Construction is underway on an exciting update that will re-design and enhance the Levin Library - a key academic resource for students and faculty! The vision for the new library is a bright, cheerful, modern, technologically advanced place for students to study, gather, discuss, research and learn. That vision will soon be a reality thanks to the collaboration of many folks on campus including the staff and faculty at the library, buildings and grounds director Bob O'Connell, and Dean Sue Peninni.

The plans are drawn for the existing space to be reconfigured in a more intelligent, effective and aesthetically pleasing way for today's college students. The reorganized space will include a new computer lab on the first floor; quite a change from the present location in the basement. It will have a glass façade so as not to obstruct natural sunlight, and will include a lounge area for students to relax and study.

This new space is designed to encourage group study and socialization. Of course, designated quiet areas will exist as well, but Hedi BenAicha, Direcotry of the Library, stresses the importance of allowing students the freedom to discuss, talk and learn together in an open and comfortable, interactive environment. Hedi's vision is for this to be a place where students want to spend time.

In addition, the basement level of the library will be renovated to accommodate a new circulation area and faculty offices. Phase two of the construction plan will create even more office space on the first floor.

In speaking with Hedi, his passion for his work became quite evident as we discussed the upcoming reconstruction of the Levin Library and the tremendous benefit that will result for our students and our entire campus. To quote Hedi, "The Levin Library is a wonderful place, but come spring, it will be even better!"

Did you know the Levin Memorial Library was originally named the Binney Gunnison Library? Gunnison was the Dean of the School of Expression from 1925- to 1932. It was his personal book collection that was the foundation of the library.

In 1968, Louis Levin, a freshman at Curry College, died in a car accident just shortly before his graduation. Shortly thereafter, his father led a fundraising effort to have the library named in memory of his son. The library underwent a significant expansion and was renamed the Louis Levin Memorial Library. Today, you will see a portrait of Louis Levin inside the main floor of the library.

If you've never read the minutes from one of these meetings, you should! It is a great, comprehensive snapshot that details the breadth of activity going on within departments across Curry College.

For more than ten years, the Administrator's Group, comprised of representatives from each campus department, has been meeting monthly to disseminate information, give monthly updates on their office's activity, share ideas and collaborate on campus wide initiatives. The idea for the Annual Staff Retreat was the result of the Administrator's Group effort.

For those who are new to Curry, the minutes are a helpful resource to familiarize yourself with the role of each office at Curry. And, for Curry veterans, they are a good way to keep up to speed on what is happening around campus. You will be surprised at what you will learn! The Administrator's Group meeting minutes are posted to the common drive each month in the Administrator's Group folder.

Leslie Becker, chair of the Administrator's Group explains that the group is currently working on various initiatives to improve customer service on campus. One project includes developing a list of frequently asked questions from all departments to share campus wide to ensure our "customers" are receiving the correct information no matter what department they may be dealing with.

Did you know that in addition to feeding our students, Sodexho also provides nutritional seminars for our students? The topic for October is 'College Eating 101'. Arianne Szyman, Curry Dining Services nutritionist, will talk about how to avoid the 'Freshmen 15' and make healthy food choices. The topic for September was 'The Basics of Healthy Eating.' Arianne reviewed healthy eating strategies for college students and discussed the Balance, Mind, Body and Soul wellness program offered in the dining hall.

The Balance Mind Body Soul is a holistic or integrated approach to wellness and fitness that Sodexho has adopted. Sodexho menus, food choices, informational seminars and events align with this approach to help foster a balanced lifestyle. Each month Sodexho features a new range of topics which are available in the Dining Hall and in more depth at www.bal ancemindbodysoul.com. It is an interesting site with a large array of nutritional information and links to helpful resources.

Another Sodexho program you may not be aware of is Gift University. Last year, Sodexho, Curry College's food service provider, partnered with 1-800- FLOWERS.COM to launch Gift University, an online service where parents, or anyone, can purchase birthday cakes, flowers, goodie baskets, gifts and more for their students. Visit the Sodexho website for more information or to browse Gift University.

Lastly, don't forget about the Faculty & Staff Meal Plan. Faculty and staff members can set up an account that will allow you to use your Curry ID as a debit card at all Sodexho locations across campus, eliminating the need to carry cash for lunch or that cup of coffee. Simply bring your ID to the Student Affairs Office to have your magnetic strip encoded with a valid ID number. Then bring your ID and deposit (any amount you choose) to the Curry Dining Services Office to open your account.

Keith Meal, Director of Curry Dining Services, welcomes your input, questions and suggestions at any time. He can be reached at kmeal0804@curry.edu or 671-333- 2318 or visit Curry Dining Services on the web at www.currydiningservices.com.

As gas prices continue to rise, now would be the perfect time to start thinking about joining a carpool. The Office of Human Resources can assist you in finding other commuters from your area who might also be interested in carpooling. A perk for those who participate in a carpool - reserved parking spaces close to the door of all campus buildings. Additionally, "Mass Rides" offers an Emergency Ride Home Service which will pay for your ride home should you experience a qualified emergency. Please contact Donna Gagne for details if you are interested in starting a carpool in your area.

Donna can also provide copies of the bus schedule, as another commuting option, from JBL bus lines which runs shuttle buses on the hour from Cobbs Corner in Canton to Mattapan Station with a stop at the entrance to Curry.

The Curry College Health Services Center will once again offer flu shots for faculty, staff and students at the Flu Shot Clinic on October 17 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in the President's Dining Room. No appointment is necessary. Please bring your insurance card with you. Not all insurance companies cover flu shots. If your insurance company does not cover the shot, please bring a $30 payment.

The W.A.R.N. (Wide Area Rapid Notification) System is up and running. In the case of an emergency, this new state-of-the-art communication system will allow Curry College to communicate with faculty, staff and students on any device including land line phone, cellular, 1-way pager, 2-way pager, Blackberry or other text device, email, SMS, and TTY.

In order to be reached in an emergency, faculty, staff and students need to log into the W.A.R.N. system to create an account and update all personal information. This will be used for emergency communications only.

If you have not done so already, please click here to register for visit the "For Faculty and Staff" page for a link to the W.A.R.N. sign up form.