The Bear Ledger

The first residential college in Arkansas with an emphasis on science, technology, engineering and mathematics will open on the campus of the University of Central Arkansas in the fall of 2010.

The STEM Residential College will provide opportunities for greater student engagement and serve as a recruiting tool for students seeking a high quality, learning environment in the areas of math, science, computer science, technology and secondary math/science education.

It will also train more math and science teachers and improve science and math education in the state.

The STEM Residential College is the fifth residential college at UCA. It will house 210 freshmen in Arkansas Hall.

The hall will feature a large atrium with multiple study zones, an integrated classroom, and study rooms (Nerd Nodes) on each floor. Any student who has an interest in the sciences, technology, pre-engineering, or mathematics can apply to live in the residential college.

UCA is the only public four-year institution which uses a residential college system of learning communities for first-and second-year students.

“Other universities have recently developed living/learning communities, but UCA was the first and no other institution has a residential college system as expansive as ours,” said Jayme Millsap Stone, director of learning communities.

The STEM Residential College is a partnership between UCA’s Division of Undergraduate Studies’ Learning Communities and the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. This is the first time one of the academic colleges has partnered with undergraduate studies to develop a residential college.

“There have been many partnerships with faculty, but there has never been this much involvement by the college, itself, with the residential college to develop programs,” said Dr. Carl Frederickson, associate dean of the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics.

Students will be able to take advantage of undergraduate research opportunities in several fields including cellular and molecular biology, organic chemistry, robotics, bio-physics, and aquatic ecology.

An important component of the program will be service-learning opportunities for students in the STEM Residential College. These students will have the opportunity to adopt a local elementary school and share the science they are learning in the classroom with students in these schools.

Frederickson and Stone noted that the residential college also fits into the governor’s call to help improve science, math and technology education in the state by building a community of young scholars.

“One of the things that we know about our state is that less than 19 percent of our adults over 25 have baccalaureate degrees,” Stone said. “We, as a state, cannot expect economic growth with an uneducated population. As educators of public institutions, we have a responsibility to the state for the state’s own economic survival to emphasize science, technology and mathematics. To pull our state, to pull our people out of poverty, we have got to be aggressive about science and mathematics education.”

Diane NewtonDiane Newton began her job as the new vice president of finance and administration at UCA aware of the challenges ahead – a second round of state cuts on the horizon and the university slowly rebuilding its reserves.

But, those challenges were among the reasons Newton accepted the post.

“I’ve never been afraid of a challenge, but rather look forward to being able to make a difference,” said Newton.

Newton, 50, served as the vice president of business and administration at Lander University in South Carolina before coming to UCA on Jan. 11.

While at Lander University, Newton managed a staff of 100 people and provided planning, development and oversight of nearly $50 million of construction projects.

Newton, an Arkansas native, has 26 years of experience in the public university environment.

She began her career in higher education as an accountant and later the assistant controller at Henderson State University, where she worked from 1984 to 1993. She earned her bachelor’s degree in accounting and later her master’s degree from Henderson State University.

“Funny thing, I started out majoring in art, but decided other than teaching I wasn’t sure I would be able to find a job and I don’t have the teaching gene,” she said.

Newton, an avid amateur photographer and a grandmother of four, said the position at UCA came at the right time. The job allowed her to come back home and to be a part of something special at UCA, she said.

“I am really excited to be part of such a wonderful university,” Newton said. “UCA has a great history and employees that are dedicated to its success. It will be exciting and challenging and I look forward to getting started in this bright new chapter.”

Returning UCA to a solid financial base is critical, Newton said.

“That has to be in place to make all the other things happen,” she said. “The tricky part is maintaining the quality of the student experience while still rebuilding that base.”

Financial ups and downs are really not that uncommon in universities, she added.

“They may not be created by the same set of circumstances as at UCA, but they do happen,” Newton said. “I have very definitely been involved in these downturns, whether declining enrollment, the cutting of state appropriations or other economic factors. You work through them, you make the smartest decisions you can make at the time with the information available to you and remain flexible. … You have to position yourself in such a way that allows you to make the smart choices. We have done that at Lander and we’ll do it at UCA, but it doesn’t happen overnight.”

UCA Student-Athlete Pancake Breakfast To Raise Money for Haiti

The UCA Student-Athlete Advisory Committee will host a Pancake Breakfast on Sunday, Jan. 31 at Stoby’s Restaurant on Donaghey Avenue in Conway. The breakfast will run from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Cost is $5 per person. Tickets can be purchased from any UCA student-athlete or by contacting Natalie Shock in the UCA Athletics office at 450-3212. Tickets will also be sold at the door. All proceeds from the event will go to relief efforts in Haiti.

Actor Lance Nichols to Speak at UCA on Feb. 1

Screen Actor’s Guild veteran actor Lance Nichols will speak at the University of Central Arkansas on Feb. 1. Nichols will share his insight about acting and the different approaches of directors in working with actors. There will be a question and answer session following the lecture. The event will begin at 1 p.m. in the Stanley Russ Building Room 103. The free event is open to the public.

Celebration of Culture Program Highlights African Music, Storytelling and Dance

The third Celebration of Culture program will be held Feb. 2 in observance of Black History Month. The event will begin at 5 p.m. in McCastlain Hall Ballroom. This exciting event will feature African storytelling, Swahili singing, African displays, music by Afrodesia and refreshments. The event is free and open to UCA students, faculty, staff and the public. The celebration is sponsored by the Minority Mentorship Program, Griot Society, SGA, Arkansas Arts Council and Minority Student Services. If you have any questions, please contact Angela Jackson at angelaj@uca.edu or (501)450.3135.

University of Central Arkansas Board of Trustees To Meet Feb. 5

The University of Central Arkansas Board of Trustees will meet in a regularly scheduled meeting at 2 p.m., Friday, Feb. 5, 2010 in the Board of Trustees Conference Room in Wingo Hall. The agenda for the meeting has been posted on the web site and may be obtained by clicking on the following link: http://www.uca.edu/board/documents/100205botagenda.pdf.

A Tribute To African-American Faculty and Staff Slated for Feb. 11

The Iota Pi Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. will be hosting its annual “A Tribute To African-American Faculty and Staff” on Feb. 11 at 5:30 p.m. in Room 213 in the Student Center.
The program was started by the fraternity in an effort to show its appreciation to the African-American men and women on UCA’s campus that work so hard to make this educational institution the best it can be. Those who plan to attend the event must RSVP by Feb. 9. For more information, call (870) 225-8377 or email at bsg06002@yahoo.com.

Second Issue of Historic UCA Literary Journal Debuts Feb. 20

The second annual Exquisite Corpse Annual Launchapalooza Extravaganza will debut its spectacular second issue (cover art by R. Crumb) Sat., Feb. 20 at 8 p.m. at the Bear’s Dean Pizza, 235 Farris Rd. The event is free and open to the public and will feature readings and performances by contributors and editors.

The line up includes Andrei Codrescu, Bill Lavender, Philip Martin, John Vanderslice, Terry Wright, Larry Betz, Tyrone Jaeger, Mark Spitzer, Tim Thornes, Rae Hamaker, Meg Houston, Rex Rose, Robin Becker, and Timothy Snediker. For more information, contact the managing editor at 450-5134.

Acclaimed Postmodern Philosopher of Religion to visit UCA in March

John D. Caputo, the Thomas J. Watson Professor of Religion and Philosophy at Syracuse University will give a public lecture March 10 at 7 p.m. in Room 223 and 224 in the Student Center. His lecture will be entitled “What is Radical Theology? A Postmodern Proposal.”

Caputo is a nationally and internationally acclaimed philosopher of religion, and one of the foremost interpreters of Jacques Derrida’s deconstruction and postmodernism. He is professor emeritus at Villanova University. He has traveled across the country and presented in numerous academic and religious contexts, and he recently published a more popular book called What Would Jesus Deconstruct?

This visit is co-sponsored by the Department of Philosophy of Religion at UCA, UCA College of Liberal Arts, UCA Honors College, and the Norbert and Carol Schedler Endowment Fund.

Sexual Harassment

Participants have the option of attending sexual harassment on-site or online at http://training.newmedialearning.com/psh/ucentralarkansas/choice.htm.

On-site seminars will be held:

• March 11, 3-4 p.m., Student Center #213
• April 15, 9-10 a.m., Student Center #214

Diversity

• March 5, 2-3:30 p.m., Student Center # 215
• March 9, 9-1030 a.m., Student Center # 215
• March 30, 5:30 -7 p.m., Student Center # 215
New Staff Orientation

For non-faculty hired as of April 1, 2009

• March 19, 8-1 p.m., Student Center #213 and 214

Professional Development

• Feb. 10, 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., Brewer-Hegeman Conference Center, UCA Campus

Network and acquire relevant career information and resources during this seminar which includes two informative sessions, round table discussions on career issues, a guest speaker and lunch. This seminar is open to new professionals 40 and under (full/part-time employment and graduate students). Session topics: Buying Your First Home, Leadership and Effective Communication, Financial Planning “Ultimate $ Skills” and How to “Really Network.”

Cost for the seminar is $10 due with registration form. The registration deadline is Feb. 5.

Download form at www.uca.edu/alumni/profseminar or pick one up at Buffalo Alumni Hall or Conway Chamber of Commerce. The seminar is sponsored by UCA Alumni Association, University Training and Conway Young Professionals.

For more information, contact Haley Fowler Hcrafton@uca.edu or 852-7463 or Charlotte Strickland chars@uca.edu or 450-5470.

• March 15, 12-1:30 p.m., Student Center #213

Stress Management: Reesa Ramsahai will provide information on dealing with stress. The participants will take part in creative exercises to release stress. Lunch will be provided.

The new year brought new face to the University of Central Arkansas. Employees hired in January include:

• Chad Lairamore, visiting assistant professor, Department of Physical Therapy, Jan. 1.
• Stacy Harris, clinical instructor I, Department of Nursing, Jan. 1.
• Aaron Flowers, administrative specialist II, Human Resources, Jan. 4.
• Allen Mariah, administrative specialist II, Department of Occupational Therapy, Jan. 4.
• William Thompson, field technician, Office of Environmental Health & Safety, Jan. 6.
• Diane Newton, vice president of finance and administration, Office of the Vice President of Fianancial Services, Jan. 11.
• Phillip Taylor, lecturer I, intensive English, Jan. 11.
• Anthony Barnum, instructor, Department of World Languages, Literatures and Cultures, Jan. 12.

Mary Beene, a payroll services specialist in the Department of Human Resources, will retire Feb. 28, 2010. She has worked at UCA for 14 years.

UCA professors, staff and students raised more than $3,300 for Haiti during the UCA Helps Haiti Benefit Concert and a lecture on the country and its people.

The BoomersAbout $3,348 was donated to the American Red Cross to assist in relief efforts.

“The support of the community, the students, faculty and staff at UCA was amazing,” said Jayme Millsap Stone, director of Learning Communities and one of the event’s organizers. “… We were touched by the public’s generosity.”

A massive earthquake struck Haiti on Jan. 12, causing catastrophic damage and claiming thousands of lives. Various agencies assisting with the disaster relief asked that the public send cash instead of food, water or clothes.

UCA faculty and staff brain stormed about the best way to help. Within three days, organizers put together the benefit concert. More than 15 groups consisting of faculty, staff, students and Conway residents volunteered to perform. The event was held Jan. 23 at Bear Den’s Pizza, which also donated $200.

The Students for the Propagation of Black Culture donated $300.

A Learning Communities Bwalo on Haiti, the people and the earthquake was held Jan. 26 in Doyne Hall Auditorium.

Stone, an instructor of history, will give a brief history of Haiti; Jerry Reynolds, an associate professor in the Department of Geography, will talk about the earthquake; and Jeff Allender, an assistant professor in the Department of Geography, will speak on the human geography of Haiti.

Individuals donated money to the orphanCare International, Heifer Project International, and The Clinton Foundation toward Haiti relief.

Collen Joslin, director of the American Red Cross of Faulkner County, said she was thrilled that UCA and the community wanted to support the organization’s efforts and Haiti.

“The support and outreach from UCA students, staff, faculty and residents of central Arkansas is greatly appreciated,” Joslin said. “It really shows the continued support of Arkansans, and what they can do to make a difference not only in their state but worldwide.”

Presenting staff concerns to the administration and representing the staff in budgeting and university governance were among the top priorities of staff, according to a recent staff survey.

The UCA Staff Senate recently published its 2009 Fall Survey. It looks at the priorities for the Staff Senate along with the staff’s views of social events. Staff also evaluated the past performance of the Staff Senate and graded the administration.

“The Staff Senate Executive Committee will use these survey results to guide our decision making and to focus conversations with the Administration to address the concerns of the staff,” said Larry Burns, interim president of the Staff Senate. “We understand that this survey represents a snap-shot in time, so we will be doing this survey again in March. We seek input from staff all the time, so I hope they will talk to one of their Senators about any questions or concerns they have.”

Survey responses suggested Staff Senate’s priorities regarding money should be staff scholarships and staff development and recognition. The priorities of the current administration should be staff raises and building financial reserves, the survey stated.

“The survey gave us an idea of what we were doing right and what we needed to improve on,” Burns said. “We will renew a focus on staff development by diverting our own funds to that task, as well as seeking other opportunities to address this important need. We will be doing the same belt-tightening that the rest of the university is doing; however, we will be using the results of this survey and other comments and concerns to determine the best use of Staff Senate funds and time. We hope to be able to exceed the expectations of the staff while also being great stewards of the funds.”

About 240 staff members responded to the survey. At the time of the survey, there were 205 non-classified, 506 classified and 120 extra help staff at UCA.

The complete survey can be reviewed at: http://www.uca.edu/staffsenate/documents/Staff_Senate_Fall_Survey_2009.pdf

Also, the Staff Senate is now accepting applications for its three scholarship programs.
For at least the past four years, the Staff Senate has awarded over $4,000 in scholarships each year to staff and their dependents.

“The Senators work very hard to find ways to keep these scholarships funded,” Burns said. “It is important to keep education attainable and affordable, especially for our staff and their dependents. We are proud to provide these scholarships and hope to do so for many years to come.”

The scholarships are:

• The Staff Senate Employee Scholarship assists a full-time UCA staff employee in pursuing a degree at the University of Central Arkansas. The application is available at: https://www.uca.edu/web/forms/view.php?id=153
• Staff Senate Scholarship for Dependents is for dependents of full-time UCA staff employees who meet the eligibility criteria for the staff fee waiver as outlined in the staff handbook and are pursuing a degree at the University of Central Arkansas. The student must be in good standing academically and must have completed at least 30 hours of college credit with a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.5. Information about this scholarship is available at : https://www.uca.edu/web/forms/view.php?id=154
• The Lilly Harmon Staff Senate Scholarship is for a full-time staff employee in pursuing a degree at UCA. The Lilly Harmon Staff Senate Scholarship was established in memory of long-time UCA employee, Lilly Harmon. A copy of the application is available at: https://www.uca.edu/web/forms/view.php?id=165

The deadline for all scholarships is May 3, 2010.

“In order to keep with the mission of Staff Senate and to foster staff development and education, the staff senate this year will focus on providing more scholarship dollars and awards for active staff members,” Burns said. “We hope this focus will lead to more degree attainment among our staff and relieve some of the burden or higher tuition and books costs.”

A free smoking cessation program will be offered to help faculty, staff and students break their smoking habits.

Smoking cessation classes will be offered Feb. 3; Feb. 10; Feb. 17; Feb. 24; March 3; and March 10. Classes start at noon in Room 307 in the Student Health Center. Dr. Jean-Claude Martin , director of UCA Health & Wellness Center, will instruct the classes.

Individuals can also use the free online quit guide, including an expert/coach support or self-help books available at the Resource Center.

The university will become a tobacco free campus beginning July 1.

The Board of Trustees approved a policy Nov. 6 that mirrors the state law that prohibits tobacco products on campus. The use of tobacco products will not be allowed on the grounds, in any vehicle owned or leased by the university and in all university-owned building including off-campus housing. The ban includes smokeless tobacco products.

Anyone using tobacco products on campus could face a fine from $100 to $500, according to the state law.

The state’s Clean Air on Campus Act requires all institutions of higher education to be smoke-free no later than Aug. 1, 2010. The goal of the act is to reduce secondhand smoke exposure to nonsmokers on university campuses.

For more information or to sign up for the classes, contact Lee Schwager at schwager@uca.edu or 450-3133.

The Department of Housing and Residence Life South Area is seeking favorite recipes from faculty and staff for a cookbook to help benefit Relay for Life.

Proceeds from the sale of the cookbooks will help fund cancer research and awareness.

Deadline for submissions is Wed., Feb. 10 by 5 p.m. For more information or to submit your recipe, contact Chermanda E. Johnson at cjohnson21@uca.edu or 450-3211.

The Central Arkansas Athletic Training Student Association recently held two successful fundraising and community activities that benefited the community of Conway.

The association held a silent auction of items donated from local businesses that raised $300. It also organized a Thanksgiving Food Drive. More than 200 lbs of canned and non-perishable food items were collected by students and staff at the University of Central Arkansas.

Allen Crawford, an assistant athletic trainer and instructor at UCA, serves as supervisor for the association.

The food and money were donated to the Bethlehem House, a Christian Transitional Shelter providing long-term shelter and services to men, women and children. The organization’s mission is to encourage, equip and motivate homeless and nearly homeless individuals to change their life situations.

The CAATSA mission is to provide athletic training students with an association in which common interests and goals, regarding the profession of athletic training, can be promoted. The association accomplishes its mission by educating the public about the athletic training profession and involving the students in various educational opportunities, fundraisers, community service programs, and social activities.

The association has had annual Thanksgiving Food Drives since 2003 and has participated in the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department’s Adopt-A-Highway Program since 2006.

Lt. Rhonda Swindle, Sgt. Brad Moore, and Officers Ben Majors and Ronda Young recently attended a three-day university and college crime prevention program development course in Nashville, Tenn. The course, supported by a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance and the Crime Prevention Institute National Network, brought together participants from a number of institutions to discuss successful crime prevention initiatives in use throughout the campus and to discuss the role of university police agencies in the community, state, and national emergency response system.

Capt. John Merguie, patrol services commander for the UCA Police Department, has been selected by the Arkansas Criminal Justice Institute to attend the Rural Law Enforcement Management Institute course in San Antonio, TX in February. This prestigious, intensive four-day course is presented only a few times a year at different locations throughout the United States and is funded in its entirety through a federal grant. Capt. Merguie was selected along with about 30 other police executives from around the country to participate in the institute. It addresses a variety of management issues confronting executives and command staff of small municipal, county, tribal and university police departments. It also provides the participants a forum to discuss common problems and explore workable solutions. To date, only 500 executives representing 49 states have attended the management institute.

Jim Guinee, adjunct professor and director of training at the UCA Counseling Center, made presentations called “Enhancing communication skills” and “Facebook Update: Bigger Blessing, Bigger Curse” at the 11th Annual Conference for Arkansas Parent Educators Network in Hot Springs. Guinee also has a chapter in an upcoming therapy book entitled “Voices from the Field” due out this year.