08, just before the onset of the recession that severely impacted both the state and national economies and led to several years of funding cuts to the System.

Nonresident, undergraduate tuition also will increase by 2.5 percent and will range from $10,858 to $18,096 for the 2016-17 academic year. The technology fee will be $448 for full-time resident students, and $682 for full-time nonresidents.

The resident, graduate tuition rate will be $483 per credit, an increase of $13. The nonresident, graduate tuition rate will increase by $20 per credit, to $725.

Nearly one million skilled jobs will need to be filled across Pennsylvania through 2024, with the greatest need in the areas of healthcare, business and finance and computer and mathematical occupations. Significant workforce “gaps” could occur in many of those high-demand fields, meaning there won’t be enough educated workers to fill all of the available positions.

Shortages also could occur in “middle skill” jobs, those that generally require significant education and training beyond high school, but less than a bachelor’s degree—in occupation categories such as maintenance and repair workers, industrial machinery mechanics and computer-controlled machine tool operators.

Those are among the findings of a “gap analysis” study conducted by Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education and unveiled, in part, at a meeting of the State System’s Board of Governors on July 14. Recognizing the economic diversity of the Commonwealth, the analysis was conducted by the State System both at the statewide and regional levels. The statewide findings were released during yesterday’s meeting; regional findings will be available this fall.

Answering the question, “Where are the workforce gaps in Pennsylvania?” the study will help policy makers and educators make key decisions about the types of programs that should be offered in order to best meet the needs of students and their future employers. The information provided by the study also could assist students as they make their college choices.

Calling it a “valuable resource” to higher education and both state and regional policy makers, State System Chancellor Frank T. Brogan said the gap analysis “is only one component of a larger resource base that the State System and universities can use for program development, strategic planning, engagement with businesses and support for current and prospective students.”

“Consonant with the University’s Strategic Plan: Students First, Innovate ESU, the academic departments have been focused on collaboratively shaping their programs to ensure the success of our students after graduation,” said Joanne Z. Bruno, J.D., provost and vice president of academic affairs at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania. “The State System’s workforce report validates the direction our academic programs have taken.”

Bruno went on to cite specific examples of programs at ESU that are addressing the state’s needs and keeping its student successful:

• Nursing has expanded with an RN to BSN program offered in Lehigh Valley at Northampton Community College.
• The business management program continues to attract and graduate significant majors in its accounting, marketing, and management concentrations with the goal of converting each concentration into its own “standalone” degree  program.
• The computer science/computer security program has developed competitions in robotics and apps, and has expanded its internship opportunities leading to positions in software development, programming, and cyber security.
• ESU’s accredited social work  program is helping to address the report’s identified need for social workers and human service professionals.
• Our nationally-accredited education programs are growing through innovative partnerships with local and regional school districts, including affordable continuing professional development programs. The University’s education programs are designed to prepare the next generation of educators with particular emphasis on high-needs fields such as science education, math education, and educational administration at the elementary to secondary levels.
• Art + design has expanded its popular graphic design program, enhanced by state-of-the-art technology, into the 3D product design arena thereby expanding post graduate opportunities for our students in such fields as marketing, sales, and design.

The study is the third piece of a data-driven package designed to help the State System universities increase their impact on Pennsylvania’s economy, both individually and collectively.

The first component, prepared by the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce and released earlier this year, demonstrated the increasing importance of college graduates in the state’s workforce and highlighted the significant role the State System plays in supporting that workforce. The second included a series of reports that commented on the state of the workforce, including industry, jobs and socio-economic indicators for Pennsylvania and its regions.

The final piece provides an analysis of current and future workforce needs and to what extent higher education is meeting those needs. Specifically, the study was designed to project the outlook for skilled jobs, to identify which industries will drive future job growth, and to determine where “gaps” could exist between future job openings and the number of individuals educated to fill those jobs.

The gap analysis evaluated 445 skilled occupations in Pennsylvania to identify occupational categories where employer demand at the state level will exceed what universities are likely to provide through the year 2024. The overall job growth rate for the state during that time is projected at 9.5 percent. The projected growth of skilled jobs is higher than the overall growth rate and that for low-skilled jobs (8.1 percent). Skilled jobs in Pennsylvania are projected to grow by 10.9 percent while those in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and healthcare (STEM-H) are projected to grow by 15.6 percent.

Substantial gaps are projected for registered nurses, accountants and auditors, computer systems analysts, maintenance and repair workers, computer programmers, medical and clinical laboratory technologists, software developers, dental hygienists, sales representatives and market research analysts.

To view all of the reports, go to: http://www.passhe.edu/inside/bog/Pages/Gap-Analysis-Reports.aspx

The Event Management Organization at East Stroudsburg University will host the second annual Corporal Bryon Dickson Memorial Run/Walk on September 10, 2016. Registration for the race the 5k race begins at 8:00 a.m. in the parking lot of Eiler-Martin Stadium at ESU. The race will begin at 9:00 a.m.

Registration is $25 for the race and a t-shirt or $20 for the race only. Refreshments and entertainment will follow the run.

Corporal Bryon Dickson of the Pennsylvania State Police lost his life in a shooting at the Blooming Grove Barracks. Proceeds from the Race will be donated to the Cpl. Bryon K. Dickson Memorial Fund.

For more information contact Matthew Summers at msummers@live.edu.edu.

The East Stroudsburg University chapter of the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA) received the Bronze Award for the 2015-2016 academic year. This award recognizes any chapter that has gone above and beyond expectations. The NSSLHA chapter at ESU has been involved in multiple service projects including work with the community Relay for Life program, Homecoming and a charity fund raiser for Operation Smile, an international organization that provides surgeries for children in third world countries born with a cleft palate. The chapter also advocates to raise awareness for speech, language and hearing disorders.

Ann Millett, assistant professor of communication sciences and disorders (formerly speech-language pathology), is the chapter adviser. The NSSLHA chapter at ESU is made up of students majoring communication sciences and disorders.

For more information about the ESU chapter of NSSLHA or the communication sciences and disorders program, please contact Millett at 570-422-3304 or Elaine Shuey, Ph.D., professor and chair of the communication sciences department at 570-422-3681.

East Stroudsburg University’s Office of Workforce Development was awarded $318,603 for fiscal year 2016-17 to support workforce training though the Workforce and Economic Development Network of Pennsylvania (WEDnetPA). Funding for WEDnetPA is provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED).

The WEDnetPA program provides qualified companies with funds to train their employees in Essential Skills up to $450 per eligible employee and in Advanced Technology Skills up to $850 per eligible employee. Companies may qualify for a total of $75,000 for Essential Skills Training and $50,000 for Advanced Technology Training. Popular industry sectors utilizing WENnetPA funding include advanced manufacturing, information technology, life sciences, healthcare, and environmental companies.

The WednetPA eligibility requirements include:

• Employers must be located in Pennsylvania or have a significant presence in the state.
• Employees must earn at least 150% of current federal minimum wage, excluding benefits.
• Trainees must be permanent full-time employees and eligible for full-time benefits.
• Participation is limited to two years in a row and three out of the past five years.

Note: Point-of-sale retail businesses, gaming establishments, training vendors, employment agencies, government agencies, government-owned facilities, education and nonprofit entities are ineligible

The WEDnetPA is a collaborative partnership of community colleges and State System universities working together in response to the needs of Pennsylvania-based companies. Sharone Glasco, ESU director of workforce development, said, “Ongoing training for new and existing employees enhances workers’ skills and strengthens the Commonwealth’s business environment and global competitive advantage.”

ESU is a certified WEDnetPA partner authorized to apply for funding on a company’s behalf. To find out if your company is eligible visit www.wednetpa.com.

For additional information and to apply, contact Glasco at 570-422-7952 or sglasco@esu.edu.

Robert Ackerman, Ph.D., professor of speech-language pathology at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania, was awarded the prestigious “Friendship Award” from Shenyang Normal University in Shenyang, China. The award is given to a person or group who demonstrates outstanding and long-term commitment to the values and mission of the university.

At the recommendation of an ESU colleague, Dr. Ackerman and his wife, Gretchen, chose SNU to spend a semester teaching English in 1999. Since that time, Ackerman, Gretchen, and their four children have built a relationship with the school, returning often over the years.

“While we were teaching English there our children were learning Chinese,” Ackerman said. “My children have also gone on to teach at the university as well,” he said noting the importance the school has to his family.

As SNU celebrated its 65th anniversary on May 21, 2016, Ackerman and his family were invited to attend a week of festivities, which included an international conference. During this time he was presented the Friendship Award. The award recognizes Ackerman and his family for exceptional and valuable service to the university and its students over a long period of time, and for important cultural exchange and international relationship between SNU and ESU.

The partnership with SNU began in 1998 with friendly correspondence, and became a formal partnership with student exchanges in 2006. Since that time 72 ESU students have studied at SNU, and ESU has hosted eight visiting scholars. Two ESU students will travel to SNU to study for the fall 2016 semester. SNU was the first of five Chinese universities to partner with ESU.

For more information about international programs at ESU, contact Steve Ives at 570-422-3527.

Harrisburg – Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education continues to bargain in good faith with the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties (APSCUF), the union that represents faculty at the 14 state-owned universities. The two sides have met 18 times since negotiations began last year, with the latest session concluding this afternoon. (Details regarding today’s session can be found at www.passhe.edu/apscuf.)

“We have remarkable faculty members—men and women who regularly contribute to the success of our students,” said State System spokesman Kenn Marshall. “Despite the claims by APSCUF, we are committed to negotiating a contract that is fair to everyone, while recognizing that our System is facing real and unprecedented financial challenges.”
The current salaries of State System faculty are among the highest in the nation—ranking near the top 10 to 15 percent among their peers at similar public institutions—a fact acknowledged by an APSCUF campus leader in an open letter to his colleagues and posted on the union’s website earlier this year. The salary comparison is compiled annually by the American Association of University Professors and published in The Chronicle of Higher Education.

“The State System is proud of the fact that our faculty are compensated so well,” said Marshall. “That helps us recruit and retain talented individuals for our universities. We all agree that our faculty do vital work and deserve fair compensation, but we also have to understand that money is not flowing the way it did decades ago. When the State System was founded more than 30 years ago, the state funded about two-thirds of the universities’ operations; today, state funds support only about one-fourth of those costs, with the rest coming out of the pockets of our students and their families.”

Increases in operating costs for the universities—especially in the areas of healthcare and pensions—have been outpacing changes in revenues. Despite recent increases in funding from the Commonwealth each of the last two years, the System remains funded at about the same level it was at the turn of the century. And, even with increasing tuition by 2.5 percent for this fall, the System again began the fiscal year in July with a budget deficit.

“That deficit will continue to grow as each labor union contract is finalized in the coming months, unless there are savings found in areas such as healthcare, and unless we all find new and better ways to serve students,” said Marshall. “We can’t just keep raising tuition on students to cover all of these costs. That runs contrary to our mission as high-value, high-quality universities for Pennsylvanians.”

Throughout these negotiations, APSCUF has complained about the State System’s practice of posting online the various proposals that have been submitted by each side. These negotiations are the most impactful to the System. Without minimizing the rest of the complement, APSCUF represents the System’s largest and most visible bargaining unit. Students and their families have by far the greatest interest in the progress/outcome of these negotiations, especially in how they could affect students and the school year.

The posting of summaries, updates and proposals is not new. In fact, both sides have utilized this practice to one extent or another dating back to 1999.
In media statements, the faculty union has claimed that the State System is not serious about these negotiations.

“They are wrong,” Marshall said. “Our team has worked hard to review the entire contract—top to bottom—and has made detailed proposed edits to the 146-page document so that the two sides would have something concrete from which to work. We have done our homework, and we remain prepared to negotiate. And, while we hope APSCUF is making every effort to understand the financial realities facing our universities, the union’s demands for costly new items such as free memberships to on-campus fitness facilities suggests otherwise.”

From the earliest days of these negotiations, APSCUF has raised the prospect of a strike. It has scheduled a special session of its legislative assembly for later this month to seek approval to take a strike authorization vote among its membership. Such authorization votes have been standard practice for APSCUF in each of the past four rounds of contract negotiations.

“This vote would be the first of a number of steps required for APSCUF to call for a strike—an action that would be devastating to students,” said Marshall. “We can only hope that APSCUF recognizes both the short-term and long-term impacts a strike would have on our students and—quite possibly—the future existence of some universities. Only the union can decide whether to ask its members to walk out on students.

“The fact remains that the System wants to find a solution that is fair to everyone—a solution that focuses on serving our students first. After all, nearly 75 cents of every dollar invested in our universities comes from students and their families. They are our primary stakeholders.

“Students and faculty are the heart and soul of our institutions, and we are working hard to provide the resources they need even in the midst of mounting fiscal challenges. We remain hopeful that the union will stay at the table with us until the work is done.”

The two sides are scheduled to return to the bargaining table Aug. 25 and 26. Additional sessions also are scheduled for Aug. 31 and Sept. 16 and 21.

Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education is the largest provider of higher education in the Commonwealth, with more than 100,000 degree-seeking students and thousands more who are enrolled in certificate and other career-development programs. Collectively, the 14 universities that comprise the State System offer more than 2,300 degree and certificate programs in more than 530 academic areas. Nearly 520,000 State System university alumni live in Pennsylvania.

The State System universities are Bloomsburg, California, Cheyney, Clarion, East Stroudsburg, Edinboro, Indiana, Kutztown, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Millersville, Shippensburg, Slippery Rock and West Chester Universities of Pennsylvania. The universities also operate branch campuses in Oil City (Clarion), Freeport and Punxsutawney (IUP), and Clearfield (Lock Haven), and offer classes and programs at several regional centers, including the Dixon University Center in Harrisburg and in Center City in Philadelphia.

Harrisburg – As a very young girl, Cynthia Shapira, the daughter of a dentist father and a traditional homemaker mother, was certain that girls could do anything boys could do. And academic achievement was a high priority in her home growing up.

“Our parents placed the highest expectations on me, and on my brothers,” she said. Report cards were scrutinized; parent-teacher conferences solemnly attended. Cindy loved school and took it seriously—to the point where her parents, concerned that she was a bit too zealous about grades, once offered her a dollar for every “C” she would bring home.

“I declined the offer,” she says.

Her dad encouraged her to become a dental hygienist. It was a great profession, but Saturdays and summer vacations spent in her father’s dental office, assisting him at the chair, didn’t convince her.

Ms. Shapira had other ideas—her love of history, culture, and politics driving her to other pursuits.

Years later, after graduating from top-level east coast universities, she applied for a prestigious internship program in Washington, D.C., and was accepted. Then she interviewed with the CIA—better fitting her passion for government work—with an eye toward foreign service.

“I had a great interview at Langley and was offered a job right on the spot,” she said. “But my parents said no—this was only five years after Watergate. I was 22—I listened to my parents in those days.”

So she took a management-consulting job with Peat Marwick (now KPMG) in its public service division instead, and soon was working on some groundbreaking initiatives that eventually brought her into contact with the world of higher education. In July, she was elected chair of the Board of Governors of Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education; the fifth in its history, the first woman.

Cindy’s career journey began in the nation’s capital, a long way from her childhood home in southern California.

“My parents were born and raised in Pittsburgh. My mother was second generation; my father a first-generation American,” she said. “My father’s parents didn’t speak much English—he actually didn’t learn English until he started public school in Pittsburgh.

“He was the first in his family to go on to higher education. For him, college was the opportunity to learn a profession and escape from poverty. He went to the University of Pittsburgh and then Pitt Dental School on scholarships. He believed that the highest thing you could achieve was to be a professional.

“He paved the way for his two younger brothers, who also attended Pitt and became pharmacists. My mother graduated from Pitt with highest honors and was one of the few women in her class accepted into law school—which she turned down to get married. I think she always regretted not going to law school.”

Ms. Shapira’s parents relocated to Carmel, California, when her father was drafted as an Army dentist, and decided they weren’t going back to Pittsburgh.

“They wanted to stay in Carmel, but in those days it was ‘restricted’—Jewish people couldn’t buy houses in many neighborhoods. My father couldn’t get a dental practice started. So, they moved to Los Angeles. Their priority was to keep ‘trading up’ as my father became more successful so that we kids could attend public schools with the best reputations.”

When it was time for college, Ms. Shapira decided she wanted to head east, even though she had never been farther in that direction than Flagstaff, Arizona.

“I applied to Wellesley and Smith (colleges), and I managed to get in,” she said. “Back then your parents didn’t necessarily take you to college and settle you in. I got on a plane from L.A. to Boston and somehow found my way to the Wellesley campus some 16 miles away that night. I was so late that I missed orientation.”

“That education was a privilege and a gift from my parents,” she pointed out.

After graduating from Wellesley with a bachelor’s degree in political science, she enrolled in Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, then was accepted into the first class of the President’s Management Internship Program, which was created to encourage bright, young graduate students to go into government service. The first class included about 200 members from across the country.

“You had a choice of different agencies to go into. I wanted to work for the CIA,” she said. “I would have been a great spy.”

Going to work at KMPG turned out to be fascinating. One of Shapira’s first major projects involved studying the role of the federal government in regulating day care and funding pre-school.

“It was a few years after Head Start, but the general area of early childhood care and education was still somewhat unchartered,” she said. “After that, I was assigned to a project working with a really fascinating man by the name of Dr. Fenwick W. English. He was a former public school superintendent who came up with the idea that—just as you could do a financial audit of a school system—you could also do a performance audit.

“What is the school system supposed to do, or produce, and what is it actually doing? What should be the student outcomes? What is the gap between the two? How do you map together the curriculum—what is actually being taught in the classroom, and how the students are performing—to promote the best results?”

It was groundbreaking work that sent her all over the country.

She met her first husband, a neurologist and Pittsburgh native, and moved to Pittsburgh. Later, divorced for many years, she met her husband of almost nine years, David Shapira. Her passion for government service, civic engagement and the community led her to become a very active volunteer, including currently serving as chair of the Greater Pittsburgh Jewish Federation.

She also serves or has served as a board member of Brandeis University, the Allegheny County Airport Authority, the United Way, the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, the Pittsburgh Promise and Point Park University, among others.  She served as vice-chair of Governor Tom Wolf’s Transition Team.

“We have such a vibrant community benefit sector that exists not to make profit, but to better life for everyone,” she said. “I love this work because it serves a really important purpose in our country. It creates tremendous opportunities for partnerships among government, community organizations, foundations and the private sector—to invest in people.”

Governor Wolf appointed Ms. Shapira to the Board of Governors in December 2015. Six months later, she was elected chair.

While she has plenty of experience in higher education—having worked in the past with public university systems in Georgia, Massachusetts and North Carolina, as well as with many private higher education institutions—she had never been involved with the State System before.

“In a way, I think that could be very beneficial,” she said. “I don’t come in with preconceived notions about what can or cannot be done. I start from a clean slate.”

So far, she said, she has been impressed with the experience.

“I think we have an outstanding board,” she said. “Such smart people who are dedicated to higher education, to the Commonwealth, and who love this system and these universities. We have such a positive group there. I believe we also have an outstanding administration. I have nothing but admiration for the chancellor and all of the executive staff I’ve met so far; also the university presidents. We have a really good foundation.”

“And we have fabulous students,” she added, noting her first encounter with students at the state Capitol during the System’s “advocacy days” event in April.

“I love to see students engaged,” she said. “They’re so altruistic. If they get involved now, it can become a lifetime service commitment.”

Pointing out the important work of the faculty and staff at the universities, she continued, “I am passionate about the State System access and quality education mission.  We have the components of excellence. My goal is to capitalize on that, to look at the System as a whole as being excellent.

“What does that mean to us as a System? How do we define our criteria, or pillars of excellence? What are the hard decisions we have to make to get there? Most of all, how can we ensure our stewardship and fiduciary responsibilities to the students and taxpayers and to the other important stakeholders, the faculty and administration; the communities in which our universities reside?”

Yes, the System faces significant challenges, but Shapira said she looks at things differently than many others.

“Usually, it’s framed as a negative. I want to frame it in positive terms,” she said. “First, how can we be excellent as a System; then look at everything else and see where all the pieces fall into place.”

Ms. Shapira said the System might need to take a more focused look at and place a greater emphasis on fundraising as an essential part of supporting the universities’ budgets.

“We talk about our budget based around tuition and state funding,” she said. “There’s a real big third pocket out there. I know we do fundraising and we have the apparatus in place. But I want to learn more to see if it is emphasized enough; as much as it could be.”

She also sees a need for more long-range planning for the System’s future, admitting the significant challenges given the universities’ long histories contrasted with the relative newness of the State System itself, which was founded in 1983.

“These schools came together relatively recently as a system, but were not born as a system,” she said. “There are different campus cultures. We have challenges and opportunities to do more things than we are doing now. Let’s get the conversations started.”

Her broad range of experience might be the greatest benefit she brings to the table, she said.

“What I mostly bring is some different experience—and my own successes and failures— in a lot of areas,” she said. “There are many different models and ways to do business. There isn’t just one way to do things. We shouldn’t be afraid to take some risks.  And so much can be learned from other systems, even if they aren’t the same as ours. A lot of them struggle with the same issues we do.”

She said she is “committed to doing the best I can for the System.”

While her passion and commitment to civic engagement comes through clearly in her words and actions, it is just as clear she has even more on her plate.

“I’m a mom, which I take very seriously,” she said. And, she added, with a little laugh, “I am a domestic goddess—and you can say that. I love cooking and doing family parties and organizational events. I very much enjoy it, and I’m good at it.”

Along with her husband at home, she has two grown children, three adult stepchildren and David’s six grandchildren. She and her husband watch every Pittsburgh Steelers game.

“I’m a California girl—I grew up following the Dodgers and the Lakers, but I’m also a huge Steelers, Pirates and Penguins fan. I love sports,” she said.

Doesn’t everyone?

Ms. Shapira recently visited Israel, and relayed this story: “I was in Jerusalem walking along the street and the person I was with pointed out a restaurant across the street. He said, ‘During American football season, that’s the Steelers bar.’ ”

They really are everywhere.

Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education is the largest provider of higher education in the Commonwealth, with about 107,000 degree-seeking students and thousands more who are enrolled in certificate and other career-development programs. Collectively, the 14 universities that comprise the State System offer more than 2,300 degree and certificate programs in more than 530 academic areas. Nearly 520,000 State System university alumni live in Pennsylvania.

The State System universities are Bloomsburg, California, Cheyney, Clarion, East Stroudsburg, Edinboro, Indiana, Kutztown, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Millersville, Shippensburg, Slippery Rock and West Chester Universities of Pennsylvania. The universities also operate branch campuses in Oil City (Clarion), Freeport and Punxsutawney (IUP), and Clearfield (Lock Haven), and offer classes and programs at several regional centers, including the Dixon University Center in Harrisburg and in Center City in Philadelphia.

Looking for information about Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education?

Maybe you’re curious about how many students attend the 14 universities, what are the most popular majors, or how many degrees the institutions award each year?

How about the economic and employment impact the universities have on their communities, their regions and the Commonwealth?

Answers to these questions and more are just a click away in the State System’s “Fact Center” located at passhe.edu/factcenter.

The Fact Center was designed as a one-stop resource for information about the State System, which comprises Pennsylvania’s 14 public universities. Can’t find what you’re looking for? You can email a request and we’ll try to find you the answer.

“As public universities, we are committed to providing the public with easy access to information that is relevant and useful,” said Chancellor Frank T. Brogan. “We hope the Fact Center is a resource that will help everyone—students, parents, employees, legislators, business owners and taxpayers—better understand our universities.”

The Fact Center is more than just a static set of numbers. By clicking on the “University Fast Facts” tab, users can access links to each of the universities, where additional detailed information about each institution is available.

The “Points of Pride” tab provides additional highlights about the institutions, as well as the names of some of the universities’ notable alumni—from former governors and military leaders to authors, professional athletes and even two of the winningest coaches in college basketball.

The site includes separate links that provide updates on the state budget and collective bargaining between the State System and its various labor unions. Accessible to the public, any user can subscribe to receive various email updates from the State System, such as legislative updates, strategic positioning updates and collective bargaining updates.

The Fact Center also includes a link that allows users to subscribe to the “Chancellor’s Blog,” and “State System News,” a weekly summary of news articles about the universities, the State System and higher education.

Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education is the largest provider of higher education in the Commonwealth, with more than 100,000 degree-seeking students and thousands more who are enrolled in certificate and other career-development programs. Collectively, the 14 universities that comprise the State System offer more than 2,300 degree and certificate programs in more than 530 academic areas. Nearly 520,000 State System university alumni live in Pennsylvania.

The State System universities are Bloomsburg, California, Cheyney, Clarion, East Stroudsburg, Edinboro, Indiana, Kutztown, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Millersville, Shippensburg, Slippery Rock and West Chester Universities of Pennsylvania. The universities also operate branch campuses in Oil City (Clarion), Freeport and Punxsutawney (IUP), and Clearfield (Lock Haven), and offer classes and programs at several regional centers, including the Dixon University Center in Harrisburg and in Center City in Philadelphia.

Eleven invited artists who link art and science to explore, to recreate, and to reinvent phenomena found in nature will be featured in Methodologies: Combining Art and Science, September 7-October 1 at East Stroudsburg University’s Madelon Powers Gallery.

“The artists in this exhibition investigate natural phenomena and form visual conclusions through observation, research, and experiments,” said Darlene Farris-LaBar, professor of art+ design at ESU and co-curator of the exhibit. “They set their own parameters and question the world around them. Through these new definitions new phenomena and systems of information are created, which challenge our present.”

“Methodologies looks at a how artists create new models of understanding by questioning their own practice, process, and rules to find an answer,” said Hannah Israel, co-curator of the exhibit and associate professor of art and gallery director at Columbus State University in Georgia.

Hours for the gallery, located in the university’s Fine & Performing Arts Center, Normal and Marguerite streets, are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays. On Saturday, October 1, the gallery will be open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for Family Weekend.

A reception for the artists will be held Wednesday, September 7 from 4-6 p.m. in the gallery. The reception will feature a performance piece by Sissi Fonseca of the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, a visual artist and performer who uses her body to describe memories and emotions of daily life.

The Moth Project by Plantbot Genetics, a collaborative team of Wendy Deschene of Auburn University and Jeff Schmuki of Georgia Southern University, Ga., will take place on the lawn of the Fine and Performing Arts Center after the reception. The project uses large images of moths projected on an outdoor tent to attract local moths for audiences to observe.

The exhibit, reception and The Moth Project are open to the public at no cost.

Farris-LaBar will give a gallery talk and tour of the exhibit Saturday, October 1 from 11:30 a.m. to noon. This event also is open to the public at no cost.

Artists invited to the exhibit include:  Karen Rich Beall of Lebanon Valley College who uses forms derived from small, often overlooked species from the natural world to create sculptures from a variety of media; Barb Bondy of Auburn University who examines the interaction between the functions of the human mind and the brain through drawing and photography; Hugo Fortes of University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, who develops installations, photos, videos, performance and multi-media works in which the concepts of landscape, the element water and the relations between nature and culture are the central themes; Yvonne Love of Penn State—Abington campus, who uses unusual materials to create spaces and forms that address experience and memory; Jocelyn Kolb, assistant professor of art + design at ESU who uses current technologies and evolving materials to create forms that are inspired by nature; Jill Parisi of the State University of New York—New Paltz whose works celebrate the plant and animal kingdom’s wide palette and intricate patterns; and Michelle Samour of the School of the Museum of the Fine Arts at Tufts University, a multi-media artist whose works explore the intersections between science, technology and the natural world.

The work of co-curators Israel and Farris-LaBar, who see themselves as part of this circle of artists, also will be in the exhibit. Israel’s work is influenced by natural and cultural phenomena. She creates works that resemble the poetic seduction found in nature in relation to the sublime.

Farris-LaBar’s work focuses on preserving various plant species of the natural world through the use of 3D digital design and printing. Her work is intended to promote protected lands while bringing awareness about the importance of each plant species to the ecosystem and preserving them for future generations.

For more information on the exhibit or reception, contact the Fine and Performing Arts Events Line at esuart@esu.edu or call 570-422-3483.

Joanne Bruno, J.D., provost and vice president of academic affairs at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania (ESU), announced the appointment of William J. Bajor, Ph.D. as the director of graduate and extended studies.

Dr. Bajor comes to ESU from New Jersey City University (NJCU) where he most recently served as the acting director of the division of professional and lifelong learning. In this role he developed new revenue streams for NJCU, aligned University training programs with the State of New Jersey’s economic development priorities and increased the number of NJCU’s strategic and innovative community and business partnerships. The division of professional and lifelong learning included NJCU’s Continuing Education unit, which Bajor previously oversaw along with graduate studies. In that role he supervised the administration of admission, registration, matriculation, scheduling, advisement and graduation/completion policies governing graduate and continuing education students.

As director of graduate and extended studies at ESU, Bajor will provide leadership within graduate and professional studies in order to establish and maintain excellent academic programs. He will plan and implement educational policies and curricula, provide leadership in creating, developing, and implementing programs and initiatives which serve the educational and training needs for Pennsylvania’s industry leaders and public agencies and identify the programs and courses that will best serve the needs and interests of students and faculty. He will also oversee the Lehigh Valley Center. Located in Bethlehem, PA, the Lehigh Valley Center offers accelerated undergraduate and graduate degree programs.

Bajor earned a B.A. in Economics and Political Science from New York University, a Ph.D. in Social Anthropology from the University of Saint Andrews, United Kingdom and LL.M. from the University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom.

For more information about ESU’s graduate and extended learning programs, contact Dr. Bajor at 570-422-3926.

Harrisburg – As representatives from Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education and its faculty union continue negotiations toward a new contract, State System officials assured students this week that classes will begin Monday, as scheduled, despite the union’s threat of a strike.

Leadership of the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties (APSCUF) have announced they will meet Thursday to consider calling for a strike authorization vote among the union’s full membership sometime during the fall semester. Such votes, which would give APSCUF leadership the authority to call for a walkout at any time, have become a regular part of the contract negotiations process between the union and the State System.

In fact, APSCUF has conducted similar votes during each of the last four rounds of contract negotiations with the State System. In each case, while the membership voted to grant its leadership the authority to call a strike, a faculty strike has never occurred.

“While we continue to bargain in good faith to reach a deal that is fair to everyone—most important, our students—the union has threatened our students and our universities with a strike from the earliest days of these negotiations,” said State System spokesperson Kenn Marshall. “We want to be sure our students know that, no matter what they might hear to the contrary, classes will begin on Monday.”

This week, the State System sent a message to all incoming students that read, in part:

“With classes set to begin Monday, you might have heard about the faculty union’s (APSCUF) ongoing consideration of a potential strike. First, please know that the academic year will start as planned regardless of any action the faculty union might take.”

The State System negotiates a single contract for all faculty who work at the 14 state-owned universities. It has been bargaining in good faith for nearly two years with APSCUF in an attempt to achieve a new contract to replace the last agreement, which expired June 30, 2015.

“Our faculty members are remarkable men and women who are critically important to the success of our students and our universities,” the message to students continued. “The current salaries of State System faculty are among the highest in the nation—ranking near the top 10 to 15 percent among their peers at similar public institutions—a fact acknowledged by an APSCUF campus leader and posted on the union’s website earlier this year.

“The State System is proud of the fact that our faculty are compensated so well, but we also acknowledge that rising tuition is putting a strain on students and their families. As such, we are committed to reaching an agreement that is fair to everyone—faculty and students. We will continue to work toward that goal.”

“We can only hope that APSCUF recognizes the potentially devastating impact that a strike would have on our students, and shares our commitment to continuing to bargain toward a new agreement in order to ensure there will be no interruption in the fall semester,” Marshall said.

To follow the progress of the negotiations between the State System and APSCUF, go to: www.passhe.edu/APSCUF.

Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education is the largest provider of higher education in the Commonwealth, with more than 100,000 degree-seeking students and thousands more who are enrolled in certificate and other career-development programs. Collectively, the 14 universities that comprise the State System offer more than 2,300 degree and certificate programs in more than 530 academic areas. Nearly 520,000 State System university alumni live in Pennsylvania.

The State System universities are Bloomsburg, California, Cheyney, Clarion, East Stroudsburg, Edinboro, Indiana, Kutztown, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Millersville, Shippensburg, Slippery Rock and West Chester Universities of Pennsylvania. The universities also operate branch campuses in Oil City (Clarion), Freeport and Punxsutawney (IUP), and Clearfield (Lock Haven), and offer classes and programs at several regional centers, including the Dixon University Center in Harrisburg and in Center City in Philadelphia.

East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania welcomed 1,400 freshmen and transfer students to campus today, Thursday, August 25, 2016. There were 200 student volunteers and 40 faculty, staff and alumni volunteers on campus to help students and their families move in to their dorms. Among the volunteers was President of ESU, Marcia G. Welsh, Ph.D.

Senior English literature student Jenny Bront is working in the office of Lt. Gov. Michael Stack as part of a 15-week internship sponsored by Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education.

Bront is from Feasterville, PA. She is one of 12 students participating in The Harrisburg Internship Semester (THIS) program, which provides students the opportunity to work in all areas of state government while earning a full semester’s worth of credits. THIS invites students from each of the 14 State System universities to participate.

Bront is the daughter of Natalie and Michael Bront and a 2011 graduate of Neshaminy High School. She and the other students participating in the program also will attend several academic seminars during their fall semester internship. Each of the students will complete an individualized research project as part of the program’s requirements.

More than 600 students from the State System universities have participated in THIS since the program began in 1989, each gaining valuable insight into the workings of state government at the policy-making level. Interns have worked with dozens of state agencies, as well as in the offices of the governor, the speaker of the House of Representatives and the attorney general.

State System students interested in participating in THIS in a future semester may obtain information on the program by contacting their individual campus coordinator or their university’s cooperative or internship office, or by calling the Dixon University Center at (717) 720-4089. More information on the program also is available at: www.passhe.edu/this.

Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education is the largest provider of higher education in the Commonwealth, with more than 100,000 degree-seeking students and thousands more who are enrolled in certificate and other career-development programs. Collectively, the 14 universities that comprise the State System offer more than 2,300 degree and certificate programs in more than 530 academic areas. Nearly 520,000 State System university alumni live in Pennsylvania.

The State System universities are Bloomsburg, California, Cheyney, Clarion, East Stroudsburg, Edinboro, Indiana, Kutztown, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Millersville, Shippensburg, Slippery Rock and West Chester Universities of Pennsylvania. The universities also operate branch campuses in Oil City (Clarion), Freeport and Punxsutawney (IUP), and Clearfield (Lock Haven), and offer classes and programs at several regional centers, including the Dixon University Center in Harrisburg and in Center City in Philadelphia.

The Schisler Museum of Wildlife & Natural History and McMunn Planetarium at East Stroudsburg University has set its fall hours. The facility is open to the public on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. The facility is reserved for pre-registered group visits on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Both the museum and planetarium are included in a single admission price.

Housed in the Warren E. ’55 and Sandra Hoeffner Science and Technology Center, the state-of-the-art planetarium and world-class museum offer something for everyone. Nearly all of the museum’s 130-plus taxidermy exhibits were collected and donated by East Stroudsburg University alumni Arthur ’62 and Fannie Greene ’62 Schisler. The museum also boasts a 300-gallon aquarium and insects from around the globe. The McMunn Planetarium is named in honor of ESU supporters and alumni Charles A. “Tony” ’69 and Patricia Lythgoe ’68 McMunn.

“The museum and planetarium are truly meant to be a place of excitement for explorers of all ages. We want to invite the community to experience the wonder of discovery at ESU,” said Catherine Klingler, curator.

Admission for the museum and planetarium is $6 for adults; $4 for senior citizens and children ages 3-17; and free for children 2 and under and ESU students with ID. For membership inquiries visit esu.edu/museum. Anyone interested in museum and planetarium activities may contact Klingler at smcurator@esu.edu or 570-422-2705.

On September 7 the East Stroudsburg University Office of Student Affairs, Title IX Oversight Committee will host a screening of “The Hunting Ground,” an exposé of rape crime on college campuses in America. The stories in the documentary are told through the first person testimonies of sexual assault survivors. They tell of their assault, and their troubling pursuit of justice.

The film will be shown at 6:00 p.m. in the Abeloff Center for the Performing Arts. Following the film there will be a question and answer session featuring Sofie Karasek. Karasek, who is featured in the documentary, is an anti-sexual violence activist and co-founder of End Rape on Campus. She spearheaded two 31-person federal complaints against the University of California, Berkeley. Karasek has been a leading advocate for California’s groundbreaking affirmative consent law and has been featured in national and international media.

Knowing the staggering national statistics, one in five college women is sexually assaulted, ESU is committed to maintaining a safe and healthy educational and work environment. In addition to screenings and discussions such as the one planned for September 7, the university provides programing throughout the academic year by peer educators about domestic and relationship violence and assault and being an active bystander.

For more information about Title IX contact ESU Vice President of Student Affairs and Title IX Coordinator Doreen Tobin, D.Ed., at 570-422-3463 or dtobin@esu.edu.

There will be an opportunity for media interviews prior to the screening, beginning at 5:30 p.m.