New in this Issue

    Veterans Welcome Receptions for Spring 2014 Semester, Jan., 14, Jan. 15 Veterans are cordially invited to attend a Welcome Reception for all active military and student veterans attending Clayton State University during the spring 2014 Semester. The Veterans Resource Center is holding two events to accommodate varying schedules: Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2014 from noon to 1:30 p.m., and Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2014, from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Both Welcome Receptions will be held in the Veterans Resource Center, Edgewater Hall, Ste. 115. Spring Group Exercise Classes For those of you who enjoy the Recreation and Wellness group exercise classes, Lisa Williamson has comprised an excellent schedule for the spring semester that will being on Jan. 13. Please note that there is also a F.A.S. Track schedule in which the classes are only 30 minutes in length! Now you have no excuse to skip class! Check out all the great classes at: http://www.clayton.edu/recwell/Fitness-Center/Group-Exercise.    

This Week

   

Seventh-Ranked Lakers Host Heritage Bank Holiday Classic, Dec. 20 and Dec. 21

Led by senior center Shay Jackson, the seventh-ranked Clayton State women’s basketball team will host the annual Heritage Bank Holiday Classic this coming weekend.

On Friday, Dec. 20, the Lakers host Southern Poly in a 5:30 p.m. game, which is about as close as the Lakers can now come to playing old rival Kennesaw State. On Saturday, Dec. 21, the Lakers take on long-time power Lenoir-Rhyne in a 3:30 p.m. start.

In case you’re keeping score, Jackson is currently averaging 15 points, 7 rebounds, 4.5 blocked shots (third in the nation) and 2.3 steals per game.

No Access to Parking Lots G and H on Dec. 20

Next Friday, Dec. 20, contractors will be installing a sewer line along the roadway that connects Caldwell Drive and Snelling Drive adjacent to the chiller building. They will begin the work about 7 a.m. with completion estimated about 6 p.m.

During these hours, access to parking lots G and H will only be available for emergency purposes; police, fire and ambulance. Anyone requiring a more direct disability access to Edgewater Hall should contact Public Safety to facilitate same.

All employees who work overnight Thursday, Dec. 19 and those working day shift on Friday who usually park in lots G and H should use lots C or D on that day.  Parking During the Holidays

Since there are no classes on campus again until Monday, Jan. 13, there will be open parking on campus until that date. The exceptions are specially designated areas such as those for disability, visitors, emergency parking, and the Baker Center lot. The dental hygiene clinic is closed for the holidays, so that row of parking is also open until Jan. 13.

Auxiliary Services Semester Break Hours

During the semester break, the units of Auxiliary Services will have the following operating hours:

Loch Shop/LakerCard Center – Dec. 10 – Dec. 20 and Dec. 30 – Jan. 3

Monday – Thursday:  8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Friday:  8 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

NOTE:  On Tuesday, Dec. 10, The Loch Shop will be open until 7 p.m.

The Loch Shop and LakerCard Center will be CLOSED Dec. 23 to Dec. 27, and Jan. 1, 2014. 

            Dining Services

            Jazzman’s

            Monday – Friday:  8 a.m. – 3 p.m.

            Subconnection

            Monday – Thursday: 10:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.

            Note: SubConnection will be closed Dec. 30 and Dec. 31

            All other dining locations will be closed during semester break.

All dining locations will be closed New Year’s Day, Jan. 1, 2014. 

   

Upcoming

   

GAIE Logo Design Contest Open Until Dec. 31

It’s time for the Georgia Association of International Educators (GAIE) to update its logo, one of the initiatives of the current executive board – and there’s a design contest with a prize of $250!

Participants can review the details and guidelines at: http://gaieinfo.blogspot.com. Click in the upper left corner on “GAIE Logo Contest”

The deadline for submissions is by midnight on Dec. 31, 2013.

After the deadline, members of the GAIE planning committee will select four to six finalists based on creativity, impact, and adherence to contest guidelines. The finalist images will then be voted upon by the full GAIE membership (nearly 600 individuals) via an online poll. The winning design will be unveiled at the GAIE Bi-State Conference in Chattanooga, Tenn., in February 2014. The winner will be notified and will receive a $250 gift card (subject to USCIS regulations regarding compensation in the event an international student’s design is selected).

Bookstore Bucks Start Jan. 6

Bookstore Bucks (formerly Financial Aid Book Money) will be available from Jan. 6 to Jan. 22, 2014. Up to $1,000 of your unused Financial Aid will automatically be deposited in your Bookstore Bucks account on Jan. 6 for you to purchase anything in the Loch Shop.

Remember…your LakerCard is required for all purchases. After Jan. 22, any unused Bookstore Bucks are returned to your student account and refunded in late January based on your refund preference through Higher One. 

Purchase a Meal Plan with Financial Aid

Did you know you can purchase a meal plan with your unused financial aid? Well, you can!

Between Jan. 6 and Jan. 22, purchase a meal plan online and have it paid for with financial aid.  Log in to the SWAN, click the ESSENTIALS tab, and locate the Financial Aid Meal Plan channel. Complete the information requested and select the meal plan and quantity.

If your purchase is approved (based on available aid), your meal plan will be available for use within approximately one business day.

SBDC to Hold Starting a Business Workshop at Griffin-Spalding Chamber of Commerce, Jan. 9

The Clayton State University Small Business Development Center is bringing its popular “Starting a Business Workshop” to Griffin on Thursday, Jan. 9.

The workshop will be held from 9 a.m. to noon at the Griffin-Spalding Chamber of Commerce/Griffin Welcome Center, 143 N. Hill St., Griffin.

Clayton State students and staff receive 50 percent off the full registration price of $69. Contact Heather Chaney at heatherchaney@clayton.edu for the discount code.  Individuals can also receive 50 percent off each additional person with the purchase of one registration at the full price. All registrations must be made at the same time in order to receive this discount. This discount cannot be combined or used with any other discount or coupon. For more information, please contact Chaney at (678) 466-5100.

Legos at Clayton State, Jan. 11

The First Lego League (FLL) Super Regionals are once again returning to Clayton State University.

This year’s version of the popular competition for regional young STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) whizzes ages nine to 14 will be an all-day event held in Clayton State’s James M. Baker University Center on Jan. 11, 2014, once again under the sponsorship of the College of Information and Mathematical Science (CIMS). Directing the program will be Assistant Professor of Mathematics Dr. Scott Bailey.The public is welcome to attend, free of charge.

The competition will be the Championship Qualifying Round for 32 teams of regionally-local students. According to CIMS Dean Dr. Lila Roberts, this year’s competition will have a timely focus — on bringing awareness toward helping people affected by natural disasters. “Nature’s Fury” will explore the awe-inspiring storms, quakes, waves and more. Teams will discover what can be done when intense natural events meet the places people live, work, and play. The FLL Challenge has three parts – the Robot Game, the Project, and the Core Values.

As always, the FLL competition will also highlight student understanding of: the STEM disciplines with a focus on computer science and robotics, as well as a common civility through teamwork, core values, basic research methods, scholarly competition and fun.

Volunteers Still Needed for First Lego League Super Regionals, Jan. 11

Jarrett Terry reports that volunteers are still needed when Clayton State University hosts the 2013 First Lego League Super Regionals on Jan. 11, 2014, an all-day event in the James M. Baker University Center.

Below, you will find two websites that can give you a great deal of information on this year's topic "Nature's Fury," how the topic will be integrated into this season, and Georgia's calendar regarding the season.

Some of you have volunteered before, so you know how much effort and preparation is required to host the event well. We will need a plethora of volunteers this year and help in fundraising and advertising. We have a great set of sub-topic leaders returning to get us moving forward, but there is plenty of work to do.

The website for this year’s FLL topic:

http://www.firstlegoleague.org/challenge/2013naturesfury

The website for Georgia's events:

https://fll-ceismc.gatech.edu/

You have initiated a poll "FIRST LEGO LEAGUE SUBCOMMITTEE INTEREST AREA" at Doodle. The link to your poll is: http://doodle.com/6ba5vnrsw8mqre3s

For more information, contact Terry at jarrettterry@clayton.edu. He also has a listing of the support positions needed.

Drs. Howell and Zeller Participating in Peach State Opera Performance, Jan. 11 

Clayton State University professors Dr. Christina Howell, performing the role of Despina, and Dr. Kurt-Alexander Zeller, director, are both involved in Peach State Opera's upcoming performance of Mozart's Cosi fan tutte, being performed locally at the Avondate First Baptist Church, 47 Covington Rd., Avondale Estates, Ga., at 3 p.m. on Jan. 11, 2014.

Ticket prices are $22 (adult general admission), $20 senior (over 60), $10 students (including college students with ID) and are available at the door or at the website:  www.peachstateopera.org.

Clayton State Sets Events for King Celebration 2014

The 2014 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Celebration at Clayton State University begins in a little more than a month. This year’s celebration is titled: We Dream the King’s Dream.

The Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration at Clayton State University will run from Jan. 19, 2014 to Jan. 25, 2014 and is a collaborative effort between the Department of Campus Life, AmeriCorps, Diversity Education Experiences for Peers (D.E.E.P.) Educators, the Tau Epsilon Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., the Sigma Sigma Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Clayton State University NAACP, Student African American Brotherhood, and Student African American Sisterhood and commemorates the life of the ultimate dreamer of the 20^th Century, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and significant events that occurred during the Civil Rights movement.

The highlights of the 2014 celebration of those dreams being made real are; King’s Sunday Supper, the Day of Service, and an MLK March in Atlanta. The King’s Sunday Supper and the dialogue discussion on Jan. 21 are open to the public.

Sunday, Jan. 19, King’s Sunday Supper

Student Activities Center (SAC) Ballroom

4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Inspired by the legacy of Dr. King, America's Sunday Super has been an annual event on the Clayton State campus for several years, inviting people from diverse backgrounds to come together to share a meal, discuss issues that affect our community and highlight our shared values and strengths. This is a ticketed event and free for Clayton State students. Tickets for all others are $10 and will be available beginning Monday, Jan. 6, 2014 in the Clayton State Department of Campus Life, located in the Student Activities Center, Ste. 223. Both Clayton State University and Non-Clayton State participants must have a ticket for admission.

Monday, Jan. 20, MLK Day of Service, Rally & March

Atlanta

8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The Clayton State campus community will engage in a series of volunteer projects in the Atlanta area to pay tribute to Dr. King. After volunteering, students will participate in the annual MLK Rally and March in downtown Atlanta. Transportation will be provided for 50 participants. To register, go to the Campus Life website: www.clayton.edu/campus/life.  

Tuesday, Jan. 21, a Dream Deferred

SAC Ballroom C

7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

A dialogue discussion focusing on recent social injustices, including the Trayvon Martin case; Department of Family and Children Services and Emani Moss; as well as immigration reform in Georgia. Participants will have a conversation regarding these issues and hone in on action steps that can be taken to eradicate these injustices.

Saturday, Jan. 25, Cultural Immersion Trip: A Day with Dr. King

Atlanta

9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The 2014 Cultural Immersion Trip: A Day with the King will give participants the opportunity to explore historical landmarks in the greater Atlanta area associated with Dr. King and the American Civil Rights movement. The trip will also include a special tour of Dr. King’s birth home and lunch at Thelma’s Kitchen. Twenty-five Clayton State students will be selected to participate on this trip. All students must complete a trip turn in a completed application form by Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2014 to the Department of Campus Life, located in the Student Activities Center, Ste. 223. Selected participants will need to have $10 to $15 in cash to cover the cost of their lunch.

For additional questions regarding Clayton State’s Annual MLK Celebration, contact Lakiesa C. Rawlinson, associate director, Campus Life, at (678) 466-5433 or visit http://www.clayton.edu/campus-life.

Clayton State to Launch Digital Film Technician Certificate Program in February 2014

The Center for Continuing Education at Clayton State University will be launching a new program in February 2014 that will have a major impact on individuals, economic development and a growing industry in metro Atlanta… and provide another way to make dreams real.

The Digital Film Technician Certificate program is a two-course program with day and evening classes that is designed to introduce students to production of digital media and film. Digital Film Tech Training I, scheduled to launch on Feb. 18, 2014 for the evening course and Mar. 3, 2014 for the day course, is designed for students with no background in digital media, as well as those students with some experience or coursework in the field. Digital Film Tech II, which will start in the summer of 2014, is a follow-up course designed to help students achieve a level of film/media production skills that will promote employability and/or the ability to become independent contractors.

Both courses are designed, and will be taught by, Barton Bond, who comes to Clayton State from New Mexico with 45 years of experience working in electronic media, the last 25 years being teaching on the college level.

Student Academic Research Conference, Mar. 28 Save the date, Friday, Mar. 28, for the Student Academic Research Conference. Interested in being a presenters for the poster or paper sessions? You can register now on the website… http://www.clayton.edu/Student-Academic-Conference. Research made real…

 

Loch Shop News  

 

Shop for the Holidays at ClaytonStateGear

Looking for a unique gift for the holidays? Consider logging on to www.claytonstategear.com, where you can literally get one-of-kind Clayton State-themed gifts. Everything from golf equipment to tailgating items to bleacher chairs.

Purchase a Laptop in the Loch Shop with Bookstore Bucks

Need to purchase a Dell laptop from The Loch Shop with Bookstore Bucks, but you don’t have enough after buying books? You can request up to $1,000 additional Bookstore Bucks (from previously-awarded financial aid) through the SWAN!

Between Jan. 6 and Jan. 22, log in to the SWAN, click the ESSENTIALS tab, and locate the Laptop Purchase with Financial Aid channel. After your request has been submitted and reviewed, you will be notified by Clayton State email to let you know if your request has been approved. If approved, your funds will be added to your Bookstore Bucks account for use in the Loch Shop. 

More Deals from The Loch Shop

We’ve added additional items to our Loch Shop Clearance Sale! Come by and see the new discounted styles. Look for the stickers – Orange is $5, Yellow is $10, Pink is $15 and Green is $20.

Just arrived – looking for a new hoodie? Do we have a deal for you. Buy the sweatshirt for $29.99, get the matching t-shirt for $5 (normally a $50 value). This deal is too good to pass up!

There’s a free Clayton State mug promotion, valid through Dec. 26, 2013, on www.claytonstategear.com.

   

Announcements

   

Clayton State Posts New Videos on You Tube

The official Clayton State University You Tube channel (ClaytonSTNews) has a series of new videos available for viewing.

Highlighting the new You Tube postings is footage from the groundbreaking for the new Science Building; “Clayton State University Breaks Ground on New Science Building.”

Also included are four interviews in conjunction with the recently-concluded 2013 Faculty/Staff Fund Drive – clips of Heidi Benford, Dr. Eric Bridges, Dr. Donna McCarty and Bob Ward discussing the Fund Drive.

Student Media Set to Release Yearbook for 2014

Clayton State University Student Media is set to release the University’s first yearbook in 40 years. 

Set for release in time for spring 2014 graduation, Clayton State University students are already busy putting together both a print and a digital yearbook called “Loched in Time.”  “Loched in Time” will be the third yearbook produced by Clayton State, the 1973 and 1974 Clayton Junior College “Centurion” yearbooks being the first two, and the first edition to have a digital component.

Both yearbooks will include photos and articles of campus events, student organizations, and senior spotlights, among other things. The digital yearbooks, which will be distributed on a DVD, will have additional video footage. The 152-page print yearbooks will cost approximately $60 and the digital yearbooks will cost approximately $25. The yearbooks will also have space for ads from graduating seniors, student organizations, and businesses. These will cost $40 for a quarter page ad, $60 for a half page ad, and $100 for a full page ad in the print publication and $100 in the digital edition.

More information about ordering yearbooks will be available mid-January. Please contact Jennifer DeMond, student media advisor for more information at jenniferdemond@clayton.edu.

The FBI Says… Beware of Scams this Holiday Shopping Season

The FBI has a lot on its plate these days — everything from interstate crime to terrorism watch to video piracy. Even so, they've taken a moment this week to remind you about the risks inherent in the holiday shopping season.

In a news bulletin released just before Black Friday, the FBI advises consumers that scammers will be on high alert for the next few weeks, using a variety of techniques to defraud you of your money. These approaches include fraudulent online auctions, reshipping merchandise purchased with stolen credit cards, and old-fashioned phishing.

Specifically, here are some things to be wary of this season:

Fraudulent sales and auctions. The most important advice is not to give your credit card information to anyone in conjunction with an online sale; don't trust the seller unless you can use a legitimate payment service to protect your purchase and your credit card.

Gift card scams. Purchase gift cards directly from retailers — don't buy them secondhand through auctions or private sales. If the cards are fraudulent, the merchant will deactivate the cards and they won't be honored.

Phishing. Be especially careful with email at this time of year; your bank and other financial institutions should never ask you for personal information or passwords in email, and you should never click links in email to go to websites; enter the URL in the address bar manually to be sure you're not redirected to a fraudulent site.

Here are some of the top tips offered by the FBI to help you protect yourself this holiday season:

Don't respond to unsolicited mail.

Never click on links within unsolicited mail — navigate there yourself by typing the address or using your saved favorite.

Don't fill out forms in email that request personal information regardless of the source.

If you receive email from a business, contact the business to ensure the email is genuine.

Requests to react quickly or urgently are typically scams.