The Harbinger

June 6, 2005

 

MIT among institutions looking at Hiram as a model for implementation of Lenya content management system

Hiram College has gained national recognition through the work of Webmaster Jonathan Linczak (pictured). Linczak recently returned from a conference where officials from MIT, the University of Virginia, the Pittsburgh Super Computing Center, and the Apache Foundation met with Linczak to gain information on how Hiram has used Lenya software to develop the institution’s new website.

Hiram is the only educational institution in the United States using Lenya for an entire external website. Others within the higher education community are looking at Hiram as an example of what Lenya can do for them. Officials from MIT recently recommended Lenya as the content management system to be used in developing a new website for the institution. That recommendation was, in part, based on the work done here at Hiram by Linczak and his colleagues on the web development team.

“It’s very gratifying to have our work recognized on such a large scale,” said Linczak. “Lenya was one of the content management systems we looked at and it proved to be the right choice for the institution and our web needs. It offers both flexibility and power. It is user friendly, which was important because a lot of our users, those people who keep the site fresh with content, are not web developers.”

Linczak admits that the recent conference was a bit overwhelming in terms of time in the spotlight. “I went to a session and everyone in the room knew who I was because of the work we have done here,” he said. “People from large, research universities are looking at our experience and taking their lead from our work. We’re using some cutting edge open-source software applications and it has drawn attention from the web development and computing industry. I’m excited about the development of the site and the plans we have going forward. It’s good to know there will be lots of people wanting to see what we do next.”

Linczak was recently interviewed by a member of the Web Standards Project Education Task Force. The group is well known in web development circles for their efforts to develop and adhere to good practices and standards in developing websites. You can read the transcript of the interview here: http://www.webstandards.org/act/campaign/edutf/interviews/linczak.html

“I’m obviously pleased that our site and the work we’re doing with Lenya has gained recognition for the institution,” said Linczak. “Like all good websites, our site will continue to evolve. Our goal is to stay ahead of the game in our approach to web development so other colleges and universities will continue to look to us as a leader in this field.”

Tyst offers Hiram community free performances of Ghosts

Members of the Hiram community are invited to see the Tyst production of Henrik Ibsen's Ghosts free of charge any night of the production.  Up to four tickets may be reserved by a member of the Hiram community (faculty, staff, student).

The tickets are being made available by the Tyst Board of Directors as a thank you for the generosity shown by the community.  Ghosts will run from June 9 through June 26 in Hayden Auditorium on the Hiram College campus.  Performances are Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings at 8 p.m. and Sunday afternoons at 2 p.m.

To reserve your tickets, please call the Hiram College Special Events office at 5900.


Dooley appointed Director of Admission at The Andrews School

Assistant Director of Admission Kristina Dooley (pictured) has recently been appointed the Director of Admission at The Andrews School, a 6-12 school for girls located in Willoughby, Ohio. A 2000 graduate of Hiram College, Dooley has served her alma mater in positions of increasing responsibility since her graduation.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for Kristina,” said James Barrett, Executive Director of Admission. “Kristina is a talented young professional who has done outstanding work for Hiram and put herself in position to be considered for this kind of advancement. She will certainly be missed on a variety of levels, both professionally and personally. Andrews couldn’t have made a better choice.”

Dooley’s last day is June 21.


Pep Band Needs Your Help in Identifying New Terrier Fight Song


Under the leadership of James Bane, Director of Instrumental Music, junior Joe Gaither and sophomores Terra Hansen and Camille Campanaro, the Hiram College Pep Band expects to grow dramatically in membership this year. The band had 15 members last fall when it played at a limited number of football and basketball games. With increasing numbers of new students who have expressed an interest in instrumental music, the band will be nearly 30 participants strong and will play at several volleyball, soccer, baseball, and softball contests in addition to continuing at selected football and basketball games.

This year, the Pep Band wants to adapt a new fight song for Hiram College. As part of that process, they have begun conversations with the Alumni, College Relations, and Athletics offices. They are asking the Hiram community to provide feedback on three options they identified, including two which Hiram has used previously. 

First, please click these links to listen to the three short samples.

                                                                                                      
1.   Song A: http://home.hiram.edu/survey/SongA.wma
2.   Song B: http://home.hiram.edu/survey/SongB.wma
3.   Song C: http://home.hiram.edu/survey/SongC.wma

Next, complete this brief survey to indicate your preference:

http://home.hiram.edu/survey/fightsong.htm

The Pep Bad will accept feedback until Friday, June 24, 2005. They will review the responses and make an announcement regarding the music near the end of the summer.

45th Annual Day with Hiram Golf Outing

There is still time to register for A Day With Hiram Golf Outing, the annual fundraiser for the athletic department.  Once again the event will be held at the beautiful Sugar Bush Golf Course in Garrettsville.  A Day With Hiram will take place on Friday, June 17 with a shotgun tee time of 10 a.m.

To register for the event, simply download the form and mail it in to Lenora Sundstrom in the Athletic Department.  Golfers can also go online and register at http://www.hiram.edu/hiram/golf-outing.html.

The event is sponsored by the Athletic Department and the Terrier Club.  All proceeds benefit athletic teams for the upcoming season.


Spaghetti Dinner Set for Friday

The Western Reserve Kiwanis will be hosting their monthly spaghetti dnner on Friday, June 10 in the Kennedy Center .  Meal includes all-you-can-eat spaghetti with two different sauces, salad, garlic bread, beverages, and dessert.  Price is $6, children 10 and under eat free.  Proceeds benefit Kiwanis-related activities and the Crestwood Youth Baseball League.

Community Band Returns for 29th Season

The Hiram Community Band will present its 29th annual summer concert on July 4 at 4 p.m.  Area musicians of all ages are invited to play.  Rehearsals are 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. on June 21, 24, 28, and July 1.  The location is Frohring Music Hall, Dean Street on the Hiram College campus. For information call Paul Dreisbach at 330-569-7539 or e-mail dreisbachpc@hiram.edu

Additional Information