Service Recognition Ceremony November 18
The fourth annual Celebration of Service to honor Canisius faculty, staff and administrators who have reached their fifth, 10th and 15th anniversaries at the college will be held on Thursday, November 18 at 2:30 p.m. in the Montante Cultural Center.  Everyone is welcome to attend and recognize their colleagues for their service milestones.

Fall Open House a Success
Canisius’ Fall Open House on October 23 was a success, with more than 240 prospective students in attendance.  Students and parents enjoyed a flexible format that allowed them to program the day to meet their specific needs.  They took campus tours, attended academic sessions, learned about student activities, listened to financial aid presentations and much more.

“We have more than 350 students registered for the November 13 open house,” says Rachel Voerg, assistant director of enrollment management communication and technology.  “We hope to top last year’s fall open house attendance record of 532 prospective students.”

This is the first year that Canisius has held two open house sessions. The second Fall Open House will be held on Saturday, November 13.  Registration begins at 11 a.m.

Canisius Faculty Develop New Catholic Studies Minor
A new minor in Catholic Studies will debut at Canisius College in fall 2005, thanks to the efforts of several Canisius faculty. 

Rev. Patrick J. Lynch S.J., associate professor of religious studies, will serve as the program’s director. Other members of the Catholic Studies Committee include Paula M. McNutt, PhD, dean of arts and sciences; Peter J. Galie, PhD, professor of political science; Marianne Djuth, PhD, chair of philosophy; John E. Kelly, PhD, professor of philosophy; and Martin X. Moleski, S.J., associate professor of religious studies.  

The interdisciplinary program will include courses in art, architecture, communications, law, literature, politics and psychology, and explore how these intellectual disciplines have been influenced by Catholicism. Canisius faculty members developed courses specifically for the Catholic studies minor. Mick E. Cochrane, PhD, professor of English, will teach a course entitled, contemporary Catholic American fiction; Kevin R.Hardwick, PhD, professor of political science, will teach a course, entitled American Catholics in the public square; and Father Moleski will teach a course, entitled introduction to Catholic Studies.

Offered through the Religious Studies Department, the Catholic studies minor is designed to prepare students for leadership positions within the Catholic Church and church-affiliated organizations.  For more information, click here or contact Father Lynch at Ext. 2831.

C3E Program Update from Facilities Management
As winter approaches and the days get shorter, we tend to use more electricity – especially for extra lighting.  This makes conserving energy a bit more challenging. The Facilities Management Department would like to take this opportunity to remind faculty and staff about Canisius College Conserves Energy (C3E), the college’s energy reduction program. Since the inception of C3E in spring 2004, significant progress has been made.

“The college has already reduced electrical usage by approximately six percent compared to the same time period last year,” says Gary B. Lew, senior facilities operations manager. “This reduction is due, in part, to the C3E awareness program and the day-to-day efforts of Canisius faculty and staff.”

While six percent may not seem like much of a reduction, consider that Canisius spends more than $1.75 million each year on electricity alone. If each of us takes a few simple steps to reduce our energy usage, it will add up to greater savings and put less strain on our natural resources. Simple things you can do to help conserve energy include turning off your lights and computer monitor when leaving your office – even if it’s just for a few minutes.

For more information on the college’s energy policy or to find out what you can do to conserve, click here.

Canisius College Poll Correctly Predicts PA Election Results
A Canisius College presidential poll released in late October correctly predicted that the key battleground state of Pennsylvania would be won by Senator John F. Kerry (D-MA). The poll revealed that Kerry opened up a significant lead in Pennsylvania, and in a two-way race with President George W. Bush, Kerry led by a margin of 52 - 43 percent, with five percent undecided. The poll had a 4.8 percent margin of error.

Actual election results gave Kerry 51 percent of the popular vote, and Bush 49 percent of the popular vote. 

Twenty-five Canisius students served as interviewers for the poll of 414 likely voters from Pennsylvania, which was conducted in the Canisius College Eberl Call Center between October 17 and 18. 

Kevin R. Hardwick, PhD and Michael V. Haselswerdt, PhD, professors of political science served as co-directors of the poll. To read the complete poll results, click here.

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act Reminder
Canisius College has developed a short course on the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) to assist faculty and staff with their understanding of its requirements.  To review the Canisius College FERPA Policy, click here. 

Caught on Tape: Deer Crossing

The public safety surveillance camera in the Spillman parking lot spotted an interesting sight during the early morning hours of October 28: a deer. Public Safety Director Gary Everett submitted the photo to the NetGazette.

The college will be closed, except for essential operating personnel, on Thursday, November 25 and Friday, November 26 for the Thanksgiving holiday.