Notables

Stephen P. Johnson, executive director of government affairs, has been elected to the board of directors of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU). He assumed his responsibilities in February at the association's 24th annual meeting in Washington, D.C. NAICU represents private, nonprofit colleges and universities on policy issues with the federal government and serves as the unified national voice of independent higher education. Founded in 1976, NAICU has more than 900 members. Johnson has been Cornell's executive director of government affairs since 1987. He earlier was director of government affairs and acting director of state relations for the university, and from 1972 to 1984 he was affiliated with the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Johnson will serve a three-year term as a nonvoting member of NAICU's 44-member board.

Michael P. Voiland, assistant director of government affairs, has been appointed to a blue-ribbon panel charged with reviewing the extension activities of the National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration's (NOAA) National Sea Grant College Program (NSGCP). According to Ronald Baird, NSGCP director in Silver Spring, Md., "Mike's experience and leadership in government and university affairs, familiarity with the Sea Grant Program and understanding of the complex issues on the horizon for coastal America makes him well suited for this important task." Baird said, "This review, as the first of its type in Sea Grant's 31-year history, is one of the most important activities that the Sea Grant community will undertake in the coming years." Prior to moving to government affairs at Cornell in 1994, Voiland served as associate director and extension program leader of the New York Sea Grant Institute from 1987 to 1994. He also held a position as field-based specialist and coordinator for Cornell Cooperative Extension's Sea Grant Extension Program from 1976 to 1987 and was a graduate research scholar with the institute from 1974 to 1976. Voiland has continued to represent Cornell as a delegate to the Sea Grant Association, within which he serves on the association's External Relations Committee.

H. Michael Newman, manager of the Utilities Department's Computer Section, was awarded the membership grade of "fellow" by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) at the society's winter meeting in February. The grade of fellow recognizes distinction in the arts and sciences of environmental technology and is earned through achievement as a researcher, designer, educator or engineering executive. Approximately 500 of ASHRAE's 55,000 members are fellows. Newman's award recognizes his work on BACnet®, a data communication standard that has achieved worldwide prominence and is aimed at improving the way computerized building control systems work together. He served as consultant for the largest BACnet installation in the United States, which occurred at a federal building, and for the installation at Germany's Reichstag in Berlin.