Pato named associate dean in medical school

Carlos Pato, associate professor of psychiatry and adjunct associate professor of pharmacology and toxicology, has been appointed associate dean for clinical affairs in the School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.

Pato will work directly with John Wright, dean of the medical school, and Bruce Holm, senior associate dean, on matters relating to university faculty and programs within UB's affiliated clinical sites, including clinical research and space allocation issues.

A UB faculty member since 1996, Pato also serves as co-director of the UB Laboratory of Psychiatric and Molecular Genetics. The lab's research program focuses on the genetics of psychiatric disorders and substance-use disorders. The program is funded by the National Institute of Mental Health to study the genetics of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, and has pilot projects in obsessive compulsive disorder, alcoholism and substance-use disorder.

Pato has received many awards, including a National Research Service Award and a Young Investigator Award from the National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression.

He has published numerous scholarly articles, conference proceedings and book chapters.

Rokitka named assistant dean

Mary Anne Rokitka, clinical associate professor of physiology and biophysics, has been appointed assistant dean for biomedical undergraduate education in the School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. She will continue to have primary responsibility within the school for developing and overseeing education programs for undergraduate students potentially interested in careers in the biomedical sciences.

A faculty member since 1975, her research involves comparative environmental, animal and hyperbaric physiology.

She received the Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching in 1993 and has been named an honorary member of the Mortar Board and Golden Key national honor societies. She also received the Charles W. Shilling Award from the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society in 1991 and the first annual Dr. Mary Anne Rokitka Award from the Great Lakes Chapter for the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society in 1990.

Farrell to speak at alumni luncheon

The Hon. Mark Farrell, Amherst town justice and past president of the Alumni Association, will discuss his award-winning "drug court," believed to be the first of its kind in a suburban setting, during the UB Senior Alumni luncheon, to be held at noon Nov. 18 in the Center for Tomorrow on the North (Amherst) Campus.

Designed for UB senior alumni, their guests and spouses, the cost of the luncheon is $12 per person.

For more information or to make reservations, call the Office of Alumni Relations at 829-2608.

Jazz guitarists to perform in Mainstage

Guitarists John Scofield and Charlie Hunter will bring their unique blend of jazz to the Center for the Arts Nov. 19.

A major player of the jazz scene for more than two decades, Scofield has enjoyed a varied career, during which he has recorded 24 albums. His latest collaborative album, "A Go Go," is a mix of groove and jazz.

Scofield will be joined by band members-Will Boulware, Steve Logan and Marlon Browden-for the engagement.

Hunter will bring to the stage a diverse repertoire. He will perform with percussionist Adam Cruz.

Tickets for the 8 p.m. show in the Mainstage Theatre are $18.50 and $16.50 for the general public, and $14.50 for students. Tickets can be purchased at the Center for the Arts Box Office, 645-ARTS, and at all Ticketmaster locations.

UUAB to sponser wine tasting

The University Union Activities Board (UUAB) will present a wine tasting from 7-9 p.m. Nov. 18 in Pistachio's in the Student Union on the North Campus.

The event is open to individuals ages 21 and older. Tickets are $5 for students and $7 for the general public, and are available at Sub-Board I in the Student Union.

For more information, call 645-2957.

UB to co-host meeting with WNY legislative delegation

UB will co-host a meeting of the Western New York legislative delegation and the leaders of the regional SUNY institutions Wednesday to discuss the shortfall in the SUNY budget.

The purpose of the meeting, to be held in the University Inn and Conference Center adjacent to the North Campus, is to "place on the table and start to discuss solutions to the current year's budget shortfall," said Janet Penksa, associate vice president for university services who oversees state relations for UB. "We need the help of the legislative delegation in finding a solution to the shortfall."

The shortfall to the SUNY budget is $32 million in negotiated salary adjustments, which will be financed using reserve funds and one-time funding. The budget also is short $20 million to cover inflationary costs and enrollment growth, with UB's share of that deficit expected to be $4.1 million.

UB will co-host the legislative meeting with Buffalo State College, Geneseo State College and Fredonia State College.

Penksa noted that President William R. Greiner last week met with Robert L. King, state budget director, to discuss the SUNY budget situation. Greiner "demonstrated the effect the shortfall will have on UB, and discussed (with King) possible solutions," including a supplemental appropriation, she said, calling the meeting "encouraging."

In addition, UB is leading an effort of the university centers to convey this message to the Board of Trustees and the Governor's Office, she said. And the university is working with local business leaders to gather their support for the university and its budget needs in the hope that they may wield some of their influence in Albany, she added.

Penksa pointed out that although UB and SUNY face problems with the current year's budget, there likely will be a problem with next year's budget as well. It's crucial to show the Governor's Office, before next year's state budget is prepared, "the severe impact" these shortfalls have on the campuses. "It can't be business as usual with the SUNY budget," she said. "The campuses need budget stability."

Calendar controversy returns

The structure of the university's academic calendar for 2001-2004 and the required and internal planning principles for preparing the calendars were discussed Nov. 3 during a meeting of the Faculty Senate Executive Committee.

Major problems with the calendar cited by faculty members at the meeting were conflicts created with evening classes by the canceling of classes only until 6 p.m. on Jewish holidays and following Monday's schedule on Tuesday. Some argued that if classes are going to be canceled at all, it should be for the entire day to avoid confusion, while others said that resuming classes at 6 p.m. is a reasonable option.

Other concerns included the fact that the university's spring break does not coincide with area public schools and the lack of any significant break in the fall semester until Thanksgiving.

One student said he was concerned that the university fails to acknowledge the high Catholic-student population by not canceling classes on Good Friday-arguably the religion's holiest day-in the spring.

Mary Gresham, vice president for public service and urban affairs, who will be heading the planning committee for the next three-year term that begins Fall 2001, said that there are too many religious holidays to possibly cancel classes for all of them, but told the group to keep in mind that there is a law that says "we cannot penalize any student" for not attending class due to religious obligations.

Donna Rice, associate vice president for student affairs, who previously headed the calendar planning committee, added that the Jewish religion is the only faith in which its followers are prohibited from working on religious holidays, a fact that led to the 1995 mandate from the provost that the university will cancel classes only on the first day of the Jewish holidays.

Vietnamese scholar visits UB

Students attending UB and a Niagara Falls public school are learning Vietnamese language and culture, thanks to the efforts of the World Languages Institute (WLI).

UB is the first higher-education institution in the nation to host a visiting Vietnam scholar under the auspices of the New York-based Institute of International Education's Foreign Languages Teaching Assistant Program.

Nguyen Thi Minh Thuan, a graduate and faculty member of the Hanoi University of Foreign Studies, is teaching courses at UB this fall and spring through WLI, part of the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures in the College of Arts and Sciences. She also will develop curriculum and other teaching materials, and make presentations both on and off campus.

Most of the 12 UB students enrolled in the class are Vietnamese-Americans, or "heritage learners," whose knowledge of the Vietnamese language and culture often has been limited to informal and unstructured instruction through family and friends.

In addition to her work at UB, Nguyen also teaches a free, after-school, introductory language-and-culture course to 16 fourth- and fifth-graders attending Harry Abate Elementary School in Niagara Falls.

Youth orchestra to perform in Slee Hall

The Greater Buffalo Youth Orchestra, under the baton of Music Director Gerard Floriano, will perform at 3 p.m. Sunday in Slee Hall on the North Campus.

The program will include the Humperdinck's "Hansel and Gretel" overture; Grieg's Piano Concerto, with soloist Daniel Castellani; the overture to "La Fuite en Egypte" from Berlioz' "L'Enfance du Christ;" "Largo" from "Xerxes" by Handel, and the valse and finale from Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 5.

Tickets are $7; $5 for seniors and children. A reception will follow the concert.

Feminist scholar to speak at law school

Claire Archbold, a feminist scholar and family-law professor from the Queen's University in Belfast, Northern Ireland, will speak on "Equality and Dependency: A Comparative Study of Financial Provision on Divorce" at 12:30 p.m. tomorrow in 545 O'Brian Hall on the North Campus.

In her lecture, Archbold will explore assumptions about marriage and equality underlying different models for addressing the economic consequences of divorce in Canada, the United States, England and Wales, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland.

Lunch will be available only to those who preregister for the talk. Archbold will be available to meet with interested students and faculty members before and after the presentation. To preregister, arrange an individual meeting. To obtain further information, contact the Baldy Center at 645-2102 or baldyctr@acsu.buffalo.edu.

Black Women United hold food drive

Non-perishable food items and clean clothing for men, women and children is being collected now through Nov. 19 at sites on the North and South campuses.

Sponsored by Black Women United, a committee of the Black Student Union, the clothing and food that is collected will be distributed by several agencies of the United Way of Buffalo and Erie County.

Marked containers are located in the lobby area of the Hadley Village community room and near the first-floor vending area of Richmond Quad in the Ellicott Complex, both on the North Campus, as well in the lobbies of Clement and Goodyear halls on the South Campus.

For further information, contact Nikia Clark at 645-2950 or 645-3029.

Dolan, Cobb win moot court

Law students Kevin Dolan and Charles Cobb won the Charles S. Desmond Moot Court Competition last month, earning them a spot on the Buffalo Moot Court Board.

The Desmond competition offers second- and third-year law students the opportunity to argue a real case through an appeals process. Competitors-in teams of two-decide whether to represent the petitioners or respondents and, prior to the oral argument rounds, write a brief from research compiled by current moot court board members containing the necessary case law and statutory laws.

The competition features three preliminary rounds in which teams present their cases in front of a panel of local attorneys and judges. The competition is scored by weighing the written brief 40 percent and oral arguments 60 percent. The winners are selected from the scores compiled from the briefs and three preliminary rounds.

This year's case was based on a rape that occurred at Virginia Polytechnic Institute. The case involves the Violence Against Women Act and whether it violates both the commerce clause and the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment. Ironically, the Supreme Court granted certiori to hear the real case this term.

The other team that competed in the finals against Dolan and Cobb was Ian Lester and Todd Smith.

Also recognized at the competition for "Best Briefs" were teams composed of Dolan and Cobb, Joshua Roberts and Bill Taylor, Brent Behanna and David Johnstone, Alan St. Clair and Terry Sugrue, and Amy Hemenway and Rachel Kranitz.

Recognized as "Best Oralists" were Roseanne McMorrow, Ian Lester, Bill Taylor, Dolan and Mary Snyder.

Buechi elected president of engineering alumni association

Peter J. Buechi, a regional environmental remediation engineer with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), has been elected president of the UB Engineering Alumni Association.

Buechi, who has earned the designation "professional engineer" (P.E.), received a bachelor's degree in 1968 and a master's degree in civil engineering in 1970.

Other officers elected were Theodore A. Myers, an engineer with the DEC and a 1981 graduate in civil engineering, vice president; Louis A. Picciano, a retired electrical engineer at Calspan and 1965 graduate, secretary, and Stephen Buechi, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, who received an undergraduate degree in 1967 and a master's degree in civil engineering in 1970, treasurer.

Past president is Fred Meli, a retired New York State Thruway Authority regional director and 1976 civil engineering graduate.