LehighNow Volume 03, Issue 05

              LEHIGHNOW
October 30, 2002
Volume 3, Issue 5
Umoja House moving
to more central location
IN BRIEF
HONORS/AWARDS
Alcoa grant
aids diversity
The Alcoa Foundation
has awarded Lehigh
University a $55,000
grant through Alcoa's
Campus Partnership
Program in support of
Lehigh's global and
diversity goals for the
2002-03 academic year.
The grant will support
several Lehigh initiatives,
including the Design Arts
Career Awareness
Program, the Cross-
Cultural Leadership
Development Model, the
Global Union, and Alcoa
Scholarships.
Since 1999, Alcoa's
"Campus Partnership
Program" has advanced
successful initiatives at
Lehigh University that
have contributed to the
diverse and multicultural
fabric of the campus.
The support Alcoa
provides to Lehigh
enables opportunities for
women and minorities,
and contributes to vital
university programs and
resources such as the
Women's Center, the
office of multicultural
affairs, the office of
international programs,
and special projects to
enhance Lehigh's cultural
and global communities.
"Lehigh is a more lively
and diverse place thanks
to the Alcoa Campus
Partnership Program,"
Lehigh president Gregory
C. Farrington says.
The Umoja House, which
has provided a supportive
community living experience for African-American,
Hispanic and other
students of color for 13
years, is moving to a larger
and more centrally located
space in Fall 2003.
The multicultural house
will relocate from the
Warren Square building it
has occupied since its
founding in 1989 to the
former Phi Delta Theta
house on Lower Sayer Park
Road. In addition to
providing more living space
and community dining for
Umoja House residents, the
new location also will offer
added room for cultural
and educational programs,
including the possibility of
some seminar courses
taught by faculty.
"Relocating Umoja House
to Lower Sayer Park Road
allows us to provide a
more centrally located
special interest housing
option, as well as an
expanded variety of
coeducational housing
options on the hill. This is
consistent with the goals of
the Residential Environment Report that the Board
of Trustees adopted in
1996 and affirmed in
1999," says Sharon K.
Basso, dean of students.
"The larger space and more
central location will enable
Umoja House to host
campus-wide multicultural
programs and social
events, and is expected to
increase the number of
alumni and former
residents who return to
participate in those events.
"A group of committed
students, including many
of the current Umoja House
residents, have signed on to
work with us as we engage
future residents and renovate
the facility. This is truly an
exciting time in the evolution
of Lehigh's community,"
Basso says.
Please See UMOJA, Page 3
Good Scholar
election
helps cancer
research
Organizers are hoping the
13lh annual Lehigh University
Good Scholar Election will
prove lucky for cancer
research.
Over the first 12 years, the
campaign has raised a total
of $327,800 for the Lehigh
Valley Chapter of the
American Cancer Society,
and organizers have set an
ambitious goal of $70,000 for
this fall's election.
The single-year record was
set two years ago, when the
election—sponsored by Theta
Delta Chi—raised $62,000.
Last year, in the wake of
September 11 and the
economic downturn, the
fundraiser brought in
$34,000.
This year's election
officially kicks off on
Sunday, Nov. 10, with the
Cancer Research Mile walk,
which begins at 2:45 p.m. at
the Alpha Phi house and
ends about an hour later at
Delta Sigma Phi. The election
ends on Monday, Nov. 24.
During the two weeks in
between, "polls" will be open
around campus, with one
dollar equaling one vote.
This year, there are 37
candidates representing
various campus organizations. Just like in a real
election, they had to meet
certain qualifying standards:
All candidates must have a
minimum GPA of 3.25, and
their organization must pay
a $100 entry fee. In addition
to the voting booths on
campus, "votes" also can be
raised from parents, friends,
relatives, alumni, faculty,
staff, and local businesses.
The candidate who raises
the most money will be
honored at an awards
presentation on Dec. 2. First
prize is a gift certificate for
four from Starfish Restaurant. Second prize is a gift
certificate from Bethlehem
Sporting Goods, and third
prize is a gift certificate from
the University Bookstore.
In addition, the winning
candidate's organization will
receive $1,000, with the
second-place organization
getting $500, and third place,
$250. The honorary chairperson for this year's election is
Jean Farrington, director of
staff and resource development, Library and Technology Services.
Alvin Cohen, a retired
economics professor who has
chaired the annual campaign
since its inception, recalls
that in 1990, the first year, 28
campus organizations raised
a total of $5,600 for cancer
research. Last year, 46
organizations took part.
Cohen said he hopes
organizations not only take
part, but come up with
creative ideas— from raffles
to "kidnapping" faculty and
holding them until they raise
a designated "ransom"—to
raise money.
" It's the Lehigh community
that does this," Cohen said.
"Do something that's fun to
do."