Recently in Facilities Category

Written by Dwight Bachman and Ed Osborn

Willimantic, Conn. --  1,256 undergraduates and 41 graduate students heard the roars and cheers of thousands of their family members and friends as they celebrated their achievements at Eastern Connecticut State University's 123nd  Commencement exercises at the XL Center in Hartford on May 14. 

Carlotta Walls LaNier, the youngest member of the "Little Rock Nine," gave the Commencement Address, telling the graduates "This is your moment, a time you have been looking forward to and working toward since you first arrived at Eastern.  Celebrate the moment; seize it.  Step out into your future bravely and boldly."  LaNier noted that the graduates were bound to encounter challenges.  Those experiences will be "the greatest teacher in the grand classroom of life. Those challenges will show you who you really are."

The Little Rock Nine was a group of nine African American students who desegregated Central High School in Little Rock, AR, in 1957. Due to the segregation policies of Arkansas Governor Orval Faubus and the mob atmosphere in Little Rock at the time, President Dwight Eisenhower ordered 1,000 members of the U.S. Army's 101st Airborne Division to Arkansas to provide protection and escort the nine students to class throughout the 1957-58 school year.

Despite the daily military escort, LaNier and her friends were kicked, hit with rocks, threatened, and shunned. Her own home was firebombed.  As the onslaught continued, "the more determined I became to get my diploma."  Today, she has "made peace with my past."
 
LaNier turned to the Class of 2013 and encouraged them to have the same commitment: "Finish whatever goals you have set for yourself.  Find the strength, fortitude and determination to see it through. When you see injustice, how will you respond?  I hope you take the heroic stand." LaNier was also awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters, Honoris Causa at the Commencement Exercises.
 

Eastern President Elsa M. Nunez told the graduates, "There is no other country in the world that places its future so firmly in the hands of the people.  You are now the next generation of citizen leaders in our state and in our nation.  . . . The world needs your energy, your enthusiasm, and your skills . . . There is a challenge out there ready for you to conquer, whether it's helping out at your church or synagogue, volunteering at the local senior center, or inventing a new surgical procedure. There is a team somewhere that needs you to complete its mission."

As an example of the contributions Eastern students are making in the world, Nunez cited more than 100,000 hours of volunteer work performed by Eastern students, faculty, and staff each year in local communities, noting that President Barack Obama's had named Eastern to his National Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for the third time in four years that past March.At the same time, President Nunez told the graduates to "be yourself and do what makes you happy," and quoted New England bard Henry Thoreau, who wrote: "Do what you love. Know your own bone; gnaw at it, bury it, unearth it, and gnaw it still."

From the Governor's Foot Guard Color Guard in attendance, to the plaintive sound of the bagpipes of the St. Patrick's Pipe Band and the pre-event music of the Thread City Brass Quintet, Eastern's graduation ceremonies were marked by dignity, grace and elegance. Senior Jessica Johnson sang "America the Beautiful," and Senior Class President Thomas Balestracci presented President Núñez with the class gift, a scholarship funded by more than 200 donations from the graduating class. Balestracci encouraged his classmates to continue donating so that the scholarship would grow. "We have all benefited from our experiences here at Eastern. These experiences are the ones that we will keep with us forever as we move on. They will be the ones we will look back upon and realize that they have helped us become who we are today.  We lived up each day like it was our last at Eastern, and now, it really is our last day. We have turned our dreams into reality during our time at this University and we made memories that will last a lifetime."

Yvette Melendez, vice president of the Board of Regents for Higher Education, the governing body for the 17 Connecticut State Colleges and Universities, brought greetings on behalf of the Board of Regents.  "Congratulations to each and every one of you for reaching this incredible milestone.  This is one of those moments that will forever be embedded in your memory.  You are at the beginning of a future you have just begun to mold.  You took the first step in that journey by enrolling at Eastern.  You have much to be proud of."  Meléndez urged the graduates to make their contribution to society "in the way that Eastern has taught you.  You have worked exceedingly hard . . . you have learned that regardless of major, you are part of a community."

Nana Owusu-Agyemang of Ghana, West Africa, delivered the Senior Class Address. She thanked the faculty for their support, saying, "During my time here at Eastern, I have met professors that I simply cannot forget -- professors who really care for their students. It will forever strike me how much time professors at Eastern are willing to spend with each student...how much of themselves they give.  It's not just the professors who make Eastern what it is. At Eastern it's not just about imparting knowledge, it's about joining hands to mold each student into a richer person academically and mentally, as well." Owusu-Agyemang closed by quoting the late philosopher Alan Watts, who once said, "The attitude of faith is to let go, and become open to truth, whatever it might turn out to be."
"May our truth be a good truth," said Owusu-Agyemang. "May our world be a good world. May our mark be a good mark."

 
Carlotta Walls LaNier made history at age 14 when she enrolled at Central High School as a sophomore. On the first day of school she was surrounded by an angry mob that prevented the nine African American students from entering the building. After two weeks of protests and violence, President Dwight Eisenhower sent U.S. Army troops to Little Rock to protect the "Little Rock Nine" by escorting them to class for a year. Arkansas Gov. Orval Faubus closed Little Rock schools for the 1958-59 school year, forcing LaNier to take correspondence courses. In June 1960, she became the first African American female student to graduate from Central High School.
LaNier has received numerous awards and recognitions, including the prestigious Spingarn Medal from the NAACP in 1958, and the Congressional Gold Medal, the nation's highest civilian award, which was bestowed upon the Little Rock Nine in 1999 by President Bill Clinton. She is also the author of "A Mighty Long Way: My Journey to Justice of Little Rock Central High School."

Written by Dwight Bachman

(left to right) Mally Cox-Chapman, philanthropy advisor, Common Sense Fund; Nancy Tinker, director of facilities management and planning, Eastern Connecticut State University; Sabina Shelby, trustee, Hampshire Foundation; and Stewart Hudson, president, Tremaine Foundation, at the Power of Change ceremony at the State Capitol.

Willimantic, CT -- Eastern Connecticut State University's J. Eugene Smith Library Lighting Control System Upgrade was one of seven Connecticut energy efficiency projects acknowledged on April 9 in the first annual Power of Change Award program sponsored by the Common Sense Fund, the Hampshire Foundation, and the Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation. Eastern earned First Honors in the Power of Change Fast Track Award category.

"These seven Power of Change Award winners demonstrate the innovative ways Connecticut is meeting aggressive energy efficiency goals and are a promising example of how our state is taking an active role in driving a clean energy economy forward," said Stewart Hudson of the Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation, one of the three organizations funding and supporting the initiative. "We created the Power of Change Award as an opportunity to provide recognition and also encourage even more state and municipal leaders to make an important investment in their future. We believe it's important to celebrate success where it occurs--in this case good government practices that protect human health, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and in the process help the Connecticut economy and save taxpayer dollars."

State agencies, facility managers and stakeholders entered projects in three award categories: the Innovation Award, designed to recognize new and effective ideas and approaches to achieve energy reduction through efficiency; the Fast Track Award, recognizing the agencies that got out front by aiming for higher levels of efficiency; and Most Energy-Efficient Building Awards for buildings associated with Connecticut-owned educational institutions and Court Houses.  Eastern earned First Honors in the Fast Track Award category. William Leahy, executive director of operations for Eastern's Institute for Sustainable Energy, was a member of the 15-member regional committee of energy and conservation experts who judged the awards.

 In fall 2011, Eastern received a state grant funded by Governor Dannel Malloy's Lead by Example state building energy efficiency program to install Encelium, an energy conservation system, in the J. Eugene Smith Library. Work on the project began in February 2012. Workers attached sensors to all of the lights in the building and also regulated the heating, ventilation and cooling system as well. Each floor of the four-story building was divided into multiple zones, which were wired in a way that the zone can be separately controlled for lighting. The Encelium system is not just a standard motion detection stem; it also can compensate for the amount of outside daylight in the room.

Eastern Connecticut State University is the state's public liberal arts university and serves approximately 5,400 students each year on its Willimantic campus and satellite locations. It is the policy of Eastern Connecticut State University to ensure equal access to its events.

Written by Rebecca Holdridge

Willimantic, Conn. Eastern Connecticut State University will hold an open house for prospective students from noon to 4 p.m. on Oct. 14. During the open house, potential students will learn about the benefits of Eastern's liberal arts education and can also tour the campus.
 
 From noon to 4 p.m. an academic, athletic and activities fair will be held in Geissler Gymnasium, where faculty, staff and coaches will discuss a wide range of opportunities for students who enroll at Eastern. At 1:15 p.m. and 2:15 p.m. in Room 104 of the Science Building, the Admissions Office will offer guidance on the admissions process. For Spanish-speaking students, a concurrent session will be held at 1:15 p.m. in Room 115 of the Student Center.

At 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. in the Student Center Theatre, Eastern's Housing Office will discuss what is expected of students who live on campus. At 12:30 p.m. in the Betty R. Tipton Room of the Student Center, Eastern President Elsa Núñez will share her vision for Eastern.

At 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. in Room 219 of the Student Center, Political Science Professor Bill Salka will discuss the University Honors Program. The Financial Aid Office will hold information sessions at 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. in the Betty R. Tipton Room. At 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. in Room 110 of Webb Hall, the Department of Education faculty will discuss Eastern's Teacher Education Program, including how to apply and why the program is unique.

 Campus tours of the Child and Family Development Resource Center, the J. Eugene Smith Library, the Science Building, and other facilities will be provided throughout the afternoon.

Written by Ed Osborn

UTC Power PureCell® system will reduce the University's carbon footprint and supply clean, efficient energy to Eastern's Campus

Willimantic, Conn. -- Eastern Connecticut State University has a longstanding commitment to energy conservation and sustainability that dates back nearly two decades. Today, Eastern is partnering with UTC Power of South Windsor, Conn., and the Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority (CEFIA), on a project that is increasing energy efficiency at the University.

Under a 10-year Energy Services Agreement (ESA), UTC Power has furnished and installed a PureCell system combined heat and power fuel cell at Eastern's Science Building, made possible by a federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) grant through CEFIA.

The PureCell system, a stationary phosphoric acid fuel cell, produces 400 kilowatts of continuous electric power while generating usable by-product heat. Eastern will use 100 percent of the energy produced by the fuel cell system, which was installed earlier this year on the west side of Eastern's Science Building, to provide a majority of the power required for the Science Building, while maximizing the use of the heat output available. Supplemental heat generated by the operation of the fuel cell will be utilized by Eastern's infrastructure. With effective utilization of the thermal output, overall system efficiencies of up to 90 percent are possible -- more than double that of traditional power sources.

 "We have a campus-wide commitment to sustainability at Eastern, evidenced by campus conservation programs, the sustainable energy studies curriculum, and our outreach across Connecticut in support of local energy efficiency efforts," said Eastern President Elsa Núñez. "We are delighted to work with CEFIA and UTC Power on a fuel cell generating facility that will provide clean, reliable and affordable energy to the University."

UTC Power, CEFIA and Eastern officials, along with other guests, will formally dedicate the fuel cell during a brief ceremony on Oct. 4 from 10:30-11:30 a.m. on site.
 
"We are thrilled that our Connecticut-grown fuel cell technology is helping Eastern build upon its commitment to energy conservation and sustainability with installation of a PureCell system on campus," said Joe Triompo, vice president and general manager of UTC Power. "Our PureCell system is a great fit for Eastern because it delivers efficient, affordable energy to the University, while reducing the impact on the environment."

By generating and using power on-site with a PureCell system, Eastern will prevent the release of more than 1,356 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually - the equivalent of planting more than 313 acres of trees.  The reduction in nitrogen oxide emissions compared to a conventional power plant is equal to the environmental benefit of removing more than 136 cars from the road.  In addition to the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, the PureCell system saves nearly 3.8 million gallons of water each year.

"We are pleased to have provided support in partnership with Eastern and UTC Power," stated Bryan Garcia, President of CEFIA.  "The fuel cell at Eastern provides a clean and reliable source of energy and an opportunity for students and faculty both today and for years to come to realize the benefits of distributed generation." 

Other examples of Eastern's commitment to sustainability can be found throughout the campus. The Science Building is LEED Silver Certified for its use of gray water to irrigate and its many other green features, and three of Eastern's residence halls are LEED Certified. In addition, a geothermal system provides heat and air conditioning to the 62,973-square-foot High Rise residence hall, the largest geothermal-heated building in Connecticut. The campus also generates 6.2 kilowatts from photovoltaic solar panels to light bus shelters, trash disposal areas and building perimeter lighting.
 
In addition, dual-fuel burning capability in Eastern's heating plants allows the University to switch from gas to oil and vice versa based on prices and/or the requirements of its gas utility agreement.  Water-saving features exist on a number of showers, toilets and urinals. Finally, an energy-monitoring system analyzes energy usage for each building, and can automatically reduce electricity usage through preprogrammed initiatives, to reduce peak demand and energy costs.

Eastern is also home to the Institute for Sustainable Energy, which is recognized and widely respected throughout New England as an invaluable resource for supporting sustainable energy conservation efforts in municipalities and public schools. 

In April 2012, Eastern was named one of the nation's Green Colleges by The Princeton Review and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). This is the third year in a row that Eastern has received the designation.

Eastern Connecticut State University is the state's public liberal arts university and serves approximately 5,400 students each year on its Willimantic campus and satellite locations. It is the policy of Eastern Connecticut State University to ensure equal access to its events. If you are an individual with a disability and will need accommodations for this event, please contact the Office of University Relations at (860) 465-5735.

About the Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority (CEFIA)
CEFIA was established by Connecticut's General Assembly on July 1, 2011, as a part of Public Act 11-80. This new quasi-public agency supersedes the former Connecticut Clean Energy Fund. CEFIA's mission is to help ensure Connecticut's energy security and community prosperity by realizing its environmental and economic opportunities through clean energy finance and investments. As the nation's first full-scale clean energy finance authority, CEFIA will leverage public and private funds to drive investment and scale-up clean energy deployment in Connecticut. For more information about CEFIA, please visit www.ctcleanenergy.com.

About UTC Power
UTC Power, a United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX) company, provides energy-efficient products and services to the aerospace and building industries. UTC Power is the world leader in developing and producing fuel cells that generate energy for buildings and for transportation, space and defense applications. UTC Power has designed, manufactured and installed more than 300 stationary fuel cells in 19 countries on six continents. For more information, please visit www.utcpower.com

Written by Rebecca Holdridge

Willimantic, Conn. Eastern Connecticut State University will hold an open house for prospective students from noon to 4 p.m. on Oct. 14. During the open house, potential students will learn about the benefits of Eastern's liberal arts education and can also tour the campus.
 
 From noon to 4 p.m. an academic, athletic and activities fair will be held in Geissler Gymnasium, where faculty, staff and coaches will discuss a wide range of opportunities for students who enroll at Eastern. At 1:15 p.m. and 2:15 p.m. in Room 104 of the Science Building, the Admissions Office will offer guidance on the admissions process. For Spanish-speaking students, a concurrent session will be held at 1:15 p.m. in Room 115 of the Student Center.

At 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. in the Student Center Theatre, Eastern's Housing Office will discuss what is expected of students who live on campus. At 12:30 p.m. in the Betty R. Tipton Room of the Student Center, Eastern President Elsa Núñez will share her vision for Eastern.

At 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. in Room 219 of the Student Center, Political Science Professor Bill Salka will discuss the University Honors Program. The Financial Aid Office will hold information sessions at 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. in the Betty R. Tipton Room. At 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. in Room 110 of Webb Hall, the Department of Education faculty will discuss Eastern's Teacher Education Program, including how to apply and why the program is unique.

 Campus tours of the Child and Family Development Resource Center, the J. Eugene Smith Library, the Science Building, and other facilities will be provided throughout the afternoon.

Written by Ed Osborn

Willimantic, CT -- For the third year in a row, Eastern Connecticut State University is ranked in the top 30 public universities in the North Region in U.S. News and World Report's 2013 edition of Best Colleges. Eastern was the highest ranked university among the four Connecticut state universities. Again, Eastern was in the top 100 regional universities -- both public and private -- in the region.

Regional universities such as Eastern are ranked on the basis of criteria that include peer assessment, graduation and retention rates, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources and alumni giving.  The North Region includes colleges and universities from New England, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland.

"On behalf of the entire Eastern campus community, I am honored to learn that Eastern Connecticut State University is again ranked in the top 30 public regional universities in the North by U.S. News and World Report," said Eastern President Elsa Núñez. 

"We are honored to be a Tier One institution with a public mission to provide an outstanding liberal arts education to students from all walks of life.  Today's news is a tribute to our entire campus community.  To continue to be ranked this highly in the U.S. News ratings is a sign of an improved academic reputation and the quality of our faculty and educational programs. We are also working hard to give Eastern students more opportunities to apply their classroom learning in such experiences as internships, paid co-ops, service learning, undergraduate research and other applied settings.  This is a great day for our faculty, staff, students and alumni."

  This year's U.S. News and World Report rankings included reviews of 1,391 schools nationwide and are available at www.usnews.com/colleges. They will also be published in the Best Colleges 2013 Guidebook, published by U.S. News & World Report and available on newsstands starting Sept. 18. 
Over the past two decades, the U.S. News and World Report rankings, which group colleges based on categories created by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, have grown to be the most comprehensive research tool for students and parents considering higher education opportunities.

The 2013 Best Colleges program provides the most thorough examination of 1,391 accredited four-year schools, compared on a set of 16 widely accepted indicators of excellence.

Written by Dwight Bachman

Willimantic, Conn: -- Eastern Connecticut State University is one of the best colleges in the Northeast, according to the nationally known education services company, The Princeton Review.  Eastern is one of 222 institutions The Princeton Review recommends in its "Best in the Northeast" section of its website feature, "2013 Best Colleges: Region by Region," that posted Aug. 20 on PrincetonReview.com.
 
"The University community is honored to be included in The Princeton Review's 'Best Colleges in the Northeast' for the third time in four years," said Eastern President Elsa Núñez.  "What is most gratifying is that much of this recognition can be attributed to the survey of our students that The Princeton Review conducted.  Our students seem to appreciate the residential, liberal arts experience that we offer -- small classes, personal attention from faculty, and a vibrant campus life.  The fact our students feel Eastern is affordable is also important to families in these challenging economic times." 

"We're pleased to recommend Eastern Connecticut State University to users of our site as one of the best schools to earn their undergrad degree," said Robert Franek, Princeton Review's senior vice president/publisher.  "We chose it and the other terrific institutions we name as 'regional best' colleges mainly for their excellent academic programs. From several hundred schools in each region, we winnowed our list based on institutional data we collected directly from the schools, our visits to schools over the years, and the opinions of our staff, plus college counselors and advisors whose recommendations we invite. We also take into account what students at the schools reported to us about their campus experiences at them on our 80-question student survey for this project. Only schools that permit us to independently survey their students are eligible to be considered for our regional 'best' lists."
 
For this project, The Princeton Review asks students attending the schools to rate their own schools on several issues -- from the accessibility of their professors to quality of the campus food -- and answer questions about themselves, their fellow students, and their campus life.  Comments from surveyed students are quoted in the school profiles on The Princeton Review site.  Student comments in the profile on Eastern are "A smaller school with smaller classes;" Eastern's "thorough liberal arts curriculum" is conducted within a "comfortable learning environment;" and "I went to academic advising and I was amazed about how fast I was helped and it actually made a positive difference in my work."  The campus life was also highlighted: "There are always activities gong on such as movies, parties, crafts and comedians. You will never be bored at this school."

Eastern Connecticut State University is the state's public liberal arts university. Eastern serves approximately 5,600 students each year on its Willimantic campus and satellite locations.

About The Princeton Review

Founded in 1981, The Princeton Review (www.PrincetonReview.com) is a privately held education services company headquartered in Framingham, MA. The Company has long been a leader in helping college and graduate school-bound students achieve their education and career goals through its test preparation services, tutoring and admissions resources, online courses, and more than 150 print and digital books published by Random House, Inc. The Princeton Review delivers its programs via a network of more than 5,000 teachers and tutors in the U.S.A., Canada, and international franchises. The Company also partners with schools and guidance counselors worldwide to provide students with college readiness, test preparation and career planning services.

Written by Dwight Bachman

Willimantic, Conn. - For the fourth year in a row, Eastern Connecticut State University has been named as one of the best colleges in the nation to work for, according to a new survey by The Chronicle of Higher Education. The results, released today in The Chronicle's fifth annual report on The Academic Workplace, are based on a survey of more than 46,000 employees at 294 colleges and universities.

In all, only 103 of the 294 institutions achieved "Great College to Work For" recognition for specific best practices and policies. Eastern won honors in three categories this year: "Collaborative Governance"; "Compensation and Benefits"; Facilities, Workspaces and Security."

"We are honored to be included in 'Great Colleges to Work For'," said Eastern President Elsa Núñez. "Receiving this national recognition once again from the Chronicle of Higher Education is very gratifying, especially given our high ranking in three important areas of campus operations. The spirit of collaboration that exists on our campus is a strength that helps us better serve our students and the State of Connecticut."

The Chronicle is the nation's most important source of news about colleges and universities. "The institutions that the Great Colleges program recognizes provide innovative educational experiences - while also offering their employees outstanding workplace experiences - and we are eager to help readers learn more about them," said Liz McMillen, The Chronicle's editor. The survey results are based on a two-part assessment process: an institutional audit that captured demographics and workplace policies from each institution, and a survey administered to faculty, administrators and professional support staff. The primary factor in deciding whether an institution received recognition was employee feedback.

To administer the survey and analyze the results, The Chronicle worked with ModernThinkLLC, a strategic human capital consulting firm that has conducted numerous "Best Places to Work" programs, surveying hundreds of thousands of employees nationwide. Great Colleges to Work For is one of the largest and most respected workplace-recognition programs in the country.
 
For more information and to view all the results of the survey, visit The Chronicle's web site at http://chronicle.com/academicworkplace.

Written by Christopher Herman

Willimantic, Conn. - Eastern Connecticut State University's Athletic Department will host its annual summer youth basketball camp from 9 a.m.-4 p.m., July 23-Aug. 3. The clinic is designed for girls and boys of all skill levels, ages 5-16. Tuition is $195. All funds support Eastern's basketball program.

The goal of the camp is to provide each camper with the fundamentals of basketball, including shooting, passing, ball handling, rebounding, defense and team play. The camp offers skill development, individual instruction, contests and basketball games. Individual shooting technique and offensive skill development are emphasized. The campers will be separated by age and will play two games daily.
 
Bill Geitner, Eastern's head men's basketball coach, will lead the camp, along with high school and college coaches, including current and former Eastern players.
Campers should bring their own lunch but may purchase snacks and drinks at the camp store.

To register for the camp, interested persons should visit http://www.easternct.edu/athletics/men_basketball/documents/2011Brouchure2.pdf

For more information, contact Bill Geitner at (860) 465-5332 or geitnerw@easternct.edu.

Written by Christopher Herman

Willimantic, Conn.--From June 22-28, more than  200 high school juniors from across the state will converge on the campus of Eastern Connecticut State University to attend the 25th Annual American Legion Boys State.
During Boys State, students will learn how state and municipal governments operate. They set up and run mock town, city and state elections and engage in role-playing where towns are represented. Mayors lobby and representatives and senators will debate and enact legislation.

According to Rochelle Gimenez, dean of the School of Continuing Education, "Boys State is a program that we value since it teaches young men how to become exemplary citizens by educating them about the political process.  High school students attending this program have the opportunity to run for mock office and participate in all aspects of government. Many well-known politicians have attended Boys State in the past and have gone on to public service as adults. We look forward to having Boys State once again on our campus."