Seminars

Posted on December 9, 2009

Sexual Harassment

  • Jan. 07, 2-3 p.m. – Student Center #214 – Supervisors Only
  • Jan. 15, 1-2 p.m. – Student Center #213
  • Jan. 28, 3-4 p.m. – Student Center #213

Diversity

  • Jan. 13, 1:30-3 p.m. – Student Center #215
  • Jan. 21, 1:30-3 p.m. – Student Center #215
  • Jan. 29, 1-4 p.m. – Student Center #215 – Diversity Expanded for those who wish to experience Diversity on a deeper level.

Professional Development

  • Jan. 7, 8:30-9:30 a.m. – Student Center #214

    Professional Presentation: Charlotte Strickland will present a seminar that will provide practical tips on preparing and presenting a presentation.

Stimulus Money, Bond Fund Campus Projects

Posted on December 9, 2009

The Physical Plant has been heavily involved with construction, visual enhancement, and bond money projects this semester as well as the expenditure of $3 million in American Reinvestment and Recovery Act funds.

UCA officials received word earlier this year that the university may receive federal dollars for projects on campus. Senior Physical Plant staff met with UCA administrators and discussed what projects might be feasible.

It was determined that the most pressing maintenance issues were roofs and water proofing of buildings as well as possible lighting projects and retrofits.

Office of Admissions News

Posted on December 9, 2009

UCA began its new campaign, “You Belong,” this fall. The campaign emphasizes the sense of community as well as the strong academics at UCA. Cranford, Johnson, Robinson and Woods was selected to craft and lead the campaign.

The Office of Admissions hosted more than 700 prospective students in November.

Melissa Castleberry brought over 200 students to campus on Nov. 3. Those students were part of the health sciences classes at Conway High West. They toured UCA programs in nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech pathology, nutrition and sports medicine.

Admissions provided packets of information to 200 high school students who were on campus to attend the Humanities Fair. Interim Admissions Director Penny Hatfield spoke to the students.

Admissions information packets were also given to students attending Model UN and the EnviromentalThon on the UCA campus. Over 300 high school students attended those events.

The Office of Admissions hosted an “Admissions Social” on Nov. 14 for prospective students and their parents at the Laurel House in Pine Bluff. Approximately 16 students and 20 parents participated.

The Bear Facts Day on Oct. 31 was well attended. About 95.8% of the respondents surveyed felt that Bear Facts Day met or exceeded their expectations. Over 83% of the respondents had been on the UCA campus prior to Bear Facts Day. Remaining Bear Fact Days are scheduled for Feb. 20, March 13 and April 2.

Students with an ACT of 25 or higher were invited to attend the President’s Scholars Day held Nov. 14. About 90.4% of the respondents surveyed felt we met or exceeded their expectations. One respondent wrote, “Would like to mention that we toured Vanderbilt University in Nashville the week before and your presentation was on par with theirs.”

College of Business News

Posted on December 9, 2009

Dr. Michael Hargis, an assistant professor in the Department of Marketing and Management within the College of Business at the University of Central Arkansas, has been appointed to the Arkansas Governor

College of Education News

Posted on December 9, 2009

The College of Education was awarded $2,773,213 in grant money for 2008-2009, representing approximately one-third of UCA

College of Fine Arts and Communications News

Posted on December 9, 2009

Dr. Ryan Fisher, assistant professor of choral music education, recently had his article, “British and American Theories of the Changing Male Voice: An Historical Overview” published in the Journal of Historical Research in Music Education. He and Dr. Paige Rose, assistant professor of instrumental/elementary music education, also recently presented a workshop entitled, “What’s HOT?: Higher Order Thinking in Your Music Ensemble” at the Arkansas Music Educators Association Fall Professional Development Conference.

Art instructor David Bailin’s drawing, “Pondering,” was included in a group show called “10 Year Celebration: Solo Exhibition Artist Retrospective (1999-2009)”. The show is being held at the Fine Arts Gallery, Washington Pavilion in Sioux, Falls, S.D. through December. Bailin’s new work will be unveiled during a solo show “Paper Trails” January through February at the Fine Arts Gallery at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. A catalogue will be published.

Mark Spitzer, assistant professor of writing, recently had his creative nonfiction collection Season of the Gar accepted by the University of Arkansas Press. His memoir, Writer in Residence, was accepted as well by the University of New Orleans Press, and his novel CHODE! has just been published by Six Gallery Press. Recently accepted work has been published in Rain Taxi, The Minnetonka Review, &Now, Clockwise Cat, Cherry Bleed, Barbaric Yawp, Danse Macabre, Yellow Mama, and Reconfigurations. National Geographics has commissioned him for his research on alligator gar for a documentary film currently in production.

Dr. Stephanie Vanderslice, an associate professor of writing, was presented the Arkansas University English Teacher of the Year Award on Nov. 5. The award was presented by the Arkansas Council of Teachers of English and Language Arts. Winners are selected based on their professionalism, service and accomplishments in the field of English and Language Arts.

Robin Becker, instructor of writing, will have her debut novel, BRAINS: A Zombie Memoir, published by Harper Collins on May 25, 2010. BRAINS, Becker’s third novel, is the first-person account of a college professor turned zombie who retains his sentience and recruits others like him on a heroic quest to fend off the living while searching for the meaning of un-life.

Robin Becker, instructor of writing, and Huixia Lu, assistant professor of digital film making, were recipients of the Arkansas Arts Council’s Individual Artist Fellowship.

The Scarlet Letter, the opera commissioned by UCA, was featured prominently in the October issue of The Classical Singer magazine. The four-page spread was a feature Q & A by Susan Dormady Eisenberg with composer Lori Laitman. The opera premiered November 2008 in Reynolds Performance Hall and featured Israel Getzov, instructor of music at UCA and conductor of the Conway Symphony Orchestra, who conducted the opera and UCA faculty members Christine Donahue, Rob Holden, Martha Antolik, along with John Garst, who sang the principal roles. Diane Kesling of Hot Springs, a former member of the Metropolitan Opera roster of singers, was the stage director. William Henshaw of Henderson State University designed the set and costumes.

College of Health and Behavioral Sciences News

Posted on December 9, 2009

Dr. Bill Bandy, professor of physical therapy, is the recipient of the Turner A. Blackburn Hall of Fame/Lifetime Achievement Award of the American Physical Therapy Association. He will be recognized at the annual combined section meeting of the American Physical Therapy Association in San Diego in February 2010. This award honors a sports physical therapy section member who have contributed to the specialty of sports therapy through leadership, influence, and achievements. Dr. Brandy is the eighth recipient of this award.

Dr. Steve Tucker, an assistant professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education, served on the Student Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) review panel. In November, the panel reviewed proposals in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math from students and faculty sponsors from colleges and universities across the state.

Dr. John Lowe, chair of the Department of Speech-Language Pathology, was granted status as an ASHA Fellow at the annual convention of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association in New Orleans in November. He is the 8th Arkansan to receive this honor.

Dr. Gary McCullough, associate professor of speech-language pathology, conducted an invited three-hour short course on Dysphagia, and papers were presented by: Drs. Dee Lance and Mary Jo Colley-Hidecker who each presented four papers, and Drs. Brent Gregg and Tina-Taran Michael, each presenting two papers at the annual convention of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

Dr. Mary Garnica, assistant professor of nursing, published “Coordinated Primary Care” in the Clinical Scholars Review, Vol 2, #2, 2009. Karen Sevier, clinical instructor of nursing, was appointed by the National Council of Boards of Nursing to the item writing panel writes test items for the national examination for licensure in nursing.

Nursing faculty and students participated in the Faulkner County Flu Immunization Campaign at the McGhee Center in Conway in October. Karen Sevier, clinical instructor, coordinated UCA

College of Natural Sciences and Mathmatics News

Posted on December 9, 2009

Barbara Clancy, associate professor of biology, served on the National Institute of Health Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA) Study Section. The group met in Washington DC in October to review proposals on the development of the mammalian nervous system. The AREA grant program supports active involvement of undergraduate students in meritorious research that will strengthen the research environment of an institution.

Donna Foss’s paper “Narrowing the Gap between a Vision of Reform and Teaching Practice: Middle Level Teacher’s Reflections,” was presented at the Rocky Mountain Educational Research Association meeting held in Pensacola, Fla. Foss, the graduate coordinator for Math Education, received a $250 cash prize and an invitation to their national conference.

Yu Sun, assistant professor of computer science, recently collaborated on the journal publication,

College of Liberal Arts News

Posted on December 9, 2009

The Master of Science in Community and Economic Development (MSCED) is now housed in the Department of Geography. Dr. Michael Yoder, associate professor of geography, is interim director until the conclusion of a national search for a new director. The new director will add a new position to the department bringing the number of faculty members to eight. This person will not only direct the MSCED degree program, but will teach geography courses in the department.

Dr. Brooks Green’s review of Harm de Blij’s

Honors College News

Posted on December 9, 2009

Dr. Donna Bowman, associate professor in the Honors College, published a book chapter entitled

Love of Theatre Sparked New Career for Liz Parker

Posted on December 9, 2009

Liz ParkerTaking the helm as the business manager of the UCA Theatre was a second career for Liz Parker.

After 20 years working for an ophthalmologist, she decided it was time for a change.

“I felt like there had to be something else out there for me,” Parker recalled.

Parker always had a love for the stage, but knew she could contribute more behind the scenes. She decided to go back to school in 1990 to obtain her degree in theatre and a minor in marketing.

A position for business manger became open at the UCA Theatre shortly after she finished her degree at UCA in 1995.

“I have never regretted the move,” she said. “Getting my degree was the best thing, regardless whether I ended up here or not.”

Parker was able to make the position her own.

“I didn’t have to follow in anyone’s footsteps,” she explained. “We knew basically what needed to be done. We needed someone to handle scheduling, fund raising, and clerical stuff as well as advertising and audience development.”

For the first few years, Parker also designed costumes along with her other duties.

“It’s been really fun to get to this point,” she said. “Everything is in place.”

Parker would like to see the program continue to grow with more classes and a new building. The theatre is housed in the Snow Fine Arts Center, which was built in the 1960s.

“People realize that UCA Theatre has a good reputation in the state. Our students are well trained, well educated and go on to do wonderful things,” she said. “I am just very proud to be a part of that.”

There have been occasions where Parker has taken center stage. She has done some professional theatre in the past. Currently, she sings with the group, “Vintage.” The group consists of Parker and some of her friends. The women perform songs from the 1930’s through the 1960’s.

“We have a great time doing it,” Parker said.