VP Gargano to take UMass job

Mike Gargano, associate vice president for Student and Academic Support Services, will be leaving the GW after 15 years for a job at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst later this month.

Gargano will become the vice chancellor for student affairs and campus life at the fellow Atlantic 10 school, handing a similar portfolio that includes oversight of admissions, financial aid, student groups among other duties.

Gargano said he is headed to UMass because of the career opportunities available and is looking forward to beginning the new job.

Gargano worked in the athletic department before moving to SASS two years ago.

Robert Chernak, senior vice president for SASS, said he will miss Gargano and added that he will do a “great job” at UMass.

Chernak said he will restructure the department without specifically replacing Gargano’s position.

“When you look at the list of veterans in the division, there are a lot of people that can pick up slack,” Chernak said, noting that Student Activities Center Director Laura Taddeuci-Downs and Marvin Center director Peter Konwerski were two administrators who will take on different responsibilities.

Chernak also said Colonial Inaugurations should run smoothly despite Gargano’s absence.

UMass officials said they are looking forward to Gargano’s arrival.

“Campus life is critical to the academic success of our students and Mike Gargano will provide the commitment and leadership for the next stage in the continuing development of the programs and activities that define quality student affairs at a major public research university,” UMass Chancellor John V. Lombardi told the Daily Hampshire Gazette.

Gargano said he will be on campus for one more week and declined to discuss his priorities for UMass before meeting with officials there. A long-time Colonials fan, Gargano said he won’t have a problem cheering for GW’s conference rival.

“You root for the team that pays your paycheck,” he said.

-Mosheh Oinounou

Theater groups petition for more space

Members of GW’s student theater groups said they are petitioning the University for more space to use during rehearsals and productions of shows. Student theater organizations currently use space in Lisner Downstage and Mitchell Hall, among other spaces around campus, but have no venue solely available for their use.

Caroline Nisbet, executive producer of Generic Theatre Company, said the six student production companies operating on campus have already collected about 550 signatures on a petition for more space, and are working on a “detailed booklet on how student theater is pressed for space” to send to the University.

She said the groups would like to have the second floor studio in Building XX converted into a theater space for student use, because it is currently used as a classroom.

Nisbet said GW’s largest performance space – the Dorothy Betts Marvin Theater – is “impossible to reserve” because the University’s Department of Theatre and Dance books it for performances and rehearsals regularly.

Group leaders said they hope the University reaches a decision in the fall.

GW dean re-appointed to national commission

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom recently re-appointed GW Law School Dean Michael Young for his third consecutive two-year term.

Young has served the commission from its beginning, working as its vice chair for two years and chair for one year.

In addition to his reappointment, Young serves on the Committee on International Judicial Relations of the Judicial Conference of the United States, as a fellow of the American Bar Association, as a member of the Board of Visitors of the U.S. Air Force Academy and on the Brown v. the Board of Education 50th Anniversary Commemorative Commission.

GW wins technology award

The Association for Communications Technology Professionals in Higher Education awarded GW the 2003 Award for Institutional Excellence in Communications Technology for portal solution GWeb.

Past winners of the award include Harvard University, Texas A&M and the University of Texas.

“I’m certain the competition was tough in our category, but I know our guys and they’re all top-notch – so I’m not surprised, just delighted,” said GW President Stephen Joel Trachtenberg in a letter to the ACUTA president.

GW gallery showcasing student works

GW’s Dimock Gallery is presenting its fourth and final exhibition of works by three Master of Fine Arts candidates. The exhibition will run through June 13.

The thesis works will be selected from Ira Nasution’s product designs, Rachel Quirk’s computer-generated designs and Carl Williams’ graphic designs.

The Dimock Gallery is located on the Lower Level of the Lisner Auditorium, and is open from Tuesday through Thursday from 11a.m to 1p.m., and Friday from 11a.m.to 3p.m.

Dance professor to bring works abroad

Dance professor Maida Withers has been invited to bring her large- scale multimedia production “Dance of the Auroras-Fire in the Sky” to the Open Look 5th International Dance Festival in St. Petersburg, Russia and to the Touch2 Festival in Arkhangelsk, Russia.

Both shows will be performed by the Maida Withers Dance Constrution Company of D.C., but the St. Petersburg show will feature international collaborators from Brazil, Norway and Russia. The shows will be held on Tuesday and June 14, respectively.

SJT receives award

The Sabin Vaccine Institute presented its Humanitarian Award to GW President Steven Joel Trachtenberg on May 14. The award is the Sabin Institute’s highest non-science prize.

Other recipients of this year’s Humanitarian Award included Bernard Poussot, president of Wyeth Pharmaceuticals for his lifetime achievements, and Paul Simon and Dr. Irwin Redliner for founding the Children’s Health Fund.

The Sabin Institute is conducting research at GW to discover a vaccine against the human hookworm infection.

-Elizabeth Chernow