Newsflash
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left to right: Lawrence D. McHugh, chairman, CSUS Board of Turstees; Reanne V. Curtis, DPW Commissioner; Eastern President Elsa M. Nuñez; David G. Carter, Sr., CSUS Chancellor; Sulthana Sayed, SGA president; and Paul Bryant, acting vice president of student affairs.
President Nuñez applauds the many people who
have made the new Student Center a reality.Department of Public Works (DPW) Commissioner Reanne V. Curtis, David G. Carter, chancellor of the Connecticut State University System and former Eastern president, and other state officials joined President Elsa M. Nuñez and the campus community when Eastern dedicated its new Student Center on Sept. 25. The ribbon-cutting ceremony took place on the plaza in front of the facility. The remodeled and expanded student center features a fitness center, bookstore, theatre, coffeehouse, snack bar, several open lounge areas, conference and meeting rooms, and offices for student clubs and organizations.
President Nuñez thanked Governor M. Jodi Rell, CSUS Board of Trustees Chairman McHugh, the Board of Trustees, and the Connecticut Legislature for their leadership in making the Student Center a reality. The president said the real power of the facility will be the memories students build and carry with them after they leave Eastern. “Students will mature in this building as they debate financial aid, public policy issues, and nurture leadership qualities. With the Center becoming the hub of campus life, we can give students more opportunities for civic engagement and leadership, reinforcing the learning that occurs in the classroom. The new Student Center is a critical element of our vision of a well-rounded liberal arts experience.”
“DPW is proud of this fine project,” said Commissioner Curtis. “It represents the future of Eastern. I am looking forward to coming back when Eastern unveils its new science center.” Chairman McHugh said, “The sun is shining on Eastern today. I am so proud of President Nuñez and her team and the job they are doing here at Eastern.” McHugh praised Governor Rell and the state legislature for their support of this project and for being totally committed to higher education in Connecticut.
Ken Bedini, acting dean of students, called the facility “the dream of many people working together,” adding that “the structure gives new energy and new life to the campus community.” Chancellor Carter added, “The primary infrastructure of any society is an educated society.” He encouraged the audience to “dare to dream, and realize realize why we are here, to touch the lives of students today and tomorrow.”
Board of Trustees Meets at Eastern
During the regular meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Connecticut State University System, held at Eastern, President Elsa M. Nuñez outlined Eastern’s 2008–2013 Strategic Plan. Nuñez said the draft plan represents the cumulative efforts of more than 250 faculty, students, staff, administrators, alumni, and friends of the University, who have invested more than 10,000 hours of their time to create a visionary plan for Eastern’s future. “For me, this planning process was very helpful in my first year at Eastern. By being immersed in the process, I immediately learned a great deal about the University while also building invaluable relationships.”
Saying that Eastern’s vision is to be a “University of First Choice,” Nuñez said, “Planning must come from who we are. This plan is grounded in our values and I believe the entire campus community is behind it. These times demand innovation and accountability. We have it.” Nuñez said, “I believe we are on our way to presenting a final plan to the University Senate later this fall, in preparation for Board approval next spring." The Strategic Plan is available at: http://www.easternct.edu/COFE/Strategic_Planning/
Eastern Families Have Fun at Family Weekend
Chase Enterprise Institute Hosts U.S. FTC Commissioner
On Sept. 13, the Honorable Pamela Jones Harbour, U.S. Federal Trade Commissioner, spoke on the topic, “Regulatory Issues in the U.S. Economy,” in the Paul E. Johnson, Sr. Community Conference Room of the J. Eugene Smith Library. She addressed two issues critical to her agency — protecting consumers’ privacy and false advertising. Jones-Harbour noted that while “a small minority of people is willing to go on the Jerry Springer show, or blog on the Internet to share the intimate details of their lives, the majority of consumers value their privacy. 148 million consumers have voluntarily registered phone numbers in the commission’s Do-Not-Call Registry, protecting consumers from unsolicited telemarketing calls.” Jones-Harbour said the commission takes violation of privacy seriously, noting that the FTC levied its largest civil penalty ever in 2006 — $10 million in civil penalties and $5 million in consumer redress against ChoicePoint for data security failures relating to the sharing of consumer credit reports. Jones-Harbour was brought to campus by the David T. Chase Free Enterprise Institute.
Capitol Steps Kick Off Eastern's Arts & Lecture Series
On Sept. 29, a crowd of 700 people in the Francis E. Geissler Gymnasium enjoyed the performance of The Capitol Steps, the Washington, D.C.-based group of Capitol Hill workers known for its fun way of spinning current political events into satirical performances. One observer said, “I believe that if you’re not laughing, you’re not living, and The Capitol Steps are so funny. I had the time of my life.”
The group got its start in December 1981 when founding members got together at a holiday party to create parodies about the political goings-on of their day. Their impromptu act quickly grew into something more, and gained the attention of the public and the media. Today, The Capitol Steps are hugely popular with songs like “Unzippin’ My Doo-Dah” and “First Lady and the Tramp,” and have released 30 albums in their 25 years of performance.
Echo Uganda Helps Covenant Soup Kitchen
On Sept. 22, more than 100 people helped celebrate and support the Covenant Soup Kitchen’s 26th year as Eastern hosted a benefit concert by Echo Uganda in the Betty R. Tipton Room of the new Student Center. Echo Uganda is a group of local musicians, led by Ugandan-born Gideon Ampiere, who perform their special brand of entertaining music using traditional East African acoustic instruments. They also use traditional storytelling, dance, and music performance to provide educational workshops about culture and music of East Africa. In addition to local Connecticut performances, Echo Uganda also has performed in New York City and Toronto, Canada.
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