Weeks of  March 2 - 15, 2009

Welcome to the Tower Topics E-newsletter for faculty, staff and students at Western. 

Missouri Western State University, 4525 Downs Drive, St. Joseph, MO 64507, 816-271- 4200

Click any link for these stories:

Board Approves Aramark Food Service Bid

Western Presents Original Play 'Marlow'

Student Elected to Regional Board Position

February 2009 Points of Pride

Tower Sports

News Briefs

Calendar

Ads

Archives

The deadline for all entries is 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, for the next week's issue. Tower Topics will be online weekly during the fall and spring semester.  For more information call 271-5651.

Board Approves Aramark Food Service Bid

The Western Board of Governors on Feb. 26 approved a bid proposal from Aramark Higher Education to provide campus food service for up to eight years. Aramark’s current contract expires in May.

A committee of students, faculty and staff evaluated bid proposals from Aramark and Sodexo Education. The committee and Mel Klinkner, vice president for financial planning and administration, recommended the Board accept the proposal from Aramark.

“We had two good proposals, and it was a difficult decision,” Klinkner said. “The committee did a lot of hard work to make this recommendation.”

Under the proposal, Aramark will provide nearly $3.5 million to Western over the next eight years in projected commission revenue, capital investment, scholarships and other financial considerations. The board rate for students will rise between 3 and 6 percent annually after the first year.

Board rates will likely take a bigger jump next year, Klinkner warns.

“Past board rate increases haven’t kept up with the rising cost of food,” Klinkner said. “We’ll negotiate with Aramark to get the most favorable board rate possible, but I want the Board to be aware that when we come back with a proposed rate in the next month or two, there will likely be a larger increase.”

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Western Presents Original Play 'Marlowe'

The department of communication studies and theatre at Western presents the dramatic play “Marlowe” at 8 p.m. March 3-6 in the Potter Hall Theater. Tickets are $8 for the general public and $6 for students, faculty and staff. The play is directed by Alan Arrivée, assistant professor of theatre.

“Marlowe” explores the life and mysterious death of Elizabethan playwright Christopher Marlowe. It was written by Donald Lillie, assistant professor of theatre. Some say Marlowe is the man who actually wrote the plays attributed to William Shakespeare, but Lillie says that’s not the focus of the play.

“As I learned more about him, the authorship question became less of an interest to me,” Lillie said. “I was more interested in looking at Marlowe as a person, not just as a playwright.”

Marlowe was directly involved in the political and religious intrigue of his era. The play centers on his insistence on staging “Edward II,” a controversial play calling into question the legitimacy of the crown. It’s historically accurate—Lillie took a sabbatical in 2006 to begin the research, and he and a group of students did additional work during the Summer Research Institute in 2008.

“This is the purest example of what educational theatre should be,” Lillie said. “Students have now experienced the complete production process, from page to stage.”

Kellen Perry, a graduate student in integrated media from Wellington, Mo., and Rachel Peery, a junior theatre and video major from Kidder, Mo., lead the cast as Marlowe and Shakespeare, respectively.

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Student Elected to Regional Board Position

A Western student was recently elected to a regional board position at the No Frills Conference that Western’s Residence Council attended Feb. 20-22.

Bonnie Drees, sophomore and National Residence Hall Honorary president, was elected to the Midwest Affiliate of College and University Residence Halls Regional Board of Directors as the Regional Communication Coordinator of Special Projects. Drees will oversee the website, maintain the Listserv for the organization and be responsible for the president relations in the region, as well as other tasks described in her job description.

Drees will officially take the position following the national conference in May 2009.

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Tower Sports

Men's Basketball

• Loss vs. University of Central Missouri, 66-84, Feb. 25

• Loss vs. Southwest Baptist, 67-89, Feb. 28

• Win vs. Southwest Baptist at the MIAA Championship first round, 93-92, March 5

• March 7 vs. Fort Hays State at the MIAA Championships, semifinals at 12 p.m.

• March 8 MIAA Championships, championship game at 1 p.m. (with win on Saturday)

Women's Basketball

• Loss vs. University of Central Missouri, 57-79, Feb. 25

• Loss vs. Southwest Baptist, 66-76, Feb. 28

Baseball

• Loss vs. Missouri Southern State, 4-15, March 2

• Loss vs. Missouri Southern State, 2-4, March 2

• March 7 at University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg, Mo., at 1 p.m. Doubleheader.

• March 8 at University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg, Mo., at 12 p.m. Doubleheader.

• March 14 vs. Washburn University at 1 p.m. Doubleheader.

• March 15 vs. Washburn University at 1 p.m. Doubleheader.

Softball

• March 4 vs. Rockhurst at 2 p.m. Doubleheader.

• March 9 vs. West Liberty State at the 2009 NTC Spring Games in Clermont, Fla., at 11:30 a.m. Doubleheader.

• March 10 vs. Ohio Valley University at the 2009 NTC Spring Games in Clermont, Fla., at 3:30 p.m.

• March 10 vs. Felician College at the 2009 NTC Spring Games in Clermont, Fla., at 5:30 p.m.

• March 12 vs. Assumption College at the 2009 NTC Spring Games in Clermont, Fla., at 9:30 a.m.

• March 12 vs. Wayne State College at the 2009 NTC Spring Games in Clermont, Fla., at 11:30 a.m.

• March 13 vs. Wayne State College at the 2009 NTC Spring Games in Clermont, Fla., at 9:30 a.m.

• March 13 vs. Bentley College at the 2009 NTC Spring Games in Clermont, Fla., at 1:30 p.m.

Tennis

• Win vs. Westminster, 5-4, Feb. 27

• Win vs. Westminster, 6-3, Feb. 28

• Win vs. Baker University, 5-4, Feb. 28

• Win vs. Johnson County Community College, 5-4, March 2

• March 14 vs. Southwest Baptist University at 3 p.m.

WAC Spring Concert Tickets Western Activities Council's spring concert, featuring country artists Blake Shelton and Joey + Rory, went on sale to the general public Feb. 28. Tickets are available to students, faculty, staff and alumni starting March 2. Shelton, who has produced five No. 1 country singles, will headline the spring concert at 8 p.m. April 9 in the St. Joseph Civic Arena. Joey + Rory will be the opening act for the concert. The husband and wife have been nominated in the Top Vocal Duo category for the 44^th annual Academy of Country Music Awards. Tickets for the general public will cost $30, plus a $2 facility charge. They will be available at the Civic Arena box office or through Ticketmaster. Western students get one free ticket with their student identification card. They also have the opportunity to buy one additional ticket for $20, plus the $2 facility charge. Student tickets will only be available in the Center for Student Engagement (CSE), Blum Student Union room 207, beginning at 10 a.m. March 2. Western employees can purchase up to two tickets for $20 each, plus the $2 facility charge on each ticket, also in the CSE beginning at 10 a.m. March 2. Western alumni can purchase up to two tickets for $20 each, plus the $2 facility charge on each ticket, through the Western Alumni Association Web site, www.griffonalumni.org/blakeshelton, also beginning on March 2. Alumni must be registered users of the site to purchase tickets, and must pick up their tickets April 7-8 in Spratt Hall, room 106, with a valid ID. The concert is an alcohol-free event. For more information about ticket distribution to students, faculty, staff and the general public, contact the CSE at 4159. For more information about alumni ticket sales, call 5646.

Bake Sale The women of Phi Mu will sponsor a bake sale from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 2 and 3 in Blum Lobby. All of the treats will be sold for a dollar a bag, and all of the proceeds go to Children's Miracle Network.

Foreign Film Series Western will show “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” as part of the Foreign Film Series at 6:30 p.m. March 2 in Hearnes 102. The movie is free and open to the public. Directed by Julian Schnabel in France in 2007, “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” is the true story of Elle magazine editor Jean-Dominique Bauby, who at the age of 43 suffered a stroke that paralyzed his entire body except his left eye. Using that eye to blink out his memoir, Bauby eloquently describes the aspects of his interior world, from the psychological torment of being trapped inside his body to his imagined stories from lands he had only visited in his mind. The film was nominated for multiple awards in 2007 and 2008. Schnabel won best director for the film at Cannes.

MIAA Tournament Tickets Tickets for the MIAA Basketball Championships March 5-8 at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City are available through the athletic department. The all-session pass for $40 includes admission to all 14 games of the tournament. Tickets are available from the Griffon ticket office through March 4. Call 5904 for details.

Criminal Justice Week The man who runs Missouri’s public defender system will highlight Criminal Justice Week activities, March 2-6 at Western. Marty Robinson, director of the Missouri Public Defender System, will present “The State of Indigent Criminal Defense in Missouri…Past, Present and Future,” at 7 p.m. March 3 in Spratt Hall, Kemper Recital Hall. Robinson will speak about issues and concerns facing the criminal justice system, including access to justice and budgetary constraints in difficult economic times. The presentation is free and open to the community. Also during Criminal Justice Week, the 30th annual Criminal Justice Day Career Fair will be held from 1-3:30 p.m. March 4 in the Fulkerson Center. Students from all campus departments are invited to gather information regarding agencies in the criminal justice field as well as a large variety of other professions. A presentation titled “Preliminary Observations on Insect Activity Associated with Surrogate Corpses at the MWSU Forensic Scene Research Facility,” will be presented by Dr. David Ashley, professor of biology, at 8:30 a.m. March 5 in the Kemper Recital Hall. For more information about the events, contact David Tushaus, chair, department of criminal justice and legal studies, at 5627 or Barb Harris at 4293.

Noontime Concert Series The Western Symphonic Winds will be featured at the First Thursday Noontime Concert Series at 12:10 p.m. March 5 at the First Presbyterian Church, 301 N. 7th St. The Symphonic Winds are renowned in the region for their challenging literature and outstanding performances. The community is invited to bring lunch and eat while listening to the performance in the sanctuary of the church. The event will last approximately 35 minutes, and there will be an opportunity to meet the performers after the concert. A minimum donation of $3 per person is suggested in order to meet the expenses and provide continuation of the series.  For further information, contact the Western music department at 4420.

Student Bus to MIAA Basketball Tournament Griffon men's basketball has qualified for the MIAA Basketball Championships at Kansas City's Municipal Auditorium. The opening round game will be played March 5 at noon. Your MAX dollars at work have set up a free student bus to the first 33 students that sign up. Those students will travel to and from Kansas City for the game. A game ticket will also be provided. The bus will leave from the north steps of Blum Union at 10:15 a.m. and will return immediately following the game. To sign up, you must go to Looney Complex Room 224 anytime between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. before March 4 to reserve your spot. For more information call the athletics department at 5904.

House Concerts Classical guitarist Samuel Klemke, a former prize winner in the St. Joseph International Guitar Festival & Competition, will perform at two “house concerts” at 7 p.m. March 9 and 10 in St. Joseph, and this special invitation is being extended to Western faculty and staff. There is no admission charge, but a $10 donation is suggested. Seating is limited and reservations are required. For more information, including the house concert address, call Maria Windisch at 816-279-0283.

While somewhat rare in the United States, house concerts became highly popular musical and social events throughout Europe from the early 19th century, when concert halls were used for orchestral performances and solo concerts were performed in the drawing rooms of musical patrons. A house concert offers a chance to hear professional international artists in a more casual setting.

Klemke, from Weimar, Germany, won 2nd Prize in the 2006 St. Joseph International Guitar Festival & Competition, sponsored by Missouri Western State University. He is one of many competitors who periodically return to St. Joseph during concert tours. One of the premiere guitar festivals in the US, the St. Joseph festival has drawn performers from Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Costa Rica, Cyprus, France, Germany, Holland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, Nicaragua, Poland, Serbia, Uruguay and throughout the United States. The 2009 Festival is scheduled May 14-17.

Klemke will be performing contemporary works by Benjamin Britten and Carlo Domeniconi, as well as pieces by J.S. Bach, Giulio Regondi, Fernando Sor and others. Klemke’s recordings are being featured every evening at 8 and Sunday at 2 p.m. on St. Joseph Music Foundation Radio, available online at www.StJosephMusicFoundation.org, from now through March 10.

Up 'til Dawn Executive Board Openings Up 'til Dawn is a program uniting faculty, staff, students and the local community in a goal to help the children of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Not only do students lead Up 'til Dawn on their respective campus, but they also educate the community about St. Jude while raising much needed funds through a variety of fundraising activities. The Up 'til Dawn Executive Board still has three openings: Morale Chairperson, Fundraising Chairperson and Sponsorship Chairperson. To get involved, contact Lolita Murphy at lmurphy3@missouriwestern.edu or call the CSE in Blum 207 at 4159.

MWSU Foundation Once again the MWSU Foundation is pleased to be able to make funds available to assist some very good programs at Western. This is a request for proposals for funding from the MWSU Foundation for special projects to be awarded for academic year 2009-2010. The deadline for proposals to be submitted is March 27, 2009. A description of the allocation process and a copy of the Allocation Request form are available at:
http://www.missouriwestern.edu/foundation/foundalloc.pdf. If you are requesting funds for a project for which funds have been provided previously, then your "accountability report" for the previous project must be received prior to, or with, the new proposal. See the instructions for the report at the web address listed above. The Foundation's purpose is to support the work of Western. Our goal is to assist programs and activities that help provide a margin of
excellence. These special allocations are one way in which the Foundation contributes. Thank you to all of you who are among the
contributors to the Foundation. If you have any question,  contact Kim Weddle at 5647.

Organ Recital Grammy-nominated organist Cameron Carpenter will perform at 7:30 p.m. March 13 in the Potter Hall Main Theater. Tickets are $10. The performance is the showcase recital of the St. Joseph chapter of the American Guild of Organists. It is sponsored by the Guild and Western’s department of music. For more information about the recital or to make advance reservations, contact Bill McMurray at 1442.

Gem Society The Gem Society will host a lunch for Western women at noon March 18 in Leah Spratt Enright Room 214-216. Cost is $10 per person. Call 4481 to make a reservation. The Gem Society is an organization whose mission is to get women of influence more involved with our women's athletic programs. The main focus is women inspiring women.

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Monday, March 2

• WAC Spring Concert tickets go on sale for students, employees and alumni beginning at 10 a.m.

• Bake sale from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. in Blum Lobby

• Senate meeting at 5 p.m. in Blum 220

• Griffon Luncheon from 12-1 p.m. in the upstairs banquet room at La Dolce Vita at 36th Street Restaurant

• “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” at 6:30 p.m. in Hearnes 102 as part of the Foreign Film Series

Tuesday, March 3

• Bake sale from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. in Blum Lobby

• “The State of Indigent Criminal Defense in Missouri…Past, Present and Future,” at 7 p.m. in Spratt Hall, Kemper Recital Hall

• Residence Council meeting at 7 p.m. in the Commons Building

Wednesday, March 4

• Last day to pick up MIAA Basketball Championship tickets

• Career Fair held from 1-3:30 p.m. in the Fulkerson Center

• Western Activities Council meeting at 4 p.m. in Blum 223

• Student Bus will travel to Kansas City for Men's Basketball MIAA Championship. Bus leaves Blum Union at 10:15 a.m.

Thursday, March 5

• “Preliminary Observations on Insect Activity Associated with Surrogate Corpses at the MWSU Forensic Scene Research Facility,” at 8:30 a.m. in the Kemper Recital Hall

• First Thursday Noontime Concert Series at 12:10 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church, 301 N. 7th St.

Friday, March 6

• Last day to view the Italian Experience exhibition in Potter Hall Gallery

• Spring Break Starts - Classes resumes Monday, March 16

Monday, March 9

• Classical guitarist Samuel Klemke “house concert” at 7 p.m. in St. Joseph, call Maria Windisch at 816-279-0283 for reservations

Tuesday, March 10

• Classical guitarist Samuel Klemke “house concert” at 7 p.m. in St. Joseph, call Maria Windisch at 816-279-0283 for reservations

Wednesday, March 11

• Employee Spring Break Beach Party from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. on the first floor of Eder Hall

• Webinar - "Handling Aggressive and Hostile Student Behavior in Higher Education" from noon to 1:30 p.m. in Spratt 109

Friday, March 13

• Cameron Carpenter organ recital at 7:30 p.m. in the Potter Hall Main Theater. Tickets are $10.

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February 2009 Points of Pride

Excellence in Our Faculty and Staff

• Dr. Cary Chevalier, associate professor of biology, was named 2008 Hunter Education Volunteer of the Year for his contributions to the Missouri Department of Conservation’s Hunter Education Program. Among the reasons cited for his recognition was his exceptional support of the program through teaching, creating and maintaining a listserv for Hunter Education Instructors, and for his novel idea to involve wildlife conservation and management majors in the Western student chapter of The Wildlife Society by encouraging them to undergo the training to become Hunter Education Instructors and teach as part of their professional development and community service.

• Drum Major for Justice Awards were presented at the Black Heritage Ball to those who have made a significant contribution to the cause of social justice: Zulima Lugo-Knapp, community member; Ivory Duncan, student; and, Tay Triggs, center for multicultural education director.

• Dr. Cindy Heider, assistant vice president of academic and student affairs, serves on the St. Joseph School District Advisory Committee to the Curriculum and Instruction Comprehensive School Improvement Plan.

• Dale Krueger, associate professor of management, had his case, “America West Airlines and Teamsters” accepted for publication in the 2008 Annual Advances in Business Cases journal.

• Dr. Reza Hamzaee, professor of economics, co-authored an article that was published in the first quarter of 2009 in the refereed journal Contemporary Issues in Education Research. The article was titled, “An Empirical Analysis of Student Satisfaction Influential Factors in Online Learning,” and was co-authored by Alina Payne.

• Teresa Harris, assistant professor of art, had her work accepted into the 2009 Kreft Juried National Exhibition at the Kreft Center for the Arts on the Concordia University-Ann Arbor campus. The accepted mixed-media work was entitled “Congruency.” The juror was Rebecca Hart, director of the Contemporary Collection for the Detroit Institute of Arts.

• Dr. Kristen Walton, assistant professor of biology, is the first author on a research paper that has been accepted for publication in the American Journal of Physiology - Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology, a national peer reviewed professional journal. The paper is titled “Lipopolysaccharide Activates Innate Immune Responses in Murine Intestinal Myofibroblasts through Multiple Signaling Pathways.”

• Dr. John Courington, professor of economics, was a co-author of two articles that were published in the fourth quarter of 2008 in the International Journal of Family Business, a refereed journal. Both articles were published in a section of the journal dealing with entrepreneurship education in a university setting. The first article was titled, “The Design of the Small Business Institute Model Graduate Program in Entrepreneurship that Encourages Entrepreneurship, Ethics, and Leadership,” and was co-authored with Shawn Carraher and Sylvia Burgess, both of Cameron University, Lawton, Okla. The second article was titled, “Designing an Applied Graduate Program in Organizational Leadership: Research or No Research?” and was co-authored with Carraher.

• Dr. Kaye Adkins, associate professor of English, was co-author of a textbook:  “Technical Communication A Practical Approach 7th ed.”

• Dr. Jason Youngkeit, assistant professor of Spanish, had an interview with Argentine author Mempo Giardinelli published in “Alba de América 27.” Dr. Youngkeit is an internationally known Argentine novelist/short story writer/essayist.

• Dr. Steven Morris, assistant professor of philosophy, had his paper, “The Evolution of Cooperative Behavior and its Implications for Ethics” accepted for publication in the refereed journal, Philosophy of Science.

• David Tushaus, associate professor of legal studies, had his article, “Teaching Election Law to Promote Civic Engagement,” accepted for publication in the Academic Exchange Quarterly, a peer reviewed journal, for its spring 2009 publication.

• Dr. faye smith, professor of business, delivered a lecture to the Madagascar Sustainable Community Development through Social Entrepreneurship class at Washington University/Olin Business School.

• Peter Hriso, assistant professor of art, was invited to show one of his films at the fifth Istanbul Animation and Visual Effect Short Film Competition in Istanbul, Turkey.

• Dr. Cary Chevalier, associate professor of biology, was co-principal investigator on a $6,000 grant awarded by the Missouri Department of Conservation and Quails Unlimited to begin a project on bobwhite quail habitat selection in response to private land management practices. The project will involve fixing radio telemetry transmitters to quail and documenting (with GPS and GIS) where the quail go and what habitat they prefer to use. The project will have student research teams working in collaboration with the co-PIs.

• Dr. James Puckett, instructor of chemistry, participated at the Science Teachers of Missouri board of directors meeting in Columbia as the organization’s corresponding secretary (membership chair).  He also reviewed Missouri Department of Higher Education Improving Teacher Quality (Cycle-7) Grant proposals in Jefferson City. In addition, Dr. Puckett was appointed to serve on the National Science Teachers Association 2009 Summer Congress planning committee.

• Connie Hecker, instructor of computer science, along with student Teri Hughes, completed a nine-month project for Jill Gibson of Painted Acres Farm. Hecker designed and developed the flower farm’s website at www.paintedacresfarm.com as a professional development project in anticipation and preparation for teaching some of the new web development courses being created for the new applied computer applications computer information system (CIS) major. Hughes graduated in 2008 and was a key developer in this project.

• Kent Pickett, assistant professor of computer science; and Dr. Tingxiu Wang, professor of computer science, mathematics, and physics; gave talks to 112 eighth-graders at Career Day at Robidoux Middle School.

• Dr. Jeff Poet, associate professor of mathematics; and Dr. Todd Eckdahl, professor of biology, presented Synthetic Biology and iGEM: Exploring BioMath Connections with Undergraduate Researchers at a Truman State University Mathematical Biology Seminar. Their talk was attended by 25 students and faculty from Truman.

• Dr. Tingxiu Wang, professor of computer science, reviewed a paper titled “On the Qualitative Behavior of Solutions of Some Fifth Order Nonlinear Delay Differential Equations,” for the Mathematical Review.

• Dr. Ben Caldwell, associate professor of chemistry; Dr. Mike Ducey, associate professor of chemistry; Dr. Shauna Hiley, associate professor of chemistry; Dr. Steve Lorimor, associate professor of chemistry; Dr. Jonathan Rhoad, assistant professor of chemistry; and 14 members of the Alchemist Club presented chemistry demonstrations and hands-on experiments for more than 700 participants at Super Science Saturday at the St. Joseph Museum. Activities this year included Color Wheels and Shrinky Dink polymer dog tags. The faculty put on their Fire and Ice demonstration. Additionally, Dr. Kevin Anderson, associate professor of math; and Dr. Gavin Waters, assistant professor of computer science, mathematics, and physics; participated in Super Science Saturday by constructing a Math Maze.

• Dr. Reza Hamzaee, professor of economics, presented two research papers titled, “An Experimental Development of an Assessment Instrument for Economics Department, Faculty and Graduating Students at a Regional University,” and “Critical Thinking: A Foundation for Better Learning, Effective Teaching, and Quality Communications Conducive to Societal Change,” at the Business & Economics Society International Conference in Acapulco, Mexico. Dr. Hamzaee also chaired a session, “Education Assessment Issues,” and served as a discussant of two papers in Education Assessment Issues and Issues in Ethics sessions.

• Dr. Jane Frick, professor of English; Patricia Brost; Meredith Katchen, instructor of English; Joe Marmaud; and Tom Pankiewicz, assistant professor of English; Erin Walker, graduate assistant; and English majors Josie Clark and Kyla Ward were part of the cadre of Missouri educators participating in the national and Missouri Scholastic Writing Contest preliminary judging sessions held in Blum Union. In two marathons, the cadre scored over 3,000 at-large and 193 Missouri region personal essays, poems, senior portfolios, science fiction, short stories, short-short stories, dramatic scripts, journalism, and humor pieces submitted by middle- and high-school students from throughout the United States, including those from 60 different schools in Missouri. This was the first year for Missouri region sessions and the sixth year that the at-large scoring sessions have been held at Western. Dr. Frick coordinated the scoring and facilitated the norming sessions which were sponsored by Prairie Lands Writing Project with funding for scorers provided by the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers.

• Dr. Stacia Bensyl, associate professor of English, presented her paper, “Gender-bending, S & M, Lesbianism and Celibacy: Queering Natsuo Kirino’s Out,” at the Japan Studies Association Annual Conference in New Orleans.

• Larry Andrews, professor of criminal justice, presented at a conference for the United States Department of Justice in Phoenix. The conference involved directors and campus police chiefs from around the United States discussing planning for the conference topic of “The U.S. Department of Justice through the Bureau of Justice Assistance” and in coordination with the Regional Community Policing Institute at Western, which plans to present this information at 16 to 18 conferences around the U.S.

• Dr. Elizabeth Hendrix, assistant professor of education, spoke at The Hawaii International Conference on Education. The title of her presentation was “Justics:  With Discipline and Justice for All?” with Dr. Dymaneke Mitchell from National-Louis University in Chicago. Dr. Hendrix also presented “Multicultural Education: A Framework for Socially Conscious Educational Development Work in International Contexts” at the Washington, D.C., Chapter Society for International Development.

• Dr. Zhao Zhang, associate professor of electronics engineering, participated in the 2008 Chinese Overseas Scholar Entrepreneur Week in Beijing and Wuhan, China.  There were approximately 200 Chinese scholars from 11 countries in attendance.

• Bonnie Gregory, assistant professor of nursing; and Dr. Evelyn Brooks, professor of nursing; along with senior nursing student Ashlee Rosmolen, presented “Nursing Grades, ATI, and TEAS Scores: A Correlational Study” at Mosby’s Faculty Development Institute in Orlando, Fla. The presentation was also co-authored by senior nursing student Jennifer Behnke.

• Dr. Evelyn Brooks, professor of nursing, with senior nursing students Erica Dimmel and Anna Stanley, presented “The Significance of Graded Versus Ungraded ATI Testing” at Mosby’s Faculty Development Institute in Orlando, Fla. The presentation was also co-authored by senior nursing student Rachel Adrian.

• Dr. Melissa Daggett, assistant professor of biology, attended a steering committee meeting for the Association of College and University Biology Educators (ACUBE) in Kansas City, Mo. She will be serving as the program chairperson for the next annual ACUBE meeting.

• Carol Roever, interim dean of Steven L. Craig School of Business and a member of the Heartland Health Board of Directors, attended the 2009 Governance Education Conference sponsored by Premier Healthcare Alliance. She also attended the 2009 American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business Deans Conference in San Francisco in February.

• Dr. Ken Rosenauer, professor of journalism, judged a speech and debate tournament at Savannah High School, Savannah, Mo.

• The Missouri Association of Hospital Auxiliaries has chosen autism as their statewide cause this year. Kathy Kelly, administrative coordinator of student development, was asked to be on the committee to help Heartland Regional Medical Center employees meet their goal to increase awareness of autism. Kelly also worked with Special Olympics and the Polar Bear Plunge where Western’s Alpha Sigma Alphas led the fundraising challenge.  

• Peggy Ellis, director of noncredit programs and business and industry training, continues to lead a five-month training program for 215 Triumph supervisors.

• Martha Greer, director of the center for community arts, will be a judge for an upcoming “Poetry Out Loud” competition – a partnership between the Missouri Arts Council and the public school system.

Excellence in our Students

• Drum Major for Justice Awards were presented at the Black Heritage Ball to those who have made a significant contribution to the cause of social justice: Zulima Lugo-Knapp, community member; Ivory Duncan, student; and, Tay Triggs, center for multicultural education director.

• Senior nursing student Ashlee Rosmolen, along with Bonnie Gregory, assistant professor of nursing; and Dr. Evelyn Brooks, professor of nursing; presented “Nursing Grades, ATI, and TEAS Scores: A Correlational Study” at Mosby’s Faculty Development Institute in Orlando, Fla. The presentation was also co-authored by senior nursing student Jennifer Behnke.

• Senior nursing students Erica Dimmel and Anna Stanley, along with Dr. Evelyn Brooks, professor of nursing, presented “The Significance of Graded Versus Ungraded ATI Testing” at Mosby’s Faculty Development Institute in Orlando, Fla. The presentation was also co-authored by senior nursing student Rachel Adrian.

• Teri Hughes, along with Connie Hecker, instructor of computer science, completed a nine-month project for Jill Gibson of Painted Acres Farm. Hecker designed and developed the flower farm’s website at www.paintedacresfarm.com as a professional development project in anticipation and preparation for teaching some of the new web development courses being created for the new applied computer applications computer information system (CIS) major. Hughes graduated in 2008 and was a key developer in this project.

• English majors Josie Clark and Kyla Ward, along with Dr. Jane Frick, professor of English; Patricia Brost; Meredith Katchen, instructor of English; Joe Marmaud; and Tom Pankiewicz, assistant professor of English; Erin Walker, graduate assistant; were part of the cadre of Missouri educators participating in the national and Missouri Scholastic Writing Contest preliminary judging sessions held in Blum Union. In two marathons, the cadre scored over 3,000 at-large and 193 Missouri region personal essays, poems, senior portfolios, science fiction, short stories, short-short stories, dramatic scripts, journalism, and humor pieces submitted by middle- and high-school students from throughout the United States, including those from 60 different schools in Missouri. This was the first year for Missouri region sessions and the sixth year that the at-large scoring sessions have been held at Western. Dr. Frick coordinated the scoring and facilitated the norming sessions which were sponsored by Prairie Lands Writing Project with funding for scorers provided by the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers.

• Brent Lockmiller, Bonnie Drees, and Samy Northcutt attended the Midwest Affiliate of University and College Residence Hall Pre No-Frills Conference at the University of St. Louis. Lockmiller, Drees, and Northcutt were able to network with other students and prepare for the upcoming No-Frills conference.

Excellence in Our Programs

• The social work reaffirmation of accreditation reception was held in the Spratt Atrium. The program is accredited until 2015.  

• The resident assistants in the residence halls presented the following educational programs to residents: Inauguration Program, Sexual Harassment, Tutoring Night, Broke Got A Job? and Philosophy of Film. Residents also participated in several fun activities including movie, video game, and game nights; 80s Flashback, and Tie Dye Tuesday.

• Resident Council presented Sexual Assault Education, an educational program to teach students facts about sexual assault, and to give them resources if they or someone they care about is assaulted.

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Surplus: Letter-size, green hanging file folders. (approx 250); red fabric task chair; Sharp EL-1801A Printing Calculator; Texas Instruments TI-5630 Printing Calculator; two VHS rewinders; three VHS tapes; two slide projector carousels; 29 duplicate credit card paper tape rolls. If interested, call Jamie in the Western Institute at 4112.

Surplus: The department of government, social work and sociology has an office chair in good shape from our department for the asking. Please see the hallway outside of our office.

Needed: The Library is looking for a medium-size bookcase (3-4' wide x 4x5' high), metal or wood, for a project to be set up in the Commons Building. If any department can help, please notify Judy Noland at judnol or 4554.

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