CSI/CUNY News Release
	For Immediate Release

CSI celebrates Alumni & Community Day

Staten Island, NY – October 23, 2004 – On Saturday, October 23, 2004, the College of Staten Island Alumni Association holds their 4th Annual Alumni & Community Day. Former College of Staten Island (CSI), SICC and Richmond College graduates, faculty, staff and friends will reunite for a day of presentations and Celebration of Excellence Luncheon.

Moving beyond its nearly 50,000 alumni, CSI opens its doors to all community members for a morning filled with fun and friends, and the opportunity to explore and learn from one of many informative presentations.

Presentations at 10 a.m. include:

***In Pursuit of Happiness, by George Stern, Jr.
All human actions are directed toward happiness. But, what is it? How can we work to become happier? Is there a difference between happiness and pleasure? As a society, are we becoming happier? Why, or why not? Can money buy happiness? These are some of the issues that will be explored in this stimulating presentation. For over 25 years, Professor George Stern, Jr. has been studying the factors that impact human behavior and performance. He has written a number of articles on motivation and performance and a book entitled: What Do You Think? He produces and hosts a weekly TV show, The Thinking Mind, and has been characterized as a creative, dynamic, and energetic speaker.

***Where's the Melody? by William Bauer
There's so much going on in jazz, that sometimes it¹s hard to know what to focus on. Let Dr. William Bauer lead you through to the other side. Guitarist, recording artist, and composer Jimmy Prav (Pravasilis '03) of Groove Assault will perform. He has most recently performed with actor, singer Danny Aiello. Assistant Professor William R. Bauer, PhD coordinates the Music Program in CSI's Department of Performing and Creative Arts. An expert on the jazz vocal tradition, Dr. Bauer is the author of Open The Door: The Life and Music of Betty Carter and the groundbreaking article on scat singing that appeared last spring in Current Musicology.

Presentations at 11 a.m. include:

***Touring Mars and Saturn 2004 by Irving Robbins
New spacecraft have landed on Mars and are encircling Saturn. President Bush has ordered NASA to undertake a manned journey to Mars. How these planets may impact our future will be highlighted. Irving K. Robbins is an Associate Professor of Physics and Astronomy and Director of the Astrophysical Observatory at CSI. He is currently directing a program at the Observatory to track near Earth objects (i.e., asteroids and comets) that might hit the Earth and cause global devastation. He is also a principal investigator for the new space science efforts and a CUNY baccalaureate that was formed by two grants from NASA to CUNY valued at about $1.5 million.

***Imagining Immigrants: New Immigrants in Fiction and Film by Dalia Kandiyoti
In this broad look at new forms of writing and films about immigrant lives, Dr. Dalia Kandiyoti discusses creative works of the recent period. Fiction and films about Latin American, Asian, and Middle Eastern immigrant and diaspora experiences offer new forms of storytelling as well as transformative ideas on migration U.S. literature. These works take us outside of the linguistic, literary, and social frame through which American culture is usually viewed and raise crucial questions about belonging and culture. Dr. Dalia Kandiyoti has published articles on diaspora and gender issues in U.S. and Latin American literatures. She is currently working on a manuscript about the idea of place in diaspora writing.

Presentations at Noon include:

***What's So Funny about Suffering? Humor & Health: An Interactive Workshop by Irene Deitch
The role of humor as a legitimate mechanism for coping with life's challenges has been underutilized, under-researched, & misunderstood. In this program, we will demonstrate our capacity for fun, joy, play, laughter, and humor, in the face of personal conflicts and crisis. We will develop and apply appropriate, positive, emotional strategies to reduce tension or upset. Dr. Irene Deitch is a CSI Professor of Psychology (Emerita) and former Director of OPTIONS: College Study Program for Older Adults. In 40 years of teaching, she introduced the courses Psychology of Death and Dying, Group Dynamics, and Psychology of Aging and Adult Development to the College curriculum. Dr. Deitch, a licensed psychologist and psychotherapist, was co-founder of the Richmond County Psychological Association.

***Fun and Games in Twentieth-Century America by Ralph G. Giordano
Throughout the 20th Century, America underwent rapid change, from horses and buggies to the arrival of the Internet. But Americans have always needed time for relaxation and recreation. Ralph G. Giordano, will discuss the developments of leisure time through the 20th Century and how American culture has intertwined with leisure time. Ralph G. Giordano is an Adjunct Professor of History at CSI. He holds a license as a professional Registered Architect in the State of New York and a Master of Arts in History. His previous published works include three entries on the architecture of the Gilded Age, and biographical entries on John Deere and Levi Strauss. He has also contributed articles to several historical journals.

Alumni and Community Day 2004 at CSI on Saturday October, 23, begins with coffee and registration at 9 a.m. After the faculty and alumni presentations, everyone will join together to share stories and memories, and make new friends, during the Celebration of Excellence luncheon at 1 p.m. and at 3 p.m., WSIA 88.9 fm, the college's student-run community radio station, holds a reunion for past volunteers and staffers.

Attending the the presentations and luncheon cost $20 per person, and reservations are required. Retired CSI faculty and staff members may attend free of charge.

For additional information about Alumni and Community Day or to make reservations, contact Francine Raggi, director of the CSI Alumni Association at (718) 982-2290 by Thursday, October 21.
 

The College of Staten Island (CSI) is a senior college of The City University of New York (CUNY), the nation’s leading urban university. CSI offers 35 academic programs, 15 graduate degree programs, and challenging doctoral programs to 12,000 students.

The 204-acre landscaped campus of CSI, the largest in NYC, is fully accessible and contains an advanced, networked infrastructure to support technology-based teaching, learning, and research. For more information, visit www.csi.cuny.edu

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