The Bear Ledger

The University of Central Arkansas Board of Trustees voted to move forward with plans to construct a Greek Village on the campus, starting with five 32-bed sorority houses and the first phase of a facility for additional sororities at its October 11 meeting.

The board unanimously approved an amended resolution authorizing an “economic feasibility study for the issuance of bonds, in an amount not to exceed $13.8 million, to finance the design and construction of Greek Village Phase I.”

The approval came after an amendment to a proposed resolution authorizing a feasibility study for the issuance of bonds in an amount not to exceed $12 million, which would have allowed for 22 residents in each of the five sorority houses, rather than the now approved 32.

The Board of Trustees initially considered the 22-resident facilities, but several board members questioned whether they should look more to future growth in student enrollment and Greek membership, as well as the economic benefits.

The issuance of the bonds must now be approved by the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board, which will meet on October 25.

View the full story at https://uca.edu/news/uca-moves-forward-with-greek-village-plan/.

The Staff Senate Employee Recognition Committee congratulates Casper Zimmerebner for being named Employee of the Quarter for the first quarter of the 2013-2014 academic year. Casper works in Information Technology. His service and dedication during Quarter I (July-September) is greatly appreciated.

Excerpt from his nomination:

“Recently, Casper was tasked with expanding wireless coverage in all of UCA’s residence halls. This was a very large scale project that involved on-site surveys, recommending equipment to purchase, installation, configuration, and testing. Because of Casper’s dedication and hard work, what was estimated to take 6 months to complete, was accomplished in just 45 days.

Casper is a valuable and hard-working individual and is a great asset to the Department of Information Technology and UCA.”

EOQ nominations are evaluated on outstanding job performance, time frame of the performance, and overall contribution to the university.

Each winner receives recognition and prizes including $150 BearBucks and a reserved parking spot. Again, congratulations to Casper Zimmerebner.

The UCA YouTube channel is filled with stories about recent events and activities around campus. Take some time to visit the channel at www.youtube.com/ucentralarkansas. You can also access one of the following stories here:

AVID Week activities

Academic Vitality   www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJpkDgRufQk&feature=c4-overview&list=UUW5Kew7wU2frV2cGqhZ6gew
Integrity     www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMUuajKhnjc&feature=c4-overview&list=UUW5Kew7wU2frV2cGqhZ6gew
Diversity     www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHsIxnC-rfE&feature=c4-overview&list=UUW5Kew7wU2frV2cGqhZ6gew

Campus Talk

www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGw0obWEX0w&feature=c4-overview&list=UUW5Kew7wU2frV2cGqhZ6gew

EDGE Residential College Labyrinth Dedication

www.youtube.com/watch?v=7o5AhOkjtiQ&feature=c4-overview&list=UUW5Kew7wU2frV2cGqhZ6gew

Inventor of Ubuntu-Blox at the College of Business

www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCDZZm6wA5s&list=UUW5Kew7wU2frV2cGqhZ6gew

 WWII Memorial Sculptures Dedication at UCA

www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EzPWHNYZPY&list=UUW5Kew7wU2frV2cGqhZ6gew

David Bailin, instructor, Department of Art, is participating in the following regional shows:

Solo Show, Dreams & Disasters, Norman Hall Art Gallery, Arkansas Tech University, Russellville, Ark. October 3-30, 2013; Curated Group Show, Size Really Does Matter, Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, Los Angeles, Ca. November 3- January 2014; and Curated Group Show, Marking The Course: Bailin, Duffin, O’keefe, University of Northern Texas, Denton, Texas February 25 – March 30, 2014.

Young children will be mystified and amazed during the upcoming Nutrition Magic Show on the campus of the University of Central Arkansas where they will learn the importance of eating healthy foods.

The Faculty Presentation Series, hosted by Torreyson Library, will present the Nutrition Magic Show at 4 p.m. Wednesday, October 16, in Torresyon Library on the second floor near the Children’s Collection. The event is free and open to the public.

UCA professors Elson Bihm, Nina Roofe, and Melissa Shock are the nutrition magicians.

The Nutrition Magic Show teaches young children ages three to six the benefits of eating more fruits and vegetables. The 40-minute show is filled with mystery, fun, and laughter. Children will learn the value of healthier alternatives to the typical diet, and they will learn how calcium helps support strong bones and teeth.

This information is based on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s My Plate, which has replaced the traditional Food Pyramid. The magic show is designed to help children learn by keeping them engaged and involved, implementing lots of audience participation, interaction, and comedy. The magic show follows a story-line entitled Happy Birthday Boris, which is aided by a large story-book with creative drawings by artist Michael Spigner.

Halloween and the Dia de los Muertos (“Day of the Dead”): Origins, Similarities, and Differences

UCA museum anthropology students will host a mask-making arts and crafts program for young children on Saturday, October 19 at 11:30 am after the Spanish story hour, and a panel discussion “gallery talk” for youth and adults about the exhibition on Sunday, October 20 at 2 pm. Costumed students will be on hand to answer questions, and bassoonist Holly Williamson will play Halloween and Mexican music for both events.

“This project has anthropological significance because there isn’t a single culture in the world that responds to death in a matter-of-fact way by simply disposing of corpses. Some cultures focus on bereavement and others on an almost pathological fear of contamination and dread of the dead…what if they should have scores to settle or become angry at having to leave this life?” said Dr. Alison Hall, lecturer in anthropology and museum studies.

This student-produced anthropological exhibition will trace the roots of the Mexican Dia de los Muertos (“Day of the Dead”) tradition to very ancient pre-Hispanic, pre-Christian roots among the inhabitants of West Mexico who buried their dead in underground shaft tombs as deep as 21 meters (68 feet). Ancient people believed in the continuation of the soul after death in an underworld, and their practice was to “feed the dead” with necessities for their afterlife (with the possible exception of weapons). Precious little is known about these cultures because of the widespread practice of looting tombs and trafficking in their treasures and forgeries. This results in the loss of reliable scientific information archaeologists need to understand the beliefs, life-ways, and ecology of the past. Many of the artifacts from the West Mexican Indian Shaft tombs in some of the best museums in the country have been discovered to be forgeries, and it is estimated that up to 60% are not authentic. Plans have been made for UCA students to work with UCA chemistry professor Dr. Karen Steelman, and experts at the Gilcrease museum in Tulsa to assess, if it is even possible, artifacts that were donated to the university by private collectors in the 1970s.

Students involved in the project are Brittney Behr, Christopher Bohn, Amanda Cross, Jonathan Lewis, Tony Martin, Hannah Mosby, Morgan Rogers, Michael Jason Smith, Breanna Wilbanks, Crystal Taylor.

“This project is another great example of the sort of academic vitality one finds on the UCA campus. Dr. Hall and her students have designed a significant service-learning activity, one that meets a community educational need and advances student learning,” said Dr. Peter J. Mehl, associate dean and service-learning faculty liaison.