Joseph Morrow will be the guest speaker at this year’s Livingston Lecture on Thursday, Nov. 2 at 3 p.m., in the University Ballroom.

This year Joseph Morrow is going to talk about his Applied Behavior Consultants School and the theory behind its successful methods. Morrow began this school designed specifically for children with autism last year with his business partner and CSUS alumni, Brenda Terzich. The school currently has a staff of 50 people and an enrollment of 70 children.

Autism is a disease that is common among children. About 1 in 500 suffer with this neurological disorder, of which the cause is undetermined. The children who are diagnosed with it are excessively self-occupied. They withdraw from social interaction with playmates as well as from their family members. This usually leads to communication troubles, violent tantrums and other problems.

“The challenge of these children is that, quite literally, they don?t care much about us,” Morrow said. “Our approval and understanding isn?t all that important to them. We have to teach them to socialize.”

The school is specially equipped with non-flickering lights and soundproof walls that are helpful for the children since they are sensitive to changing lights and sound. Along with the school, the staff also provides intense 30-40 hour lessons a week within the children?s homes.

The Livingston Lecture is named in honor of the late Jack Livingston who was a professor for Sacramento State from 1954 until 1982. The event itself is organized by the Faculty Senate and honors one faculty member each year that has shown a strong commitment to students and has continuously remained active in scholarly and other activities.

For more information regarding the Livingston Lecture, please contact the CSUS public affairs office at (916) 278-6156.