FYI: A Newsletter for Colby Employees

SHUTDOWN VS. BACKUP
Advice from the EAG Web site reported here -- that turning computers off overnight saves substantial energy -- neglected one detail: backups. Nice that employees took notice, but the fact that about 15 percent of faculty and staff have files backed up at night complicates the decision. Setting a computer, especially the monitor, to go into low-power-consumption mode when idle during the day, and shutting the computer down overnight unless you have requested overnight backups, will save substantial power. Screensavers, alas, waste power. For more information see ITS recommendations and EAG advice. For questions about backups or power saving settings, call the Faculty/Staff Support Center, ext. 4222.

FINE PHILANTHROPY
In the holiday spirit, the libraries' circulation department has an attractive offer for recalcitrant borrowers. During December anyone who has outstanding overdue charges can get a dollar's worth of credit for each can of food they bring in. All food collected goes to the Waterville Food Bank. It's a nice way to clear up fines and help those in need. Drop off donations at any of the three libraries on campus.

ACT LOCALLY, SHINE NATIONALLY
Buying local food is one of many initiatives in Colby's dining halls that earned a place in the National Wildlife Federation's annual Campus Ecology Yearbook.

GULFING JAN PLAN
Civic-engagement learning meets Jan Plan when nine students head for Houston as part of the Urban and Multicultural Practicum in Education course with Mark Tappan (education). There they will volunteer with children displaced by Hurricane Katrina now enrolled in a Teach for America charter school. The New Orleans Recovery Corps of Teach for America established NOW College Prep school with help from $25,000 that Colby students, faculty, and staff donated for hurricane relief.

HISPANIC OUTLOOK PICK, AGAIN
Once again Colby is on the list of "Publisher’s Picks" in the Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education’s list of schools that "in our view, are doing a commendable job of recruiting, retaining, education, and graduating Hispanics," according to publisher Jose Lopez-Isa. The list is now in its tenth year and Colby was on the inaugural list and most if not all in between. This year Maine schools on the list include Colby, Bates, UMaine, and USM.

INTERNATIONALIZATION EXPLANATION
As a recipient of the 2005 Senator Paul Simon Award for Campus Internationalization, Colby has its accomplishments chronicled in Internationalizing the Campus 2005: Profiles of Success at Colleges and Universities. A PDF of the book is online and includes a dozen photos of U.S. and international Colby folks.

YET MORE INTERNATIONAL
Colby shows up in two of the Institute of International Education "Open Doors" survey lists released Nov. 14. Among baccalaureate institutions we're 11th on the list for the raw number of students who studied abroad in 2003-04. Middlebury (20th) is the only other NESCAC college on that list. Among baccalaureate institutions we're tied for 36th in the number of international students enrolled -- our first time on this list. Middlebury, 15th, is the only other NESCAC again.

INTERNS IN PRINT
Colby's leadership supporting student internships received attention in two major newspaper articles this fall. The Boston Globe's article featured Jen Coliflores '06 and the Linda K. Cotter Fund grant that helped her to intern in Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney's office. On Nov. 9 the Christian Science Monitor highlighted Jennifer Carlson '01 and Ryan Davis '02, and included an "Intern's Checklist" attributed to Cindy Parker (career services). The article is available through the Colby library's ProQuest newspaper search tool.

CONSCIENCE CLEANSING
This September Nicki Veilleux (dean of students) found an envelope on her windshield after work. In it was a note from a former student, confessing to a hit-and-run that damaged a car in the same lot 12 years before. "I am … sober from all drugs or alcohol for over 7 years now. Righting my wrongs is part of my recovery," it said. There was no signature, but the envelope held $150 in cash: "yours to keep and do with as you wish." Nicki said she decided to share the windfall, paying tolls for the car behind her, coffee for the next person in line at Dunkin Donuts, groceries for her brother, taking people to lunch, etc. "It was so fun!" she reported.

POINT SYSTEM PRAISE
Colby's innovative point system for tracking student alcohol infractions gained considerable attention this fall (and not just the Echo's weekly thermometer). The Associated Press ran a brief in early November (click here) and the Press Herald followed with an editorial beginning with the sweet sound of "Colby College in Waterville is to be commended…"

13 YEARS AND "GET-R-DONE"
Eileen Fredette (library) is now Eileen Fredette Richards, having married Bruce Richards, formerly of PPD, on 11/11/05. Eileen has worked in Miller more than 17 years, Bruce spent three years on the grounds crew and custodial staff, and after being together for 13 years they decided to "get-r-done!" she reported. A review of the event notes that, for a quiet bunch, the library staff can dance up a storm. Eileen is now Mrs. Richards, but among things that will not change is her e-mail address. Congratulations to Bruce and to emfredet.

COLBY AND THE COUNCIL
At the ripe age of 19, Henry Beck '09 was elected to the Waterville City Council last month in Ward 2. A Democrat and a Waterville native, Beck ran unopposed and replaces Kelly A. Goulette (daughter of College Historian Earl Smith), who moved out of the city. Also elected to the council was Emeritus Professor Thomas R.W. Longstaff (religious studies), representing Ward 6 and replacing T.J. Tavares '99, who did not seek re-election. Joan Sanzenbacher (special programs) was elected to a three-year term on the Kennebec Water District Board of Trustees.

POST PUNDITS
In mid-November the Washington Post ran a story headlined "Iraq War Debate Eclipses All Other Issues." The first and last source quoted is Stuart Rothenberg '70, described as "a nonpartisan political analyst specializing in Congress." The second analyst quoted is Peter D. Hart '64, identified as "a Democratic pollster." The article is online.

DR. BURR, NOW
Congratulations to Jean Burr (psychology), who completed her Ph.D. in child development at the U. of Minnesota.

QUINDLEN IS COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER
Novelist and social critic Anna Quindlen will address the Class of '06 as this year's commencement speaker. At Colby's 185th commencement, on May 28, the Pulitzer Prize winning Newsweek columnist will receive an honorary degree. Note: that's less than six months away. Click here for Quindlen's official Web site.

RECEIVE TRAVEL GRANTS
Ariel Armony, Setting the Agenda for Latin America, Washington... Adrian Blevins, Association of Writers and Writing Programs, Austin... Tracy Cote, U.S. Nationals and Women’s Cross-Country Ski Coaching Symposium, Park City, Utah... Peter Ditmanson, American Academy of Religion, Philadelphia... Priscilla Doel, Partners in Rural Health in the Dominican Republic... Emma Garcia, Modern Language Association, Washington... Heidi Godomsky, NCAA Women’s Coaches Academy, San Antonio; U.S. Lacrosse/IWLCA, Philadelphia... Linda Kim, American Studies Association, Washington... Margaret McFadden, American Studies Association, Washington... Luis Millones, Modern Language Association, Washington... Michael Morgan, Intercollegiate Tennis Association, Miami... Hideo Nagahashi, American Mathematical Society, San Antonio... David Nugent, American Anthropological Association, Washington... Robert Quinn, Intercollegiate Men’s Lacrosse Coaches Association, Baltimore... Debra Spark, Association of Writers and Writing Programs, Austin.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Art: Visiting instructor or assistant professor. One-year replacement. Beginning September 2006.
Mathematics: Visiting assistant professor to teach statistics. Beginning September 2006.

MOOSECELLANEOUS
When the football team beat Bowdoin last month, it was the Mules' first seven-win season since the turn of the century, in 2000. The Polar Bears still have not won seven games since the turn of the previous century, in 1900. … According to a Cornell Law School Web site, the first week in March is National Save Your Vision Week. If that doesn’t work out, Oct. 15 is White Cane Safety Day.… Don't forget the Holiday Dinner Dance, Friday, Dec. 16, in the gym. Doors open at 6 p.m.