October’s First Friday art-walk throughout downtown Scranton is going to have “College Night” as its theme. Student groups will be performing and exhibiting art, including the University’s Men and Women for Octaves at St. Luke’s Church. The Hope Horn Gallery’s “Taiwan Sublime” exhibit is also featured. First Friday is free and runs from 6 – 9 p.m. throughout downtown Scranton. Come out and support your fellow students and enjoy an evening mingling with Scranton area neighbors. For further details, visit http://firstfridayscranton.com/ or click on the First Friday map. 

Check out this month’s “Downtown Business Update!” Every first Tuesday of the month, Royal News will feature a link to a new "Downtown Business Update." The Office of Community Relations has created this update to serve as a resource on specials and discounts that downtown business would like to make available to the University community, particularly students. This month's update features specials from Jersey Style Subs, New Laundry and more! To view the October 2011 Downtown Business Update, visit the Community Relations website.

Applications are being accepted for the 14th Guadalajara, Mexico Study/Travel Tour, to take place from Jan. 6 through Jan. 26, 2012. The trip is co-sponsored by the Departments of World Languages and Cultures, and Political Science. University of Scranton faculty group leaders are Robert Parsons, Ph.D., and Yamile Silva, Ph.D.

The cost of the trip is $2,350 plus one-credit Intersession tuition of $919 for the three-credit Spanish course (University discount rate for Intersession travel courses). The Political Science course is completed in Scranton in the spring semester and is part of the flat tuition for the spring. The cost includes all transportation, room and board with a Mexican family, instruction in both the Spanish language and contemporary Mexican culture and politics at UNIVA University, and several excursions to places of interest in the Guadalajara region. A weekend trip to Mexico City is also likely, but will depend upon the number of students who have signed up and other financial considerations.

Students earn six credits, three in Spanish (for Intersession) and three in Political Science (for the Spring semester). Both courses are taught in Spanish. Current enrollment in or the completion of Intermediate Spanish is the minimal prerequisite for this course; however, only very strong current intermediate students, with the recommendation of their Spanish professor, are accepted into the program. Current enrollment in or the completion of Spanish Conversation (SPAN 311) or a higher level Spanish course is strongly recommended.

Applications for the trip can be picked up from Joyce Knott, World Languages and Cultures secretary, O'Hara Hall, room 301, or by emailing Dr. Silva (silvay2@scranton.edu) or Dr. Parsons (parsonsr1@scranton.edu), who can also answer any questions you may have.

The deadline for the deposit of $400 is Friday, Oct. 28.Full payment of the balance of $1950 is due Monday, Nov. 21. The tuition payment will be billed separately by the Bursar's Office.

The Office of Equity and Diversity is holding an art contest for University students as a part of its annual Diversity Fair on Thursday, Nov. 3.

Subject: Human Diversity/Human Creativity
Medium: paint, ink, chalk on canvas or art paper, paper, cloth etc.  (No sculptures accepted).
Specs: The submissions must be designed for wall-hanging, with dimensions between 20 in. x 16 in. and 25 in. x 33 in

The submission date is Wednesday, Nov. 1, at 5 p.m. at the Office of Equity & Diversity, IMBM 100.

Prizes (in gift certificates) are: first place, $150; second place, $75; third place, $50. First place will be hung in the Office of Equity and Diversity.

Tropical Biology (Biology 195) (3 credits)

This course involves on-campus classes during the January 2012 intersession and a 16-day trip to Costa Rica and Panama (Jan 13-28). It can be taken by any student to meet the general education requirement and by biology majors as an elective or to meet population and organismal requirements. The only prerequisites are an ability to swim and a sense of adventure.

The trip involves extensive traveling (by bus or van, boats, and one internal flight) and is designed to acquaint students with the flora and fauna of the tropical rainforest and the coral reef-the two most diverse ecosystems on Earth. We will visit national parks and hike rainforests and snorkel reefs on both the Caribbean and Pacific coasts of Costa Rica and Panama. Other activities include whitewater rafting and zip-line through the canopy. We stay in hotels and lodges and are accompanied by bilingual naturalist guides and certified PADI divers.

Students will be tested over assigned readings and are required to keep an extensive field notebook and personal daily journal.

The total trip cost (round trip airfare from the United States to Costa Rica, all land and boat transport, one internal flight, hotels, meals, guides, etc.) is $3,150. In addition, students have to pay tuition for 1 credit ($919). Other expenses not included are van transport from the University to and from a NewYork airport, personal expenses (laundry), departure tax, gratuities for guides, etc.

If interested, email John Conway, Ph.D., (conwayj1@scranton.edu) as soon as possible. A deposit of $500 is required as soon as possible to reserve air and hotel space. The second payment of $1,650 is due Oct 20 and the final payment is due Nov 21.