Celebration of 150th culminates next week

By: Kyle Hansen

Posted: 4/26/07

The yearlong celebration of San Jose State University's 150th anniversary climaxes next week with daily events and Founders' Day on Friday, May 4.

The week includes recognition of SJSU by the California State Legislature, Santa Clara County and the City of San Jose. There will also be visits to the campus by Lt. Governor John Garamendi, California State University Chancellor Charles Reed and U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings.

Plans for the week continue despite a change in leadership. Jennifer Cauble, the associate vice president of marketing and communications, was head of the 150th celebration committee until her departure last week.

Larry Carr, the associate vice President of government and community relations, and Sylvia Light, the director of communications and publications, declined to comment on Cauble's exit.

Carr said that it was important for the university to have event such as those planned for this week to keep the public involved in the university.

"For 150 years, San Jose State has been involved in this community," Carr said. "Whether it is engineering students empowering Silicon Valley or training teachers.

"We want the community to feel welcome and comfortable on campus," he said. "We are a public university, and as a public university we want the public to fell like they know what is happening and that they can come on campus and learn first hand."

Founders' Day activities include the presentation of a proclamation by San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed, designating the day as San Jose State University Day, Carr said.

SJSU faculty will be attending the event in full regalia, according to Light, who has assumed Cauble's responsibilities over the celebration.

Lt. Governor Garamendi will also be present at the celebration, Light said, and will join SJSU President Don Kassing and Reed in cutting a five-tier, three-foot birthday cake.

The festivities will then move to the Caret Plaza outside of the library where the cake will be served along with a barbecue lunch, according to Light.

Spellings, the head of the U.S. Department of Education, will speak at Morris Dailey Auditorium beginning at 2 p.m.

Pat Harris, the university's media relations officer, said that Spellings' visit to campus is a major event, especially because of her somewhat controversial suggestions regarding higher education.

Spellings is one of the creators of the No Child Left Behind Act, Harris said. She also has recommended that college students be required to take standardized tests similar to those used in grade school, an unpopular idea, according to Harris.

Harris said that she is not yet certain what Spellings will be speaking about. She works in a variety of areas, including concerns over campus safety in the wake of last week's Virginia Tech shootings, Harris said.

Spellings might also talk about the accessibility of education, Harris said.

"Accessibility has been a big theme for her," Harris said. "Whether it is reaching out to disadvantaged kids or streamlining the financial aid process."

Chancellor Reed will moderate a panel discussion on the future of higher education at 2 p.m. in Morris Dailey Auditorium.

Members of the panel include the vice president of the Association of American Colleges and Universities, the president of the Center for Studies in Higher Education, a professor from CSU San Marcos, the Vice President of Communications from IBM and the president of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.

Original plans for the day also included a parade from City Hall to go around the campus. Carr said that the parade has been canceled to focus on the other events of the day.

"We felt like we were crowding out other things," Carr said.

Founders' Week events begin Monday with the university being recognized by both houses of the State Legislature and a reception in Sacramento, Carr said.

The university will also be recognized by the county on Tuesday, Carr said.

Wednesday's activities include a party sponsored by Student Affairs, according to Light.