CU President Bruce Benson is pleased to invite you to a reception at the Library of Congress in Madison Hall with your fellow CU alumni and friends. Please join us for hors d’ oeuvres, beverages and a brief update on the university by President Benson.

Thursday, June 7, 2012

101 Independence Avenue SE Washington, DC

RSVP by June 1, 2012, to the CU Office of the President by calling 303.492.2766 or CommunityEvents@cu.edu

The James Madison Memorial Building is located across from the Capitol Metro South Station. Metered street parking is available in the area.

Download invitation

Make Steamboat Springs your June destination and join the Directors Club at the Sheraton Steamboat Springs Resort for our annual summer meeting.

As in the past, we’ll start the festivities on Friday evening with a poolside party. Later we’ll show the movie The Kings Speech, the sparkling story of King George VI’s speech impediment that won four Academy Awards. This is a prelude to a discussion led by Jim Palmer, director of the Conference on World Affairs, on Saturday.

But first-up after a continental breakfast Saturday morning is Deb Coffin, vice chancellor for student affairs, who will discuss CU-Boulder Students: Visionary and Engaged. Jim Palmer follows with a talk about The King’s Speech and the King’s Shadow. After a break, Steamboat local Marsha Daughenbaugh will share a Historical Perspective of Agriculture in the Yampa Valley. Spend Saturday afternoon exploring the city, playing a round of golf or having lunch at a delightful café. Cocktails begin at 6 p.m. with dinner at the poolside tent.

On Sunday have a light breakfast and then participate in the annual Directors Club business meeting and election of board members. Then alumni executive director Deborah Fowlkes will give an update followed by Dave Plati (Jour’82), associate athletic director for sports information, and his fun facts about CU athletics and then, we’ll conclude with arts and sciences dean Todd Gleeson and his perspective of what’s new in liberal arts education.

The Summer Meeting price covers meals, speakers accommodations as well as any necessary audio visual charges and applicable sales tax. A cash bar will be available during the social time.

To reserve a room at the Sheraton Steamboat Resort, please mention the CU Directors Club Summer Meeting to receive a Village View guest room rate of $119/night plus resort charge & tax. Valley View guest rooms are $139/night plus resort charge & tax. Condos start at $199/night plus resort charge & tax. Book your reservation by May 16 to assure the discounted rate. Self parking in the underground garage at the Sheraton, local and 800 calls, in-room high speed wireless internet access, two bottles of water per day, PM shuttle service to downtown and bike/golf storage are all included in the nightly resort fee, discounted to $10, plus tax per night. Tax is 11.65%. Guests may book online or call 800-848-8877.

Questions? Contact Barb Banta at 303-492-3005 or via e-mail at barb.banta@colorado.edu

CU events

Coming back to Boulder?

Join Forever Buffs for the first annual Back to Boulder Weekend Nov. 1-4. Celebrate your pride with alums during Homecoming weekend. Attend the Alumni Association awards ceremony and catch the marching band and football team on Pearl Street the evening before the Buffs play Stanford. Let us help you plan a reunion with your friends during Homecoming.

Alumni Association programs

Connect with your local chapter

Whether it’s a boat cruise around Manhattan with New York City alums on Thursday, June 21 or a poker run/pub crawl in Denver with the CU Young Alums on Saturday, July 21, your local chapter has something exciting planned for you.

Here’s the chapter list.

CU Voices

Recalling some stellar CU profs

By Kenneth Lloyd (Econ’44)

Robert Stearns, CU president, gave me a glowing letter to get out of the Infantry and into the Air Corps. Bless him. I had Dr. Gustafson in freshman chemistry lecture. Big physical man. Made chemistry fascinating. Read the article.

Read more about CU history and traditions.

CU event

Obama wows Forever Buffs

On April 24 President Obama spoke to a crowd of some 10,000 people in Coors Events Center, mostly addressing the rising cost of student loans. It was the first time a sitting U.S. president had come to campus in 58 years. Some students met Obama when he made a brief stop at The Sink restaurant on The Hill. View a video of Obama’s visit.

Read the White House press release.

Alumni advertiser

Tee off and Transform Lives

Can Do Multiple Sclerosis organizational founder and Olympic skier Jimmie Heuga (PolSci’73) was a pioneer in the multiple sclerosis care management field. He was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1970. Join Can Do MS in honoring Jimmie at his alma mater’s Colorado National Golf Course Monday, June 11. Play for a day to help us reach more people living with MS through our programs. www.mscando.org/jimmiegolf.

Athletics

Sign up for football season tickets

Don’t miss your chance to stand Shoulder to Shoulder with Coach Jon Embree (Comm’88) and the Buffs in 2012. This year’s home schedule features six games at Folsom Field in addition to the CSU game in Denver on Sunday, Sept. 1. Your support this season is crucial as all five conference home games are against teams who went to a bowl game last year. Put down your season ticket deposit here.

Affinity groups

Catch up with CU in Steamboat

Make Steamboat Springs your destination and join the Directors Club for our annual summer meeting June 15-17. The theme is “Rediscover CU-Boulder.” You’ll get to hear the latest news from deans, vice chancellors and other insiders in a beautiful mountain setting. Contact Barb Banta at 303-492-3005 or via e-mail.

U.S. events

Check out the solar eclipse

Experience the “difference between night and day” late Sunday afternoon on Sunday, May 20 when the entire mid- and western U.S. will see a “bite” taken out of the sun as the moon moves in front of it, the best solar eclipse in 10 years. See it all at CU-Boulder’s Fiske Planetarium and Science Center or go to the eclipse-watching event at Folsom Field 6-8:15 p.m. It’s $2 including special glasses.

Roaming Buffs

It’s not an end of the world cruise

Four great CU professors join other world-class speakers covering a wide range of topics while we’re at sea in the Caribbean Dec. 16 – 23. The voyage visits the Mayan ruins at Tulum, Mexico, on Dec. 21, the day some believe the Mayan calendar predicts will be the end of the world. For more information e-mail Clark, call 303-492-5640 or 800-492-7743 or visit the website.

Jobs and careers

Helping you find a job you love!

• “Nuances of Networking: How to Leverage your Strengths to get the Opportunities you Want” Tuesday, May 22, 6-9 p.m. (free). Register here.
• “Alumni Assessment Series” Three Tuesdays, June 5, 19 and 26, 6-9 p.m. ($55) More information. Call 303-492-6541 to register.

E-mail Lea to find out about future career events.

Contest Corner

Win a CU Buffs baseball cap

Which of the following people is NOT mentioned in the March 2012 Coloradan’s “CU Around” section?

A. James H. Meredith
B. William “Bud” Davis (PE’51, EdD’63)
C. CU President Quigg Newton
D. U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower

Check out the March 2012 Coloradan magazine.

CU Book Store

Frame your diploma

Relive your memories of Old Main through this panoramic image on the right. The frame has a rich, high-gloss cherry finish with fine gold accents inlaid into the frame.

Go to the CU Book Store.

Please send your thoughts and reactions about Forever Buffs Insider to us.

The Alumni Association thanks our sponsors

Alumni advertiser

Celebrate CU-Boulder. Like us on Facebook.

Christina Gonzales - Associate Vice Chancellor and Dean of Students

The University of Colorado Boulder today named Christina Gonzales as the new associate vice chancellor for student affairs and dean of students effective July 1. Gonzales is currently associate dean of students at the University of California, Berkeley.

“I am extremely pleased that Christina has agreed to join the Division of Student Affairs,” said Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Deb Coffin, to whom Gonzales will report. “She brings a depth and breadth of experience in student affairs that will push our initiatives forward, and she clearly shares our passion for providing excellent student services, advancing efforts around diversity and inclusion, and encouraging student involvement.”

“She is already a proven leader and we look forward to the insight and creativity she will add to our team,” Coffin added.

At UC Berkeley Gonzales established a bystander violence prevention program, created the Students of Concern Committee and led organizations through business process improvements. In partnership with the dean she provided strategic direction and leadership for the public service center, Career Center, Center for Student Leadership (Greek life, student involvement and leadership), Center for Student Conduct, Student Legal Services, the assessment team, and student government auxiliary and business operations. In the last year she also served as the director for student conduct where she led the team through a reorganization that included integrating a new code of conduct and creating a student-centered philosophy.

“I’m honored to be chosen as dean of students and associate vice chancellor at CU-Boulder,” said Gonzales. “CU-Boulder’s unique student culture, dynamic learning environment and dedicated faculty, staff and administration make it an ideal destination. I’m looking forward to getting to know the campus and the Boulder community, and to building on the innovative programs that promote the success of CU students.”

In her new position at CU-Boulder Gonzales will directly oversee a number of areas including Student Success and Retention, Student Conduct and the Honor Code, Orientation and Assessment, and the assistant dean of students in charge of the Student Organizations Finance Office and the Center for Multicultural Affairs.

Prior to her current position at UC Berkeley Gonzales was at Arizona State University from March 1999 to August 2009, working her way up from an academic adviser to the associate dean for student affairs.

She holds a B.S. in history from Western New Mexico University and a master’s degree in educational management and development from New Mexico State University, and has completed coursework toward a Doctor of Education in educational leadership and policy studies.

One of Phil Lobel’s (A&S ex’79) favorite stories, stretching back to his early days as a Hollywood publicist, took place in a sushi restaurant on Sunset Boulevard in 1987.

As he chatted with a prospective client, a young unknown actor from the Midwest — Sean Penn and Madonna strode casually by and sat down at a nearby table — followed by a cluster of autograph seekers.

After observing the scene for several moments, the struggling actor turned to Lobel.

“Someday, do you think people will come up to me for my autograph?’’ asked Brad Pitt, who at the time was sharing an apartment with five roommates, sleeping on a mattress on the floor and eating at Taco Bell.

The answer became obvious a few months later when Pitt started to pop up on the cover of top teen magazines. Lobel managed Pitt’s TV and nascent film career prior to his movie debut in Thelma and Louise.

Read the rest at the Coloradan online.

Four great CU professors join four other world class speakers talking on a wide range of topics while we’re at sea, including spaceflight, astronomy, science fiction and the Mayan calendar.  The trip reaches an appropriate destination with a visit to the Mayan ruins at Tulum, Mexico on December 21 – the day the Mayan calendar predicts will be the end of the world.  Throughout the trip, you’ll be entertained and educated, and perhaps inspired by a group of guest speakers including NASA astronaut Steve Hawley, science fiction writers David Brin and Robert J. Sawyer as well as four of CU’s best astronomy professors Doug Duncan, Mike Dubson – CU’s Mr. Wizard, Erica Ellingson and Nick Schneider.  Cruising from Miami this cruise will head to Ochos Rios in Jamaica, George Town in the Cayman Islands and Cozumel, Mexico.  The trip includes lectures sure to appeal to everyone as well as time to enjoy the best of the Caribbean.  For more information about the Roaming Buffs travel program email clark.oldroyd@colorado.edu, call 303-492-5640 or 800-492-7743 or go to www.cualum.org/travel.  For more information about the December 16 trip contact Clark Oldroyd at 303-492-5640 or go to www.end-of-the-world-cruise.com.

The University of Colorado Boulder held its spring graduation ceremony on Friday, May 11, at 8:30 a.m. at Folsom Field.

The ceremony honored candidates for 6,237 degrees, including 4,830 bachelor’s degrees, 994 master’s degrees, 162 law degrees and 251 doctoral degrees for spring and summer.

The number of degree applications is the largest in the school’s history, and comes four years after the record-setting freshman class of fall 2008. That year, 5,833 freshmen enrolled, exceeding the previous record-setting class of 2006 that enrolled 5,617 freshmen.

The majority of bachelor’s degree recipients who entered CU-Boulder as freshmen are graduating in four years, according to the university’s Office of Planning, Budget and Analysis. Data from November 2011 show that almost 60 percent of 2010-11 bachelor’s degree recipients who started at CU-Boulder as freshmen earned their degrees in four years or less.

This year’s commencement address was given by Timothy V. Wolf, president of Wolf Interests Inc. Wolf is the former global chief financial officer of Molson Coors Brewing Co. and has served on the boards of Xcel Energy, Rally Software Development, Etown and the Leeds School of Business.

Hanging on the wall in my office is the saying, “Illigitene new carborundum.” Loosely translated this means “Don’t let the bastards get you down.” This relates to my first week at the University of Colorado, fall 1940.

I was in the arts and sciences college. Late in my freshman year I took a course in economics. This opened up a new world for me. I was already interested in political science, so I decided then and there that I would major in both economics and political science. I had some difficulty in both areas as I seemed to disagree with some professors quite often, and I found out later they were liberal Democrats. I did learn that there are always two sides to any subject. I was in the class of 1944, but didn’t get my college degree until 1947 due to a small interruption called World War II.

Some of my classes included chemistry, math, accounting, political science (it’s not really a science), constitutional law, economics of war, money and banking, psychology, European history and American literature. I had some fine professors. Here are some I remember:

CU Little Theatre

Francis Wolle (MA’16) was the Little Theatre director. Also, peculiarly, he taught a math class that I was in. I had done some acting in high school so decided to try out for a part when I was a freshman. Surprisingly, I was given a part in a one act play with one other actor, opposite Peggy Kellerman, a beautiful Hawaiian (never could get a date with her. My acting may have killed that possibility).  Two particular events have stayed poignant in my mind ever since. Professor Wolle, a single man, asked me to come to his apartment one evening for coaching. We had a little small talk. Then:

Ken and Peggy Kellerman

“Take off your shirt and turn around.” He placed his hands on my diaphragm. I nearly panicked.

“Now, breathe deeply, filling your lungs. Now as you exhale, speak from your diaphragm. Let me feel it.” 

I settled down and did as I was told. What a difference in my voice — deeper and more resonant. He wasn’t attracted to me after all.

This was a one-act play, Renaissance style. I had to wear fancy, velvet pantaloons and a matching jacket. So Francis Wolle drove me through downtown Boulder to a small bungalow on Pine Street. The living room was filled with cloth in all kinds and colors, plus three sewing machines. Dr. Wolle described to the seamstress the costume he wanted made for me. She took measurements and we left. Rehearsal night the exquisite costume arrived. A perfect fit. That first night, I can’t remember hisses or boos or clapping, but I remember Peggy and the seamstress.

Sibel Wolle traveled Colorado to document dying ghost towns.

The seamstress turned out to be Muriel Sibell (MA’30) of the fine arts department and later head of the department and still later the wife of Francis Wolle. Sibell first came to Colorado in 1929 from the East and became entranced with the Rockies and the mining-era ghost towns. In summers for many years she tramped the mountains, researched the history of mining camps and drew charcoal pictures of towns and buildings. Her book, Stampede to Timberline, published in 1949, is an incredible collection of writing and pictures of more than  240 ghost towns. Most have now disappeared with the exception of a few weathered wooden planks.

I learned from this experience never to take a person for granted. Many a seeming seamstress is in truth an artist.

Muriell Sibell accumulated over the years probably the greatest collection of Kachina dolls in the U.S. She donated it to the CU Museum of Natural History where they are currently in storage.  Other educators that stand out in my college career:

I had R.G. Gustafson for freshman chemistry lecture. Big physical man. Made chemistry fascinating. Proved to us through chemistry that there was a supreme being. He became the University of Nebraska chancellor.

Then there was Warner Imig, head of the music department. I was a good singer, not great, just good so I joined the University Glee Club. Imig directed. He was easy going but able to get the best out of each of us.

Mrs. Hart and “Captain” Bly Curtis.

I had to work my way through school and since I dated little (my future wife, Peggy, was in Fort Collins) I volunteered to stay after big dinners in the community center and scrub pots and pans. Hart was the supervisor. When she became manager of the Faculty Club on Broadway, she asked me to come and work there for room and board. I readily accepted.

I cleaned off the stairs daily, dumped the trash and cleaned the poker and pool tables in the basement (the only people who played pool were us student employees). For this difficult work I received room and board. To this day I believe I had the best job at the university. And I had the best meals on campus. Sure beat working for a living. Hart had to resign because of back problems. “Captain” Bly Curtis was the head of all the dorms and took over the faculty club.  One hour later I was gone. For some reason, she didn’t think I was earning my keep. Uncle Sam wanted me about then so it was OK.

So these are some of the college teachers I remember best–that had the most effect on my life.  I thank them. I truly thank them.

In 1944 I was off to the unknown world of war.

Francis Wolle was one of Ken's favorite professors in the 1940s.

I truly enjoyed college—the classes, the sports, the political, the social—all of it. College truly helped me to grow up and expand my horizons. The coming military service would be a major change in my life. Such service was absolutely necessary if America and its allies were to retain democracies and freedoms.

So it is on to the unknown world of war.

P.S.: I truly enjoyed college—the classes, the sports, the political, the social life — all of it. College truly helped me to grow up and expand my horizons. The coming military service would be a major change in my life. Such service was absolutely necessary if America and its allies were to retain democracies and freedoms.

Pat (5) and Mike Frink (Courtesy photo)

The heartbreak was palpable over the phone from its painful origins in Brazil to the other end of the line in Boulder.

Legendary Colorado basketball player Pat Frink was killed in an automobile accident early Sunday.

And a part of his big brother Mike died with him.

“It’s devastating,” Mike, retired and living in South America where he coached professional basketball for years, told me while packing up to make the unexpected trip to bury Pat on his ranch near Tucson, Ariz. “These kind of tragedies always blind side you, especially when it’s your only brother and your closest friend in life for 67 years.”

The report in the Arizona Daily Star about what happened read as follows:

“Patrick Edward Frink, 67, was driving a gray 2007 Ford F-150 south on Hayhook Ranch Road, about one mile south of Arizona 86, when he lost control of the truck.

“It rolled and he was thrown from the vehicle, said Deputy Dawn Barkman, a Pima County Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman in a news release.

Read the rest at the Daily Camera Buffzone.

From the Denver Post online:

Former Colorado Rockies owner Jerry McMorris dies at 71

McMorris kept MLB at bay

Posted: 05/09/2012 01:00:00 AM MDT
By Patrick Saunders

The thrill of Rocktober, the Blake Street Bombers, Todd Helton scooping a ball out of the dirt at first base and postcard-perfect summer nights at Coors Field. Colorado Rockies fans would never have been blessed with those cherished baseball memories had it not been for Jerry McMorris.

McMorris, an original Rockies owner and a man who will be forever remembered as the savior of Major League Baseball in Colorado, died Tuesday morning. He was 71.

In 1993, before the Rockies’ first-ever game at Mile High Stadium, McMorris addressed the team. It’s a moment outfielder Dante Bichette never forgot.

“He said: ‘Guys, the sky’s the limit. The dreams are out there for you guys to chase. Here’s your opportunity.’ That was big for us,” Bichette recalled. “I don’t think major-league baseball would have happened in Denver if not for him.”

Read the rest at the Denver Post.

If so, wear your black and gold legacy cord at graduation.

As part of the Forever Buffs initiative, the CU-Boulder Alumni Association started a new tradition by providing “legacy cords” to graduating students whose family members are CU alums. The black and gold cords are worn with the student’s graduation gown to recognize his or her tie to a CU legacy family.

Students graduating in May who have CU family ties should stop by Koenig Alumni Center at 1202 University Ave. beginning two weeks before commencement to receive a free legacy cord.

Learn more.

Dr. William M. King receives an American flag from congressman Jared Polis during a celebration to mark his retirement from CU on Saturday, May 5 at the Koenig Alumni Center. Dr. King has worked at CU for 40 years, creating a strong sense of community that was obvious from the size of the crowd and the comments made on his behalf at his retirement party.

Here are photos from the event on May 5, 2012.

If you’d like reprints, you’ll need access the images via our Flickr archive here.

Ken Jackson (DistSt’73) commutes eight miles down the Grand Canyon by horse to deliver prenatal care to Native American women.

If the cliché that doctors no longer make house calls is true, somebody neglected to tell Ken Jackson (DistSt’73).

One Friday a month, the family doctor who specializes in high-risk obstetrics loads his horse into a trailer at his home outside Kingman, Ariz., and drives 130 miles to the rim of the Grand Canyon. The horse carries him another eight miles to Supai, a community of about 400 at the base of the canyon more than 2,000 vertical feet below. Located in the Havasupai Indian Reservation, it is one of the most remote communities in the lower 48 states. The U.S. mail arrives by mule. It is only accessible to visitors by foot, horseback or helicopter.

During his 12-hour day, Jackson provides mostly prenatal care to six to 10 patients, not a business model typical in health care these days. So unique is his work that he has been featured in USA Today and the PBS documentary series,“Legends and Dreamers.”

Jackson, 63, has spent the past 37 years practicing medicine, mostly on or around Arizona Indian reservations. His trips to Supai might not be the best use of time, but his days are not about efficiency or business models.

“The real part of this job is about heart,” he says. “In the end, it’s that interaction between physician and patient. It’s not like it’s a mission or anything — it just happens to be my life. There’s a certain validation to it. It’s an adventure, very rewarding.”

Read the rest at the Coloradan online.

CU-Boulder commencement to honor more than 6,200 degree candidates May 11

The University of Colorado Boulder will hold its spring graduation ceremony on Friday, May 11, beginning at 8:30 a.m. at Folsom Field.

The ceremony will honor candidates for 6,237 degrees, including 4,830 bachelor’s degrees, 994 master’s degrees, 162 law degrees and 251 doctoral degrees for spring and summer.

The number of degree applications is the largest in the school’s history, and comes four years after the record-setting freshman class of fall 2008. That year, 5,833 freshmen enrolled, exceeding the previous record-setting class of 2006 that enrolled 5,617 freshmen.

The majority of bachelor’s degree recipients who entered CU-Boulder as freshmen are graduating in four years, according to the university’s Office of Planning, Budget and Analysis. Data from November 2011 show that almost 60 percent of 2010-11 bachelor’s degree recipients who started at CU-Boulder as freshmen earned their degrees in four years or less.

This year’s commencement address will be given by Timothy V. Wolf, president of Wolf Interests Inc. Wolf is the former global chief financial officer of Molson Coors Brewing Co. and has served on the boards of Xcel Energy, Rally Software Development, Etown and the Leeds School of Business.

Stadium gates will open at 7 a.m. and guests are urged to be in their seats by 8:15 a.m. in order to watch the processional into the stadium. Each spring the commencement ceremony begins with a procession of faculty and all graduates starting at the Norlin Quadrangle at 8 a.m. and ending at Folsom Field.

University officials recommend that people arrive as early as possible to avoid traffic delays. The ceremony is free and open to the public.

Guests are asked not to bring large purses or bags to the ceremony. People entering the stadium may be subject to search. The ceremony will be held outdoors in the stadium regardless of the weather. In the event of heavy rain or snow an abbreviated ceremony will be held.

Many departments within CU-Boulder’s schools and colleges will hold events to personally recognize their graduates. Students should check with their individual departments for more information. Schedule of individual ceremonies.

More information about the commencement ceremony. The ceremony will be broadcast on the Web and can be accessed by visiting the commencement website and clicking on the webcast link anytime during the ceremony.

More details on how long it takes CU-Boulder students to earn bachelor’s degrees can be found on the Office of Planning, Budget and Analysis website.

Left to right:   Graduating students Hannah Plehaty (His’12), Annika Amundson (Chin, Int’lAf’12), Mike Wussow (CivEng’12) and Christie Sounart (Jour’12) are joined by CU-Boulder Alumni Association staff members Clark Oldroyd (MEdu’75), Marc Killinger, Tori Peglar (MJour’00) and Patty Kuster (MClas’09) who all worked with the students.  Not shown are Kelsey Miller (EnvBio’12) and Marni Spott (Int’lAf, Ger’12, MGer’12). All  the students received a CU-Boulder Alumni Association degree frame.

The Alumni Association is honored to have members of the Class of 2012 as student workers in our department! A luncheon and small ceremony was held to formally thank them for their hard work and dedication.

Thanks again to our student workers – you help us in so many ways.

Forever Buffs!

Big Celestial Show on May 20 and June 5!

Late Sunday afternoon May 20 the entire mid- and western US will see a “bite” taken out of the sun as the moon moves in front of it – the best solar eclipse the US has seen in more than ten years. And on the afternoon of June 5 the planet Venus will cross in front of the sun, something that won’t be seen again for a century!

“These are great shows,” says Dr. Doug Duncan of the University of Colorado, who is working with NASA to prepare the public. Duncan, who directs Colorado’s Fiske Planetarium, encourages people to PLAN AHEAD, prepare and watch.  “The sun is very powerful, so you need to protect your eyes,” says Duncan.  The best way is with inexpensive glasses or viewers made for the purpose.  Even when only part of the sun is visible you need to do this.  Then on May 20 you will see something like these photos show:

McGuckin Hardware (www.mcguckin.com ; (303) 443-1822) and Fiske Planetarium (http://fiske.colorado.edu ; 303-492-5002) sell eclipse-watching glasses for $2 per pair.  These have been used safely by millions of people. Thanks to McGuckin, Impact on Education, www.impactoneducation.org, and the Jared Polis Foundation (www.jaredpolisfoundation.org) for donating 16,000 eclipse-watching glasses to Boulder Schools!

CU will host free eclipse watching at Folsom Stadium from 6:00 – 8:15 pm. Sunday May 20.  The partial eclipse starts at 6:22 pm; maximum eclipse is at 7:30 and sunset 7:50. Anyone who has purchased eclipse-watching glasses at McGuckin or Fiske will be admitted free.  Otherwise you can buy glasses for $2 at the stadium – until supplies run out!  We suggest PLANNING AHEAD and picking up glasses from McGuckin or Fiske well in advance.  There are no events planned for Denver.  Fiske Planetarium can mail 25 eclipse-watching glasses for $35.  The web-site www.eclipse-watch.com has more information, including short videos on how to watch safely.  Fiske’s website is fiske.colorado.edu

When Venus passes in front of the sun it is called a “Transit,” and this rare event happens June 5.  “Even though Venus is as large as the earth, it is only 1% the size of the sun, so it will look like a tiny dot,” says Duncan. “In the past, astronomers sailed all over the world to watch transits. If you could see Venus from two widely separated sites its position would be slightly different and using geometry you could find out the size of the solar system.” People such as Captain Cook braved shipwreck and other hazards to see a transit.  “Nowadays just watch and enjoy” he advises. More information on the Transit, including when it starts at your location, can be found at www.transitofvenus.org.

Thanks to the NASA Lunar Science Institute, Drs. Mihaly Horanyi and Jack Burns, and Boulder’s NOAA High Altitude Observatory for supporting the free viewing at CU!

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is there some kind of “dangerous radiation” when there are eclipses?  The sun during an eclipse of the sun is no different than it is any other day: bright and powerful!  If you accidentally looked at the sun any day your eye would hurt and you would look away.  On an eclipse day there is a reason to look at the sun, but it is just as powerful, so you must protect your eyes to watch the eclipse.  Even if only a fraction of the sun is visible this is still true.
2. Are eclipse glasses safe?   Glasses made specifically for eclipse viewing are safe.  These are NOT sunglasses – they are much darker.  Sunglasses are NOT safe!  The inexpensive glasses made by the company Rainbow Symphony (www.rainbowsymphony.com ) have been used by millions of people all over the world at dozens of eclipses.
3. Can I use “welder’s glasses” to watch an eclipse or Transit safely?  Yes, #14 Welders Glass is safe for eclipse watching.  It is much more expensive than eclipse glasses, however.  You can buy these at McGuckin Hardware in Boulder.
4. Will NASA broadcast the eclipse and the Transit of Venus on the Internet?  NASA plans to broadcast the Transit of Venus.  Visit the website http://sunearthday.nasa.gov . It does not plan to broadcast the eclipse.  The University of Colorado’s Fiske Planetarium is hoping to broadcast the eclipse.  Details will be coming to http://fiske.colorado.edu
5. Where can I see short videos to help me prepare?  www.eclipse-watch.com

If you enjoy fun science you might want to visit Fiske Director Duncan’s home page and look at the total eclipse, northern lights, and Dec. 21, 2012 educational trips that he leads.  This is at http://casa.colorado.edu/~dduncan.

Are you graduating, and would like to keep you colorado.edu email address? It’s all set up for you, and best of all its free! Keep your Buff pride as you apply to jobs and beyond with a CU email address.

The following is from the E-mail for Life page at the Office of Information Technology site.

OIT provides this service in partnership with the CU Alumni Association – all questions about this program should be directed to the Office of Information and Technology.

E-mail for Life

Features

• No opt-in is required, graduates are automatically enrolled.
• Graduates can continue receiving messages at both your CULoginName@colorado.edu and FirstName.LastName@colorado.edu addresses.
• May 2008 graduates and beyond are able to access e-mail by logging into CULink using your CU login name and IdentiKey password.
• When OIT migrates people off of CULink and onto Buffalo Mail, you will be contacted.

Benefits

Keep your @colorado.edu address to keep your CU-Boulder contacts and connections.

Cost

There is no-cost for this service.

Who can get it

• CU-Boulder alumni that graduated May 2008 and beyond get to keep their @colorado.edu e-mail address and their CULink e-mail account. They can choose to change their e-mail delivery location to a different e-mail account.
• CU-Boulder alumni that graduated between May 2002 and December 2007 that opted into the program get to keep their @colorado.edu e-mail address, which they can forward to a different e-mail account.

How to get it

When you graduate from CU-Boulder you will get to keep your @colorado.edu e-mail address and your e-mail account automatically, with no disruption in service.

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Skipping naps might not be a good idea, says CU-Boulder sleep researcher Monique LeBourgeois whose research suggests long-term loss of sleep can heighten a toddler’s anxiety.

Anyone who has been around little kids much can tell you this — if children miss just one nap, it can make them grouchy.

But according to a first-of-its-kind study of 2-to-3-year-olds by CU-Boulder sleep researcher Monique LeBourgeois, it can do much more than that, blunting capacity for joy, heightening anxiety and diminishing ability to recognize they need help. If sustained, she says, sleep deprivation may even stunt their emotional growth, interfere with relationships and increase the risk of behavioral and cognitive problems later in life.

“This is an important time for the development of emotion regulation, language, fine motor skills and cognitive control processes [such as attention, planning and problem solving], but it is also the point when a lot of kids stop napping,” says LeBourgeois, director of CU-Boulder’s Sleep and Development Laboratory, which is part of the integrative physiology department. “It’s a vulnerable window for them to start missing out on much-needed sleep.”

Read the rest at the Coloradan online.

Forever Buff Don McLean (Bus’77) has designed a new CU-themed ski – that features beautiful inlaid wood designs of the Flatirons and the CU athletic logo. He’s about to announce them to the world and he gave the Alumni Association a sneak peek!

You can find out more at the website or you can contact Don directly.

In celebration of Colorado Architecture Month, the CU Heritage Center has teamed up with the CU-Boulder CAP Environmental Design program for a new exhibit, Designing for People and Place: Sustainable & Affordable Housing for the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, opening Monday, April 23.
 
Through the Native American Sustainable Housing Initiative (NASHI), an interdisciplinary collaboration of faculty and students is seeking to improve housing conditions on tribal lands through research, education and outreach activities. This initiative establishes an ongoing academic service-learning program between the CU environmental design program and the construction technology program at Oglala Lakota College in Rapid City, South Dakota.
 
The CU Heritage Center exhibit focuses on addressing the need for healthy, sustainable and affordable housing for the Oglala Sioux Tribe. This includes the program’s studies and plans for straw bale construction using sustainable and durable materials for energy efficient homes capturing solar, wind and geothermal energy.
 
The exhibit will be updated later this year to include the program’s progress during the 2012 summer season. Visit the CU Heritage Center and track the NASHI’s design and construction of sustainable, affordable, culturally inclusive and regionally appropriate housing on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.

Two University of Colorado Boulder undergraduate student teams have been named among the 10 top winners from a field of 3,697 teams that entered the international Mathematical Contest in Modeling.

Results of the 2012 contest were announced this month by the Consortium for Mathematics and its Applications. The contest took place at the students’ home institutions Feb. 9-13.

One of the two CU-Boulder teams designated as an “outstanding winner” was comprised of students Stephen Kissler of applied mathematics, Christopher Corey of electrical and computer engineering and Sean Wiese of computer science. This team also was awarded the MAA Award sponsored by the Mathematical Association of America.

The other “outstanding winner” from CU-Boulder was made up of students Christopher Aicher and Tracy Babb of applied mathematics, and Daniel Sutton of computer science. This team also was awarded the INFORMS Award sponsored by the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences.

Anne Dougherty of CU-Boulder’s Department of Applied Mathematics served as faculty adviser to both teams.

According to the contest rules, the students had 96 hours to decide which of two problems to complete, research their problem, come up with a mathematical model, program a numerical model, and write a report. Both CU-Boulder teams chose to solve a problem related to scheduling camping for a series of rafters on a long river.

“It is amazing what they can come up with in just 96 hours,” Dougherty said, noting that all six of the winning students are in the Engineering Honors Program.

“CU has had remarkable success over the years in the Mathematical Contest in Modeling,” she added. “Since 2000, we’ve had a total of 11 “outstanding” papers. I don’t know of any other universities with this type of track record. It is a testament to the quality of our students and the strength of CU’s programs that we’ve been so successful for so long.”

Only 9 percent of the teams entering the contest this year were from the United States. The others were from Canada, China, Finland, Germany, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Mexico, Malaysia, Palestine, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Turkey and the United Kingdom.

Official results.

Alumni event

Run with the Buffaloes!

Lace up your shoes and join basketball coach Tad Boyle for the Forever Buffs 5K. The race starts Sunday, April 29 at 9 a.m. at Balch Fieldhouse Plaza. This race is for experienced runners as well as walkers, families and children. It’s brought to you by Senior Class Council. Here’s the race map.

Register now.

CU Voices

Looking for wisdom from Stearns hall to Egypt

By Lesley Kitchen Lababidi (Rec’73)

When she read the words, “Beware of limbo dancers!” Lesley Kitchen Lababidi had no idea these four words would be some of the most valuable things she learned at the university. They taught her to take advice where she could find it.

Read more.

Athletics

Attend the Spring Football game

Buff fans, stand Shoulder to Shoulder with head coach Jon Embree (Comm’88) and the Colorado football team this Saturday, April 14 for the annual free Spring Game at Folsom Field. Kickoff is at 5 p.m. Learn more about all the other great events taking place before the game. Also, you can now put down a deposit for 2012 season tickets. Go here or call 303-49-BUFFS.

Jobs and careers

How to get your dream job

Take an interesting Webinar on “How to conduct at effective job search, a recruiters perspective.” It’s free, and on the web so it’s available everywhere. It takes place Thursday, April 19, 12:30 – 1:30 (MST). Register here.

Alumni event

Get Flatiron fever at your 50-year reunion May 10-11

Celebrate your 50-year reunion during a fun-packed two days on the beautiful Boulder campus.

Register now.

Buff Stuff

Where do you keep your CU Diploma?

Your CU degree is a proud accomplishment. Display your diploma with an image of the Flatirons to strike up conversations with present and future Buffs. Learn more here. Order by Friday, April 20 for free shipping.

Contest Corner

Win a CU baseball cap

Answer the question correctly for a chance to win a CU baseball cap. Which of the following Forever Buffs play in the NBA? Check out the March issue of the Coloradan online for the scoop.

A. Nate Tomlinson
B. Sabatino Chen
C. Cory Higgins (A&S’11)

Roaming Buffs

Ancient Civilizations

Join us as we travel to Greece, Egypt, Israel, Cyprus and Turkey Nov 4 – 15. Each destination has a different story to share as we learn about their ancient legends, traditions and cultures. For a detailed brochure contact Clark Oldroyd at 303-492-5640 or Go Next at 800-842-9023, or go to our travel website.

CU Book Store

Display the glory of our Buffs!

Celebrate the Colorado Buffaloes Pac-12 tournament victory with this print on the left! Purchase it and receive a poster FREE!

Go to the CU Book Store.

Please send your thoughts and reactions about Forever Buffs Insider to the editor, Marc.

The Alumni Association thanks our sponsors

Your CU degree is a proud accomplishment. Display your diploma with an image of the Flatirons to strike up conversations with present and future Buffs. Learn more here.

Enjoy the annual tree walk on cu-boulder campus

Join the always entertaining and enlightening Alan Nelson, CU senior grounds specialist, on the Tree Walk to learn about the campus arboretum. As senior ground specialist, Nelson has been conducting this popular tour for more than 20 years. Some of the trees, including the majestic 100-year-old cottonwood outside Old Main, are native to this region, while others were imported from the east coast, the southern U.S., Europe and Asia, and are rarely seen in Colorado except on CU grounds.

The tour departs from the west steps of Norlin Library on Wednesday, May 2 at 5 p.m. and will be followed by a reception at the CU Heritage Center and a presentation on notable trees by Kathleen Alexander, city of Boulder forester.

This event is free to the public.

Come rain or shine!

This FREE event is co-sponsored by the CU Heritage Center, the city of Boulder and CU Facilities Management.