CSU, Chico News

There are only two more weeks to sign up for the College of Humanities and Fine Arts, California State University, Chico tour to Scotland with an option for golf from July 22 through 30. The deadline is April 22. President Paul Zingg, sport historian and avid golfer, will be the faculty-in-residence, plus, there will be golf instruction from CSU Chico head golf coach Keith Thomas. Keith is a Class-A PGA professional. The tour will include three nights in Edinburgh, two in St. Andrews, and two in Stirling.

“For golfers, this trip promises an experience of a lifetime,” said Zingg. “All four of the courses we’ll be playing—the Old Course at St. Andrews, Carnoustie, Gullane, and Gleneagles—are ranked among the top 100 in the world. They offer variety, challenge, first-hand immersion in the history of the game—and great fun, no matter how well you play. There is no more magical place in the world of golf than the first tee at St. Andrews. And, beyond the golf, there are the joys of the medieval cathedral town of St. Andrews, the great capitol city of Edinburgh, and the spiritual center of Scotland—the Central Highlands. Castles, lochs, links and uisge beatha (“the water of life”) await in this land of Macbeth, Rob Roy, William Wallace, Robert the Bruce, Sir Walter Scott and Nessie.”

For those who do not golf, there is an excursion to Edinburgh, to Stirling and Stirling Castle, and to Glasgow with its Burrell Collection.

The tour for everyone includes round-trip airfare from San Francisco, airport fees, transfers, first-class hotels, buffet breakfast daily, and three dinners; Edinburgh sightseeing including Edinburgh Castle and St. Andrews sightseeing including St. Andrews Castle and Cathedral; the full-time services of professional tour director Guy Macdonald, author of England (Cadogan Country Guides, 2004); and a Chico State cap and an autographed copy of Dr. Zingg’s A Journey through the Landscapes and Memory of Golf (Rutledge Press, 1999).

“I can’t wait to share my love of Scotland with those who make this trip,” said Zingg.

The price of the tour without golf is $3094 based on 40 tourists (maximum) to $3274 based on 20 tourists (minimum). The golf package is $850 and includes Gullane, St. Andrews Links (Old Course), Carnoustie Golf Links, and Gleneagles (plus golf instruction from CSU Chico golf coach Keith Thomas, PGA). For more information, including cost, contact Ms. Thomasin Saxe, group coordinator, tsaxe@csuchico.edu or 530.898-4642. You may also check the Web.

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Is Chico going to become a well-known arts-oriented city that attracts tourists, artists, students and prospective residents? Will some arts be accentuated and others left behind? The value of the arts and their role in Chico's future will be the topic at a special panel discussion Monday, April 17, on the California State University, Chico campus.

The event will take place at 7:30 pm in Ruth Rowland-Taylor Hall, PAC 134, not Harlen Adams Theatre as previously advertised. It is free and open to the public. The event is part of CSU, Chico's 2006 Founders Week, which runs from April 15-23.

Members of the panel will be Sarah Blackstone, dean of the College of Humanities and Fine Arts; Pat Collentine, Chico-based artist and art instructor; Mary Gardner, art projects coordinator for the City of Chico; Phil Ruttenburg, co-founder, Chico Cabaret; and Greg Strong, co-owner, Chico Paper Company. CSU, Chico President Paul Zingg will be moderator for the discussion.

The area's reputation as an arts town was given a boost by a number 10 ranking in the book "The 100 Best Art Towns in America," by John Villani. Chico arts have received notice in USA Today, Sunset Magazine and other national publications.

"While we have this growing reputation, to some extent our different arts-music, theatre, and others-are discrete," said Blackstone. "It's important we have a conversation about the whole, and how we might be able to leverage our reputation by being more aware of each other's efforts."

Blackstone said the panel discussion will cover varying visions of how Chico can enhance its arts scene as well as opinions on the importance of the arts in people's lives.

Sarah Blackstone has been dean of the College of Humanities and Fine Arts for five years. Prior to coming to CSU, Chico as theatre arts chair, she spent 10 years on the Department of Theatre faculty of Southern Illinois University, Carbondale. She earned her PhD at Northwestern University in theatre history and is a popular entertainment scholar.

Pat Collentine works in diverse art forms including glass and photography and has had exhibitions internationally as well as locally in Chico. He has taught art at CSU, Chico as well as other schools and is a former member of the city Arts Commission. He and his partner, Susan Larsen, created the "Dancing Trout Fountain" by City Council Chambers and host a show discussing contemporary art on Chico's KZFR radio station.

Mary Gardner, art projects coordinator for the city, got involved in the arts in Chico soon after her arrival at CSU, Chico in 1980. Before being hired by the city in 1997, she participated in the founding of the 1078 Gallery, Shakespeare in the Park and the "Annies" awards, and was a long-time member of the Arts Commission. Currently as art projects coordinator, she oversees public arts projects, arts funding and arts promotion for the city. She is also co-owner of Café Flo in Chico.

Phil Ruttenburg had been involved in Chico's theatrical community for more than 20 years prior to forming Chico Cabaret with his wife, Sue. Ruttenburg is a licensed therapist and also founded A Theatre On The Inside-Out, a performing youth group that has dedicated itself to writing and performing original plays based on the personal experiences of participating teens. A Theatre On The Inside Out has performed in schools and workshops from Sacramento to Redding. Ruttenburg also works as a full-time clinician for Butte County Day Treatment Program, serving children and their families with emotional issues. He incorporates drama therapy into his daily work.

Greg Strong owns Chico Paper Company along with his wife, Jana. Strong is a CSU, Chico graduate and has worked as a picture framer in Chico for 15 years. He was a member of the Board of Directors of the 1078 Gallery in Chico. Chico Paper donates arts supplies to area schools and exhibits art year-round for more than 30 visual artists.

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Founders Week, the yearly celebration of California State University, Chico's heritage and achievements, marks its 13th anniversary April 15-23 with music and dance, campus tours, award ceremonies, environmental awareness events and special panel discussions on the arts and athletics.

On March 5, 1909, when CSU, Chico-then the Northern Branch State Normal School-was only 22 years old, Charter Day was established to remember the school's early days and memorialize founder John Bidwell and deceased faculty and staff. A highlight of the first Charter Day was the donation by John Bidwell's wife, Annie, of two acres of land between the school and Big Chico Creek. Founders Week carries forward the tradition of Charter Day by honoring CSU, Chico's rich past during the spring, when many outstanding annual campus events take place.

The future of arts in the Chico area is the focus of "Aspirations for the Arts in Chico," a panel discussion Monday, April 17, at 7:30 pm in Harlen Adams Theatre on the CSU, Chico campus. A distinguished panel of experts, including College of Humanities and Fine Arts Dean Sarah Blackstone, will take part, with CSU, Chico President Paul Zingg moderating.

On Tuesday, April 18, at 7:30 pm, the Center for Applied Professional Ethics (CAPE) will host a forum, "Should High Profile Athletes Be Considered Today's Role Models?" Participants will be David Casper, former tight end of the Oakland Raiders, Jeff Nedved, former wide receiver of the San Francisco 49ers, and President Zingg, an author of several books on sports. CAPE director Andrew Flescher will moderate. The event will be held in Harlen Adams Theatre.

Among the other special events for the 2006 Founders Week are the Outstanding Professor Lecture by kinesiology professor Tom Fahey, the Associated Students' Eco-Fest and the Greek Week Community Challenge, featuring more than 45 teams competing in a benefit for the Boys and Girls Club of the North Valley.

Other activities include Wildcat baseball, the Donna Stone Memorial Student Directed Scenes and Dance, a concert featuring the student group Jazz-X-Press, campus history and arboretum tours, and award presentations for CSU, Chico students, faculty, staff and alumni.

A schedule of Founders Week events follows, and is also available at the Web site. For ticket information about Founders Week events, contact the University Box Office at 898-6333.

FOUNDERS WEEK
California State University, Chico
APRIL 15-23, 2006

Noon
Baseball: CSU, Chico vs. Fresno Pacific Nettleton Stadium
3:00pm
Chico State Track and Field Invitational University Stadium
7:30pm
Convergence: Denver & Chico Harlen Adams Theatre
The world acclaimed jazz sextet Convergence from Denver performs with Jazz X-Press for an entertaining evening. This extraordinary musical group, including Greg Gisbert and Paul Romanie, joins with Chico State students for an experience you will not soon forget.

7:30pm
Tinariwen Laxson Auditorium
Tinariwen is the hottest band out of Africa since Youssou N'Dour. Hailing from the nomadic people of the southern Sahara called the Toureg, their music is infused with the hardships of life in the desert, tribal and ethnic wars, and their battle for survival. Tinariwen's infectious rhythms feature electric blues guitar, haunting and poetic vocal harmonies, and beguiling charm.
Monday, April 17, Noon
Sustainable Workshop BMU 211
Presenters will talk about sustainability, with a particular focus on the CSU, Chico campus.

1:00pm
College of Natural Sciences Poster Session BMU Auditorium
The College of Natural Sciences faculty and students will present original research to the college, the University and the community.

7:30pm
Panel Discussion: Aspirations for the Arts in Chico PAC 134
Chico has been honored in national publications as one of America's best arts towns. A distinguished panel of experts from CSU, Chico and the greater Chico community will discuss the arts in Chico and how they can be brought to even greater prominence.

Tuesday, April 18, 10:00am
Campus History Tour Kendall Hall Lawn
CSU, Chico's rich past will be highlighted at different locations on campus. The different eras of the school's 118-year history will be illustrated by campus landmarks and colorful stories.

11:00am
Campus Arboretum Tour Kendall Hall Lawn
Campus trees and plants are the subject for this tour. CSU, Chico was designated as an arboretum in 1982 in recognition of the superb collection of woody plants.

4:00pm
Outstanding Faculty Service Award Albert E. Warrens Reception Center
The Outstanding Faculty Service Award is given annually to a CSU, Chico faculty member for his or her service to students, the campus community or the community at large. This year's honoree is sociology professor Kathy Kaiser.

7:30pm
University Film Series Ayres 106 Little Theatre
Third of the Wadja War Trilogy, "Ashes + Diamonds" is directed by 1999 Honorary Academy Award-winning Andrez Wadja. Gorgeously photographed and brilliantly performed, the film masterfully interweaves the fate of a nation with that of one man, resulting in one of the most important Polish films of all time.

7:30pm
CAPE Forum: Should High Profile Athletes Be Considered Today's Role Models? PAC 144
Do famous athletes have duties only to their respective teams and teammates, or are they also responsible for being good role models to their fans? This special CAPE forum will feature famous figures from the world of professional sports, such as David Casper, former Oakland Raiders star and Football Hall of Fame Inductee, who will impart their views based on first-hand experience.

Wednesday, April 19, 3:00-5:00pm
17th Annual University Awards Reception BMU Auditorium
The reception will honor student leaders and contributors to student life. Honorees are nominated on the basis of outstanding performance in such categories as academics, leadership and community service. Award recipients are nominated by faculty, coaches, deans and peers.
7:00 – 9:00pm
Earth Month speaker: Patty Martin BMU Auditorium
Patty Martin was featured in the book Fateful Harvest, about her quest to uncover toxic waste dumping in rural Washington.

7:30pm
Museum Without Walls lecture CARD Center
The Northern California Natural History Museum sponsors its spring lecture series, featuring various interesting topics presented at the Chico Area Recreation and Parks District Community Center.

Thursday, April 20, 11:30-2:00pm
35th Annual Staff Awards Luncheon BMU Auditorium
The Staff Awards Luncheon recognizes the staff of CSU, Chico. Staff members are honored for length of service to the University and for contributions to a safe workplace. Those who have retired in the last year will also be recognized. The culmination of the awards luncheon will be presentation of the Staff Employee of the Year.

3:00pm
Outstanding Professor Award and Presentation Lecture: PAC 134
Outstanding Professor is the highest honor awarded to faculty at CSU, Chico. The Faculty Recognition and Support Committee recommends the recipient from a pool of high-achieving faculty nominated by colleagues. This year's honoree is kinesiology professor Tom Fahey. A reception will follow in the PAC Courtyard.

4:00pm
Humanities Center Tertulia: Trinity 126
"Henry James on Society and Culture"
Presented by Rob Davison, Professor of English

7:30 pm
The Donna Stone Memorial Student Directed Scenes and Dance Wismer Theatre
Advanced directing students are given the opportunity to run the whole show-from selecting the play to calling the auditions to designing the scenery, costumes and lighting, and finally directing the action on stage.

Friday, April 21,11:00am
Distinguished Alumna Speaker: Karen Seccombe Meenan Ayres 106
Seccombe Meenan is the 2006 Distinguished Alumna for the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences. She is a professor of sociology at Portland State University and an expert in health issues and welfare reform.

Noon
John Muir's Birthday Celebration Free Speech Area
Celebrate John Muir's birthday with the Environmental Action and Resource Center (EARC). In addition, The Green Campus group will be sponsoring a Chalk Art contest, and a roundtable discussion will take place in BMU 210 sponsored by EARC and the Butte Environmental Institute.

6:00pm
Baseball: CSU, Chico vs. Sonoma State Nettleton Stadium

6:30pm
2005 Distinguished Alumni Awards Bell Memorial Union Auditorium
President Paul J. Zingg will host the 13th annual dinner sponsored by the CSU, Chico Alumni Association. This invitation-only event honors seven distinguished alumni from CSU, Chico's seven colleges. The alumni are visiting tonight from throughout the nation.

7:30pm
The Donna Stone Memorial Student Directed Scenes and Dance Wismer Theatre
Saturday, April 22, Noon-6:00pm
Eco-Fest Kendall Hall Lawn
Eco-Fest is a free festival that promotes environmentalism and social awareness. After the festival, from 7-8 pm in the BMU Auditorium, Julia Butterfly Hill will give a talk. Hill gained fame in 1997 by refusing to leave a redwood in Humboldt County for 738 days.

1:00pm
Baseball: CSU, Chico vs. Sonoma State Nettleton Stadium

7:30pm
The Donna Stone Memorial Student Directed Scenes and Dance Wismer Theatre
7:30pm
Monumental Choral Masterworks Harlen Adams Theatre
Join the A Cappella Choir, Chamber Singers and the University Chorus for a performance of large-scale works by Mozart, Monteverdi and others. The Chamber Orchestra, the Centennial Organ and University Organist David Rothe provide accompaniment for some of the world's most beloved choral compositions.

Sunday, April 23 – 11:00am
Greek Week Community Challenge University Stadium
Join 45-plus teams from fraternities, sororities, businesses, youth groups and churches for a day of games and activities in a benefit for the Boys and Girls Club of the North Valley.

Noon
Baseball:
CSU, Chico vs. Sonoma State Nettleton Stadium

2:00pm
The Donna Stone Memorial Student Directed Scenes and Dance Wismer Theatre

Ongoing Events
Speak to Me: Janet Turner through April 16
Student Printmakers as Curators Print Museum
Eileen Macdonald, faculty printmaker, leads students through the collection for this exhibition on artistic talent.
Through end of July
Gifts from the Earth: Ethnobotany — Museum of An Exploration of Human Anthropology and Plant Relations
Through April 21
Points of Contention: Ceramic Sculpture by Trevor Koch Trinity Gallery
Through April 27
Mixed Media By Kathleen Nartuhi Trinity Gallery

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Transportation expert Will Toor will deliver the 4th Annual Jack Rawlins Environmental Literacy Lecture on April 12, 7 pm in the BMU Auditorium at California State University, Chico. Toor is co-author of the books "Finding a New Way: Campus Transportation for the Twenty-First Century" and "Transportation for Sustainable Campus Communities." He will speak on new visions for campus transportation.

Toor served as the director of the University of Colorado, Boulder's Environmental Center from 1992 to January 2005. During his tenure, the center received national recognition, including a 2001 Green Power Leadership award from the U.S. Department of Energy for initiating the nation's largest university green power program.

Toor was also an instructor in the University of Colorado's Environmental Studies Program, teaching classes titled Environmental Leadership, the Campus and the Biosphere, and Transportation and Environmental Policy. He is currently an adjunct professor in the University's School of Architecture and Planning.

In November 1997, Toor was elected to the Boulder City Council, and in November 1998, he was elected mayor and then, he was reelected four years later. In November 2004, Toor was elected to the Boulder County Board of Commissioners. He is currently leading the county's environmental sustainability initiative. Under his leadership, the county adopted two resolutions on sustainability and zero waste, and it is now developing programs and policies designed to reduce energy waste and to transition to renewable energy sources.

Toor was born in Pittsburgh, Penn. He graduated from Carnegie-Mellon University with a BS in physics in 1978 and moved to Boulder in 1980, where he worked as a truck driver, mechanic and yard foreman for Eco-Cycle. He received his PhD in physics from the University of Chicago in 1992.

The Rawlins Endowed Professor of Environmental Literacy and the Environmental Studies Program sponsor Toor's visit. For more information contact Mark Stemen via e-mail at mstemen@csuchico.edu.

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California State University, Chico is canceling the remainder of its 2006 softball season following an incident in which a high school recruit was admitted to the hospital for alcohol overdose.

The 17-year-old high school senior had attended a party Friday, March 24, hosted by a group of Chico State softball players. A University investigation has concluded that alcohol was served to the recruit and readily available at the party, which was attended by 12 of the 18 players on Chico State's softball team. Several of the players in attendance were under 21 years of age.

"This is a sad day for Chico State Athletics," said Athletic Director Anita Barker. "We pride ourselves on being role models, on having a program that the campus and community are proud of. However, the magnitude and gravity of this situation warrants swift and decisive action that sends a message this behavior is unacceptable."

"We have raised expectations for student behavior at Chico State, and we must hold all of our students accountable to those expectations," said President Paul Zingg. "We are committed to standards of conduct for all of our students that support the values of the University, including being a safe and responsible community. Changing the drinking culture that plagues our campus, as it does many others, is a critical step towards this goal."

Softball coach Teri Rupe said she was in full agreement with the decision to cancel the remainder of the season. "I am shocked, saddened and angry about what happened over the weekend regarding my team. This is a horrible incident and does not reflect well on the campus community, the athletic department, and primarily the softball program. Unfortunately, the poor judgment of some has affected the entire program. Ultimately, I am responsible for my program, and I am committed to doing everything in my power to ensure that nothing like this ever happens again."

The cancellation of the season is due to the severity of the incident and is not the outcome of individual disciplinary action. Barker said she had been in contact with NCAA officials, and while the incident was not an NCAA rules violation, they were in support of the University's action.

CSU, Chico's Office of Student Judicial Affairs is in the process of determining appropriate disciplinary sanctions to student athletes involved, which range from disciplinary probation to suspension from school. The players have also been removed from the team by Coach Rupe.

"This decision has not been entered into lightly, realizing that there are student athletes with no involvement who will be adversely affected," said Barker. "The University will make every effort to assist the softball players that were not involved with the incident." Barker has been in contact with the NCAA to determine the best course of action to aid these students in regaining their season of competition. They can continue to practice this spring under guidelines established by the NCAA, Barker said.

The high school recruit came to Chico with her father for an official recruiting visit that included meeting the coach and team and touring campus. She attended a party hosted by some members of the softball team and later became lethargic and then unresponsive after drinking. Players placed a 911 call, and she was transported by paramedics at 1 am on Saturday, March 25, to Enloe Medical Center. She was released at 6 am to her father and is reportedly doing fine.

As a result of the incident, Barker said she will lead a complete review of the athletic department's recruitment practices and procedures. This will include, but is not limited to, an educational process for coaches and athletes to reiterate the responsibilities and expectations of those involved in the recruitment process. She also plans to work with student athletes to explore ways to send a clear message to their teams that this type of behavior is not acceptable.

The cancellation is effective immediately, and includes this weekend's tournament hosted by Cal State Stanislaus. The softball team was approximately halfway through the season; after the tournament, the Wildcats had 20 games (10 double-headers) remaining on their schedule. Barker said she has been in touch with the California Collegiate Athletic Association, of which Chico is a member, to inform the conference and other members of the cancellation.

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California State University, Chico and the City of Chico have signed an agreement to share policing responsibilities of fraternity and sorority chapter houses recognized by the University, effective April 1.

The University Police Department will be the first responding agency for law enforcement matters to the campus-recognized Greek houses. Both police departments will continue to work cooperatively in responding to calls in areas near campus. Jurisdictional authority for the off-campus chapter houses will remain with the City of Chico and the Chico Police Department.

Chico City Manager Greg Jones, Chico Police Chief Bruce Hagerty, University Police Chief Leslie Deniz and University Vice President for Business and Finance Dennis Graham attended a news conference to discuss this agreement March 30.

Deniz said an increased role for University Police with chapter houses was one of the recommendations to emerge from task forces formed last spring to address Greek life and related student issues. “University police can work with other offices on campus to help these students stay safe and abide by the new requirements they have,” she said.

Both police chiefs said the agreement is another sign of a close working relationship between the University and the city. “We work well together, which benefits students and all citizens of Chico,” said Hagerty. “The ‘town-gown’ relationship is strong and continues to grow,” Deniz said. “We are all pleased we were able to reach this agreement.”

Deniz said fraternities and sorority leaders are aware of the coming switchover to University Police as first responders. There are currently 16 sorority and fraternity chapter houses affiliated with CSU, Chico.

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An Emmy winner, a New Yorker magazine cover artist and a video game reviewer are among the notable alumni returning to California State University, Chico for the School of Communication's Connect 2006 event next week.

From April 5-6, eight alumni will meet with students in journalism, design and related communication fields and share their professional experiences.

By speaking to classes and working with students, the alumni will have an opportunity to share professional experiences and reconnect with their alma mater.

The event, the first of its kind held by the School of Communication, will be take place in different locations in Tehama Hall from 11 am April 5 through the evening of April 6. The School of Communication is part of CSU, Chico's College of Communication and Education.

Among the alumni participating are Mark Ulriksen, 1980 alumnus, who has illustrated several New Yorker covers along with producing other high-profile artwork; Russ Woody, a 1979 alumnus, who is a well-known TV writer and producer who won an Emmy award for his work on the show Murphy Brown; and Jonathan Miller, a 2003 alumnus, who covers video games and the video game industry for IGN.com. Other participating alumni are Mimi Gatens, vice president of marketing, Benziger Family Winery; Mike Shea, creative director at NIKE; Bill Schickler, IBM Security & Compliance; Steve Tolleson, Tolleson Design; and Valerie Schutz, director of foundation relations, Oakland Children's Hospital.

For more information, contact Sarah Fry, director of development for the College of Communication and Education, at 898-4547.

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California State University, Chico Manufacturing Technology Program students won the Grand Prize in the prestigious WESTEC Manufacturing Challenge on March 27 for a cast aluminum transmission adapter.

This is CSU, Chico's third Grand Prize win in the last four years: 2003, 2005, 2006. Chico also won first places in 1987, 1993, 1995 and 1998.

The students will demonstrate their winning entry for the public and news media at 1 p.m. on Thursday, March 30, in the Computer Numerical Control and robotics lab in Plumas 121.

CSU, Chico competed against a field of other universities at the challenge, held at the Los Angeles Convention Center, that included Brigham Young University; Cal Poly, Pomona; CSU, Long Beach; CSU, Los Angeles; CSU, Northridge; San Diego State University and Western Washington State University.

The adapter was built for Skyway Transmissions in Paradise as a commercial product. The students took Skyway's design and made all the patterns and core boxes for casting the part and then created the tooling for machining the part. They also developed an innovative method of inspecting the part's accuracy by programming the robots in the robotics lab to check the size and location of holes and other machined features.

Matt Branson, owner of Skyway Transmissions, said that he and some friends wanted dual transfer cases for their automatic Toyota transmissions, but no company made them. He began looking for someone to do it. "The students know what they are doing. I was impressed with the amount of knowledge they have for being so young. It is awesome that they won!"

"This project was started in late October and completed as an extracurricular activity on the students' own time," said Dirk Vanderloop, former coordinator of the Manufacturing and Technology Program. "Their planning and documentation of the whole procedure was professional, and their presentation flawless. More than 20 students made the trip to WESTEC this year. They are very pleased with the recognition received, and we can all be justifiably proud of their accomplishment."

Former astronaut Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin visited Chico's booth at the LA Convention Center on Monday, March 27, and presented the Manufacturing Challenge award to them at a ceremony that afternoon.

The students on the WESTEC team are in the bachelor of science program in manufacturing technology and are members of the student organization Society of Manufacturing Engineers. The team presenters were Chris St. John, Calvin Leiker, Kevin Stein, Kevin Maynard, Phil Linscheid and Chris Marks.

An additional 15 students made primary contributions to the project, from fabrication to display, from welding to robotics. They are Scott Baldwin, Steven Boruta, Neal Cameron, Jamie Cogorno, Jeff Ferreira, Stephen Foute, Kyle Greer, David Hill, Ben Hoover, David Lyman, Orian Price, Erik Rott, Paul Ting, Zack Waddle and Alba Zenil.

The faculty advisor to the team is Leonard Fallscheer, who can be reached at 530-898-5320 or e-mailed at lfallscheer@csuchico.edu.

WESTEC is the largest manufacturing competition west of the Mississippi River. The Expo and Manufacturing Challenge are sponsored by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME), which has more than 400 professional and school-based chapters worldwide. CSU, Chico's manufacturing technology program has an SME chapter and 85 student majors.

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The Chico State Wildcats softball game tomorrow, March 28, against Western Oregon University has been canceled due to an investigation into an off-campus party Friday hosted by a group of Chico State softball players where a high school recruit was taken to Enloe Hospital for alcohol overdose.

The 17-year-old high school recruit was admitted to Enloe at 1 am Saturday when, after she became lethargic and then unresponsive, a team member placed a 911 call. A decision was made by paramedics to transport her to Enloe. Chico Police also responded to the 911 call and notified the recruit's father, who had accompanied her to Chico for the recruitment visit. She was released at 6 am to her father. She is reportedly doing fine and has returned home.

Anita Barker, director of Intercollegiate Athletics, met with the softball team and Coach Teri Rupe Saturday and today to convey the seriousness of the matter. “An incident like this shakes a program to its core,” Barker said. “Chico State Athletics prides itself as being a leader locally and on the conference and national level. Our expectation is that our student athletes are ambassadors and role models both on and off the field. There is no excuse for this type of behavior. The news of this incident is both disappointing and distressing, and it will be handled with the serious attention it deserves.”

Players present at the party have been directed to CSU, Chico’s Office of Student Judicial Affairs as part of an investigation. They face possible suspension from the team as well as other disciplinary measures.

Western Oregon has been notified about the game cancellation. The game has not yet been rescheduled. The status of subsequent games has not yet been addressed.

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Jennifer Ryder Fox, head of the Horticulture and Crop Science Department, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, has been named the new dean of California State University, Chico’s College of Agriculture.

Fox will assume her new position Aug. 1. She replaces Charles Crabb, who has been dean since 1999.

"We are pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Jennifer Ryder Fox as the new dean of the College of Agriculture,” said Scott McNall, CSU, Chico provost and vice president for academic affairs. “We are fortunate to have attracted someone of Dr. Fox's caliber. With her energy and experience, she can take the college far. She will build on the strong foundation created by the faculty and staff of the college and Dean Crabb, who has provided extraordinary service to his colleagues, the campus and to North State agriculture. Her combination of experiences in the academy and in the world of business will serve her well, as the college continues to meet the needs of North State Agriculture. I look forward to working with her."

CSU, Chico President Paul Zingg said, "We looked for a dean who will continue the positive direction of the college and strengthen the University's ability to meet the current and future needs of agriculture in our region and state. We are confident we have found that person in Jennifer Ryder Fox. She joins an excellent faculty and staff and strong industry partners, who should be pleased with her appointment."

"I am honored to have been selected as dean of the College of Agriculture and for the confidence Drs. Zingg and McNall have placed in me,” said Fox. “I look forward to working with the excellent faculty and staff in the College of Agriculture as we build on their accomplishments and become an even stronger partner working with the community and serving the California agricultural industry, especially in the North State."

Fox has been at Cal Poly since 2002. Prior to that she was vice president of AgraQuest, a Davis-based agricultural product development company. She has also been a regional regulatory affairs manager for FMC Corp., a leading chemical company of agricultural and consumer products, and director of regulatory and environmental affairs for the Western Crop Protection Association.

Cal Poly’s Horticulture and Crop Science Department, which Fox chairs, has 300 full-time students in five majors (crop science, environmental horticultural science, fruit science, plant protection science, and wine and viticulture), and 15 tenured/tenure-track faculty members.

Fox received her Ph.D. from New Mexico State University in woody plant physiology. She did her master’s work at New Mexico State and undergraduate work at Cal Poly.

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