Currently@Carleton

It’s time again! The Quarterly Meeting for all staff will be held on Monday, November 10, at 10 a.m. in Concert Hall. We hope to see you there.

Just a reminder that open enrollment for benefits is currently active.  As we are using an online enrollment tool, you will not be receiving any paper forms.  2009 is an active open enrollment year.  This means that all staff and faculty must either enroll or waive their rights to benefits by November 14.  The last meeting to review benefit changes and to demonstrate the online enrollment process will be on Monday, November 10, at 12 p.m. in the Concert Hall (please note the change in location).

Carleton College is pleased to invite you to attend one of four informational sessions on our Emeriti Retirement Health Plan to be held on Thursday, November 13. All sessions will be held in Sayles-Hill 251.

We are offering a choice of two sessions for current employees at either 9:30 a.m. or 1 p.m.  Representatives from Emeriti and Fidelity will be presenting information about our plan at these sessions.  Also, a choice of two sessions for pre-retirees (those retiring in the next year to five years), and current retirees, is being offered at either 11 a.m. or 3 p.m. Representatives from HealthPartners, as well as from Emeriti and Fidelity, will be presenting information about the Emeriti health insurance options for 2009 at these two sessions. All sessions will last an hour-and-a-half.

This Friday, November 14, will be the final chance this term to meet with Carleton's Vice President and Treasurer, Fred Rogers, when he holds an open office hour in Sayles-Hill Great Space at 8:30 a.m.  Stop by for conversation and a beverage.

I invite Carleton faculty, staff, and students to pause for a few moments at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, November 11, to commemorate the 90^th anniversary of the Armistice that ended World War One.  This event comes at the conclusion of the month-long "Winter of the World:  Remembering the Great War" series at Carleton.  Lynn Deichert, Lecturer in Music, will sound the Last Post—the traditional military salute to a fallen warrior—from the steps of Laird Hall to honor and remember our veterans and their sacrifices.  The salute will be followed by the ringing of the chapel bells.  Please join local veterans and Carleton community members outside Laird Hall for this brief ceremony, or consider a moment of silence at this time in your day to mark this historical occasion. 

• Taizé Vespers Service—Wednesday, November 12, 8:30 p.m., Chapel Main Sanctuary.
  
• Centering Prayer—Thursday, November 13, noon, Chapel Lounge.  Christian meditation and prayer led by Jill Tollefson.
  
• Torah Study—Thursday, November 13, 5 p.m., Reynolds House.
  
• Buddhist Meditation—Thursday, November 13, 8:15 p.m., Chapel Main Sanctuary.  Led by Bhanti Sathi, Sri Lankan monk.
  
• Shabbat Service—Friday, November 14, 6 p.m., Reynolds House.  Led by Rabbi Shosh Dworsky.  Dinner follows service.
  
• Catholic Mass—Sunday, November 16, 5 p.m.  Led by Archbishop Emeritus Harry Flynn.  Reception follows the service.

• “Sandino’s Girlfriends:  The Verse of Carmen Sobalvarro (Nicaragua, 1908-194?) and the Making of a Sentimental Hero,” a talk by Erin Finzer from the University of Kansas, will be given on Monday, November 10, at 5:30 p.m.
• A panel of alums with economic majors will discuss their career paths beginning at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, November 10.
  
• “Fair Trade and the Global Food Economy,” a panel discussion, will be held on Tuesday, November 11, at 7:30 p.m.  Featuring: Lee Wallace, Director of Peace Coffee, a company founded as a project to prove fair trade is a viable business model; Reginald Haslett-Marroquin, co-founder of Peace Coffee, and currently executive director of the Latino Enterprise Center; Erik Esse, Director of the Minneapolis-based Local Fair Trade Network; Mike Hemesath, chair of Carleton’s Economics Department, professor of international trade and health economics, and director of the EthIC Program.
  
• “Bathing With A Goddess (for your country’s sake),” a talk by Keyne Cheshire ’94, associate professor of classics at Davidson College, will be held on Wednesday, November 12, at 4:30 p.m.
  
• The Karimba Class recital, led by associate professor of music Melinda Russell, will be given on Thursday, November 13, starting at noon.  Refreshments will be served.
  
• “Taking a Stand Against the Darfur Genocide,” a talk by Mark Hanis, is scheduled for Friday, November 14, at 10:50 a.m. Hanis is the founder and executive director of the Genocide Intervention Network (GI-Net), an organization created with the mission to empower citizens and communities with the tools to prevent and stop genocide. This event is sponsored by STAND and the IRC Board.
  
• “The de-Arabization of Persian? A Cultural Debate,” a talk by Ghazzal Dabiri, from the UCLA department of near Eastern Languages and Cultures, will be given on Friday, November 14, at 4:30 p.m. This talk is part of the Mideast Connections Lecture Series, organized by the Dean of the College Office.

The College’s 2008 United Way campaign is humming along nicely, but we’re already approaching the end of the campaign on Friday, November 21. The folks at the Northfield United Way recently told me that our first 50 pledges were worth about $13,000—a fantastic rate. If we keep that up, Carleton should hit our target of $70,000. I still get a pledge or two every day, and a big departmental packet a couple times a week, so I’m optimistic. But I also urge everyone who hasn’t yet made a pledge to do so as soon as possible. You can give the pledge form (sealed inside the provided envelope) back to your unit/department coordinator, or send it straight back to me at 3-CFR. Give me a call or send me an e-mail with any questions you might have about our campaign. There is no question, though, that each and every gift will be deeply appreciated and effectively used.

• Where: Language and Dining Center 243
• When: November 11, Noon

This week we will talk about customizing Office, and some general tips and tricks for making Office work for you. This will include OneNote, Scrapbook, the QuickAccess Toolbar, Macros, and other handy features.

This is the eighth of our series of weekly workshops on the new Microsoft Office Suite for both Mac and Windows. You don’t need to sign up, just bring your lunch and your questions to Language and Dining Center 243 for an informative, hands-on session all about the new Microsoft Office 2007 for Windows, and 2008 for Mac. The specific topic(s) have not yet been picked for this workshop.

While this is the last Office lunch currently scheduled, we are looking forward to continuing this rewarding series of workshops over break and winter term as more faculty and staff transition to the new Office Suite. Please send your ideas for other Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Access workshops to lweinber@carleton.edu.

Wiggle, spin, buzz, whir—come see smart, electronic, interactive sculpture! Over the course of this fall term, 13 first-year Carleton students have participated in an unusual interdisciplinary course learning how to meld the art of sculpture and visual design with robotics and computer science.

Their work will culminate in an "opening" to exhibit their interactive creations on Wednesday, November 19, from 7 to 8:30 p.m., in Boliou 161 and in the surrounding hallways. Come join us to meet and interact with these unique creations and their creators.

The heating season is upon us, and the Northfield Environmental Quality Commission, in cooperation with RENew Northfield, is sponsoring a free workshop on home energy efficiency by certified energy efficiency experts from the Neighborhood Energy Connection on Wednesday, November 12.  Topics covered include insulation, heating, water heaters, windows, lighting, and appliances.  Come to get practical advice about what you can do to improve your home's energy efficiency this winter. Whether you're already knowledgeable about energy conservation or are giving thought to reducing your home energy costs for the first time, you will find this workshop full of helpful information and tips.

The home energy efficiency workshop will be held on Wednesday, November 12 at 7 p.m. in the Northfield Community Resource Center at 1651 Jefferson Parkway, Room SS 105.

For more information call Susannah Shmurak, 663-8826.

Indie Feature Director, Eric Tretbar, will screen and discuss his popular feature "The Horrible Flowers" this Thursday, November 13, at 7 p.m. in Boiliou 104.  Join Eric to discuss his film about life, love, and rock-and-roll.  Eric Tretbar is currently teaching Directing Fiction Film for CAMS this fall. He lives in Los Angeles, and has written and directed five feature films.