The Bear Ledger

Gov. Mike Beebe has appointed Robert “Bunny” Adcock to the University of Central Arkansas Board of Trustees. Adcock, of Conway, will replace Trustee Scott Roussel who resigned on May 6. Adcock is the vice chairman and member of the Board of Directors for Centennial Bank.

“I am really excited about serving on the UCA Board of Trustees,” Adcock said. “…I’ve told people that of all the jobs I’ve held in banking, politics, and public service, my years as golf coach were the most rewarding. I was only paid $1 per year to coach the men’s and women’s golf teams. The reward was in the young lives that we touched. The reward was watching these young people grow from kids to young adults, to watch them marry, to have families, start their careers, and enter the world as productive citizens.”

Adcock has a long history with the university. In 1974, he served on the University Status Committee for State College of Arkansas. He is one of the founders of UCA Purple Circle and currently serves as a Purple Circle board member. Adcock is also a founding member of Friends of the UCA Library, a fund-raising arm of Torreyson Library. Adcock served as head golf coach for both men’s and women’s teams from 1999-2003. He started the women’s golf team in 2000.

Adcock served as vice president of the university for development and president of UCA Foundation in 2003. He has been a member of the UCA Foundation Board of Directors for the past seven years.

From 2008-09, Adcock served as vice president of finance at UCA. He was charged with the task of putting the university on sound financial footing. He took the university from a negative $8 million to a positive $3 million in reserves.

Adcock and his wife, Carol, established and endowed the Adcock Scholarships. The scholarships provide funding for UCA foreign language students to study abroad. Carol Adcock was an instructor of French and Spanish at UCA from 1971-1976.

The couple also established the International Programs Emergency Fund. These funds are available for international student emergencies. The Adcocks funded the remodeling of International Engagement Offices, which are now named the Carol Adcock International House.

“Carol and I are passionate about our service and giving to UCA,” Adcock said. “We love serving the University, but we love serving the students even more.”

UCA President Tom Courtway said he appreciated Gov. Beebe appointing Adcock to board.

“Each time Mr. Adcock has been asked to serve UCA he has performed exceptional service,” Courtway said. “… We all look forward to working with Mr. Adcock and the other members of the Board of Trustees for the citizens of this state, and the students, faculty and staff of the University of Central Arkansas.”

The University of Central Arkansas Board of Trustees approved a $161.6 million operating budget for the 2012-13 fiscal year during its meeting on May 4. The budget calls for a 2.08 percent, $5.32 per credit hour, increase in tuition and fees.

UCA would be fifth in overall cost – tuition, fees, room and board – among the other state institutions based on the new tuition and fees, said UCA President Tom Courtway.

“UCA is a tremendous educational value for a family,” Courtway said.

View FY13 Comparison.

The fiscal year 2012-13 budget includes a tuition increase of $3.70 per hour for undergraduate and $4.55 per hour for graduate. The increase will generate nearly $1 million in additional revenue. The additional revenue will be applied toward increases in fixed costs.

The total for tuition and fees will be $3,666.05 per semester compared to $3,591.25 per semester last fiscal year. There is no increase in the board plan rates. The new budget also eliminates a $5 per semester testing fee. Room rates will increase by three percent.

The budget also calls for a $1.62 per credit hour for the Health Physical Education and Recreation fee. The fee will help finance an expansion project for the HPER Center. The expansion is scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2014.

The increase in tuition and HPER fees will generate about $1.3 million in new revenue.

The 2012-13 budget is a $2 million increase from the previous fiscal year. State appropriation represents 35.07 percent — about $56.7 million — of the total budget revenue. The education and general tuition and fee budget comprises 42.39 percent — $68.5 million — of the total budgeted revenue.

The budget also addresses needs prioritized by the Budget Advisory Committee and the university’s strategic plan. They include:

• Disaster recovery upgrades, $994,920;

• Faculty step raises, $134,930;

• Nursing position, $73,380;

• Enrollment Management plan, $237,370.

“This is a lean, tight budget,” Courtway said following the presentation.

In other business, trustees:

• Set  UCA President Courtway’s salary at $210,000 a year effective July 1.  HIs previous salary was $162,577. Courtway requested not to receive a contract, severance package or car allowance.

Adopted a new board policy regarding the protection of minors on campus. The policy makes it clear that suspected child maltreatment or abuse should be immediately reported to both the University Police as well as state officials and that immediate action should be taken to both protect the minor and report the violation.

• Authorized the administration to establish a Diversity Advisory Committee that will prepare and submit a comprehensive report to the Board of Trustees and the President no later than Jan. 31, 2013 on how to staff a diversity office and improve the university’s efforts to promote diversity; recommend changes in language to be included in university publications and advertisements on the subject of diversity. Also, the committee would prepare an annual report to be presented to the trustees and the president.

Three UCA professors were honored for their contributions in the areas of research, public service, and teaching by being named recipients of the 2012 Faculty Excellence Awards.

Dr. David Dussourd, professor of biology, Dr. Weijiu Liu, associate professor of mathematics, and Dr. Debra Burris, associate professor of physics and astronomy, were recognized during the annual Employee Appreciation Reception on April 25.

Dussourd was presented the Teaching Excellence Award. Dussourd has taken on the responsibility of preparing his students, as he puts it, “not just to fill test tubes, but to tackle everything from cloning to global warming.”

One of Dussourd’s goals in teaching science is to help students acquire the ability and confidence to do science, not just learn the results of science. He has been instrumental in developing an insect collection that currently contains more than 2,000 specimens.

“I am grateful for my gifted colleagues who have guided me and for my wonderful students who inspire me with their curiosity and dedication,” Dussourd said. “I am lucky to have a job where every day I can help others. Not everyone is so fortunate.”

Other nominees for the Teaching Excellence Award were Dr. Roger Pauly, associate professor of history, and Dr. Charlotte Yates, assistant professor of physical therapy.

Liu received the Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity Award. Dr. Nancy Gallavan, professor of in the Department of Teaching and Learning and Dr. David Welky, associate professor of history, were also nominated for the award.

Liu’s research interests are in the area of Mathematical Biology and in Control Theory with a focus on Feedback Stabilization. He has developed models for blood glucose regulation and intercellular calcium homeostasis in living organisms.

“It is a big recognition for my research work I have done at UCA,” Liu said about the award. “It is also a big encouragement for me to continue to do my best to serve my university in teaching, research and services.”

Burris was awarded the Public Service Award. Pat Ramsey, a lecturer in the Department of History, was also nominated for the award.

Burris visits three gifted and talented classes at Atkins Middle School every week, and is a co-sponsor of Middle School Naturalists Club and Point Remove Stream team. Burris secured more than $3,000 in grants to purchase equipment and supplies for the Atkins Middle School. She was a co-developer of two AGATE Curriculum award-winning programs for six grade gifted and talented students.

“I appreciate working at UCA because they do value service to the community here as an important facet of what we do,” Burris said. “Being able to make a difference in my home town community and being appreciated and recognized for it is truly a blessing.”

Larry Burns and Charlotte Fant are the recipients of the  2012 Employee of the Year Award.  The award is given each year in recognition of the employee’s dedication and service to the university. The awards were presented at the recent Employee Appreciation Reception.

Fant was named the Classified Employee of the Year and Burns was recognized as the Non-Classified Employee of the Year.

Fant is an academic counselor in the Physical Therapy Department. She began working at UCA in September 2000 as a part time instructor in the Department  of Health Sciences.  She became an academic advisor in Physical Therapy in October 2004. 

“It’s a great accomplishment to be nominated for classified Employee of the Year.  Congratulations to all classified finalists. I’m appreciative of being named Employee of the Year,” she said. “I especially want to thank Dr. Charlotte Yates for nominating me and Drs. Reese, Bandy and Huitt for writing letters of support.  It takes a great team to make this award happen.  Thanks to all the Department of Physical Therapy faculty for your support.”

Fant is in charge of the Bear Facts Days for the Physical Therapy Department, is on the Staff Senate and is in charge of visiting other institutions to represent UCA at their career fairs. She is also the pre-physical therapy advisor to UCA undergraduate students. According to one colleague, Fant advises over 250 pre-physical therapy students at UCA and many students from across the country.

“Ms. Fant really cares about her advisees and advocates for them at every opportunity. She is a person of high moral character and integrity and well respected by her advisees, as well as the faculty in the Department of Physical Therapy,” the colleague wrote.

Burns is the director of special projects in the Division of Enrollment Management. 

“I am so lucky and appreciative to work at a place like UCA where hard work and service are recognized.  There are countless others that deserve to be honored for the hard work they do for UCA and for students, so it is such an amazing honor to be recognized as Employee of the Year,” he said.

Burns does volunteer work for several organizations around campus including SGA, PRISM, Ideal and Staff Senate. He is the treasurer of the Board of Directors of the Miss UCA Scholarship Pageant as well. One colleague and UCA alumna said that he gives hours of time to these programs.

“He receives no remunerations for the countless hours he gives to these organizations, but continues to devote hours outside of work to ensure those organizations grew, prospered and maintained their reputations,” she said.

Other finalists  for the 2012 Employee of the Year (Classified) Award were Robby Burton, Art Program Coordinator, Academic Affairs; Stephanie Pickens, Economics Administrative Specialist, Academic Affairs and Lula Tyus, Maintenance Assistant, Administrative and Financial Services.

Finalists for the 2012 Employee of the Year (Non-Classified) Award were  Amy Whitehead, Center for Community and Economic Development Project Coordinator, Academic Affairs and Marvin Williams, Coordinator of UCAN Program, Enrollment Management.

 

Dr. Norbert Schedler, professor of philosophy and founder of the Honors College, and Dr. Joe Anderson, the former chair of the Department of Mass Communication and Theatre, have received the designation of Distinguished Professor Emeritus.

Both men were recognized during Spring Commencement ceremonies on May 5.

Schedler envisioned and created the Honors College in 1982 with the idea of developing a comprehensive program for gifted students. Since its inception, the Honors College has seen nearly 1,300 students complete its curriculum. More than 80 percent of Honors graduates pursued post-baccalaureate education. Schedler came to UCA in 1976 as the chair of the Department of Philosophy. He has received national awards and distinctions for his scholarship and service to professional organizations.

Dr. Rick Scott, the dean of the Honors College, said Schedler’s impact on the university is nothing less than a defining moment. He compared Schedler’s time at UCA as a chairotic moment, which indicates an instance of intense meaning that marks a before and an after.

“Dr. Schedler’s founding of the Honors College thirty years ago is a chairotic moment that transformed UCA,” Scott said. Ask his students. Ask anybody at UCA that knows the before and after. We have not been the same school since, and we are so much the better for it.”

Anderson is credited with helping to transform the Department of Mass Communication and Theatre. An Arkansas native, he joined UCA in July 2002 from Georgia State University and served seven years as the department chair before his retirement in 2009.

“Joe Anderson founded several programs at UCA, including our digital filmmaking programs, organized a new department and brought great vision to the College of Fine Arts and Communication,” said Dr. Rollin Potter, dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communication. “He is truly one of our most distinguished faculty members and truly deserving of this award.”

Anderson established the undergraduate degree program in digital filmmaking and developed the master of fine arts degree program in digital filmmaking, the only programs of their kind in the state. He is an internationally renowned scholar in the field of film studies.

He founded the Society for Cognitive Studies of the Moving Image, an international organization of film scholars that hosts annual conferences around the world.

Ron K. Patterson has been hired as the new director of undergraduate admissions at the University of Central Arkansas.

Patterson had previously served as the director of admissions at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis. He will start his new post on July 1.

Dr. Robert Parrent, vice president for enrollment management, said UCA is fortunate to have Patterson serve as its new director of undergraduate admissions.

“Ron’s educational accomplishments, admissions experience and familiarity with the service region will pay dividends in the days ahead,” said Parrent.

Besides serving as director of admissions, Patterson also served as an assistant dean and an assistant director during his time at UT Health Science Center. Patterson received his bachelor of science degree in human services from Martin Methodist College in the spring of 1998. He earned his master of arts degree in education from Marietta College in the summer of 2002.

Patterson said he is excited about his new position at UCA.

“It is an honor to join UCA as we extend our reach of a thriving city, Conway, Arkansas, and the University with the global community,” he said. “I am eager to work with members of the UCA team to achieve our vision.”

The University of Central Arkansas has been granted national accreditation for its concurrent enrollment program.

UCA is among 22 schools in Arkansas, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota and Utah that received accreditation, according to a release by the National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships. The accreditation validates the quality of college courses offered in high schools and ensures that the course content and student expectations match the standards of the sponsoring post-secondary institution.

The National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships works to ensure that college courses offered in high schools are as rigorous as courses offered on the sponsoring college campus.As the sole accrediting body for concurrent enrollment partnerships, NACEP helps these programs adhere to the highest standards so students experience a seamless transition to college and teachers benefit from meaningful, ongoing professional development, stated the release.

“I am very pleased that our concurrent credit programs at the University of Central Arkansas have received NACEP Accreditation,” said Dr. Steve Runge, interim provost and vice president of academic affairs.  “We strive for all of our concurrent courses to meet or exceed the high standards that we set for all of our courses. NACEP accreditation will help us ensure that we maintain that standard in all of the courses we offer in collaboration with our high school partners.”

To earn accreditation from NACEP, concurrent enrollment programs conduct a self-study, document how their programs adhere to NACEP’s 17 standards, and are evaluated by peer reviewers from NACEP-accredited programs.

“Through NACEP’s rigorous accreditation peer-review process, each post-secondary institution has demonstrated that it integrates high quality standards-based practices across its concurrent enrollment program,” stated NACEP President Lynn Burbank in a release. “We are pleased to award this prestigious recognition to these twenty-two institutions.”

The UCA Foundation is proud to announce the recipients of the Spring Faculty Grant Awards. The foundation has awarded $37,524 to deserving faculty.

The grant committee selected the following faculty grant awards for the spring semester. Congratulations to:

Dr. Michael Mills: Teaching and Learning: “Integrating Mobile Devices in the Classroom Workshop.”

Dr. John Murphy: Psychology & Counseling: “Aligning Classroom Developing Web-Based Training on Relationship – Building Skills for Community Service Providers.”

Ms. Rebekah Scallet: Mass Communication and Theatre: “All the World’s a Stage: a UCA Touring Shakespeare Program for Arkansas Public Schools.”

Dr. Jackie Lamar: Department of Music: “Commissioning Project for Saxophone Quartet and Wind Ensemble utilizing source material from music of the Ozarks.”

Dr. Ben Rowley: Biology Department: “Introducing flow cytometry technology and applications to high school students.”

Dr. Steve Tucker: Kinesiology and Physical Education: “Emergency Care for the Injured Athlete Clinical Workshop.”

Dr. Ed Powers: Sociology: “Expanding Undergraduate Research in the College of Liberal Arts.”

This summer, the selection committee is planning to review the guidelines and purpose of these grants. The committee welcomes any suggestions for ways to improve the impact of these awards. Current information about the Faculty Grant Awards can be found at uca.edu/foundation/faculty-grants/. Please email suggestions to Shelley Mehl at shelleym@uca.edu before June 30, 2012.

Dr. Robert Parrent, vice president for enrollment management, provided an update on initiatives underway to improve enrollment during the last Campus Talk of the semester.

The Division of Enrollment Management has been working with SEM Works, a consulting firm hired to conduct a comprehensive review. The scope of work included enrollment management audit, enrollment goal analysis and scholarship leveraging.

Parrent said the decision to undertake the project came late in the recruitment cycle for fall 2012.

“Generally, preparation and development of the initiative should occur prior to August, which supports an aggressive and robust recruitment of high school juniors as well as seniors,” he said. “The good news is that we are actively working to recruit high school juniors as well as converting graduating high school seniors. This is being pursued via the 100,000 names from sources like ACT and NRCCUA as well as names obtained from high school and community college visits, Bear Facts Days, daily campus tours, letters and calls of inquiry, referrals, and state-wide open houses.”

Customer relationship management communications to date include four target audience communications, five student search communications, academic communications from deans as well as 75 of those from department heads, missing information letters, how to apply for financial aid online tutorial and how to apply to the Honors College online tutorial.

Dr. Parrent anticipates fall 2013 is when the university will see the impact of the Division’s efforts.

Catherine Swift uses man’s best friend to help young people to learn how to read. Swift, the resident master of Minton Commuter College, trains dogs as part of a program to get children excited about reading.  Her affiliation with the Reading Education Assistance Dog (R.E.A.D.) program  started during her graduate work at Texas A&M University anpit 10 years ago.  The R.E.A.D. program was the topic of Swift’s doctoral dissertation.

“The young children that participate in R.E.A.D. programs show high amounts of participation and excitement about reading to a dog,” Swift said. “The 284 respondents to my study had a total of 2,373 hours of training, had tutored 6,786 children, and had spent 11,875 hours in tutoring sessions in 2007-2008.”

InterMountain Therapy Animals founded the R.E.A.D. Program in the early 1990s.  R.E.A.D. currently has active programs in 49 of the 50 states in the United States and other locations abroad, Swift said.

Swift recently conducted a R.E.A.D. workshop for the Central Arkansas Library System at the Main Library in Little Rock. The pet partners practiced with children from the library who read books to the dogs. The workshop prepares the pet partners to work in summer reading programs at libraries throughout the state.

Swift has a therapy dog of her own, Rugby, that lived in State Residential College with her and her family for three years.

“[Rugby’s] job was to meet and greet students when they came to my office and even had his own wing back chair to sit in,” Swift said. “Pretty impressive because Rugby is a Mastiff and Newfoundland mix who weighs 100 pounds.”

Swift said Rugby also made visits to local public schools and libraries.

“On the UCA campus, he held reading sessions with the international students in the Intensive English Program and hosted a summer Saturday reading program called ‘Reading with Rugby’ in the Torreyson Library,” Swift said.

Rugby is now retired from the reading program, but Swift is now training a new dog, Lily, to be a therapy and reading dog.   – Lisa Burnett

Fire Safety Training Slated for June 4

The UCA Physical Plant  will host a  fire safety training  for employees. The fire extinguisher training will be conducted by the Conway Fire Department on Monday, June 4 in the  Student Center Rm 225 from 9 – 10:30 a.m. and from  10:30 a.m.  to noon. Each class can accommodate 20 people.  Contact Donna Erbach at 450-5388 or email Derbach@uca.edu to sign up or for more information.

UCA Community School of Music Announces Music Camps, Lessons

Private music lessons, group lessons and summer music camps are available this summer through the UCA Community School of Music. Students may register by mail, email or phone throughout the month of May.

Group classes in Beginning Guitar for ages 16 and up, Little Mozart pre-piano for ages K-2, Beginning Piano for Late Bloomers – age 55 and up, Piano II for adults, and a new Group Cello Class for beginners and first year students are all available this summer. The Little Mozart Pre-piano class for K-2nd graders begins Tuesday, May 22. Summer Camps are available beginning in June.

Rock Camp, directed by Smokey Emerson, for young rockers ages 12-18, will be held June 25-29. Summer Strings Camp for 6th-12th grade string players, directed by Mike and Susan Burkepile, will be held July 22-28.

In addition, UCA’s music department and CSM will co-host one week of the 2-week Faulkner Chamber Music Festival (FCMF), a camp for piano and string students who enjoy playing chamber music, from July 30-Aug. 4. The FCMF is directed by Jo and Will Preece and they are handling all registration for the festival. Their website is www.FaulknerChamberMusicFestival.com.

For more information about the camps, contact Jann Bryant or Teresa Bumgarner at jannb@uca.edu or tbumgarn@uca.edu, or call the CSM office at 501-450-5755 or 450-3672. Class information and descriptions of all programs are available at uca.edu /csm.

 

 Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre’s 2012 Season Kicks Off June 7

Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre’s kicks off its sixth season with Twelfth Night on June 7 at The Village at Hendrix College with subsequent performances on June 9, 10 and 15. Twelfth Night will be produced at Wildwood Park for the Arts in Little Rock on June 22, 23 and 24. AST’s other productions this summer are Richard III, Big River and a children’s version of The Tempest, all produced in Reynolds Performance Hall.

AST will also host “Free Drinks and Fun with AST,” a gathering with select actors and directors of the 2012 summer season on Monday, May 21 at 5:30 p.m. at the new Oxford American offices on South Main Street in Little Rock (formerly Juanita’s). Those attending may join the actors for a glass of wine or beer, then stay for a panel discussion with Scallet, during which she and her cast from “Twelfth Night” will discuss their vision for this season’s comedy. The event is free and open to the public. For more information about tickets, events or the 2012 Festival, visit www.arkshakes.com or (501) 852-0702 or email rscallet@uca.edu.

Super Kids 2012 Camp Scheduled for June

The College of Education and Department of Early Childhood and Special Education will host “Super Kids 2012,” a camp with science-based courses for children entering Grades 1-3. The program is flexible so that each of the three distinct courses can be taken in any of the four one-week sessions during June.

UCA Super Kids 2012 will go beyond science. Twenty minutes three days per week focuses on building relationships among participants. The Super Kids team will discuss the meaning of the motto, “Once a Super Kid Always a Super Kid.” Applications will be processed on a first-come basis. Enrollment will include all three courses. More Information is available by calling 501.450.3171 or online at uca.edu/outreach/youth.

Youth Theatre Registration Underway

The Youth Theatre of Central Arkansas is still accepting registration for its summer program. The program will be held June 11 through July 13 in the Snow Fine Arts Center.  The Youth Theatre provides quality, creative, theatrical experiences to children in grades 3-12. Fees are $275 per student if paid on or before June 8. Fees for students registering between June 9 and June 11 are $300. Due to the nature of the rehearsal process, students may not participate after June 11. Further information and registration forms are online at www.uca.edu/theatre. Click on the Youth Theatre link. Registration forms may also be faxed or mailed by contacting Liz Parker, Youth Theatre coordinator, at 501-450-5092 or email LizP@uca.edu.

College of Education’s 2012 Summer Leadership Institute Set for June 15

This year’s Summer Leadership Institute, hosted by the College of Education, will take place June 15 at the Brewer-Hegeman Center. The Leadership Institute is noted for bringing high quality nationally renowned researchers, educational leaders, and policy-makers to Arkansas.

This year’s keynote speaker is Dr. Andrea K. Rorrer, a nationally renowned scholar on the role of district and state leaders in organizational and policy changes aimed at increasing student access and learning. Rorrer is an associate professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy at the University of Utah. Rorrer also serves as director for the Utah Educational Policy Center and was the co-principal investigator for the Utah Data Alliance in 2010. In addition to the keynote speaker, participatory break-out sessions will be held. These sessions will include using school audits and social networking as tools for academic improvement, strategies to combat cyber-bulling and to improve parental involvement plus updates on the new teacher evaluation system.

For more information, visit https://uca.edu/brewerhegeman/2012-leadership-institute/ and call 501.450.3245.

Boys Soccer Senior Academy Camp

The Boys Soccer Senior Academy Camp will be held July 15-19 for boys ages 15 thorough 19.  For more information, contact Michael Gerard of the UCA Men’s Soccer at mgerard@uca.edu or at (501) 328 – 0279 . Information can also be found at www.ucasocceracademy.com.

Department of Teaching and Learning to Host Bearswrite June 25-29

UCA’s Department of Teaching and Learning is hosting Bearswrite, a summer writing camp for middle school students, June 25-29.  Aspiring authors entering grades 4 to 6 may attend. Bearswrite will involve students in five-days of writing using both traditional methods and writing with technology. Campers will study how to use voice, setting, word choice, character traits, point-of-view, journaling, and poetry. Campers will be inspired to write through field trips on campus and will travel one day to the Arkansas Art Center to view the exhibit The New Materiality: Digital Dialogues at the Boundaries of Contemporary Craft . Campers will also interact with published author Carla McClafferty. Campers will create individual, digital portfolios of their best work, a camp digital anthology, and will participate in a public performance of student work followed by a reception for parents and community members. Visit Bearswrite for more information.

UCA Community Language School to Offer Language and Culture Camps

The UCA Community Language School is offering Bear Camps language and culture camps this summer for children entering 1-6 grades in the fall. The camps include foreign language classes which are taught using lively, hands-on, interactive techniques. Children explore the different cultures through a variety of activities including traditional crafts, food-sampling, music and dance. The camps will be held on the UCA campus. This year’s camps are:

Exploring Asia: Travels with Marco Polo, July 16-20

The kids will retrace the footsteps of the adventurous Venetian merchant whose tale of his trip across the Middle East and Asia continues to amaze us today. Students will explore Italy, Turkey, Persia, Arabia, India, and the Land of the Steppes & China. Along with crafts, games, songs, food and culture; they’ll learn some Italian, Turkish, Arabic, and Chinese!

Discovering Latin America: Journey into the Jungle, July 23-27

We’ll travel by land down to the Amazon River and learn some Spanish and Portuguese. Besides investigating the fauna and flora of the region, students will learn about the great Maya, Aztec and Inca civilizations, crack coconuts, pick cacao beans, dance salsa, and go to a Brazilian “Carnival.”

Go to www.uca.edu/wlan and click on “Community Language School” for registration forms or email Sera Streiff-Vena for more information: serav@uca.edu.

National Conference of Academic Deans Slated for July 12-13

The National Conference of Academic Deans will be held July 12-13 at the Brewer Hegeman Conference Center. The conference features outstanding speakers, case studies and active dialogue on topics relevant to the work of provosts, deans, and associate deans. Experienced and new administrators will gain new perspectives and an expanded network of colleagues in an informal setting. This year’s theme is “Leadership in the 21st Century.” Dr. Ann Die Hasselmo, president American Academic Leadership Institute, is the keynote speaker.

The National Conference of Academic Deans was established in 1941 by Schiller Scroggs and Henry Bennett of Oklahoma State University. NCAD is the nation’s oldest organization with programming focused higher education leadership. For more information, please visit: uca.edu/ncad.

 UCA Public Appearances Announce 2012-13 Season

Fifteen performances are scheduled for the 2012-13 UCA Public Appearances season at UCA. All performances will be in the Reynolds Performance Hall.

The season includes: Tim Gunn, UCA Distinguished Lecture, Sept. 24, 7:30 p.m.; American Legacies: Preservation Hall Jazz Band and the Del McCoury Band, A Night Out at Reynolds Series, Sept. 30, 3 p.m.; The Capitol Steps, Broadway Series, Oct. 8, 7:30 p.m.; Rufus Wainwright, Pops Series, Oct. 18, 7:30 p.m.; Gary Puckett and the Union Gap — Homecoming Concert, Pops Series, Nov. 1, 7:30 p.m.; Shrek The Musical, Broadway Series, Nov. 5, 7:30 p.m.;

Straight No Chaser, A Night Out at Reynolds Series, Nov. 11, 3 p.m.; Celtic Crossroads in A Celtic Christmas, Pops Series, Dec. 9, 3 p.m.; A Chorus Line, Broadway Series, Jan. 25, 7:30 p.m.; Drumline Live, Broadway Series, Feb. 2, 7:30 p.m.; Herman Edwards, UCA Distinguished Lecture, Feb. 12, 7:30 p.m.; The American Boychoir, A Night Out at Reynolds Series, March 1, 7:30 p.m.; Temptation of the Muses: The Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company and The Ahn Trio, A Night Out at Reynolds Series, March 7, 7:30 p.m.; Amy Grant, Pops Series, April 2, 7:30 p.m.; and The 5 Browns, A Night Out at Reynolds Series, April 15, 7:30 p.m.

Subscription renewals for current season ticket holders began May 14. Subscriptions will go on sale to the general public July 9. Single tickets will go on sale to the general public Aug. 13. Patrons who have purchased a series subscription may purchase individual tickets during subscriber courtesy week, Aug. 6-10. To purchase a subscription package, call (501) 450-3265 between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, beginning July 9. Individual tickets may be purchased online at www.uca.edu/reynolds or by calling (501) 450-3265 beginning Aug. 13.

For more information, contact Jerry Biebesheimer at (501) 450-3682 or jerryb@uca.edu,Ashley Love at (501) 852-7889; alove@uca.edu, or visit Public Appearances.

Academic Success Center  to Host Workshop in August

The Academic Success Center has received funding to host a workshop addressing “Tutoring Reading in the Academic Disciplines.”  The workshop will be held Aug. 6 – Aug. 10, and will meet from 10 to noon and from 1 to 4 p.m. each day. Five faculty members and six undergraduates are invited to participate. Each of the five faculty participants will receive a stipend of $250.

The workshop will emphasize the practical. Strategies for improving reading comprehension will be a principal concern, together with research into student attitudes related to reading abilities and performance in content area courses, including two studies recently completed at UCA. Dr. Eric Hobson of Belmont University will join participants for a day, and the six undergraduates will complete a second week of the workshop in order to develop a handbook on tutoring literacy. Interested faculty members should contact Dr. Bob Reising, director of the workshop, at 852-2265 or rreising@uca.edu.

Staff Senate Seeking Nominations for Employee of the Quarter 

The UCA Staff Senate is looking for nominations for the Employee of the Quarter Award for the fourth quarter, which is from April to June. One full-time staff member is recognized each quarter for outstanding job performance and going above and beyond during that quarter. Any staff member with at least one year of service since July 1, 2011 is eligible to be nominated. Any faculty, staff, students or alumni can submit a nomination. This program is sponsored by the Staff Senate and aims to recognize more staff for their contributions to UCA. Outstanding prizes will be awarded. This nomination form must be submitted by June 30, 2012 at 4:30 p.m. For more information on the process, please contact Stephanie Hailey McBrayer at smcbrayer@uca.edu.