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August 26, 1999
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Drive-up Book Bin AvailableA drive-up book bin is now available adjacent to the parking lot west of Westbrook Music Building, south of Architecture Hall. The bin was placed there to provide a way for patrons to return books instead of using the Administration parking lot to drop off books at the Love bins. With the advent of the Love South Renovation, that lot will be a staging area for construction supplies and equipment. The bin will be open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with the exception of home football weekends (Sept. 11 and 18; Oct. 2 and 9; Nov. 6 and 13). On those weekends, the bin will close at 5 p.m. the Friday before and will re-open at 2 p.m. on the Sunday after the game. Fotinos Retirement Reception Sept. 9Transportation Services will host a retirement reception for Harriet Fotinos, Staff Secretary II, from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Sept. 9 in the Business Services Complex, 1700 Y St., Room 117. Fotinos is retiring from the university after 131/2 years of service. Name Change For Affirmative Action OfficeThe Office for Equity, Access and Diversity Programs is the new name of the former Office for Affirmative Action and Diversity Programs. The name change went into effect Aug. 23. Telephone numbers and addresses remain the same. Corrected/Former Amnesty International Leader To Speak Sept. 2, 3Morton Winston, Ph.D., a former chairman of the Board of Directors of Amnesty International/USA, will address human rights topics at 3:30 p.m. Sept. 2 and 2:30 p.m. Sept. 3 at the Nebraska Union. Winston is a professor of philosophy at the College of New Jersey, Ewing, N.J., and has been chairman of the Department of Philosophy and Religion at that institution. On Sept. 2, Winston will participate in a panel discussion, "U.S. Violations of Human Rights: Amnesty International Accuses." Joining Winston on the panel will be NU professors Robert Hitchcock, Susan A. Miller and Miguel Carranza. On Sept. 3, he will present a lecture "Human Rights: Civil, Political and Beyond." Winston's visit is sponsored by the campuswide Human Rights Initiative, a new interdisciplinary program based in the College of Arts & Sciences. Freshman Year Experience Task Force Report On-LinePart I of the "Report of the Freshman Year Experience Task Force," is available on the university Web site at http://www. unl.edu/svcaa/Activities/TF/ FReport.html. Ted Pardy, professor of biological sciences and chair of the Freshman Experience Task Force, said the report is presented to the university community for its consideration and discussion. A full copy of the report (including Part II) is on reserve at Love Library and Thompson Library, or interested parties may contact Nancy Stara, associate vice chancellor for academic affairs via e-mail nstara@unl.edu. Pardy said an open forum will be conducted this fall where the task force hopes to gather "ideas, suggestions and helpful criticism" that will appear as a supplement to the task force report. A specific date and site for the forum have not been set, but will be posted at the above Web site when known. Marketing A Healthy Lifestyle Conference Sept. 8Promoting research-based approaches to leading healthy lives will be the focus of a Sept. 28 conference on East Campus. "Marketing a Healthy Lifestyle" is sponsored by NU Cooperative Extension and the Nebraska Dietetic Association. Sessions run from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. that day. The conference is designed for extension educators, registered dietitians, family and consumer science educators, others in related fields and the public. Participants can earn continuing education credits and professional development units. Speakers include Maggie Powers, a registered dietitian and president of Powers and Associates, St. Paul, Minn. She will discuss communication techniques participants can use in talking with clients, the public or the media. Other sessions will present tips on living healthy lifestyles, feeding young children and dealing with eating disorders, aging and food allergies. One session will cover recommendations about nutrition supplements for athletes. Registration fees are $55 for NDA members, $65 for non-members and $30 for NU Cooperative Extension faculty. Fees cover conference materials and a luncheon. For a registration brochure, call Jeannie Pittam at (402)472-3717. A $15 late fee will be charged for registrations received after Sept. 22. NU Hosts ABLE ConferenceThe 21st annual Association for Biology Laboratory Education workshop/conference was held on campus June 1-5. It was attended by 150 biologists from U.S. and Canadian colleges and universities who are committed to providing innovative, hands-on laboratory instruction to undergraduate students. William Glider, School of Biological Sciences, hosted the conference which was sponsored by the College of Arts and Sciences (Math/Science Education Area of Strength) and the School of Biological Sciences. The primary focus of the conference were the 23 hands-on workshops in which participants carried out a series of lab exercises. These workshops included traditional "wet" labs (field and bench-top) as well as innovative approaches in using computer technology and other multimedia in laboratory instruction Each workshop presenter provided the essential information and experience necessary for participants to evaluate and adapt the laboratories to their own programs. An additional 20 mini workshops were presented that focused on discussions of new laboratory curricula and the training of graduate laboratory teaching assistants. All workshops will be published in the Proceedings of the 21st Annual ABLE Workshop/Conference as "Tested Studies for Laboratory Teaching". In addition to the workshops, six pre and post conference field trips to nearby areas of biological interest were available to participants. These included trips to Konza Prairie near Manhattan, Kan.; Big Bend Region of the Platte River near Grand Island; DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge; Ashfall Fossil Beds; Indian Cave State Park; and the NU Agricultural Research & Development Center at Mead. CASNR Education Program Leads to Employment GuaranteeBy Molly Klocksin, IANR The College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources will pay career search registration fees for eligible students if they don't get a relevant job offer within six months after graduation, Dean Don Edwards announced Aug. 19. Edwards likened the college's certification program to a seal of approval. It will assure students a solid education and potential employers that college graduates are ready to work, he said. The certification also will appeal to parents, who might have doubts about pursuing a degree in agricultural sciences or natural resources these days, Edwards said. "There's so much uncertainty about the future of agriculture that we're saying there is a future for agriculture," he said. The college's commitment to eligible graduates carries this guarantee: The college will pay their registration fees with UNL's Career Services Center for a year if they don't receive a job offer in their field within six months following graduation. Among other services, the center will arrange job interviews for CASNR students with employers recruiting UNL students. The guarantee will start with the 1999-2000 school year, but current ag/natural resources college students also will be eligible, said Steve Waller, associate dean of the college. Eligible students must participate in an educational planning program that emphasizes academic, campus involvement and job experience. Examples are graduating with a cumulative 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale, participating in at least one student organization, completing an internship for credit and completing an additional career experience with or without credit. The college developed the program because its strong faculty advisers have consistently helped keep its quality graduates in employer demand, Edwards said. "We are confident in our ability to place students that have made full use of their faculty advisers, academic programs, co-curricular opportunities, internships and other work experiences," he said. The college offers the following agricultural sciences majors: agribusiness, agricultural economics, agricultural education, agricultural journalism, agronomy, animal science, biochemistry, crop protection, diversified agricultural studies, food science and technology, grazing livestock systems, horticulture, mechanized systems management, veterinary and biomedical sciences, veterinary science and veterinary technologist. It also offers pre-professional programs in forestry, law and veterinary medicine. It also offers natural resource majors in: environmental studies, fisheries and wildlife, natural resource and environmental economics, rangeland ecosystems, soil science and water science. Options for any major include honors and education. The college offers related programs in agricultural engineering and biological systems engineering. It offers 15 master's degree programs and 12 doctoral programs. CASNR participates in the UNL honors program and coordinates transfer programs with the University of Nebraska-Omaha, the University of Nebraska-Kearney and all Nebraska state and community colleges. Better Homes and Gardens Testing NU's GreatPlantsAt the new Better Homes and Gardens test garden in downtown Des Moines, they have to plan ahead-not weeks or months or even a year ahead, but several years ahead-to speculate what gardeners will be planting years from now. They depend on people like Todd Morrissey, director of the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum's GreatPlants program, to provide them with plant selections they can evaluate so they're ready to make recommendations when the plants hit garden centers. GreatPlants is a collaborative program of the Nebraska Nursery and Landscape Association and NSA that selects, propagates and promotes plants for their ornamental value, hardiness, ease of maintenance and availability. Some of the GreatPlants sent to the test garden include: Fremont's clematis, Clematis fremontii; Dwarf chinkapin oak, Quercus prinoides; Mongolian gold clematis, Clematis fruticosa; My Antonia aster, Aster fendleri 'My Antonia'; White winecup, Callirhoe alcaeoides; Pincushion flower, Scabiosa superba; Spiderwort, Tradescantia tharpii and Big bluestem selection, Andropogon gerardii. Morrissey is pleased Better Homes and Gardens located their test gardens in Iowa. "The midwest is a great testing ground for new plants which often originate from growers or nurseries in other climates. Bringing these plants together and evaluating their adaptability helps to set a trend for more adventurous gardening in our region. "The test garden is in its first year of growth, but it has already begun to make its appearance in the monthly publication and in Home and Garden TV shows, and soon will be visible at their Web site also. The Better Homes and Gardens test garden is open to the public Fridays from noon to 2 p.m., May 15 to Oct. 15. For more information on the test garden, call 515-284-3994. National attention is becoming commonplace for GreatPlants, which in the last six months has been featured in articles in Horticulture, American Nurseryman, Nebraska Farmer and Garden Design. Morrissey says the national visibility is great but his intentions are simpler than that "I'm just always on the lookout for plants that make everyone look like a great gardener." In Nebraska, he relies on his own tests and feedback from members of NSA's Plant Research Consortium, a statewide network of gardeners who test new plants under their own local conditions. The NSA is a horticultural organization headquartered at the University of Nebraska's Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources. It supports the endeavors of a statewide network of arboreta and historic landscapes located in 33 communities. It also serves Nebraskans through programs that bring new plants into the nursery industry, beautify community green space, and conserve imperiled plants. For more information on GreatPlants, the Plant Research Consortium, or the NSA, call 472-2971. Earth Science Teachers Test New CurriculumBy Charlie Flowerday, Conservation and Survey More than 20 earth science teachers from Nebraska and other states this month helped field test a new national curriculum aimed at integrating earth science instruction into the landscape of the local community. The American Geological Institute sought help from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Earth Science Education Network because of its history of involvement and recognized excellence in assisting earth science education, said Dave Gosselin, Nebraska Earth Science Education Network project director. He also is a research hydrogeologist with the UNL Conservation and Survey Division and the School of Natural Resource Sciences. Twenty-two secondary-level teachers gathered Aug. 9-13 at UNL, one of four national test sites chosen for special workshops in earth science education to evaluate the new curriculum. This was the second round of the workshops, known as EarthComm, for "Earth Science in the Community." Last summer NESEN, a joint program of CSD and the natural resources school, was a pilot site, along with sites in Atlanta, Milwaukee and the San Francisco Bay area, where teachers and university experts helped the AGI develop this year's methods and materials. Teachers will field test a complete curricular document later this year and provide feedback to AGI on its effectiveness, Gosselin said. "This version of EarthComm activities ties very well back into the state and national science education standards. We want to engage students and allow them to become responsible for their own learning, with the teacher serving as a facilitator, not on a stage lecturing," Gosselin said. "We also want to create more interest in the community, hook them on what's outside their door," he added. Fawn LeMay, science teacher at Plattsmouth High School, plans to use this approach to challenge her junior and senior students to develop a severe weather plan for the community, culminating in a video tape or brochure. It also could be incorporated into some field component such as stream gaging, she said. Bob Feurer, of North Bend Public Schools, past president of the Nebraska Association of Teachers of Science and a long-time participant in NESEN, said the benefits of the NESEN program, which designs earth science instruction tailored to Nebraska and its communities, dovetails well with the nature of EarthComm. His students will seek to explain why their community and its environment is physically shaped the way it is. They will look at glacier-, wind-and stream-deposited sediments as they examine the local hills, valleys, streams and terraces, among other features. Steve Ferris, who teaches earth science at Lincoln High School, said his students will examine land-use issues near where they live. In particular, they will look objectively at recent concerns that commercial and residential development near Lincoln's Wilderness Park will affect the values of the park. "EarthComm provides a nicely structured, inquiry-based approach, more than if you just selected a text book. That text could be in the background. EarthComm is more in the foreground of learning," he added. "I tend to talk too much. This helps me not do that." The workshops were sponsored by the AGI with funding from the National Science Foundation and Exxon Corp. Ed Robeck of Hastings College was a co-facilitator of the workshops both years. The Nebraska Earth Science Education Network works to bring university expertise in earth science together with science teachers to foster better science education. Twelve teachers from Nebraska participated, as well as 10 from Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Montana and Missouri. NU Women's Ag Conference Sept. 16-17Nebraska farm and ranch women interested in improving their business management skills will want to attend the 15th annual Women in Agriculture farm and ranch management conference Sept. 16 and 17 in Kearney. David Kohl, professor of agricultural finance and small business management and entrepreneurship at Virginia Tech, kicks off the conference. His "Energizing Your Financial Numbers" is geared to help participants make better decisions to deal with potential changes in interest rates, land values and the general economy. One of the Women in Agriculture conference goals is to help women in Nebraska recognize the role they play in agriculture, said Deb Rood, program coordinator at the University of Nebraska Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources. The conference is presented by NU Cooperative Extension and the Department of Agricultural Economics, both part of IANR. Joyce Bryan Strout, an NU alumna and chief executive officer of J.B. Strout and Co. will present Green Acres is the Place for Me, a discussion of growing in families, relationships and creativity. Jo Bek, an assistant professor at NU's College of Technical Agriculture in Curtis, will speak about learning opportunities gained from life on a farm. To register for the Women in Ag conference, call (800) 535-3456 or e-mail drood@unl.edu. Registration is $55 per person before Sept. 10. After Sept. 10, the fee is $60. Hotel reservations can be made at the Kearney Holiday Inn, (800) 248-4460.
Joseph L. White to Appear in Nebraska Union AuditoriumPioneer Black Psychologist Speaking Sept. 8 Joseph L. White, professor emeritus of psychology and psychiatry at the University of California, Irvine, will speak from 3-4:30 p.m. Sept. 8 in the Nebraska Union auditorium. The lecture, free and open to the public, is titled "Psychological Challenges Facing the Black Male." A Nebraska native, White is a pioneer in the field of black psychology and often is referred to as one of the field's founding fathers. In 1970, he published "Toward a Black Psychology" in Ebony magazine. The article is considered a seminal work in the modern era of African American and ethnic psychology. He is the author of many papers and three books: The Psychology of Blacks: An African-American Perspective, The Troubled Adolescent and Black Man Emerging: Facing the Past and Seizing a Future in America. Born in Lincoln in 1932, White moved to Minneapolis at age 2 after his parents separated. He earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in psychology from San Francisco State College and his Ph.D. from Michigan State University. During his career at Irvine, he was a teacher, supervising psychologist, mentor and director of Ethnic Studies and Cross-Cultural Programs. He has been associated with five hospitals and three clinical practices in Southern California and has consulted with numerous school districts, universities, private organizations, drug prevention programs and government agencies. On the occasion of his retirement in 1994, the Los Angeles Times wrote: During a career that was a potent blend of scholarship and social activism, he crossed paths with Robert F. Kennedy, Eldridge Cleaver and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. He also rocked the psychology establishment on two fronts. In 1968, White and others began to demand that more blacks be brought into the discipline of psychology and he also charged that traditional theories of psychology were not useful in studying black Americans due to their different ethos. His theories laid the groundwork for the growth of multicultural studies. While in Nebraska, he will meet informally with students, faculty and staff and the Chancellor's Commission on the Status of People of Color. White's lecture is sponsored by the office of the Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. Diversity Proposals Due Oct. 4The Office of the Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs has identified one-time funds for 1999-2000 to support pilot projects and activities on campus aimed at enhancing diversity. In association with Academic Affairs, the Faculty Liaison Task Force on Diversity invites proposals from members of the NU community for support of projects during the 1999-2000 fiscal year. Proposed projects should contribute to the attainment of one or more of the following goals found in the June 1999 draft of the Comprehensive Diversity Plan for the University of NebraskaLincoln (on the web at http://www .unl.edu/svcaa/Activities/Diversityplan2.html), particularly goals 1 and 2: o create a campus climate where tolerance and respect are encouraged and modeled, so everyone enjoys equitable opportunities for professional and personal fulfillment. o support programs that explore the experiences, perspectives and contributions of various cultures, groups and individuals. Priority will be given to projects involving teams of faculty, staff and/or students. Funding for proposals will be competitive. Projects will typically be funded fully or partially, in the range of $500 to $5,000, although larger scale collaborative projects are also encouraged. Projects may be partially funded. Projects funded last year and resubmitted for continuation funding will be eligible for no more than $500. Proposed projects may include, but are not limited to, workshops, speakers' series, special events, research projects, program planning and community outreach. They may also include enhancements to existing programs and seed money for pilot projects. Proposals will be due in the Office of the Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs by Oct. 4. Please direct specific questions about proposed projects to Rita Kean, chair of the Faculty Liaison Task Force on Diversity, 472-2911 or rkean1@unl.edu. Proposals will be limited to four pages: a cover page, two pages describing the project and one budget page. The cover page should contain the following information: Name(s) of applicants(s) and project director; Campus address/telephone/e-mail address of project director; Unit(s) department/college; Title of proposed project; Time-line for proposed project; Dollar amount requested; Matching funds that will be applied to project; Signature with date of applicant(s), chair(s)/head(s), Dean(s) or Director(s). The description should include the nature of the proposed project, the relationship of the project to one or more of the goals and/or initiatives enumerated in the Comprehensive Diversity Plan for UNL, involvement of and benefit to the UNL community, how the project will encourage or advance other initiatives on behalf of diversity, how the project builds on current unit goals, and how the project will be evaluated. |
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