Faculty-Staff Achievements, Nov. 6, 2009

Pamela Houle

Pamela Houle, administrative director of Skidmore's Health Services, received the Clifford B. Reifler Award from the New York State College Health Association (NYSCHA) during the Region V combined annual meeting Oct. 28-30 in Burlington, Vt.

The award, one of the highest college health recognition awards bestowed annually by the NYSCHA, is given in honor of Clifford B. Reifler, M.D., to an individual who has demonstrated leadership, commitment, and enthusiasm for college health in his/her own health service, in NYSCHA, and/or in the American College Health Association, of which NYSCHA is an affiliate member.

A member of the Skidmore staff since 1984, Houle has been active in NYSCHA for many years, serving on its executive board originally as a member-at-large and then as treasurer for a record-breaking eight years. She said, "Membership and active participation have provided me not only with opportunities for continuing education, networking and sharing of ideas, but also with solid friendships and support for our common field of interest. I have always told others that college health is the best nursing job I've ever had, and I sincerely mean it. Working for a wonderful institution such as Skidmore has made the experience even more rewarding–here I have found the support and collegiality necessary for successful participation in both the state and national college health associations."

During the recent annual meeting, which also was attended by Patricia Bosen, director of clinical services at Skidmore's Health Services, Houle finally relinquished the office of treasurer to accept the position of president-elect of the NYSCHA, which she will undertake for the next year, before becoming president of the organization.

Publications/Exhibitions

Roy H. Ginsberg, Joseph C. Palamountain Jr. Professor of Government, was one of a group of American scholars invited by the U.S. Department of State to contribute to The Berlin Wall:  20 Years Later, published in September.  Ginsberg's essay is titled "A New Germany Rises from the Wall's Fall."

Deb Hall, associate professor of art, has a new exhibition titled "On2Wheels: Cycling in Saratoga," opening Saturday, Nov. 7, and on view through Dec. 30 at the Riverfront Studios, 96 Broad St., Schuylerville, N.Y. An opening reception is scheduled from 5 to 7 p.m. Nov. 7 and will feature live jazz by Ria Curley and her band.  For information, please call 518-695-5354.

Hall's work in this exhibition consists of digital printmaking: type, drawing and photography.  Initially, she engaged and collaborated with individuals and local communities that cycle (motorcycles, Vespas, mopeds, scooters, bicycles, etc.) The final prints are created using a unique method of visual narrative that incorporates type, artifacts and drawings with photography.

The project is funded in part by the Saratoga Program for Arts Funding, part of the Decentralization Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council of the Arts, and administered by the Saratoga County Arts Council.

Josh Ness, assistant professor of biology and environmental studies, is author of the paper titled "For ant-protected plants, the best defense is hungry offense" in the October issue of the journal Ecology.  The study tests the hypothesis that plants manipulate the dietary preferences of omnivorous insects by providing carbohydrate-rich food rewards. 

Access to these sugary plant nectars increased the attractiveness of complementary foods, such as meat, and increased the likelihood that ants ingesting the rewards attacked herbivorous caterpillars on the plants (to the benefit of the reward-producing plant).  In essence, some plants cultivate carnivores.  Co-authors included professors William Morris and Judith Bronstein of Duke University (Department of Biology) and the University of Arizona (Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology), respectively.  Earlier this year, Ness presented portions of this work at an invited research seminar titled "A cactus-ant partnership: Is doing something often the same as doing it well?" at Fordham University.

Mary Zeiss Stange, professor of women's studies and religion, has a feature article titled "What Are We Enhancing?", which takes up the subject of so-called enhanced interrogation in light of the history of the Catholic and Protestant witchcrazes, in the November/December issue of Liberty Magazine.

In the News  

Sandy Baum, professor of economics, is a source for "The $50K Club: 58 Private Colleges Pass a Pricing Milestone," published Nov. 1 in chronicle.com

Patricia Bosen, clinical director, Health Services, and William Canney, director, Dining Services, were sources for a report on how the college is coping with H1N1 that aired Oct. 30 on WNYT-TV, News Channel 13. 

James Kettlewell, professor emeritus of art history, and Joanna Zangrando, professor emerita of American studies, were sources for a story titled "Rocks of all ages:  Grave markers are often a final artistic expression," published Oct. 27 in The Post-Star.

Ron Seyb, associate professor of government, was a source for "Finance key in Spa City polls," published Nov. 1 in The Saratogian.

 

Tags: faculty-staff achievements