News in Brief
Penn State Intercom......April 30, 2001

Faculty survey prototype test

Recognizing the large demand but limited resources that faculty members have for surveys of their students, the Centers for Academic Computing and Education Technology Services are prototyping a new Assessment Survey Kit (ASK).

ASK will provide faculty with everything they need to create and administer online surveys without having to know HTML. The kit was co-developed with the Schreyer Institute for Innovation in Learning and University Testing Services. The kit will make it possible to obtain feedback on teaching effectiveness; quantifying and qualifying the learning that occurred in class; and gathering ideas and miscellaneous data to use as teaching tools. Faculty will be able to test ASK at the end of the spring semester.

Instructors who are interested in volunteering for the ASK prototype test can learn more by e-mailing Karen Peters at kmp138@psu.edu.

Parking permits update

The end of each spring semester and June 30 are times when some faculty/staff members terminate their employment or retire from the University. These employees should return their parking permits on their last day of work.

Faculty or staff taking a leave of absence over the summer months also may wish to return parking permits so as not to incur charges for parking during their absence. Payment is required for the possession of the permit regardless of usage.

From May 5 until Aug. 20, students who are not taking summer classes or credits are eligible for open-staff faculty/staff parking privileges.

The parking permits to be issued this year are the cardboard disposable permits available from the Parking Office. The permit is paid upon receipt at a rate of $19 per month for June, and $20 per month for July and August or $10 per week.

Students also may choose to purchase a student parking permit by showing a valid driver's license and vehicle registration at the Parking Office. The student parking permit will allow parking in their specified parking lot from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

'Ms. Demeanor' to show the way

Mary Mitchell, better known as "Ms. Demeanor," the Philadelphia Inquirer's etiquette authority, will share the finer points of dining at Penn State Abington's first "Manners and Mocks" business etiquette program on Tuesday, May 8.

The event will be from 5:30 to 8 p.m. in the Dean's Dining Room in Lares Building on the Penn State Abington campus.

Mitchell will cover many aspects of what students need to do to make a winning impression during the job interview process. Regional business executives have been invited to the event to hold mock interviews, after a "power" dinner with the business professionals and students.

Records management

Jackie Esposito, University records manager, and her assistant, Robyn Dyke, will present a free, one-hour brown-bag luncheon on file organization.

Esposito and Dyke will explain the details of University policy AD-35, explain how to use retention schedules (General Forms Usage Guide Appendices 18 and 21) and offer time-saving tips for organizing and coordinating records. They also will cover the advantages of using the Inactive Records Center and the University Archives.

Brown-bag luncheons (dessert provided) are scheduled for noon to 1 p.m. May 10, June 7, July 12 and Aug. 2, in the Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library on the University Park campus. To register, call (814) 865-7931 or e-mail jxe2@psu.edu.

New CAT seminars planned

LIAS, the Library Information Access System, is changing. On May 23, a new version of The CAT will go live at http://www.libraries.psu.edu.

To familiarize students and faculty with the new features, Enhanced CAT Introductory Seminars will be held at 11 a.m. May 1; 10 a.m. May 2; and 3 p.m. May 3 in the Foster Auditorium, 101 Pattee Library on the University Park campus. All sessions are an hour long. No registration is required.

A preview site of The CAT may be viewed at: http://preview.libraries.psu.edu/. This site was developed from material in the catalog frozen in March 2000; entries are not up-to-date.

The new system is a joint effort of the University Libraries and Library Computing Services. It will expand interlibrary loan services, provide easier and more direct access to full-text databases, improve access to electronic course reserves, speed circulation notices via e-mail and add more hotlinks via the libraries' electronic resources.

For information on the seminars, e-mail Loanne Snavely, head of libraries instructional programs, at Lsnavely@psu.edu.

Intersession hours

The University Libraries announce their hours for the spring intersession, Sunday, May 6, through Sunday, May 13. The schedule for intersession hours is as follows:

* Sunday, May 6: closed;

* Monday-Friday, May 7-11: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.;

* Saturday, May 12: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

* Sunday, May 13: 1 to 10 p.m.

* Monday, May 14: start of summer hours.

Pollock Laptop Library will be open from 9 a.m. to midnight Sunday, May 13.

Holiday schedule

Two official University holidays will occur this spring and summer.

The University will observe the Memorial Day holiday on Monday, May 28, and the Independence Day holiday on Wednesday, July 4.

No classes will be held on either day.

Water conservation alert

With water levels low in University wells, the University community is being asked to voluntarily conserve water.

"The Penn State wells are at the lowest levels I've ever seen," warned John Gaudlip, Physical Plant utilities systems engineer, who has been monitoring the University's water supply since 1986.

The surrounding Centre Region has been experiencing a shortfall in precipitation that affects University water supplies. Total yearly precipitation over the past five years has been below the normal amount (39.4 inches) measured from 1961 through 1990, according to figures from the National Weather Service. This year, precipitation is 2.4 inches below the normal amount after the first two months.

The follow conservation measures are urged:

* Turn off unnecessary water flows and shut down water-cooled laboratory equipment when not in use,

* Report all dripping faucets, showers and continuously running or leaking toilets to the OPP Service Desk at (814) 865-4731. One drip per second equals 3,000 gallons a year.

* Wash full loads of clothing and dishes.

* Reduce shower time, which can save five to seven gallons per minute.

* Do not use running water to melt ice or frozen foods.

* Don't run water while shaving, brushing teeth or washing dishes by hand.

* Refrigerate tap water to avoid running the faucet to get cold water.

If conditions do not improve, the University could begin mandatory water conservation measures. Whenever the governor declares a drought emergency, state law requires that mandatory water conservation measures be activated.

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