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Show Wednesday, Oct. 3/, 2007 StatesmanCampus News Final dean candidate visits USU VSUExtension hosts Utah 4-H By LIZ LAWYER assistant news editor The third and final candidate for USU's Dean of Libraries is on campus for a two-day visit, and an open forum in the Merrill-Cazier Library yesterday. Gregg E. Sapp of the University of Albany in the State University of New York System spoke to a group made up mostly of library employees and administrators Tuesday. Sapp is head of the Science Library at the University of Albany. He has degrees from Western Washington University, University of Washington - Seattle and Montana State University. In addition to his time at Albany, he has held librarian positions at the University of Miami, Montana State and Idaho State University. He is the author of four books and several professional articles. Sapp said one of the first things he would do as Dean of Libraries at USU would be to look at the Merrill-Cazier Library's situation in the grand scheme of things. "One of the first things I would do is look at this library in context of the world of libraries and what they need to do," he said. Today is Sapp's second day on campus. The other two candidates, Anne E. Langley and Richard W. Clement, visited the campus and SAPP held their open forums in the weeks proceeding Sapp's visit. According to the Provost's Office's Web site, the dean of libraries "will provide dynamic and visionary leadership of the Merrill-Cazier Library." The position is one of academic leadership, and the individual chosen will have the rank of librarian, which is equivalent to the rank of professor, according to the Provost's Office's Web site. The dean will report to the Executive Vice President and Provost Ray Coward and will "represent the informational needs of constituents to the university.' -dizabeth,la\vyer@aggiemail.usu.edu Painter next guest in USU's visiting artist program P A I N T E R H U N G L I U will be visiting campus Nov. 5. Her paintings depict historical images, usually from photographs taken of Chinese subjects by foreigners, she said, photo COURTESY USU By USU MEDIA RELATIONS Painter Hung Liu is the next guest to visit USU's campus as part of the Department of Art's Visiting Artist Program. Liu will present a public lecture Monday, Nov. 5, at 7 p.m. in the Performance Hall on campus. USU art department programs are as part of the Caine School of the Arts, based in the College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences. The artist was born in Chang Chun, China, in 1948, and she was sent to the countryside of "proletarian reeducation" for four years during the Cultural Revolution. After earning a graduate degree and teaching at the Central Academy of Fine Art in Beijing, she was accepted into the graduate program in visual arts at the University of California, San Diego. She then waited four years for the Chinese government to issue her a passport. She finally arrived in the United States in 1984 and earned a master's of fine art degree in 1986. Since 1990, Liu has taught in the art department at Mills College in California, where she is a full professor. In addition to her evening lecture, Liu will meet with students in critiques Monday, Nov. 5, and present a workshop Tuesday, Nov. 6, from 9 a.m.-noon in Fine Arts Visual 209. All events are free and open to the public. "I paint from historical photographs, usually those taken of Chinese subjects by foreigners," Liu said. "These include 19th century images of Chinese female "types" — prostitutes, child street acrobats, war refugees and women laboring at such tasks as pulling a boat upriver, operating an industrial-scale loom and walking in circles (like mules) behind the handle of a millstone grinder." As a painter, Liu said she is interested in subjecting the documentary authority of historical photographs to the more reflective process of painting. "I want to both preserve and destroy the image," she said. "Much of the meaning of my painting comes from the way the washes and drips dissolve the photo-based images, opening them to a slbwerkind of looking, suggesting, perhaps, the cultural and personal narratives fixed in the photographic instant." Liu is a two-time recipient of a National. Endowment for the Arts Painting Fellowship (1989 and 1991). She has received a Society for the Encouragement of Contemporary Art Award (1992), a Eureka Fellowship (1993) and a Joan Mitchell Painting Fellowship (1998). In 2000, she received the Outstanding Alumna Award from the University of California, San Diego. Liu has exhibited widely throughout the United States and Asia. She is represented in New York by the Nancy Hoffman Gallery, in Miami by the Bernice Steinbaum Gallery and in San Francisco by the Rena Bransten Gallery. The Visiting Artist Program is funded by a grant from the Marie Eccles Caine Foundation. Additional funding is provided by the Utah Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Utah Arts Council, with funding from the state of Utah, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Teen Leadership Training By USU MEDIA RELATIONS USU Extension hosts the 2008 Utah 4-H Teen Leadership Training Conference Oct. 28-30. The conference is open to 9th throughl2th graders from around the state and is coordinated by the state 4-H ambassadors. John Paul Murphy, 4-H youth development specialist with USU Extension, has worked with Teen Leadership Training for more than 20 years. "It is such a treat for me to work with amazing youth from around the state," Murphy said. "What's even more exciting is to see participants walk away with tools to continue building their leadership skills in high school, college and throughout their lives." Registration begins at 6 p.m. on Oct. 28. Sunday night activities include a patriotic program with a flag ceremony by the Army ROTC Color Guard and a service project coordinated by the Utah National Guard Kids Teen Council. Participants will assemble "Hero Packs" that will be sent to children with deployed parents in the National Guard. On Tuesday, Don Olson, Salt Lake City attorney and former state ambassador, will deliver the keynote address. Workshops and breakout sessions will be held throughout the day Monday and Tuesday. Utah 4-H is active in every county serving urban and rural Utah youth with programs in robotics, leadership, GPS, legislature and more. Its action-oriented, educational program for youth and volunteer leaders is sponsored by USU Cooperative Extension Service. There are more than eight million 4-H members nationally with 98,269 youths participating in Utah in 2006. For more information, visit www.Utah4H.org. Los Angeles County fire that consumed 21 homes started by boy with matches SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (AP) - A boy playing with matches started a fire in north Los Angeles County that consumed more than 38,000 acres and destroyed 21 homes last week, authorities said Tuesday. The boy, whose name and age were not released, was interviewed a day after the Buckweed Fire was sparked Oct. 21, said sheriffs Sgt. Diane Hecht. "He admitted to playing with matches and accidentally starting the fire," said Hecht said in a statement. The boy was released to his parents, and the case will be be presented to the district attorney s office, Hecht said. She said she didn't know whether he was arrested or cited by detectives. The 60-square-mile fire began in an area near Agua Duke and quickly spread by fierce desert winds. It was among more than a dozen major wildfires that killed 14 people, destroyed some 2,100 homes, and blackened 809 square miles from Los Angeles to the Mexican border. Authorities arrested five people for arson during that period, but none have been linked to any of the major blazes. They said an arsonist also set a destructive wildfire in Orange County that blackened 28,500 acres and destroyed 16 homes. Investigators believe the blaze was deliberately set because they found two ignition points within a short dist a n c e - a common sign of arson. Authorities were seeking the driver of a white Ford F-150 pickup truck spotted in a canyon area around the time the fire broke out. They said they wanted to talk to the driver, but stopped short of calling the person a suspect. Officials offered a $285,000 reward to anyone with information that will lead to an arrest and conviction. Firefighters had surrounded all but four of the blazes late Tuesday, and the remaining ones were more than 90 percent contained. Art: Student artists sell their work to raise money for kids H continued from page 1 photography and had been happy to join Hicks and fellow founder Chuck Sheya at the last exhibit. "I thought it was a great idea," Arnold said. "I'd always wanted to do service like this, but I never knew how." More artists were featured at the second exhibit with paintings and photographs featuring subjects from portraits to landscapes to the devil. Student Dani Babbel said the paintings of the devil were her favorite because they were quirky and fun. The artists set a minimum bidding price on their pieces to cover the cost of materials with the rest being donated. Hicks said he wants to keep the donations going to local charities, and this time the money will go to Camp Hobe, a week-long summer camp for children with cancer and their siblings. Many of the volunteers who work at the camp are also USU students. Paul Larsen, senior in Spanish, spends his summers as the kids' program director for Camp Hobe. Students are able to come and spend a week away from treatments and can be kids again, Larsen said. Their siblings also have a chance to learn more about cancer and interact with others who are in similar situations. "Kids come out and we party all week," Larsen said. As the program is nonprofit, its funding comes through grants and donations, Larsen said. They are always accepting applications for volunteers and any donations. Hicks first heard about the camp through a fellow PAUL LARSEN A N D EMILY B O T T contributed art to be sold at the 'Art Exhibit to Save the World' held in student and thought it sounded like a great organizathe Taggart Student Center Sunburst Lounge Monday. The money raised at the exhibit went toward Camp Hobe, a tion for their group to donate to. summer camp for children with cancer. CAMERON PETERSON photo "We hope to generate enough momentum that other organizations in need can call or come to us, we Arnold, Sheya, Lisa Holbrook, Candice Green, Susie the group said they plan to hold the exhibits bi- or tridon't have to search for them," Hicks said. Motola, Anne Wallen, Mellissa Bowman, Jackson monthly and bring in some ceramics at the next show The 11 artists featured at the exhibit were Hicks, Olsen, Derrick Wall and Nick Hansen. Members of -alison.baugh@aggiemaiiusu edu Page 3 Briefs Campus & Community Best Singer Search coming to USU Wed. Utah's answer to American Idol, Kurt Bestor s Best Singer Search, is coming to USU in the Sunburst Lounge. Bestor, the popular composer and pianist will be in Lounge on Wednesday, Oct. 31, from 12 - 2 p.m. auditioning singers who hope to win the coveted competition. Singers will be competing for the grand prize which includes singing on stage at the 19th Annual Kurt Bestor Christmas Concert, attending a professional studio session with Bestor to record a piece specially arranged by Bestor himself, and receiving a trip to LA, including flight and hotel, to meet a record executive. "We're excited to have Kurt Bestor come to Logan. We've got a lot of really talented students here who are eager to audition for him," says Megan Smith, student and activities director at the Taggart Student Center. There will be no pre-registration. A singer wishing to compete will have to sign up on site, receive a number, and wait for that number to be called. Once that number is called, the singer will have a mere 60 seconds to get ready to perform. This will be strictly firstcome, first-served. According to Kevin Raleigh, Bestor's Los Angeles-based agent, "We are primarily judging vocal talent and stage presence. Once we have that, we can do a lot with that person." Hopefuls will have up to two minutes each in which to sing a number of their choice, a cappella, using the microphone and sound system provided. No musical accompaniment will be allowed. Bestor himself likes the idea of people having to perform with a bit of pressure. "When your number is called, you'd better be ready to knock our socks off," he chuckles. "I've been in some pressure situations myself, and for some reason, that's usually when I do my best." All those auditioning will receive a free Kurt Bestor CD, while supplies last. The auditions will be open to the general public. Those who are not interested in competing are encouraged to view the auditions at no charge. In addition, Logan performers will have the chance to audition in Salt Lake City, and Provo. From all the performers statewide, three finalists will be chosen. Those three will have the opportunity to compete in the grand competition on KSL-TV's Studio Five, between 11 a.m. and noon, on Nov. 28. The winner will then be announced on that show. For more information, please call contest press agent Pam Baumeister at 801-898-8458. Ongoing contest updates are also available at kurtbestor.com. Controversial play performs at USU The national tour of the play HN*GGER WETB*CK CH*NK," a show about respect, will be performed at USU Nov. 6 at 7:30 p.m. in the Kent Concert Hall. It is a performance that looks at words, peels away their meanings and examines who has the license to use them, said Keri Mecham, USU associate director of Student Involvement and Leadership Center. The conversation this acclaimed and controversial production will likely spawn regarding language and respect will continue into the following week during USU's Diversity Week, said Moises Diaz, director of Multicultural Student Services. Tickets for the production are now on sale and can be purchased at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum or the Taggart Student Center ticket offices. Some language in the performance may not be suitable for children under 13. Already performed at more than 70 university and college campuses nationwide, the production, with the subtitle "Three Hateful Words: A Dialogue on Language and Respect," will make three other stops in Utah, including Ogden, Salt Lake City and Park City. Poet Natasha Saje to visit USU, read work Award-winning poet Natasha Saje will read from her work at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 7, in the USU Haight Alumni Center. The event is part of the USU Department of English Speakers Series. Saje s first book | of poems, "Red SAj£ Under the Skin," was chosen from more than 900 manuscripts in 1994 to win the Agnes Lynch Starrett prize and was later awarded the Towson State Prize in Literature. Her second collection of poems, "Bend," was published by Tupelo Press in January 2004. IMCompiled from staff and media reports |