Weekly Bulletin

Reception for Undergraduate Registrar's Office retirees

A reception is being held Tuesday, May 14 for six members of the Undergraduate Registrar's Office -- Penny Adams, Cathy Blake, Maija Lillya, Charlene Forgue, Moni James and Rose Weinberg -- who are retiring from the University after many years of service.

The reception is scheduled for 3-5 p.m. at the Top of the Campus in Lincoln Campus Center.

All friends and associates are invited to attend to wish them farewell.

Retirement dinner planned for Jim MacRostie

All members of the campus community are welcome to celebrate the career of Jim MacRostie at a retirement dinner in his honor on Thursday, May 16 from 5-7:30 p.m.

MacRostie, who has served in the area of Facilities Planning and Operations for the Fine Arts Center for 27 years, is retiring in June. The dinner will be held on the FAC Concert Hall stage.

The cost is $25, which includes all food, drinks and a contribution to a gift. Friends and colleagues are encouraged to send wishes of congratulations, stories, mementos and pictures to share at the event.

RSVP to Julie Fifield, FAC Director's Office, 129 Herter Annex, 5-3517 or via e-mail (jfifield@admin.umass.edu). Checks should be made payable to the University of Massachusetts.

HerbFest set for May 7

The 15th annual Herbfest, a festival organized by students in the Plant and Soil Sciences class "Herbs, Spices, and Medicinal Plants," will be held Tuesday, May 7, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. in the Student Union Ballroom.

The event features projects by more than 100 students demonstrating the uses of medicinal and aromatic plants. Workshops on topics such as aromatherapy, herb wildcrafting, and mustard-making are also planned.

HerbFest is free and open to the public.

Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology seminar

Tomas Kirchhausen of the department of cell biology at Harvard Medical School will discuss "Chemical Genetics and Membrane Traffic" on Wednesday, May 8 at noon in S3-Amp1, Amphitheater I on the third floor of the Medical School in Worcester.

Housing Court judge kicks off series for property managers

Judge Williams H. Abrashkin, first justice of the state Housing Court, Western Division, will inaugurate "The Educated Property Manager," a new speaker series for property managers and owners, on Wednesday, May 15 at 7 p.m. in 101 Lincoln Campus Center.

Abrashkin's talk will focus on the particular needs of property managers and landlords in Hampshire and lower Franklin counties. Topics to be addressed include jurisdiction, housing court procedures and court-initiated mediation and inspection programs.

The series is jointly sponsored by the Commuter Services and Housing Resource Center and the Pioneer Valley Housing Association.

Light refreshments will be provided.

For information, contact CSHRC at 5-0865 or by e-mail (cshrc@stuaf.umass.edu).

Faculty Senate meeting

The Faculty Senate will meet Thursday, May 9 at 3:30 p.m. in 227 Herter Hall.

Retirement reception for Maryelise and Sterling Lamet

The International Programs Office is hosting a reception on Friday, June 7 in honor of Maryelise and Sterling Lamet, who are retiring after 26 years of campus service. Maryelise Lamet is deputy director of International Programs and director of Education Abroad, while Sterling Lamet is associate director of IPO and Study Abroad registrar.

The reception will be held 4-7 p.m. at the University Club.

Contributions towards a gift may be sent to JoAnn Bernhard, International programs, 467 Hills South, 111 Infirmary Way, by May 31.

League of Women Voters' book sale May 3-5

The League of Women Voters of Amherst is holding its 55th annual book sale May 3-5 on the Amherst town common. The hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.

Blood drives

The Hampshire County Chapter of the American Red Cross will conduct blood drives May 6-8, 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. in 174 Lincoln Campus Center.

Renaissance Center trails open to public

The two hiking trails on the grounds of the Renaissance Center will be open to the public on the weekends of May 4-5 and 11-12. The center is located at 650 East Pleasant St.

ALANAI Honor Society banquet

The 13th annual ALANAI (African-American, Latino, Asian, Native American, International) Honor Society Awards Banquet will be held Thursday, May 16 at 7 p.m. in the Student Union Ballroom.

Tickets are $15 per person. RSVP by May 5 to 5-5106.

Older men needed for Exercise Science study

Researchers in the Exercise Science Department is looking for healthy males (ages 60-75) for a study of ways to reduce the loss of muscle strength and size through the aging process.

Specifically, the research is focused on antioxidant supplementation and its possible benefits in maintaining quality of life during periods of injury, illness or disuse.

Participants will be paid $150. If interested, contact Maria at 5-4959 or by
e-mail (murso@excsci.umass.edu).

Football coaches to address Sports Luncheon at stadium

The Weekly Sports Luncheon on Wednesday, May 8 will feature head football coach Mark Whipple and new defensive coordinator Tom Masella.

Scheduled for noon, the barbecue luncheon will take place rain or shine under the tent at McGuirk Alumni Stadium. Participants should enter at the northwest gate and park inside the stadium.

The cost of buffet lunch is $6.50. Call 5-4289 for reservations.

BCP graduation ceremony scheduled for May 3

The Bilingual Collegiate Program's 28th annual graduation ceremony will be held Friday, May 3 at 6:30 p.m. in the Student Union Ballroom.

All members of the UMass community are invited to attend the event, which will include food, music and a cash bar.

For information, call the BCP office at 5-1968.

University Staff Association membership meeting

The University Staff Association's monthly membership meeting will be held Wednesday, May 8 at noon in 101 Lincoln Campus Center.

The agenda includes updates on the union contract and state budget and concerns about the PeopleSoft system.

MFA Program hosts Juniper Festival

The MFA Program in Creative Writing hosts the second Annual Juniper festival, a gathering of writers, editors, agents and publishers, on Friday, May 10, 4-10 p.m. and Saturday, May 11, 2-10 p.m. in Memorial Hall.

The event will include a keynote address by English professor John Edgar Wideman and fiction readings by program graduates Kamila Shamsie, Timothy Westmoreland, Nick Montemarano and Sustan Steinberg. The four authors will also take part in a panel discussion.

For a schedule of events, call MFA Program director Noy Holland at 5-0643.

Collegiate Comedy Jam

Student Valley Productions, a registered student organization, is hosting the Sixth Annual New England Collegiate Comedy Jam on Friday, May 3 at 7 p.m. in 231 Herter Hall and Saturday, May 4 at 7 p.m. in the Lincoln Campus Center Auditorium.

College improv troupes from New York to Virginia as well as special guests from Chicago will perform at the event. Both performances are free and open to the public through support of the UMass Arts Council and the Alumni Association.

University of Chicago scholar leads Physics colloquium

Professor David Grier of the University of Chicago will discuss "Colloidal Dynamics and Hydrodynamics in Holographic Optical Tweezers" on Wednesday, May 8 at 4 p.m. in 126 Hasbrouck Lab.

Refreshments will be served at 4:30.

Chuck Morse to discuss Arab-Israeli conflict

Conservative radio talk show host Chuck Morse will share his views on the Mideast situation during a public appearance on Tuesday, May 7 at 7 p.m. in 162-75 Lincoln Campus Center.

Citing former U.S. presidents, Morse will delineate the moral distinction between the free world and the enemies of freedom. He is also expected to criticize the Bush administration's response to the recent suicide bombing in Haifa to encourage audience reactions during a question period.

"The Chuck Morse Show" is heard during the afternoon drive time in Boston on WROL-AM.

The event is sponsored by the Republican Club.

Weight Watcher's meetings

The Weight Watcher's Winning Points Program meetings are held each Monday at noon in 253 Boyden. Call Cheryl (548-9404) or Jill (5-3321) for more information.

Turf Research Field Day to be held in June

The UMass Extension Turf Program will host its annual Turf Research Field Day on Wednesday, June 19 at the Turf Research Facility on River Road in South Deerfield.

Presentations by faculty and graduate students about the latest turf research will include an update on the Snow Mold Project, the 2000 National Kentucky Bluegrass Variety Trial and bluegrass weevils.

Other topics on the program are "Life After Dursban: What Are Our Options Now?," "Management of Application Strategies to Minimize Pesticide Exposure to Golfers," "Best Management of Post-Application Irrigation on Turf to Minimize Exposure to Volatile and Foliar Pesticide Residues," and "The Effects of Reinforcement Materials on the Water Infiltration, Wear Tolerance, and Playing Quality of Sports Fields."

Field Day provides turf industry professionals with an opportunity to meet with the UMass Turf Team, to learn about current turf research at UMass and to network with colleagues. The agenda includes a trade show, and green industry vendors and exhibitors will be on hand. At the close of the formal program, a cookout lunch (included in the price of registration) will be provided.

Pesticide recertification contact hours have been requested for all six New England States.

Pre-register by June 14 or on-site the day of the event. Vendors wishing to set up a display must pre-register.

Information is available online (www.umassturf.org) or by contacting Thom Griffin, Turf Research Facility manager, at 5-3066, or by e-mail (griff@pssci.umass.edu), or Mary Owen, Extension educator, at (508) 892-0382, (mowen@umext.umass.edu).

Al-Anon meetings

Al-Anon meetings are held on Mondays and Thursdays from noon-1 p.m. in Lincoln Campus Center. Check the daily listings near the elevators for the room number.

Retirement reception for Robert Swasey

A reception will be held Thursday, May 9 for assistant graduate dean for Enrollment Services Robert Swasey, who is retiring after 34 years of service.

The reception is scheduled for 4-6:30 p.m. in 1009 Lincoln Campus Center. All are welcome to attend.

Contributions towards a gift may be sent to Patricia Stowell, Graduate School, 534 Goodell, by May 3.

'Transformations' program rescheduled

"Transformations," a multimedia program incorporating dance, electronic and live music, animation, video, fairy tales and Jungian theory, has been rescheduled from Saturday, May 4 to Sunday, May 5 at 5 p.m. in the Fine Arts Center Concert Hall.

The program is sponsored by the Department of Music and Dance.

Tickets are $10 general public and $5 for students, senior citizens and children under 18. Call the FAC Box Office (5-2511).