The Reporter, February 2005

The Reporter is a publication produced by Western Carolina University featuring news, events, and campus community updates for faculty and staff. The publication began in August of 1970 and continues digitally today. Click on the link in the “Related Materials” field to access recent issues.February L4, 2005 News for the Faculty and Staff of Western Carolina University DNA Equipment on Wheels Moving Science Forward Biology students at Western now have better access to sophisticated analytical equipment that is essential for advanced molecular studies, thanks to a "MobiLab" that goes where the students need it. With a combination of grants from the Chancellor's Office and The University of North Carolina Office of the President, the biology department recently bought four new machines, called polymerase chain reaction (PCR) thermal cyclers, to supplement older ones already in use for DNA copying and analysis. from watches as Sean And, because students work in eight separate labs in the Stillwell and Natural Sciences buildings, the new thermal cyclers, supporting equipment and supplies are stored on a custom-made cart that rolls to wherever the students are working. O'Connell and Jim Costa talk with Russ Lea (right) about the MobiLab. The equipment also can move to another room where a fixed digital imaging system lets students see their research results. thanked Russ Lea. vice president for research and sponsored programs in the Office of the President, for his help in funding MobiLab, believed to be the tirst of its kind. "This lets us take expensive equipment and maximize its use. and it has greatly enhanced educational opportunities of our students," said Costa, who holds the H.F and Katherine P. Robinson Professorship of Biology at Western. The grant from the UNC Office of the President was part of a million-dollar legislative appropriation that is earmarked for biotechnological "Basically, we have a molecular biology research lab on wheels," said the biology department's Sean O'Connell, whose students are using the equipment to study the DNA of micro­organisms in the Great Smoky Mountains and for other projects. The equipment and cart were fmmally unveiled at a recent reception. During the event, Jim Costa of the biology department research, Lea said. continued on page 2 Soil Faire to Highlight ScholarshiP ol Teaching and learning More than 60 of Western's faculty, students and staff will share their approaches, methods, research and results in creating, guiding and assessing learning during the inaugural Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) Faire. The one-day conference, which will include 18 presentations and four poster displays, will be held Wednesday, Feb. 23, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with concurrent sessions at the A.K. Hinds University Center and Room 406 of Belk Building. A keynote session will begin with a reception at noon featuring remarks by Chancellor John Bardo; Kyle Carter, provost; and Newt Smith, chair of the faculty. Finalists for the Chancellor's Distinguished Teaching Award will be present to speak about their philosophy of teaching. Alison Morrison-Shetlar, director of the Karen L. Smith Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning at the University of Central Florida, will give the keynote address, "Engaging in the Teaching and Learning Process.'' The conference is free and open to the public. Local educators and members of the community are encouraged to attend, as well as university faculty, students, staff and administrators. The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning at Western initiative aims to improve student learning, renew teaching, guide professional facu1ty development, deepen collegiality among all parts of the university community, and feature excellence in teaching and learning as the epitome of academic life at the university. For information about the SoTL Faire, visitlhe Web site, www.wcu.edu/facctr/ sotlfai re/index.htm. Renowned Flutist William Hennen to Perlorm, Teach on Feb. 20 Westem's music department will present a concert by renowned flutist Willian1 Bennett at 8 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 20. The free concert will take place in the recital hall of the Coulter was recognized with the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, and he recently eamed the Lifetime Achievement Award of the National Flute Association. Building. Western's own Lillian Pearson, associate professor of piano, and Eldred Spell, professor of flute, will join Benneu in the gr.md tinale, Doppler's "Valse eli Bravura." The program also will include pieces composed by Handel, Mozart, Ganne, Taktakishvili, Faurec, Roussel and Gaubert. Bennett also will present a tlute masterclass on Saturday, Feb. 19, from 7 to I 0 p.m. The mastcrclass will feature Western !lute students Jennifer Cloughly, Jaime Gamer, Tiffany Lamb and Summer Schulte. Pearson will provide the accompaniment. Bennett has recorded more than 300 separate musical solo and chamber works and a larger body William Bennett and Eldred Spell play the flute. "He is simply the most signiticant living flutist," said Spell, Western's flute professor. "In addition to stunning performances, his teaching has raised the standard of flute playing worldwide. \ He has also, in collaboration with ~ flute-maker Albert Cooper, made improvements in the tuning of flutes that have influenced nearly every modern instrument maker." / Organizers are encouraging local music teachers to have their students attend both events, Spell said. "Bennett's performance here is a unique oppmtunity, particularly for area public school students. Hearing a master teacher like Bennett work with advanced college students will be both informative of orchestral repe1toire. His orchestral career includes principal positions with the London Symphony, Academy of St. Martin-in­the- Fields and the English Chamber Orchestra. In 1995, Bennett and inspiring. Anyone considering majoring in music or a career in the tield should certainly be there;• he said. Forest Hills Road to be Closed Starting Todav Forest Hills Road, one of the main traftic arteries on the university campus, will be closed to through traffic beginning approximately Monday, Feb. 14, as construction continues on university roads. Forest Hills Road is expected to be closed to through traffic through spring, and motorists who are accustomed to driving through the area where Forest Hills Road and Belk Lane converge should access the campus from the main entrance off N.C. 107 or from the back entrance of campus off Old Cullowhee Road, said John Austin, project manager in Western's Office of Facilities Management. Initially, barricades will be located on Forest Hills Road at the service drive for Dodson Cafeteria and 300 feet south of the current Forest Hills Road­Belk Lane intersection. As construction progresses in the direction of Centennial Drive, probably in about one month, the banicade at the service drive will be moved to the Centennial Drive-Forest Hllls Road intersection, Austin said. Although Forest Hills Road will be closed to through traffic, residents should be able to get to their homes and to Reservoir Ridge Drive, he said. For more information. call227-3952. Student AHairs oners $1,500 Learning Award The Division of Student Affairs is seeking nominations for its annual Integration of Learning Award, designed to encourage faculty to enhancing learning opportunities for students. Western faculty members are welcome to propose a project that integrates teaching with activities in the Division of Student Affairs to achieve jointly identified student learning outcomes. One award of $1 ,500 will be granted to support the faculty member. Funds for the project will be available for the tiscal year beginning July I. Eligible proposals should include a concise description of the integrated activity with student affairs, including the student learning outcomes. Proposals developed Iointly between faculty and student affairs professionals will receive priority. The Committee on Student Learning, which includes students, student affairs administrators and faculty members, will make the award selection. Deadline for proposals is March 18. For further information, contact Robert Caruso, vice chancellor for student affairs, at 227-7234. February 14, 2 0 0 5 • The Reporter • page 2 DNAMobilab Equipment continued from page I Cary resident Philip Drummond, a first-year graduate student in biology, is studying single-celled organisms called archaea. Drummond said he is grateful that the MobiLab gives him greater access to analytical equipment. "You can do more work this way because each test takes about five hours, but now we have four new thermal cyclers that can go to various labs, so more students can test their samples," he said. With an estimated 10,000 species and 10 billion cells per gram of soil in the Great Smokies biodiversity study, there 's a lot of work to be done. Students at Western are doing much more than practicing research techniques on known samples, O'Connell said. Instead, they are identifying micro­organisms that haven't been found before, generating data that can be published, gaining experience with important results, and answering critical questions about biology at the molecular level. "This kind of outcome is normally available only in more advanced laboratories, but our students are accomplishing it right here at Western," O'Connell said. February Monday, February 14 Presentation-"The Show Runner: A Case Study of The Hunger," one of several public talks about writing for televi sion and motion pictures by Terry Curtis Fox, Hollywood screenwriter who has written for Hill Street Blues and Stargate SG-1. 7:30p.m. Theater, A.K. Hinds Univer ily Center. (227-7264) Tuesday, February 15- Thursday February 17 American Red Cross Blood Drive- 12:30-6 p.m. A.K. Hinds University Center. Go to http://www.member forlife.org/cbsr/ schedule to reserve appointmenl time; enter sponsor code 7836. (227 -7206) Tuesday, February 15- Thursday, February 17 Performanc . The Vagina Monologues by Eve Ensler. All proceeds donated to REA I I, Western's Women's Center anti-violence efforts. V-Day Foundation, and Spotlight on Women in Iraq. Admission: $10 non-studems; $6 students. Volunteer two hours with Women's Center and receive free ticket. 7 p.m. Theater, A.K. Hinds University Center. (227-2627 or 227-7450) Tuesday, February 15 Catamount Concert Series-faculty vocal recital featuring Mary Kay Bauer, soprano; William Martin. tenor; and Robert Holquist, bass-baritone, performing with Bradley Martin. piano. 8 p.m. Recital Hall, Coulter Building. (227-7242) Wednesday, February 16 Black History Month- Western Women on Wednesday. Noon. Rogers Room, A.K. Hinds University Center. (227-2276) Thursday, February 17 Lady Catamount tennis-vs. UNC Asheville. 3 p.m. Asheville. (227-7338) Movie--Films That Matter series: Gun Crazy (Joseph L. Lewis. 1949). 6 p.m. Room 130, Fine and Performing Arts Center. (227-2324) Catamount basketball-vs. Chattanooga. Southern Conference game. 7 p.m. Ramsey Regional Activity Center. (227-7338) Old-time Music and Bluegrass .)am- local musicians share tunes and techniques while enjoying old-time and bluegrass music. 7-9 p.m. Mountain Heritage Center, Robinson Administration BuUding. (227-7129) Concert-guest artist Lorena Garay, guitar. 8 p.m. Recital Hall, Coulter Building. (227-7242) Thursday, February 17- Saturday, February 19 Movie--Ladder 49. Admission: $2 with student identification; $4 without student identification (includes small soda and popcorn). 9 p.m. Theater, A.K. Hinds University Center. (227-7206) w c u Feb. 14 - Feb. 27 Friday, February 18 .Jazz clinic · led by llal Gal per, Gram my Award-winning jazz pianist. composer, clinician, educator, and writer. Ja11: ensemble clinic at I p.m. Band llall (Room 173), ouller Bui lding. Improvisation clinic at 3 p.m. Recital l lall, oulter Building.(227-326 l) Presenta tion hancellor Bardo will announce the Millennia! Initiative, a significant expansion of Western 's campus. I :30 p.m. Theatre. A.K. ll inds Univcrsi1y enter. RSVP by Monday, Feb. 14. (227-2293) Recital- music students. 2 p.m. Recital ll all, oulter Building. (227-7242) .Jazz - led by Hal Galpcr, Gram my Award­winning jazz pianist, composer, clinician, educator, and writer. (227-3261) Spcaker-Zhiyue Bo, renowned scholar of contemporary Chi nest: politics from Tarleton State University, will speak on "Chinese Political Elites in the 21st Ct:ntury.'' Visiting Scholar Series. 5 p.m. Auditorium, Mountain Haitage Center. (227-7475) Saturday, February 19 Open House-for prospective students and their families. Registration 8:30a.m. Ramsey Regional Activity Center. (227-73 17) Lady Catamount tennis-vs. Presbyterian College. 1:30 p.m. Reid Gymnasium tennis courts. (227-7338) Catamount basebaJI-vs. Wright State. Noon and 3:30p.m. (doubleheader). Childress Field/ Hennon Stadium. (227-7338) Flute masterclass-with guest artist William Bennett, Britain's leading flutist and former principal flutist of the London Symphony, Academy of St. Martin in-the-Fields, and English Chamber Orchestra. Class will feature four Western flute students. 7-10 p.m. Recital Hall, Coulter Building. (293-7457) Sunday, February 20 Catamount baseball-vs. Wright State. l p.m. Childress Field/Hennon Stadium. (227-7338) Black History Month-Jazz night. 7:30p.m. Club Illusions, A.K. Hinds University Center. (227-2276) Recital-featuring William Betmett, Britain's leading flutist and former principal flutist of the London Symphony, Academy of St. Martin in-the-Fields, and English Chamber Orchestra. 8 p.m. Recital Hall, Coulter Building. (227-3952) Monday, February 21 Lady Catamount basketball-vs. Wofford. Southern Conference game. oon. Ramsey Regional Activity Center. (227-7338 February 14, 2 0 0 5 • The Reporter • page 3 Speaker- Ken Ynrbrough. senior partner and account manager at Wcs1Wayne, will discuss Super Bowl ads past and present. 5:30 p.m. Theater, A.K. Hinds Universily enter. 227-7-1-02 Catamount Concert Series- facu lty recilal featuring Lillian Buss Pearson, harpsichord and piano, performing selections by J.S. Bach. Schubert, Debussy, and hopin. 8 p.m. Recital I I all, Coulter Building. (227-7242) Tuesday, February 22 Workshop-·• oaching for uccess," Day one of two-day workshop; Day two scheduled for March I. 2-4 p.m. Tom Young Room, Field I louse. Registration required. (www.wcu.edu/hr/training/professional.asp) Ulack History Month- African American JINGO game. spin-off of traditional BINGO game. 7 p.m. Cardinal Room. A.K.Hinds University Center. (227-2276) Lectures, Concer ts, and Exhibitions Series-Jim Boyd Band. Native-American fo lk rock music. Admission: $10 general; $8 staff and non-Western students; $5 Western students with valid ID. 7:30p.m. Ramsey Regional Activity Ct:nter. (227-7206) Wednesday, February 23 Appalachian Folklife Series-African American storytell ing. 7 p.m. Auditorium, Mountain Heritage Center. (227-7129) Thursday, February 24 Movie--Films That Matter series: Sullivans Travels (Preston Sturges, 1941). 6 p.m. Room 130, Fine and Performing Arts Center. (227-2324) Black History Month- Kappa Alpha Psi­CPC Step-off. 7 p.m. Grandroom, A.K. Hinds University Center. (227-2276) Friday, February 25 Recital-music students. 2 p.m. Recital Hall. Coulter Building. (227-7242) Saturday, February 26- Sunday, March 6 Spring holiday. Saturday, February 26 Catamount basketball-vs. UNC Greensboro. Southern Conference game. 7 p.m. Ramsey Regional Activity Center. (227-7338) Submissions: Send rtt'l<'S items and calendar notices to WCU Calendar. 1601 Ramsey Cerller; Westem Carolirw University, Cullowhee,Nonh Carolina 28723 or e-11u1U to~ Reporter@email.wcu.edu. Submit items for lire universil)' s ortli11e calendar at least one week prior to tlte event. Caruso Honored bv Professional Association Robert Caruso, vice chancellor for student affairs at Western, has joined the ranks of the American College Personnel Association's Senior Student Affairs Practitioner Program. Caruso was recently selected as one of three outstanding professionals in his field to be part of the program' class of 2005-08. The American ollegc Personnel Association (ACPA) is an international association serving Robert Caruso approximately 8,000 student affairs administrators. aruso will accept his honor at the association's annual convention in Nal>hville. Tennesee, in April. "A treasure in our profess ion ," "always looking out for the needs of students," "vital in opening up the lines of communication," "a tireless advocate for equal opportunity and equal rights." and "experienced. knowledgeable, a11d well respected throughout the country" - those are just a few of Caruso's professional characteristics mentioned in letters of support for his nomination to the senior practitioners' program. The program was established in 2001 for individuals who exemplify good practice in student affairs and who have made outstanding contributions to their in stitutions and to the student affairs profess ion. Caruso will join other program participants in a range of ACPA activities, including advising the association president on issues, participating in research for the student affairs profession, consulting with the association's media board on useful publications. mentoring younger professionals and networking with association constituencies. "l am deeply honored by this award," Caruso said in accepting the nomination to the enior practitioners program. " It gives me a chance to give back to my profess ion." Caruso, who has served as the head of Western 's student affairs office for seven years, says his greatest pleasure comes from watching members of his staff succeed in their work with students. He's had plenty of experience in that area him elf, having worked in various capacities with admissions, judicial affairs, enrollment management and student services throughout his career. Last year, the ACPA recogni zed Caruso as a "diamond honoree" for his outstanding contributions to the association and rus profession. Caruso holds a doctorate in counseling and personnel services from the University of Maryland, a master's degree in counseling and guidance from Rutgers University and a bachelor's degree in biology from Tufts University. The Reporter is published by the Office of Public Relations. John Ashcraft, editor. Mail faculty/staff notes, events, notices, and changes of address to: The Reporter, 160 I Ramsey Center, or send them via e-mail to: Reporter@email.wcu.edu. l .850 copies of this public document were printed at~ cost of $338.29, or $0.18 per copy. Western Carolina. University is an Equal Opportunity Institution. ~Iteporter Office of Public Relations Publications Dep a rtment 160 I Ramsey Center Cullowhee, NC 28723 I NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID CULLOWHEE, N.C. PERMITNO. I February 14, 2 0 0 5 • The Reporter li February 28, 2005 News for the Faculty and Staff of Western Carolina University Millenniallnitiative Doubles Campus Size Western recently announced the Millennia! Initiative, a comprehensive regional economic development strategy made possible by the acquisition of 344 acres of property adjacent to the main campus. Characterized by Chancellor John Bardo as "a defining moment in the university's 115-year history," the Millennia! Initiative is designed to enable Western to engage in public-private partnerships that enhance educational opportunities "We arc attempting to fulfill a promise we made to the people of Western North Carolina," Bardo said. "We want to keep the best and brightest for students in high-tech Looking east, this aerial view of the campus shows the 344 acres of property programs and increase the recently acqwred by Western. of the region's young people from having no choice but to leave home to tind the type of high­paying jobs available elsewhere. We want the children of the mountains to be able to remain in the mountains and to be participants in the high­tech, knowledge-based global economy of the 21st century." State legislation approved in 2000, ability of faculty to conduct cutting-edge opposite side of N.C. Highway l 07 from based on a measure originally written research, while simultaneously promoting the university 's main campus, the land by staff at Western, made it possible for University of North Carolina institutions to seek public-private partnerships to improve the academic experience for students and allow universities to apply their intellectual resources- their faculty, students and staff - to foster economic economic development. will become a "knowledge enterprise University officials plan to develop the zone" where university. private industry property as a multiple-use neighborhood and government partners conduct that will be home to a mix of academic research and development into scientific buildings, research facilities, business, and technological innovations that have industry and housing. Located on the commercial applications, Bardo said. continued on page 2 $1.5 Million Proiectto Upgrade Computing Capabilities Western is carrying out a $l.5 million project to upgrade computer capability in university residence halls and classrooms, and is partnering with its network hardware manufacturer to install wireless networking in the public areas of residence halls. The Division of Information Technology completed a major upgrade of the data network in a majority of Western's residence halls during the week of Jan. 31, and the division's ResNet and networking groups are currently installing network upgrades in Walker, Scolt, Helder, Leatherwood, Harrill, Albright/Benton and Robertson residence halls. said Scott Swartzentruber, the division's director of networking, operations and communications. The result of that $1 mil