Paul McCarthy was appointed by Chancellor Rogers to implement recommendations from UAF’s economic development transition team. McCarthy will work to help create jobs and grow the economy in the Fairbanks, Interior and western Alaska communities.

Denise Thorsen was selected as director-elect of the Alaska Space Grant Program. Thorsen, an associate professor of electrical engineering in the Electrical and Computer Engineering department, has collaborated with the Alaska Space Grant Program and former director Neal Brown for several years, and she recently became faculty advisor for the Alaska Student Rocket Project.

A new Family Friendly Task Force will look for ways UAF can support faculty, staff and students as they balance jobs, education and families. Appointed by Chancellor Rogers in response to recommendations from the Child Care Transition Team, the 11 members are leaders from the campus community as well as from local child care and family support organizations. Veronica Plumb, assistant professor of child development and family studies at TVC, and Carol Brice, longtime child and family advocate, will lead the task force. For more information contact Veronica Plumb at ffvmp@uaf.edu or 455-2038.

Arthur M. Hussey III joined the GI as proposal office manager in September. Hussey brings 24 years of experience in proposal development, implementation and reporting to the position.

North Campus trails are now open for skiing, winter walking, snowshoeing, dog walking and biking. During the winter, most UAF trails are designated for skiing; routes are also available for other nonmotorized uses. Watch for signs and consult trail maps to ensure that you are on the appropriate trail for your activity. Winter trail maps are available at trailheads, and maps and trail conditions can also be viewed online.

The UA Museum of the North needs volunteers to help with events on Halloween Oct. 31 and Military Appreciation Family Day Nov. 8. For more information or to sign up, contact Barbara Travis at 474-5484 or e-mail b.travis@uaf.edu.

The UAF Police Department is handing out glow sticks to promote safety this Halloween. Staff, faculty and students are welcome to stop by the department in the Whitaker Building and pick up glow sticks between 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Staff changes in the Academic Advising Center include the addition of Virginia (Ginny) Tschanz as an academic advisor and Leslie Fazio as graduate-level intern for the fall semester. Faculty advisors working in the center for the fall semester include Abel Bult-Ito, CNSM; Rich Carr, CLA; Ataur Chowdhury, CNSM; Rajive Ganguli, CEM; Dana Greci, CRCD; Cindy Hardy, CRCD and CLA; Meriam Karlsson, SNRAS; Keith Swarner, TVC; and Jane Weber, CRCD.

Supplemental Instruction in the Division of General Studies brought Karaline Naegele on board as the supplemental instruction assistant and Robert Gorsline, CNSM; Robin Burke, CLA; and Kim Jones, SOM, as supplemental instruction leaders for select sections of CHEM F105X, HIST F100X, and ECON F100X this semester.

UAF’s Grapevine website is designed to dispel rumors, clarify misconceptions and clear up misunderstandings about UAF topics of a general nature. If you want to find out if something you’ve heard is true, submit your rumor and find out.

Please consider contributing to UAF’s United Way campaign. Chancellor Rogers is encouraging all UAF employees to participate in the 2008 United Way campaign as part of a campus-wide community engagement effort. With rising costs from fuel to groceries, budgets will be tight all around; any donation, if you are able and choose to participate, will be appreciated. Contribution forms need to be returned to University Relations by Nov. 3. For more information about the campaign, please call 474-7511.

Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell will deliver a public lecture, "Alaska: Positioned for Long Term Economic Growth." Tuesday, Oct. 28 at 5:30 p.m. in Davis Concert Hall. The event is hosted by Students Who Enjoy Economic Thinking and is free and open to the public. For more information contact Sherri Wall, SOM, at 474-6526 or e-mail ffslw1@uaf.edu.

The English Department presents the Humanities Research Colloquium “Narayan’s Allotropic Fare: The Special Gloss of A Tigre for Malgudi” by Joseph Dupras, Wednesday, Oct. 29 at 11:40 a.m. in the Alumni Lounge.

Snedden Chair and veteran journalist Robert Meyerowitz will speak about his experiences covering politics around the world in a lecture, “Can You See the Real Me? Covering Politics from Panama to Palin,” Wednesday, Oct. 29 at 7 p.m. in the Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center auditorium. For more information vist the UAF newsroom.

Kathryn Hendrickson’s senior flute recital takes place Thursday, Oct. 30 8 p.m. in Davis Concert Hall. There is no admission fee. For more information call 474-7555.

The UA Museum of the North invites costumed children 12 and younger to explore the museum’s research collections on Halloween, Friday, Oct. 31 from 5 – 7 p.m. Admission is free with a donation of canned food for the Fairbanks Community Food Bank.

The Nanook ski team, in association with the Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks, hosts the ninth annual Ski Fest Saturday, Nov. 1 from 5:30 – 7:30 at the SRC. Dinner and a program is included for NSCF or Ski Team Booster Club members; please bring a dessert. For more information contact Scott Jerome at 474-6802 or fnspj1@uaf.edu.

The English Department's 18th annual Dead Writers Reading and Raffle takes place Saturday, Nov. 1 at 7 p.m. at the Blue Loon. Dress up as your favorite dead writer and perform a three-minute reading of his or her work. Prizes will be awarded. Admission is $12 for students with UAF ID and $15 for everyone else. You must be 21 to attend.

Supervisory training classes in November still have space available; new classes have been added through December. There are nearly 30 classes scheduled in 2008. A training calendar for 2009 should be online by early December.

Check out the UAF Weekly Science Calendar, sponsored by the Center for Global Change and Arctic System Research, for science-related events happening at UAF.

Visit UAF’s online calendar for information on UAF events or to publicize an event.

Nanook women’s volleyball takes on Western Washington University, Thursday, Oct. 30, and St. Martin’s University, Saturday, Nov. 1. Both games are at 7 p.m. in the Patty Center gym.

The Alaska Nanook athletic events scores from last week are: Home games – rifle vs. University of Kentucky, 4651-4635; swimming vs. Drury University, 53-152 and 86-118, hockey vs. Bowling Green State University, 0-1 and 3-0. Away games – volleyball vs. Northwest Nazarene, 0-3, and vs. Seattle Pacific, 3-1; cross country GNAC Championship Meet men and women both finished in sixth place.

Nov. 7, 2008: Nominations for Staff Council odd-numbered units are due. Voting takes place Nov. 9 – Dec. 2. For more information call 474-7056.

Nov. 15, 2008: All application materials and fees for December 2008 graduation are due. The late application fee is $80. For more information call 474-7523.

Dec. 1, 2008: Nominations for the Edith R. Bullock Prize for Excellence are due.

Cornerstone banner photo by Todd Paris, UAF Marketing and Communications.