Lauerman to Lead Public Relations Efforts

UNL Chancellor Harvey Perlman has appointed Meg Lauerman director of university communications.

The appointment was effective July 9. Lauerman will lead all of UNL's public relations, media relations, marketing and advertising efforts.

"I think Meg is the right person to build our communications efforts at the university so that Nebraskans and others will realize what a quality institution this is," Perlman said.

In July 2000, Lauerman began a two-year appointment as special assistant to the chancellor for institutional marketing. She has been an assistant professor of advertising at UNL since 1996, a position she retains. Her previous work experience includes marketing and public relations work at State Farm Insurance Co. and Lincoln Public Schools. Before that, she produced and supervised production of television programs at Nebraska Educational Television.

Lauerman earned a bachelor's degree from UNL, a master's degree from Michigan State University and a doctorate in educational administration from UNL.

Harris, Wathor Receive Universitywide Kudos

Mark Harris and Larry Wathor received the University Kudos Award at the June 23 meeting of the NU Regents.

Harris (shown at right) is an administrative coordinator for the University of Nebraska State Museum.

"Mark Harris has effectively transformed the business and administrative operations of the State Museum - a complex organization involving research collections and public exhibits located across the state. He thinks outside the box and has converted a system with mediocre business operations into a streamlined one that utilizes best business practices and enhances the operation of the entire museum," his nominator said.

Wathor (shown at left) is a building service manager at the Lied Center for Performing Arts. He is responsible for all maintenance and custodial activities in the building. His duties include scheduling and supervising maintenance and custodial staff, oversight of routine and major maintenance including working with outside service providers and contractors, and personally managing all repairs, remodeling and renovation.

"He is a talented craftsman and problem solver and uses resources efficiently because of his tremendous knowledge and experience. His pride in the Lied Center and commitment to excellence are the reason the facility continues to look almost new and all systems function flawlessly after more than 11 years of use," his nominator said.

Kean Is Interim Associate Vice Chancellor

Rita Kean, professor and chairman of textiles, clothing and design, has accepted the post of interim associate vice chancellor for academic affairs for the upcoming academic year, replacing Thomas Calhoun. Kean will assist the senior vice chancellor in the areas of undergraduate education and assessment, including general education, undergraduate curriculum committee and UCARE.

This position also holds the title of director of Summer Sessions.

LaGrange Directs Accounting

Mary LaGrange became director of UNL accounting effective July 9. She came to UNL after serving as a business systems analyst for Nebraska Educational Telecommunications, where she was a leader in the purchase and implementation of NET's entity resource planning software. She also has taught college-level accounting courses in northern Iowa.

Sebora Named Free Enterprise Fellow

Terrence Sebora, associate professor of management, has been named a Sam M. Walton free enterprise fellow for UNL's Students in Free Enterprise team.

Under Sebora's direction, the Nebraska team won the SIFE regional championship in April at Rosemont, Ill., and qualified for the national competition in Kansas City in May, where it reached the semifinals.

More than 400 Sam M. Walton Fellows nationwide train more than 10,000 SIFE team members annually.

The fellowship was created in 1990 by the Wal-Mart Foundation and is named for Samuel More Walton, founder and chairman of Wal-Mart Stores Inc.

Active on more than 1,000 college and university campuses in 20 countries, SIFE encourages students to take what they are learning in the classroom and apply it to real-life situations, and to use their knowledge to better their communities.

City-County Environment Awards Cite UNL Entities

Three entities with ties to UNL were among 14 recently applauded by Lincoln-Lancaster County for efforts to promote environmental stewardship.

UNL's Environmental Health and Safety Department received a Pollution Prevention Award for efforts to cut the use of toxic materials.

The Environmental Health and Safety Department's Waste Minimization Program has helped various academic departments reduce their use of toxic materials by helping fund the purchase of new, less toxic materials. They have worked with staff in entomology, agronomy, biochemistry, nutritional sciences, natural resources and environmental health and safety to reduce hazardous wastes at the source.

A Waste and Recycling Award was shared by the Lancaster County Cooperative Extension Office, Lincoln Public Schools and the City of Lincoln Solid Waste Operations, who have developed a coordinated recycling program for their offices and schools. When the program started in 1999, 14 sites were already recycling office paper and cardboard, with some including additional items. Since then, 43 sites have been added.

UNL's Ecology NOW! Club received an Environmental Education/Awareness award. UNL Ecology NOW! has been involved in many projects, campaigns and other efforts to educate and bring awareness to the UNL campus as well as the citizens of Lincoln and Lancaster County on environmental issues. The group sponsors an annual Earth Day celebration.

The awards were presented April 26 at the Lincoln-Lancaster County Environmental Awards ceremony. The program is coordinated by the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department and Lincoln Public Works and Utilities.

Holtzclaw, Former Graduate Dean, Stood for Integrity

Services were May 29 for Henry Holtzclaw, professor emeritus of chemistry, who died May 24 in Lincoln after a long illness. He was 79.

Holtzclaw began his work at the University of Nebraska in 1947 as assistant professor of chemistry, moving through the ranks to professor. He was appointed Foundation Professor of Chemistry in 1967 and was dean of Graduate Studies from 1976 to 1985. During the year 1973-74, while on leave of absence, he had a research and teaching appointment at the University of Konstanz, Germany, as guest professor. He retired from UNL in 1988 after 41 years of service.

In 1995, Holtzclaw received the James A. Lake Academic Freedom award in recognition of his role in investigating a faculty member who helped lead a student anti-war demonstration in 1971. Holtzclaw was chairman of the investigatory committee, which recommended the faculty member not be dismissed for his part in the demonstration. The regents did fire the individual, however.

A native of Stillwater, Okla., he earned an A.B. degree in economics and chemistry at the University of Kansas and the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in chemistry at the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana. While a student, he was employed at the Eastman Kodak Co. in Rochester, N.Y., during the summers of 1941 and 1942 and participated in the Manhattan Project, 1944-45, with the Tennessee Eastman Corp. in Oak Ridge, Tenn.

He wrote three freshman chemistry textbooks, two of which have had nine editions in more than 30 years and the third of which was published in 1992. He was editor-in-chief of Volume 8 of Inorganic Syntheses, a chemistry reference series, and served on the publication's editorial board since 1952.

Holtzclaw was an active member of his church. He and his wife, Jean, co-wrote a book on the history of Lincoln's First Presbyterian Church in honor of the church's 125th anniversary. He was a deacon, trustee and elder in the church.

Other memberships included Lincoln Center Kiwanis (past president, past division Lieutenant Governor); American Chemical Society; Sigma Xi; Association of Graduate Schools; Test of English as a Foreign Language; Educational Testing Service, Princeton, N.J.; National Science Foundation; Rail Fan Club.

Holtzclaw is survived by his wife; daughters, Jane, Sara and Karin; several grandchildren; sisters; nieces and nephews.

Memorials are suggested to the University of Nebraska Foundation for Henry Holtzclaw Graduate Student Fellowship Fund 3734 or the First Presbyterian Church Foundation.

Former Econ Chair Roesler Remembered for Service, Scholarship

Funeral services were April 10 for Theodore "Ted" W. Roesler, chairman emeritus of the department of economics, who died April 5. He was 81.

A member of the department for more than 30 years, Roesler earned his B.A. with distinction from the University of Nebraska in 1941. After service in the Army Air Corps in World War II, he completed work on his master's at NU and earned his doctorate at the University of Wisconsin in 1953. After teaching seven years at Augustana College in Rock Island, Ill., Roesler joined the Nebraska faculty in 1957 and was promoted to full professor in 1967.

He taught mainly in the area of economic conditions analysis and economic statistics and was the recipient of a 1971 Distinguished Teaching Award given by the university. He retired in 1988.

Roesler's research focused on the measurement of regional economic activity. He published several studies on Nebraska economic and business subjects and, with Charles Lamphear, director of UNL's Bureau of Business Research, designed an economic model of Nebraska, one application of which has been to assess the economic impact of irrigation on Nebraska's economy.

Roesler was active in his church and in the 1970s was instrumental in forming the Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches. He also was the founding member and first president of Lincoln's All Saints Lutheran Church. He is survived by his wife, Helen; two sons, Timothy and William; several grandchildren; several sisters; nieces and nephews.

Memorials are suggested to All Saints Lutheran Church, Lutheran Family Services, or Tabitha Foundation.

Volgyes Was Dedicated Patriot

A memorial service occurred June 26 for Ivan Volgyes, a retired professor of political science, who died June 14 in a plane crash in Eastern Europe. Volgyes, who was a native Hungarian, was involved in a business venture that took him and members of a company into the former Yugoslavia, where the small plane crashed.

Volgyes had lived in Hungary since retiring in 1995 from UNL, where he had taught since 1966. Volgyes left his homeland in 1956 and came to the United States, where he earned degrees at the American University. He was an expert in Soviet and Eastern European politics.

Volgyes, who was 65, had worked for General Electric in Hungary after his permanent return to the company in 1995. He recently retired from GE and had undertaken a new business venture.

Volgyes will be remembered for his passion for his homeland, his energetic teaching and his scholarship.

He is survived by two daughters who live in Lincoln and a wife in Hungary.

Memorials are suggested to Partners in Recovery, 2501 South St., Lincoln, NE 68502.

Breckenridge Wore Many Hats at UNL

Adam C. Breckenridge, who served UNL in a variety of capacities, died June 11 in Lincoln. He was 84.

A retired professor of political science, "Breck," as he was known, served the university for 35 years in positions such as dean of faculties; director of libraries; vice chancellor for academic affairs; vice chancellor; and acting chancellor.

He was the first recipient of the Curtis "Doc" Elliott award conferred by the Alumni Association for service to students.

Breckenridge earned his bachelor's degree from Northwest Missouri State College, an M.A. from the University of Missouri and a doctorate from Princeton University. He was a scholar of American government.

He is survived by his wife, Marion; a son; a granddaughter; a sister-in-law and nieces and nephews.

A memorial service occurred June 15. The family suggests memorials to the University of Nebraska Foundation earmarked toward Love Library or the donor's choice.

Ag Engineering Emeritus Olson Dies

Emanuel "Ole" Olson, retired professor of agricultural engineering, died May 26. He was 85.

Olson was a professor of agricultural engineering and extension agricultural engineering until 1978. He was a World War II Army veteran, 1942-1945, a retired colonel, U.S. Army Reserve, and he received the Bronze Star in 1945.

He was a member of the Eastridge Presbyterian Church; Lincoln Engineers Club; Midwest Tool Collectors Association; Early American Industries Association; National Society of Professional Engineers; Gamma Sigma Delta; Epsilon Sigma Phi; Kiwanis; American Society of Agricultural Engineers; several professional committees of American Society of Agricultural Engineers, ASAE; farm structure division, ASAE (chairman); Midwest plan service committee (more than 25 years), and the livestock environmental science committee.

Olson was awarded 13 blue ribbons for educational booklets, ASAE, 1946-1978. He was also presented with the Outstanding Engineering Achievement Award, Professional Engineers, 1973, and was elected Fellow of ASAE in 1975.

He is survived by his wife, Dorothy; a son; a daughter; several grandchildren; siblings; nieces and nephews.

Memorials are suggested to Eastridge Presbyterian Church, to the family or to the UNL Tractor Testing Museum.

APA Honors Gustavo Carlo

Gustavo Carlo, associate professor of psychology and Gallup research fellow, was honored in May by the American Psychological Association with the fourth-place award of $20,000 in the APA's John Templeton Positive Psychology awards program.

Carlo, who has been a member of the Nebraska faculty since 1994, was recognized for his research on individual, parenting and cultural influences of positive social and moral behaviors in children and adolescents. Carlo's research plans include conducting a longitudinal study of prosocial development in ethnic minority children and also researching how prosocial behaviors lead to positive self-concept development in adolescents.

Carlo's award includes a prize of $7,500 to be used any way he chooses and a grant of $12,500 to support research in the positive psychology field.

APA created the program with underwriting support from the John Templeton Foundation. Now in its second year, the prizes are intended to encourage first-rate mid-career scientists to devote their best efforts to positive psychology topics, such as optimism, moral identity, self-control, goal-focused living, thrift, courage and future-mindedness. The Templeton Positive Psychology Prize is open to researchers in all social sciences, not just psychology.

Jonathan Haidt of the University of Virginia won the top award of $100,000. Two Southern Methodist University psychologists, Laura King and Michael McCullough, won the second- and third-place awards of $50,000 and $30,000.

UHC LAB Honored For Quality

The University Health Center Laboratory has earned accreditation from the Commission on Laboratory Accreditation.

Accreditation is awarded to laboratories that apply rigid standards of quality in day-to-day operations, demonstrate continued accuracy in the performance of proficiency testing, and pass a rigorous on-site laboratory survey.

The UHC Laboratory also will receive the Laboratory Excellence Award from the commission. This recognition is awarded and based upon these requirements:

· meet or exceed all COLA standards and criteria for quality laboratory performance;

· have a consistent record of proficiency testing performance;

· have a successful on-site survey as part of the review criteria; and

· have no valid complaints against the laboratory.

"It is quite an honor to be recognized by this commission," said Gaye Homer, UHC laboratory manager. "Approximately 4 percent of all laboratories surveyed receive this recognition."

Testing at the UHC Laboratory is performed by American Society for Clinical Pathology-certified medical technologists dedicated to performing accurate test results.

COLA is a nonprofit, physician-directed organization promoting quality and excellence in medicine and patient care through programs of voluntary education, achievement and accreditation.