New York Schools Chancellor Rudy Crew greets Regent Ark G. Chin. Regent Constance L. Proctor is on the left.

David Hodge

UW faculty and staff talk to bank representatives about the financial help they can now get for buying, remodeling or refinancing homes and condos. Hundreds of faculty and staff turned out last week to learn more about the Hometown Home Loan Program, a new alliance between the UW and Continental Savings Bank, that will help more University employees buy the home they want. For more information about the Hometown Home Loan Program, call 206-221-3388 or see the website at http://www.washington.edu/admin/benefits/hometown.html.

Gunnar Almgren

More than 1,000 high school students from throughout Washington came to the UW last week for World Languages Day ‘99. Students spent the day learning about different languages through cultural activities and classes. Above, Ballard High School sophomores Lauren Merry, left, and Brian Spielman learn some new origami techniques after mastering hat making from UW student instructor Sachiko Itoh, center. Students could choose from more than 90 sessions in areas such as comnputer-assisted language learning; art and film; writing systems of languages; music history; becoming better language learners; and career development. The event was designed to encourage students to take more advanced language courses in high school and college and to expose them to opportunities available in an increasingly multicultural society. The UW offers instruction in more than 50 languages. World Languages Day was sponsored by UW Education Outreach.

Faculty Dance Concert ’99 runs this weekend, opening today at 8 p.m. in Meany Studio Theatre. There will be evening performances Friday and Saturday and a 2 p.m. matinee Sunday. Tickets are $9 for general admission and $7 for seniors and students. They can be purchased in advance at the UW Arts Ticket Office, 543-4880 or at the door on the day of the show. Shown above are faculty members Maria Simpson, front, Rip Parker and Robert R. Kitsos.

Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering John Stanton (top) and visiting scientist Masahiro Sugata scan a concrete column for hairline cracks during tests Friday in the Structural Research Lab. The tests examined the effect of earthquake forces on a concrete joint that employs a new reinforcement system developed in part by Stanton. The system uses steel cables, stretched like rubber bands, to hold concrete beams and columns together. The stretched steel cables allow a building to ride out the ground motion of an earthquake, then, once the shaking stops, they pull the building back to its original position.

Preceptor Annie Lam and two volunteers at the holiday luncheon for the Legacy House congregate meal plan.

Pharm.D. student Debbie Woo with a Legacy House resident in the Activities Room. Photos courtesty of Annie Lam.

At one of the Science Celebrations, Pauline Smidt, a volunteer from Immunex, guides a family through an activity based on a food chemistry kit.

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