UNO to Celebrate Constitution Day Sept. 18-22

UNO will celebrate the creation of the U.S. Constitution this week (Sept. 18-22) with a variety of activities.

Constitution Day, which falls on Sept. 17, marks the date the delegates to the Constitutional Convention met for the last time to sign the document and present it to the American public.

The following events are free and open to the public:

Monday, Sept 18
Topic: "An Uncertain Defense: An Examination of Presidents and Civil Liberties, From Woodrow Wilson to George W. Bush" (lecture and discussion)
Presenter: Sam Walker, professor emeritus of criminal justice at UNO and author of In Defense of American Liberties: A History of the ACLU (1990)
Time/Location: 7 p.m. in University Library (Free cookies and punch will be served, and the Library Café will be open until 7 p.m.)

Tuesday, Sept. 19
Topic: "Pushing the Limits: Your First Amendment Rights in the New Century" (panel discussion)
Time/Location: 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Milo Bail Student Center (MBSC) Dodge Room
Sponsored by Pi Gamma Mu and the UNO Honors Program

Wednesday, Sept. 20
Topic: "Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books" (simulcast and post-lecture discussion)
Presenter: Azar Nafisi, director of the Dialogue Project, Foreign Policy Institute of Johns Hopkins University SAIS
Time/Location: 7:15 p.m. in the MBSC Ballroom
Sponsored by the Nebraska Humanities Council with simulcast promoted by the American Democracy Project

Thursday, Sept. 21
Topic: "It Is Broken but No One Wants to Fix It: A Call for Constitutional Reform" (lecture and discussion)
Presenter: Alan Gibson, associate professor of political science at California State University, Chico
Time/Location: 2:30 to 4 p.m. in the MBSC Gallery Room

Friday, Sept. 22
Topic: "Our Constitution - A Conversation with Supreme Court Justices Sandra Day O'Connor and Stephen Breyer" (campus telecast and discussion)
Time/Location: 2 to 4 p.m. in the MBSC Council Room
Sponsored by the UNO American Humanics Program

For more information, call 554.3502.

This event is being held in partnership with UNO's American Democracy Project (ADP). The ADP at UNO seeks to increase the civic engagement of its students, staff, faculty and administrators. Its goal is to help fuel the development of an informed and contributing citizenry for the United States in the 21st century. For more information, visit the ADP Web site (http://avalon.unomaha.edu/adp/).

Campus Crime Alert: Bicycle Thefts

Campus Security has posted a crime alert regarding a rash of recent bicycle thefts on campus. For details, visit the Web at http://www.unomaha.edu/security/.

SPO to Host Sept. 19 Performance of "Voices of Louisiana"

The UNO Student Programming Organization (SPO) and the Voices Foundation will bring the "Voices of Louisiana" theatrical production to campus Tuesday, Sept. 19. The event, which is free and open to the public, will be held at 7 p.m. in the Milo Bail Student Center Nebraska Room. 

The Evacuation Theatre Troupe of the Voices Foundation travels across the United States with its Louisiana-based production. Subject matter in the production spans from the Louisiana Purchase to the present. With humor, the troupe recounts the events leading up to the Louisiana Purchase, as well as takes a poignant look at the contributions and recent hardships of Louisiana.

"Join SPO for a night of theatre that both entertains and educates," said Erin Cron, Student Organizations and Leadership Programs adviser at UNO. "Learn about the history and the people of Louisiana from natives of the state."

For more information, contact Cron at 554.2711 or ecron@mail.unomaha.edu.

UNO ADP to Host Simulcast Lecture of Author Azar Nafisi

UNO's American Democracy Project will host a live simulcast lecture of national bestselling author Azar Nafisi Wednesday, Sept. 20, at UNO. It will be held at 7:15 p.m. in the Milo Bail Student Center Ballroom.

Nafisi will be speaking from Lincoln at the 11th Annual Governor's Lecture in the Humanities, co-sponsored by the Nebraska Humanities Council and the University of Nebraska E.N. Thompson Forum on World Issues. She will lecture on her national-bestseller, Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books.

Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books chronicles the Islamic revolution in Iran and how it affected one university professor and her students. Translated into 32 languages and a winner of many literary awards, the book was on The New York Times bestseller list for more than 70 weeks.

"Dr. Nafisi was a wonderful choice, on the part of the Nebraska Humanities Council," said Jody Neathery-Castro, associate professor of political science and UNO liaison to the American Democracy Project. "Her book and talk should have wide appeal across the disciplines - literature, politics, women's studies and religious studies. They're all addressed in Nafisi's memoir. We're excited to be able to broadcast her lecture in real time here at UNO so that the Omaha community doesn't have to go to Lincoln to hear her."

Nafisi is the director of the Dialogue Project at the Foreign Policy Institute of Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies in Washington, D.C., where she is a professor of aesthetics, culture and literature. She also teaches courses on the relation between culture and politics. Nafisi held a fellowship from Oxford and taught English literature at the University of Tehran, the Free Islamic University and Allameh Tabatabai University in Iran.

For more information, contact Jody Neathery-Castro at 554.3611 or jneathery@mail.unomaha.edu.

This event is being held in partnership with UNO's American Democracy Project (ADP). The ADP at UNO seeks to increase the civic engagement of its students, staff, faculty and administrators. Its goal is to help fuel the development of an informed and contributing citizenry for the United States in the 21st century. For more information, visit the ADP Web site (http://www.unomaha.edu/adp/).

Latino Heritage Month Celebration Continues Sept. 20

A month-long celebration is under way at UNO to celebrate Latino heritage and culture. Events continue through Tuesday, Nov. 2, and are free and open to the public. 

The schedule of events – ranging from live performances and a film screening to a Dia de los Muertos Celebration – is listed below. All activities will take place on the UNO campus.

Wednesday, Sept. 20
Marímba Orquestra América
Noon to 1 p.m.
Milo Bail Student Center Plaza
(Sponsored by UNO American Multicultural Student Agency, and Student Organizations and Leadership Programs)

Tuesday, Oct. 3 
"Vygotsky and Funds of Knowledge: Appropriating Cultural Resources for Teaching and Learning"  
Luis Moll
4:30 to 5:30 p.m.
William H. and Dorothy Thompson Alumni Center Bootstrapper Hall
(Sponsored by UNO College of Education and the Office of Latino/Latin American Studies)

Wednesday, Oct. 4
"I Love America," Lydia Ramirez's one-woman play 
Noon to 1 p.m. 
Milo Bail Student Center Nebraska Room
(Sponsored by UNO Student Programming Organization)

Friday, Oct. 6
OLLAS Charla/Film Series: "Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada"  
6 p.m. 
Eppley Administration Building Auditorium
(Sponsored by UNO Office of Latino/Latin American Studies, and Student Organizations and Leadership Programs)

Wednesday, Oct. 18 
Ofrenda Workshop and Dia de los Muertos Ofrenda Installation (featuring Martín Gerardo Ramírez Correa)
5 p.m.
UNO Art Gallery (Weber Fine Arts Building, first floor)
(Sponsored by UNO Office of Latino/Latin American Studies)

Thursday, Nov. 2
Dia de los Muertos Celebration 
11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. 
UNO Art Gallery (Weber Fine Arts Building, first floor)
(Sponsored by UNO Office of Latino/Latin American Studies) 

For more information, call 554.2711.

Migrant Worker Documentary Screening Set for Sept. 21

In conjunction with the screening of the film "Dying to Live: A Migrant's Journey," UNO professors Lourdes Gouveia and Jonathan Benjamin-Alvarado will be speaking at Creighton University Thursday, Sept. 21.

The 33-minute documentary focuses on the reasons why Mexican migrants risk their lives to come to the United States. The film provides both a look at the human face of the Mexican immigrant, including scenes of the harrowing journey migrants undertake to cross the U.S. border, and a discussion of the social, economic, political and religious issues involved.  The film will start at 7 p.m. in the Creighton University Student Ballroom.

Dr. Gouveia serves as the director of UNO's Office of Latino/Latin American Studies (OLLAS), and Dr. Benjamin-Alvarado is the OLLAS assistant director.  The duo will speak after the presentation, along with the film's producer, the Rev. Daniel Groody, and Darcy Tromanhauser, a representative from the Nebraska Appleseed Project. The film and after-film presentation and discussion are free and open to the public. 

For more information, e-mail rkodad@creighton.edu.

MavMoney Promotion Begins at MavCard Locations

Starting this fall, MavCard Services will be conducting a weekly drawing for MavMoney.

Those who use their MavCard at selected locations across campus can win a $20 automatic cash deposit to their MavCard. UNO Food Services, the UNO Bookstore, Pepsi and Canteen will sponsor the promotion. To be eligible for the drawing, faculty, staff and students need to use their MavCard at a sponsored location.

For more information, or to check out this week's winner, visit the Web at http://mavcard.unomaha.edu/.

Pulses Series: Library Café Open for Business

As a student, do you know what services your library has to offer? The following is the third in a series of informational articles designed to introduce students to services and activities at University Library. Library staff is providing the Pulses articles. The topic of this week's article is the new Library Café.

Pulses: Coffee, Caesar Salad, Colas and More - All at the Library Café!
Come visit the new Library Café, located on the main floor of University Library.  Quench your thirst with a variety of soft drinks or a Starbucks Cappuccino. Have a snack, or order a panini sandwich for lunch.

The Café is open Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Friday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.  Fresh salads, soups, signature wraps and your choice of five grilled panini sandwiches are all served throughout the day, along with a light breakfast fare of pastries, bagels and breads.

"This is great news for my study group," said Sarah Wenzl, a senior at UNO. "We're always trying to find time to eat before we gather at the library.  Now we can have dinner there!"

A sample menu can be found at http://library.unomaha.edu/news. University Library Dean Steve Shorb invites comments from the campus community on the café and its offerings.  "This is a new experiment for the library," Shorb said. "And we're open to all comments and feedback."  

Season Tickets Available to 2006-07 Theatre Productions

Season tickets for the UNO Department of Theatre's 2006-07 productions are now available for purchase. The cost is $40 for the general public, and $30 for UNO faculty, staff, students and senior citizens.

The 2006-07 season is as follows:

- "Man of LaMancha" by Dale Wasserman, Joe Darion and Mitch Leigh
Oct. 5-7, 11-14

- "Hamlet" by William Shakespeare
Nov. 16-18, Nov. 29-Dec. 2

- "Nickel and Dimed" by Joan Holden
Feb. 22-24, Feb. 28-March 3

- "Student Showcase"
March 29-31 (free to subscribers)

- "Our Country's Good" by Timberlake Wertenbaker
April 12-14, 18-21

To purchase tickets, call 554.2406 or stop by 315A Weber Fine Arts Building. For more information, visit the Web at http://www.unotheatre.com.

Sept. 6 Technology Fair Prize Winners Announced

Information Technology Services (ITS) thanks everyone who visited the Sept. 6 UNO Technology Fair. Representatives from University Library, the UNO Bookstore, University Affairs, the Writing Center, the Speech Center and ITS were on hand to answer questions concerning campus technology. Also on hand were representatives from Dell and Apple, who showcased the latest technologies they have to offer.

More than 200 students, faculty and staff registered for more than $500 in prizes. The winners are listed below:

IPOD Nano
Jacque Christenham

Dell Color printer
Axelle Verboon

Messenger bag
David Miller

Pink backpack
Chris Steele

Cup/Flash drive
Dale McGregor

Coffee card
Kirk Larson

Flash Drive
Brian Miller, John Leonivicz, Robert Park, Dan Mozer, Adam Freese, Sharif Liwaru, Pat Galloway, Jeremiah Anderson, Sherrie Wilson, Penny Harmoney, Jeff Tausz, Renee Meister, Jenny Liu, Scott Vlasek, Steve Bowman, Lucas Stritt, Glenn Winstryg, Diane Mills, Nicholas Gran, Jordan Dunker, Mary Razor, Erica Klemens, Matt Allen and James Wells.

For more information, contact Shelly Schafer at sschafer@mail.unomaha.edu.

Graduate Study Carrels at University Library

University Library now has 50 study carrels available to UNO graduate students to facilitate scholarly research using library resources. Located on the second floor of the new Dr. Guinter Kahn addition, each carrel provides a semi-private study space with locking bins and file drawers, data ports, chairs and individual lighting.

"We know that many grad students consider the library their main workplace," said Steve Shorb, dean of University Library. "The carrels give researchers a desk of their own in an atmosphere conducive to study."

For more information and to download an application, visit the library's Web site at 

http://library.unomaha.edu/services/studyspace/carrelpolicy.php, or stop by the Circulation Desk in the library. Carrel assignments will begin Sunday, Oct. 1.

Group Ex Instructor Prep Course Offered

Interested in becoming a Group Ex instructor? If so, here's your chance.

UNO Campus Recreation will host a Group Ex instructor prep course Saturday, Sept. 23, and Sunday, Sept. 24, at the Health, Physical Education and Recreation (HPER) Building.

Classes will be held both days from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The cost is $25 for current students, $30 for other UNO activity cardholders.

To register, stop by 100 HPER.  For more information, call 554.2539.

UNO Fall Job Fair Sept. 27

Career Exploration and Outreach will host a fall job fair Wednesday, Sept. 27, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Milo Bail Student Center Ballroom. The job fair will feature employers who are actively seeking candidates for open positions and internships.

Professional interview attire is expected, and students can pre-register to attend the fair through Friday, Sept. 22.

To register for the job fair, students must have a profile on the UNO CareerConnect system. Students can visit the Web at http://unoceo.unomaha.edu and scroll over the "CareerConnect" link to create a profile and register for the fair.

For more information about the job fair, CareerConnect and other services, contact Career Exploration and Outreach at 554.3672 or stop by 211 Eppley Administrative Building.

Job fair sponsors are Union Pacific, Applied Underwriters, FirstComp, Streck, Walgreens, ConAgra, First National Bank of Omaha, Gallup, National Indemnity, US Bank, UPS, Northwestern Mutual, Interpublic Group, PayPal, Alegent Health and Enterprise.

Pathways to Harmony, Part 2 Oct. 24

Pathways to Harmony, Part 2 will be offered Tuesday, Oct. 24, to interested faculty, staff and students.

This program is only available to those who have already attended the first Pathways seminar.

The Pathways to Harmony, Part 2 program extends to the next level of diversity professional development. It focuses on how to interrupt insensitive and inappropriate behavior effectively and helps participants create a deeper understanding and awareness of diversity and differences. 

To register for Pathways, Part 2, contact Kate Clark at 554.2896 or mkclark@mail.unomaha.edu. Seating is limited.

Friends of Heartland Philharmonic Orchestra Fundraiser

The Friends of Heartland Philharmonic Orchestra have entertainment books available for purchase. The cost is $25, and a portion of the proceeds benefits the Heartland Philharmonic Orchestra, UNO's Concert Orchestra.

The entertainment books offer numerous deals for Omaha-area restaurants, travel and entertainment. The Friends of Heartland Philharmonic Orchestra is a support group for the orchestral program at UNO, which assists in raising scholarship funds for music students.

To purchase a book, contact Christopher Stanichar, director of UNO Orchestral Activities, at 554.2768 or cstanichar@mail.unomaha.edu.

Maverick Watch

Go Mavs!  Support your Mavericks by attending their home events.

Students are admitted free to all home athletic games with a valid UNO ID (MavCard ID) and game-day ticket. The spouses, significant others and children of students also are admitted free. At the game, students must present a valid UNO ID to receive a ticket. Tickets will be available on the day of the game at each home event. For more information, call 554.MAVS (6287).

At home this week...

Thursday, Sept. 21
- Volleyball vs. University of Nebraska at Kearney
Sapp Fieldhouse
7 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 22
- Soccer vs. South Dakota
UNO Soccer Field at Ak-Sar-Ben
4 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 23
- Football vs. Augustana
Sapp Fieldhouse
6 p.m.