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Focus the Nation (FTN) is a nationwide initiative to get students discussing the issues and solutions surrounding global warming. The purpose of this initiative is to create a serious, energizing, and thought provoking discussion on clean energy solutions. Creating an upfront approach by linking students and faculty directly to political leaders will allow for an active discussion of concerns and ideas for improving global warming.
SUNY Oswego will be hosting a Focus the Nation event on Thursday, January 31, 2008. This is a great leadership opportunity that will involve you in the process of facilitating change and becoming a more responsible global citizen.
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Focus the Nation Agenda
Thursday, January 31, 2008
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Session I
9:30-10:30 am
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"The Science of It”
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change overview provided by Kestas Bendinskas followed by a panel presentation including faculty panelists Kestas Bendinskas, Alok Kumar, Andy Nelson, Al Stamm, and Scott Steiger. Moderators: Mike Pollock and Nola Heidelbaugh.
Room 120 Campus Center
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Session II
10:30-11:30 am
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“SUNY Oswego Green Programs and Projects”
A report on the current status of SUNY Oswego initiatives featuring panelists Jerry DeSantis, Associate Vice President for Facilities (Climate commitment), Mary DePentu (recycling), Eric Foertch (universal waste and hazardous materials), Tom Kubicki (curriculum initiatives), Tom Simmonds (green buildings), and Craig Traub (Auxiliary Services). Moderators: Molly McGriff and Thad Mantaro.
Room 120 Campus Center
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Session III
12:45-2:20 pm
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"Public policy town hall meeting"
The issue of global warming will be explored from national, state and local perspectives. Featuring former NY State Senator Jim Wright, NY State Assemblymen Will Barclay and Robert Oakes, Oswego County Administrator Phil Church, Oswego City Common Council Vice President Constance M. Cosemento, and Professor Steve Rosow. Moderators: Tim Farnsworth and Professor Bruce Altschuler
Auditorium 118, Campus Center
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Session IV
2:30-3:30 pm
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"Nuclear's role in a sustainable energy future"
Dr. Patrick Moore, co-founder and former Director of Greenpeace International, will speak to the community on sustainability and the role of nuclear energy. Dr. Moore began his career as an activist/leader in the Greenpeace movement and now concentrates on collaborative efforts aimed at finding environmental solutions.
Room C114, Campus Center
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President’s Address
3:45pm
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SUNY Oswego President Deborah Stanley will address the community and introduce the keynote speaker.
Auditorium 118, Campus Center
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Keynote Address
4:00pm
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"Natural Resources' Universal Pattern and Sustainability"
Distinguished Teaching Professor (Emeritus) Peter Black of SUNY-Environmental Science and Forestry. Professor Black, Professor of Water and Related Land Resources, has taught and conducted research at ESF since 1965. He is a regularly featured commentator on WRVO through his "Water Drops" program.
Auditorium 118, Campus Center
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Poster Presentations
All Day
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Poster presentations related to global warming, and other informational displays.
Auditorium Foyer, Campus Center
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Auxiliary Services
All day
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At all cash and dining locations Auxiliary Services will display information on foods served that are low carbon (green), and other year round green practices.
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Infusing Global Warming and Sustainability Issues into Courses at SUNY Oswego
Curriculum infusion and the teach-in model are core elements of FTN.
Examples of ways in which SUNY Oswego faculty will be integrating a discussion of these issues into their curriculum on January 31, 2008 include:
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spending time on the topic of global warming in Energy and Technology Curriculum classes (Professor Thomas Kubicki),
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class discussions in Foundations and History of Education classes (Professor Bonita Hampton),
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and announcing the topic as a precursor to end of the semester plans of spending 20-30 minutes each class discussing the environment, pollution, conservation, and global warming with the goal of identifying how we all contribute to the earth's pollution, how we personally could be more energy efficient, and what we can do as teachers in grades 1-12 (Professor Pat Russo).
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Jean Hallagan will present in her CED 330/530 class about global warming and will read and interpret graphs about climactic change.
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Professor Claire W. Putala, C & I, will be modeling a book center assignment for her Literacy 501 graduate class focused on the environment using both adult texts of significance (Rachel Carson's "Silent Spring", Bill McKibben's "The End of Nature", and Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth" among others, as well as a range of relevant trade books for school children, K-12
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