Proposals sought for Husky Renaissance events
The Husky Renaissance Committee is soliciting proposals from departments and student organizations for community building events to take place during the metanoia, or period of reflection, in April. Limited financial support is available as seed money. The committee is looking for new traditions, lectures, concerts or other curricular or co-curricular activities that focus on community and civility. The committee will consider an activity that encourages discussion or builds a cohesive community in which all members can participate in a postitive way toward creation of an environment conducive to learning, with clear expectations for civility, respect and responsible citizenship. The committee is also willing to promote any community building activities already planned for April, as part of Husky Renaissance. Proposals may be submitted to Janice Gudinkas by e-mail: janiceg@ops.saup.uconn.edu For more information call (860) 486-3422.

Center seeking nominations for community service awards
The Center for Community Outreach invites nominations for the sixth annual Connecticut Higher Education Community Service Awards. These awards recognize efforts by individual students, groups of students and faculty or staff who have aided environmental causes, addressed pressing urban problems, promoted diversity, or developed a project where arts were instrumental in building community. Nomination forms may be obtained from the center at 604 Gilbert Road, or by calling (860) 486-1165. The deadline for completed nominations is Tuesday, March 9.

Wanted: healthy kids to take part in nutrition study
Matthew Pikosky, a graduate student in the Department of Nutritional Sciences, is seeking healthy eight to 10-year-old boys and girls to participate in an eight-week research study focusing on nutrition and physical activity. Participants will keep diet and activity records, but are not required to give blood. For more information about the Nutri-PACK study, call (860) 486-6728.

Sign up for daffodils and contribute to cancer research
For more than a decade, it has been the first sign of spring at UConn - the annual kick-off meeting for volunteers interested in supporting the American Cancer Society during Daffodil Days. This year's meeting, held at the Thomas J. Dodd Research Center on Thursday, began the 1999 campaign. And, for the sixth consecutive year, the price for a bunch of 10 daffodils is $5.

Each year UConn employees purchase tens of thousands of the bright yellow flowers, says Ann DelMastro, coordinator of UConn's piece of the national campaign. This year, she hopes, will be no different. She notes that the annual campaign raises millions of dollars for cancer research and support for cancer patients. The 86 department volunteers will be taking orders for the bouquets during the next two weeks, DelMastro says. The flowers will be delivered March 25 when, she says, there will truly be no question that spring has sprung.

Makowsky to edit literary journal
Veronica Makowsky, professor of English, has been selected as editor of the journal MELUS (Multi-Ethnic Literature of the United States). Founded in 1973, MELUS aims to expand the definition of American literature through the study and teaching of Latin American, Native American, African American, Asian and Pacific American and ethnically specific Euro-American literary works. MELUS also contributes to American literary studies by building a community of writers and scholars of American ethnic literatures and organizing sessions at many scholarly conferences. MELUS has also held, since 1987, its own national conferences annually at various sites across the United States. Chapters of MELUS are found in Europe and India. The journal, a quarterly, publishes creative and scholarly articles, interviews and book reviews to inform readers of authors and works often overlooked, to re-interpret better-known classics in light of ethnic literary studies and criticism, and to introduce new writers and new works. The journal will move to UConn in the summer.