Children's Film Festival

Young people can see the world in the festival of quality children's international films showing in Sunday matinees through Feb. 23 at the Pacific Film Archives.

Feb. 2 features the Irish film "The Boy from Mercury," about a lonely child who imagines that he and his dog are aliens endowed with superpowers. The film shows at 3:30 p.m. and is recommended for children 8 years and older.

Also for the 8 and over set is the Feb. 9 program. At 1:30 p.m., "Chess Kids" spotlights young competitors in the World Youth Chess Festival. In "Liszt's Rhapsody," showing at 3:30 p.m., a young gypsy violinist plays inspiring Hungarian folk melodies for the famous composer.

Four fun films about dinosaurs, toys and rabbits are featured Feb. 16 at 1:30 p.m. Kids aged 5 and above will enjoy this show.

The final day, Feb. 23, features an appearance by director Charles Burnett with the film "Nightjohn," a tale of a courageous slave who teaches others to read. The program starts at 3:30 p.m. and is recommended for children ages 10 and above.

Wanted: Humanities Dean Candidates

Applications and nominations are being accepted through Feb. 28 for the position of dean of the humanities. The dean is responsible for the administration of the humanities division, reporting to the vice chancellor and provost.

The appointment will be effective July 1 and normally lasts for five years.

Faculty, students, alumni and staff may nominate candidates. Applications and nominations may submitted to the search committee c/o Sarah Moulton, 200 California Hall, #1500.

Stepfamily Research

Almost a third of American children will spend part of their life in a stepfamily. Yet there are few policies or laws that support this fast-growing family configuration.

Social welfare professor Mary Ann Mason and her research team are interviewing stepfamilies, with the goal of learning more about their needs.

" There is an enormous variation among these families," says Mason, " and we are trying to better understand how public policy can help them. We need more families to talk to."

If you are a stepfamily with minor children living with you, and would like to participate in this research, please contact Mason at 643-6661 or mamason@uclink2.

Sustainable Development And the Money System

Dr. Bernard Lietaer, who while at the Central Bank of Belgium was involved in the design of the European Currency Unit, will speak on campus Feb. 3 in 103 Mulford, at 3 p.m.

Lietaer is experienced in managing offshore currency and gold portfolios and is writing his next book on the future of money.

The thesis of his campus talk is that the conflict between short-term financial interests and long-term sustainable development is a logical consequence of the money system in use all over the world.

His visit is sponsored by the Center for Sustainable Development.

New Fee at the Garden

There is now a charge for admission to the UC Botanical Garden. The admission fee, which went into effect Jan. 2, is $3 for adults and $1 for children aged 3 to 18. Children under 3 and Friends of the Botanical Garden are admitted free of charge, as are all visitors on Thursdays. Annual passes are available for $20 for individuals and $30 for families.

The Botanical Garden, located on Centennial Drive in Strawberry Canyon, contains one of the largest collections of living plants in North America. Its hours are 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. every day except Christmas. For information call 642-3343.

UC Names Vice Provost For Academic Initiatives

Carol Tomlinson-Keasey, vice provost for academic planning and personnel at UC Davis, has been named the first vice provost for academic initiatives for the UC system. Her appointment was announced at the Jan. 17 Board of Regents meeting.

Tomlinson-Keasey will oversee development of major systemwide academic initiatives, including promoting the academic use of instruc-tional and information technology, expanding the university' s reach through its extension program and planning for the system' s tenth campus.

Tomlinson-Keasey will assume her new post by April 1.

She has served as vice provost for academic planning and personnel at Davis since 1995.

ChemMystery at LHS

If science at its best is like solving a real-life mystery, " Chem Mystery," the newest exhibit at the Lawrence Hall of Science, is the ultimate " whodunit."

Young visitors step inside the scene of the crime to hunt for clues. Next, in the lab, they use authentic forensic chemical testsãanalyzing inks, powders, crystals and handwriting and matching DNA and fingerprint samples to solve the Missing Boat and Missing Money mysteries.