Author Archives: Melissa Anderson

Historical Uchida Hall reopens

The Fall semester started with the reopening of Yoshihiro Uchida Hall after an in-depth renovation that started in Spring 2013 as part of a $54.7 million bond-financed project that also includes the renovation of Spartan Complex, which began over the summer. The space will be shared by San José State University Athletics and the College of Applied Sciences and Arts Kinesiology department.

The newly renovated space has a refurbished mat room that will be used by SJSU Judo, which has a history of training Olympic athletes. The space will be shared with other Kinesiology courses that use floor mats, such as yoga. The building has an amphitheater that is already being used by several large classes for the Fall semester. It was used by the College of Applied Sciences and Arts for the college-wide Fall Welcome Assembly hosted by Interim Dean Alice Hines for as many as 150 faculty and staff. On the second floor, the roof of the amphitheater has been designed as a terrace garden that looks out toward Tower Lawn.

The building has an updated weight training classroom, an exercise physiology research lab, stress management lab and classroom, and an updated instructional gymnasium. The building has additional office space that is being used jointly by Kinesiology faculty and staff, along with the Athletics Department.

A tentative event is being planned in November to rededicate the building and to honor its namesake, Yoshihiro Uchida, who has taught and coached Judo at SJSU since the 1940s.

For photos of the new space since the start of classes, visit http://blogs.sjsu.edu/today/2014/yosh-uchida-hall-renewed/

School of Information student group recognized

The Special Libraries Association, an organization that is focused on knowledge requirements and competencies for those in the field of library science, recognized the San Jose State University SLA student chapter.

SLA recognized the SJSU College of Applied Sciences and Arts School of Information Chapter for creative use of electronic resources, outstanding leadership and innovative programming.

“SLA’s student groups are the starting point for SLA’s future leaders,” said Janice Lachance, SLA CEO, in a press release. “It is our goal to get them involved early and often so they can get on the fast track before they complete their library and information science programs.”

The School of Information student group is unique in that the students are part of a completely online program that spans three continents and partners with several SLA chapters and divisions. The SOI group was recognized for its use of Blackboard Collaborate to hold virtual meetings for the group as a whole while also using other resources such as Google Hangouts, Google Drive, and Blackboard IM messaging service for smaller committee or subcommittee meetings.  The group’s membership increased from 8 members in 2013 to 66 this year.

The group was also recognized for events it hosted including a webinar on alternative career paths and a colloquia lecture on big data.

The Student Group Certificate of Merit is recommended by SLA’s Student and Academic Affairs Advisory Council.

In June 2014, the American Library Association student chapter at SOI was also recognized as chapter of the year.

For more information on the College of Applied Sciences and Arts School of Information, visit: http://ischool.sjsu.edu/

Dwight Bentel Hall to reopen Sept. 2

Provost Andrew Feinstein announced on Aug. 29 that Dwight Bentel Hall (DBH) will reopen on Tuesday, Sept. 2. Classes that were temporarily relocated last week will return to their originally scheduled classes in DBH. Faculty and staff who requested temporary office space in other buildings on campus can also return to their regular work spaces in DBH.

CASA Interim Dean Alice Hines sent out a college-wide email notice Friday evening to faculty alerting them that their classes will resume in DBH next week, including a spreadsheet with the original classroom assignments, which is also attached here. Faculty members were directed to send out notices on Canvas to their students alerting them that classes will be moved back to DBH.

The CASA Dean’s Office staff will post notices in the temporary classrooms on Tuesday morning to ensure that all students and faculty are aware of the reopening of DBH and the location of their original classroom.

DBH Classroom assignmentsF2014 (PDF)

Linda Levine earns ‘Outstanding Faculty Award’ from Quarterback Club

Linda Levine received the Outstanding Faculty Award from the SJSU Quarterback Club at the first football game of the season.

Linda Levine received the Outstanding Faculty Award from the SJSU Quarterback Club at the first football game of the season.

Linda Levine, a Health Science and Recreation professor, in the College of Applied Sciences and Arts at San José State University was awarded the Outstanding Faculty Award by the SJSU Quarterback Club for her many years of inspiring and supporting Student Athletes. She was celebrated on the football field during the first game of the season on Thursday, Aug. 28 against North Dakota. She enjoyed the game and fireworks from the Provost’s box and routed home a 42-10 win.

Nursing student elected to Delta Sigma Phi Grand Council

Felix Navarro, a student in the College of Applied Sciences and Arts’ Valley Foundation School of Nursing, has been  elected to the Grand Council, only the second person from San José State University to represent Delta Sigma Phi on a national level. The council consists of nine members, two of whom are undergraduate students, who serve on the fraternity’s national board of directors.

“I will be serving as one of nine board members that help guide the direction and overall growth of Delta Sigma Phi,” he said, via email. “Several key goals I would like to accomplish during my two-

Felix Navarro, a student in the College of Applied Sciences and Arts’ Valley Foundation School of Nursing, has been elected to the Grand Council, only the second person from San Jose State University to represent Delta Sigma Phi on a national level. The council consists of nine members, two of whom are undergraduate students, who serve on the fraternity’s national board of directors. “I will be serving as one of nine board members that help guide the direction and overall growth of Delta Sigma Phi,” he said, via email. “Several key goals I would like to accomplish during my two-year term are to improve national communication for subsequent chapters and to improve alumni retention and involvement across the country.” Navarro has been a member of Delta Sigma Phi since he was a freshman in 2010. This year marks his fourth year with the fraternity. “Being a part of Delta Sigma Phi has been the gift of a lifetime,” he said. “In addition to the many transferable skills the organization has taught me with its numerous leadership programs, I have been able to create everlasting bonds of friendship with my chapter brothers. Making great memories and serving the SJSU community with these gentlemen is my favorite part of being a lifetime member.” As a student, Navarro said the skills he’s learned from the leadership activities have helped him on the hospital floor when he interacts with staff and patients during the clinical rotations required of nursing students. “Being part of the Grand Council will allow me to further sharpen these skills and meet many different people from across the country,” he said. “Working and interacting with these diverse individuals can and will only make me a better nurse, especially as a California nurse, where most patients are from a variety of different backgrounds.” He said he also hoped his role as a national board member would help to focus some positive attention on San Jose State University. “I believe that having an SJSU student serve on a national board of directors for a multi-million dollar nonprofit organization shows what kinds of leaders San Jose State is building,” he said. “It shows the kind of leadership qualitied and capabilities the College of Applied Sciences and Arts – especially Nursing – instills in its students.” Many of the members of the Grand Council are presidents, vice presidents or partners at their firms. In addition to his leadership role in Delta Sigma Phi and the challenging course load of the Nursing program, Navarro works as a peer advisor in the College of Applied Sciences and Arts’ Student Success Center.

Felix Navarro, a student in the College of Applied Sciences and Arts’ Valley Foundation School of Nursing, has been elected to the Grand Council.

year term are to improve national communication for subsequent chapters and to improve alumni retention and involvement across the country.”

Navarro has been a member of Delta Sigma Phi since he was a freshman in 2010. This year marks his fourth year with the fraternity.

“Being a part of Delta Sigma Phi has been the gift of a lifetime,” he said. “In addition to the many transferable skills the organization has taught me with its numerous leadership programs, I have been able to create everlasting bonds of friendship with my chapter brothers. Making great memories and serving the SJSU community with these gentlemen is my favorite part of being a lifetime member.”

As a student, Navarro said the skills he’s learned from the leadership activities have helped him on the hospital floor when he interacts with staff and patients during the clinical rotations required of nursing students.

“Being part of the Grand Council will allow me to further sharpen these skills and meet many different people from across the country,” he said. “Working and interacting with these diverse individuals can and will only make me a better nurse, especially as a California nurse, where most patients are from a variety of different backgrounds.”

He said he also hoped his role as a national board member would help to focus some positive attention on SJSU.

“I believe that having an SJSU student serve on a national board of directors for a multi-million dollar nonprofit organization shows what kinds of leaders San José State is building,” he said. “It shows the kind of leadership qualitied and capabilities the College of Applied Sciences and Arts – especially Nursing – instills in its students.”

Many of the members of the Grand Council are presidents, vice presidents or partners at their firms.

In addition to his leadership role in Delta Sigma Phi and the challenging course load of the Nursing program, Navarro works as a peer advisor in the College of Applied Sciences and Arts’ Student Success Center.