African-American Students of the University of California Ask for Changes

University of California, Riverside hosts annual conference of African Black Coalition; UC President Mark Yudof Takes Questions

(May 1, 2010)

NEWS MEDIA CONTACT

Name: Kris Lovekin
Tel: (951) 827-2495
E-mail: kris.lovekin@ucr.edu

Enlarge

UC President Mark Yudof takes questions via video from students attending the African Black Coalition conference at UC Riverside. Photo credit: Peter Phun.

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (www.ucr.edu) -- About 600 students from the nine undergraduate campuses of the University of California gathered at UC Riverside for the annual conference of the African Black Coalition, a student group advocating for the success and empowerment of black students on UC campuses.

Today, on the second day of the conference, the students had a chance to question the top official of the University of California, Mark Yudof, about issues of diversity. Yudof appeared via a video link, and fielded pointed questions from the students about whether he would commit specific financial resources to support more classes, programs and financial aide for students of color.

“Campus climate is about a sense of belonging,” said Yudof, who spent 40 years as a civil rights attorney. “It is about a sense that you are welcome, that you are supported and that you are safe. That is your right as students, to a safe, respectful and welcoming campus climate.”

He offered his personal commitment to increase diversity among the students, staff and faculty, to offer more diversity training for police officers and others on the campuses, to use surveys to measure campus climate, to urge chancellors to make diversity offices effective. He also committed to continue a dialogue with these specific students later this month at his office in Oakland.

To a request that he create African American Studies programs on each campus, Yudof pointed out that the authority for specific classes belongs to the faculty on each campus. He also said that working to address problems of societal racism would not be quick or easy. “I admire your commitment, and I admire your passion.”

“Many things are done at a campus level but I can be here to push, to prod, to urge, and to verbally beat people over the head if it doesn’t get done in a reasonable period of time,” he said.

To a request that he lower fees students, he said that a group was looking at ways to ease the financial burden for low-income families. He pointed to the current Blue and Gold Opportunity, which covers UC fees entirely for families earning less than $70,000 per year.

Other speakers Saturday included Christopher Edley, Jr., dean of the UC Berkeley School of Law, and college administrator and scholar, Edward Bush.

Bush asked students to remember their ancestors, many of whom came to the U.S. on slave ships. "Their dreams must have included the future, and that's you. They paid the price. You are the hopes and dreams of all that came before you. It is an awesome privilege and an awesome responsibility."

This seventh annual conference was organized by a committee of students at the University of California, Riverside, the fifth most diverse public research university in the nation, according to U.S. News and World Report. The students had help from the African Student Programs office, as well as support from the Chancellor’s office.

Workshop topics during the three day conference ranged from career development to international politics, goal-setting, student activism, health issues and how to increase the diversity of graduate schools. Students also held poetry jams, talent shows and other social events.

This year’s conference theme is "Be the Change You Wish to See in the World."
UC Riverside Chancellor Timothy P. White, Vice Chancellor Jim Sandoval and Riverside Mayor Ron Loveridge helped welcome attendees.

Chancellor White acknowledged the frustration about the state's fiscal crisis was creating difficult issues, and making the UC system less affordable. But he challenged the students to leave a legacy. "Improve for all who follow you the halls of learning, for your siblings and your children."

Enlarge

Students listen to speakers at the African Black Coalition conference at UC Riverside. Photo credit: Peter Phun.

Enlarge

Edward Bush, a college administrator and scholar, makes a point during his talk at the African Black Coalition conference at UC Riverside. Photo credit: Peter Phun.

Enlarge

Chancellor Timothy P. White welcomes the 600 registered students from all over the UC system to a three-day conference at UC Riverside. Photo credit: Peter Phun.

RELATED LINKS

• Diversity resources at UC
• UC Riverside diversity resources
• Factsheet about UC Diversity

The University of California, Riverside (www.ucr.edu) is a doctoral research university, a living laboratory for groundbreaking exploration of issues critical to Inland Southern California, the state and communities around the world. Reflecting California's diverse culture, UCR's enrollment of over 19,000 is expected to grow to 21,000 students by 2020. The campus is planning a medical school and has reached the heart of the Coachella Valley by way of the UCR Palm Desert Graduate Center. The campus has an annual statewide economic impact of more than $1 billion.

A broadcast studio with fiber cable to the AT&T Hollywood hub is available for live or taped interviews. To learn more, call (951) UCR-NEWS.

---

(AfricanBlackCoaliation) Statewide Conference being held at UC Riverside.

Here are the 3 workshops being presented & 1 general meeting. Please arrive 1 hour prior to the workshop you would like to participate in to allow yourself time to park and get to the workshop location.

1) Community Capacity - Building community alliances
2) Obtaining a UC Graduate education
3) Back in the day: Reflections from Alumni on their UC experience

Statewide Alumni Meeting - 12:30-1:30 Find out what is going on Statewide for the Black Alumni Associations.

10:00a - 10:50p SESSION (A)- Back in the day: Reflections from Alumni on their
UC experience INTN 1002
11:00a - 11:50a SESSION (B)- Grad school, HUB 379
1:40p - 2:30p SESSION (C) - UC Statewide Black Alumni Coalition - Strengthening
your capacity through community alliance, HUB 269

Please share your experience and answer questions from
students and alumni. If you would like to make a formal presentation or already have one
prepared based on your graduate research or other experience that pertain to the workshops being presented please let me know and we can incorporate it into the Alumni workshops.

The University of California African Black Coalition is an organization whose function is for black students at all the University of California schools to unite and solve issues concerning academic policy, social atmosphere at the campuses, and matriculation of black students to the University. As Black/African students have formed either an African and/or Black student union on each campus, the name African Black Coalition denotes the unity between both the Black and African student unions that exist throughout the UC system.

For more information please contact:
Krystal Cooper
Chair, UCR Black Alumni Association
http://www.twitter.com/ucrblackalumni
http://www.facebook.com/ucrblackalumni
http://www.ucrblackalumni.org
http://www.ucrblackalumni.blogspot.com
ucrblackalumni@gmail.com
323-393-0278

The Afrikan Student Union at UCLA is hiring a new full-time Project Director

Hello All,

The Afrikan Student Union at UCLA is hiring a new full-time Project
Director for the Academic Supports Program for 2010-2011. Please see
attached flier for details and preferred qualifications. If you are
interested or if you know anyone who may be interested please forward the
email. The applications are due Friday, April 16, 2010 at 5pm.


Thanks,
Leslie



Leslie Schnyder

Director
Academic Supports Program
UCLA Student Retention Center

UCLA Community Programs Office
220 Westwood Plaza, Suite 105
Mailcode: 145406
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1454
310.825.9342 (P)
310.206.3175 (F)

Evangelical Pastors and Obama Election Discussed

April 7 lecture by Jonathan Walton, UCR religious studies professor, will address relationships between evangelical pastors and President Obama’s candidacy.
(March 23, 2010)
NEWS MEDIA CONTACT
Name: Bettye Miller
Tel: (951) 827-7847
E-mail: bettye.miller@ucr.edu


Jonathan L. Walton
RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Jonathan L. Walton, assistant professor of religious studies at UC Riverside, will examine varying responses to and relationships between prominent evangelical pastors and the successful candidacy of President Obama in a public lecture on Wednesday, April, 7, at 4:30 p.m. His lecture, “Stationed in the King’s Court: Evangelicals in the Age of Obama,” will be held in Interdisciplinary Building 1113. Admission is free. Parking costs $5.

Walton will pay particular attention to the expanding roles of Texas megachurch pastors Bishop T.D. Jakes and Kirby John Caldwell, juxtaposing their now-consistent role in presidential politics against the protest-oriented evangelicalism that nurtured President Obama’s own faith.

The author of “Watch This! The Ethics and Aesthetics of Black Televangelism” (New York University Press), Walton also is the resident ethicist on “the Tavis Smiley Show” on radio and is a contributing editor to Religion Dispatches, a daily online magazine aimed at advancing progressive conversation regarding religion in the world today. He earned a Ph.D. in religion and society and an M.Div. from Princeton Theological Seminary, and a B.A. in political science from Morehouse College in Atlanta.

The event is part of the Lyceum Lecture series presented by UCR’s Center for Ideas and Society. The series provides an opportunity for the community to hear from a prominent member of the UCR faculty.

UCR Biochemistry student Taylor Booker is a SHERO!

Original Link Here:

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/east_bay&id=7347357
Stroke victim saved by East Bay college student
Tuesday, March 23, 2010


Carolyn Tyler
More: Bio, E-mail, News Team

HERCULES, CA (KGO) -- A wrong number proved to be the right call for an elderly woman who had suffered a stroke at her home in Richmond.

The college student accidentally reached is now being hailed as hero. The young woman's quick thinking saved a life hundreds of miles away.

Annie Turner suffered a stroke. It has left her partially paralyzed and her speech impaired.

She fell in her bedroom last month, grabbed the phone and began to dial. She thought she was calling a friend, but instead her call reached 18-year-old Taylor Booker, who was in a dorm at U.C. Riverside hundreds of miles away.

"At the time I thought, 'Oh, this is was a prank call. It's somebody playing a joke, I'm just going to hang up,'" said Booker. "It is a Friday night. A lot of people play around, especially in college. I just remember the tone of her voice when she said 'help.'"

The 70-year-old former nurse and artist lives alone in Richmond. That misdialed call was the best mistake of her life. She reached a biochemistry major.

When asked if Booker knew Turner was having a stroke, Booker said, "I did, just by the tone of her voice because I've taken classes."

On Tuesday night, Booker received a commendation from the city of Hercules, her hometown. They honored her for having compassion and presence of mind.

The teenager had a friend call 911, while she gathered the basics from Turner like her name, a partial address, and she stayed on the line until paramedics arrived.

"I had her on speaker and I had the police department on the other line and they told me to keep her calm," said Booker.

Turner sent a card to the girl who may have saved her life, expressing some of the words she is not yet able to say.

Taylor may also receive a commendation from the city of Richmond and even the state may honor her.

UC Riverside is cited as a national example of achieving excellence through diversity

Full report here:http://wasc.ucr.edu/

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (www.ucr.edu) -- The Western Association of Schools and Colleges has cited UC Riverside as a national exemplar for achieving excellence through diversity of people, ideas, and programs. WASC also commended UCR for how student affairs and academic affairs work together.

The kudos came during a process of successfully accrediting UCR for another 10 years of operation.

“The campus can be very proud of this positive review and of the commendations by WASC,” said Chancellor Timothy P. White. “I was especially pleased that the Commission’s letter recognized both our strong focus on student learning and success and that ‘UCR lives its stated commitment to diversity.’”

This the sixth time since its founding in 1954 that UCR has earned accreditation from WASC, which measures success of the public schools and universities in the western portion of the United States.

The current cycle of site visits and self-study reports began in 2005, when the campus submitted a proposal that identified three themes for study:
• Learning within a campus culture of diversity
• Growing/improving graduate and professional programs
• Improving undergraduate student engagement, experience, and learning.

The WASC report also identified areas that need more improvement, including completing the strategic plan for the campus; conducting the assessment of student learning in the undergraduate majors and making changes in curricula where appropriate; and focused growth and assessment of graduate and professional programs.

"We should be very proud of the glowing comments made in the Commission Report about UCR's overall effectiveness in achieving its educational mission," said David Fairris, vice provost for undergraduate education and one of many people who worked hard to develop and report ways to measure student outcomes.

Community Call For Support and Participation_Crenshaw To College Day

Dear African-American and Latino UC Alumni:



On behalf of the College and Career Ninth Grade Academy (C2 Academy) at Crenshaw High School, I am writing to solicit your support and participation in C2 Academy’s inaugural “Crenshaw To College Day” on Monday – April 26, 2010 (description attached). Crenshaw To College Day is designed to inspire the youth in our community to develop the autonomy and efficacy to seriously prepare themselves for their post-secondary future. The Los Angeles Urban League really wants to ensure that this is a dynamic opportunity for the youth that we serve, but the only way that can happen is with your support and participation.



As a UC Alumnus (UC Berkeley ’88), I am reaching out to my African-American and Latino comprades to contribute to this effort by coming to Crenshaw High School to make classroom presentations highlighting: 1) your undergraduate or graduate UC experience and 2) your current profession or line of work and how your education prepared you for it.



The schedule for the Crenshaw to College Day (Monday – April 26, 2010) is as follows:






# of UC Alumni Volunteers Needed

Class Period 1


7:55 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.


5-10

Class Period 2


10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.


5-10

Class Period 3


12:15 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.


5-10

After School College Fair


2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.


We do need campus student group representation; alumni associations are also encouraged to participate



Even if you are not personally able to participate, whatever support you can provide with assisting the planning team with identifying and outreaching to other African-American and Latino UC Alums would be greatly appreciated. To that end, we ask that you please distribute this request as widely as you can to your UC Network in the Los Angeles Area (please don’t let USC and Stanford show us up!).

Please note that we want to reach out to any and all African-American and Latino University Alumni – so you don’t have to limit your distribution to UC Schools.



Thank you in advance for your consideration of this support request. For any questions or additional information, please contact Mr. Patrick Wise at patrick.wise@laul.org or (323) 299-9660, Extension 252.



Carlene Davis

Education Deputy

Los Angeles Urban League

At UC Riverside, African-American Students Are Staying and Succeeding

At UC Riverside, African-American Students Are Staying and Succeeding

African-American students at the University of California, Riverside continue beyond their first year and graduate at higher rates than any other ethnic group, according to the latest retention and six-year graduation figures.

A student celebrates success at UC Riverside's commencement
RIVERSIDE, Calif. (www.ucr.edu) -- African-American students at the University of California, Riverside continue beyond their first year and graduate at higher rates than any other ethnic group, according to the latest retention and six-year graduation figures.

African-Americans in the fall 2002 freshman class had a 73.9 percent graduation rate by 2008, while the overall campus graduation rate was 64.3 percent. Their first-year retention rate was 92.8 percent, while the campus persistence rate was 84.9 percent.

Nationwide, about 54 percent of full-time students at four-year public universities graduate in six years, but the rate for African-Americans is 38 percent, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

“I’m delighted to see concrete evidence of what we have known anecdotally – that our African-American students are doing as well, or in many instances, better, than UCR students overall,” said UCR Chancellor Timothy P. White. “However, our goal is to further increase both retention and graduation rates for African-American students as well as for all student groups.”

Campus officials are not entirely sure why African-Americans do so well at UCR, but they believe a critical factor is that African-Americans feel comfortable on the campus, which is the most diverse in the UC system and was ranked fifth most diverse nationally by U.S. News and World Report.

“Critical mass matters,” said White, “and UCR’s undergraduate student body reflects the face of California.” African-Americans are 7 percent of UCR’s student body, not the 1 percent they are on some college campuses.

A 2008 system-wide survey of undergraduate UC students found that a higher percentage of African-Americans on the UCR campus reported that “students of my race/ethnicity are respected on this campus” than their counterparts at any other UC campus

At UCR a total of 71 percent of African-American men responding said this was true as did 83 percent of African-American women. In the overall UC system only 58 percent of male African-Americans and 63 percent of female African-Americans agreed.

In the same survey 91 percent of all UCR undergraduates responding compared to 83 percent of UC system undergraduates agreed that “diversity is important on this campus.”

“We have a campus culture committed to the success of all students, and it shows,” said David Fairris, vice provost for undergraduate education. “For example, our Fast Start summer program for disadvantaged students interested in medical or science careers greatly increases success in the gateway science courses, and our freshmen transition programs have been found to significantly increase first-year retention, especially for women and under-represented minorities.”

African-American students in engineering and the hard sciences have lower retention and graduation rates than those in the social sciences and arts, but this is true for all ethnic groups.

At a recent Board of Regents meeting, White said that eliminating all gaps in gradation rates is a “defining feature of UCR’s commitment to excellence through diversity” and he reported data showing that for the past several years UCR is outperforming peer institutions nationally in this regard.

Community Forum being held saturday 2/20 at 1:30pm

Community Forum being held to talk about recent events and how to move forward to improve the campus climate being held at UCSD. The meeting location will be in the cross-cultural learning center library in Price Center east.

NBC San Diego Coverage of Students on UCSD Campus

Mark G. Yudof: Intolerance on Campus

rom Yudof’s facebook notes.

As president of the University and as a scholar of the First Amendment, I have always taken great pride in the richness and variety of voices on our campuses. A university is a special place for the exchange of views and ideas, and it is critical that our policies be conducive to a spirited intellectual life. It is also important that members of the university community conduct themselves with civility and with tolerance for the diverse groups that make up our campuses. Two recent events, one on- campuses and one off-campus, violate those policies and deserve the strongest possible condemnation.

When a small group of students at UC Irvine attempted to shout down Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren, they were not engaging, as some have claimed, in “free speech.” Quite the opposite. The constitution does not protect the right to suppress the speech of others. Chancellor Michael Drake issued a strong statement condemning the students’ behavior. In addition to being arrested, the students will face campus disciplinary processes. It is ironic that the same students whose speech rights Chancellor Drake protected, despite the incendiary nature of many of the views expressed, apparently don’t think that those who have a different point of view have the freedom to express themselves on campus. So that members of the UC community can constructively and respectfully air their differences, Chancellor Drake has also instituted a series of discussions.(http://www.chancellor.uci.edu/100217_civility.php) I fully support Chancellor Drake’s actions.

I was also deeply distressed by an off-campus racist event involving a small group of UCSD students this past weekend mocking the commemoration of Black History Month. This behavior is offensive not only to the African-American community, but to all who are dedicated to the principles of diversity and civility that must prevail on any campus. Chancellor Marye Anne Fox condemned the incident in the strongest terms and has also instituted campus disciplinary proceedings. (http://diversity.ucsd.edu/statement.html) Chancellor Fox has also scheduled a teach-in to be held next week so that members of the UCSD community may learn from the incident. As university officials noted, “The remedy for dangerous, offensive or extreme speech is more speech, not less.” I fully support Chancellor Fox and endorse the efforts of all who are working to heal the wounds caused by these two incidents.

NAACP LA speaks out on UCSD Injustice

NAACP NEWS




Leon Jenkins Contact : Vacie Thomas

President, Los Angeles NAACP 310-397-1171



PRESS RELEASE
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN DIEGO

WILL NOT COMMIT TO SANCTIONING, OR PUNISHING THOSE WHO ENGAGED IN RACIST AND DISCRIMINATORY ACTS AGAINST AFRICAN-AMERICAN STUDENTS
It has come to the attention of the Southern California community that members of the University of California San Diego’s IFC mostly PIKE Fraternity over the President Day holiday weekend threw a racially incendiary party in dishonor of Black History month, aka “Compton Cookout.” This event was intended and did expose the true feeling of a group of people, who either are racist, who acted out their beliefs, or people who say they are not racist, but engaged in acts that were racist.
However, the acts and actions of these individual students is not as applauding to the broader African-American community than: (1) Where this incident took place, which was at the University of California San Diego, and (2) The response of the University Officials and its faculty. This is so because universities are general places of tolerance, enlightenment, and social acceptance. Further the UCs are public universities supported by taxpayers, and should reflect the melting pot of people, who make up the diverse State of California.

Secondly, when racist acts are tolerated in our public and private schools, and university by our young students and adults there should be a higher sense of urgency to arrest such acts and actions, because no school or university should be seen as condoning, tolerating, or acquiescing in racist conduct, since these are our learning institutions, and one of the primary tenets of education is the display and teaching of equality for all persons.

The University president and faculty by not expressing that sanctions would be imposed on individuals engaging in these racist acts and actions send a less than clear message that such future reckless or intentional behavior will not be tolerated, which may embolden the perpetrators, and future perpetrators beliefs that they will not suffer any serious consequences concerning acts of discrimination and racism, which may cause such actors to act out their racist tendencies in the future.
This is so frightening because the entire San Diego campus has approximately 450 African-American students out of a student population of 22,500. This makes an already bad campus climate for African-American students even more frightening. Without a stronger stance by the university president and its faculty the University of California San Diego is expressly telling California that African-Americans are not welcome there.

More people speak out on the UCSD "Compton Cook Out"

Assemblymember Isadore Hall, III
Assistant Speaker pro Tempore
52nd Assembly District
State Capitol, Room 6025 ˜ Sacramento, CA 95814
2200 W. Artesia Boulevard, Suite 210 ˜ Compton, CA 90220
www.assembly.ca.gov/hall

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Terry Schanz
February 17, 2010 916-319-2052
MEDIA ADVISORY
Assemblymember Isadore Hall, III Stands with
Fellow Legislators in Condemning Racist and Sexist “Compton Cookout” Event
Hall to join members of the Asian Pacific Islander, Black, Latino, LGBT and Women’s Caucuses in calling for action against intolerance

SACRAMENTO – Assistant Speaker pro Tempore Isadore Hall, III (D-Compton) will stand unified with fellow legislators to publicly condemn a racially offensive student event hosted this past weekend by students of UC San Diego.

The event called the, ‘Compton Cookout’ was organized by members of various Greek fraternal organizations and encouraged participants to mock Black History Month by promoting negative and offensive racial and gender stereotypes.

Text of the ‘Compton Cookout’ invitation is attached for reference.

Legislators will call upon university officials to investigate the organizers of the event and determine what sanctions; including suspension should be taken against the fraternity or fraternities responsible for the event.

WHO: Assistant Speaker pro Tempore Isadore Hall, III (D- Compton)
Speaker Karen Bass (D- Los Angeles)
Speaker-Elect John A. Pérez (D – Los Angeles)
Members of the Asian Pacific Islander, Black, Latino, LGBT and Women’s
Caucuses

WHAT: Press conference condemning racist and sexist ‘Compton Cookout’ held by students of UC San Diego.

WHERE: South Steps, State Capitol
Sacramento, CA

WHEN: Thursday, February 18, 2010
11:00 AM or upon adjournment of Floor session
# # #

UCR Black Alumni Reunion Rescheduled

UCR Black Alumni Reunion Rescheduled.Beginning June 4th and culminating June 6th with UCR Black Graduation.

Yolanda Moses one of 8 UCR Researchers recognized for American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Eight UCR Faculty Members Recognized by the American Association for the Advancement of Science
Two alumni honored as 2009 AAAS Fellows
(December 17, 2009)
NEWS MEDIA CONTACT
Name: Iqbal Pittalwala
Tel: (951) 827-6050
E-mail: iqbal@ucr.edu




Enlarge
Top row, left to right: Eric L. Chronister, Timothy Close, Richard J. Debus, and Darleen A. DeMason; bottom row, left to right: Timothy W. Lyons, Yolanda Moses, Walid A. Najjar, and Daniel Schlenk.
RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Eight researchers at the University of California, Riverside have been named fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Including this year’s fellows, the total number of UCR faculty members who have been recognized with AAAS Fellow distinction is 180.

Election as a fellow is an honor bestowed upon AAAS members by their peers. This year AAAS gave this honor to 531 of its members “because of their scientifically or socially distinguished efforts to advance science or its applications.”

The 2009 AAAS Fellows at UCR are:

Eric L. Chronister, a professor of chemistry: “For distinguished contributions to the study of dynamics in molecular solids, particularly ultrafast spectroscopic studies of molecular materials under extreme temperature and pressure conditions.”

Timothy Close, a professor of genetics: “For exemplary pioneering research, and international service and leadership in the field of crop genomics.”

Richard J. Debus, a professor of biochemistry: “For distinguished contributions to our understanding of the photosynthetic oxygen-evolving process and for instruction in all levels of biochemistry curriculum.”

Darleen A. DeMason, a professor of botany: “For pioneering research into germination and development of plants and exemplary leadership in campus administration and professional societies.”

Timothy W. Lyons, a professor of biogeochemistry: “For distinguished contributions to biogeochemistry, particularly for the development of key geochemical redox proxies which track the evolution of Earth's surface chemistry through geologic time.”

Yolanda Moses, a professor of anthropology: “For distinguished contribution to anthropology, especially her work on race and racism, race and gender in higher education, and the leadership she has provided the profession.”

Walid A. Najjar, a professor of computer science and engineering: “For distinguished contributions to the fields of dataflow and reconfigurable computing architectures.”

Daniel Schlenk, a professor of aquatic ecotoxicology: “For distinguished contributions to the field of biochemical mechanistic toxicology.”

Two UC Riverside alumni were honored this year. Besides Moses ('75 M.A., ’76 Ph.D.), Craig Edward Jahr (’73 B.A.), now at Oregon Health & Science University, was named an AAAS fellow: "For opening up a new area in physiology by developing original approaches to study transmitter release, receptor activiation and transmitter clearance from synaptic cleft.”

New fellows will be presented with an official certificate and a gold and blue (representing science and engineering, respectively) rosette pin on Feb. 20 during the annual meeting of the AAAS next year in San Diego.

All the 2009 AAAS Fellows will be announced in the Dec. 18 issue of Science, a weekly magazine published by the AAAS.

The tradition of AAAS Fellows began in 1874. Currently, members can be considered for the rank of fellow if nominated by the steering groups of the AAAS’s sections; by three fellows; or by the association’s chief executive officer.

The AAAS is the world’s largest general scientific society. Founded in 1848, the association includes some 262 affiliated societies and academies of science, serving 10 million individuals.