Currents (May 1, 2002; Vol. 12, No. 8)

              News
Chancellor M.R.C.
Greenwood will address a
staff forum on May 6 and
host the staff breakfast
"Pancakes and Jazz with
M.R.C." on May 22. See
page 8.
Calendar
"Art in the Arboretum Day"
on May 19 includes a
performance by the Mel
Wong Dance Troupe, food
by Jozseph Schultz, and
sculptures throughout the
gardens. See page 5.
UNIVERSITY   OF   CALIFORNIA,   SANTA   CRUZ
Digest
The campus took on an Old
West look early one recent
Saturday morning as horseback riders drove a herd of
cattle across Empire Grade
and onto the meadow to
graze. See page 6.
1
J
Vol. i2, No. 8
Published monthly by University Relations for the campus community
May i, 2 002
Alumnus's gift supports new environmental research institute
Gordon Ringoid's $500,000
donation is largest gift from
a graduate to the campus
By Tim Stephens
CSC has established a new
environmental research
institute, building on the
campus's strong tradition of
interdisciplinary research in
the environmental sciences.
To help launch the new institute, alumnus Gordon Ringold
and his wife, Tanya Zarucki, have
provided a gift of $500,000—the
largest gift the campus has ever
received from an alumnus.
The STEPS Institute for
Innovation in Environmental
Research is designed to encourage
an interdisciplinary approach that
integrates science, technology, engineering, policy, and society (the
"STEPS" approach) in studying
and solving environmental issues.
Gordon Ringold is chairman and CEO of SurroMed, a start-up company.
The overall goal of the institute is to foster research linking
global and regional environmental
processes, a major scientific challenge that has been identified as
a top priority by several national
environmental task forces
over the past two years.
"Human health depends on
ecosystem health, and ecosystem
health depends on the processes
linking the Earth's ecosystems.
The long-term health of our societies therefore requires that we
understand these linkages much
better than we do now," said John
Thompson, professor of ecology
and evolutionary biology.
Initially, the STEPS Institute
will focus on biodiversity and water issues, said Thompson, who
led an 18-month campuswide
planning process that resulted in
the formation of the institute.
Thompson will serve as the initial director, and Brent Haddad,
associate professor of environmental studies, will be associate director. The institute, overseen by the
Office of Research, will link environmental research efforts campuswide, tapping expertise in a
wide range of departments in the
natural sciences, social sciences,
and engineering.
"The STEPS Institute is one
that I feel really builds on the
tremendous diversity and strength
in the environmental sciences that
UCSC has already established,"
See Center, /
Chancellor addresses
Washington colloquium
n the aftermath of
September 11, the science
and technology community
will be expected to contribute to new counterter-
rorism efforts. Some of these
programs
may face
new restrictions
in access
to information or
to laboratory procedures.
On April 11, Chancellor
M.R.C Greenwood addressed
the consequences of such a
trend during the 27 th Annual
Colloquium for Science and
Technology Policy in
Washington, D.C.
See Chancellor, backpage
UCSC plans to buy
apartment complex
near main entrance
By Jim Burns
C Santa Cruz is planning to
add 64 units to its housing
inventory this summer with
the anticipated purchase of an
apartment complex that is
adjacent to the campus's main entrance.
UCSC's planned purchase of
the Laureate Court Apartments,
which are located on the southwest corner of the intersection of
Bay and High Streets, is expected
to be completed sometime in July.
The university plans to make
the apartments part of its faculty
and staff housing program.
All of the complex's current
tenants will be offered six-month
extensions to their current lease
agreements as part of a transition
plan, said Jean Marie Scott, associate vice chancellor for colleges,
housing, dining and child care
services at UCSC.
Approximately 20 of the 64
one- and two-bedroom units are
currently occupied by UCSC faculty, staff, or students.
See Housing, back page
UCSC linguist's exhaustive volume
targets common 'grammar myths'
By Ann M. Gibb
You can't afford to casually
ignore this new book, especially if you've ever been
cited for breaking traditional grammar rules—
such as splitting infinitives.
The Cambridge Grammar of the
English Language (Cambridge
University Press, 2002), coauthored by UCSC professor of linguistics Geoffrey Pullum, is the
Geoffrey Pullum
first definitive grammar reference book of standard international English in more than 20
years. Pullum hopes that among
other things, it will help debunk
what he dubs "grammar myths"
that have long plagued the
world's most widely used
language.
"People have been living in
fear of grammar rules that don't
exist," said Pullum, who wrote
The Cambridge Grammar with
Rodney Huddleston of the
University of Queensland,
Australia.
"We're going into the 21st
century carrying grammar
books from the 20th century
that haven't shaken off grammar myths from the 19th century," said Pullum.
A reception celebrating the
publication was held April 18
at the Cowell Provost's House.
Creating a truly modern
grammar text took more than a
decade of comprehensive and at
See Grammar, i
Despite hardships. UCSC student
doesn't want to leave Jerusalem
By Louise Donahue
iving in Jerusalem, UCSC student Lindsey Rosenthal takes
precautions to avoid suicide
bombings and often hears gunfire and ambulances in the
nearby West Bank city of
Ramallah. Her family and friends
want her to come home—and so
does the University of California—
but she's determined to stay.
"I'm glad to be here," said
Rosenthal, who lives with her
Norwegian roommate 15 minutes
from downtown. "I think it's important to show my solidarity
with Israel by staying. Being an
American, people appreciate that
I'm here."
A student in UCs Education
Abroad Program at Hebrew
University in Jerusalem, Rosenthal
finds herself studying politics and
history in a place steeped in both.
One of her courses is an honors
seminar on the Arab-Israeli conflict. "We talk about politics all the
time," she said.
The University of California, at
a systemwide level, has recalled its
Lindsey Rosenthal
students studying abroad in Israel,
but Rosenthal plans to withdraw
temporarily from UCSC so she can
stay in Israel, then reapply. "I'm
kind of upset" about the university's decision, she said. While
noting the university's concerns
about liability, she added, "I am
21." She knows other American
and Canadian students whose universities are allowing them to remain without penalty.
Describing Jerusalem as
"tense," Rosenthal said the situation has grown steadily worse
See Student, back page