O w l Ti m es Issue 2, Volume 1 The Good News at Florida Atlantic University August 19-26, 2010 In Brief... He was provost. Then he was president. Now he’s going on personal leave. When he returns in a few weeks, John Pritchett will spend fall semester on a “special assignment” – preparing FAU for its Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) reaccreditation process. The 68-year-old Prichett became provost in 2004 and interim president after Frank Brogan left and before Mary Jane Saunders took office. Saunders has named associate provost Diane Alperin the interim provost in the meantime. The 2010 Heart Walk of the Palm Beaches isn’t until Oct. 2, but FAU has already started assembling its team. This popular event in downtown West Palm Beach benefits the American Heart Association, and FAU has always fielded a huge team – and raised a heck of a lot of money. This year’s goal is a whopping $25,000. If you’re interested in walking, email Stacy Volnick at [email protected]. PROVOST PRITCHETT IS STEPPING DOWN HAVE A HEART AND WALK THE WALK ! WE ’ RE BACK Welcome to the 2010 school year. If you’re a new student or a transfer – or even a grizzled senior – here are some helpful hints for surviving and thriving at Florida Atlantic University... MICHELE BOYET is a Humanities senior starting her fifth year at FAU. I’m going into my last year at FAU and I learn something new about this place every day. It has some excellent resources, a lot of very supportive people and a few pretty cool secrets. So here’s my list of tips and tricks, bound to help you save money and enjoy your time at FAU... You visited the Student Union when you got your Owl Card, but did you notice the game room, pool tables, and video games? The Student Union also houses FAU’s only on-campus computer store and hosts many social events. see MICHELE page 6 >> FAU has got your back, but you have to know where to go Beat the deja vu blues: How to stay sane when coming back Have some fun I was 10 minutes late and almost in tears. It was my second day at FAU, and I couldn’t find the education building. A guy named Mick, a senior, had some fun by pointing me in the opposite direction of my ENC 1001 class. Six years, one bachelor’s degree, and two jobs later, I headed to that same education building (this time in the right direction) to begin my first week at FAU – again. Here’s what I’ve learned... Don’t get angry when the lanky 18-year-old sitting in the back of your macroeconomics class asks where to see RACHAEL page 6 >> Don’t get mad, get glad RACHAEL JOYNER has one degree from FAU and has come back for another.
Transcript
Owl TimesIssue 2, Volume 1 The Good News at Florida Atlantic University August 19-26, 2010
In Brief...
He was provost. Then he was president. Now he’s going
on personal leave. When he returns in a few weeks, John Pritchett will spend fall semester on a “special
assignment” – preparing FAU for its Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) reaccreditation process. The 68-year-old Prichett became provost in 2004 and interim president after Frank Brogan left and before Mary Jane Saunders took offi ce. Saunders has named associate provost Diane Alperin the interim provost in the meantime.
The 2010 Heart Walk of the Palm Beaches isn’t until Oct. 2, but FAU has already started assembling its team. This popular event in downtown West Palm Beach benefi ts the American Heart Association, and FAU has always fi elded a huge team – and raised a heck of a lot of money. This year’s goal is a whopping $25,000. If you’re interested in walking, email Stacy Volnick at [email protected].
PROVOST PRITCHETT IS STEPPING DOWN
HAVE A HEART AND WALK THE WALK
!WE’REBACK
Welcome to the 2010 school year. If you’re a new student or a transfer – or even a grizzled senior – here are some helpful hints for surviving and thriving at Florida Atlantic University...
MICHELE BOYET is a Humanities senior starting her fi fth year at FAU.
I’m going into my last year at FAU and I learn something new about this place every day. It has some excellent resources, a lot of very supportive people and a few pretty cool secrets.
So here’s my list of tips and tricks, bound to help you save money and enjoy your time at FAU...
You visited the Student Union when you got your Owl Card, but did you notice the game room, pool tables, and video games? The Student Union also houses FAU’s only on-campus computer store and hosts many social events.
see MICHELE page 6 >>
FAU has got your back, but you have to know where to go
Beat the deja vu blues: How to stay sane when coming back
Have some fun
I was 10 minutes late and almost in tears. It was my second day at FAU, and I couldn’t fi nd the education building. A guy named Mick, a senior, had some fun by pointing me in the opposite direction of my ENC 1001 class.
Six years, one bachelor’s degree, and two jobs later, I headed to that same education building (this time in the right direction) to begin my fi rst week at FAU – again.
Here’s what I’ve learned...
Don’t get angry when the lanky 18-year-old sitting in the back of your macroeconomics class asks where to
see RACHAEL page 6 >>
Don’t get mad, get glad
RACHAEL JOYNER has one degree from FAU and has come back for another.
Can FAU researchers power the entire state of Florida with propellers it places in the swirling waters of the Gulf Stream?
That’s the plan. It may sound far-fetched to you, but it’s
impressed the U.S. Department of Energy. The DOE is giving FAU’s Center for Ocean
Energy Technology $250,000 in research mon-ey and designating it as a “national center for ocean energy research and development.”
Only two other such centers ex-ist, and they’re far away – in the Pa-cific Northwest and in Hawaii.
For the past three years, FAU marine researchers have been working on the complex technology involved in producing what are essentially underwater windmills.
Officially, they’re called “20kW multi-use research turbines.” (pictured above)
The center’s executive director Susan Skemp says the goal is “advancing research and devel-opment of open-ocean current and ocean thermal energy systems.”
Researchers have already built “ocean current observation systems” so they can determine how to best capture the sea’s energy. In the future, they’ll field test full-sized prototypes of the turbines and see if they’re com-merically viable.
“This is a very proud day for our Univer-sity, our state and the nation,” FAU President Mary Jane Saunders said.
“This prestigious, national designation of our Center for Ocean Energy Technology is a testi-mony to the expertise of our researchers and staff and their commitment to provide a viable source of clean, renewable energy for Florida citizens and beyond.”
It’s $ea worthyFAU wins $250,000 for underwater windmills
What is this thing?
2 OWL TIMES | AUG 19-26, 2010
In Brief...
The Jupiter campus has announced its fall lineup of Lifelong Learning classes. These non-credit classes are popular with retirees and professionals who want to learn at a university level without pursuing a degree. The offerings this term include...● “Hollywood Takes on Florida Authors,” taught by Frank Eberling, an Emmy Award-winning documentary fi lmmaker. Review Florida novels that have been adapted into feature fi lms.● “Experiencing Theater with a Critical Eye,” taught by Hap Erstein, freelance theater and fi lm critic for The Palm Beach Post. Analyze and discuss South Florida productions.● “The Media: The Inside Story of Press, Presidency and Politics,” taught by S. William Scott, professor of broadcast journalism and media in the School of Communication and Multimedia Studies. Examine how government and business use media. For more information or to receive a free course catalog, call 561-799-8667.
FAU sudents and staff who commute via Tri-Rail can join the train service’s fi rst-ever Bicycle Locker Program. These perforated steel lockers are now available at most Tri-Rail stations – 600 in all, making it the fourth-largest such program in the country. Each locker can hold two bikes, and they’re free, although you must put down a $30 refundable deposit. For details, log onto www.tri-rail.com/bikelockers.
Read us every Thursday on FAU’s campuses or at www.theowltimes.com
Issue Two, Volume One | August 19-26, 2010
OWL TIMES | AUG 19-26, 2010 3
If you got your Owl Card on the Boca Raton campus in the past 13 years, you most likely met Bill Rinaldi. He’s the guy in the red shirt with the big smile on his face.
“I’m a strong believer in making eye contact,” says the 64-year-old Rinaldi. “If you pass someone walking by, you should smile, nod or wink. Being acknowledged is important.”
Rinaldi has been smiling at FAU since 1990.
“I love meeting all the different people and learning about the students,” Rinaldi says, refl ecting on his 20 years at FAU. “I really just enjoy what I do.”
Before heading to the Owl Card Center, Rinaldi served as FAU’s assistant postmaster for seven years. And starting next month, he’s making another change: He’s moving to the Davie campus.
“It’s not an inconvenience but it will be an adjustment,” he says. “Davie will offer me a few more things to do and more personal attention with students — I’m looking forward to it.”
Rinaldi will continue issuing Owl Cards but will also be more involved with parking decals. He’s excited to meet new people.
When it comes to taking photos of student’s smiling faces, Rinaldi says he’s “very liberal.”
“I like for everyone to have fun,” he says with a laugh. “As
long as I can see their eyes and their face, I can roll with it.”
Despite the move, Rinaldi says not too much will change — he will still wear his red shirt and always don a smile.
His favorite student moment? “I know a student who is on a 30th Owl Card. The student is a senior now but has paid $15 to replace it each time.”
Bill Rinaldi’s advice for new students:● Always keep your ID in your wallet.● If you’re living on campus, keep the balance low in case you lose the card. ● Remember to hit the blue button to remove your card from a copy machine.● Replacement cards cost $15, so hang on to yours!
Every week, we profi le FAU students, faculty, and staffers who do good deeds. Know an Owl who gives a hoot? Email [email protected] Who Give a Hoot
The Owl Card guy makes his move
He works the graveyard shift
Robert Loane’s internship is over, but he won’t leave.The FAU senior is helping survey Moore’s Cemetery,
a neglected black burial site in the city of Stuart, near the Treasure Coast campus. The historic site contains 300 graves from the early 1900s to as late as 2005.
“It is so interesting to read the inscriptions that are still legible,” Loane says. “There are soldiers, children and families buried there. Many stones and above-ground crypts are so old that the inscriptions have worn away, so we just have to mark them ‘unknown.’ ”
Loane is one of three surveyers who study each grave marker, record the information, and map the cemetery’s boundaries. They’ll turn over the fi nal map and survey to city and county offi cials, who will hopefully use the data to repair and maintain Moore’s Cemetery.
“My internship is over, but I will continue to help with this project until it is complete,” Loane says. “It has become a personal interest.”
Loane will graduate in the spring with a degree in geomatics engineering, which is the study of gathering and modeling geographic information.
AUG 27Good Clean FunBesides a home football game, you’ll never see more FAU students in one place at one time than you will at the annual Foam Party. But what makes this event so popular is only partly due to the foam. Sponsored by FAU’s Program Board, there’s also buckets of glow paint, live music, and a slip-n-slide tunnel. As a DJ pumps out the dance music, two machines pump out the foam, which is kept on the dance floor by a huge inflatable ring. Heed these two warnings, though: Don’t wear any clothes you really like, and get there early. Last year, there was a long line out the gate by midnight.
WHERE: Outdoor stage, behind the Student Union on the Boca campusWHEN: starts at 10 p.m.COST: Free with your Owl CardDETAILS: www.fau.edu/wow
AUG 26
Feel theBURN!What better way to end your first week of class than to watch something burn? The third annual bonfire is sponsored by the Student Alumni Association and Graduate Student Association and features live music and the chance to chat up head football coach Howard Schnellenberger.
WHERE: Northeast Corner of the Track and Filed ComplexWHEN: starts 8 p.m.COST: Free BBQ, T-shirtCONTACT: Mike Burdman at [email protected]
Below: Last year’s bonfire burned bright. Left: This year’s is getting ready to light.
At the beginning of every school year, FAU asks its clubs, agencies, and associations to throw a party. And do they. It’s known as Weeks of Welcome. Below are some of our favorites. The rest are at www.fau.edu/wow.
FRIDAY, AUG 20, 9 PM-1 AMWhat: Casino Night, Rec Center on the north end of campusLowdown: It might not be for money, but how can you turn down gambling on campus? Try your skills at the carnival-style game night and you could go home with a few prizes.
SATURDAY, AUG 21, 8 PMWhat: Bingo on the Lawn, the Housing Lawns in front of HPTLowdown: Whoever said bingo was just for old people clearly hasn’t played at FAU. Get in on the old-school game, win prizes, and meet your neighbors.
MONDAY, AUG 23, 4-9 PM What: Back to School BBQ, Housing BBQ PavilionLowdown: Members of the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity will serve hot dogs and hamburgers while a DJ takes your requests. There will also be football, volleyball, and Frisbee games.
TUESDAY, AUG 24, 8 PMWhat: Comedy Show, Student Union auditoriumLowdown: FAU’s Program Board knows after the first two days of classes, you’ll need a laugh. Be sure to get their early for a good seat and bring your Owl Card.
WEDNESDAY, AUG 25, 11 AM-2 PMWhat: The Breezeway TakeoverLowdown: Join FAU’s Program Board as they turn the Breezeway into an Owl spirit zone. Get free Owl gear and get ready for Thursday’s bonfire.
SATURDAY, AUG 28 , 9 PMWhat: Movie on the Lawn, on the Housing LawnsLowdown: Bring a blanket and some popcorn and watch an outdoor movie on the big screen with your buddies. No word yet on the movie, but word is it’ll be a comedy.
AUG 27Good Clean FunBesides a home football game, you’ll never see more FAU students in one place at one time than you will at the annual Foam Party. But what makes this event so popular is only partly due to the foam. Sponsored by FAU’s Program Board, there’s also buckets of glow paint, live music, and a slip-n-slide tunnel. As a DJ pumps out the dance music, two machines pump out the foam, which is kept on the dance floor by a huge inflatable ring. Heed these two warnings, though: Don’t wear any clothes you really like, and get there early. Last year, there was a long line out the gate by midnight.
WHERE: Outdoor stage, behind the Student Union on the Boca campusWHEN: starts at 10 p.m.COST: Free with your Owl CardDETAILS: www.fau.edu/wow
AUG 26
Feel theBURN!What better way to end your first week of class than to watch something burn? The third annual bonfire is sponsored by the Student Alumni Association and Graduate Student Association and features live music and the chance to chat up head football coach Howard Schnellenberger.
WHERE: Northeast Corner of the Track and Filed ComplexWHEN: starts 8 p.m.COST: Free BBQ, T-shirtCONTACT: Mike Burdman at [email protected]
Below: Last year’s bonfire burned bright. Left: This year’s is getting ready to light.
At the beginning of every school year, FAU asks its clubs, agencies, and associations to throw a party. And do they. It’s known as Weeks of Welcome. Below are some of our favorites. The rest are at www.fau.edu/wow.
FRIDAY, AUG 20, 9 PM-1 AMWhat: Casino Night, Rec Center on the north end of campusLowdown: It might not be for money, but how can you turn down gambling on campus? Try your skills at the carnival-style game night and you could go home with a few prizes.
SATURDAY, AUG 21, 8 PMWhat: Bingo on the Lawn, the Housing Lawns in front of HPTLowdown: Whoever said bingo was just for old people clearly hasn’t played at FAU. Get in on the old-school game, win prizes, and meet your neighbors.
MONDAY, AUG 23, 4-9 PM What: Back to School BBQ, Housing BBQ PavilionLowdown: Members of the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity will serve hot dogs and hamburgers while a DJ takes your requests. There will also be football, volleyball, and Frisbee games.
TUESDAY, AUG 24, 8 PMWhat: Comedy Show, Student Union auditoriumLowdown: FAU’s Program Board knows after the first two days of classes, you’ll need a laugh. Be sure to get their early for a good seat and bring your Owl Card.
WEDNESDAY, AUG 25, 11 AM-2 PMWhat: The Breezeway TakeoverLowdown: Join FAU’s Program Board as they turn the Breezeway into an Owl spirit zone. Get free Owl gear and get ready for Thursday’s bonfire.
SATURDAY, AUG 28 , 9 PMWhat: Movie on the Lawn, on the Housing LawnsLowdown: Bring a blanket and some popcorn and watch an outdoor movie on the big screen with your buddies. No word yet on the movie, but word is it’ll be a comedy.
Michele >> from the front page
6 OWL TIMES | AUG 19-26, 2010
Get free stuffWhen it’s time to take your fi rst big test and your professor says you need a scantron, walk over and visit the people in Student Government for a free one. Located upstairs in the Student Union, SG leadership also has school spirit goodies during football season. Visit www.fau.edu/sga for more info.
If you’re worried about that infamous “Freshman-15,” don’t fret. The Rec Center, on the north side of campus, houses a state-of-the-art gym that rivals LA Fitness, a basketball court and leisure and lap pools. There are also group fi tness classes and a wide variety of intramural and club sports. The best part: It’s all free when you fl ash your Owl Card. See the fi tness schedule at www.fau.educampusrec.
Get a rideIf you’re taking night classes and rather not walk to your car or dorm in the dark, you can call the NightOwls for a ride. A staff member from the student escort service will swing by in a golf cart and take you anywhere on campus. Program their number in your phone: 561- 297-6695.
Stay healthySince FAU strives to be your home away from home; Student Health Services can meet just about all of your healthcare and wellness needs. The clinic, located above the south end of the Breezeway, also offers free condoms and free HIV testing. Read more about their services at www.fau.edu/shs.
Buy drugsNeed to fi ll a prescription? Do it at the FAU Pharmacy. Located inside the Student Services hallway above the Breezeway, the full-service pharmacy
can fi ll most orders within 24 hours and offers discounts to students. Call 561- 297-0072 for hours and pricing.
Talk it outWhen things get tough and you need someone to talk to, the experienced staff at the Counseling Center is ready to help. They offer free, confi dential counseling and psychological services as well as peer mediation and support
groups. Find out more at www.fau.edu/counseling or call 561-297-3540.
Save moneyWhen putting your money under the mattress isn’t the way to go, BankAtlantic operates a full-service branch on campus. Find them at the south end of the Breezeway or stop by one of their four ATM machines on the Boca campus.
MicheleFind quiet timeBesides nearly a million reference books, the WIMBERLY LIBRARY also has many general education textbooks. That’s right, you can borrow your textbooks! The fi ve-story building also has a computer lab, private study rooms and a large collection of CDs you can rent just like the books.
Pull an all-nighterThe library may close, but the 24-hour study lounge next door does not. Sponsored by Student Government and located inside the Paul C. Wimbish Wing, the lounge has private booths, tables, computers and a printer.
Rachael >> from the front page
Work out
fi nd a copy of the syllabus – and the teacher explains it for a third time in fi ve minutes. Be thankful that your attention span is now longer than that kid’s.
Appreciate the little thingsIf you have been around FAU for a few years, you’ve probably noticed a lot of improvements. There are better places to eat, new buildings and old buildings with new paint. There’s a sweet new gym and even Harvard-style road signs marking where buildings are (I couldn’t misdirect a FAU newbie even if I wanted to.) I recently had a class in the business building (I guess it’s called the “business complex” now), which has high-tech pro-jection equipment in the classrooms, a
computer-packed trading room and study areas with lush seats. Clearly, my 18-year-old self was deprived back in 2004.
Pretend you’re a freshman againAs you get into upper division or graduate classes, university life becomes all work and no play. Find your inner freshman and make time to attend some school-spirit-boosting events. The Annual Fall Bonfi re (starts at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 26 on the Boca campus) or the Foam Party (starts at 10 p.m. Aug. 27 at the Boca campus’ outdoor stage), are good places to start.
Use and abuse FAUThe university has a lot of services to of-fer, and over the years it’s easy to forget
about them. Take yogalates classes at the fancy new gym. Get your prescriptions fi lled for cheap at the pharmacy. Play pool in the Student Union. Go to a free concert in the auditorium. Watch a foot-ball game at Lockhart Stadium (students get in free). Join the diving club. All you have to do is fl ash your Owl Card.
Share the wealthWith so many years at FAU under your belt, you probably know a lot about how to maximize your time here. Share that valuable knowledge with the newbies at FAU. They’ll appreciate the help, and it never hurts to have a little good karma coming your way around fi nals week. (Hear that, Mick?)
as well as peer mediation and support Boca campus.
about them. Take yogalates classes at the fancy new gym. Get your prescriptions fi lled for cheap at the pharmacy. Play pool in the Student Union. Go to a free concert in the auditorium. Watch a foot-ball game at Lockhart Stadium (students get in free). Join the diving club. All you
With so many years at FAU under your belt, you probably know a lot about how to maximize your time here. Share that valuable knowledge with the newbies at FAU. They’ll appreciate the help, and it never hurts to have a little good karma coming your way around fi nals week.
COMING NEXT WEEK:
The Owl Times’ fi rst annual Football Fan Guide. Questions? [email protected]
Anyone who’s done a Study Abroad program will tell you how life-changing they are. But they’ll also tell you how expensive it can be. That’s where The Gilman Scholarship Program comes in. It offers cash for undergraduates who receive Pell Grant funding at a four-year university – like FAU – to participate in study abroad programs worldwide. The fall deadline for programs next spring is Oct. 5. For more information, email FAU’s Gilman Scholarship advisor Dr. Catherine Meschievitz at [email protected].
On Aug. 10, FAU’s summer commencement conferred more than 1,500 degrees in three separate ceremonies in the Carole and Barry Kaye Auditorium on the Boca campus. Those grads represented 39 countries, and 54 of them were over the age of 50 – with the oldest graduate being 64 and the youngest being 20.
As you buy your school supplies this semester, FAU’s Student Florida Education Association asks you to get some extra for local schoolchildren who can’t afford their own. FEA is hosting its fi rst annual School Supply Drive through Sept. 17. You can drop off donations at spots on each FAU campus. For more information, email FEA president Dennis Burnham at [email protected].
MONEY TIGHT? STILLSTUDY ABROAD!
SUMMER GRADS A DIVERSE GROUP
In Brief...
SUPPLY KIDS WITH SCHOOL TOOLS
www.upressonline.com
Learn about FAU the pirate way. Pick up this week’s issue of the University Press in the bright red bins.
Ahoy, new students:The Center for Teaching and Learning is hosting a faculty brunch on Sunday, Aug. 22, to celebrate the new academic year. Reconnect with colleagues and learn about faculty programs for the semester. Brunch will be served from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Student Union’s Majestic Palm Room. Following the brunch is the fourth annual Freshman Convocation at 1 p.m. in the Carol and Barry Kaye Auditorium. The faculty procession begins at 12:50 p.m., and academic regalia is encouraged. Questions? Email Dr. Deborah Raines, Director of the Scholarship of Teaching, at [email protected].
The Offi ce of International Programs wants faculty for new or recurring Study Abroad Programs for the 2010-11 academic year. The deadline for proposals is Friday, Sept. 10. Guidelines and details are at www.fau.edu/goabroad/SAP_Guidelines.php.
The 2010 freshman online community and freshman reading discussion are now open. This year’s selection is Finding Mañana by FAU alumna and award-winning writer Mirta Ojito. If you teach a freshman course or are leading a freshman community, you can post a welcome to your students. Email Dr. Deborah Raines at [email protected].
HEY, FACULTY: EAT BEFORE YOU TEACH
CALL FOR STUDY ABROAD IDEAS
Faculty...
READ WITH THE FRESHMAN CLASS
OWL TIMES | AUG 19-26, 2010 7
START TAKING CHARGE.
START SHOWING THE WAY.
START LEADING.
There’s strong. Then there’s Army Strong. By enrolling in Army ROTC at FAU you will develop leadership skills and earn an Army Officer’s commission after graduation — two things that will help ensure you succeed in life. Army ROTC also offers full-tuition scholarships up to $24,000/year to help you pay for your college degree. With a start like that, there is no limit to what you can achieve.
