UNL to Honor Faculty Authors, Editors, Inventors

UNL will honor 69 faculty members who published books, edited journals or were awarded patents in 1995 with a 3:30 p.m. reception April 5 at the Wick Center.

The reception, sponsored by the office of the senior vice chancellor for academic affairs, will honor 43 faculty members who published books, 25 who edited journals (five of whom also published books) and six who had patents issued last year. The reception will also honor six others who published books in 1993 and 1994.

"This is a great opportunity to bring recognition to our outstanding faculty and to take a moment in time to recognize all the work and successes of really active and productive faculty," said Liz Grobsmith, associate vice chancellor for academic affairs. "This acknowledges a small portion of the huge amount of research being done by our faculty. There are many, many more researchers who contribute to major scholarly journals on a regular basis."

There will be a public display of the authors' works on the second floor of Love Library during regular library hours, 8 a.m. to midnight April 1-4, and 8 a.m. to noon April 5.

Activist Authors Pratt, Feinberg to Speak at UNL

Acclaimed authors Minnie Bruce Pratt and Leslie Feinberg will be speaking at UNL from 7 to 9:30 p.m. April 2 in the Nebraska Union. Both authors will discuss and read from their most recent books.

Pratt, a professor at the non-residential Union Institute of Cincinnati, Ohio, has recently published a book of essays entitled S/HE, which questions the boundaries of gender and its theory. Feinberg is the author of Stone Butch Blues and the upcoming Transgender Warriors: A History of Resistance from Beacon Press. This event is free and open to the public. Pratt and Feinberg will also be available for an informal discussion on April 2 from 2 to 3 p.m. in the UNL English Department lounge, 228 Andrews Hall.

Pratt is the co-author of Yours in Struggle: Three Feminist Perspectives on Anti-Semitism and Racism. (Firebrand Books, 1984) and the author of three books of poetry, The Sound of One Fork (Night Heron Press, 1981), We Say We Love Each Other (Spinsters/Aunt Lute & Firebrand Books, 1985) and Crime Against Nature (1990). Crime Against Nature, on Pratt's relationship to her two sons as a lesbian mother, has been awarded the Lamont Poetry Selection by the Academy of American Poets, the American Library Association Gay and Lesbian Book Award for Literature, and was also nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in Poetry.

Feinberg has been a grass-roots activist and journalist since the 1960s and is nationally known in the gay and transgender movements. Her novel, Stone Butch Blues, published in 1993 by Firebrand Books, has received critical and popular acclaim. The novel won the prestigious American Library Association Award for Gay and Lesbian Literature and a LAMBDA Literary Award. Her forthcoming book, Transgender Warriors, is a ground-breaking cross-cultural and cross-historical look at how the struggle of transgender people has been integral to the struggles of working people and to the liberation of lesbians, gays, bisexuals and women.

A book-signing and reception will follow the evening presentations. For more information about this event, please contact the Women's Studies Program at 2-9392.

Annual Spring Affair Plant Sale is April 27

"Plants and People -- Great Nebraska Traditions" is the theme of the 10th Annual Spring Affair April 27.

For true garden enthusiasts a preview party is offered on Friday evening before Spring Affair from 6 to 9 p.m. This year's Preview Party is being arranged by the UNL Garden Friends and is expected to be a true feast. In addition to great food and select plants, there will be door prizes and a silent auction. Tickets for the preview must be purchased in advance.

The annual plant sale and educational programs will be offered from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 27. This event is free and open to the public. The plant sale will feature more than 200 varieties of perennials, including the Perennial Plant Association's plant of the year -- Penstemon digitalis, or "Husker Red." Husker Red Penstemon is a cultivar that was developed in Nebraska by Dale Lindgren, a professor in the UNL Department of Horticulture. Also on April 27, educational programs will cover topics ranging from growing, drying, and cooking with herbs to attracting birds, bees and bats to the garden.

For more information contact the Spring Affair coordinator, Roddy Spangler, at 2-9131 or e-mail: rspangle@unlinfo.unl.edu. Spring Affair is sponsored by UNL Botanical Garden and Arboretum, Nebraska Statewide Arboretum, and State Fair Park Arboretum.

For the Health of It at East Union April 3

Campus Recreation will sponsor the first festival "Just for the Health of It" from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. April 3 in the East Union. There will be cholesterol screening; blood pressure testing; hearing and speech testing; bike safety and licensing; body composition analysis; flexibility and strength testing; nutrition analysis; dental information; counseling services; stress reduction; free give aways; drug education; information on cancer, arthritis, baby health and heart disease and much more.

Writers Round Table Meeting is April 5

The UNL Writers Round Table will meet on April 5 from noon to 1 p.m. The brown-bag meeting will feature Mary Neal Schutz, director of information services at Nebraska Educational Telecommunications. The meeting will be in the second-floor board room of the Nebraska Educational Telecommunications Center on East Campus, 1800 N. 33 St.

The Writers Round Table brown-bag meetings are on the first Friday of each month. They allow members of the university's public relations community to exchange ideas and stay informed about public information matters on campus. Any interested persons are welcome. For more information and a schedule of upcoming meetings, contact Deborah Eisloeffel, 2-8320 or dbe@unlinfo.unl.edu

SIS+ Training is April 9

The Student Information System Program will offer a SIS+ training session from 3 to 4:30 p.m. April 9 in the Wick Alumni Center. The class will cover logging onto SIS+ and an overview of accessible SIS+ screens. These sessions are free to faculty and staff. Space is limited; registration is required. For more information or to register, send e-mail to sistrain@unl.edu or call Geri Larsen at 2-0558.

Office Surge Suppressors Require Periodic Checks

UNL employees are encouraged to periodically check outlet strips equipped with surge suppressor for signs of age or overuse. Surge suppressor strips are not to be confused with the general purpose multiple outlet power strips. Surge suppressor strips contain Metal Oxide Varistor, designed to limit power current surges or "spikes" that can damage electronic equipment. The varistor traps the over-the-limit part of the current surge and dissipates this as heat. All MOV's gradually deteriorate with use.

The problem with some MOV components is that over an 18- to 24-month period the materials used begin to break down. AS the MOV ages, its operative characteristics change and it can become more sensitive and dissipate more heat. If the case is made of plastics, this process could eventually cause the plastic to discolor, melt, flow and ignite. Early signs of failure include discoloration on the underside and top of the strip due to heat buildup.

It should also be noted that other strips have been known to fail due to the excess demand placed on them. Most surge suppressor plug strips are designed for personal computers and peripherals that draw 2 to 8 amps, but many are incorrectly used as extension cords for small appliances such as space heaters (which draw 12 amps or more), televisions, lamps or copy and fax machines. Failing devices should be replaced immediately. Quality units will have a warning indicator and/or an internal shut down mechanism if the MOV is failing.

UNOPA Noon Barkley Tour April 3

A UNOPA brown-bag tour will take place from noon to 1 p.m. April 3 at the Barkley Memorial Center. No pre-registration is required. For more information contact Kim Freeman, UNOPA professional growth director, at 2-4681.

April 9 UNOPA Meeting Includes Award Presentation

UNOPA's general membership meeting is 11:45 a.m. April 9 in the East Union. Past presidents and recent retirees will be honored. The Oldt Silver Pen Award, the Oldt Outstanding Staff Award and the Rose Frolik Award will be presented. Contact Michele Strickler, 2-8033, for more information.

Student Season Football Ticket Lottery April 1-5

The 1996 Student Season Football Ticket Spring Lottery will be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 1-5 at the South Stadium Ticket Office. Tickets are $87.50 for students and $175 for spouses (6 home games).

Only full-time students may apply. Applications are available at 117 South Stadium Ticket Office, 110 Adm. (Student Accounts) and the East Union Information Desk.

After the completion of the lottery, any individual planning to be a full-time student in the fall of 1996 may apply for tickets from April 5 through Aug. 27.

Distance Education Faculty Workshop March 29, April 5

The Division of Continuing Studies, Nebraska Educational Television, and the Teaching and Learning Center will host a Distance Education Workshop for faculty March 29 and April 5 from 1 to 5 p.m. in 128 Mabel Lee.

On March 29, the workshop will feature faculty and resource persons experienced in distance education. Ward Sybouts, Rollin Hotchkiss, and Gwen Nugent will discuss enhancing student interactivity, planning, and instructional design. Charles Ansorge will demonstrate how he is preparing a distance education course in Advanced Statistics. Additionally, Ansorge will discuss problems experienced in developing materials, concerns he has for testing at distant sites, and creating effective active learning opportunities for students, regardless of their location.

On April 5, Ken Johnson will provide technical information that will enable faculty to take charge of the interactive environment, and Bruce Sandhorst will discuss the Instructional Technology Group and available resources. David Fowler will demonstrate his use of the web.

To register call Linda Tesch at the Department of Academic Telecommunications, 2-0400. Registration is limited to 24.

New Videos Examine Ethnic Stereotypes

Closed Circuit Television, a division of UNL Television, in a mutual purchase with the UNL Department of Psychology, has purchased two new videos that are available to all UNL faculty and staff for classroom use through the CCTV Library.

"Frontline: A Class Divided" is about the well-known experiment by Jane Elliot that divided elementary students into blue-eyed and brown-eyed groups to evaluate how racial stereotypes affect young children. This program examines the long-term effects of racial stereotyping in schools and suggests how new approaches can make a positive difference with students and teachers.

"Ethnic Notions" is the classic Marlon Riggs documentary that traces the evolution of the deeply rooted stereotypes that have fueled anti-Black prejudices. Narrated by Esther Rolle with commentary by eminent scholars, this presentation sheds light on the origins and devastating consequences of 150 years of bigotry.

In addition, CCTV has acquired "Out of Ireland," a 120-minute special that traces the story of Irish immigration from the famine-swept villages of 19th century Ireland to the industrialized cities of 20th century America. The program is presented through images and photographs of Ireland past and present and focuses on the lives of eight immigrants, using the letters they wrote home describing their experiences in the new world.

For more information or to obtain a copy of the CCTV Catalog, call Joyce Magorian at CCTV 2-9333, ext. 257.

On ETV

Welsch Talks with Historical Photo Curator

John Carter, photo curator for the Nebraska State Historical Society, folklorist and author, is this week's guest on Roger Welsch &, when the interview series airs 8:30 p.m. April 5 on the Nebraska ETV Network.

In fact, as Welsch puts it, "My excuse for inviting him...was the re-issuing of his book Photographing the American Dream, first published in 1985 and based on the Historical Society's famous Solomon Butcher sod-house collection. Most of all, John is a certifiable character. John Carter shows up everywhere, his fingers are into everything, and whatever he does is never done half way."

Bach's Passion Broadcast on Nebraska ETV

Featuring a 100-voice choir, soloists and the Lincoln Symphony Orchestra, "J.S. Bach's The Passion According to St. John" will be telecast at 9 p.m. April 5 on the statewide Nebraska ETV Network as a special Easter holiday broadcast. The two-and-a-half-hour program will be rebroadcast on at 10:30 a.m. Easter Sunday, April 10.

Videotaped in March as part of The North Central Division of the American Choral Director's Association at the UNL Lied Center for Performing Arts, the concert -- performed in German -- features the UNL University Singers, the Nebraska Wesleyan University Choir, Members of the Lincoln Symphony Orchestra and various soloists under the baton of guest conductor Elmer Thomas.

'Statewide' Documents Conception of Theater

If you think your job has deadline pressures, just imagine the challenge of designing a theater from the ground up in just one week. That's just what Connecticut architect and native Nebraskan John Mastera did when he assembled a team of architects to design a new theater and community arts center for Holdrege, Neb.

The final intensive effort to finish the design -- a process that architects call "charette" -- will be documented in the "Perspective" segment of Statewide, the Nebraska ETV Network's news journal 8 p.m. April 5.

The program, which repeats 7 p.m. April 6 and 1:30 p.m. April 7, also provides up-to-the minute news reports from across the state and other features of interest.

Back to the Yard with Backyard Farmer

If it's spring, it's time for Backyard Farmer on the Nebraska ETV Network. The long-running series kicks off its 43rd season, love across the state, 7 p.m. April 2.

The weekly series, which features a panel of Extension specialists, includes special features on topics ranging form flowers an vegetables to plant diseases, trees and lawn care. Viewers can send in specimens, or call in with questions for the panel to discuss during each live telecast.

The Backyard Farmer panel of experts includes Extension specialists Fred Baxendale, entomologist; Roch Gaussoin, turf grass specialist; Don Steinegger, horticulturist; and Dave Wysong, plant pathologist. Reggi Carlson returns as series host.

Obituaries

Former UNL History Professor Anderson Dies

Albin Anderson, a long-time professor of history at the UNL, died March 22 at San Diego. He was 85.

Anderson joined the University of Nebraska faculty as an instructor of history in 1946, was promoted to assistant professor in 1948, associate professor in 1953 and professor in 1959. He remained at Nebraska until the end of the 1978-79 academic year, when he retired and he and his wife, Pauline, moved to San Diego.

He also had two years of graduate study in Europe and won two Bronze Stars in a Pacific tour as a Naval officer at the end of World War II.

A modern Europeanist, Anderson concentrated his research and teaching on post-World War II Europe and Russia. He was the author of many scholarly articles and translated two books from Swedish to English and contributed to a third translation.

Anderson also had a brief fling in Nebraska politics, but lost a U.S. Senate primary race to Terry Carpenter in 1948 and returned to his first love -- teaching. Anderson is survived by his wife, Pauline. Memorials are suggested to the Institute for Continuing Learning Development Fund, UCSD Extension, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA 92093.

UNL Emeritus Professor Fussell Dies March 23

Memorial services are scheduled for 11 a.m. Monday (April 1) at First-Plymouth Congregational Church for Lincoln resident and UNL professor emeritus Jay J. Fussell, 75, who died March 23.

Fussell, who was born in Webb City, Mo., received his Ph.D. in the history of religions from the University of Chicago and later defined the religion vocabulary for Merriam-Webster's Third New International Dictionary.

Survivors include his wife, Anita; son, James of Lenexa, Kan., daughter, Nancy Rosenow of Lincoln; and four grandchildren. Memorials are suggested to the First-Plymouth Preschool Scholarship Fund.

For questions regarding these Scarlet pages, contact:
dtaurins@unlinfo.unl.edu
(402) 472-8518, Fax: (402) 472-7825