The Reporter, February 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.February 12, 2001 News the fFoar culty and Staff of Western Carolina University Campus Child Care To Become Reality Editor's Note: The University Child Care Advisory Council was appointed in January 1999 to help develop a plan of action for a quality child care center at Western Carolina University. In this question-and-answer session for The Reporter, council members address some of the basic questions about this initiative at the university. What's the mission of th e center and whom will it serve? The Western Carolina University Child Development Center—official name to be determined at a later date—will serve children of the students, faculty, and staff of the university. As a community of care and learning, it is dedicated first to children, then to their parents and guardians, and finally to the professionals and students who serve them and share their lives. The center on the university campus will serve as a model for the care and education of young children with and without disabilities. By providing affordable, accessible care for children, the center will aid the university in its mission of recruiting and retaining high-quality students, faculty, and staff. In addition, the center will support the academic programs of the university by serving as a teaching site for observations, practicum experiences, research, and internships for students at WCU. Where will the center be l ocated? The center will occupy an area of approximately 5,000 gross square feet in the University Outreach Center's west wing. The UOC is currently undergoing renovation to accommodate the center. How many spaces are available for children? There are an estimated sixty-two spaces available, broken down approximately as follows: 0-6 months—six children; 6-12 months, six children; 12-24 months, six children; 2 years, eight children; and 3-5 years, thirty-six children. The council, in consultation with Mountain Projects, Southwestern Child Development Commission, and the architect for the project, determined space allocations. Twenty-two spaces will be available for students, twenty for faculty, and twenty for staff. Although the center will serve the children of students, faculty, and staff, it is also possible that some members of the community will be served, as space permits. What will be the hours of operation ? It is anticipated that the center will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 5:45 p.m., Monday through Friday, and will follow the university calendar for administrative operations. A full-day program is planned for all children in the center with learning activities between 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. The center is not intended or staffed as a drop-in service because it would be disruptive to other children who use the center. Although summer hours have not yet been determined, there will be a summer program. Support for special events such as family weekend, homecoming, and commencement also is being considered. When will it officially open? The center's opening is planned for spring 2002, but the opening date is dependent upon meeting the current construction schedule. How will the center be staffed? The tentative staffing plan includes a center director (master's degree), five teachers (bachelor's degrees), eight full-time teacher assistants (associate degrees), and six part-time teacher assistants. Opportunities for student internships, field experiences, and volunteer service also will be available. Staffing patterns will use the guidelines set forth by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and the North Carolina Star Rating System. Continued on page 2 Campus Child Care, continued from page I How will the center be managed1 The center, under the guidance of the UCCAC, will be jointly managed by two community partners—Mountain Projects, Inc. (Head Start) and Southwestern Child Development Commission, Inc. The center also will be closely integrated with the university through the Division of Student Affairs. Jane Adams-Dunford, assistant to the vice chancellor for student affairs, will be t he administrator directly responsible for overseeing the center. "The committee is excited about this porject. We feel this will be a tremendous asset to all—students, faculty, staff, administrators, and the community," said Adams-Dunsford. How much will child care cost1 Families who qualify for Head Start based on their income will receive services at no cost. Others will pay for services on a sliding scale based on income. The UCCAC is currently developing a fee schedule. The center's staff will not separate children in the child care programs on the basis of payment source. How can I get my child on the waiting list? Waiting list procedures will be completed soon, and a waiting list will be started later this spring. A specific announcement will be published in The Reporter and sent by e- V7r* mail, and no one will be placed on the list until an actual date is established. Southwestern Child Development Commission will maintain the waiting list with the help of a telephone number and SCDC will be the only authorized agency to handle requests. Neither the Office of Student Affairs nor any other academic or administrative department will accept phone calls, letters, or e-mails to place children on the waiting list. Who is on the University Child Care Advisory Council? Originally appointed by the chancellor, the council is co-chaired by Bob Caruso, vice chancellor for student affairs, and Jane Adams-Dunford, assistant to the vice chancellor for student affairs. It also consists of two students, two faculty members, two staff members, and three representatives from the community agency partners. Other members are as follows: Jeannette Munoz and Jennifer Ferguson, students; Davia Allen and Jane Perlmutter, faculty members; Lisa Scruggs and Kathy Wong, staff members; Patsy Dowling and Holly Crawford, Mountain Projects, (Head Start); and Kara Jones, Southwestern Child Development Commission. A survey regarding child care issues will be circulated soon to students, faculty, and staff. Living to Learn, Learning to Live Program Addresses Communication and Development Living and learning, personal development, and communication with students will be the topics of a day-long workshop March 26. The program is part of the "Learning to Live, Living to Learn" year-long initiative designed to engage all WCU faculty, staff, and students in exploring ideas, passions, and convictions about learning and teach­ing. Guest speaker for the day will be Jeannette Norden, neuroscientist and professor of cell biology in the School of Medicine and professor of neurosciences in the College of Arts and Sciences at Vanderbilt University. The first session, "Living and Learning: The Challenges of Intellectual and Personal Development," will be held from 8:30-10 a.m., in Killian 104. At the noon luncheon in the Hospitality Room of the Ramsey Center, Norden will address the role of student voices in the challenges of intellec­tual and personal development. The final workshop, "Enhancing Communication with Students," will be held from 3-4:15 p.m., Killian 104. Norden's approach to teaching students, which stresses personal as well as intellectual development, has made her a maverick in medical education, said Beth Bowser, faculty development specialist, Coulter Faculty Center and coordinator of the "Living to Learn, Learning to Live" program. As director of medical neurosciences for second year medical students, Norden teaches a course in which factual knowledge, clinical reasoning skills, and interper­sonal skills are integrated. Even though Norden's field is medical education, her remarks are applicable to all disciplines, Bowser said. Norden is the winner of numerous awards given by medical students at Vanderbilt, including the Shovel—given by the graduating class to the faculty member who has had the most positive influence in their four years of studying medicine. She is a four-time recipient of the Jack Davies Award, presented for teaching excellence in the basic sciences, and a four-time recipient of the Outstand­ing Teacher of the Year Award. She was awarded the first Chair of Teaching Excellence at Vanderbilt University in 1994-97. In addition, she was the first recipient of the Gender Equity Award given by the American Medical Associa­tion. Most recently, Norden received the Robert J. Glaser Award from Alpha Omega Alpha, the honor society of the American Medical Association. She is involved in numerous outreach programs Continued on page 4 F e b r u a r y 1 2 , 2 0 0 1 • T h e R e po r t e r Calendar February 12-25,2001 Look for regular updates on the university's web site at www.wcu.edu/cal.html Mappy i fn Valentine's J (Day Tuesday, February 13 Film/discussion—Movie Lean on Me, 6 p.m. film, 7:30 p.m., discussion, Club Illusions, UC. (227-7206) Saturday, February 17 Baseball—Catamounts vs. Wright State, noon, HS/CF. (227-7338) Special Basketball Double-header— Half-price tickets with half of proceeds donated to the Community Table of Sylva: —Lady Catamounts vs. East Tennessee State University. Southern Conference game, 4 p.m. —Catamounts vs. U-T Chattanooga, Southern Conference game, 7 p.m., RRAC. (227-7338) Sunday, February 18 Baseball—Catamounts vs. Wright State, 1 p.m., HS/CF. (227-7338) Wi l l i Monday, February 19 Meeting—Athletics Department hosts Jackson County Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours. Ron Shiffler, dean, College of Business, will speak on "The Future of Business in Western North Carolina," 5:30 p.m., Hospitality Room, RRAC. (227-7338) Basketball—Catamounts vs. Wofford, Southern Confer­ence game, 8 p.m., RRAC. (227-7338) T uesday, February 20 Basketball—Lady Cata­mounts vs. College of Charleston, Southern Conference game, 6 p.m., RRAC. (227-7338) Concert—Wind Ensemble, 8 p.m., HA. (227-7242) Wednesday, February 21 Concert—Michael Lowenstern, guest bass clarinetist and composer, 8 p.m., RH. (227-7242) Friday, February 23 Baseball—Catamounts vs. Kent State, Coastal Carolina Tourney, 11:30 a.m., Conway, SC. (227-7338) Saturday, February 24 Baseball—Catamounts vs. Coastal Carolina, Coastal Carolina Tourney, noon, Conway, SC. (227-7338) Basketball—Lady Catamounts vs. Appalachian State, Southern Conference game, 4 p.m., RRAC. (227-7338) Basketball—Catamounts vs. UNC-Greensboro, Southern Conference game, 7 p.m., RRAC. (227-7338) Sunday, February 25 Baseball—Catamounts vs. Delaware, Coastal Carolina Tourney, 10 a.m., Conway, SC. (227-7338) Upcoming Monday, February 26 Lecture— "Till He Eased with Being Nothing': Shakespeare's History Plays and the Restless Mind," 6:30 p.m., Reynolds Hall, Ralph Williams, professor of English, University of Michi­gan, visiting scholar. (227-3931) Thursday, March I Chancellor's Speaker Series— "Why Good Lawyers Defend Bad People," Alan Dershowitz, nationally known attorney, 7:30 p.m., RRAC. (227-7100) Submissions: Send news items and calendar notices to WCU Calendar, 1601 Ramsey Center, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, North Carolina 28723 or e-mail to calendar @wpoff. wcu.e du. Submit items for the university's calendar on the Internet at least one week prior to the event. *** Now Showing *** Exhibitions: The Vitreographic Image:A Selection of Glass Prints, an art exhibition featuring the works of fourteen different artists, February 14 through March 16. BB (227-3591) Recent Paintings byTarleton BlackwelL Through March 1,4-6 p.m., UC. (227-7206) Finely Crafted. Through December. Woodworking hand tools and furniture. MHC (227-7129) The Old Barn: By the Creek and In the Cove. A year-long display of Jackson County barns photographed by Lloyd Cowan; second group is on display through March 8. MHC. (227-7129) Migration of the Scotch'lrish People (permanent exhibition). Information, illustrations, artifacts, and murals. MHC. (227-7129) Key: $ - Admission fee; HA - Hoey Auditorium; HFR - H.F. Robinson Administration Build ing; HS/CF - Hennon Stadium/Chiidress Field; MHC - Mountain Heritage Center, NSA - Natural Sciences Auditorium; RRAC - Ramsey Regio nal Activity Cente r; RH - Recital Hall, Coulter Building; BB - Belk Bui lding; UC - AX. Hinds University Center; UOC - University Outreach Center; WS/BW - Whitmire Stadium/Bob Waters Field F e b r u a r y 1 2 , 2 0 0 1 • T h e R e p o r t e r A Jackie McHargue, university judicial coordinator (housing/student affairs), is serving as logistics coordinator for the Association of Student Judicial Affairs' Donald D. Gehring Campus Judicial Affairs Training Institute at Texas A&.M University. She also is a member of the conference committee for the ASJA annual conference in Clearwater Beach, Florida, and is a state representative for Circuit Four of ASJA. In addition, she is serving as the chair of interview services for the placement center at the American College Personnel Associa­tion conference in Boston. A Robin Kowalski, professor of psychology, had articles related to her research on pet peeves appear in January's Health and Allure magazines. A Gloria Houston, author-in-residence, elementary and middle grades education in the College of Education and Allied Professions, recently published two invited articles, "The Power of Story" and "Toward a Shared Vocabulary in the Language Arts," in the 2000 edition of Distinguished Educa tors on Reading: Teaching Strategies That Have Changed the Teaching of Lan guage Arts by the International Reading Association. The anthology is published every ten years. Blood Drive Surpasses Goal The January blood drive produced 262 pints of blood during the three-day effort at the University Center. The original goal was 245 units. There were thirty-two first time donors. WCU student sponsors were Crystal Olson, Honors College; Melia Cooper, Phi Mu; and Adam Phillips, Sigma Chi. Canteen sponsors were Coke products by the Coca Cola Co., Bryson City; pizza donations from Domino's, Papa's Pizza, and Pizza Hut of Cullowhee; and the Asheville Mountain Area Chapter of the American Red Cross. The student volunteer was Lauren DelGais. Program Addresses Continued from page 2 in Nashville and surrounding communities. She frequently visits schools and gives public talks on pyschoactive drugs, the aging brain, and other topics related to neurosciences. Registration deadline is March 1. There is a $50 registration fee, which includes the three sessions, breaks, and lunch. There is no charge for WCU attendees, but reserva­tions are required for everyone wishing to attend the luncheon. Contact Beth Bowser, Coulter Faculty Center, for reservations or information, e-mail her at bowser@wcu.edu, or phone 227-3702. Norden's visit is made possible by the Visiting Scholar Programs and the Office of Academic Affairs. Staff Forum Nominations Nomination forms for vacancies on the Staff Forum will be sent out February 16 with closing deadline February 28. Return the nomination forms to the Office of Human Resources. Elections will be held in March. The Reporter is published by the Office of Public Information. Debie Connelly, editor. Mail faculty/staff notes, events, notices, and changes of address to The Reporter, 1601 Ramsey Center, or send them via e-mail to REPORTER@WPOFP.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 F e b r u a r y 1 2 , 2 0 0 1 • T h e Re p o r t e r February 26, 2001 Groundbreaking Set for Fine, Performing Arts Center Western Carolina University will break ground Thursday, March 8, on the Fine and Performing Arts Center, the first of several WCU construc­tion and renovation projects funded by a $3.1 billion higher education bond package ap­proved in a statewide referen­dum in November. A public ground-breaking ceremony will begin at 9:15 a.m. at the site of the center, to be located on the old intramural fields across from the H.F. Robinson Administration Building. The Fine and Performing Arts Center is one of seventeen projects on tap over the next eight years. Other construction and renovation projects will include a new 300-bed resi­dence hall, upgrades to outdated science laboratories and class­rooms, and major infrastructure improvements. Passage of the statewide bond package will bring a total of $98.4 million in construction and renovation to WCU, creating a construction boom unprecedented in the university's 112-year history. Western is able to proceed quickly on construction of the center because design and site preparation work, including the extension of utilities to the site, already has been completed continued on page 4 Alan Dershowitz News for the Facult y and Staff of Western Carolina University Chancellor's Speaker Series Famed Attorney To Speak at WCU March I Famed legal scholar and best-selling author Alan Dershowitz, who has defended such controversial clients as O.J. Simpson, Mike Tyson, Michael Milken, and Claus von Bulow, will visit Western Carolina University on Thursday, March 1, as part of the Chancellor's Speaker Series for 2000-01. Dershowitz will speak on the topic "Why Good Lawyers Defend Bad People" at 7:30 p.m. in the Ramsey Regional Activity Center. The program, open to the public free of admission charge, will include a question-and-answer session and will be followed by a book signing. He also will meet in a smaller, students-only session that afternoon. The informal program will be held in the Grandroom of the A.K. Hinds University Center beginning at 3:30 p.m. A professor of law at Harvard University, Dershowitz is among the nation's best-known attorneys. Newsweek described him as "the nation's most peripatetic civil-liberties lawyer and one of the most distinguished defenders of individual rights." Time magazine called him "the top lawyer of last resort in the country—a sort of judicial St. Jude." And Life magazine tagged him an "iconoclast and self-appointed scourge of the criminal justice system." Other notable Dershowitz clients include Leona Helmsley, Jim Bakker, Chris­tian Brando, Penthouse magazine, Sen. Alan Cranston, John Landis, John DeLorean, David Crosby, Wayne Williams, Patricia Hearst, Harry Reems and Stanley Friedman. Dershowitz has defended death-row inmates and several promi­nent lawyers, including F. Lee Bailey and William Kunstler. A prolific writer, Dershowitz has penned articles for such notable publications as the New York Times, Washington Post, New Republic, Saturday Review, Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Boston Herald, and Chicago Sun Times. His books include The Genesis of Justice: 10 Stories of Biblical Injustice That Led to the 10 Commandments and Modern Law, The Vanishing American Jew, The Best Defense, and Chutzpah. His first novel, 1994's The Advocate's Devil, received "a thumbs-up verdict" from the New York Times Book Review, which praised it as "exciting, fast-paced, entertaining." Dershowitz received the William O. Douglas First Amendment Award in 1983 from the Anti-Defamation League of the B'nai B'rith for his "compassionate eloquent leadership and persistent advocacy in the struggle for civil and human continued on page 4 March is Women's History Month Activities Focus on Women A month-long calendar of activities and programs will celebrate the advances of women and will address issues women face in the modern world. For more information, contact Marilyn Chamberlin, assistant professor of anthropology and sociology, at 227-3878. Tuesday, February 27 A Biblical Women and the Uses of Allure: Tamar, Judith, Esther, and Salome 7:30 p.m., Recital Hall—Ralph Williams, professor of English, University of Michigan. Thursday, March I A Seventh Annual Walk for Women Noon, Alumni Tower A Christine Kane in Concert 9 p.m., Club Illusions, UC, $ Friday, March 2 A Rap Session I Noon-1:30 p.m., second floor, UC Monday, March 5 A Women's Center Open House 4-6 p.m., second floor, UC A Women and War: The Healing Process 6-9 p.m., Lipinsky Auditorium, UNC-Asheville Joan Furey, director of the Department of Veterans Affairs' Center for Women Veterans. A Many Strong and Beautiful Women 7-8:30 p.m., Cardinal Room, UC Led by Rebecca Caldwell, WCU Women's Center; June Wytock, Counseling and Psychological Services; and Karen White, University Health Center Women's Clinic. Tuesday, March 6 A Women's Center Book Group—Introduction and Organizational Meeting Noon-1:30 p.m., Cardinal Room, UC First Selection: In Our Time: Memoir of a Revolution by Susan Brownmiller. A Women and War: The Healing Process 10 a.m.-l p.m., Renaissance Hotel in Asheville $ Joan Furey, director of the Department of Veterans Affairs' Center for Women Veterans. Wednesday, March 7 A International Women 3:30-5 p.m., Cardinal Room, UC A Women's Health—Cross Cultural Perspective 7-8:30 p.m., Cardinal Room, UC Thursday, March 8 A On Love and Luck: A Conversation Between Contemporary Virtue Ethics and Feminist Ethics 2-3 p.m., Catamount Room, UC Pamela Hall, associate professor, Department of Philosophy, and the Institute for Women's Studies at Emory University. Friday, March 9 A Rap Session II Noon-1:30 p.m., second floor, UC Monday, March 19 A Landmark Legal Decisions for Women 7-8:30 p.m., Cardinal Room, UC Tuesday, March 20 A Does Size Really Matter? 7-9 p.m., Cardinal Room, UC Wednesday, March 21 A Strangers in Good Company 3