CASE Names May State Professor of the Year

Associate Professor of Economics ANN MARI MAY Best of 12 Nebraska Nominees

By Tom Simons, Public Relations

The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has named Ann Mari May, associate professor of economics, the 1998 Nebraska Professor the Year. May was one of 12 Nebraska nominees this year.

The Carnegie Award is the latest in a growing list of teaching awards for May, who earlier this year received one of two systemwide Outstanding Teaching and Instructional Creativity Awards from the University of Nebraska. She also has won distinguished teaching awards from both the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the College of Business Administration since joining the Nebraska faculty in 1987.

"I was pleased to learn the Carnegie Foundation has selected Professor Ann Mari May as Professor of the Year for the state of Nebraska," said Nebraska Chancellor James Moeser. "The University of Nebraska places a high premium on the teaching role of our faculty and winning an award like this highlights this critical role in a very public manner. The recognition that has been extended to Professor May will be celebrated by all members of the NU community."

May is perhaps best known for her reconstruction of the economic history curriculum, which covers such topics as America's transition from an agrarian to an industrial economy; the consolidation of U.S. business enterprise; the Great Depression; and the government's role in managing the economy. She also developed a new course, Women and Work in the U.S. Economy, which examines the transformation of women's economic roles from colonial times to the present.

She has brought to campus provocative speakers, including Morris Dees, co-founder of the Southern Poverty Law Center; Gloria Steinem, feminist author and co-founder of Ms. magazine; and Myra and David Sadker, who have studied sex bias in education and business.

"I am delighted and grateful to receive this prestigious award," May said. "The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has been at the forefront of a much-needed effort to refocus the attention of faculty on the scholarship of teaching. For me, this award represents recognition of the efforts of many faculty at the University of Nebraska who are working to change institutional priorities and challenge themselves and their students through innovative teaching."

May's classes are always full despite her reputation for strict grading standards and the fact that she requires extensive reading, writing and classroom participation - requirements that go the heart of her teaching philosophy.

"I did not become a professor solely because I was interested in economics or enamored with the prospect of doing research alone," she said. "I became a professor because of the thrill of working with students to help them understand the world around them and the hope that they would be inspired to make some small part of it better.

"In teaching economics, my primary goal is to challenge my students to think critically. I ask my students to examine the economy as they would a piece of sculpture. They need to turn it around and look at a topic from a variety of perspectives before they can truly understand it."

An Omaha native, May earned her bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees at Colorado State University.

The Council for the Advancement and Support of Education established the Professors of the Year program in 1981 and works in cooperation with the Carnegie Foundation and higher education associations in its administration. CASE is an international association for professionals in alumni relations, communications and fundraising at colleges, universities and independent elementary and secondary schools. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, a policy center in Palo Alto, Calif., is devoted to strengthening America's schools and colleges.

Academic Senate Goes on Record Opposing Lid Initiative

In a rare unanimous vote, the Academic Senate voiced opposition to Initiative 413, the so-called "lid amendment."

A resolution, brought forward by John Bender, news-editorial, stated opposition to the proposal, which is on the Nov. 3 ballot.

Senate President Patricia Kennedy gave the resolution "emergency status," allowing the body to by-pass rules that normally call for a vote to be taken one month after a resolution is proposed. The senate is not scheduled to meet again until after the election.

Bender said passage of the initiative would have "a very serious and adverse impact on the university."

No one spoke against the resolution, although it was amended slightly before the favorable vote was taken.

This is the text of the resolution:

Whereas Initiative 413, known as the "Government Spending Limit by Limiting Taxation and Revenue," would force a reduction of as much as $20 million in the University of Nebraska budget; and

WHEREAS the university would have to increase tuition by as much as 22 percent to offset lost revenues from state taxes; and

Whereas even with a tuition increase, the university would be forced to cut academic programs and possibly eliminate entire areas of study; and

Whereas ratification of Initiative 413 would mark the abandonment of the state of Nebraska's historic commitment to provide the best possible education to its citizens at a price all may afford;

Therefore, be it resolved that the Academic Senate of the University of Nebraska stands in opposition to Initiative 413 and urges all citizens to vote against it on Nov. 3, 1998.

Oct. 15 Videoconference Explores Ramifications of Initiatives 413, 414

An Oct. 15 public issues forum via University of Nebraska NEB*SAT satellite will help answer voter questions about Initiatives 413 and 414.

Initiative 413 is on the November ballot from the petition process and would amend the state constitution to limit growth of tax revenue that can be raised by state and local governments in Nebraska, said Roy Frederick, public policy specialist in the NU Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

Initiative 414 deals with fees Nebraskans pay for making long distance calls within the state. A vote for the initiative would require state statutes to require the Nebraska Public Service Commission to lower these fees for the smaller telephone exchanges within larger phone companies' service area. A vote against the initiative would not amend state statutes to require the PSC to do so, he said.

The videoconference forum will feature Frederick and Chuck Hassebrook, an NU regent and program director at the Center for Rural Affairs in Walthill, plus opponents of the initiatives.

The 7:30-8:30 p.m. live presentation will be on NEB*SAT II, Channel 102. Viewers also may watch the video forum live at participating Cooperative Extension and other offices, including: Ainsworth - Ainsworth High School; Aurora - Hamilton County Courthouse; Battle Creek - City Hall; Dakota City - Dakota County Extension Office; Holdrege - Phelps County Extension Office; Kearney - Buffalo County Extension Office; Lincoln - Lancaster County Extension Office; Rushville - Sheridan County Extension Office; Scottsbluff - NU Panhandle Research and Extension Center, 4502 Ave. I; Stanton - Stanton High School; Syracuse - Otoe County Extension Office; West Point - Cuming County Extension Office; Valentine - Cherry County Extension Office.

Callers may call (800)755-7765 during the show with their questions.

Videotapes of the program are available for $10 by calling Betty at (402)472-3035.

A new, free publication by Frederick related to the ballot initiative issues is expected to be available by mid-October. For a copy, contact a local Cooperative Extension office or ask for CC415, Ballot Items: State of Nebraska from CIT Distribution, 105 Ag Communications Building, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Neb., 68583-0918.

Academic Senate Learns of Framework to Assist with Program Evaluation

Edwards Explains Nebraska Performance Model

By Kim Hachiya, Public Relations

Senior Vice Chancellor Rick Edwards presented the Nebraska Performance Model to the Academic Senate Oct. 6, explaining that the plan is being tailored to fit the University of Nebraska.

The plan is roughly patterned after the "Florida Bank," a budgeting model used by the University of Florida. Nebraska's model, Edwards said, has significant differences.

The project has two parts, Edwards said. The first is to create a "relational database" that will help the university integrate all databases so that information can be used to help make decisions. The second part is the actual Performance Model under which material from the relational database can be used to help make budgeting, programmatic and other decisions.

Edwards said the university is trying to address several problems. Among them:

• a common framework for program evaluation;
• more effective use of the data already being collected;
• greater visibility for the campus goals and incentives and the ability to benchmark for assessment purposes; and
• making the data underlying decisions more accessible to the campus community.

He noted that while the university gathers copious amounts of data, because it is collected into separate databases, it cannot be analyzed holistically. Also, there is a lack of information about quality of programs; most information is quantitative. Many times, in order to look at an issue, a whole new study must be commissioned.

The Florida Bank model creates comparisons of colleges and programs to its peers and also analyzes programs over time, he said. Thus, rather than comparing Journalism with Business at the University of Nebraska, it looks at Journalism in relationship to other journalism colleges. And it also looks at what Journalism was doing five years ago as compared to today.

The Florida Bank model does not look at service/outreach missions, he noted. That would be added were Nebraska to adopt a similar plan. And Nebraska needs to develop its own definitions of quality.

In addition, he said, administrative units also would be held to the same performance standards of comparison as academic units.

Edwards stressed that the Nebraska Performance Model would provide a framework for decision making, and not be the decision maker.

Six units are involved in a pilot study. They are physics and astronomy, sociology, English, music, agronomy and entomology. The senior vice chancellor's office may also participate as a pilot group.

Faculty at the meeting expressed concern over the plan's complexity but Edwards assured them that his office is working to make the plan simple.

The university is "at the very front end" of developing this model, Edwards said, adding that he is uncomfortable trying to implement a system too quickly. At the same time, he said, he hoped people who are championing the project don't become impatient with the time it takes to get somewhere with it.

Art major Melanie Falk works on a project during her Drawing 301 class Tuesday in Lyman Hall, where the department of Art & Art History has been relocated while Richards Hall is renovated.

Art Department Relocates to Accommodate Renovation Work

By Kim Hachiya, Public Relations

The Department of Art & Art History has dispersed itself from its digs at Richards Hall while an $8.5 million renovation of the campus' third oldest building is under way.

Joe Ruffo, department chair, said seven faculty and 10 graduate students moved in mid-summer to the former Reunion Building and to Lyman Hall. The painting studio, woodshop and sculpture studio have moved to the Reunion; drawing classes and visual literacy (formerly known as foundation design) have relocated to Lyman.

Ruffo said folks are "making do" with the temporary arrangements.

"I've not polled everybody, but some are quite pleased with the space. Some grad students in particular have much larger space than they did before. A couple of the drawing rooms are smaller. And Visual Literacy is just making do," he said.

Some activities, such as papermaking, have been suspended, Ruffo said. The department's gallery and exhibition needs will be accommodated by the Nebraska Union's new gallery. Ruffo said only one traveling exhibition has been scheduled; the rest are in-house exhibitions of MFA, BFA and other student work.

The relocation is scheduled to fill about two years' time. "They go quickly, though," he said.

Ruffo said Richards is undergoing a complete "gutting and rebuilding." Prime projects include new heating, air conditioning and ventilation systems, he said. The auditorium will be relocated to the lower level and the upper level auditorium renovated for other uses.

"It's pretty exciting from our standpoint," Ruffo said. "The architects have come up with a very practical and elegant plan. They listened carefully to our needs." The firm of Bahr, Vermeer and Haecker designed the new space.

The project also includes some renovation of the Woods Building to house the office of the dean of the College of Fine and Performing Arts, which will move to Woods from Architecture Hall.

Ruffo said that there has been talk of renovating Richards since he came to Nebraska 15 years ago. He is pleased that the decision was made to keep the old building rather than tear it down.

"It's located close to where the first building on campus was and is part of the original campus quad. It's nice to preserve that," he said.

At Academic Senate Appearance, Chancellor Notes Coming Disruptions

Moeser Warns Parking Situation Will Worsen

By Kim Hachiya, Public Relations

In his monthly appearance before the Academic Senate, Chancellor James Moeser told the group that upcoming construction and renovation projects on campus will cause "a not insignificant amount of displacement of parking."

Moeser noted that the Temple block, which now has parking and some storefront buildings used for academic purposes, will soon become a visitors' center and house the Mary Riepma Ross Film Theater. The new Kaufman residential center associated with the J.D.Edwards Honors Program in Computer Science and Management will displace parking north of the Nebraska Union. Other projects are planned.

Moeser said the draft master plan will be sent to the NU President's Council later this month and will be forwarded to the NU Regents in December when that body considers master plans for all four NU campuses.

"We all need to be sensitive to the disruptions this construction will cause," Moeser said, adding that renovation and expansion of Love Library will be problematic because the library must remain open during construction, although some sections will be temporarily off-limits.

"I ask for your patience and forbearance during this time," he said. "Progress is wonderful but it's not coming without pain. It's something we are going to have to endure in the short term." Moeser defined short term as up to four years.

In other comments Moeser

• thanked members of the faculty who nominated members for the Future Nebraska Committee. He said the committee's composition will be announced soon.
• said he feels that awareness of the negative impact of the proposed lid amendment is growing in rural Nebraska.
• said the university must soon face the "new fiscal reality" of a substantial loss of tuition revenue due to declining enrollments. "We must anticipate some downward budget adjustments," he said.
• said that flat enrollment trends have been caused by the state's declining numbers of high school graduates. Other states have reported record enrollments, he said, in part because southern and southwestern states have swelling populations, particularly of pre-college age people. Nebraska, he noted, does not show that trend.