Whittier College
Communiqué

Communiqué is published every other Wednesday during the academic year by the Whittier College Office of Communications. For more information, call us at (562) 907-4277.

SEPTEMBER 17, 1997.

WHITTIER CAMPUS GETS A SPRUCE-UP THIS SUMMER

Welcome back to the new and improved Whittier College.

Several projects involving improvements to the physical plant - some completed and others still under way - are creating an improved environment for teaching, learning, and, believe it or not, playing.

Jo Ann Hankin, vice president for finance and administration, said that more than 15 projects - from tree planting to air conditioning residence halls - were completed this summer, under the direction of Nelson Park, director of projects, and Dan Peterson, manager of campus facilities.

"With the George Allen Fitness Center scheduled for its official opening on September 20," she added, "we will now turn our focus to completing KWTR, the campus radio station, which will be located in the Dexter Student Center."

Room 102 in the Science Building has been revamped and rewired for computers, Lautrup auditorium in Hoover Hall has gotten a face lift, and playgrounds at the Broadoaks ChildrenÕs School have been upgraded, according to Park.

"The science room was reconfigured with fewer seats and room for computer tables," Park said. "It's rewired, too, so that all they'll have to do is plug in the computers when they get them."

Hoover-Lautrup is being completely overhauled (and renamed - it becomes Lautrup-Ball Cinema this fall), with fresh paint, new carpeting, new seats, new lighting and a new sound system that will be a boon to faculty members as they lecture. It also now features a shortened stage and more seats, and the side aisles are being brought up to code.

The playground behind Children's House at Broadoaks was graded and fenced. The play area to the west of the Broadoaks office and preschool building also has been remodeled, including the removal of a wooden deck and the addition of a sandbox.

Water pressure problems across the lawns separating Hoover and the library were solved with the installation of a larger pipe from the main water line on Painter Ave., under Hoover and across the lawn. A new irrigation system along with the increased water pressure and volume have made a great difference in the appearance of the lawns, Park said.

In addition, several residence halls have been improved with air conditioning, painting or new carpet, including Johnson, Stauffer, Ball, Campbell, Wanberg and Harris. Leaking showers at Turner Hall are being rebuilt, and the Mendenhall administration building received a new coat of paint.

Naylor is being reconfigured to house the Department of Modern Languages. Peck/Jones Construction is in charge of the Naylor project, which is expected to be completed in time for classes next spring.

CAPITAL CAMPAIGN REACHES $41 MILLION

A Los Angeles foundation has awarded Whittier College a $5 million grant toward the renovation and expansion of the Bonnie Bell Wardman Library, bringing the campaign total in gifts and commitments for "Endowing the Tradition" to $41 million.

In addition, the annual fund drive surpassed its $1 million goal for 1996-97, making last year the most successful ever in Whittier's fund-raising history, with a total of $9.8 million raised, according to Joseph M. Zanetta, vice president for advancement.

"This is very encouraging," Zanetta said, "because it indicates that the base of donors to the college continues to expand.

"Our focus this year will be in securing additional gifts and pledges for the library project," he added, "and I am sure that under the strong leadership of Campaign Chairman Richard Deihl '49, we will continue to make progress toward our $70 million goal."

To that end, there have been a few changes in the advancement office structure. Paul Carey has been named campaign director, and will work toward securing the remaining $29 million of the campaign goal. He will work closely with Klane Robison, director of gift planning, and a soon-to-be-appointed director of major gifts.

Jonathan Meer, executive director of development, will focus his efforts on the annual fund, managing the operation of the development office, and on the athletics facility portion of the campaign.

MELLON GRANT AIDS FIFTH DIMENSION PROGRAM, SCHOLARSHIPS

The Andrew Mellon Foundation of New York has awarded $60,000 to Whittier College's Fifth Dimension, a computer-based, after school learning program based at the Whittier Boys and Girls Club. The new funds, to be disbursed over two years, extend a previous, three-year $150,000 foundation grant that helped start the program.

The B.C. McCabe Foundation also supports the Fifth Dimension through a four-year, $350,000 gift that provides scholarships and work-study support to eight college students who coordinate the program under the supervision of Don Bremme, associate professor of education.

The Fifth Dimension engages children aged 7 to 12 in reading, writing, math and logical problem-solving activities using computers. It also provides a unique experience in service learning for Whittier College students, who assist the children with their work on a one-to-one basis. Students enrolled in Bremme's Psychology in Education course serve in the program one afternoon each week as a course requirement.

The new Mellon grant will support research in how participation in the Fifth Dimension program affects college students' learning of theoretical concepts. "Because this new grant will support student researchers, it provides an exciting opportunity for them to discover what research is all about," Bremme said.

BONU$ HIT$ THE $POT

Once again, bonus dollars are available to members of the campus community. Purchased in $20 increments, bonus dollars earn an additional 10 percent discount when you use them to buy a snack or a cup of coffee at The Spot.

Take your valid Whittier College identification card to the Bon Appetit office, where they will encode it to the access system. You may then purchase bonus dollars, which will be placed in your account, along with the 10 percent discount.

When you want to use the bonus dollars, present the i.d. card to the cashier and indicate you are paying with bonus dollars. Bon Appetit will handle the rest.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Crystal Brian and Brian Reed, both associate professors of theatre arts, are the director and set designer, respectively, of the west coast premiere of Tina Howe's play "One Shoe Off," now at the Gascon Center Theatre in Los Angeles. The production also features J.R. Luker '99 as associate stage manager, and alumni Brian Colburn '94, Adam Webster '94 and Jennifer DeLaudarantey '94.

Gustavo Geirola, assistant professor of modern languages, presented his paper "Ghosting Revolutions: Textual Traditions as Textual Violence in Che Guevara's Guerrilla Theatricality," at the Conference on Literature and Political Violence at King's College of Cambridge University in August.

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

THE DONORS: David and Barbara (Ondrasik) Groce '57.

AMOUNT OF CONTRIBUTION: $10,000 to the existing Barbara Ondrasik Groce '57 Endowed Scholarship, awarded annually to deserving students who have been active in the Girl Scouts, USA. .

WHY THEY GAVE: "We strongly believe in education and encouraging young people, particularly young women, to follow their career dreams. We believe it is also important to set an example of philanthropy for Whittier students to follow as they achieve success and, hopefully, have an opportunity to set an example for future generations of Whittier students."

WANTED, WELCOMED, AND WISHED WELL

Wanted...

Secretary - English, History and Modern Languages

For more information, please refer to the August 21 Employment Opportunities Bulletin posted around campus, or call the Whittier College job line at (562) 907-4850.

Welcomed....

Nathan Ho, chemistry stockroom manager

James Ramirez, mail and copy clerk

Jeanne Rogers, administrative assistant, career services

Wished well....

Gus Benavides, chemistry stockroom manager

Stephanie Soliz, mail and copy clerk

IN THE NEWS

Joyce Kaufman, associate professor of political science, was quoted in the Aug. 23 edition of the Whittier Daily News about her work this summer in Nicosia, Cyprus.

The August 30, edition of the Whittier Daily News featured a story on the 100th birthday celebration of Nina (Brock) Schroeder '52, widow of Paul Schroeder, associate professor of business administration (in accounting) and longtime chair of the departments of business and economics.

Judith Wagner, professor of education and director of Broadoaks Children's School, was featured in two magazine articles for parents this month. In Parents Magazine, she discussed ways parents can help their five- and six-year-olds develop social skills, and she was also featured in a story in Parenting on the smartest ways to help children with homework.

Whittier Law School's move to Costa Mesa and the dedication ceremonies on Aug. 23 were featured in several articles in the Los Angeles Times, Orange County Business Journal, the Orange County Register and the Whittier Daily News, in addition to being covered by KNX Newsradio and KFWB-AM.

CALENDAR

September

Thursday 18: Last day to add classes

Friday 19: 7:30 p.m., Dan Spencer discusses "Gender, Ecology and Religion," Johnson House

Saturday 20: 4 p.m., dedication of the George Allen Fitness Center, Graham Athletics Center. Call Lyn Dobrzycki, assistant director of annual giving, at 4841 to RSVP.

8 p.m., The David Grisman Quintet, Ruth B. Shannon Center for the Performing Arts. Call (562) 907-4203 for more information.

Tuesday 23: Noon, Women's Auxiliary salad luncheon, college update from President Ash, Faculty Center

Sunday 28: 3 p.m., pianist Jan Gottlieb Jiracek, Shannon Center. Call (562) 907-4203 for more information.

Tuesday 30: 7:30 p.m., Karl Taube speaks on "Corn and Cosmology in Mesoamerica and the American Southwest," Johnson House

October

Friday 3: 8 p.m., Sankt Annae Girls Choir from Copenhagen, Shannon Center. Call (562) 907-4203 for more information.