Needed: Case Western Reserve University Spartans of all ages for the sixth annual Case for Community Day on Friday, September 19. Requirements include time to volunteer for an afternoon of serving the needs of campus neighbors and community organizations.

Coordinated by the Center for Community Partnerships, a volunteer force of nearly 600 hundred people are being sought from campus to serve the needs of the local community during this rewarding day of service.

The event begins with a free Italian lunch menu and short program led by President Barbara Snyder at 11 a.m. in the Thwing Student Center and continues throughout the afternoon at volunteer sites across the city. The day concludes about 4 p.m. with an outdoor barbecue complete with live music performed by Cleveland Councilman Kevin Conwell & the Footprints Jazz Trio along with Carlos Jones & the Plus Band on the Kelvin Smith Library Oval. Demonstrating their commitment to social responsibility and Case Western Reserve, Bon Appétit will donate the foods and services for lunch for all volunteers.

Community Projects

Each year Case for Community Day features a variety of campus and community projects for volunteers to select.

One includes a highly visible project with local artist Hector Vega, who will redesign a public mural at the University Circle Rapid Transit Station located at the bottom of Cedar Hill. Sponsored by Sherwin Williams and the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA), a battalion of 100 volunteers will help Vega paint the new mural comprised of 34 six-foot panels.

In addition, the nearby park will receive a facelift with fresh paint, new landscaping, benches and picnic tables. A community garden will be established in the park for local residents and students living on the south side of campus. All materials for the mural and park are being donated by Sherwin Williams, RTA and landscaping partners of Case Western Reserve.

"Case for Community day is a wonderful event that brings our campus and its neighbors together. I applaud all of the volunteers who have been involved in previous years, and encourage everyone to take part in the activities this September 19," said Snyder.

Volunteers are needed for more than 50 service projects to assist in tasks identified by community agencies.

For individuals unable to leave campus or their work areas, they can contribute through campus drives for school supplies for local school children, canned goods for the Cleveland Foodbank and blood for the American Red Cross.

The campus can view a complete list of service opportunities beginning today and register as a volunteer. Registration closes on Friday, September 12, 2008.

Charity Choice Campaign

Created by the Staff Advisory Council in 2002, Case for Community Day also launches the university's annual Charity Choice Campaign to raise money for a federation of nonprofit organizations comprised of United Way, Earth Shares and Community Shares agencies. Since 2001, the university has donated nearly $1 million to the community. The campaign will continue through November.

Service Grants

As a new addition to the day's activities, Snyder will announce the winners of community service grants sponsored by the Center for Community Partnerships. Campus members are encouraged to apply for funding for upcoming community service initiatives in 2008-09. Download the application. The deadline is September 2, 2008.

Case Western Reserve University offers over 500 community outreach programs to nearly 600 community partners in the areas of academic, health, social service, community and economic development. As a campus, Case Western Reserve University faculty, staff and students invest approximately 400,000 hours of volunteer service each year; impact nine local school districts and 29 international countries. To learn more about how the university is engaged in the community, contact the Center for Community Partnerships at (216) 368-3909 or visit the Web site.

For more information contact Susan Griffith, 216.368.1004.

TICKETS ON SALE FOR AHS ATHLETIC EVENTS

Tickets and discounted ticket books for athletic events at Aurora High School are available at the AHS Athletic Office between the hours of 7:15 a.m. and 3:15 p.m. weekdays.  Individual tickets for students will also be available for purchase in the main office of each school building this year.

Individual ticket prices: Adults - $4, Students - $3;  Discounted Ticket Books:
Adults - 10 tickets  for $30; Students - 10 tickets for $20

Last year, one of the changes made after the levy failure was charging students for tickets. It was thought that it was repealed after the levy passage. Now students must pay for the football games. It seems that this is a change of policy for the schools.  A student ID was all that was required for admittance to the games.

Sure, you could buy a booklet, but what if the weather stinks and you don’t want to go sit in the cold rain.

Do the schools truly need this additional revenue after the levy passage?  Or is this a way to  discourage the throngs of unsupervised younger kids at the football games?

Undergraduate programs hold steady in annual survey of America’s Best Colleges 2009

Case Western Reserve University has been rated Ohio’s top school among the nation’s premier national universities, as ranked by U.S. News & World Report, for the 13th consecutive year. The rankings were released on Friday, Aug. 22.

Case Western Reserve ranks 41st overall in the publication’s annual “America’s Best Colleges 2009” undergraduate rankings and lists as the only Ohio institution in the top 50. Case Western Reserve has been Ohio’s top-ranked university every year since 1996.

The university also ranks 25th in the “best values” category, which focuses on academic quality in relation to cost of attending the university.

“Our new strategic plan envisions significant improvements in education and research,” said President Barbara R. Snyder. “As we enhance our actual academic quality, the university’s reputation will advance as well. I look forward to both developments.”

The annual rankings – in which U.S. News groups school based on categories created by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching – represent the most comprehensive look at how schools stack up based on a set of 15 widely accepted indicators of excellence, and help consumers evaluate and compare data compiled from more than 1,400 accredited four-year schools.

The magazine evaluates more than 255 universities that offer a wide range of undergraduate majors, as well as master’s and doctoral degrees, in addition to an emphasis on faculty research, and then ranks the schools on academic quality.

Several individual programs also achieved high rankings. The university’s undergraduate business programs at the Weatherhead School of Management moved up three spots to 30th, while the overall undergraduate engineering program is at number 38. The programs are ranked solely on peer assessment surveys.

For more information contact Laura Massie, 216.368.4442.

As the Case Western Reserve University Class of 2012 make their way to campus this fall, most of them will have already completed their first assignment: The reading of The Reluctant Mr. Darwin: An Intimate Portrait of Charles Darwin and the Making of His Theory of Evolution by David Quammen.

Of the book, which was published in 2006, a Los Angeles Times Book Review critic wrote that "Quammen brilliantly and powerfully re-creates the 19th century naturalist's intellectual and spiritual journey."

Case Western Reserve's common reading selection — and its annual Fall Convocation speaker for 2008— will help kick off the university's yearlong celebration of Darwin. To mark the 200th anniversary of Darwin's birth (February 12, 1809)—and the 150th anniversary of the publication (November 24, 1859) of his influential book On the Origin of Species—the university will pay tribute to the British naturalist with a university-wide celebration from fall 2008 to summer 2009.

In his book, Quammen sketches a vivid life portrait of Darwin and his reluctance to publish his controversial theory of evolution. Twenty-one years passed between Darwin's epiphany that "natural selection" formed the basis of evolution and the publication of On the Origin of Species. Quammen explores why Darwin delayed the groundbreaking publication, as well as what happened during the course of those two decades.

The book was distributed to new undergraduate students this summer. Leading up to and at the beginning of the fall semester, students will have an opportunity to discuss the book during small group discussions, and faculty will be encouraged to consider the reading— and the Darwin Bicentennial—when designing course curricula for the coming academic year. Also, incoming students, current and transfer students, as well as faculty, have an opportunity to enter essay contents with the book as a common theme.

In addition to reading the book and having the opportunity to write an essay, the university community will get to learn more about Darwin when Quammen keynotes the university's Fall Convocation, the first, formal celebration to kick off the new academic year, on August 28 in Severance Hall. Quammen, the author of over a dozen books who was educated at Yale and Oxford universities, has tentatively titled his lecture "Darwin vs. Himself: Caution and Honesty in the Life of a Reluctant Revolutionary."

The common reading program, which was implemented in 2002 for incoming first-year, serves as a basis for programs and discussions beginning at orientation and continuing through the fall semester. The committee solicits recommendations from the campus community, and selections are usually chosen based on their appeal to young adults, relevance to new college students, the author's availability to speak at the university, and the potential to ignite discussions across campus.

For more information contact Kimyette Finley, 216.368.0521.

Case Western Reserve University officially opens each academic year with its Annual Fall Convocation; this year the tradition will double as the launch of the university's 2008-2009 Year of Darwin and Evolution.

In addition to the customary program, convocation keynote speaker and common reading author David Quammen will kickoff a year-long series of events celebrating Charles Darwin's life, his work and the diverse ways in which evolutionary theory continues to influence research and thought in numerous fields.

Convocation begins at 4:30 p.m. August 28 in Severance Hall. A light reception and book signing follows on Freiberger Field. Register online by August 25.

The ceremony will include an academic procession and recognition of students for community service and leadership. In addition, President Barbara R. Snyder will acknowledge select faculty and staff accomplishments.

Quammen, the author of the common reading, The Reluctant Mr. Darwin: An Intimate Portrait of Charles Darwin and the Making of His Theory of Evolution,, will discuss "Charles Darwin Against Himself: Caution Versus Honesty in the Life of a Reluctant Revolutionary."

Newsweek recently called Quammen's book, "probably the most accessible intellectual biography of Darwin available."

Charles Darwin was born in 1809, making 2009 the 200th anniversary of his birth. In addition, 2009 is the 150th anniversary of the publication of his influential book, On the Origin of Species.

The common reading program, which was implemented in 2002 for incoming first-year students, serves as a basis for programs and discussions beginning at orientation and continuing through the fall semester.

For more information contact Susan Griffith, 216.368.1004.

Archaeological team find themselves in the middle of fight between Georgia and Russia

Three students and one faculty member from Case Western Reserve University are safe after finding themselves in the middle of the armed conflict between Russia and Georgia.

Andrea De Giorgi, visiting assistant professor in the Department of Classics; Nathan Bensing, sophomore from Columbus, Ohio; Gabriel Suprise, sophomore from Portage, Mich.; and Danielle Maynard, art history graduate student from Detroit, are now safe in Turkey. They plan to return to the university by August 24 in time for fall classes.

De Giorgi's group was based in Tbilisi in southeast Georgia, where they conducted a landscape archaeology survey tracing the interactions between human agency and the environment through the ages. The survey combined fieldwalking, data collection, global positioning system (GPS) recording and geographic information system (GIS) processing in an area inhabited by civilizations spanning the Bronze Age, the Iron Age, the Greek, Persian and Roman empires and various kingdoms of the Byzantine empire.

On the third day of fieldwork, the team saw columns of military convoys heading north on a nearby military road. Shortly after, the team's Georgian colleague, Mikheil Abramishvili, professor at the Tbilisi Archaeology Museum, received a call that the Russian army was active in the northern region of Georgia.

Back at their hotel, reports from the BBC and CNN provided confusing details of the Russian invasion. Events escalated overnight and in the morning, bags and equipment packed, the team traveled to the bus station and boarded a van headed to the city of Akhaltsikhe, the nearest point to cross into Turkey.

The van first headed northwest to the city of Gori, not knowing that the city was to be the target of a Russian airstrike. Arriving just after the bombing, the team found themselves surrounded by smoke and debris. Amid the confusion, terrified residents tried to stop the van in order to flee the city.

The van was already loaded to capacity and the driver began driving at what De Giorgi described as "insane speed" to get out of the city.

"We are still coming to terms with the sight of Gori's civilians," said De Giorgi. "One often hears about civilians paying the highest price in armed conflict, but experiencing it first-hand is a completely different thing. It was heartbreaking to see people begging our driver to stop for them."

The escape route took the van across the path of a line of armed Georgian tanks heading north.

The trip over the remaining 30 kilometers to Akhaltsikhe was uneventful. Hiring a cab, the team reached the Georgian side of the border with Turkey. Once they passed through security, they carried their bags and equipment by foot across the border where they hired a driver to take them 100 kilometers southeast to the town of Kars.

Once the College of Arts and Sciences was made aware of the situation, Dean Cyrus Taylor immediately offered to help the group make travel arrangements for their safe return to the United States.

Now based in the city of Ankara, De Giorgi's team is planning to utilize the remaining time abroad to visit archaeology sites and monuments in and around Ankara and Istanbul. The three days spent in Georgia resulted in the collection of a substantial amount of data, said De Giorgi.

"The success of those three days of surveying is grounded in Nathan, Gabriel and Danielle really grasping the purpose of our research," De Giorgi said. "They are really remarkable students. What we all experienced is going to stay with us for a very long time."

For more information contact Susan Griffith, 216.368.1004.

Case Western Reserve University invites students, faculty, staff and alumni to submit recommendations for honorary degrees to be conferred at commencement ceremonies in 2010 or 2011.

According to the Faculty Handbook, the university confers degrees to recognize individuals who exemplify in their work the highest ideals and standards of excellence in "any valued aspect of human endeavor, including the realm of scholarship, public service, and the performing arts." For instance, David M. Crane, professor of practice at Syracuse University College of Law; Margaret J. Giannini, M.D., director of the Department of Health and Human Services Office on Disability; Craig Newmark, founder of craigslist.org; and Raymond K. Shepardson, leader of the efforts to preserve Playhouse Square, received honorary doctorate degrees during the May 2008 commencement ceremonies.

The university community is invited to submit nominations, preferably by e-mail, by September 15, 2008 to the Office of the Provost, c/o of Lois Langell . The committee will consider recommendations received by that date, as well as any recommendations submitted last year that were selected for reconsideration in 2008. Current members of the faculty, staff, or the Board of Trustees are not eligible to receive an honorary degree. Learn more.

Heading off to college for the first time is one of life's greatest opportunities. At the same time, since it is often the first time the student has been away from home for an extended period, it can present a number of financial, physical and mental challenges.

Experts in these fields at Case Western Reserve University have assembled their top tips for students—new and returning— to overcome these challenges and make their college experience all it can be.

Ten Tips to Maintaining Financial Health

1. Measure every purchase you make in terms of the time it takes you to earn that money. Do you want a $4 latte from Starbucks? Maybe it's not worth it if you consider that you would have to work about an hour at a minimum wage job just to pay for it.
2. Before you buy anything with credit cards, ask yourself if it is worth three times the price. Because of interest, if you only pay the minimum amount due on your credit cards every month, you will eventually pay the credit card company about three times the original purchase price of the item. Thus, a $4 latte can actually cost you $12.
3. Never use the "cash advance" offers from your credit cards. The fees, interest rate and terms are much worse than regular credit card debt.
4. Always pay your credit card bill on time, even if it's just the minimum amount due. If the payment is even one day late, your FICO score will be damaged.
5. Save yourself from making costly mistakes by learning the basics of FICO scores, credit card debt, student debt, and other personal financial planning techniques. Start setting a strong foundation to your credit history.
6. Make use of all of the free and reduced priced entertainment available to students. Meetings offer some great food and also new friends. You might even discover some leadership skills you didn't know you had. Also, take advantage of work-study jobs as they are usually easier jobs and even allow some studying time while working.
7. Research scholarships. You never know what you could be eligible for, and many local ones are often available since many students don't know about them. And always try to buy used books directly from other students.
8. Take out only as many loans as you need for school—don't use them to finance a summer spent visiting Europe. You don't want to spend the rest of your life struggling to pay back that vacation.
9. Understand your finance habits and what works best for you. For instance, if you are more likely to spend cash than using credit cards, don't carry around extra cash.
10. Never co-sign a credit card application for a friend. You will be equally responsible for any debt they incur. Understand that co-signing means that the second person is liable for the first's debt.

For more information: Karen Braun, CPA, (Weatherhead School of Management) 216-3683532.

Ten Tips to Stay Physically and Mentally Healthy

1. Eat a balanced diet that includes all food groups, including fresh fruits and vegetables. Do not overload that cafeteria food tray just because it is there. Think about portion size.
2. Drink eight glasses of water a day and avoid soda pop and high calorie fruit drinks. Soda pop and alcoholic drinks are empty calories.
3. Before a big exam, it is more important to sleep than to pull an “all-nighter” studying at the last minute.
4. Schedule study times with the brightest students that you know in class. Surround yourself with the best. You will learn from your peers.
5. Exercise and take advantage of the university recreational opportunities. This will help relieve stress, keep you in shape, and it's a great way to meet new friends.
6. Be aware of the legal drinking ages of your university/state and policies of your college. When at parties, never accept an opened beverage. Open the beverage yourself. Don't put yourself in a potentially dangerous situation; think of the possible consequences.
7. Maintain personal security. Lock your residence hall room when you are not there, even when you are just in the shower. Do not walk alone at night. Know the number of the after-hours escort service if your campus has one.
8. College is an exercise for the mind and challenges you to think in new ways. Go to class and keep on top of assignments. Keep your values while learning more about the world around you.
9. If you are on medications for any health reason, make certain that you have those prescriptions filled at home prior to leaving for school and keep copies of those prescriptions with you. If you have special needs (e.g. learning accommodations, mobility equipment), contact the office designated for student services as soon as you arrive on campus rather than wait until you encounter a problem with classes or room access.
10. Program the university wide crisis warning system into your cell phone.

For more information:

Jill F. Kilanowski, Ph.D., RN, CPNP, (Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing) 216-368-0541.

Marjorie M. (Peg) Heinzer, Ph.D., PNP-BC, CRNP, (Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing) 216-368-5242.

Nine Tips to Reducing Stress and Building Resilience

1. Never hesitate to seek out a tutor, mentor, therapist, spiritual adviser or someone older and wiser for help.
2. Volunteer to help others when you are ready because giving to others is intrinsically rewarding and benevolent.
3. Loneliness and isolation feeds stress. Join others in a dining hall conversation; raise your hand in class; meet friends at a coffee shop; walk between classes with a new acquaintance; join a group in the counseling center to learn about yourself and others.
4. Leave obsessive self-doubt at childhood's gate; Strive to be OK with who you are. Learn to improve yourself without trying to be perfect.
5. Meaningful relationships bring joy, satisfaction, self-esteem, mutual respect and love but it takes some determination to initiate and keep them going.
6. Spiritual enrichment can improve your life; seek to learn about all religions and beliefs; adopt beliefs that will bring you peace along life's journey. Find the simple truths in life even if you don't believe in a god.
7. Seek meaning in all that happens in life even in the face of occasional chaos. What makes little sense in the present can make an incredible amount of sense in the future.
8. Employ the Scientific Method in the classroom and in your own life. Dare to have a hypothesis or perspective; challenge and test it; accept it or change it as your life progresses. Stress can close a mind to ideas and delay needed change.
9. Take time to be by yourself. Learn how to be alone without being lonely.

For more information: Jes Sellers, Ph.D., director of University Counseling Center and director of the Center for Collegiate Behavioral Health, 216-368-5872.