Email Announcements

Starting on or about Monday, May 14th, the historic Main Building Courtyard will undergo remedial repairs and restoration. This work will include a general cleaning with mild, appropriately green, detergents to remove surface dirt and contaminants from the plaza masonry and terra cotta; partial reconstruction of two (2) terra cotta / masonry benches to match the original design and profile; plus remedial repairs and repointing on the remaining portions of the ornamental masonry and terra cotta to stabilize and to prevent further deterioration will also be done. Weather permitting this work should be completed in about three weeks.

In addition and concurrently, two sidewalk flags adjacent to the Newman Clock will be replaced. This work will include demolition and replacement of the concrete topcoat, colored to match the existing Newman Plaza.

In order to ensure a safe construction environment, portions of the Main Building Courtyard and / or Newman Plaza may be closed and detour signs posted from Monday, May 14th until approximately Friday, June 1st. During other times a walkway from the Courtyard to the Main and East Buildings and the adjacent Newman Amphitheater will be maintained.

Please direct your questions or comments to Glenn Gordon Executive Director at 718-399-4435 or by email at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Dear All Faculty, Staff, and Graduating Students:

Due to the probability of rain and wind tomorrow, the Graduation Receptions for the School of Art & Design and the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences are moved from the Rose Garden to the ARC Building from 2pm - 5pm, Tuesday, May 8, 2012.

Receptions for the School of Architecture remain unchanged: Higgins Hall from 2:30pm to 5:00pm.

Receptions for the School of Information and Library Science remain unchanged: PMC, 6th floor from 6:00pm to 8:00pm.

Peter Barna, Provost

As many of you in the Pratt community are aware, we experienced an unexpected outage of the http://www.prattcard.com service earlier today. An outside server switch has been disrupted and the site is unavailable as a result.

We are working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible and after this service restoration period, http://www.prattcard.com will began operating normally. We will be investigating the cause of the outage and taking whatever steps are necessary to prevent a recurrence.

If you need assistance or have any questions regarding the effects of the outage please contact the PrattCard ID Office at 718-687-5678 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Thank you,

Pratt Information Technology Division

Last Monday, a rape and an attempted rape in Bedford Stuyvesant and East New York were reported to the 79th precinct of the New York Police Department (NYPD), according to Pratt’s Office of Safety and Security.

On Monday, April 9 at 12:40 AM, an 18-year-old woman was allegedly raped near Quincy Street and Broadway in Bedford Stuyvesant. Later that morning at 11:05 AM, an attempted rape allegedly occurred on Stone Avenue in East New York; the victim fended off the assailant and he fled.

The NYPD is investigating the incidents and believes the same individual is responsible in both cases, as both victims reported being threatened with a hammer. The suspect is described as being in his early 20s, about 5’8” and 150 pounds.

If you have information that might be helpful to this investigation, please report it to the Office of Safety and Security at 718-636-3542 or in person at the Engineering Building, Room 105.

For tips on safety and prevention, visit http://www.pratt.edu/student_life/campus/security/.

The first annual Health and Wellness Fair is being held tomorrow, Thursday March 22nd in the ARC from 11am-2pm. Thirty-five different vendors will be in attendance to provide information and FREE goodies on various health and wellness topics. The event is open to students, faculty and staff. While at the fair, attendees can get FREE chair massages, mini facials, healthy snacks, rapid HIV testing, pedometers, first aid kits and so much more! Brooklyn Jui-Jitsu will be offering FREE two week trial memberships and Brooklyn AIDS Task Force will be giving out FREE movie tickets.

To attend the fair, please bring your Pratt I.D. If you have questions or need further information please contact Shena Faith in the Athletics department at x3774. Hope to see you there!!

To All Students, Faculty, and Staff:

This is to remind everyone that Pratt has an Emergency Alert System.  As contrasted to other systems that exist at the Institute it is only used for Emergency Alerts. You, the user, have the ability choose the device to which you want to receive the message. The primary function of the system is to send a message or messages alerting you to an emergency and provide instructions or any actions that you may need to take during the emergency as well as keep you informed.

The system is also used to provide information on weather emergencies which may result in closing the campus or delaying the opening classes. 

To activate the system please log on to my.pratt.edu and look for the Pratt Emergency Alert System icon and click on the icon.  Simply follow the instruction provided on the site. 

Note: You will only be contacted by the Emergency Alert System when there is an emergency due to weather conditions or other emergency issue.
Have a safe semester.

Thank you,

William J. Schmitz
Director of Institute Safety and Security

If you are interested in Summer Studies in Copenhagen, learning Urban Design, Architecture, Interior Design, Furniture Design, Textile Design, or Information Design:

The Spring Information Session for DIS Study Abroad program will be on Tuesday, February 14 at 12:30PM on the 4th floor of Steuben Hall.

For further information, please contact Prof. Myonggi Sul: 
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Faculty members who wish to learn about this program are welcome.

GradComD Design Lecture Series, Spring 2012

John Thackara will lecture on January 30, 6PM in Higgins Hall, Brooklyn campus.

DESIGN IN A GIFT ECONOMY
Jobs and money are in short supply - perhaps permanently - and a gift economy is emerging to take their place. A solidarity economy is not new, but are there ways that design can add new value to sharing, bartering, lending, trading, renting, gifting, exchanging, & swapping? Is sharing an app - or an attitude?

John Thackara is a writer, speaker, design producer, and director of Doors of Perception. John writes for Design Observer, and is the author of twelve books including In The Bubble: Designing In A Complex World and Wouldn’t It Be Great If.

This lecture is jointly sponsored by GradComD, Industrial Design, Interior Design, Social Science & Cultural Studies, Humanities & Media Studies, Center for Planning and the Environment, & Center for Sustainable Design Studies.

For more information, please contact Grad ComD department at (212)647-7640.

Schedule of Campus Ministry Activities:

Mondays:

12:30PM         Celebration of Mass

6:45PM   Christian Discussion Group (CM Office)

Tuesdays:

12:30PM       Lunch and Learn

The Jewish Student Union sponsors this class, led by Rabbi Simcha Weinstein, which is open to all.

5:30-6:00PM Evening Prayer

A unique way of quiet contemplation for drawing closer to God.  An intentional time of quieting the mind and emotions helps us to better connect with our inner selves, our God, and the people around us.  All are invited no matter where you are in your spiritual sojourn. Sponsored by the Imago Dei Initiative at Pratt Institute.

8:00PM   Ulpan**

Learn to Read & Speak Hebrew

Wednesdays:

12:30PM   Celebration of Mass

Thursdays:

5:30-6:00PM Evening Prayer

A unique way of quiet contemplation for drawing closer to God.  An intentional time of quieting the mind and emotions helps us to better connect with our inner selves, our God, and the people around us.  All are invited no matter where you are in your spiritual sojourn.  Sponsored by the Imago Dei Initiative at Pratt Institute.

8:00PM   Korean Christian Fellowship

Fridays:

12:30PM   Celebration of Mass

7PM   Shabbat Services**

8PM   Shabbat Dinner**

Sundays:

4:45PM   Confession (CM Office)

6:00PM   Eucharistic Adoration

6:15PM   Roman Catholic Mass

Newman Club meets 1st and 3rd Sunday after Mass

All programs take place in the Pratt Chapel, unless otherwise noted

** These programs take place at the Rohr Jewish Center, 541 Myrtle Ave (facing Pratt Store.  )

For more information, contact the Campus Ministry Office at (718) 636-3498 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

For a complete list of places of worship in the neighborhood, check out the Student Handbook online (http://www.pratt.edu/policies) or the Campus Ministry webpage (http://www.pratt.edu/student_life/activities/campus_ministry/)

BODY IMAGE 2012

Seeking student artwork related to the theme of body image.

**Extended deadline:  January 23, 2012**

The objective of the exhibit is to promote awareness about body image
issues, including eating disorders.  The show will be displayed in the
Student Lounge in February and will coincide with Eating Disorders
Awareness Week.

Students will vote for their favorite piece and one lucky artist will win
a $100 gift certificate to the Pratt Store!!!

Please email a photo of your submission, including a brief statement (250
words or less) about the piece to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).  Please also include
the title, medium, and dimensions of the work.

Contact Sarika at 718-399-4542 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) for more information.

(Sponsored by Pratt Health & Counseling Services and Career Services)

Dear Pratt Students, Faculty and Staff:

In October of 2011 the Office of Institute Safety and Security put an announcement out to the Pratt community regarding the installation of turnstiles at Willoughby Avenue and Steuben Street and at DeKalb Avenue and Grand Walk to improve access and security.

As a second phase to the those improvements, the Office of Institute Safety and Security is announcing that effective 12:01 AM, Tuesday, January 17, 2012, the Hall Street and DeKalb Avenue gate will begin as the main entrance on the south side of the campus and will be staffed by security personnel on a 24 X 7 basis.  Subsequently, the Thrift Gate located at Ryerson St. and DeKalb Avenue will be closed entirely.

We believe the new around the clock access at the Hall St. Gate along with turnstile at Grand Walk and DeKalb Ave., will improve convenience to those who use the south side access points to the campus while enhancing safety and security.

Office of Institute Safety and Security

Dated 1/13/2012

Dear Members of the Pratt community,

The summaries of my October and December 2011 reports to the Board of Trustees are now available on http://my.pratt.edu.

I hope that you find these summary reports useful, as they highlight some important new initiatives and recent successes of the collective efforts of those at the Institute.

Best wishes for a happy holiday season,

Thomas F. Schutte
President

Effective at 12:00 AM through 11:59 PM, Sunday, December 25, 2011, Pratt Institute will exercise its right as a property owner and close the Main Campus grounds to the public for a 24 hour period.

All gates and entrances will remain closed during this time period, to be opened at 12:00 AM, Monday, December 26, 2011.

William J. Schmitz
Director of Institute Safety and Security
Pratt Institute
200 Willoughby Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11205
Tel:  (718)-636-3645
Fax: (718)-399-4409

To the Pratt Community:

It was with great pleasure at my recent holiday party at the Pratt House that I acknowledged the incredible service and commitment of over 30 members of Pratt’s faculty and staff who have been at teaching and working at Pratt for 40 years or more. I thought the Pratt Community would enjoy learning more about each of them. Brief notes about each of them have been posted on Inside Pratt and can be accessed at http://inside.pratt.edu/?p=1620.

I know you all will join me in congratulating this remarkable group of educators and administrators who continue to play such significant roles in the education of our students and the operations of the Institute.

Best wishes for a terrific holiday,

Thomas F. Schutte
President

Please be advised that in keeping with previous Winter Break closing procedures and Pratt’s continuing efforts to be a leader in energy conservation, interior temperatures will be setback in all unoccupied buildings, from Thursday evening, December 22, 2011 through Monday, January 2, 2012.

In addition we want to remind you that all buildings will be closed on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

Please call the Facilities hotline at extension 3579 or email us at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) if you have any questions.

As we plan for the upcoming Winter Break, the staff of the Pratt Office of Facilities Management wishes you and your family a safe and healthy holiday season and New Year.