Briefs

Faculty Forum: A University Faculty Forum, open to the community, will be held Thursday, March 8, 4:30--6 p.m. in Call Auditorium of Kennedy Hall on the topic "Beyond eCornell: Technology in the Classroom, Distance Education and New Pedagogy." As background for the forum, some illustrative uses of distributed learning will be presented informally beginning at 3:30 p.m. at the same location. The purpose of the forum is to explore potential distributed learning possibilities and opportunities for Cornell. The panel moderator is Charles Walcott, associate dean and secretary of the university faculty and professor and chair in neurobiology and behavior. Faculty discussants will be: John Abowd, professor in industrial and labor relations and director of CISER; John Fitzpatrick, professor and director of the Laboratory of Ornithology; and Robert Swieringa, professor and dean of the Johnson Graduate School of Management.

Radiation safety section awarded: An Award of Appreciation from Cornell Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) was presented Feb. 22 to the staff of the EH&S Laboratory and Radiation Safety Section for its "outstanding service in radiation safety programming and customer service." A plaque was presented by Rich McDaniel, associate vice president, Cornell Business Services, and Andy Garcia-Rivera, director of EH&S. The staff was awarded for its assistance to the university research community that utilizes radioisotopes and radiation-producing equipment and for being able to maintain excellent compliance with the New York State Department of Health (DOH) radiation regulations. The award also recognizes those EH&S staff members who are actively involved with EH&S's radiation protection program and its consistent passing of the biannual DOH inspections of Cornell's Radiation Safety Program. DOH officials have commented that Cornell's Radiation Safety Program serves as a model for others to follow, Garcia-Rivera said.

Interpreter/translators needed: Volunteers are needed to be interpreter/translators with the Language Expansion Program (LEP). Those who are bilingual and fluent in a language other than English are needed for the LEP's Interpreter/Translator Program. Volunteers can assist Ithaca and Tompkins County in emergency and nonemergency situations; no previous experience is necessary. Sign up at the Public Service Center, 200 Barnes Hall, or e-mail the Language Expansion Program at ExpandLanguage@cornell.edu . LEP's certification program requires attendance at one workshop, on March 10, and passing a language test to demonstrate fluency. Volunteers in 25 different languages are needed.

Seminar on Masonic writer: A "Theology of Crime Seminar" will be held on campus from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., March 9. The seminar will be at the One World Room in Anabel Taylor Hall. Refreshments will follow. The seminar is based upon the recently published book The Theology of Crime and the Paradox of Freedom; The Masonic Writings of Dr. E. Scott Ryan. The program will be under the auspices of the Cornell United Religious Work and will be co-hosted by George Peter, trustee emeritus and a retired director of a research and development laboratory for the National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center. For more information, contact Peter at gp21@cornell.edu.