The Mylonite Issue 16 November 2008
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
INSIDE • News from the Chair • Special Announcements • Faculty • Alumni The Newsletter of the Geological Sciences Dept. Calif. State Polytechnic University Pomona, Calif. The Mylonite Issue 16 November 2008 NEWS FROM THE CHAIR NOTE FROM THE CHAIR 2008 Spending was severely curtailed. The Mylonite Once again, greetings to each and every one of was one of those “non-essential” items. It was only you! This will be the last letter I write to you all as Chair through collective Department persistence, the immense of the Geological Sciences Department. It is time for a help of Ms. Mary Jo Gruca, the College’s Development change in leadership, new ideas and new approaches. I Director, and the University’s Office of Advancement will end my tenure as Chair at the commencement of the were we able to send the Mylonite out to all of you. It spring quarter of 2009. At that time, Dr. Jon Nourse will was no easy task. take over the responsibilities. It has been a true pleasure All faculty searches within the College of and a privilege to have served you all for so long. Science were cancelled. Geology had already begun Reflecting back on this past year, there is no doubt it was advertising and was receiving applications when our my most difficult year as Chair. The report below is far search for a Sedimentary Geologist was ended. As of from up beat and only peripherally related to my this writing, the Sedimentary Geology position remains stepping down as chair. vacant and there is no faculty search underway. A Before I get into the challenges of this past year, search will not be permitted during 08-09. The Depart- I want to thank all of you who responded to our request ment will have been without this vital, fundamental dis- to create a Field Experiences Fund. As I have said in my cipline for at least three years. As Dr. Berry and I did thank you letters, State funding can not be relied upon or two years ago, this coming spring quarter he and I will sustain our most fundamental of needs: the field pro- again team teach the Sedimentary Geology course. gram. Through this Field Experiences Fund, we hope to The budget for part-time instructors was have an on-going source of funds that is independent of severely reduced. Promises and commitments I had the State General Fund to maintain this absolutely key made to this fine group of people, due to lack of funds, aspect and hallmark of our program. Thank you all very had to be retracted. I had no choice but to layoff much! instructors to remain within the constraints of limited Now, on to the depressing “stuff”. The 2007 funds. The decisions were difficult. I deeply regret Mylonite was largely completed by the end of October of what had to happen. The actions stemming from the 2007. It painted a rosy, positive picture. As you may budget crisis may have negatively impacted our pool of also recall that the Mylonite was not distributed until part-time instructors for some time to come. As a result January 2008. The three month delay was a sign that of last year’s events; courses were cancelled, curtailed in things had radically changed within the College of size, split between part-time and regular faculty, or Science. In essence, by the end of October 2007 the simply not offered. The Department stayed within College had run out of money and all funds were frozen. budget, met its target, but could not meet all the demand All expenditures had to be approved by Dean Straney from the Cal Poly Pomona community. and the Provost. Only essential items were approved. The field component of Geology’s program was (Continued on page 2) Page 1 also affected. Field trips for non-core classes were either There were bright spots in 07-08. At this year’s not offered, cancelled, or run without compensation to Alumni Reunion we were most fortunate to give almost faculty. Core course field trips were retained. $10,000 in scholarships and awards. This was the first Newly hired geophysicist, Dr. Jascha Polet, had year that the Grayce Teal Memorial Scholarship was her start-up funds delayed. This slowed her research awarded. Two fine re-entry students, Kimberly Poste effort. Through her persistence and determination, she and Brian Oliver, each received $3,000 – full tuition and managed to free up funds to purchase several computers fees for a year! Kayla Kroll was the recipient of the to permit a senior thesis (our first seismology senior Margaret Claire Van Buskirk Memorial Scholarship. thesis) to move forward and to maintain her research as Robert Ellis (last year’s Van Buskirk recipient) was well as real-time monitoring of global seismic events. awarded the Ernest Prete, Jr. Geoscience Scholarship. For lack of instrumentation, she could not offer her Julie Brown received the Henderson – Valles exploration geophysics class planned for the spring ‘08 Geosciences Award as well as a Brunton compass quarter. As of this writing, her start-up money is donated by Alumnus Brent Norum (‘97). Shaun available for her needs. Moorish and Travis Avant each received a Peter K. In order to get through 07-08 all departments Valles AGI Glossary of Geology. I wish all of them within the College, Geology included, had to turn to their highest congratulations. They all are a credit to the discretionary, non-state accounts. Basic supplies, copy- Department and fine role models for all of our ing charges, field vehicle fuel and repair charges, which geoscience majors. should have all come from the State General Fund, were Dr. Polet was able to offer two new courses, billed against Geology’s Foundation account. Needless Global Geophysics and Seismology. These courses will to say, this was a major drain on funds largely derived formally enter the catalog. Global Geophysics is from alumni contributions. co-listed with the Department of Physics. Both Oh yes, how can one forget Prioritization and Seismology and Geophysics attracted wide interest from Recovery (P&R)? The P&R recommendations hit the students in Geology, Physics, Engineering and other same week as the College’s budget crisis started! In science disciplines. Dr. Polet is developing a course in spite of being praised by the P&R committee for mathematical applications for the Earth Sciences which Geology’s vital and unique role, both its programs, will be taught this coming spring quarter. Her Integrated Earth Studies and Geology were Exploration Geophysics course (the one she could not recommended for either merger or discontinuance. offer in 07-08 for lack of equipment) is scheduled for There was also a recommendation to re-align Geology winter quarter 2009. with other “environmental” programs such as regenera- For the first time this fall, Geology is offering tive studies, architecture, urban and regional planning Engineering Geology II (GSC 415/415L). This course is and plant and soil science. Faculty and students spent a required course in the Civil Engineering Geotechnical many days crafting responses to the P&R recommenda- Master’s program. Thus, for the first time, the Depart- tions, as well as participating in open forums. Valuable ment is involved in Master’s level instruction. time was diverted away from academics, research, and In the fall of 2007, the Department, under the departmental responsibilities. Geoscience majors were leadership of Dr. Jessey, submitted an excellently written strong, united and vocal at the open meetings. Many of proposal to start a Master’s Degree program in Geology. you fine alumni sent strongly worded commentary to the The proposal has been viewed positively by the College P&R committee. Across the board, in all University Curriculum Committee, Dean Straney, and the Office of programs, the negative response to the recommendations Academic Programs. It is now pending review in the was overwhelming. As a result, President Ortiz, Academic Senate. There still remains a long review suspended the process and is developing a more process before becoming part of the Campus Master Plan inclusive vision of Cal Poly Pomona. and enters the implementation phase. To end this litany of negative news, let me say In the spring of 2007, Dean Straney initiated a that due to the State’s Budget shortfall and delayed call for proposals for a new program, Quality Learning 08-09 budget, the campus continues to face budget Fund (QLF). The program supported innovative instruc- challenges. Anticipating a 7 % campus budget reduction tional programs which enhanced student learning. As many of the measures I mentioned above are still in ef- mentioned in last fall’s Mylonite, Drs. Marshall and fect. We continue to use our non-state discretionary fund Nourse received $15,000 from the QLF to establish an to pay for some service contracts. This fund is greatly interdisciplinary international field studies program. depleted. Over spring break of March 2008, Marshall, Nourse and fifteen students, including a graduate Biology major, and (Continued on page 3) Page 2 students from Cal State Northridge, traveled to Costa and of course, alumni. It was a pleasure to meet and talk Rica to conduct field studies emphasizing the tectonics, with all of you. Seeing so many returning alumni and a geomorphology and field mapping of the actively nice compliment of newcomers was most gratifying. It deforming Nicoya Peninsula of western Costa Rica. was great to see and renew acquaintances with such first Yes, even the Biology grad student had a bio-related time attendees as Scott McKeag (‘82) (and his son). We study. believe this was Meredith Staley’s (‘03) first (of many to Recognizing the changing nature of the come) time at a reunion.