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Feature - Fabian Nuņez '97 Mobilizes Labor for Change
The Campaign Trail - Striding Ahead
Faculty/Staff News
Comings and Goings
Opportunities and Announcements
Coming Up
Archive
Fabian Nuņez '97 Mobilizes Labor for Change
Nuņez, who was profiled in the Dec. 19 "Los Angeles Times Magazine" as one of four leading change agents in Los Angeles, was born in San Diego and grew up there and in Tijuana, where his father moved the family of 14 to stretch paychecks from his job as a gardener in La Jolla. Nuņez graduated from Pitzer College. He and his wife, a nurse, live with their two children in Claremont.
"Your parents work two jobs and yet you open the refrigerator and there's still nothing to eat," Nuņez told the Times. "There's something wrong with that."
Before becoming a union man, Nuņez helped organize L.A.'s biggest street demonstration--a protest in 1994 against Prop. 187. He still fights for immigrant rights as president of the board of One Stop Immigration and has close ties to Hermandad Mexicana Nacional and the Central American Refugee Center.
"Unions owe Republican former Gov. Pete Wilson big time," said the Times. "He galvanized them by trying to restrict their political activities. He then sent their way a new wave of first-time, immigrant, mainly Latino voters--prime targets of union organizers--with his fiery campaigns against illegal immigration."
During the war with Wilson, Nuņez ran the field for Gil Cedillo, the ex-county employees union chief who had first recruited Nunez for union work. The unions had tapped Cedillo to stand up to pro-187 Wilson by mobilizing thousands of newly registered Latino voters for an L.A. state assemby race.
"We find that the same issues that motivate union members also motivate new Latino voters," said Nuņez.
In a nonunion town like L.A., labor still wields political clout because of the relatively large number of unionized public employees, who vote often enough to keep politicians on their toes, and by the absence of a well-organized countervailing force. Referring to the 15-member L.A. city Council, Nuņez says: "If the issue is important, we can count [on] eight."
According to the Times, Nuņez's mission is to form alliances with civil rights, civic, religious and immigrants' rights groups to turn the corporate world on its head. As Nuņez says, "You talk about a minimum wage. How about a maximum wage? Wouldn't it be nice if we put a cap on what we paid CEOs?"
You have heard me say many times that we are now in the "silent" or "quiet" phase of a major fund-raising campaign. One critical component of the "silent" phase is setting a fund-raising goal. This is not an easy sum to land on, and many months of planning, research and discussion have gone into pinpointing a figure that is ambitious, yet obtainable. We are supported in this process by Marts & Lundy, one of the best and biggest fund-raising consultants in the country. Their advice is invaluable, but ultimately, the goal must be hinged on our ability to build support and advocacy among key prospects and constituents. Great strides have been made in this direction and our efforts continue. I am confident that we will succeed!
I am pleased to report that a working goal has been proposed and that the Board of Trustees will be voting on that proposal today. This decision will establish a crucial benchmark and serve as a catalyst for campaign planning and progress.
In my last column, I promised to report back on my recent visit to New York. It was a fruitful trip, but I am glad to be out of the snow and ice. My meeting with the Booth Ferris Foundation held the promise of future support for "smart classrooms" at Pitzer. Tom Manley and I will be talking with other foundations about this project in the near future.
My meeting with Tom Moore '82 also went very well. In fact, the Board will be voting today to add Tom (as well as Caroline D. Avery) to its roster. Tom is a vice president at Morgan Stanley, Dean Witter on Wall Street. At Pitzer, he majored in economics, served as a resident assistant and played football for the Sagehens. He holds an MBA from Northwestern's Kellogg Graduate School of Management.
Caroline "Carrie" Avery is president of the Durfee Foundation and will be a third-generation trustee when the Board approves her nomination today! Carrie, who holds a B.A. from Stanford and a J.D. from Berkeley's Boalt Hall, is the grand-daughter of Dorothy Durfee Avery, a founding trustee and the namesake for Avery Auditorium. Carrie's mother, Judy, is a life trustee. It's hard to believe that a college as young as Pitzer is about to welcome a third-generation trustee!
As many of you know, I chair the Council of Presidents this year. Last week, I hosted a meeting of the Council, and Ted Mitchell, Occidental College's new president, joined us for lunch. President Mitchell complimented Pitzer on the growing renown of our service-learning and study-abroad programs. I also had the pleasure of attending a Staff Committee Representatives (SCR) meeting last week to discuss with them the progress of the campaign. The staff is essential to our success in this campaign, and I place tremendous value on their wonderful ideas and excellent work on behalf of Pitzer.
On a personal note, I am proud to report that my daughter, Sarah, recently earned her master's degree in urban planning and has taken a job as director of communications and planning at the West Harlem Environmental Impact Group in New York
Let's keep communicating! --Marilyn Chapin Massey
Faculty and Staff News
Jesse Lerner, Macarthur assistant professor of media studies, was interviewed Jan. 28 on National Public Radio's "Morning Edition." The interview can be accessed on NPR's web site at www.npr.org/ramfiles/me/20000128.me.15.ram.
Don't miss Staff Bowling Night on Wednesday, Feb. 9, at the Brunswick Upland Bowl, 451 W. Foothill Blvd. The event, sponsored by the Staff Recognition Work Group, begins at 5:45 p.m. and costs $12 per person (children and adults). The cost includes two hours of bowling, shoe rental and a pizza dinner (beverage not included). RSVP with the number in your party to staff_recog@pitzer.edu.
The Faculty Meeting originally scheduled for Feb. 10 has been moved to Feb. 17. Faculty and College Council meetings for spring semester are scheduled as follows: Faculty Meetings: Feb. 17 and 24, March 9 and 23, and April 13 and 27; College Council: March 2, April 6 and May 4.
The human resources office reminds all administrative staff that they must maintain monthly personal vacation and sick-leave records. "The auditors request year-end balances from me every June, so I'll be contacting each department head in early June to gather June 30 data," wrote Marlene Kirk in an e-memo to all staff. If you need a form to use in Excel for non-exempt staff records, contact Michelle in human resources at ext. 18254.
The Staff Recognition Work Group invites all staff to participate in the fifth annual Staff Appreciation Luncheon Theme Contest. Come up with a winning theme for the annual Staff Appreciation Lunch and win a prize. Entries should include decorating suggestions and must be received by Feb. 21. Send entries or questions to kiara_canjura@pitzer.edu or cheryl_morales@pitzer.edu.
The proper use of a fire extinguisher will be demonstrated by Tony Pennington, manager of CUC's environmental health and safety office, on Friday at 10:30 a.m. near the basketball court by Gold Student Center. Please notify Judi or Nicole in the facilities office at ext. 72226, if you plan to attend.
On Friday, April 21, the Center for California Cultural and Social Issues and the sociology field group (through a grant from the American Sociological Association) will sponsor an undergraduate research symposium for all Pitzer students. Student coordinators are helping organize the event; details about the selection process are forthcoming. Please mark your calendars and encourage your students to participate. If you have any questions, contact professors Alan Jones or Betty Farrell.
Comings and Goings
Carlos Ortega has been promoted to lead building attendant, replacing Mark Crawbuck, Pitzer's new manager of custodial services. Mark replaces Bennie Trapp, who retired last month. Carlos has been with Pitzer since 1986.
Pitzer's Asian American sponsor program and dean of students office is holding a sale of all unclaimed bikes left on campus during the winter and summer breaks. The bike sale takes place March 24 from noon to 5 p.m. in the Holden parking lot. Students have until March 10 to claim their bikes at the facilities office. For more information, call Kent Lee at ext. 76118.
The Student AIDS Awareness Committee is bringing the Names Project AIDS Memorial Quilt to Claremont April 8 to 10. If you have a family member, friend or loved one memorialized in a quilt panel, let Health Education Outreach know by Feb. 20 and they will submit a request for those panels. Please include the name on the panel, the panel number (if you know it) and your name, address and extension in your request. For details, contact Health Education Outreach at ext. 73602.
Want to be in a movie starring Adam Sandler and Dana Carvey? PAct is taking a trip to the filming of Little Nicky, starring Sandler and Carvey, at Cal State Long Beach on Feb. 18. Those who go will be in one of the film's crowd scenes! For more information, contact Micki Clowney at micki_clowney@pitzer.edu or sign-up at the Gold Student Center service desk. A $5 refundable deposit is required.
Monsour Counseling Center is offering six regular group counseling sessions this spring: Sexual Assault Group, facilitated by Sean Hayes, Psy.D., and Rubeena Kidwai, M.A., meets Mondays from 6 to 7:30 p.m. starting Feb. 14; Depression Group, facilitated by Tracey Shepherd, Ph.D., meets Tuesdays from 6 to 7:30 p.m. starting Feb. 15; Making Peace with Food and Your Body, facilitated by Cindy Martinez, Ph.D., meets Wednesdays from 6 to 7:30 p.m. starting Feb. 16; Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual Noontime Support, facilitated by Art Bowler, Psy.D., meets Wednesdays from noon to 1 p.m. starting Feb. 9; Graduate Students Support Group, facilitated by Gary DeGroot, Ph.D., meets Thursdays from 5 to 6:30 p.m.; and Brain Power, facilitated by Larry Allison, Ph.D., meetings Thursdays from 7 to 8:30 p.m. All groups meet at Monsour Counseling Center except the Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual noontime group, which meets at Pomona's Smith Campus Center. For information about these groups, call (909) 621-8202 (and ask for the facilitator of the group that interests you).
The Pomona College Gospel Choir is still holding auditions for new voices. Sopranos and tenors are especially needed. Auditions will take place on Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. and Fridays at 7 p.m. FMI: Barbara at ext. 18685.
A Protestant Bible Study and Dinner is held Wednesday nights from 5:15 to 6:30 p.m. at McAlister Center. RSVP: ext. 18685.
MONDAY
The Libraries of The Claremont Colleges present a student workshop on business resources from 5 to 6 p.m. Discover the wide variety of databases and other resources available to help you find information on public and private companies, industry, marketing and management. To sign up, call ext. 73959 or go to http://voxlibris.claremont.edu/research/bi.html.
The Libraries of The Claremont Colleges present a student workshop on "Research Insight (Compustat)" from 6 to 7:30 p.m. To sign up, call ext. 73959 or go to http://voxlibris.claremont.edu/research/bi.html.
TUESDAY
Pomona history professor Sidney Lemelle presents a Faculty Fireside Chat on "The Pan African Experience Throughout the Diaspora...From Canada to Brazil to Johannesburg" at 7:30 p.m. in the Marquis Library, Mead Hall.
Women's basketball plays Cal Lutheran, away, 7:30 p.m.
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
International Place "Lunch and Conversation" presents "The Sand Art of Connie Zehr," a slide presentation of installation art at 12:15 p.m. in McKenna Auditorium, CMC. International food is served from 11:45 a.m. Admission is a meal card or $4 at the door. For information, call (909) 607-7869.
Pomona history and black studies professor Sidney Lemelle discusses "Phantasmagoria of Mind?: White Fathers, Ebony Entrepreneurs and the Recolonization of South Africa," at 4:15 p.m. in the Founders Room of Honnold/Mudd Library. The lecture is based on an essay by Lemelle that will appear in "Black Modernity: 20th-Century Discourses Between the United States and South Africa," edited by Pitzer professor Ntongela Masielela and published by Africa World Press.
The Libraries of The Claremont Colleges present a workshop on finding research resources for "Chicano Studies" from 6 to 7:30 p.m. To sign up, call ext. 73959 or go to http://voxlibris.claremont.edu/research/bi.html.
Gregorio Luke, director of the Museum of Latin American Art, discusses "The Murals of Diego Rivera" at 6:45 p.m. at CMC's Athenaeum. For more information, call (909) 621-8244.
FRIDAY
Women's basketball plays La Verne at home, 7:30 p.m.
SATURDAY
OBSA holds a black-tie banquet celebrating Black History Month from 6:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. in McKenna Auditorium, CMC. Tickets are $20 for students, faculty, staff and alumni or $30 per couple. The evening offers a five-course meal featuring New Orleans cuisine and a live jazz band, followed by dancing to rhythm and blues oldies, reggae, hip-hop, old skool and slow jams. Tickets must be purchased by Feb. 7 at the Black Student Affairs office.
Men's basketball plays Whittier, away, 7:30 p.m.
SUNDAY
The Libraries of The Claremont Colleges present a workshop on using major directories and search engines to locate research resources on the World Wide Web from 7 to 8:30 p.m. To sign up, call ext. 73959 or go to http://voxlibris.claremont.edu/research/bi.html.
Week of Feb. 14
MONDAY
Want to bake cookies and create valentine cards for disabled kids? Meet at McAlister Center by 2 p.m. for the Ability First Valentine's Day Party. The event lasts until 5 p.m. Transportation is provided. FMI: Ruth at ext. 18822.
TUESDAY
Women's basketball plays Redlands at home, 7:30 p.m.
WEDNESDAY
The Libraries of The Claremont Colleges present a workshop on finding and using resources for historical research from 7 to 8:30 p.m. To sign up, call ext. 73959 or go to http://voxlibris.claremont.edu/research/bi.html.
Men's basketball plays Redlands, away, 7:30 p.m.
THURSDAY
The Libraries of The Claremont Colleges present a workshop on finding and using resources for religious studies research from 6 to 7:30 p.m. To sign up, call ext. 73959 or go to http://voxlibris.claremont.edu/research/bi.html.
The alumni association throws a billiards bash at Q's Billiard Club (11835 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles) from 7 to 9 p.m. Cost is $15 per person. RSVP to Naomi Glasky '90 at ext. 18130 by Monday, Feb. 14.
FRIDAY
Pomona and Harvey Mudd sponsor a two-day conference titled "Biotechnology and Beyond." The keynote address, by Jeremy Rifkin of the Foundation on Economic Trends, is at 7 p.m. at Smith Campus Center. For program details, contact Pamela Smith in Pomona's history department at psmith@pomona.edu.
Women's basketball plays Chapman at home, 7:30 p.m.
SATURDAY
Men's basketball plays Caltech at home, 7:30 p.m.
SUNDAY
The Libraries of The Claremont Colleges present a workshop on using full-text resources from 7 to 8:30 p.m. To sign up, call ext. 73959 or go to http://voxlibris.claremont.edu/research/bi.html.
As political director for the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, the local AFL-CIO, Fabian Nuņez, 33, is a key to mobilizing 750,000 members into pressuring big business and government to "play a more responsible role in making sure that we have a better distribution of wealth." Toward that end, Nuņez scans the horizon for desirable candidates and lobbies legislators.
The Campaign Trail: Striding Ahead
Picture this: A hot-air balloon--quiet, buoyant, soaring toward a destination high in the sky--floats effortlessly across the horizon. But that balloon didn't get off the ground without detailed planning, support from an experienced team, and the special equipment needed to launch, pilot and land it correctly. That balloon is like Pitzer's comprehensive campaign!
Professor David Furman's 35th solo exhibition of erotic/sensual ceramic sculpture opens at the Frumkin/Duval Gallery at Bergamot Station in Santa Monica on Saturday, Feb. 26. A reception for the artist will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Bergamot Station, L.A.'s hottest enclave of art galleries, is located at 2525 Michigan Ave. For more information, call (310) 453-1850.
Other works by Furman will be included in "Defining Moments In Contemporary Ceramics," a major exhibition to be held June 4-Sept. 11 at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The exhibit surveys the major stylistic movements in ceramic history during the last half of the 20th century, and aims to illumine the great experiences of contemporary studio ceramics through exhibiting and publishing 200 works selected from the vast holdings of LACMA. Five of Furman's ceramic sculptures are currently part of LACMA's collection of contemporary studio ceramics, recognized internationally as one of great depth and unassailable quality. It is unrivaled in its diversity, as it contains works from America, Europe, Scandinavia, Australia and Asia, with a major focus on American and British studio pottery. Spanning the last 50 years, it includes a wide range of both intimate vessel forms and large-scale sculptures.
Nina Mason has been appointed director of public information, replacing Patrick Lee, who resigned in December. Nina joined Pitzer in December 1997 as publications editor/webmaster and for the past three months has served as acting director of public information. Before coming to Pitzer, Nina served as media spokesperson and managed a comprehensive media relations program at Pomona College. While at Pomona, she played a key role in developing the College's web site and received four national awards from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) for her media relations program. She received a silver medal from CASE for the Pitzer Participant in 1998. She has presented workshops on media relations and web management for CASE and helped establish the Public Relations Association of Southern California Colleges in 1983. Mason has worked in academic public relations since 1978, holding positions at the University of Redlands, Whittier College, Rio Hondo Community College and Santa Ana College.
Opportunities and Announcements
Architectural models of dormitories designed and crafted by students in Environmental Studies 147, "Community, Ecology and Design," are currently on display at Nichols Gallery in Broad Center. The models illustrate student ideals for socially and environmentally responsible living arrangements, according to professor Paul Faulstich, who teaches the class. Accompanying the models are portfolios documenting the students' diverse design ideas and models of our current campus produced by Gwathmey Siegel Architects.
Coming Up
Week of Feb. 7
Jeannette Money, associate professor of political science at UC Davis, discusses "Xenophobia and Xenophilia: Immigrant Voters as an Electoral Counterweight," at 4:15 p.m. in Wilbur Hall, Scripps. The event is part of the European Union Center of California's spring 2000 series on immigration, which culminates in a conference, "In Migration: Immigration, Racism and Policy in the EU and California," to be held at Scripps March 31 and April 1. For a complete list of spring speakers and details on the conference, contact the EUCC at ext. 78103 or go to www.eucenter.scrippscol.edu.
The Libraries of The Claremont Colleges present a workshop on finding research resources for "Black Studies" from 6 to 7:30 p.m. To sign up, call ext. 73959 or go to http://voxlibris.claremont.edu/research/bi.html.
Men's basketball plays Occidental at home, 7:30 p.m.
The Libraries of The Claremont Colleges present a workshop on finding research resources for "Legal Information, Legislation and Case Law" from 11 a.m. to noon. To sign up, call ext. 73959 or go to http://voxlibris.claremont.edu/research/bi.html.
The Friday Noon Concert series presents "Opera Aria Feast," featuring soprano Young-Sil Lee, at 12:15 p.m. in Balch Auditorium, Scripps.
Men's and Women's swimming compete in the SCIAC Diving Preliminaries at Cerritos College, 10 a.m.
KSPC-FM holds a CD and Records Expo with more than 35 vendors selling compact discs, rare records, posters, videos and music memorabilia from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Edmunds Ballroom, Smith Campus Center, Pomona. The sale benefits the radio station. Cost is $2 for the general public, free for students of The Claremont Colleges. For more information, call (909) 621-8157.
Happy Valentine's Day!
The Libraries of The Claremont Colleges present a workshop finding and using research resources on the World Wide Web from 7 to 8:30 p.m. To sign up, call ext. 73959 or go to http://voxlibris.claremont.edu/research/bi.html.
PAct's Real Race Series continues with "Genocide" at 5:30 p.m. in the Founders Room of McConnell Center. For more information, call ext. 74176.
Men's and Women's swimming is at the SCIAC Diving championships, Cerritos College, through Saturday.
The Friday Noon Concert series presents "A Vocal Potpourri," featuring soprano Lisa Quall and pianist Paul R. Bishop, at 12:15 p.m. in Balch Auditorium, Scripps.
The "Biotechnology and Beyond" conference continues at Pomona and Harvey Mudd.
Actor John Amos presents his one-man show, "Halley's Comet," at Bridges Auditorium at 4 p.m. The show, which Amos wrote and directed, is a moving story of an 87-year-old man who shares the memories of his lifetime with Halley's Comet, which he saw as an 11-year-old boy. Tickets are $10, $15 and $20. For event information, call (909) 621-8032.