The Bear Ledger

• In 1977, Hughes Hall residents managed to pack 155 women into one dorm room.

• The UCA Archives was established in 1986. Tom Dillard, former director of the Department of Arkansas Heritage, was its first director.

• UCA Honors College’s first –year operation budget was $600 in the fall of 1982.

Source: The Centennial History of the University of Central Arkansas by Jimmy Bryant.

Three UCA faculty members were recognized for their excellence in teaching, contributions to the community, and their research during the annual Service Awards on April 13.

Dr. Lorien Foote, associate professor of history, has been named the 2010 Teaching Excellence Award winner; Dr. Polly Walter, assistant professor of mass communication, received the Public Service Award; and Dr. Clayton Crockett, associate professor in the Department of Philosophy and Religion, received the Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity Award.

Foote, Walter, and Crockett were among the nine finalists in the 2010 Faculty Excellence Awards.

Foote was praised by her colleagues for her teaching technique that has inspired students to continue their education and instilled in them a life-long curiosity.

“Much of their enthusiasm is based on her two part teaching objective: wanting her students to develop a sound knowledge of content within the discipline of history… while acquiring skills in critical thinking and communication,” according to her colleagues.

Other nominees for the Teaching Excellence Award were Amy Hawkins Amy, assistant professor of Public Relations, and Twala Maresh, clinical instructor II in the Department of Physical Therapy.

Dr. Polly Walter’s colleagues stated that she is ‘known for her reputation of being tireless with a determination to meet deadlines with quality products.”

Walter has volunteered thousands of hours on projects including “Community Education,” an academic outreach program for adult learners and the “Garland County, Arkansas: Our History and Heritage” project.

Dr. Tammy Benson, MAT director in the College of Education, and Dr. Joan Simon, associate professor of psychology and counseling, were also finalists for the Public Service Award.

Dr. Clayton Crockett was honored for his research and scholarship. He has authored three university press books, numerous book chapters, peer-reviewed journal articles, and edited three volumes. He has been awarded six research grants and has made numerous presentations.

A colleague stated, Crockett is “one of the most exciting and energetic scholars working at the intersection of religion, politics, and culture in the world today.”

Dr. Gordon Shepherd, a professor in the Department of Sociology, and Stephanie Vanderslice, an associate professor in the Department of Writing, were also recognized for their contributions to research and scholarship.

Penny Hatfield, interim director of admissions, has been named this year’s Employee of the Year. Hatfield was among eight individuals nominated for the award.

Hatfield was presented a plaque and a monetary award during UCA’s Service Awards on April 13 at the Student Center Ballroom. Those who nominated Hatfield said she is known for her dependability and quality of work.

“She is a role model for work ethic,” her colleagues wrote. “She is motivating, encouraging, flexible and dependable. She is a tireless, enthusiastic, loyal staff member. If you want to honor a staff member who has served this institution vigorously for years (through the good and bad); someone who adds a personal touch to her daily duties; someone who represents the staff in a positive and professional manner; someone who makes students and parents feel like a million bucks; then she is the person!”

Other finalists were Kendra Regehr, director of Student Activities in Student Services, and Stephanie Pickens, secretary in the department of Economics, Finance, Insurance and Risk Management.

Those who nominated Regehr for the award said her “professionalism, integrity, and dedication are evident to everyone who knows her. UCA is fortunate to have her. …I can’t think of anyone who sets the bar higher than her.”

Pickens was described as a critical member of her department.

“We would be lost without her,” her colleagues wrote. “References described her quality of work as outstanding, always flawless, superb, surpasses expectations, and impeccable!”

Other nominees were: Charlotte Fant, physical therapy; Leslie George, speech-language pathology; Nancy Earney, financial aid; Steve Lunk, Torreyson Library; and Pearlie Williams, Torreyson Library.

Also during the Service Awards, UCA President Allen Meadors recognized those with 10, 15, and 20 years or more of service. Individuals received a certificate of appreciation. Meadors also recognized this year’s retirees.

UCA employees are an integral part of the university, Meadors told those in attendance. He thanked employees for their service and for making a difference in students’ lives.

The UCA community is invited to attend a town hall meeting on April 15 on the university’s current strategic planning initiative.

The meeting will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. in East McCastlain Ballroom. It will be moderated by Dr. Dave McFarland of Penson Associates Inc., a research and consultations firm serving universities, colleges, and systems of universities, governing boards and commissions in higher education.

Four tasks forces — Core Values (Mission, Vision, and Values), Planning Assumptions, Institutional Distinctiveness, and Driving Forces — began meeting in early February to lay the foundation for the strategic plan. The groups’ findings will be presented to the campus community during the town hall meeting.

“We’ll discuss and refine statements that university-wide committees have prepared on UCA’s core values, driving forces, and institutional distinctiveness, with a view to moving these drafts into final statements that we can all agree with and can then use to set the university’s goals for the next several years,” said Mike Schaefer, chairman of the Strategic Planning and Resources Council. The council has been charged with the development of the strategic plan. The council consists of representatives from the staff, faculty, students, alumni, UCA board of trustees and the community.

The task forces’ statements are available under the “Strategic Plan 2010” link on the UCA homepage so that everyone can read them in advance and come to the meeting with questions, comments, and alternative ideas ready, Schaefer said.

Other information available at the link includes Dr. McFarland’s explanation of the purposes of strategic planning and his step-by-step breakdown of the whole process.

“President (Allen) Meadors and Provost (Lance) Grahn have repeatedly stated that strategic planning can only be successful if everyone at the university has a voice in the process,” Schaefer said. “This meeting is our next opportunity to make our voices heard.”

If anyone has questions or concerns in advance of the meeting, contact Schaefer at schaefer@uca.edu or 450-5119.

Eleventh Annual All Greek Step Show is April 15

The 11th Annual All Greek Step Show is April 15 at 7 p.m. at the Farris Center. Doors will open at 6 p.m. Admission is $10. The Annual Greek Step Show is organized by a group of hardworking, dedicated Greek students with support from the Office of Greek Life. For more information, please contact the Office of Student Life at 450-3137.

Jesus Christ Superstar Comes to UCA

The original rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar will be performed at the Reynolds Performance Hall at 7:30 p.m., April 16. Jesus Christ Superstar tells the story of the final seven days in the life of Jesus of Nazareth. Tickets are $50, $45 and $40 for the general public, $35, $30 and $25 for UCA faculty and staff (limit two at discounted rate), and $18, $15 and $10 for UCA students with a current student I.D (limit two at discounted rate). For tickets, call (501) 450-3265 or visit www.uca.edu/tickets.

UCA Theatre to Present Thornton Wilder Classic

UCA Theatre will present “The Skin of Our Teeth” by Thornton Wilder on April 15 and 16 at 7:30 pm in the Bridges/Larson Theatre of the Snow Fine Arts Center at 201 Donaghey in Conway. This unconventional drama about the history of mankind recounts epochal events including the Ice Age and the Great Flood, and includes fire, pestilence, locusts, pox, wars and depression. Tickets are $8 for the general public. UCA students and faculty can receive two tickets free with UCA identification. Tickets are available through UCA Ticket Central, located in the Reynolds Performance Hall box office or by calling (501) 450-3265. The play is appropriate for ages 16 and up.

African American Alumni Association Hosts Black Alumni Weekend April 15 – April 18

The African American Alumni Association is hosting its first Black Alumni Weekend. The Black Alumni Weekend, scheduled April 15 – 18, includes a comedy show, networking, cookout, workshops and scholarship banquet. The events will take place on campus.

Asian/Pacific Islander Celebration of Culture April 20

The Minority Student Services Office and Aramark are sponsoring the Asian/Pacific Islander Celebration of Culture April 20. The celebration will being at 4 p.m. in the Christian Cafeteria. The event is free with a ticket from the Minority Student Services Office.

UCA’s Chapter of the American Association of University Professors to Meet April 22

UCA’s Richard Hudson Chapter of the American Association of University Professors will hold its spring meeting Thursday, April 22, at 4 p.m. in Torreyson 202. Among the agenda items are: a report on updates to the Faculty Handbook by chair of the Faculty Handbook Committee, Dr. Kurt Boniecki; a forum for faculty input hosted by incoming Faculty Senate President, Dr. Lynn Burley; and election of officers for 2010-2012. For more information about the organization, visit http://www.aaup.org/AAUP/about/.

16th Annual Student Research Poster Symposium April 23

The College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics will host the 16th Annual Student Research Poster Symposium in the McCastlain Hall Ballroom on April 23 from 2 to 4 p.m. The public is invited to stop in and visit with students presenting posters associated with their research projects. There will be approximately 80 posters and more than 100 students involved. Refreshments will be served.

Deadline to Volunteer for “F.A.S.T Movers” Program April 23

The Office of Orientation is seeking volunteers for “F.A.S.T Movers” program. Last year, more than 60 faculty and administrators joined our Student Orientation Staff (SOS) and Transfer Orientation Leader (TOL) team in helping new students and parents move into the residence halls on opening day. “F.A.S.T. (Faculty & Administration Support Team) Movers” distribute campus maps, help students move into their residence halls, give directions, and serve as greeters. The deadline to volunteer is April 23. For more information about this program or orientation, call 450-3235.

The Department of World Languages, Literatures and Cultures Offers Scholarships

The Department of World Languages, Literatures and Cultures is offering three scholarships to native speakers of Chinese, French and Japanese for the fall 2010 semester. The department is inviting native speakers of these languages on campus to apply to work in the Language Learning Center to tutor and to provide cultural enrichment activities for students. Applicants must be full time undergraduate students and will be expected to work 8 hours a week. Deadline for applications is April 21, 2010. Please call 852-2064 or come by Irby 207 for more information and an application. Also applications can be found on at www.uca.edu/wlan.

Moscow Festival Ballet to Perform Sleeping Beauty April 26

The Moscow Festival Ballet will perform Sleeping Beauty April 26 at 7:30 p.m. in the Reynolds Performance Hall. Sleeping Beauty is a full-length three-act ballet, with music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky based on the original choreography by Marius Petipa. Each act shows a different point in Princess Aurora’s life – the first celebrating her childhood, the second her love story and the third her wedding and marriage. Tickets are available at the UCA Ticket Central Box Office and are free for UCA students with I.D. Otherwise tickets are $30, $32 and $35 for the general public, $27, $29 and $32 for seniors, $25, $27 and $30 for UCA alumni, $23, $25 and $28 for UCA faculty and staff, and $10 for non-UCA students. For tickets, call (501) 450-3265 or visit www.uca.edu/tickets.

Second Faculty Town Hall Meeting Set for April 29

A Faculty Town Hall meeting is scheduled for April 29 during x-period in Room 107 in the College of Business. The meeting is hosted by the Provost Office, the President’s Office and the Faculty Senate. Provost Lance Grahn and John Parrack, president of the Faculty Senate will serve as moderators.

UCA Film Festival Debuts Student Films April 30

The sixth UCA Film Festival will debut student films April 30 at 5:30 p.m. in the Reynolds Performance Hall. The event is free and open to the public. Students are invited to submit their films in three categories-music videos, documentaries and short narratives. The deadline for submissions is April 20. Judges will evaluate all of the films and award prizes for overall best film, best in each category and other technical awards. For more information, call the Office of the Dean, College of Fine Arts and Communication, at (501) 450-3293 or e-mail smaiden@uca.edu.

The Arkansas Council for Women in Higher Education (ACWHE) is hosting its next meeting on Friday, April 23 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Brewer-Hegeman Conference Center. The meeting is entitled “Higher Education on Shaky Ground: Creating Sustainability during Unstable Times.”

Guest speakers and topics are:

• Dr. Jim Purcell, Director of ADHE, “Forecast of Higher Education in Arkansas.”
• Stacy Sells, vice president for Strategic Planning, Cranford Johnson Robinson & Woods, “Arkansas Works Initiative and Higher Education.”
• Diane Newton, vice president of Finance and Administration, UCA, “Creating Fiscal Sustainability with Limited State Resources.”
• Elyse Price, ADHE, “Arkansas Scholarship Lottery Bill.”
• Rebecca Martindale, UAMS, ARE-ON Academic Agenda Action Team, “Sharing Resources Through Existing Networks.”

The registration fee for this event is $35. For more information, visit www.acwhe.org or contact Kristy Carter, ACWHE President, at 450-3139 or kcarter@uca.edu.

Overseas travelers who live in the Conway area can now get their travel vaccinations on the UCA campus at a clinic in partnership with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS).

The clinic offers vaccinations for yellow fever, typhoid, hepatitis A and B, influenza, polio, pertussis/tetanus, MMR (measles, mumps and rubella), meningitis, Japanese encephalitis and rabies.

The UAMS Satellite Travel Clinic is held at the UCA Student Health Building from 1 – 4 p.m. on the third Friday of each month. Appointments are scheduled through UAMS’ main clinic at (501) 686-6565.

The satellite clinic is part of the UAMS Travel Medicine Clinic, which is operated by the UAMS Family Medical Center. It provides vaccines for a range of diseases, including yellow fever, which many countries require.