News
in Brief
Penn State Intercom......November
7, 2002
Blood challenge
The ninth annual Penn State-Michigan State blood donor challenge is under way now through Nov. 18. The Red Cross is urging all members of the University community to give blood during this period.
Although school spirit is the theme, the real purpose of the challenge is to build blood inventories for the final 16 weeks of the year -- a difficult time to meet patient needs.
Last year, Penn State lost the challenge by 23 points. The overall score is Penn State 5 and Michigan State 3.
Blood donation can be given at the following locations during the challenge:
* Nov. 8: noon to 6 p.m., Pollock Rec. Room;
* Nov. 10: noon to 5 p.m., Pollock Rec. Room;
* Nov. 11: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Multi-Sport Facility;
* Nov. 11: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Hintz Family Alumni Center;
* Nov. 12: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., HUB-Robeson Center Alumni Hall;
* Nov. 13: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., HUB-Robeson Center Alumni Hall;
* Nov. 14: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., HUB-Robeson Center Alumni Hall;
* Nov. 15: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Intramural Building; and
* Nov. 18: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., HUB-Robeson Center Alumni Hall.
Walk-ins are welcome, but appointments are suggested. Call (814) 865-7263 or check the Web at http://psuredcross.org/ to schedule an appointment. Prospective donors may call (800) 54-BLOOD to confirm eligibility.
Intercom schedule
The print version of Intercom has just two more issues after today's publication before it ceases publishing for the calendar year. Those issues, and their copy deadlines, are:
| Publication date | Deadline |
| Nov. 14 | Nov. 6 |
| Nov. 21 | Nov. 13 |
All copy is due in the body of an e-mail to AMountz@psu.edu by noon on the deadline day.
Publication will resume on Jan. 16. For a full list of Intercom's publication dates and deadlines, check the Web at http://www.psu.edu/INTERCOM/.
During the break in publication of Intercom, faculty and staff will continue to receive relevant news and information via the Faculty/Staff Newswire in combination with Intercom Online.
Just as Intercom is the University's official print source of faculty and staff news, the Faculty/Staff Newswire is the University's official electronic source of faculty and staff news. In the summer, the Faculty/Staff Newswire will be the only official source of that news, as Intercom no longer publishes its print edition in the summer. During the academic year, the Faculty/Staff Newswire publishes in conjunction with the print version to get important information to faculty and staff in a more timely manner than is possible with the print version.
Those who do not currently receive the Faculty/Staff Newswire may subscribe for free by going on the Web to http://www.psu.edu/INTERCOM/newswire/.
Math-Fest
The third annual Math-Fest Conference and Career Fair for ninth- and 10th-grade students will take place Saturday, Nov. 16, in 101 Agricultural Sciences and Industries Building on the University Park campus. The Women in the Sciences and Engineering (WISE) Institute is host for this one-day conference and career fair.
Many faculty and students, along with individuals from the Centre County industrial community, have volunteered their time and expertise for this event for young women.
Conference coordinator Nüket Acar, director of the WISE Institute, created the program to help bridge the interest gap in math and science/technology for young women from middle school to high school, and eventually into college.
For a brochure, registration form or more information on WISE programs, call Katie Rung at (814) 865-3342 or e-mail cxg1@psu.edu. Deadline for registration is Monday, Nov. 11.
Career sites sought
The Commission for Women is expanding Take Our Daughters and Sons To Work Day on the University Park campus, to create the opportunity for more units to participate as career sites.
Participants in the annual event start their morning with a continental breakfast at The Bryce Jordan Center, and then make stops at selected career sites before returning to the Jordan Center for lunch. In the past, there have been roughly 40 sites from which participants could choose for their visits.
Because space is limited at each career site, organizers have had to turn away prospective participants in past years. This year, the commission seeks to increase the number of career sites to enable more girls and boys in grades six through 12 and their mentors to participate.
Participants visit each site for 45 minutes. For more information about becoming a career site, contact Carol Griffin at CarolGriffin@psu.edu or Edna Melendez at eit2@psu.edu by Jan. 31.
New resource for students
Students who are victims of a sexual assault have a new resource on the University Park campus.
In the aftermath of a sexual assault, victims have two medical exam options -- a non-evidence collection exam or an evidence collection (forensic) exam. The more involved forensic exam often is helpful in recovering evidence to help substantiate the circumstances of the assault and bringing charges against the assailant. In the past, a forensic exam meant a trip to a hospital emergency room.
Now, victims may have the forensic exam performed in the Women's Health Department at University Health Services (UHS) during regular clinic hours through the Sexual Assault Response Team (SART). SART also responds to other victims from Centre County who go to the emergency departments at Centre Community Hospital and Philipsburg Hospital.
Both the non-forensic and forensic exams are free to male and female victims when performed at UHS. The University also will pay for the exams for students when they are performed at Centre Community Hospital.
The SART initiative at UHS was funded in part by funds from the Violence Against Women on Campus grant. For more information about SART and how UHS can help victims of sexual assault, call the Women's Health Department at (814) 863-2633.
Carpool
Lisa is searching for a carpool from Mifflin County to University Park that operates from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. She will drive and ride with one or more people. For information, call (814) 865-2391 or (717) 994-6043.
Web-Based Training
Web-Based Training (WBT) has a new look and a streamlined interface for the fall semester. WBT is a free service of Information Technology Services that gives the University community the opportunity to learn or improve technology and business/professional skills at their convenience, via the Web. The Web-based courses available through WBT can enhance career skills, enrich personal and professional knowledge and supplement other training sources.
WBT now offers a completely revamped Web site, equipped with an interface that allows users to log in, add and organize courses, work online and download courses for offline use.
For information, or to start using WBT today, visit http://wbt.psu.edu/.
For a longer version of this article, see http://wbt.psu.edu/newlook.asp.
For the Record
An incorrect headline appeared on the Histories of Penn State article about Penn State McKeesport on page 1 of the Oct. 31 issue of Intercom, due to an editing error. The headline should have read, "Part of the community: McKeesport campus grew with the area and changed to serve its needs." The article, with its correct headline, appears on the Web at http://www.psu.edu/ur/archives/intercom_2002/Oct31/mckeesport.html.