Want to keep up with Lizabeth Zack, assistant professor of sociology, who is spending the 2006-2007 academic year in Jordan as a Fulbright Scholar? Be sure to check out her blog, “Dispatches From Jordan.”

Erin J. C. Morgan , MEd, NCC, DCC, Coordinator of Alcohol and Drug Education Programs, has written and received a grant from the Smoke-free Colleges Taskforce to do programming and education around tobacco use at USC Upstate.  The programs and education pieces will focus on both prevention and intervention strategies.  The programs and services will be provided through the Office of Student Development through a collaboration with Alcohol & Drug Education Programs and Health Services.

Library Personnel Updates
Laura Beth Karas will serve as Coordinator for Student Outreach. She will be available to work directly with student groups and support services needing assistance with educational and recreational information programming, research support and other projects.  Her office is Library 260E, ext. 5637 and e-mail lkaras@uscupstate.edu. Laura Beth also is an origami expert, and is willing to come to any office, class, department meeting, etc. to teach the art of the origami crane folding. She plans on holding several sessions open to all during the semester at locations around campus like a Zen session at the amphitheater. Let her know if you would like a group or personal crane folding session.

Camille McCutcheon will serve as Coordinator for Faculty and Staff Outreach.  She will work with library liaisons to provide in office and/or departmental support for professional research, new library resources (electronic as well as print), and other projects.  Her office is Library 105, ext. 5612 and e-mail cmccutcheon@uscupstate.edu.

Although not a new service, the Library has a new Coordinator for Library Instruction.  Andrew Kearns joins us in that role.  Contact him (rather than Camille McCutcheon) or your subject liaison to schedule library sessions for your classes.  His office is Library 114, ext. 5403 and e-mail akearns@uscupstate.edu.

Higher Education Center Selects USC Upstate to Participate in National Project
During the coming year, USC Upstate will participate in a national higher education project known as “Foundations of Excellence ® in the First College Year.” The project, sponsored by the Policy Center on the First Year of College, will utilize a recently developed model of excellence for the first college year. This model can be used by colleges and universities to develop and refine their overall approach to educating first-year students. Support for this project has been provided by Lumina Foundation for Education and Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation.

“We have had the good fortune this summer to be accepted by the Foundations of Excellence in the First College Year to undertake a self-study and improvement process of our student success agenda,” said Dr. John C. Stockwell, chancellor of USC Upstate. “ This process will guide the measurement of our many “student success” efforts, and provide an aspirational model for the entirety of the beginning college experience from initial contact with potential students through admissions, orientation and all first-year curricular and co-curricular experiences.” For more information, read on …

Gamecock Tickets by Lottery
The Division of Student and Diversity Affairs is offering the following USC Gamecock football tickets for sale to USC Upstate students:

In order to offer each student the same opportunity to purchase tickets, a lottery system will be used again this year. Lottery tickets will be available  Monday, August 28 through Friday September 1 between 8:30 a.m and 5:00 p.m. in the  Campus Life Center room 302. Each lottery ticket enters the student into a drawing for a chance to purchase two tickets to any single USC home football game. You must be a current student and show your student ID to obtain a ticket. On Tuesday, September 5 there will be a link on www.uscupstate.edu under "Headline News" announcing the winning lottery numbers. If you have a winning number, come back to CLC, Room 302 between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.  within 72 hours of the drawing to purchase two tickets of your choice to any single game listed on the football schedule. You must bring back your original lottery ticket and your student ID in order to purchase tickets. Important: There are a limited number of tickets to each game, and tickets are sold on a first-come, first-served basis to lottery winners. Redeem your tickets as soon as possible to get the best selection of tickets from which to choose. If you do not redeem your ticket within 72 hours of the drawing, we will return your number to the lottery and draw again. Students may also leave their name and telephone number with us. After all lottery numbers have been honored, the remaining tickets will be sold on a first-come, first served basis. Tickets may be paid for in cash or with a check payable to USC Upstate. Contact Karen Thomas at 503-5107 with questions or for more information.

Community Outreach Partnership Center Grant Update
In November 2005, USC Upstate was awarded a three-year Community Outreach Partnership Center (COPC) grant by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The total amount of the grant was $394,536, and USC Upstate and its 12 community partners committed an additional $1.512 million in support of the award. Grant activities focus on improving health, education, and community development on the Southside of Spartanburg. Since January 2006, a total of 26 faculty members have worked on 14 major projects in collaboration with our community partners. The Executive Summary, submitted by Dr. York Bradshaw semi-annually on behalf of USC Upstate, details the positive impact the university is having on the Southside of Spartanburg.

Pep Band Forming
Monday, August 28 … 6:00 p.m. … Room 101 Academic Annex
Any students interested in performing with the basketball pep band, please attend an information session today. Prior instrumental music experience is required, and participation with the ensemble will be by audition.  Students participating will receive a stipend, as well as free attendance to all home men's and women's basketball games.  For more information, please contact Clifford Sutton, Adjunct Instructor – Music and Athletic Band Director in Academic Annex 114 or by phone at   864-316-4519.

Women in Love: Feminism and the “Problem” of Romance
Tuesday, September 5 … 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. … Campus Life Center 317
The women's movement has launched sustained critiques of marriage, romance and the fantasy of happily ever after, so what place can love occupy in the life of a feminist? Dr. Lisa Johnson discusses the effects of feminist theorists to make sense of this overwhelming emotion. Bring your brown bag lunch and join Lisa Johnson for an informal talk and discussion.

Counseling Services Study Skills Info Table
Wednesday, September 6 … 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. … Smith Lobby First Floor
Counseling Services is sponsoring a Study Skills Information Table where there will be a FREE raffle for fabulous prizes!  Contact Counseling Services at ext. 5195 for more information. View the flier here.

Nonprofit Friday Focus
Friday, September 8 … 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. … Campus Life Center Ballroom
The Center For Nonprofit Leadership plans a Friday Focus lunch series for executive directors and management teams of nonprofit corporations. The lunch will provide an opportunity to network with other nonprofits and to learn about USC Upstate’s internship programs, nonprofit administration degree program and other partnerships. Reservations are due by September 6 by contacting Theresa Ricke-Kiely (or ext. 5703).

Financial Strategies for Successful Retirement (A four session workshop)
Mondays: September 11, 18, 25 and October 2, 2006 • 6:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Wednesdays: September 13, 20, 27 and October 4, 2006 • 6:30 - 9:00 p.m .
John M. Rampey Center

Learn what you need to know about these retirement planning issues and more:

• Determine whether or not you can retire early.
• Pinpoint your financial needs for retirement.
• Learn how to potentially minimize your taxes.
• Allocate your assets using mutual funds.
• Learn how to seek maximization of your income without subjecting yourself to unnecessary risk.
• Understand your long term care options and reduce my health care cost.

E-mail Jeanette Reeves to sign up.

Elie Wiesel Symposium: Solomon-Tenenbaum Lectureship in Jewish Studies
Tuesday, September 12 … 3:00 – 9:30 p.m. … Location TBA
USC Upstate and USC’s University Instructional Services is proud to present a panel discussion, symposium, and guest lecture by Elie Wiesel, author, journalist and 2006 Nobel Peace Prize winner. The panel discussion, titled “It’s Happening Again – Darfur” will be held from 3:00 to 5:30 p.m. Wiesel will then deliver a lecture, “Night,” at 7:30 p.m. Contact Frances Krydynski (ext. 5221) to r.s.v.p. To learn more about this amazing humanitarian, visit his web site.  

New Student Convocation Introduces Students to University Life: David Callahan Addresses Temptations To Cheat In A Highly Competitive Economy
Wednesday, September 13 … 10:00 a.m. … Hodge Gym
More than 800 new freshman students will be formally introduced to college life on Wednesday, September 13 when USC Upstate will hold its New Student Convocation at 10:00 a.m. in the G.B. Hodge Gymnasium.

“The purpose of the New Student Convocation is to help students make a successful transition to the University environment,” said Leon Wiles, vice chancellor for student and diversity affairs at USC Upstate. “The primary focus of the convocation will be an emphasis on the academic standards and the integrity expectations which are central to a higher education community. We want students to clearly understand the institution's commitment to educational excellence, academic honesty, fairness and their success. In short, this convocation will be used as a means to set the academic tone of the institution for the year…” For the full story, including details about keynote speaker David Callahan, read more …

Alumni Affairs Sponsors “Shoot For Scholarships”
Friday, September 15 … 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. … Spartanburg Gun Club
Alumni Affairs at the USC Upstate invites the general public to take part in the annual Shoot For Scholarships event. Entry fee is $100 per shooter, which includes refreshments. Shot guns and shells are not provided. To make reservation or for more details, contact Bea Walters Smith at ext. 5235 or  bwsmith@uscupstate.edu.

Alumni Affairs Sponsors Two Wine Tastings
Tuesday, September 19 and Thursday, September 28 … 7:00 p.m. … Cheese & Wine
Wine tasting events will be held on Tuesday, September 19 and Thursday, September 28 at 7:00 p.m. at Cheese & Wine, located at Hillcrest Specialty Row. Wines from California, South Africa, France and Australia will be sampled. The cost is $15 per person. To make reservation or for more details, contact Bea Walters Smith at ext. 5235 or  bwsmith@uscupstate.edu. All funds raised from the wine tastings and Shoot for Scholarships will support the USC Upstate Alumni Scholarship Fund. To be eligible to receive an Alumni Association Scholarship, students must be a child of a USC Upstate graduate, a rising senior, have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better and be a resident of South Carolina.

FERPA: Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
Tuesday, September 19… 3:00pm … John M. Rampey Center
This workshop will cover the specifics of FERPA - The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, affords students certain rights concerning their student educational records. Faculty and staff with access to student educational records should attend this workshop. E-mail Jeanette Reeves to sign up.

Advanced Excel
Friday, September 22 … 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. (with one hour lunch break) … John M. Rampey Center
The Objectives of the course are:

• Streamlining Workflow – Create a Macro, Edit a Macro, Customize Access to Commands and Update a Workbook’s Properties
• Collaborating with Others – Protect Files, Set Revision Tracking, Merge Workbooks, and Administer Digital Signatures
• Auditing Worksheets – Trace Cell Precedents, Trace Cell Dependents, and Locate Errors in Formulas
• Analyzing Data – Create a Trendline, Create Scenarios, Develop a PivotTable Report, and Perform Statistical Analysis with the Analysis ToolPak
• Working with Multiple Workbooks – Create a Workspace and Consolidate Data
• Importing and Exporting Data
• Structuring XML Workbooks – Develop XML Maps, Import, Add and Export XML Data, and Manage XML Workbooks

E-mail Jeanette Reeves to sign up! Limited Seating!

An Evening of Great Conversations Comes to Greenville
Thursday, October 12 … 6:00 p.m. … Poinsett Club
The College of Arts and Sciences at USC Upstate will host “An Evening of Great Conversations” on Thursday, October 12 at the Poinsett Club in Greenville. The event begins at 6:00 p.m. with cocktail and dinner and the conversations begin at 7:00 p.m. Last February, this unique event was held in Spartanburg, bringing together active members of the Spartanburg community, including leaders and friends in education, city government, and business. Participants may select from several conversations on a variety of important topics. Guests at each dinner table will engage in a different conversation facilitated by a faculty expert on the topic, while also enjoying a lovely dinner catered by the Poinsett Club. For more information, contact Dr. York Bradshaw, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, ext. 5700.