printable versionCardinal Chronicle
BY MICHAEL PEÑA
The Team to Improve Productivity at Stanford (TIPS) is pairing up once again with Human Resources' Training and Organizational Development office for a special program on Nov. 15 in honor of National Career Development Month. To accommodate a change in format from past programs, this year's event will be held in Tresidder Union's Cypress Room. The program aims to be more interactive, with one-on-one and group exercises planned, including a "speed networking" session. All staff are encouraged to attend. No registration is required, and breakfast will be served. The program, "Discovering your Strengths and the Power of Networking," will run from 8 to 10 a.m.; it is facilitated by KATHLEEN SEXTON, manager of the Career Management Program for Stanford Staff (COMPASS). The program's website is https://hrweb.stanford.edu/training/desktop/careerselfset.html.
The Stanford Guest House, formerly called the SLAC Guest House, will celebrate its re-christening on Wednesday, Nov. 15, from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Opened in June 2003, the 112-room facility was renamed to reflect its role in providing short-term accommodations for the entire campus community, including the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, the Medical Center and all university affiliates—such as prospective students, conference attendees, visiting scholars, parents and families of hospital patients. Amenities are akin to those offered at hotels and include a fitness center and DVD players and high-speed Internet access in the rooms. The open house will feature tours of the facility, complimentary lunch and a raffle of gift baskets and free-night stays. Those planning to attend should RSVP by Friday by calling 926-2800 or e-mailing guesthouse@stanford.edu. Keep your parking space and take the Marguerite or one of the event's shuttles. For a schedule of stops and locations, as well as general information about accommodations, go to http://www.stanford.edu/dept/hds/guesthouse/.
HERB FONG, Stanford's head gardener, points out that the silk floss trees are in full bloom on the top floor of the parking structure along Campus Drive West, opposite the Medical Center. The lavender-colored flowers are 4 to 6 inches across and should be open for another week or two. The tree, Chorisia speciosa, is native to South and Central America; and while a parking structure isn't exactly pristine nature, it helped protect the trees from frost when they were saplings, according to Fong. Silk floss trees also stand near the Post Office and the Clock Tower, but Fong said their displays aren't as dramatic.