Time to renew your membership

It is time to renew your membership in ΦBKNCA. Please take a moment to fill out the enclosed membership envelope and send it back with your check.

Membership for the full year January to December, 2010

All contributions are fully tax-deductible

Monthly events* with other Phi Betes and guests. Many are special tours specially designed for PBK - past examples include SF Mission mural tour, Blackhawk Automotive Museum, USS Potomac, Jack London State Park, Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, and the Turtle Rescue Center. See our home page for pictures from a few events, and this newsletter for upcoming events.

Weekend conference at Asilomar Conference Center* (near Monterey). Interesting lectures, good food, walks on the beach. Take a look at what we did last year and what is in the works for February 2010.

Award excellent scholars - last year’s contributions provided six $5,000 scholarships. Read what two previous awardees have said about the awards...

Honor "Excellence in Teaching" with an award to professors nominated by their PBK students

Meet the scholarship and teaching award recipients at the Annual Awards Banquet*

A newsletter four times a year (snail or email, your choice) listing events, awards and more

No more requests for money until this time next year!

Note: Items with * have an extra charge.

Membership is open to anyone who was elected to Phi Beta Kappa at any school in any state.

Regular dues are only $30 ($10 for full-time students), although you can certainly contribute more since it is your dues and contributions that make our awards possible. Because the Association is staffed entirely by volunteers, all your money, except for printing and mailing expenses, goes to the awards. From 1982 through 2009, the Association awarded 231 scholarships totaling $743,600 to outstanding Phi Beta Kappa graduate students.

Please take a moment to fill out the Membership Form in your hardcopy newsletter.

 

Dear Fellow Phi Betes,

A s we begin to enjoy the change of seasons and start to look forward to the coming holiday celebrations, please take a moment to renew your membership in ΦBKNCA. You may not realize that all current memberships expire on Dec. 31, 2009. And some of you may think you have already joined our Association, as you have sent a check to National this year. (See "Membership Fact Sheet", on the web at http://www.pbknca.org/factsheet.htm If you did not receive a September newsletter, it was because you had not paid your 2009 dues.

Why should you part with $30 to renew your ΦBKNCA membership, or even contribute more? Membership in our Association offers you an opportunity to help fund scholarships and teaching excellence awards, meet new people, attend enjoyable, intellectually stimulating programs, and benefit from being part of an award-winning organization. Membership contributions and participation in our programs are fundamental to our success.

Because volunteers run our Association, your contributions directly benefit our scholarship and teaching excellence recipients. Your generous support in 2009 enabled us to award five $5,000 graduate scholarships and three $500 teaching excellence honoraria. A list of these extraordinarily talented academics appears on page 3 of this newsletter. In these challenging financial times, our deserving graduate students need your help more than ever.

Every membership counts. Please take time today to return the enclosed envelope with your 2010 dues and donations.

Now that you have responded to the above plea and filled out your membership envelope, I would like to bring two further subjects to your attention. First, in the September newsletter in which I thanked the outgoing Board members and welcomed the newcomers, I completely forgot about our Asilomar leaders. Jae Emenhiser, who, along with his wife Pat, has run the program for the past three years has handed over the responsibilities for Asilomar 2010 to Calvin Wood and his wife Dixie. Thanks to the Emenhisers for services rendered and to the Woods whose services we will soon enjoy. (See page 5 for details on this year’s Asilomar conference.)

Finally, if you are interested in saving money for the Association and helping the environment, you might want to receive this newsletter electronically. You can find out how to do this from the notice below.

Jean Ellen James, President
, President

Teaching Excellence Nominations Due November 30, 2009

NOMINATIONS FOR THE MAY 2010 AWARDS CLOSE ON NOVEMBER 30, 2009.

There is still time to nominate one of your favorite professors for this prestigious award!

Download the nomination form. Fill it in and email it to nrlernern@netscape.net. , Teaching ExcellenceChair 

Scholarship and Teaching Excellence Awards Presented at the Annual Meeting, May 3, 2009

The Teaching Excellence awardees for 2009 are:

Kathryn Olmsted, Department of History, UC Davis

Noah Guynn, Department of French and Italian, UC Davis

William James Stover, Department of Political Science, University of Santa Clara

---

 

The Scholarship awardees for 2009:

What do James Dean and George Burns, Goldilocks and the three bears, and an ant lifting a crumb off the ground have in common? They are examples used by our scholarship awardees to help explain their research projects to people outside their fields. 

We were pleased to hear from three of the awardees at our annual dinner meeting on May 3. The other three were unable to attend because they were doing fieldwork in Ecuador, Russia, and Bosnia. All expressed their gratitude to ΦBKNCA for our support of their work. We hope to tap them for Asilomar presentations in the not too distant future. 

This year we received twenty-five applications. From these the committee had to decide on six, each of whom received a $5,000 award. As always, given the high caliber of the applications, making the selections was difficult. Thanks to Jeff Fenton, Lynne Fovinci, Jean James, and Gerry Richards for reviewing the applications and coming together to deliberate over them. The task is time consuming but highly rewarding. 

Two of the awardees are from UC Berkeley, two from Stanford, one from UC Santa Cruz, and one from UC Davis.  

Esther Cole, Ecology, UC Davis 
"Landscape Control of Disease Dynamics in a High Alpine System" 

Esther is studying how changing climate may be affecting disease dynamics as snowmelt comes earlier and minimum temperatures rise. She has done extensive work in Ecuador, where her work generated several important discoveries, including the discovery of a new species of frog, genus Cochranella. She will complete her fieldwork in the Trinity Alps here in California. As she writes, "This research will generate novel insights into how changing climate will influence natural disease regimes, potentially resulting in the extinction of native species." 

Her professors called her "smart, articulate, self-confident," "a wonderful field biologist, incredibly well-organized," "intellectually nimble," and a woman with "a sense of humor and irony." 

Jordan Gans-Morse, Political Science, UC Berkeley
"Out of Chaos? Business Elites and Property Rights in Russia" 

"The collapse of the Soviet Union presented social scientists with a daunting set of challenges. . . . Comparativists . . . sought to develop theories capable of explaining transitions from tradition to modernity, underdevelopment to development, and authoritarianism to democracy." Jordan's dissertation research analyzes why institutions that protect property develop in some countries but not others, why some laws and regulations remain mere scraps of paper. He focuses on the interest-group politics underlying institutional formation. He hopes to uncover valuable insights into the institutional foundations of economic prosperity. He was in Russia at the time of the Awards Banquet, testing the preliminary predictions of his model. 

His professors noted his "extraordinary potential" and his "quiet determination and commitment" and they think that "his research holds the promise of improving the foundations on which policy prescriptions can be made." "He is a rising star in the field." 

Emily Jacobs, Neuroscience, UC Berkeley
"Individual Differences in Cognition: Genetic and Hormonal Influences on Prefrontal Function" 

Emily is determined to pursue science in combination with humanitarian values. Her research centers on how dopamine functions in the prefrontal cortex. As she put it, it's a Goldilocks and the three bears scenario: you don't want too much or too little dopamine – just enough. The key goal of her project is to understand how individual differences in baseline dopamine levels in adolescents lead to greater susceptibility to depression, early-onset schizophrenia, and ADHD. Being committed to sharing her work with the public ("secret knowledge . . . is less than science"), she helped found S.E.E. (Science Everyone Everywhere), a nonprofit organization aimed at bringing science and the public a step closer together. She also works with a "brain fitness" campaign in San Francisco geared toward raising awareness about the health benefits of staying mentally and physically active as we age. 

Her professors commended her "maturity and curiosity," "dedication to service," and "boundless energy" ("bottle it and we could solve the worldwide energy crisis!"). Everyone noted that she is more like a colleague than a student. 

Mariangela Lisanti, Physics, Stanford (Norall Family Scholarship)
“Physics Beyond the Standard Model at the LHC” 

As Mariangela noted in her application, the Standard Model of particle physics cannot explain dark matter and dark energy in the universe, and says nothing about the gravitational force or how elementary particles obtain their mass. She works on building and studying extensions of the Standard Model that address these fundamental issues. "Whether scientists explore the unimaginably large or the inconceivably small, they strive to comprehend some aspect of the unknown. The fact that the same fundamental laws of physics can explain dramatically different scenarios is nothing short of amazing; for instance, the same forces that explain how an ant is able to lift a crumb off the ground can also explain the interactions of particles a few seconds after the Big Bang." Mariangela worked at the Tevatron collider at Fermilab, outside Chicago. That work resulted in "a sea change in how to design searches for new physics." 

She is "a role model for women students," "an effective mentor," and "a clear and organized speaker who can lay out the most complex arguments in a way her audience can grasp." 

Laurel Seely, Literature, UC Santa Cruz (Elizabeth B. Reed Scholarship)
"The Transition to Postsocialism: Cultural Discourses of Bosnian Identity, 1980-Present" 

Laurel's title is standard academese. The first paragraph of her application is not. "In winter 2008, the city of Sarajevo coated its sidewalks with a substance designed to prevent people from slipping on ice, an event that provoked outrage among some of Bosnia's Serb and Croat politicians. The problem: the coating was green, a color associated with Islam." In her work, Laurel uses an interdisciplinary approach to examine the intersection of culture and politics in transformations of identity in postsocialist Bosnia. Her dissertation examines transformations of Bosnian identity effected through key cultural products. By presenting and analyzing materials that are lesser known or difficult to access (she has also translated Bosnian literary works into English), she aims to make a variety of texts available for the first time to English-speaking scholars. 

Her letters of recommendation cite her "personal independence, perseverance, originality of thought, and her no-nonsense hard work." She is "critically innovative," "a model of the best kind of contemporary literary and cultural studies." 

Amelia Wolf, Biology, Stanford
"Strategic Trade-offs in Ant-Plant Mutualisms Worldwide" 

"Can a tree emulate James Dean, or bear a resemblance to George Burns? . . . James Dean famously lived fast and died young; Burns persisted in the limelight for years and years. Different trees, too, follow these divergent life trajectories," burning out after a short and productive life or fading away after persisting and reproducing for many years. Amelia works on ant-plant mutualisms that occur in tropical regions worldwide, including the neotropics. Her work in Costa Rica is yielding information similar to what she found in Kenya. Such cross-continental comparisons are rare and valuable, because they can help determine the degree to which ecological processes are generalizable. She is also an avid photographer and last year had a photograph (of giraffes in Kenya) published on the cover of Science (11 January 2008). 

She was recommended for her "endurance, creativity, and imagination, and a willingness to take risks." She is a "broad, creative, synthetic thinker, and highly motivated." Her "wholly original research has already yielded amazing results."

---

* Norall Family Scholarship 

We are pleased to acknowledge a most generous gift by Burt Norall and former Board member, Maria Norall, in memory of Cordie and Max McLain. The McLains were wealthy rice farmers from Burt's home town in Butte County who enabled him to attend UC Berkeley by providing him with funds for his expenses. Burt chose to fully fund one of the Northern California Association’s scholarships this year in their names because he has seen how dedicated Maria and other Board members are, and he knew the full amount would actually go to a deserving student. Click here for more information.

** Elizabeth B. Reed Scholarship

The Elizabeth Buttler Read Scholarship, established in 1992 by the Association following a bequest from her estate, honors a remarkable woman who exemplifies the breadth of professions and skills one determined woman can master with enough grit and innate talent. Click here for more information about this outstanding woman.

Asilomar 2010

Come to our annual conference, have fun with like-minded people, stimulate your intellect, relax, and contribute to ΦBKNCA graduate student scholarships. We strive to enjoy ourselves yet keep expenses low so that most of our registration fee, the majority of which is tax-deductible, goes to fund at least two scholarships.

If you are new to ΦBK or Northern California, you are especially welcome. Dress is casual. Do not be deterred by winter. February on the peninsula, with only occasional showers, is often more pleasant than the fog that settles in during summer months. And this is the time of the Monarch butterfly migration that fills many trees just a short walk from the conference site. There is ample opportunity to walk on the beach, tour the historic buildings designed by Julia Morgan, bicycle to Monterey, explore the Monterey Aquarium, visit the shops in Carmel, or settle down with a good book around the roaring fire in Hearst Hall. You may come late and leave early. You may even skip parts of the program. No one takes attendance or gives exams.

Our program, “Issues of Importance in American Life” includes a number of outstanding speakers:

Dr. Ben Santer, and atmospheric scientist of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) will address us Friday night on the subject of Global Warming. Dr. Santer is responsible for a complete chapter in the Government’s latest encyclopedic report and is very knowledgeable about the experimental evidence for, and the implications of, global warming.

Father Leo Arrowsmith, American Orthodox priest and artist, “The Use of Icons in Orthodox Worship.” While Fr. Arrowsmith is talking, he will complete the painting of an icon, which will be auctioned for the scholarship fund.

Dr. Jay Davis, scientist and Past Director of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, “Reducing Nuclear Arms”. Dr. Davis, now retired, devoted his professional career to leadership roles at LLNL and in Washington, where he founded the Defense Threat Reduction Agency for the DoD. He will talk to us about the hopes and problems associated with Nuclear Arms Reduction. 

Mr. John Seager, President of Population Connection, “Population Growth and Sustainability”.

Mr. Ron Umbel, Special FBI Agent, “National Security in an Uncertain World.”

Ms. Marci Coglianese will talk about Delta water issues

Ranger Roxanne will not be there, but another Ranger will talk. Many of you responded positively in the past, so this year we are suggesting a common reading to go with Mr. Seager’s talk: Jeffrey Sach’s Common Wealth: Economics for a Crowded Planet, 340 pp. Buy locally or at Amazon.com ($11.26 in paperback; $9.99 for Kindle). You may want to read this before coming to Asilomar. Following Mr. Seager’s remarks on Sunday morning and a break for lunch, we shall discuss this important work with him.

The conference begins with registration Friday, February 12 from 3:00 to 5:00 pm in Hearst Social Hall and ends after lunch on Monday, February 15. There will be a reception for newcomers Friday from 5:00 to 6:00 pm. We eat dinner from 6:00 to 7:00 pm in Crocker Dining Hall. Opening remarks and our first speaker are scheduled for 7:30 pm in Fred Farr Forum.

How much does the conference cost? For three nights’ lodging and eight meals beginning with dinner on Friday and ending with lunch on Monday: $386.18 per adult double occupancy, $618.68 single occupancy, and $251.69 youth (ages 3-17). A fee for using Asilomar facilities is included in the price of housing. If you live off-campus, Asilomar will add this nominal amount to your meal ticket. The additional registration fee of $100 payable to PBKNCA covers conference expenses, but mainly provides funds for our scholarships.

If you have not registered, it is not too late. Please spread the word. Bring guests, family or friends, and encourage your fellow Phi Betes to join us. Just fill out the coupon on page 8 and send a check payable to PBKNCA for your $100 per person registration fee to Cal Wood, 420 Lincoln Ave., Livermore, CA 94550. Phone: (925) 447-8666. Email . As soon as I receive your check, I shall send you the housing form for you to return directly to Asilomar.

Mark your calendar now and plan to attend Presidents' Day Weekend, February 12-15, 2010, at Asilomar’s magnificent, 107-acre “Refuge by the Sea,” in Pacific Grove between Carmel and Monterey. Your Phi Beta Kappa friends will be waiting.

Don’t miss this great event. Send the form from page eight, along with your deposit, now.

We plan to leave Sunday morning open to do as you wish. 

Don’t miss this great event.  For more information, contact Cal Wood, (925) 447-8666 or email , Asilomar Chair

Please keep checking the ΦBKNCA website for new events which always include the details of our tours, as well as other information regarding ΦBKNCA.
 
And don't forget that if you haven’t attended an event lately, you are missing some terrific experiences! You might be pleasantly surprised at not only what you may learn, but also by the wonderful camaraderie of our members.

If you cannot make an event, even if it is at the last minute, call my cell phone (707) 696-9498. There may be others waiting that can take your place. And please be on time – we will not wait for, nor give refunds to, late-comers.

Judy Hardardt, First Vice President - Programs

---

The San Francisco Gourmet Chocolate Tour Saturday, November 7, 2009, Call Judy Hardardt at home (530) 297-7150, or cell, (707) 696-9498 about reservations.

“Exercise is a dirty word. Every time I hear it I wash my mouth out with chocolate.”  

Do you love fine chocolate? Join us in San Francisco for a private Chocolate Tour with Gourmet Walks! Our guides will take us on a delicious three-hour walking and tasting tour of the city's best chocolate makers. We'll learn about how fine chocolate is made, understand its health benefits and see the latest trends from bean to bar. We'll visit seven different gourmet chocolate boutiques in downtown San Francisco, and taste a variety of bars, bon-bons and hot chocolate. Since the days of the Gold Rush, San Francisco has had a love affair with chocolate and is now at the center of the new wave of artisan chocolatiers, experimenting with high quality beans, new production methods, exotic fillings and breathtaking packaging. Come find out why! 

And, we will also get "Chocolate Lover Cards" to use on future chocolate shopping trips! 

Our tour leaves at 2:30 pm sharp from Justin Herman Plaza, located at the foot of Market Street and the Embarcadero. Our group will meet at the base of the AMERICAN FLAGPOLE at 2:20 pm, close to the Hyatt and the entrance to Embarcadero Center. Look for the tour guide with her umbrella! If you have any problems finding us, please call Judy Hardardt at 707-696-9498.

The tour will last 2 1/2 – 3 hours and will end at Westfield Mall.

Parking is available in Embarcadero Center, as well as the Ferry Building parking lots.

Consider bringing the following: comfortable walking shoes, umbrella, water, an appetite – try not to eat too much before the tour! Optional: Tupperware to carry extra chocolate 

Website: www.gourmetwalks.com

Date:  Saturday, November 7, 2009
Time: 2:30 pm
Minimum:   12
Maximum:   24
Fee:  $55.00
Deadline:   October 8, 2009

Directions: Justin Herman Plaza is located at the foot of Market Street at the Embarcadero. Parking is available in Embarcadero Center, as well as the Ferry Building parking lots. From the south or East Bay, take BART, get off at the Market Street station, and head toward the Ferry Building.

---

Filoli Holiday Traditions, Date: Thursday, December 3, 2009. Call Judy Hardardt at home (530) 297-7150, or cell, (707) 696-9498 about reservations.

Come experience the excitement of Filoli’s spectacular nine-day Holiday Traditions event. Shop the Holiday Boutique, with its wide range of unique holiday gifts, while performers sing and play seasonal melodies. Filoli will be decorated for the holidays from top to bottom, both inside and out. Weather permitting, we will be able to explore the gardens as well as doing some holiday shopping. For those who would like to stay for lunch as well, reservations will be made for you.  

Note: Tickets are very much in demand for this event; our group size is limited to no more than 10 ΦBKNCA members.

Holiday Traditions at Filoli are day-long events, starting at 10 am and continuing into the evening. No matter when you visit Filoli's Holiday Traditions event, you are invited to relax in Filoli's charming setting while enjoying lunch or supper. The Evening Dinner Party is an elegant dining event with live music and dancing in the ballroom. Enjoy the magical warmth of Holiday Traditions.

Website: www.filoli.org

Date:  Thursday, December 3, 2009
Time:   10am to 1pm
Minimum:    6
Maximum: 10
Fee:   We will not know the price until mid-October. Check our website in late October.

Directions: Filoli is located at 86 Cañada Road, Woodside. 

From North of Filoli
Drive south on Highway 280. Take the Edgewood Road exit. Turn right on Edgewood Road until it ends at Cañada Road. Turn right on Cañada Road, go 1.25 miles. Turn left into Filoli entrance, proceed to guardhouse. 

From South of Filoli
Drive north on Highway 280. Take the Edgewood Road exit. Turn left on Edgewood Road until it ends at Cañada Road. Turn right on Cañada Road, go 1.25 miles. Turn left into Filoli entrance, proceed to guardhouse. 

From the East Bay
Drive west on Highway 92. Take Highway 280 south. Take the Edgewood Road exit. Turn right on Edgewood Road until it ends at Cañada Road. Turn right on Cañada Road, go 1.25 miles. Turn left into Filoli entrance, proceed to guardhouse.

---

San Francisco's KQED Radio and TV Education Network. Thursday, January 21, 2010, Time: 11 am to 1 pm

Cows in the KQED Studios? Take a nostalgic trip through KQED's history, starting in the 1950s.
1950-59 When KQED went on the air in 1954, it was one of a handful of stations in a new field referred to as the "educational TV movement." Conceived initially as a teaching tool, the station quickly broadened its scope to include entertainment and public affairs programming - designed to appeal, above all, to a viewer's intelligence.

Description: This docent-led tour will take us through the KQED facility and includes the history of public radio and television and the current challenges they face, such as funding, political and other external pressures. Our tour will include the FM Master Control Room and a "working" studio, the videotape library, TV Facility (Studios A & B, Production Control Room, Equipment Rack Room, Edit Suite, Iingest Suites and Master Control Room. In addition, we will visit KQED Interactive and have an overview of their Web Site and the KQED Education Network.

There is a parking garage located at the back of the KQED building on York Street.

 

Website: www.KQED.org   
Date: Thursday, January 21, 2010
Deadline: December 20, 2009
Time: 11 am to 1 pm
Minimum: 8, Maximum: 15
Price: $8.00 plus parking (approx. $7)
Directions: KQED is located at 2601 Mariposa Street in San Francisco.

From the East Bay, take the 9th St./Civic Center exit, keep right at the fork in the ramp; turn left onto Harrison St., then left onto 10th St. Take a slight right onto Potrero Ave., follow Potrero to Mariposa St., turning right there. KQED is 2 blocks down on the left.

From the South Bay, take the Cesar Chavez (Army St/Potrero Ave.) exit; stay in the middle lane & follow Potrero Ave. north. Turn left onto Mariposa. KQED is 2 blocks down on the left.

From the Golden Gate Bridge, take the Lombard/Downtown exit; take Lombard to Van Ness & turn right, continuing down Van Ness until it becomes South Van Ness. Follow South Van Ness to Division, turning left onto Division (under the overpass). Take Division to Bryant to Mariposa and turn left, following the directions above.

From the 16th & Mission BART station, take the 22 Fillmore East on 16th, get off at 16th & Bryant, walk 2 blocks south on Bryant to Mariposa. KQED is at the corner of Mariposa & Bryant.

---

Tutankhamun and The Golden Age of The Pharaohs. de Young Museum, San Francisco. Wednesday, March 3, 2010, Time 11:30 am

Here is a great chance to see the updated "King Tut" exhibition, especially for those of us who missed the one back in the 1970s.
More than 3,000 years after his reign, and 30 years after the original exhibition opened in San Francisco, Tutankhamun, ancient Egypt’s celebrated “boy king,” returns to the de Young Museum. It is a glorious exhibition of over 130 outstanding works from the tomb of Tutankhamun, as well as those of his royal predecessors, his family, and court officials.

Tutankhamun was one of the last kings of Egypt’s 18th Dynasty and ruled during a crucial, turmoil-filled period of Egyptian history. The boy king died under mysterious circumstances at the age of 18 or 19, in the ninth year of his reign (1322 BC). Tutankhamun’s tomb in the Valley of the Kings was filled with magnificent treasures meant to ensure his divine immortality. Many objects belonging to the young king—exquisite personal items used in his daily life—were placed in it.

All of the treasures in the exhibition are more than 3,000 years old. Note that this is not a docent-led tour as they are available only at 8 or 8:30am (before the museum opens). Audio guides will be available at additional cost.
Website: www.kingtut.org and www.tutsanfrancisco.org/
Date: Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Deadline: Friday, January 15, 2010
Time: 11:30 am
Minimum: 10, Maximum: 20
Price: $29.00

Directions: The de Young is located at 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive, in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. Cross streets are John F. Kennedy Drive and Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive.

From the North Bay/Golden Gate Bridge
From the Golden Gate Bridge Toll Plaza take the 19th Ave/Park Presidio Blvd exit and proceed through the tunnel onto Park Presidio Blvd. Go two miles to Cabrillo St. Turn right on Cabrillo, then right again on 14th Ave. Proceed one block north to Balboa St., turn right. Proceed across Park Presido Blvd. to 8th Ave. For surface access to the de Young, turn right onto 8th Ave. across Fulton St. to JFK Dr. For direct access to the Music Concourse Parking Facility, turn right on Fulton St. and then left on 10th Ave.

From the South Bay/I-280 North
At Daly City, take Route 1 North toward 19th Ave./Golden Gate Bridge. Go five miles on 19th Ave. through Golden Gate Park and make a right onto Fulton St. Turn right on 10th Ave. for access to the Music Concourse Parking Facility, or two blocks to 8th Ave. and turn right into the park.

From the East Bay/I-80 West
Weekdays: Continue on I-80 through San Francisco for about one mile and then bear right, following signs for Golden Gate Bridge/US101 North. Follow signs for Octavia St. and Fell St.; freeway ends at Market St. Cross Market St. and go four blocks and make a left turn onto Fell St. Go 1.5 miles on Fell St. For access to the Music Concourse Parking Facility: Just beyond Shrader St. bear right and make a right turn onto Stanyan St. Go two blocks and make a left turn onto Fulton St. Take Fulton to 10th Ave. and make a left turn into the parking facility. For surface access to the de Young continue on Fell St. then just after Shrader St. bear left onto Kezar Dr. Bear right onto JFK Dr. and follow to the de Young.

Parking
Music Concourse Garage
Parking for cars and bicycles is available in the new Music Concourse Garage. Access to the north entrance of the Music Concourse Parking is from Fulton St. at 10th Ave. Access to the south entrance is at Concourse Dr. and Martin Luther King Dr. inside the park. The Music Concourse Garage is open 7 days a week from 7:30 am to 10 p.m. year-round and parking in the garage is encouraged.
Hours and rates:
Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m.-10 p.m. ($2.75/hour; max. $20)

---

Enjoy Brunch and Theater with Mark Twain! Sunday, April 11. 2010, Time 11:30 am to about 4 pm
Deadline: March 5, 2010 (the earlier you can sign up, the better)

Is He Dead? by Mark Twain, adapted by David Ives.

After his obituary was mistakenly published in the American press, Mark Twain sent a cable from London stating "The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated." Unlike what appeared in the newspapers, rumors of this play were not exaggerated - it received its world premiere on Broadway in 2006 - and it’s a live one! Jean-François Millet, a brilliant but unrecognized painter, can’t sell a landscape to save his life (literally). His wacky bohemian friends convince him that faking his death is just the ticket for raising his stock. So Jean-François disappears from life and re-emerges as his imaginary twin sister, a widow both mad and madcap. Here’s gold dust in your eyes, as extended horseplay involving the stench of Limburger cheese and the deconstruction of a woman of “artificial parts” will make you howl for more.

 

 

 

Website: www.cinnabartheater.org
Location: Cinnabar Theater in Petaluma
Date: Sunday, April 11, 2010
Deadline: March 5, 2010 (The sooner, the better)
Includes: Sunday matinee brunch at 11:30 am at Jacqueline's High Tea in Petaluma; Show is at Cinnabar Theater in Petaluma at 2 pm, doors open at 1:30 pm
Minimum: 10, Maximum: 20
Price: $65.00 per person, includes brunch with gratuity & tax

Directions to Cinnabar Theater

Cinnabar Theater is just 40 miles north of the Golden Gate on US 101 and is readily accessible to San Francisco and Marin County. Free onsite parking.

From US101 South:
Take the fourth Petaluma exit (Old Redwood Hwy. & Penngrove).  Turn Left at the stoplight, cross over the freeway onto Petaluma Blvd. North.  Go through the next two stoplights.  Go through the intersection at the third stoplight (Skillman Ln.).  Our driveway is under the Marquee on the right immediately past Skillman.

From US101 North:
Take the first Petaluma exit (Petaluma Blvd. N. & Penngrove).  Turn right at the stoplight onto Petaluma Blvd. North.  Go through the next stoplight.  Go through the intersection at the second stoplight (Skillman Ln.).  Our driveway is under the Marquee on the right immediately past Skillman.

Or enter 3333 Petaluma Blvd. North, Petaluma, CA 94952 into your GPS. (or try POI, Entertainment, Live Theater, Cinnabar Performing Arts Center)

Useto get specific directions from your location:
Address or Intersection:
City:
State:	ZIP Code:

2009 Triennial Delegate Report

 

University of Texas Tower

Can you imagine almost three hundred members of Phi Beta Kappa from across the country gathered into one room, over three days, to discuss various issues of importance to our Society? Such meetings took place October 1-4 in Austin, Texas. It was Phi Beta Kappa’s 42nd Triennial Council. The Council is the legislative body of the Phi Beta Kappa Society, which convenes every three years to transact business for the Society as a whole.

The Council alone has the authority to charter new chapters. Delegates to the Council are the representatives of the Phi Beta Kappa chapters and associations. Over 40 of the 60 chartered associations sent delegates to the Council and almost 250 of the 267 current chapters on college and university campuses sent delegates.

As our Chapter Liaison, I had the privilege of participating as NCA’s delegate, sponsored by the national PBK office. I also had the honor of being selected as one of 17 nominees for 11 senator at large vacancies. The PBK Senate is the general administrative body of twenty four senators who are elected from districts and at large from the general membership. The Senate meets to conduct business in the years between the Triennial Councils.

Four new college chapters were approved by the Council: Butler University (Indianapolis, Indiana), College of St. Benedict-St John’s University (St. Joseph, Minnesota), Elon University (Elon, N.Carolina), and James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Virginia. Almost fifty institutions had applied for chapters, but only these four were recommended to the Council by the Committee on Qualifications.

Association delegates met together on the first day to exchange ideas. Hot topics included how to increase membership, particularly among the new grads. The national PBK Strategic Plan for 2009-2014 includes “Strengthen associations, increase membership, and facilitate improved communication and collaboration.” National recognizes that associations are the primary means by which the Society interacts with its members, the vast majority of whom are not academics, following graduation. A goal is to strengthen the role of the associations in the Society’s governance, outreach and development efforts. I was proud to talk about NCA’s outstanding record of raising funds for scholarships as well as how we participate in Chapter inductions and make Teaching Excellence Awards. With over 1200 members, we are among the largest and most active associations.
I also participated in the Western District meeting, which included chapters and associations from the thirteen western states. We discussed how our associations and chapters could better interact and how to increase the profile of PBK in our large public universities which seem to be a particular problem in the West.

The Council approved structural changes to the PBK Constitution and Bylaws which should streamline processes between Councils. We had very formal voting procedures.

Austin, Texas

PBK’s new national President is Fred H.Cate (Stanford 1984) who is a Prof of Law at Indiana University. The new VP is Katherine Soule (Amherst College 1988) who is Director of Budget at Dartmouth College. Eleven senators at large (all were chapter delegates) were elected and four district senators were elected. I was not elected, but appreciated being a nominee. All the delegates were able to vote for one Senator from each district. Our new Western District senator is Kate Lehman who is at Arizona State University.

We heard some very thought provoking lectures. Thomas Bender, PBK Visiting Scholar, professor of humanities and history at New York University, spoke on "American History in a Global Perspective.” Two of PBK’s most prestigious awards were presented at the conclusion of the Council. John E. Seery, Professor of Government and Professor of Politics at Pomona College received the Sydney Hook Memorial Award and Douglas Greenberg, executive dean of the School of Arts & Sciences at Rutgers University received the Award for Distinguished Service to the Humanities. Each gave insightful lectures.

For more information about the history of the councils as well as the 42nd Triennial Council, including photographs, go to www.pbk.org.

Janiece Nolan, Ph.D., Chapter Liaison,

 

If you subsequently can’t make an event, others may be waiting - kindly notify the Program VP,
Judy Hardardt home (530) 297-7150, cell day of event (707) 696-9498.

, First Vice-President, Programs

Board Positions Open Starting July 2010

Corresponding Secretary and Recording Secretary needed July 2010. Contact Peete W. Baer, Chair Nominating Committee (peete.baer@c2002c.com 510-632-7000) if you are interested in one of these positions.

Treasurer needed starting July 2011. Mary Turner Gilliland has graciously offered to continue as ΦBKNCA Treasurer for the coming term of 2010-2011. During the coming year, we shall be searching for her successor. Mary has offered to explain the requirements of the position and, also, to assist in the training of any one interested. You may contact Mary (Mltg@aol.com 650-321-9966) or Peete W. Baer, Chair, Nominating Committee (peete.baer@c2002c.com 510-632-7000).

Job descriptions are available here:

Corresponding Secretary

Recording Secretary

Treasurer