The Reporter, November 2001

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.' Reporter -B- News for the Faculty i November 5, 2001 Faculty and Staff of Western Carolina University Warning: Hard Hat Area Campus To Become Construction Zone Hard hats, fences, bulldozers, and concrete trucks. Construction soon will be Western's middle name as seven major construction projects and several minor refurbishing efforts will be under way. Renovation The first of many events that have to happen for a smooth transition into this construction phase is the completion, sched­uled for November 15, of the University Outreach Center renovations. "This completion enables us to start moving departments into their new facilities. Moving is the priority," said Chuck Wooten, vice chancellor for administration and finance. The new neighbors of the Division of Continuing Education and Summer School include the Regional Economic Development Center, Office of Rural Education, Upward Bound, Talent Search, Regional Affairs, and Developmental Evaluation Center. The gymnasium will have office and locker space for soccer, track, and volleyball. Behind the main structure is the new location for Smoky Mountain Mental Health and WCU Auxiliary Services. During December and early January, critical 'swing' space in other buildings on campus must be made available for the remain­ing occupants of McKee Building. Deans of the various colleges have been working to find displaced faculty office and classroom space in their buildings. "We have the spring semester set and are working on fall 2002, " said Wooten. Renovations will begin in McKee by the first of spring semester. It will take close to a year to create new office space and various-sized classrooms that match what is needed. In addition, three labs will be provided—two for general-purpose anthropology and one for forensic anthropology. A computer classroom will be added, an elevator installed, and exterior walls waterproofed. Early in 2 002, Bird Building will be reconfigured as the new student health services area. The interior design will mean better accommodations for health needs, as well as counseling areas. Both Bird and McKee currently are under State Construction Office review, with a mid-December target for bids. A smaller renovation project nearly halfway finished is the restoration of the recital hall in Coulter Building. This is th e first time in twenty years the hall has been updated with new acousti­cal tiles and seats. Completion should be in mid-March. The other smaller renovation project is the refurbishing of the old Student Union. Contracts have been let, and in nine to ten months, the new home for student media will be ready. Some interior reconfiguration will be necessary, but air and heating upgrades are the primary objectives. Not as noticeable will be infrastructure upgrades, such as chiller, steam, and electric, in several buildings. New Construction Work already has begun on a University Center addition. Construction crews have eliminated the walkway, and utilities—steam, sewer, and electricity—are being relocated. The fifteen-month job should be finished in time for the start of spring 2003. New construction will take center stage as the Work Force Development Center and the Fine and Performing Arts Center begin to take shape. The site of the Work Force Center has been sitting for some time in order for the dirt to compact. "The compaction looks good, and in several weeks the foundation will be poured and the building will start going up," said Andy Comrie, director of facilities management. Completion is slated for late 2003. With the bids received for the Fine and Performing Arts Center, contracts are in the approval process and should be signed by mid-December. The construc­tion fence will go up by January and the project will be under way. The building should be ready for classes in spring 2004- The third construction project on this same part of campus will be t he Whitmire Stadium expansion and addition to the athletic fieldhouse. Fans should be able to enjoy the new west side of the stadium next season. The strength and conditioning areas utilized by all sports will be completed by then. The remaining athletic areas will be in line for updates in another year. Tucked away on the edge of campus will be the last of this year's major projects. By mid t o late spring, work should begin on a new 30 0-bed residence hall, to be located next to Bird Alumni House. The house that currently stands on the property will be destroyed as a tr aining exercise for Cullowhee and other local firefighters. Finally, a new look to the entrance for campus will greet faculty, staff, students, and visitors when construction Continued on page 4 Founder ofWCU BlackTheatre Ensemble Among Winners of N.C. Governor's Awards Alfred W. Wiggins, founder of Western's Black Theatre Ensemble, has been selected as a 2001 re cipient of the North Carolina Governor's Award for Excellence. Wiggins, associate professor of communication and theatre arts at WCU until his retirement this past summer, was among twelve state employees selected to receive awards Monday, October 22, at the North Carolina Museum of History in Raleigh. Wiggins, who received WCU's Paul A. Reid Distinguished Service Award for faculty in May, was nominated for the state award in the "human relations" category. Robert Vartabedian, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, nominated Wiggins for his creation of an ensemble dedicated to sharing the nation's rich cultural heritage and celebrating the African-American experience through performance. "In his role with the Black Theatre Ensemble, Al selflessly contributed hundreds of hours of advising, directing, acting, and mentorship. Clearly, he is a wonderful role model for all students," Vartabedian said. Vartabedian quotes from Wiggins himself about why he established the ensemble: "Many of Western's black Al Wiggins students had never heard of many famous black people and knew little of the black heritage. I wanted to at least put them in touch with their history and culture and provide them an opportunity to perform before audiences that share with them an appreciation of that history and culture." Over the years, the ensemble has performed on campus, across Western North Carolina, and in several Southeastern and Midwestern states. The group has presented several of Wiggins' original works, including Chickasaw Park, a nostalgic play set during a time when most parks and other public facilities in Wiggins' hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, — and elsewhere in the South — were segregated. Wiggins joined the WCU faculty in 1986, teaching in the areas of television writing and production, directing for the camera, and comparative film studies. He also is well known as a professional a ctor, with numerous television and movie roles to his credit. Tickets Available for Madrigal Dinner The holiday season will seem closer as tickets go on sale at 9 a.m.Tuesday, November 6, for this year's Madrigal Christmas dinner. This Yuletide tradition for the campus and surrounding community is scheduled for Friday, November 30, and Saturday, December 1, in the Grandroom of the University Center. The program begins at 6:30 p.m., and all patrons must be seated by 6:25 p.m. The dinner re-creates the pageantry, music, and food of sixteenth-century England, with authentic madrigal entertainment and costumes. This year's menu will feature prime rib with Yorkshire pudding, potatoes, grilled vegetables, salad, rolls, beverage, and plum pudding with hard sauce. Tickets are $16 for WCU students and $27 for all others. Tickets are available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until noon and from 1 until 4 p.m. Tickets may be purchased in person at the University Center Administrative Offices or by calling 227-7206 and using a credit card. Reservations are made on a first-come, first-served basis. All sales are final. University Players To Present The Diary of Anne Frank The University Players will present Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett's The Diary of Ann e Frank November 13-17 at 7:30 p.m. in Hoey Auditorium, with a 2 p.m. matinee on Sunday, November 18. The Diary of Ann e Frank is based on the diary of a young girl who grows up amidst the terrors of the Nazi occupation of Holland. Anne hid with her family from the Nazis in a seale d-off back room of an Amsterdam office building. The hiding place was eventually discovered and the occupants were shipped to concentration camps. Her father, the only surviving family member, discovered Anne's diary after the war. Western will be staging a new adaptation of this modern classic by Wendy Kesselman. Containing 30 percent more material than the original, this celebrated version of the play recently ran on Broadway. Director Steve Carlisle, visiting lecturer in communication and theatre arts, says the play seems to have taken on additional significance after the events of September 11. "Anne Frank wrote in her diary of a normal life in u nordinary times and under extreme conditions, conditions in the annex and in the world. Her words brought to life the strength of the human spirit to rise above the darkness of hate and persecution," Carlisle said. Tickets are $12.50 for adults, $10 for senior citizens, and $6 for students. For additional information, contact the department of communication and theatre arts at 227-7491. Edith Frank, portrayed by Sasha Navarro (far left), admires the music box she received as a gift while characters (left to right) Otto (Daniel Weger), Margo (CherieVass), and Anne Frank (Jessica Compton) look on in a sc ene from The Diary of Anne Frank. N o v e m b e r 5 , 2 0 0 1 • T h e Re p o r t e r to Calendar November 5-18, 2001 Look for regular updates on the university's Web site at www.wcu.edu/cal.html Monday, November 5 Chancellor's Speaker Series— Former president of the republic of Poland and 1983 Nobel Peace Prize winner Lech Walesa will speak on the topic "Democracy: The Never-Ending Battle," 7:30 p.m., RRAC. (227-7100) Tuesday, November 6 All Monday day classes meet; no Monday evening (starting after 5 p.m.) or Tuesday day/evening classes meet. Ticket sales begin—Madrigal Christmas dinner, November 30 and December 1, Grandroom, UC. $ (227-7206) Training Tuesdays—"Leave Administration," 1-3 p.m., Room 404, BB. Registration required. (227-7218 or visit www.wcu.edu/hr/training) Wednesday, November 7 Observance—Veterans' Day, 4:30 p.m., UC lawn. (227-7234) Speaker—Mark Klempner, Holocaust scholar, oral historian, folklorist, and son of a Holocaust survivor, will present "Just the Human Thing To Do: Dutch People Who Rescued Jews During World War 11," 8 p.m., HA. (227-3260) Thursday, November 8- Saturday, November 10 Southern Conference Women's Soccer Tournament, Furman University. (227-7338) Thursday, November 8 Concert—Concert Choir, Early Music Ensemble, Catamount Chamber Singers, and Technol­ogy Ensemble, 8 p.m., Cullowhee Baptist Church. (227-7242) Last Minute Productions concert—Atlanta-based rapper Ludacris. Parental advisory in effect due to adult language and lyric content, 10 p.m., RRAC. $ (227-7206) Saturday, November 10 Lady Catamount volleyball—vs. College of Charleston, Southern Conference match, 2 p.m., RRAC. (227-7338) Sunday, November 11 Concert—Banjo virtuoso Clarke Buehling, 3 p.m., MHC. (227-7129) Lady Catamount volleyball—vs. The Citadel, Southern Confer­ence match, 2 p.m., RRAC. (227-7338) Monday, November 12 Reading—WCU Visiting Writers Series presents Chinese-American novelist Karen Shepard reading from her debut novel, An Empire of Women, 7:30 p.m., MHC. (227-3966 or 227-7264) Tuesday, November 13 Training Tuesdays—"Customer Service 11—Advanced Connec­tions," 8:30-11:30 a.m., Room 404, BB. Registration required. (227-7218 or visit www.wcu.edu/ hr/training) Tuesday, November 13- Sunday, November 18 Theatre—The University Players present The Diary of An ne Frank by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday. HA. $ (227-7491) Wednesday, November 14 Seminar—Brown Bag Lunch Seminar Series, sponsored by Phi Beta Delta (honorary society for international studies), features Mark Honegger, assistant professor of English, discussing "Religion and Politics in Malay­sia," noon, Conference Room, BB. (227-3260) Meeting—Diabetes Support Group, 4-5 p.m., Rogers Room, UC. (227-2088) Thursday, November 15 Conference—"Creating the Spirit of Community: Cultural and Heritage Tourism," day-long conference featuring three panels examining travel industry issues and recommendations for initiatives to improve cultural and heritage tourism in WNC, 9 a.m., RRAC. $ (227-2249) Class—for operators of 15-passenger vans, 9-11 a.m., Hospitality Room, RRAC. (227-7218 or visit www.wcu.edu/ hr/training) Concert—University Chorus and Saxophone Quartet, 8 p.m., band room, CB. (227-7242) Friday, November 16- Monday, November 18 Southern Conference Volleyball Tournament, UNC-Greensboro. (227-7338) Submissions: Send news items and calendar notices to WCU Calendar, 1601 Ramsey Center, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, North Carolina 28723 or e-mail to Reporter@email.wcu.edu. Submit items for the university's calendar on the Internet at least on e week prior to the event. •••Now Showing*** Exhibitions: Annual Student Exhibition. Through November 16. Chelsea Gallery, UC. (227-7206) The Faculty Collects. Featuring works from the collection of WCU faculty. Through January 20. BB. (227-3591) Finely Crafted. Woodworking hand tools and furniture. Through December. MHC. (227-7129) Working the Land. Display showing the importance of agriculture in North Carolina's past, present, and future. Through December 18. MHC. (227-7129) The Old Barn: By the Creek and In the Cove, a year-long display of Jackson County bams photographed by Lloyd Cowan, featuring barns from particular sections of the county exhibited for a three-month period; fifth and final group showcases photos of barns in the Cullowhee and Canada communities. Through December 21. MHC. (227-7129) Migration of the Scotch-Irish People, (permanent exhibition). Information, illustrations, artifacts, and murals. MHC. (227-7129) Key: $ - Admission fee; HA - Hoey Auditorium; HFR - H.F. Robinson Administration Buildin g; HS/CF - Hennon Stadium/Childress Field; MHC - Mountain Heritage C enter; NSA - Natur al Sciences Auditorium; RRAC - Ramsey Regiona l Activity Center; RH - Recit al Hall. Coulter Building; BB - Belk Bu ilding; UC - A.K. Hinds University Cente r; UOC - University Outreach Center; WS/BW - Whitmire Stadium/Bob Waters Field; SSF - Shrader Soccer Field. N o v e m b e r 5 , 2 0 0 1 • T h e R e p o r t e r Charitable Organizations Need Financial Help All state employees in Jackson County, including employees of Western Carolina University, are to be commended for t heir donations to terrorist attack relief efforts, but there are many more charitable agencies that need help through the State Employees Combined Campaign, Chancellor John W. Bardo said. The annual fund-raising effort, which continues through Friday, November 9, provides an opportunity for all state employees across North Carolina to assist nearly 1,000 charitable organizations that provide valuable community services. The campaign is the only officially sanctioned fund drive conducted on the WCU campus. Last year, WCU faculty and staff, retirees, and students contributed $36,408, the largest amount ever raised on the Western campus and an amount far above the year's goal of $32,000. This year's goal for the WCU campus is $33,500. "In difficult economic times like these, we know it becomes harder for individuals and families to give to charitable organizations because of their own financial situations, but it is during tim es like these that these service organizations need our help the most," Bardo said. "A tight budget situation has put a strain on local governments and non­profit organizations, so many important community programs need our help now more than ever." Carol Burton, director of special programs in the College of Education and moves into high gear. Plans call for short, curved brick walls with landscaping to mark the entrance. In order to keep faculty, staff, friends, family, and alumni informed of progress, a new construction Web site has been established—admfin.wcu.edu/ capconstruction. The site will be linked from the WCU homepage. In the spring, when there is something to see, a Web cam will be incorporated into the site to show progress on the Fine and Perform­ing Arts building as well as the Work Force Development Center. Looking to the year 2003, several of Allied Professions, is coordinator of WCU's 2001 campaign. A network of campaign solicitors helps collect pledges across the campus. Contributions by permanent employees can be made by payroll deduction, and all employees, retirees, and students may contribute by check or cash. All contributions are tax deductible. the above projects will be completed and additional renovation projects will begin—Killian, Killian Annex, Breese Gymnasium, Resource Learning Facility, Forsyth, and—finally—Stillwell in 2005. Also scheduled in this time frame is traffic relocation, corridor links, and perimeter parking. Almost all of the construction being done is paid for through money from the bond issue passed last Novemb er by the voters of North Carolina. This money is not tied to operational funds allocated by the state legislature. Construction, continued from page I The Reporter is published by the Office of Pub lic Information. Debie Connelly, editor. Ma il faculty/staff n otes, events, notices, and changes of address t o The Reporter, 1601 Ramsey Center, o r send them via e -mail to Reporter@email.wcu.edu. 1,800 copies of this public document were printed at a cost of $329.15, or $0.18 per copy. Western Carolina University is an Equal Opportunity Institution. -Reporter Office of Public Information Publications Unit 1601 Ramsey Center Cullowhee, North Carolina 28723 NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID CULLOWHEE, N.C. PERMIT NO. 1 N o v e m b e r 5 , 2 0 0 1 • T h e Re p o r t e r Mentoring Program Assists New Faculty in Transition It's learning about a new school, new faces, and a new way of doing things. It's being the "new kid on the block." How do you find out what you need to know? These "new kids" are not freshmen, but newly hired faculty members starting their careers at Western. A year-long orientation addresses a number of vital topics that new faculty members need to know regarding Western's policies and procedures. Participants are finding it is helpful to have current faculty members to fill in the information gap regarding the day-to-day academic rigors. Faculty backgrounds vary, with many spending time in business or indus­try before picking up a textbook, or teaching at other institutions before joining Western. Other faculty members have just completed their doctor­ates and are finding themselves on the other side of the desk for the first time. Helping to make the transition to teaching is the faculty mentoring program offered through the Coulter Faculty Center. Tenured faculty members volunteer to work with new faculty in their acclimation to academic life at Western. A steering committee composed of veteran faculty members matches each pair, putting people together whose interests are similar but who do not work in the same department. The mentor can help guide the "mentee" in determining the right balance of teaching, scholarly activity, and service, all important to the long-term goal of tenure. The mentor can further explain procedures and how to avoid certain pitfalls in academia. . i . 1AAA C i R> i T 1 mciiiui anu imca uic iuea uiai lie win ue The mentoring program started in 1990 as a project of the Coulter Faculty ,earning from seaSoned faculty. He also Center. Statistics then projected a 60 percent turnover in the College of js excited to see the "high-powered" Arts and Sciences faculty by the year 2000, since most of the faculty had technology that is available and plans to started in the late 1960s and early 1970s and would be retiring. sPend more time investigating how it "We were concerned with maintaining certain values within the college can be uti,ized* and wanted new faculty to understand these values," said Kathleen Wright, department head and professor of communication and theatre arts, and original pilot project team member. "We wanted to provide guidance in helping newer faculty attain tenure. We also wanted to make sure we had good teachers and that we could keep good faculty." The program has consistently grown since its inception. Six pairs of participants started the mentoring pilot project in 1991. There are twenty-seven mentoring pairs this year. "Each team defines its own agenda and sets its own goals. The mentor serves in a variety of roles—as coach, adviser, and validator," said Betty Farmer, associate professor of communication and the faculty fellow for mentoring, who is responsible for coordinating the program. The standard commit­ment is three years or even longer, depending on the wishes of the mentoring team. Continued on page 4 Martin Fischer, faculty fellow for advance technology in the Coulter Faculty Center (lower left), showcases the video editing capabilities of the Collaborative Advanced Technology Area to David Luginbuhl, associate professor of mathemetics and computer sciences. Luginbuhl, who joined the faculty last January, appreciates having a monfnr anH liLroc fho i