CAMPUS NOTES

With an eye to the pending opening of San Clemente Graduate Student Housing, plans for widening El Colegio between Stadium Rd. and Camino del Sur were submitted by Santa Barbara County to the California Coastal Commission. Los Carneros Rd. north of its intersection with El Colegio would also be widened. The added space will be used for new vehicle lanes, a class 2 bike lane, curbs, a storm drain, and bus pullouts. Approximately 30 trees will be removed.

Hugo A. Loaiciga, professor of geography, this week will receive the Environmental and Water Resources Institute’s 2008 Julian Hinds Award for his “professional service and distinguished research” in support of groundwater management understanding and strategies in water-scarce regions. It comes with a $3,000 cash prize.

Sara Poot-Herrera, professor of Spanish and Portuguese, recently received a medal from the ruling body of Mexico’s Yucatán province and had a book fair in Mérida, Yucatán’s capital, dedicated to her in honor of her scholarly achievements. She was the first woman to be so recognized in Mérida, her hometown.

Barbara K. Ige, Graduate Division director of communication and relations, has co-edited and contributed to an anti-violence anthology, “Shout Out: Women of Color Respond to Violence” (Seal Press, 2008).

Alejandra Carmona Greene, former financial and payroll analyst for the Vice Chancellor’s Office of Institutional Advancement Division, has been promoted to business manager for the Development Department. She has been a UCSB employee for 8.5 years, all of them in the vice chancellor’s office.

Richard Helgerson, professor of English, died on April 26 after fighting pancreatic cancer for nearly three years. The Pasadena native and leading scholar of Renaissance literature was 67. After graduating from UC Riverside, he served for two years in Togo with the Peace Corps. He joined UCSB in 1970. He is survived by his wife of more than 40 years, Marie-Christine; a daughter; two grandchildren; and a sister. A memorial will be held on May 23 at 4 p.m. in the Faculty Club.

Michealeen Howatt, director of development for the College of Creative Studies, died on April 10 from a brain cancer first diagnosed in August 2006. The New Jersey native was 54. She was hired at UCSB in January 2003, and her family has thanked the employees who donated vacation time to her. She is survived by a son and two daughters.