Mansfield University Blog

A green oasis in the desert of dried up funding!  Provost Peter Keller this week announced that a recent Department of Community & Economic Development grant enables faculty to apply for funding to develop course innovation and development for the 2011-2012 year.  Applicants may be individuals or small groups of faculty.  Contact Keller or your Dean for details.

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This large, old tree fell across Wellsboro St. late Wednesday morning.  As anyone around Mansfield knows, traffic is usually bumper-to-bumper and sometimes even stopped, so it was amazing that only one car was hit.   Crews worked through the night to erect new poles and return the power lines.    It is safe to say it was a miracle that no one was hurt, especially the driver of the vehicle draped in power lines.

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This year is the 20th anniversary of our nursing program.  Terry Day and I spent a morning this week at the Robert Packer campus to interview nursing profs Susan Lanzara and Jamie Klesh as well as a group of nursing and radiology technology students.  The warm, respectful relationship the students had withs their professors was inspiring and I left knowing that future patients  are going to be in good hands when these students go out into the field.  Special thanks to Jackie Wisniewski, coordinator of Student Services, Guthrie/Mansfield Education Center for her help.

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Amazon sells books.  Google finds answers.  And now a software program may be the next step in suggesting student courses.  The Chronicle reports on the sneak peak at the program and the Netflix Effect.

The automated system looks at a student’s planned major, academic performance and information on how similar students made out in particular  class.  The system compiles and crunches the information and makes a recommendation.  According to the article, Austin Peay State University officials say  “an early test of the system found that it could lead to higher grades and fewer dropouts.”

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Around the Mansfield region we talk a lot about politics, entertainment and natural gas.  Here’s a recent update on the Marcellus Shale Tax debate.

For all you trivia buffs, history lovers and alumni, 154 years ago today at 10 a.m., with one foot of snow layering the countryside, , Mansfield Classical Seminary burned to the ground.  It had just opened its doors in January, 1857.  Mansfield Classical Seminary had the shortest lifespan of any higher education institution.  Here’s a sketch of the Seminary as well as a painting by Curt Heaps of Mansfield  commemorating the event.  In 1874 the Mansfield Advertiser printed this poem on the dedication of the opening of the old North Hall.  Thanks to Stephen M. Orner, class of ’81 for all the info.

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The larger the issue, the harder it is to finda clear middle.  Here are two views on Marcellus Shale and fracking.  Both are in the NY Times. In one article, the glass is half full. In the other it is half empty. Oh, and one glass may contain  poison.

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The tone of both the above arguments might change with the news of an April 20th  blowout caused by equipment failure just over the hill in  Bradford county a few days later.  Being in the PR profession,  I give Chesapeake credit not only for its quick action, but also its forthrightness in sharing information as soon as officials had it.  To date, the company has been a model of  openness.  You can find them on Facebook.

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Today is also Earth Day which started in 1970 and is considered the public launch of the environmental movement.

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The new student suites and semi-suites are showing progress.  Buildings are going up with the help of a  remote-controlled crane.

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The North Hall  Library now has a Facebook page.  Hit  “like,”  take a tour of North Hall and get access to a universe of information.

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May can’t get here soon enough. A sure sign of summer is the perennial sprouting of the Mansfield Growers Market.

The MU Jazz Festival will feature two concerts in Steadman.  The Vocal Jazz Festival concert will be Monday, April 8 at 7 p.m.  The Instrumental Jazz Festival Concert display their chops Tuesday, April 19 at 7 p.m.   Here’s the whole score.

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The MU Chamber singers, under the direction of Peggy Dettwiler, will perform Aus der Tiefe rufe ich, Herr, zu dir by Johann Sebastian Bach on Friday, April 22, at 7:30 p.m.  at St. James Episcopal Church in Mansfield.  Free & ope n to the public.

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Shaker Ramasamy, chair of the Chemistry & Physics Department, was recently featured on WETM, Channel 18 news to talk about the department’s Marcellus Shale water analysis project which faculty and students conducted as a community service.

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Mansfield Library’s spring book sale begins April 18 at 10 a.m. and runs through Friday, April 23 at 3 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church on East Elmira St.   Give your Kindle or Nook a breather and haul home  some real books.  The library, by the way, celebrated it’s 100th anniversary last weekend and a whole bunch of book lovers came out to share in the centennial party.  Check out the library on Facebook.

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Author and alumnus Terry Miller is featured in the latest MU Podcast.  Terry talks about his book, Cooking Bachelor Style, which combines easy recipes and  humorous, often outlandish  tales.

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The 10th annual Hickory Fest will be held August 19-21 at the Stony Fork Campground outside Wellsboro.  The bluegrass festival has grown over the decade, drawing visitors and performers from all over the country.  This year’s festival features 25 acts.

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Student Advisor is a website on which people rate their schools. Mansfield is on it and gets good ratings. Check it out. If you’re a student, add your comments.

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This series of ads for cellular phones in the 1980s, is  well worth five minutes just to see how far our communications have evolved (for better or worse) in less than three decades.  The English commercial take-off on the Zombies’ “She’s Not There” is hilarious.  Thanks to Kim Komando for collecting and sharing these.

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For the latest MU news on video, check out Terry’s Take which is posted every Thursday.

PASSHE  Chancellor John Cavanaugh and his wife, Christine,  will speak on “Next Generation Leadership,” Thursday, April 14 at 7 p.m. in Straughn.

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Representative Matt Baker (R-Wellsboro) is looking ahead.  He’s introduced a bill that would earmark rents and royalties from any future gas or oil wells on PASSHE campuses to help pay for building repair projects.  The measure would divide gas and oil rents and royalties on PASSHE owned property.  Sixty percent would go to the university hosting the wells.  The money would be used for building and energy conservation projects.  Forty percent would be allocated to universities that don’t host gas wells.

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One of the great things about working at MU is continually discovering the energy and talents of our students.  Music major  Glen DeGeorge recently sent me this video the guys produced of a snowy trip to area windmills.  The video’s fun and the music is great.    Glen  and Corey Rader are members of the band Portland Senator and have a new album coming out.  Visit their website  and find out the origin of the band’s name.

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Speaking of music,  just came across the Spirit and Pride of  Pennsylvania MU  Marching Band site.

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And speaking of online, the student newspaper, The Flashlight, is now online.

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Here’s a video, the “MU NJ Happy Hour,”  Bill Cammon made for fellow  New Jersey alumni  anticipation of their next reunion.  These folks didn’t invent partying, but it sure looks like they made inroads into the art of  fun and bonding.

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Leona Kent, retired from Human Resources, sent this shot from her Florida  pad.  See how many ladies you can name.

As always, April is overflowing with activities.  Gay rights activist Judy Shepard will speak Monday, April 4, Straughn, 8 p.m.  Pop/R&B artist Jay Sean will perform Thursday, April 7 at 8 p.m. in Decker Gym.  The Mansfield University Festival Chorus and Wind Orchestra under the direction of Pegg7 Dettwiler will perform King David in Steadman April 9 at 7:30 p.m. and April 10 at 3 p.m.   A full news release will be posted on our news site later today.

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Andrea McDonough Varner, an MU grad student, will host an art show Tuesday, April 5 in her home in Williamsport.  For information click here.

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An interview with MU President Maravene Loeschke appears in the most recent edition of  Education-Portal.com.  In it, the president talks about her relationship with students, her open door policy at her residence and the “president’s sweet shop.”

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Guest artists have been announced for the 2012 Endless Mountain Music Festival.  Included in the roster is  MU’s own Nancy Boston

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How’s the area water quality?  MU science prof  Paul Wendel decided to find out.  He created the Marcellus Shale Water Study  Group with his students to test water samples for barium and strontium.  the blind study is being conducted by student and faculty volunteers from the science department.

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[Steve] ” Jobs realizes that dictatorial rule, if done well, will be more popular than democracy.”  Can Tim Wu Save The Internet?

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I can’t make up my mind why I’m struck by this video of twin toddlers who have an animated one syllable dialogue complete with commands, jokes and  body language.   Over 1.5 million viewers feel the same way.  Any insights or comments  from folks in communication, psychology, or early childhood development?