Sunday, August 29, 2010

Guam News - Aug. 29

+ Family sues airline for wrongful death of man
One local family has taken their lawsuit against a major airline to the District Court. The family is seeking at least $1 million for claims of wrongful death. A complaint and demand for jury trial was filed by the estate of Amado Masmila Balisalisa through his surviving children in the federal court this past June.
http://www.kuam.com/Global/story.asp?S=13061540&Call=Email&Format=Text

+ Who wins Guamazing Race 4's season finale?
The Guamazing Race 4 season finale airs tonight on KUAM-TV11, as the island's favorite reality show is now down to just four teams.
http://www.kuam.com/Global/story.asp?S=13061667&Call=Email&Format=Text

+ Superintendent warns: school shut down likely
The Department of Education is hoping to receive much-needed funding to keep the agency afloat before the end of the fiscal year at the end of September.
http://www.kuam.com/Global/story.asp?S=13061621&Call=Email&Format=Text

Saturday, August 28, 2010

IGP Back to School Carnival and Concert a Success!

From the Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI) game booth & face painting to the Santa Barbara School Read Alouds, jump rope activities, Notre Dame Class of 2011 and WestCare booths, IGP Awards, amazing concert/entertainment performances, IGP Poetry Slam, Open House, jumpers, prizes, refreshments, raffles, and so much more, all participants had a blast!

Enjoy the following snapshots taken during this memorable event!

































































Sunday, August 22, 2010

Guam News - Aug. 22

+ Dededo school reports bullying in first week
While it's only the beginning of the school year, schools are getting reports of bullying. It's a continuous problem that needs to be addressed soon.
http://www.kuam.com/Global/story.asp?S=13023702&Call=Email&Format=Text

+ Students, volunteers clean up Pagat
Nearly a hundred volunteers took part in a cleanup at Pagat today. We Are Guahan member Attorney Leevin Camacho says many of them were from the high schools and the University of Guam.
http://www.kuam.com/Global/story.asp?S=13023958&Call=Email&Format=Text

+ Island residents avail of free glucose tests
The Islandwide Health and Social Services Fair continued at the Micronesia Mall in Dededo. This weekend, public and private service providers were offering free health screenings and glucose tests.
http://www.kuam.com/Global/story.asp?S=13023957&Call=Email&Format=Text

Saturday, August 21, 2010

IGP 2010 Poetry Slam


IGP 2010 Poetry Slam Theme

“Why Should I Care about___?”
Topics to include my education, my family, volunteering, and doing the right thing.


Poetry submissions via fax are due on or before August 25th. Email submissions are due before August 27th.

Top Finalists can read their entries at the IGP Back to School Carnival event on August 28th, 2010. Participants must be between 7-20 years of age.

Poems must contain 150 words or less, and only appropriate language.

Fax submissions to 473-3004 or email them to islandgirlpower@yahoo.com Attn to IGP Contest. For more information, call the IGP Center at 637-3011 or 688-4752.

IGP Back to School Carnival & Concert


Island Girl Power will host its "Back to School Carnival & Concert" soon! See the details below.

What: IGP Back to School Carnival
When: Saturday, August 28, 2010 from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Where: Island Girl Power Club House, Dededo

There will be a raffle drawing with the grand prize being a Continental Roundtrip for 2! The baby grand prize is a P.I.C. overnight stay. Other prizes include the following: P.I.C. Waterpark passes, Harley Davidson Toolbox GHC,Foremost gift certificates, Cold Stone gift certificates, and more! You do not need to be present to win.

There will also be jumpers, game booths, prizes, refreshments, and more! Entertainment includes Biggah&Bettah, Acoustic Soul, Jeniki Suba, Shannon McManus, Capoeira Mandinga Guam, and so much more!

For more information, contact WestCare Pacific Islands at 472-0219 or e-mail: lolita.munoz@westcare.com or Island Girl Power at 688-4752, e-mail: islandgirlpower@yahoo.com.

Sunday, August 15, 2010

Guam News - August 15

+ Stimulus funds support Southern repairs
It may be a new school year, but at Southern High students are going through the same problems. With the help of American Reinvestment and Recovery Act funding, the school is hoping for some fixes so they can finally use the much-needed facilities.
http://www.kuam.com/Global/story.asp?S=12981080&Call=Email&Format=Text

+ Building demolition forces power outage
The Guam Power Authority scheduled an emergency power outage today in Hagatna. A stop work order was issued today after contractors attempted to demolish the old Island Tinting building in East Hagatna.
http://www.kuam.com/Global/story.asp?S=12981425&Call=Email&Format=Text

+ Feedback on Int̢۪l Building Code considered
Lawmakers are expected to hear testimony on concerns from stakeholders in the community regarding the adoption of the International Building Code 2009 and associated references.
http://www.kuam.com/Global/story.asp?S=12981048&Call=Email&Format=Text

Saturday, August 14, 2010

UOG Events

Operation New Life: Untold Stories

Thirty-five years after Operation New Life brought thousands of Vietnamese refugees to Guam , a symposium focusing on the untold stories of the people involved in the massive relocation effort after the Vietnam War will be held on Saturday, August 14 beginning at 9:00 a.m. at the Guam Legislature Session Hall in Hagatna.

Fall Semester

Late registration will be held August 13, 16 and 17. All students must pay their tuition and fees or sign up for the Time Option Payment Plan by 12 noon on August 26, 2010. Weekday classes begin August 18 and Saturday classes begin August 21.



Primary Great Debate Tickets on Sale Now
The Primary Great Debate on September 2 at 7:00 p.m. at the UOG Field House is sure to be one of the most exciting debates of the election season. Tickets are on sale now for $15.00 each at all Circle K/76 gas stations or the UOG Endowment Foundation. Purchase your ticket and guarantee your place at the Primary Great Debate. The Primary Great Debate will be held on September 2 in an interactive format focusing on the most critical issues facing Guam today. The Great Debate series is a special public service project organized by the students and faculty of the Public Administration and Legal Studies Program, SBPA. For more information, contact the UOG Endowment Foundation at 735-2956/2957 or SBPA Dean’s office at 735-2501/2520/2550.

Conference on Island Sustainability – Sept. 2 and 3
Register Online at www.uog.edu/islandsustainability
The University of Guam will host a Conference on Island Sustainability for Guam and Micronesia on September 2-3, 2010 at the Guam Marriott. This will mark the first formal event sponsored by the new Center for Island Sustainability. Read more at www.uog.edu/islandsustainability

SGA Inauguration – Sept. 2
The Student Government Association will host their inauguration of officers on September 2 at the Guam Legislature beginning at 6:00 p.m.

Guam Ballet Company's Full Length Ballet, “Sirena”
Women and Gender Studies Co-sponsor the Guam Ballet Company’s “Sirena” on Saturday, August 28 and September 4, 2pm matinee and 7 pm evening performances and Sunday, August 29 and September 5, 3 pm matinee performances. UOG Fine Arts Theatre. For more information see scrolling news at www.uog.edu.

SCHOLARSHIPS

JARS Scholarship Available
Deadline to Apply: Nov. 30
The JARS Scholarship is a $500 private scholarship available to juniors or seniors enrolled fulltime at the University of Guam who are pursuing a major in Fine Arts. The application deadline is November 30, 2010. Visit www.uog.edu/scholarships for more information.

Parsons Scholarship for Pre-Engineering Students

Deadline to apply: August 24, 2010 at 5:00 p.m.

University of Guam pre-engineering students who have completed ES201 Engineering Statistics or who are enrolled in the course for the Fall 2010 semester are encouraged to apply for a Parsons scholarship. For more information visit www.uog.edu/scholarships

Two Teaching Assistant Positions

The Tropical Agricultural Science Program announces two teaching assistant positions with stipend available during Fall 2010. These Teaching Assistant (TA) positions are intended to support students currently majoring in Tropical Agricultural Science Program. Students registered full time or part-time during the Fall 2010 are eligible to apply. Students must have completed all AG courses with a B or better grade. Each TA will receive $2000 per semester. Work hours will be 10-20 hours/week. The completed application must be submitted before 5:00 p.m. on August 15, 2009 to Dean’s office. If you have any questions about this TA position, please contact Dr. Mari Marutani (735-2131), Coordinator of the Tropical Agricultural Science Program or Dr. James McConnell (735-2129), Chair, the Curriculum Committee of Tropical Agricultural Science Program; or email to either marutani@uguam.uog.edu or mcconnel@uguam.uog.edu.



New Faculty

UOG School of Education Welcomes Cheryl Sangueza, Ph.D
Cheryl Sangueza is the newest addition to the faculty of the School of Education at the University of Guam . Sangueza holds a Ph.D in Teacher Education with an emphasis in Science Education from the University of Nevada , Las Vegas . She also holds an M.A. in Secondary Science Education from Teachers College, Columbia University in New York , and is a proud graduate of the University of Guam with a B.A. in Secondary Education, General and Earth Science.

UOG Welcomes Fulbright Scholar

The University of Guam School of Business and Public Administration welcomes Fulbright Scholar Cynthia P. Cudia to campus. Cudia is a licensed certified public accountant and has a Master of Science in Accountancy from De La Salle University in the Philippines . She is currently pursuing her Ph.D in Economics at De La Salle.

New Administrators

CLASS Dean
James D. Sellmann, Ph.D. in Chinese Philosophy from the University of Hawaii , was selected as the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences. He served as Associate Dean for seven years and as the Acting Dean of the College for one year. He came to Guam in 1992, received tenure in 1997, and was promoted to full professor of Philosophy in 2001. He has published over 60 articles in various peer reviewed books, and journals such as Asian Philosophy, and Philosophy East and West. He is also a professor of Philosophy and Micronesian Studies at the University of Guam .

CLASS Acting Associate Dean

Troy McVey, MFA Tulane University , was appointed to a second year as acting associate dean of CLASS. He is a theatre designer and has professional experience in New York , San Diego , and Washington DC . He has been on the UOG faculty since 2005 and created the Summer Theatre Camp.



Marine Lab Director

Laurie Raymundo, PhD Cornell University, is a coral ecologist who has worked in the western Pacific for 25 years. Her work has focused on conservation of coral reefs and coral health and disease. She has been with the University of Guam Marine Lab as a research faculty since 2004 and teaches in the graduate biology program.



Financial Aid Director

Mark Duarte was selected at the Financial Aid Director under Enrollment Management and Student Services. He received his BA in Political Science (1995) and his MA in Public Administration (2001) from the University of Guam . He was recently employed at the 30th Guam Legislature as the Senior Policy Analyst for Speaker Judith T. Won Pat.

Center for Island Sustainability

Sam Walker, MS in Education and History from Western Oregon University and an MA in Archaeology & Heritage studies from the University of Leicester in the UK , was selected as the Institutional Researcher for Renewable for Sustainable Energy Management for UOG’s Center for Island Sustainability. He was born and grew up in Africa and has spent most of his professional life in the Middle East where he worked and taught at various colleges. He has managed projects in horticulture, water catchment systems, solar, desalination, soil rehabilitation, and waste systems. He has lived on Guam since 2006.



GRANTS

UOG Receives Grant to Revive Pre-contact Chamorro Fishing Techniques
The University of Guam Sea Grant Extension Program received a $92,000 grant from the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Pacific Islands Region Program Office (PIRO) for reviving, demonstrating and teaching pre-contact indigenous Chamorro fishing techniques.

UOG TRIO UPWARD BOUND AWARDED $382,812
The University of Guam ’s TRIO Upward Bound program has been awarded a federal grant in the amount of $382,812 for the new program year which begins September 1, 2010. The grant is part of a five-year $1.9 million that was awarded to UOG TRIO Programs by the U.S. Department of Education last year. Upward Bound is a college-prep program that serves up to 80 high school students on Guam who are from low-income families, and/or first-generation college students. The program also serves students with disabilities.

POLICIES

Revised Policy and Procedures for Students and Applicants with a Disability
UOG has a newly revised policy for students and applicants with a disability which was adopted by the Board on April 22, 2010. The policy is posted on the web: http://www.uog.edu/dynamicdata/EqualEmploymentOffice.aspx?siteid=1&p=66

STUDENT SUCCESS

TRIO Achievers Award

Mariano T Mesngon, Ph.D. was selected as a national 2010 TRIO achievers award recipient. He earned his Biology degree from the University of Guam in 1997 and was helped through that process by the TRIO Upward Bound program at the institution. After earning his PhD in Cell Molecular Biology from the University of South Carolina in 2008 he was selected as the Deputy Chief, Analytical Toxicology Division Chief, Medical Diagnostic and Chemical Branch U. S. Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense (USAMRICD).



English Language Skills
The University of Guam ’s English Language Institute celebrated the end of its summer session on August 12 with a record number of 45 students participating in the program. Three students, Mi Jeong Kim, Kyoung Lim Jeong, and You Mi Nam passed their Level 5 English Language course, which is the highest level offered by the program, and now possess the language skills to enter the University of Guam .



PUBLICATIONS



UOG Fact Book Online
The University of Guam ’s 2009-2010 Fact Book is now posted online at www.uog.edu/uogpublications.

Mass-Spawning Corals
Associate Professor Peter Schupp and co-authors, including two Marine Lab alumni Raphael Ritson-Williams and Valerie J. Paul, present findings in the latest issue of PLoS one. The report suggests that mass-spawning corals do not acquire, or are not colonized by, detectable numbers of bacteria until after larval settlement and development of the juvenile polyp. This in turn will lead to new understanding of how corals regulate their bacterial communities.

Friday, August 13, 2010

First PREL Newsletter Released



The first edition of the PREL NEWSLETTER is now available via PDF by clicking here or visiting http://www.prel.org/free-publications/newsletter.aspx. The PREL NEWSLETTER is a quarterly publication of PREL in collaboration with the Regional Educational Laboratory Pacific and the Pacific Comprehensive Center. The newsletter focuses on activities of the different programs of PREL in the Pacific region, provides information about upcoming conferences, events, professional development opportunities, and more. In particular, this issue includes topics of the Summer Reading Camp in Palau, the Project MACIMISE inaugural institute in Saipan, Pacific CHILD summer annual institute in Hawai’i, and PCC highlights and updates! Enjoy!

Friday, August 6, 2010

New ACEI Officers for AY2010-2011

Congratulations to the following newly-elected ACEI Officers!


Pictured above L-R: Risa Hameister, Vice President; Heidi Cameron, President; Shawlon Abuan, Secretary; Katrina Baza, PRO; Maria Perez, Treasurer. Not pictured are Janice Pangelinan, and ACEI Advisors Dr. Marilyn M. Jackson and Dr. Matilda Naputi Rivera.

Sunday, August 1, 2010

OSEP Conference and Visit with Manny

The 2010 OSEP Leadership Mega Conference in Crystal City, VA provided participants with additional knowledge of special education priorities and initiatives within the U.S. Department of Education and efforts to align requirements, foster achievement, and increase collaboration among States, constituencies, and agencies.

The following is a snapshot of the Guam Delegation at the OSEP Conference.


Pictured is the Guam Delegation L-R: Lois Taitano Gumataotao, Interagency Coordinating Council (ICC) Vice Chair and Parent; Elaine Eclavea, ICC Chair and UOG CEDDARS; Dr. Matilda Naputi Rivera, ICC Parent; Cathy Tydingco, Guam Department of Education (GDOE) Special Education Program Coordinator; and Nora Sawyer, GDOE Federal Programs.

Before and after the conference, we also try to squeeze in some sightseeing, since there are several historical sites to visit. In fact, my nephew Manny and his girlfriend Lisa took us around DC.

The following is a snapshot we took during our tour.


Pictured L-R: Manny Naputi, Lois Taitano Gumataotao, Dr. Matilda Naputi Rivera, and Lissa Pobre Formanes.