Bulletin Board

Human Rights Day

NC State is taking part in Human Rights Day observations today. Chancellor Jim Woodward signed a proclamation for the campus observance. On this date in 1948, the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

As part of the commemoration, the Office for Diversity and Inclusion is holding an essay and video competition. Students, staff, faculty, alumni and emeritus faculty may submit  essays of no more than 1,000 words or videos up to 90 seconds long through midnight on Sunday, Jan. 10. The essay or video should address the question: What rights are involved in cases of hate speech against women, gay people, or members of racial or ethnic minorities, and how can they be protected? In addition, entrants can comment on how the Universal Declaration of Human Rights provides guidance on this issue. A panel of judges will award $200 cash prizes for first place in each category. Detailed instructions for submitting entries are available online. 

Also, a related exhibit, Love after Loss, Ethiopian photographs by Elena Rue, is on display at the Witherspoon Student Center through Tuesday, Dec. 15. Rue's photos illuminate the work of Hope for Children, a nongovernmental organization helping children who have lost parents to AIDS.

Book Sale for Randy Rose Memorial Garden

On Fridays, visit the used book sale on Centennial Campus for bargains you can take on your holiday flight or share with others. From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Dec. 11 and 18, books will be on display in the Toxicology Building’s downstairs computer lab. Free refreshments will be served while supplies last. Proceeds will help fund the Randy Rose Memorial Garden. For information about donating to the project,  visit http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/advancement/RandyRose.htm. Questions? Contact Julia Storm at 515-7961 or julia_storm@ncsu.edu.

John R. Larkins Award Nominations

Nominations are being accepted for the John R. Larkins Award to recognize state employees who are committed to equality for all and dedicated to serving North Carolina citizens and promoting social responsibility in racial and ethnic relations. The deadline for nominations is Thursday, Dec. 17. For more information, contact Kathie Pierce at 733-5201. For a brochure and nomination form, visit http://www.governor.state.nc.us/library/pdf/Larkins_Brochure_2010.pdf.

Path Closure

As part of the Rocky Branch Creek Restoration project, the greenway bridge east of Morrill Drive (between Weisiger-Brown and Derr Track) will be replaced and the path between Pullen Road and the Morrill Drive tunnel will be closed from Dec. 21, through March 5. Questions? Please contact Jake Terrell in capital project management at jake_terrell@ncsu.edu.

Energy Conservation Measures

NC State needs your help to reach its energy conservation goals. During the university closure from Thursday, Dec. 24, through Monday, Jan. 4, Facilities Operations will be setting back the thermostats to 55 to 60 degrees in selected buildings across campus. Temperature adjustments will affect mainly classrooms, offices and teaching labs. In general, research labs and animal facilities will not be included. Check the online list of buildings scheduled for temperature setbacks to see if yours is included.

Setbacks will be extended in vacant classrooms, teaching labs dorms, and dining facilities, from tomorrow through Sunday, Jan. 10. If you have a special need or event, you can request an exception to the setback program using the online form.

Before the holiday break, please use the following checklist in your work area:

• Close laboratory fume hoods and shut down nonessential lab equipment.
• Close windows and shut internal and external doors. Report windows and doors that are left open or unable to be closed to the Service Center at 515-2991.
• Turn off all lights in your office or any shared area, such as conference rooms, break rooms, restrooms or classrooms.
• Shut down office equipment and unplug computers, faxes, printers and coffeemakers.
• Do not use space heaters.
• Report any water leaks or improperly operating fixtures to the Service Center at 515-2991.

Facilities staff will provide a courtesy walk through of common areas in each building and shut down standard office equipment in common areas if they were inadvertently left on. As always, if you see problems such as leaks that need immediate attention, report them to the Service Center at 515-2991.

State Employees’ Martin Luther King Jr. Day Program

Singers, hosts and hostesses are needed for the John R. Larkins Award presentation and the State Employees’ Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Observance on Friday, Jan. 15. If you are interested in singing in the State Employees Choir, e-mail Lloyd Inman at lloyd.inman@ncmail.net. To volunteer as a host or hostess, contact Mary Johnson at jmh22@doc.state.nc.us.

Urban Design Forum

Registration is open for the March 6 urban design forum, “Creating Value: Designing for Resilient Cities.” Four speakers are confirmed for the Raleigh event, including Shelley Poticha, HUD senior advisor for sustainable housing and communities; Joan Busquets, an architect, urban designer and professor of architecture at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design; Thomas Dunbar, executive director of the Center for Resilient Cities; and Jim Heid, founder and principal of San Francisco development company UrbanGreen. For more information, links and registration, go to http://www.design.ncsu.edu/urban.

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