News Briefs

To celebrate her 32 years of service, leadership and professional guidance, a retirement shindig will be held for Nancy Paul, director of the Career Development Center, from 2-4 p.m. today, May 22, in the President’s Reception Room, Anderson Center. Parking is available in the adjacent covered parking garage.

Those who wish to make a donation in Nancy’s honor are encouraged to donate to the Student Affairs Internship Support Fund, established to provide financial support to enable more highly qualified Binghamton University students to participate in unpaid internships. To donate, go online and select Other, please specify from the account drop-down menu and then type Student Affairs Internship Support - Account #10472.

All University employees are invited to participate in the 2013 YMCA Corporate Challenge on Thursday, June 13, at Broome Community College. The events consist of:
• A 5K road race (5:15 p.m.)
• Predicted mile (walk or run) (6 p.m.)
• Relay race (7:30 p.m.)
• Executive mile (8:15 p.m.)
• Awards ceremony (8:30 p.m.)
This friendly competition with other area employers offers a great social, team-building and healthy activity. Athletic ability is not a requirement, just a desire to have a good time! You can come for just one or two events or stay for all. The cost is $14 per participant for the first event and $7 for each additional event.

After May 28, the cost rises $19 and $7, respectively. Fee includes a YMCA Corporate Challenge t-shirt and the University will provide a shirt for you to wear that evening to show your spirit! Refreshments will be provided.

For more information, including registration form and other materials, go to http://www.bcymca.com/Event%20Page.htm. Sara DeClemente-Hammoud will collect all the registration information for campus participants. She can be reached at 777-4939 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). Forward your registration information directly to her and she will submit all the forms, checks, etc. for the Binghamton University team.

This workshop will take place from 11 a.m.-noon Friday, May 24, in UUW-325. Are your advanced directives in place? Everyone age 18 or older should have a health care proxy and a living will. Workshop participants will receive a copy of each including the popular Five Wishes document. Becky Bradley, APEL program coordinator, will be on hand to offer counseling and witnessing of the documents at the conclusion of the workshop.

Should retirees require a parking pass for the garage, stop at the Information Desk as you enter the University and provide the attendant with your name and the name of the event. For questions, contact Corinna Kruman at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or 777-5959.

The Office of Human Resources informs the campus community that the Payroll Distribution Center (AD-240) is on summer hours. The Payroll Distribution Center is open 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Mondays through Fridays for the summer.

• In Inside: Thousands of students walk across the Commencement stage to become alumni.
• Video: Gathered from eight ceremonies and compressed into 60 seconds, here are some of the special moments.

There will be a shutdown of the Engineering Building’s second- and third-floor emergency lighting from 6 a.m.-noon Wednesday, May 22. There will be a shutdown of general lighting on the third floor from 6 a.m.-noon Thursday, May 23. The shutdowns are needed to advance renovations now underway in the building.

Contact project coordinator Jennifer Bourassa with any questions at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or 777-5047.

There will be a shutdown of the University Union West sprinkler system from 6 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesday, May 22.

Contact project coordinator Mo Afify with any questions at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or 777-2828.

Pulitzer Prize-winning science writer Jonathan Weiner will deliver the keynote presentation when the University Research Magazine Association’s annual conference comes to Binghamton University this month. His talk, scheduled for 4:20 p.m. Thursday, May 23, in UDC-220, is titled “Science and Storytelling.” Weiner will present seven lessons in the art and science of storytelling — stolen from masters old and new. His books include “The Beak of the Finch,” winner of both the Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Science; “Time, Love, Memory,” winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award for General Nonfiction; and “His Brother's Keeper,” finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize.

Weiner has written for the New Yorker, the New York Times Magazine, the New Republic and many other publications. Since 2005, he has taught at Columbia University, where he is the Maxwell M. Geffen Professor of Medical and Scientific Journalism. His May 23 lecture, which is free and open to the campus community, will be followed by a book signing. For more information, contact Rachel Coker, director of research advancement, at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

University policy requires all grades be submitted no later than five (5) business days after the end of the final examination period, or Friday, May 24. Timely grade submission helps ease student anxiety and ensure timely processing of degree conferral, and allows accurate calculations of both academic progress and financial aid eligibility. Review the e-mail that was sent out Tuesday, May 7, for helpful information about grade submission.

There's still time to donate books to the annual Books for Africa drive! Donate college textbooks with a copyright in the last 10 years, as well as paperbacks and literature books used in courses. The Hinman College library in Rockefeller Center is the drop-off site. See Julie in the Hinman office, or give her a call at 777-4716, so that she can open the library for you. No books in bad physical shape (some underlining and highlighting are okay). No course packets. No magazines. No drug-store romances, pop fiction, pop self-help books, etc.

For more about acceptable books, see http://www.betterworldbooks.com/Info-Books-We-Accept-m-25.aspx. See also the BFA website at http://www.booksforafrica.org and the website of the partner for this drive, Better World Books at http://www.betterworldbooks.com/info.aspx?f=facts. Or call 607-777-6965 or e-mail .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

The sidewalk to the south of the Dickinson Hall project will be closed and the east side doors of the University Union will be emergency exit only beginning Monday, May 20, and through September 2013. The ATM on the east side of the Union will still be available. The closures are needed to install new underground utilities sidewalks and landscaping for the Dickinson Hall project.

Contact Gary Bendert with any questions at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or 777-3196.

Résumé. CV. Cover letter. Interviewing. Elevator speech. Workplace challenge. Retirement planning. You name it. Sign up now for a confidential job/career coaching conversation with John Wojcio.

Wojcio is a certified career coach who can be reached at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). Binghamton University provides this service for all its employees.

You’ve decided to buy a home, now what do you do? This program, from noon-1 p.m. Wednesday, June 5, in UUW-324, is designed for first-time and step-up buyers. Buyer representation, real estate trends, inspections, mortgages and more will be covered by licensed associate real estate broker and relocation specialist Susan G. Stephens.

Join us for an informal discussion. Bring any real estate-related questions with you. To register, call the UCTD at 777-6362 or click on the "register for workshops" link at http://uctd.binghamton.edu.

The annual shutdown to perform preventive maintenance of the campus high temperature hot water system is scheduled for Monday, May 20 through Friday, May 24. The shutdown affects the following buildings and services:
• Academic Complex (A&B) - no heat
• Administration Building - no heat, no hot water, no air conditioning
• Anderson Center - no heat or hot water
• Campus Pre-School - no heat
• Computer Center - no heat
• Engineering Building - no heat, no hot water
• Events Center - no heat, no hot water
• Fine Arts - no heat, no hot water
• Library - no heat, no hot water
• Garage - no heat, no hot water
• Gyms (East and West) - no heat, no hot water, no pool heat, no West Gym drier heat
• Institute for Child Development - no heat
• Lecture Hall and Student Wing - no heat, no hot water
• Physical Facilities - no heat, no hot water
• Science 1 - no heat, no hot water
• Science 2 - no heat, no hot water
• Science 3 and Greenhouse - no heat, no hot water, no cage washer
• Science 4 - no heat, no hot water, no cage washer
• Science Library and classroom addition- no heat
• Science 5 -no hot water, no cage washer
• Bingham Hall - no heat, no hot water
• Broome Hall - no heat, no hot water
• Delaware Hall - no heat, no hot water
• Endicott Hall - no heat, no hot water
• Chenango Champlain Campus Collegiate Center - no heat, no hot water
• New East Campus O'Connor - no heat, no hot water
• New East Campus Johnson - no heat, no hot water
• New East Campus Rafuse - no heat, no hot water
• New East Campus Digman - no heat, no hot water

Contact Marty Curtis with any questions at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or 777-2335.