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 Mate

• Creator
  • Western Carolina University
• Format
  • Newsletters
• Type
  • Text
• Date
  • Date original: 2008-10
  • Date digitized: 2018-10-17
• Extent
  • Dimension: 11" x 8.5"
  • Pages: 16 pages
• Subject - Topic
  • Western Carolina University -- Periodicals
• Location
  • Jackson County (N.C.)
• Source institution
  • Western Carolina University
• Source Collection
  • The Reporter, Western Carolina University
• Identifier
  • HL_Reporter_2008_10
• Related material
  • Https://news-prod.wcu.edu/the-reporter/
• Repository
  • Western Carolina University Hunter Library

Honors College, Departments Pilot a Universitywide Plan to Develop Students into 'Intentional learners' Why are you here? Where do you want to be in four years? Six years? Where will this lead? "The really interesting discussions we have with first-year students in the Honors Forum begin with questions such as these," said Brian Railsback, dean of the Honors College. "We move first-year students into careful, long-range college and career planning from day one." The Honors Forum course is one of the first steps on what the college calls the Honors Path, an educational framework developed two years ago based on the universiry's Qualiry Enhancement Plan, "Synthesis: A Pathway to Intentional Learning." The plan was developed as part of the institution's reaffirmation of accreditation completed last year. Western Carolina will demonstrate how the plan was implemented and its results during the five-year interim review in 2012. A key aspect of the intentional learning plan entails helping students see the connections between all of their universiry experiences - in and out of the classroom - to their personal learning and career goals. The idea is that as students make a habit of reflecting on and synthesizing their experiences, they will become intentional participants in their own learning at WCU and for the rest of their lives. Other aspects of the plan relate to preparing students to become active global citizens committed to making a difference in their world. "Until we were inspired by the QEP, the Honors College didn't have such a coherent educational framework," said Railsback. In the Honors Forum class, one of the first steps along the Honors Path, students learn what opportunities exist at WCU, including study abroad; undergraduate research; hands-on learning experiences that benefit the universiry and local communiry; regional, national or international internships; leadership; and a range of social and student activities. They each develop personal learning plans in which they intentionally select the learning opportunities they will pursue as WCU students to help them achieve their post-graduation goals, said Railsback. "It's really improved the way we approach undergraduate education in the Honors College," said Railsback. PILOTING THE PLAN Beyond the Honors College, a dozen academic departments are officially piloting courses or activities this fall Continued on page 2 Honors College, Departments Pilot a Universitywide Plan -continued from Cover inspired by the intentional learning plan. Students have chosen to be part of living-learning communities developed around topics such as leadership, Spanish culture and language, and protecting the environment. Nearly 250 students are testing a tool called the Education Briefcase, an electronic portal where they will interact with faculty, advisers and career counselors. Their eBriefcases contain career planning tools such as aptitude tests and personality profiles, and space for personal learning plans, resumes, academic and co-curricular transcripts, information or photos about student activities, examples of their coursework and reflection papers. "You can put together all of your information about everything you've done, which will be a great resource as we begin meeting with potential employers," said Melissa Saenger, a senior health information administration major from Emerald Isle who is testing the eBriefcase. "It's a great represen cation of yourself- a great way to bring everything together." The first four academic departments and programs to commit to piloting the intentional learning plan are putting it into action in different ways. The history department is expanding its interdisciplinary and interactive courses, as well as field experience, research, internship and public history courses. Health information administration students will be involved in more activities, such as etiquette dinners and networking events, to prepare them for working in professional hospital and health care offices. They also have adapted an assessment method used in the health care field to regularly assess their own experiences. The recreational therapy program is fine-tuning a reflection-focused admission process and expanding service learning activities, such as working with Special Olympics, patients at nursing facilities, and student-designed fitness programs for adults with developmental disabilities. "The only exercise the adults we work with may get is when the students from our major are there," said Nicole Rollings, a senior recreational therapy major from Landis who helped launch and design the servicelearning program at Webster Enterprises this fall. Webster Enterprises is a community rehabilitation center where people who have disabilities or disadvantages learn manufacturing skills. "When we go to Webster, the participants are excited and ready to go as soon as we arrive," said Rollings. "The time seems to By by." The chemistry and physics department hosted a residential 2 ~Reporter- October 6, 2008 summer research program featuring career preparation and reflection components. Participant Mickey Yost, a senior clinical lab sciences major from Maggie Valley, wrote about "kicking herself" during the summer for not paying more attention to the dilutions portions of a previous class, and realizing what she missed by not taking an optional chemistry lab. Then she wrote about her success - finally understanding not just how to do a laboratory test, but why. "My mind was able to work differently," said Yost, who wants to pursue a doctorate in microbiology. "Before, I was able to do a test and tell you what the result was. I thought that was all that was needed. Now I'm able to wrap my head around a process and come up with new ideas and possibilities, then think of ways to test them." Other departments that have signed on to begin implementing the QEP this semester are biology; communication; engineering and technology; geosciences and natural resources; and health, physical education and recreation. GOING COLLEGEWIDE The first college to completely pilot the intentional learning plan will be the College of Fine and Performing Arts. The official pilot will be in fall 2009 for the stage and screen department, School of Music and School of Art and Design, although pilot courses and related activities are taking place now. Developed by Erin Tapley, associate professor of arts education; Glenda Hensley, assistant professor of theater; and Travis Bennett, assistant professor of horn, the plan features a new interdisciplinary class for first-year students. Called "integral arts," it will help students see the relationships among fine and performing arts, and require them to participate in a final project that is interdisciplinary in nature and calls on the talents of a range of artists. "We are hoping to nurture in students not only a love for the arts, bur also an appreciation for what they entail," said Tapley. "We hope students will develop a habit of attending arts event and encouraging their friends to join them." Continued on page 3 Continued from page 2 presenting a performance and introduction to rhe wind instruments co the Jackson Counry elementary school students in the Fine and Performing Arcs Center, where WCU's student chapter of the Music Educators National Conference will invite students to try our rhe instrument . In addition, students in rhe college will assist with instructing at a new arts academy to be developed for the community. The School of Art and Design recently hosted a campuswide contest asking students to ereare works of original art intended to raise awareness about rhe importance of registering and voting in the November election. The project called on students "to make connections between what they're learning in terms of rheir curriculum and the broader issues we deal with as a society," said Carol Burton, assistant vice chancel- Burton said she is excited to see how rhe plan is coming to life. "As our efforts to enhance rhe educational experience of our students become institutionalized, I am thrilled with the response from our campus community," said Burton. "These are just a few of rhe many examples of academic and nonacademic departments and programs chat have embraced che concepts of intentional, integrated learning and transformed chose concepts into concrete actions." -By TERESA KILLIAN The college will build on such programs as Theatre in Education, which brings together arts and education students to develop an educational production for young audiences and perform it for Western North Carolina students. Music and theater students recently prepared and performed the educational show "School House Rock Live!" for hundreds of elementary students in the region. On Oct. 22, the Smoky Mountain Brass Quintet and Woodwind Quintet within the School of Music are lor for undergraduate studies and Quality Enhancement Plan project director. Selected work is on display through Saturday, Nov. 8, on the main floor of Hunter Library. Robert Kehrberg, dean of the college, said the plan will help the university better prepare students for the real-world arts atmosphere. "A university campus is not the real arts world," said Kehrberg. "We believe chat the courses and activities that we will implement in the next few years will develop graduates who are nor only artists, bur also advocates char the arts make a difference in their world and in their communities." WCU to Participate in National Effort to Develop Civic Leaders Western Carolina University has been selected to participate in rhe American Democracy Project's Civic Agency Initiative, a three-year effort to develop national models for successfully preparing and motivating undergraduates co be leaders in their communities. The 16 participating institutions will work with the American Association of Scare Colleges and Universities, and the Humphrey Institute's Center for Democracy and Citizenship to define the characteristics of "civic agency." Participants will share and plan strategies to develop civic agency in undergraduate students, design ways ro measure civic agency, and share their findings and teaching methods with others nationwide. "The faculry and staff at Western have been redesigning the university experience for students in ways that will help students become dedicated and effective civic leaders, and we are excited to be able to share and exchange ideas about the successes of those efforts so far as part of this initiative," said Carol Burton, assistant vice chancellor for undergraduate studies. "Western is committed to helping our students become true citizens for life, and true citizens are civic leaders in their communities." Burton will coordinate the American Democracy Project Civic Agency Initiative at WCU and attend an organizing meeting in November at rhe University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. Committee members working with her include Bart Andrus, associate director of leadership; Christopher Cooper, associate professor of political science, director of the master's degree program in public affairs and director of the Public Policy Institute; Glenn Bowen, director of the Center for Service Learning; John Habel, associate professor of educational psychology; Kathleen Brennan, assistant professor of sociology; Marie Cochran, assistant professor of art; Marsha Lee Baker, associate professor of English; Niall Michelsen, associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences; Scott Philyaw, director of the Mountain Heritage Center and associate professor of history; Sean O'Connell, associate professor of biology; and Provost Kyle Carter. "The goal of this initiative is to integrate citizenship into core curricula in fields such as teaching, business and health, so that students leave higher education with the skills and confidence needed to make ongoing civic contributions as professionals, as well as residents of their communities," said George Mehaffy, director of the American Democracy Project, in announcing the initiative. "Specifically, students will develop skills of collaborative problem-solving and working across partisan, economic and cultural division by engaging in hands-on work with campus and community partners, supported by faculry and staff coaches." - By TERESA KILLIAN ~ Reporter - October 6, 2008 New IT Director of Web Services Herr-Hoyman There's another side ro Dirk HerrHoyman, self-professed "hard-core geek and rechie." "I've come ro appreciate simplicity," said Herr-Hoyman, who will begin work at Western on Ocr. 22 as the new information technology director of the Office of Web Services. "If tl1 ings are roo complicated, they just don't get used." He interprets his position as that of an advocate. "Faculty and staff should know that somebody in IT is looking our for them," he said. Herr-Hoyman has worked for the University of Wisconsin at Madison's Division ofinformation Technology since 1997. His projects have included the implementation of a portal similar ro Western's My Cat and a University of Wisconsin systemwide course management system similar ro WebCat. He also helped develop an open-source roo!, called eTEACH, rhar allows faculty to author multimedia presentations, such as lectures and accompanying notes, and post them online, freeing up class time for more face-to-face discussion. "Dirk has a lot of experience in applying Web technology to higher education," said Bil Stahl, associate provost for information services and chief information officer. "The Web environment continues ro evolve rapidly and is increasingly the glue rhar ties all of our systems together. Dirk's specific responsibility is to really keep up with that, to prepare and position faculty and staff to take best advantage of Web developments, and to help us avoid false starts and dead ends." The Office of Web Services is parr of the approximately 78-member Division of Information and Technology, charged with oversight of the university's more than 3,500 computers and accompanying systems, operations and applications. Herr-Hoyman, in his first director's position, has a staff of three. He replaces Newt Smith, who has been holding the position of acting director ~ Reporter- October 6, 2ooa of Web Services in addition to his position as associate cro. Herr-Hoyman arrives in rhe midst of Western's Web site redesign and conversion into the content management system RedDor. The launch of the university's logo and revised colors, part of its branding effort, will further affect the redesign, but are manageable, Herr-Hoyman said. "Branding, from my experiences, isn't hard once you've got it into a content management system," he said. He envisions a users' group to foster community and spur ideas among Western's more than 150 faculty and staff trained in RedDot. Herr-Hoyman also plans to give attention to the eBriefcase, student assessment software that is parr of the Quality Enhancement Plan. The eBriefcase synthesizes the educational experience by allowing students ro blog, communicate with faculty and advisers, and post documents critical to their education, such as research and resumes. "Student engagement is an important initiative, and the Office of Web Services will certainly be there to help," Herr-Hoyman said. "I am excited about coming ro WCU," Herr-Hoyman said. ''I've had enough contacts with people in North Carolina schools over rhe years that I have a very good feeling about the state system." Tops on his ro-do list, Herr-Hoyman said, is meeting the campus community and gaining an understanding of Web-related needs. "One thing I've learned and honored, and I think it's important, is you really have to listen," he said. "I want to hear more about how the Office of Web Services can help people do what they want to do." Herr-Hoyman will live in the Whittier area while his wife, Susan, spends the next year in Madison before moving. They have a daughter, Rachel, who is a junior at the University of Wisconsin at Eau Claire. - By JILL INGRAM Combined Campaign Under Way at WCU Members of rhe Western Carolina University community may once again give to their favorite charities through the annual N.C. Stare Employees Combined Campaign, now under way through Friday, Ocr. 31. The SECC provides all state employees, including faculty and staff at WCU, opportunities to support charitable causes and to help those in need. It is the only official ly sanctioned charitable fund drive conducted on the WCU campus. This year, facu lty and staff have the option of di recting their SECC giving to an organization that's very close to home. For the first time ever, the Western Carolina University Foundation, which receives funds to provide scholarship assistance to qualified students and academic programs supporting all disciplines, is now an official charitable organization approved to participate in the campaign. "Including the Western Carolina University Foundation among the charities that state employees can give to through the combined campaign makes it easy for state employees who are Western alumni, parents of students and others to easily support the university through payroll deduction programs," said Jim Miller, associate vice chancellor for development. Gifts to WCU through the SECC will count toward the Campaign for Western, the first comprehensive fundraising effort in the university's history. The combined campaign, launched in February 2007, has a goal of at least $40 million in private support for Western by 2010. In the 23-year history of the combined campaign, stare employees across North Carolina's 100 counties have donated close to $70 million to charitable organizations. Last year, WCU faculty and staff, retirees and students contributed $43,704, far above the year's goal of $39,000. This year's goal for the WCU campus is $40,000. "I am confident that, together, we will not only meet that goal but exceed ir," said Leila Tvedt, associate vice chancellor for public relations and 2008 campus campaign chairperson. "Whether you give a little or give a lor, our combined resources truly do make a difference in our community, and that is especially important to many people less fortunate than we are." 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. For more information, check out www.ncsecc.org or contact Leila Tvedt by phone at 227-3080 or by e-mail at rvedt@wcu.edu. UNC Governing Body to Meet on Western's Campus The governing body of the state's 16 public institutions that gram baccalaureate degrees will convene on Western's campus in October for its regular monthly meeting. The University of North Carolina Board of Governors meets outside Chapel Hill rwice a year on average, said Barr Corgnari, secretary of the university. The visit to Western, the first since 1999, grew from conversations berween the board and Western administration, Corgnati said. Sometimes the board visits a school on invitation, and sometimes the board has an interest in a specific school, Corgnati said. "In the case of this visit, it was a bit of both," he said. Twenty-nine of the board's 32 members have confirmed their attendance, said Christy Ashe ofWCU's Office of the Chancellor. Staff members and chancellors from throughout the university system also will be attending, Ashe said. The General Assembly elects the Board of Governors to four-year terms. The board, in turn, elects the university system president. Board members will hold committee meetings throughout the day Thursday, Oct. 16, at various location around campus. Evening activities are a reception at the North Carolina Center for the Advancement ofTeaching and dinner at the Ramsey Regional Activity Center. On Friday, Oct. 17, board members will attend a 9 a.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new Campus Recreation Center before holding their monthly meeting at 9:30a.m. in the Grandroom of the A.K. Hinds University Cencer. This general meeting is open to the public. For more information, concact Dianne Lynch at 227-7100 or dlynch@email.wcu.edu. Alumna Named Associate Provost Western alumna Beth Tyson Lofquist, associate vice chancellor for academic affairs, has been named the university's associate provost. Provost Kyle Carter said the title change, effective Monday, Sept. 15, reflects Lofquist's increasing responsibility within the Office of the Provost, which oversees every aspect of academics at WCU. "The university is in great transition, including realigning the responsibility and authority of the deans to be the chief academic officers of their colleges and schools," said Carter. "As I assume a greater leadership role for the entire academic affairs division, I find that I rely more and more on Dr. Lofquist to oversee areas formerly under my purview as well as represent me when commitments conflict. She has done a great job in both filling in for me as well as overseeing and leading areas assigned to her." As associate vice chancellor for academic affairs since 2005, Lofquist oversees curriculum development; the faculty reappointment, tenure and promotion process; course evaluations; professional development for department heads; the associate deans council; the director of the Coulter Faculty Center; the academic calendar; the Visiting Scholars Program; new faculty orientation; and publication of the undergraduate catalog and faculty handbook. Her responsibilities also now include oversight of residential summer sessions. Lofquist joined WCU as a full-time faculty member in 1993 and served as head of the department of birth through kindergarten, elementary and middle grades education from 2002 to 2005. She holds three degrees from Western -a bachelor's degree in early childhood education, a master's degree in early childhood education, and an educational specialist degree in intermediate education. She earned her doctorate in curriculum and teaching from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 1997. - By JllliNGRAM Newsfile Glenn Bowen, director of service learning, has published a chapter, ·service learning in Higher Education: Giving life and Depth to Teaching and learning," in the book"Service learning: Perspectives and Applications; which is published by lcfai University Press in Punjagutta, India. Chris Cooper, associate professor of political science and public affairs and director of the Public Policy Institute, recently published "Entertainment Media and Political Knowledge: Do People Get Any Truth out of Truthiness?" in the book"Homer Simpson Goes to Washington"; Multimember Districts" in the book "Democracy in the States"; and "Representative Reporters" in the journal Social Science Quarterly. Kathleen Topolka Jorissen, assistant professor of educational leadership and foundations, co-authored "lnstructional Coaches: lessons From the Field," published in the October issue of Principal leadership. Anna Fariello, director of Hunter library's Craft Revival Project, and Scott Philyaw, director of the Mountain Heritage Center, made presentations to a committee of heritage and tourism professionals convened on behalf of the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area initiative. As a result, both Hunter library's Craft Revival Project and the Mountain Heritage Center's Digital Heritage Project recently were voted for inclusion in the Jackson County Heritage Plan, a tool to be used by local governments and community organizations as they develop tourism appropriate to the region. r :iiReporter - October 6, 2008 ) Grants Office Reports latest Awards for Research, Initiatives WCU's grants office announced more than $950,000 in funding recently awarded to faculty and staff. Grants include: • The National Science Foundation awarded $289,806 to Rob Young, director of the Program for the Study of Developed Shorelines, ro continue ro develop a network of partners delivering culturally integrated geosciences education to Native American young people in the northern Olympic Peninsula of Washington state. • The U.S. Department of Education awarded $294,059 to Carol Mellen, director of student support services, ro help first-generation college students, students who have disabilities and srudenrs who are from low-income families graduate from Western. • The Kate B. Reynolds Foundation awarded $108,354 to Vincenr Hall, head of the nursing department, to create a Center for Higher Nursing Education to develop a registered nurse-to-master's of science in nursing degree track with a focus on nursing education. • The U.S. Deparrmenr of Agriculture: Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service awarded $99,612 ro Joni Bugden-Storie, assistanr professor of geosciences and natural resources, ro develop a project with the University of San Juan in Argenrina and the National Institute for Space Research in Brazil relevant to agricultural performance. Part of the grant will enable Bugden-Srorie ro take 10 students ro Argenrina and Brazil for a hands-on educational experience with field data collection for remote sensing image acquisitions, and then make maps using the radar satellite data. • Vanderbilt University awarded $52,146 to Kefyn Carley, associate professor of biology, ro develop a cognitive approach to implement tree thinking in high school and college biology curricula. • TI1e Mounrain Area Health Administration Cenrer awarded $50,000 to Sharon Jacques, associate professor of nursing, ro expand an off-campus nursing degree program and support nursing projects designed ro improve the educational mobility and enrollment of working registered nurses and nonrraditional nursing studenrs. • The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service awarded $50,000 to Joseph Pechmann, associate professor of biology, ro conduct research related ro the conservation and managemenr of the endangered dusky gopher frog Rana sevosa. • The Heliker-Liliotan Foundation awarded $41,777 ro Patricia Bailey, associate professor of art, for salary and benefits Mountain Heritage Day Service Award 1 Randall Holcombe (left), a writer and editor in the news services office at Western Carolina University and member of the Mountain Heritage Day Committee, accepts the 2008 Eva Adcock Award as pan of festival activities Saturday, Sept. 27. The award is given to a committee member who has provided exceptional and significant service to Mountain Heritage Day. Holcombe has been a festival volunteer for more than a decade, and he has been in charge of Mountain Heritage Day promotions. The award, presented by Scott Philyaw (right), festival chairman and director ofWCU's Mountain Heritage Center, is named in honor of the late Eva Adcock, whose strong leadership and dedication to Southern Appalachian music and dance helped make Mountain Heritage Day a success from its earliest years. ~ Re porte r- October 6, 200a during a one-semester extension from work she starred as parr of a scholarly development assignment project. Bailey is helping develop the foundation's Ani r Residency Program on Grear Cranberry Island in Maine,and support two exhibition projects on the work of John Heliker. • The National Council for Eurasian and East European Research awarded $10,000 ro Victoria Clement, assistant professor of history, ro examine the conditions of post-Soviet schooling and the achievements made in the building of civil society in Turkmenistan. • The First Nations Development Institute awarded $5,000 to Roseanna Belt, director of the WCU Cherokee Center, to help the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians achieve financial balance through education and counseling, and increase the level of financial literacy in the community with emphasis on meeting the growing need for financial maturity of the community's youth. • The Foundery Pictures awarded $688 to Arledge Armenaki, associate professor of stage and screen, to work with students to produce a digital marion picture enritled "Wesley." For more information, contact Wanda G. Ashe, grants manager, by phone at 227-7212 or by e-mail at ashe@wcu.edu. Children Can Spend Fridays Climbing Wall The climbing wall at the Campus Recreation Center will host a "Kids Climb" event from 6-8 p.m. every Friday (with the exception of breaks) through the fall semester. Children of faculty, staff and students are invited ro climb the 50-foot wall, which is operated by WCU's Base Camp Cullowhee. All gear is provided with the entry cost, which is $5 for CRC pass holders and $10 for others. There is no age requirement, bur harness sizes require that children weigh at least 40 pounds. Climbing wall manager Danielle Schulta said turnout has been steady. "It's just great to see them because they're supertiny, and they just Ay up the wall," Schulta said. For more information, call Base Camp Cullowhee at 227-3633. Business Dean, Faculty to Address Economic Crisis Oct. 7 The session, titled "Economic Update: Addressing the Financial Crisis," is open to the university community. recognize the difference between rumor and truth, and avoid making uninformed decisions, Henson said The presentation will address the factors that led to the current situation, what the government is doing in response, what will happen next, and what people should do in response to the crisis. "No serious economist that we're aware of expects a downturn anything like the Great Depression, but if you're feeling concerned about the economy, you should be. If you're nor yet concerned, it's time to start paying attention," said Steve Henson, director ofWCU graduate programs in business. "Our current crisis is quite different from most of the economic downturns we've weathered in the past, and the correction and rebound may be Other schedule speakers include Henson; Louis Buck, WCU's Elingburg Distinguished Professor of Business Innovation; and Tilt Thompkins, professor of finance who has experience in the areas of risk pricing, risk management and asset valuation. To help prepare for the session, faculty members planning to have their classes attend are asked to notify the College of Business with an estimate of the number of students Ronald A. Johnson, dean of the College of expected to take part. Business at Western Carolina University, will lead a team of business faculty members in a presentation about the current national economic crisis from 12:30 to 1:45 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 7, in the Grandroom of the A.K. Hinds University Center. painful and lengthy." Johnson, who came to WCU after holding positions with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the International Monetary Fund, will lead a session designed to help attendees separate fact from fiction, For information, contact Steve Henson at (828) 227-3227 or shenson@wcu.edu. WCU Takes Part in New Online College Accountability Initiative Western Carolina University is among 302 public fouryear colleges and universities taking part in a new initiative designed to provide high school students, parents and guidance counselors with access to basic, comparable information about student characteristics, costs, student experience and learning outcomes, presented in a user-friendly online format. The College Portrait Web site was launched Monday, Sept. 29, at www.collegeportraits.org. Western's College Portrait can be viewed at http:/ /collegeportrait.wcu.edu. The site is a product of the Voluntary System of Accountability project, a partnership between the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges, and the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, with funding from Lumina Foundation For Education. "As a regionally engaged public university, publication of our College Portrait is consistent with our core institutional values of transparency and accountability," said Melissa Wargo, WCU director of assessment. "We feel strongly that the more comparable information available to students and their parents, the easier it will be for them to find the university that is the best 'fit.' And, for many, that best fit will be Western." Much of the information contained in the College Portrait is not available to students in any other easily accessible location, particularly information related to student satisfaction, engagement and learning, Wargo said. "Yet, these are the factors that will have the most impact on a student's college experience," she said. Since the project began in November 2007, nearly 60 percent of the 520 member institutions of the two higher education associations have agreed to participate in the project, and 194 have already posted an online portrait, including all 16 institutions in the University of North Carolina system. This represents four-year institutions enrolling some 3 million undergraduates and nearly 60 percent of the total undergraduate enrollment in four-year public colleges and universities. "No one should be surprised that public higher education has taken the lead on accountability," said Constantine W Curris, president of AASCU. "Our institutions have a long history of commitment to public accountability and learning outcomes. College Portrait is being unveiled at a time when severe financial constraints for both families and state governments increase our obligation to provide dependable, accurate information in keeping with our public trust." Web site visitors can view a sample portrait, which includes descriptions and explanations of the data contained in each report. An interactive map allows users to easily locate participating colleges by state and includes links to each institution's portrait, general Web site and an e-mail address to request admissions information. College Portraits are divided into three sections: Student and Family Information, which addresses issues such as cost of attendance, degree offerings, living arrangements, student characteristics, graduation rates, transfer rates and postgraduate plans; Student Experiences and Perceptions, which provides a snapshot of student experiences and activities, and results from student engagement surveys; and Student Learning Outcomes, which focuses on student learning using either institution-specific outcomes data or a new pilot project to measure student learning gains in critical thinking and written communication. Western measures student satisfaction and engagement through the National Survey of Student Engagement, and participated in a pilot project of the Collegiate Learning Assessment, which is designed to measure student learning gains in critical thinking, analytical reasoning and written communication. Results from both are included in WCU's portrait, said Wargo. ~Reporter - October 6, 2008 7 ~Reporter 0. ---oct.6-0ct.20 --------------------- ! 0 Monday, Oct. 6 Southern Circuitlour of Independent Filmmakers - "Beyond the Call;' documentary with producer/director Adrian Belie. 7 p.m. UC theater. (227-3622) Tuesday, Oct. 7 Weight loss Tuesdays - Education on diet, exercise and stress management 12:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. (Choose one). Bird 224. (227-2088) Faculty Conversations - 12:35-2:05 p.m. Catamount Room, UC. (227-3012) Spanish/latin American Film Festival - "Como Agua para Chocolate" (subtitled). 7:30 p.m. UC theater. (227-3872) Concert -Wind Ensemble. 8 p.m. FAPAC. (227-7242) "Economic Update" - Addressing the financial crisis, discussion led by Ronald A. Johnson, dean of the College of Business. 12:30 p.m. Grand room, UC. (227-3227) Wednesday, Oct. 8 Country Music Television on Tour- Jason Aldean and Lady Antebellum. 7:30 p.m. RRAC. $. (866) 928-3378) Thursday, Oct. 9-Tuesday, Oct. 14 Fall break - No classes meet (227-7495) Friday, Oct. 70 University Club - TGIF, for members and their guests. 5 p.m. UCiubhouse, Central Drive.$. (227-3933) Kids Climb - For children of students, faculty and staff. 6-8 p.m. CRC climbing wall.$. (227-3633) Catamount volleyball - vs. Georgia Southern. 6 p.m. RRAC. $. (227-7338) Saturday, Oct. 11 Tournament of Champions - High school marching band competition. Begins 8 a.m., with finals beginning at 7 p.m. WS/BW. $. (227-2259) Sunday, Oct. 12 Catamount volleyball - vs. Davidson. 2 p.m. RRAC. $. (227 -7338) Catamount soccer - vs. Elan. 2 p.m. CAC.. (227-7338) 8 ~Reporter- October 6, 2008 Tuesday, Oct. 14 Weight loss Tuesdays - Education on diet, exercise and stress management 12:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. (Choose one). Bird 224. (227-2088) Academic Forum - Featuring the Quality Enhancement Plan rollout 3:30-5 p.m. UCth eater. MOVED TOWED. OCT. 29. (227-3012) Wednesday, Oct. 1S Catamount volleyball - vs. Appalachian State. 7 p.m. RRAC. $. (227-7338) Thursday, Oct. 16 Third Thursdays at the Fine Art Museum - Wine and cheese social. 5-6 p.m. Star Lobby. (227-3591) lCE Foreign Film Series -"Vampyr;' 1931 German horror film. 7 p.m. UC theater.$. (227-7206) Kayak roll clinic - All levels, no registration required. 7-9 p.m. Breese pool. (227-3633) Friday, Oct. 17 Ribbon-cutting - For the Campus Recreation Center. 9a.m. CRC. (227-7100) Meeting of the UNC board of governors - 9:30a.m. Grandroom, UC. (227-7100) University Club - TGIF, for members and their guests. 5 p.m., with Oktoberfest event to follow. UCiubhouse, Central Drive.$. (227-3933) Movie- "Hancock!' 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. UC theater.$. (227-7479) Kids Climb - For children of students, faculty and staff. 6-8 p.m. CRC climbing wall.$. (227-3633) Saturday, Oct. 78 Movie- "Hancock!' 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. UC theater.$. (227-7479) Saturday, Oct. 18-Sunday, Oct. 19 Rock climbing - Learn technique, belay methods, basic anchor building. Routes of variable difficulty. Registerby0ct.16. $. (227-3633) Wednesday, Oct. 29 Academic Forum - Academic Forum - Featuring the Quality Enhancement Plan rollout. 3:30-5 p.m. UC theater. EXHIBITS Fine Art Museum "lewis Buck: Beyond the Surface" - A retrospective of the Black Mountain artist's life. Through Monday, Dec. 15. "Worldviews" - Selections from the permanent collection. Ongoing. Hours: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tues., Wed. and Fri., 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Thurs. and 1-4 p.m. Sat (http://fapac.wcu.edu or 227-3591) Mountain Heritage Center "Going Places" - Slideshow spotlight, October. "People of One Fire" - Cherokee pottery. Gallery B. Through Nov. 16. "The Artistry of Plain-Style Furniture" - 19th century handmade WNC furniture. Gallery C. Through Dec. 15. Hours: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Fri. and 2-5 p.m. Sun. (www.wcu.edu/mhc or 227-7129) Hunter Library "Bartram's Journey" - The botanist's life and observations. Ground ftoor, through December. (227-3398) Election art - Theme of registering and voting. Main level, through Nov 8. ( 227-3599) KEY: $-Admission fee; ; CAC-Catamount Athletic Complex; CAT-Center for Applied Technology; CCB-Cordelia Camp Building; CRC- Campus Recreation Center; CSC-Catamount Softball Complex; FAPAC -Fine and Performing Arts Center; HA- Hoey Auditorium; HFR-H.F. Robinson Administration Building; Hl- Hunter library; HS/Cf-Hennon Stadium/Childress Field; MHC - Mountain Heritage Center; RH- Recital Hall, Coulter Building; RRAC - Ramsey Regional Activity Center; UC -A.K. Hinds University Center; WS/BW-Whitmire Stadium/Bob Waters Field. Submissions: Send news items, calendar notices and address changes to Reporter@email.wcu.edu or WCU Calendar, 420 H.F. Robinson Building. Submit items for The Reporter calendar at/east four weeks prior to the event. Jason Emerson Brady Hunter Library Hunter Library Employees Are First to See Results of Branding Campaign Armed with a year's worth of research conducted by one of the nation's leading higher education marketing firms, Western Carolina University unveiled a new institutional branding campaign Wednesday, Oct. 1, with faculty and staff the first to see new concepts for university marketing and promotions. The internal launch ofWCU's brand, including a new logo and marketing theme, came as part of activities at the university's annual Employee Appreciation Day. To illustrate the newly launched brand theme- "Climb" - students from the Campus Recreation Center scaled an indoor climbing wall from which they dropped a banner emblazoned with the new university logo. Chancellor John Bardo shared with employees assembled in Ramsey Regional Activity Center the new brand promise statement: "WCU offers opportunities for those who aspire to make a difference in their world." "As we all do our jobs every day, in every thing we do, we must live up to our brand promise: to offer opportunities for those who aspire to make a difference in their world. If we do this together, Western's reputation will continue to climb. Our enrollment will climb. The quality of our students will climb. And the overall quality of our programs and services will climb," Bardo said. "Remember, the higher the climb, the better the view." Four key amibures highlight characteristics of rhe brand promise and link it to the WCU experience, Bardo said. They are: Engage- "Western provides hands-on, fully involved learning with real-world applications, engaging the region through the expertise of faculty and the energy of youth," he said. Your - "At Western, we treat every action with the responsibility and pride of personal ownership." Pride of the Mountains - "Western is a beacon of intellectual know-how and achievement - for the state and Southeast." Climb - "We are 'base camp' for students and a region that seek to reach new heights of endeavor - in careers, in economic development and in leadership," Bardo said. As illustrated by a display of mock-ups of billboards now appearing across the state, rhe first wave of new messages revolves around the concept of "Climb," a theme that surfaced time and again throughout the yearlong research process, said Eric Sickler, Sramars principal consultant who guided rhe branding initiative. "As a concept or creative wrap, 'Climb' reminds us that, for everyone, the route to real achievement is not a horizontal straight line, bur always an ascent, one that requires focus and determination, with no shortage of challenges, rewards and revelations along the way," Sickler said. '"Climb' tells Western Carolina's target audiences that here is a place where you can roll up your sleeves, engage, and work toward a better future and a desirable career. lr declares to the world that at WCU you can raise yourself to a higher level." The university logo - the words Western Carolina University with interlocking letters - is rhe result of market research indicating that the institution's name represents the strength of its brand, Bardo said. The interlocking letters subtly demonstrate the university's commitment to Western North Carolina and irs efforts ro engage the faculty, staff and students in helping solve regional problems, he said. The institutional brand launch follows extensive Continued on Page 3 'last lecture' Speaker Finds life lessons in World of Politics Valuable lessons for everyday life can be found in the world of contemporary politics, Don Livingston, professor of political science and public affairs, told a standi ng-room-on ly crowd assembled for WCU's inaugural Last Lecture Series address Friday, Oct. 3. Drawing upon politicians from Abraham Lincoln and U.S. Sen. Strom Thurmond of South Carolina to current vice presidential nominees Joseph Biden and Sarah Palin, Livingston shared insights from his nearly 30-year career as a professor at WCU, reminding the crowd that no one finds success without the support of others. "If you find a turtle on a fence post, chances are he didn't get there by himself," Livingston said, quoting one of former President Bill Clinton's favorite sayings. "You see, Clinton made it his life's work to collect friends. Without friends, he would have never made it to the White House. Sure, he was gifted and he was smart, but he would have never made it without friends to help him along the way." Thurmond embraced a similar philosophy to become the longestserving senator in U.S. history, Livingston said. "Strom didn't waste his time and effort collecting enemies. He didn't want his opponents as enemies. He wanted his opponents as friends," he said. Livingston pointed to several "political odd couples," such as Clinton and George H.W Bush, Ronald Reagan and former Speaker of the House Tip O'Neill, and Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter as proof positive that "good and peaceable people from different sides of the aisle can agree to disagree and to do so agreeably." He called the end of the previous night's vice presidential debate, when rivals Biden and Palin and their families embraced at the center of the stage, a "defining moment." "That was authentic. That was genuine. We need more of that in politics, quite frankly," he said. "It doesn't have to be mean-spirited. It doesn't have to be ugly. Democrats are not supposed to hate Republicans. Republicans are not supposed to hate Democrats. Republicans and Democrats are not enemies. They need to work together to find common ground upon which they can build solutions." Among other lessons from politicians shared by Livingston: From Lincoln, allow people to fail. "We learn from failure. We don't always succeed, but we need to have an opportunity 10 learn from our mistakes," Livingston said. From Franklin D. Roosevelt, associate yourself with good people. "Find the right people with the right stuff, the right talents. Be a talent scout, but don't become overly dependent on those people," Livingston said. From Reagan, have a good attitude. "Cheerfulness and optimism are contagious. How many of us like to be around somebody who's always moaning and groaning and down in the dumps?" From Sam Ervin, don't oversell it. "Sam would always say, 'I'm just a country lawyer.' Well, Sam was a heck of a lot more than just a cou ntry lawyer. But he didn't overpromote himself." From Bush the elder, be involved and be prepared. "Just show ing up is half the battle. Showing up prepared is three-quarters of the battle." Livingston spoke as the first winner of the Last Lecture Series award, created by the WCU Committee on Student Learning 10 honor faculty members who inspire students with passion and enthusiasm in their teaching. Students select the honorees, who then prepare and deliver a "last lecture"- the words they would share if it was the last lecture they were ever going to give. The series was inspi red by Randy Pausch, a computer science professor who was terminally ill when he gave a lecture as part of a similar series at Carnegie Mellon University. Following the lecture, Provost Kyle Carter told the audience that Livingston's words should remind faculty members that what they say in the classroom matters. "To paraphrase Don, as we as a faculty think about teaching, we need to realize that part of the battle is not only showing up, bur also being prepared and knowing that your words make a difference to your students." Carter also called Livingston a living, breathing example of the university's new brand promise statement: WCU offers opportunities for those who aspire to make a difference in their world. "Don Livingston was living our brand promise when he didn't even know what it was," Carter said. - By BILL STUDENC Watch the lecture online from a link at http://www. wcu. edul 10991. asp. Application Process Opens for University P-Card The University Purchasing Department is accepting applications from employees for the new University P-Card, a corporate VISA credit card intended to replace purchase orders, standing orders, check requests and petty cash accounts for most small-dollar purchases. Approved business charges made with the card are billed to and paid by the university, which improves the turnaround time on smalldollar purchases, decreases paperwork and reduces processing time and costs for purchases. Data entry in the Banner system also will be reduced in departments that use the card because requisitions will not be required for purchases made with the card. ~ Re porter- October 20, 2008 The cards will be issued to employees who have regular purchasing needs. It cannot be used for travel expenses. Applicants must have department head approval and must attend training sessions to acquire a card. The pilot program of the card, launched in October 2007, yielded efficiencies and cost savings. Read more about the program at http://busafrs.wcu.edu/purchase/P-Card.html, or call Tamrick Mull or Arthur Stephens in the purchasing office at 227-7203. Campus Reacts to New Brand "I think it is awesome. I am just very impressed. It's clean, crisp and professional. The design is straightforward, and I think it reflects very well on the image of the university and is a good representation of the student body. I think this will help us stand out not only as the institution of the western part of the state, but beyond." -Kyle McCurry, graduate student and general manager ofWWCU-FM "I like it because it is rather simple and straightforward, and I really like the color choice because we are going back to our traditional look. Now that we have the new Catamount logo representing us athletically, this new institutional logo doesn't compete with that. Instead, it complements it. And as an alumnus, I feel like the theme of'Climb' takes us back to our regional roots and our geographic location, which is so critical ly important to our overall identity." - Keith Corzine, director of residential living "In our positions, we try to help students climb and develop. Our programs develop responsib le leaders and active, productive community members. The new logo and message affirms that." -Keshia Martin, resident director of Norton Hall and The Village "The re-imagining that Western Carolina is going through right now is recognition of changes made gradually over time. Western has been engaged with the community of Western North Carolina for a long time. This is a celebration of what we've been doing." - Richard Tichich, director of the School of Art and Design "I have already heard that alumni like that we are bringing back our old traditional shades of purple and gold. Alumni tell me that they are looking forward to seeing and hearing consistency in our messages and our graphic identity both for the university and for athletics." -Marry Ramsey, director of alumni affairs "I particularly like the way the 'Climb' concept connects so well to our mountain location. I also like the way the promise statement has both a local and a global connotation, which fits with our institutional mission as we focus much of our activities on outreach- emphasizing the responsibility to improve our world. Finally, !like the way both the 'Climb' concept and brand promise simultaneously celebrate the achievements of students who have taken that next step through higher education and recognize that students will have to stretch in order to continue to climb." - Beth Tyson-Lofquist, associate provost "I thought the logo was marvelous. The statement 'The higher you climb, the better the view' can be interpreted as, 'The better we do our jobs, and the more we learn about our jobs, the better we can keep the campus running well and looking nice.' To me, the higher you climb, the more you learn, and the more you learn, the better job you do. And in our division, we need to maintain a global view of the university." -Bill Manware, director of operations and maintenance, Facilities Management Department Continued from cover Employees Are First to See Results of Branding Campaign market research and analysis conducted by Stamats, including focus groups, interviews and surveys with faculty, staff, alumni, benefactors, community members, opinion leaders, current and prospective students, and parents and guardians, and it comes seven weeks after the university revealed a new logo for its athletics program. "With the branding and marketing campaign now under way, university constituencies will begin to see and hear messages designed to build broader recognition of the value of a WCU education, differentiate the university from its public and private competitors, and continue to raise the institution's profile regionally and nationally," said Clifton Metcalf, vice chancellor for advancement and external affairs. The university has adopted institutional identity guidelines to ensure that university communications have a similar look, feel and tone that remain consistent across departments and disciplines, Metcalf said. The university also has reverted to original shades of its school colors of purple and gold, with a deeper purple and traditional gold replacing bright hues of purple and yellow used in recent years, he said. - By BILL STUDENC For more information about the branding initiative, including a WCU style guide, visit the Wtob site http://www.wcu.edu/5227.asp or contact Rubae Schoen, director of university publications, at (828) 227-2077 or via e-mail at branding@wcu.edu. Student Affairs Names Assistant Vice Chancellor Kellie Angelo Monteith, director of campus recreation and well ness, was recently named assistant vice chancellor for student affairs. Monteith will be responsible for oversight of health services, counseling and psychological services, intramural and sports clubs, wellness programs and the Campus Recreation Center. Monteith brings more than 25 years of experience in health, well ness and fitness education to the job, said Sam Miller, vice chancellor for student affairs. She earned a bachelor's degree from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville and a master's degree from the University of Nebraska. She worked at the University of Nebraska, the University of Virginia and Haywood Regional Health and Fitness Center before coming to Western Carolina in 2005 as director of the fitness center. ~ Reporter- October 20, 2008 3 Reading Comprehension Scholar Leading Elementary and Middle Grades Education Department A "moment of clarity" in a desert on a college field trip led W. Dee Nichols to change his major from biology to education and become the third generation in his family ro reach. A later discovery working in a reading clinic at Appalachian Stare University drove Nichols to research- ro wane to explore reaching methods. "It was so rewarding to work with a struggling reader and give them rhe gift of reading that exploring how we can improve our ability to reach reading became a lifelong pursuit," said Nichols, who recently became head of the education and middle grades education department. Nichols furthered his pursuit by earning a bachelor's degree in middle school language arts and science education and a master's degree in elementary education with an emphasis in reading, both from ASU. In 1995, he completed a doctorate in educational curriculum and instruction with an emphasis in reading and educational research at Texas A&M University. His experience includes teaching at elementary and middle schools. He has served on the faculty at Cumberland College in Kentucky, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and Stare University, and most recently the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where he was an associate professor and coordinator of a doctoral program in literacy. In addition, he has worked as a literacy consulrant and published dozens of scholarly chapters and articles about his research. "Without the ability ro read and write, students are placed at a disadvantage in almost every educational and 'real world' setting," said Nichols. "In order to berrer understand how to meet rhe individual needs of young learners, it is important to understand how students learn ro read and develop lire racy skills rhar will ultimately lead to a lifelong love of literacy." Nichols is particularly interested in studying how to effectively reach reading comprehension, a skill rhar helps students progress academically. "We make an assumption that because a child has learned to read, they can read to learn," said Nichols, who noted, however, that almost two-thirds offourth-grade students cannot read with understanding at the fourth-grade level, according to a 2007 report from the National Assessment of Educational Progress. Nichols replaces Bob Houghton, an associate professor who served as interim department head while a national search was conducted to fill the position. Michael Dougherty, dean of the College of Education and Allied Professions, said Nichols already has become in a short time a valued member and leader within the college. "Dr. Nichols is a natural leader who deeply understands quality teacher preparation and the nature and needs of kindergarten through 12th-grade education. He also has a strong record of scholarly activity," said Dougherty. "The department is poised to achieve the next level of excellence under his leadership. That next level includes producing more and even better reachers and working with our school partners on a variety of collaborative initiatives." Nichols is originally from the Statesville area. His wife, Janet, is an online instructor at Virginia Tech and works for WCU as a reacher mentor. They reside in Sylva and have three daughters: Annalyse, who is in fourth grade; Addie, who is in kindergarten; and Autumn, who was born Aug. 12. Grants Office Reports latest Awards for Research, Initiatives WCU's grants office announced more than $325,000 in funding recently awarded to faculty and staff. Grants include: • The U.S. Department of Education awarded $196,168 to Bill Ogletree, head of the communication sciences and disorders department, to recruit and train students pursuing master's degrees in speech-language pathology to work with people who have severe disabilities. Ogletree also received a $15,000 grant from The Ohio Stare University Research Foundation to examine regional dialect variation and sound change over time. The goal is to develop an explanation of why vowel sounds change from one generation ro the next. • Wake Forest University School of Medicine awarded $38,479 to WCU to support efforts to prevent alcohol-related consequences on campus. • The National Park Service awarded $24,750 to Cheryl Johnston, assistant ~ Reporte r- October 20, 2008 professor of anthropology and sociology, to analyze and document human remains from the museum collection of Hopewell Culture National Historical Park in Ohio. Johnston will develop a derailed report, database and photographs as parr of the park's compliance with rhe Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. • The National Park Service awarded $20,179 to Thomas Marrin, associate professor of biology, and WCU graduate student Sheree Ferrell, a certified taxonomist, for analysis of aquatic insect samples collected from high-elevation streams in the Noland Creek watershed of Grear Smoky Mountains National Park. Marrin also received $10,000 from the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission to determine the generic origin of approximately 100 brook trout populations in North Carolina. • The Marketing Association for Rehabilitation Centers awarded $15,000 to Inhyuck "Steve" Ha, assistant professor of economics, to study how rehabilitation programs contribute to the economy of Western North Carolina. • Barbara St. John, assistant professor of nursing, received $7,452- rhe third year of funding from a five-year grant- to enable Western Carolina to continue a collaborative project with Duke and Fayetteville State universities focused on developing strategies that can be adopted nationally to better prepare students for the challenges of providing health care with 21st-century technology. The project, tided "Technology Integration Program for Nursing Education and Practice," is funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. For more information, contact Wanda G. Ashe, grants manager, at 227-7212 or ashe@wcu.edu. INSIDE THE STAFF BREAKROOM with Michelle Clonch Michelle Clonch joined the staff at Western Carolina University this fall as director of the Women's Center and Women's Programs. The center hosts leadership initiatives, servicelearning activities, programs such as "Go Girls! Succeed in Sports ... Lead in Life" and events such as Love Your Body Day. Clonch, a native of Orlando, gained experience working with college sruden~s in jobs including assistant director of counseling and psychological services at Rollins College in Winter Park, Fla. She holds a bachelor's degree in psychology and liberal studies from the University of Central Florida, a master's degree in mental health counseling from Rollins College and a master's degree in depth psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute. The Reporter: What is your personal motto? Clonch: I have a personal motto as well as a favorite quote. The motto is from Aung San Suu Kyi, Nobel Peace Prize winner and leader for the National League for Democracy in Burma: "Please use your liberty to promote ours." One of my favorite quotes is from the late scholar Joseph Campbell: "Follow your bliss and do not be afraid, and doors will open where you didn't know they were going to be." The Reporter: You are pursuing a doctorate in depth psychology. What is depth psychology? Clonch: It is an engaged psychology grounded in diverse voices and multiple, yet related, perspectives that are nondominant and underrepresented in the Western-Judea-Christian worldview. This includes exploring historical and ongoing conversations in culture, context, interiority, the unconscious, dreams, the "self," myth, transformation, dialogue, symptom and healing. I apply depth psychological practices by engaging in social justice and peace issues from a critical perspective. The Reporter: Where have you traveled as part of your education? Clonch: I have had the privilege of studying in Italy, Thailand and Costa Rica. Through grants, service-learning, research, and related professional activities, I have traveled to India, Thailand, the Burma border and Jamaica. The Reporter: What have been some of your most compelling experiences? Clonch: While in south and southeast Asia, I listened to or witnessed Tibetans-in-exile who traveled by foot over the Himalayas to escape the current political regime, Tibetans-in-exile who were imprisoned for years as political prisoners of war, refugees from Burma who live in camps along the Thai-Burma border with no civil liberties, patients in grassroots medical clinics who are permanently disabled from landmines, immigrant farmers who are subjected to inhumane living conditions and extremely dangerous levels of pesticides, sex-workers and women forced into the human-trafficking industry, women and children affected by HIV and AIDS, survivors of the December 2004 tsunami, and activists committed to the ongoing struggle for peace and justice, The Reporter: What sparked your interest in directing the Women's Center and Women's Programs at WCU? Clonch: Throughout my career, I have intentionally been involved with women's organizations, concerns and issues, and I also have a keen appreciation and passion for working with college students. What particularly sparked my interest in directing the Women's Center and Women's Programs at WCU, however, are the multiple ways and opportunities to empower, support and inspire young women to continue their development as leaders, allies and agents of change. The Reporter: Early bird or night owl? Clonch: One hundred percent night owl. Double Alumna Named Director of Financial Aid ~.;~~ --j·~'i.' I:~~ ' ;, .•. ~~ ' '' ~ hi11t1 Frizzell Orr Trina Frizzell Orr, associate director of financial aid, has been appointed director of the office, filling a position left open by the Sept. 30 retirement of Nancy Dillard. Orr brings skills, expertise and years of experience to the position, said Fred Hinson, senior associate vice chancellor for academic affairs, in announcing the appointment. A double alumna of Western Carolina, she earned a bachelor's degree in business administration with an emphasis in accounting in 1994 and a master's degree in business administration in 2001. Orr began her career in WCU's financial aid office 17 years ago as a work-study student. She went on to accept jobs in the office including office assistant, tracking coordinator, loan coordinator and financial aid counselor. She has been responsible for the management, development and implementation of multiple programs and computer systems in the financial aid office, and was a member of the Banner implementation team for the office. "I have a commitment to serving students and their financial needs," said Orr, a resident of Sylva. "I enjoy working with everyone in the financial aid office. We all work as a team. The Western family has been very supportive and I look forward to what the future brings." r :J: Reporter- October 20, 2ooa ) WCU to Re-create 'War of the Worlds' for Oct. 30 Radio Show There is reason to be extra afraid this Halloween season as Martians invade the Earth when WCU presents a historically accurate re-creation of rhe radio drama "The War of the Worlds" at 7:30p.m. Thursday, Oct. 30, in rhe Fine and Performing Arrs Center. It was 1938 when "The War of the Worlds," rhe H. G. Wells story as told by Orson Welles, portrayed breaking news reports of a Martian invasion on Grover's Mill, N.J ., during an evening radio show. Some listeners though an actual invasion was in progress, leading to panic and mass hysteria. 111e re-creation, a joint production of the department of communication, department of stage and screen, Honors College, School of Music and area broadcast professionals, will celebrate rhe 70th anniversary of the historic radio broadcast. In addition to the stage performance, the production will be broadcast live by WWNC-AM in Asheville. Western's production will begin with preshow music from "The Hit Parade" of 1938. No one will be admitted after 7:30p.m. because of the live broadcast overWWNC. The show will be accurate to the minute and second of the original show, said Don Connelly, head of the communication department and producer of the show. "It was a groundbreaking event showcasing the power of radio and showing how vulnerable the country was at that time," said Connelly, who spent more than 25 years in managerial and on-air roles before coming to WCU from Clear Channel of Orlando. Directing the show is Steve Carlisle, assistant dean of the Honors College. "This has been a lor of fun working on such a unique project. It feels a lor like the Little Rascals getting together to pur a play on in the barn," said Carlisle, a professional actor for more than 35 years including 25-plus seasons at the Flat Rock Playhouse. For the show, the stage will be transformed into CBS Studio One, where the Mercury Theater of the Air production of "The War of the Worlds" was staged that night in 1938. Professional stage and screen actors, broadcast faculty members, and current broadcasters and professional voice New Online Training System Offered for Staff and Faculty The Division of Information Technology is sponsoring a new online training system for members of the campus community who don't have time to attend workshops or who prefer self-paced learning. Located on the Web at http://onlinetraining.wcu.edu, the system offers a diverse course list focusing on both soft skills and technology-intensive topics. The courses will work with both Apple and Windows platforms and require no special software to download. Among the courses available are technological topics such as Office 2007 Suire, Windows Vista and Adobe, and soft-skills courses that focus on subjects such as interviewing techniques, writing for the business professional, time management and decision-making. All the courses are accessible to students, faculty and staff in their homes, offices and in the residence halls- anywhere a Web connection is available. To log in, faculty and staff members use their WCU e-mail usernames and passwords. Students can log in with their 92-numbers and passwords. Nearly 400 courses are available through the system, bur everyone in the WCU community will start out with the option of choosing from a sampling of courses developed through the professional development needs survey that was completed earlier this year, said Anne Vail, director of client services in the Division oflnformation Technology. A full list of the courses available and directions on how to add additional courses are available on IT's workshops and training page, which can be accessed by visiting the IT Web site, http://www.wcu.edu/it, and clicking on "Workshops and Training" in the navigation pane. For more information, contact the IT Services Help Desk at 227-7487. :!: Reporter- October 20, 2008 talent each will play several characters, just as did the cast in 1938, Connelly said. The cast includes Terrence Mann, the Phillips Distinguished Professor of Musical Theatre, reprising the role of Professor Pierson made famous by Orson Welles; Peter Savage, visiting instructor of stage and screen; Terry Nienhuis, retired professor of English with a number of years of acting for stage, television and film; and Carlisle and Connelly. Broadcast professionals from Clear Channel of Asheville- John Anderson, director of creative services, and Aaron D'Innocenzi, on-air personality and a WCU student- will have speaking roles and create sound effects. Nationally recognized voice talent Jeff Laurence also will have several speaking roles. Bruce Frazier, the Belk Distinguished Professor of Commercial and Electronic Music, and music faculty members will perform as the live CBS orchestra. Former network television studio manager Pat Acheson, assistant professor of communication-broadcasting, will be in charge of lighting and sets. Susan BrownStrauss, professor of stage and screen who has designed costumes for theaters in the South and Midwest, will coordinate the period costumes. "We are looking forward to airing the program over WWNC. It is exciting for us and the community to re-create such a historical event in radio history, especially since our station was on the air at the rime," said Brian Hall, WWNC program director. Tickets are $5, with proceeds benefiting departmental scholarship funds. For ticket information, call the Fine and Performing Arts Center box office at 227-2479. WCU Moves Toward Agreements with Chinese Universities Western Carolina is fostering relationships with universities in China with the intent of soon offering students and faculty additional opportunities to study, work and visit in that country. "China obviously is a big player in the world today, and it's a place we need to understand," Provost Kyle Carter said during an Oct. 2 forum where members of a delegation to China reviewed their trip earlier this year. According to Lois Petrovich-Mwaniki, director ofWCU's international programs and services, the university is working toward signing memorandums of understandings with multiple institutions in China that would allow for student exchanges and faculty visits. Delegation members in addition to Carter and Petrovich-Mwaniki were Wendy Ford, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences; Ronald Johnson, dean of the College of Business; Robert McMahan, dean of the Kimmel School of Construction Management and Technology; Dan Ostergaard, director of the Institute for the Economy and the Future; and James Z. Zhang, associate professor of electrical engineering and director of graduate studies in the Kimmel School's department of engineering and technology. A consultant, Tang Cai, and adviser, Dory! Jensen, accompanied the Western employees. The visit spanned two weeks in May and June and covered universities in cities spread across a large portion of the country: Chongqing Technology and Business University in Chongqing; Dalian Polytechnic University in Dalian; Guangxi Normal University in Guilin; Yunnan University in Kunming; Fudan University and East China University of Science and Technology in Shanghai; and Xi' an University of Architecture and Technology in Xi' an. The campus qualities ranged from inland to coastal, urban and industrial to scenic. "We were looking at universities with an eye toward the quality of life for our students," McMahan said. Ford noted that even campuses in metropolitan settings (Chongqing has a population of 30 million) have sidewalks and landscaping and typically were fenced. Western Carolina has an active study-abroad program, with 20 students currently studying in Australia, Europe, Japan, Mexico and New Zealand. Sixty-three students from other countries currently study at Western, either as exchange or degree-seeking students, Petrovich-Mwaniki said. China offers its own distinct advantages for faculty and students. "It's a vigorous, active nation on the rise," said McMahan, who throughout his career has spent time in the country. The economy is growing, construction is booming-some say the construction crane is the national bird- the engineering is cuttingedge, the cost of living is affordable, education is a priority, and the population has the resources and desire to engage in the larger world, educators say. Opportunities for WCU in China will include student and faculty exchanges, faculty visits and faculty-led programs during school breaks. Study in China would be open to all students. Faculty exchanges might happen first among professors of English and business because the Chinese often teach those courses in English, Petrovich-Mwaniki said. The WCU-China cooperation efforts already have produced changes on campus. Zhang has three graduate students from China and Dan dan Cao of Chongqing Technology and Business University is spending the academic year as a Chinese instructor in the department of modern foreign languages. "I think the most important benefit for me is the experience," Cao said in an e-mail. "I can show some Chinese culture to my students, and they can show some culture of the United States to me. We can share a lot of things." According to Petrovich-Mwaniki, persistence and presence are the keys to building and sustaining relationships with our Chinese counterparts. "Don't just go once, go again and again and again," she said. "I think we have a chance to develop some profound partnerships if we do follow up." - By JILL INGRAM Want to learn more? Department heads and other faculty interested in initiating China projects and programs should contact Lois Petrovich-Mwaniki at lmwaniki@wcu.edu or 227-3433. ~ Reporter - October 20, 2008 / ~Reporter 0. Oct. 20- Nov. 2 ---------------------. Monday, Oct. 20-Thursdoy, Oct. 23 Youth swim review - Swim skills for children ages 5 and older. Register at http://learn.wcu.edu. 5:45-6:45 p.m. Breese pool.$. (227-7397) Tuesday, Oct. 21 Annual School of Art and Design Open House - 10 a.m.-2 p.m. FAPAC. (227-3598) Weight loss Tuesdays - Education on die~ exercise and stress management. 12:30 and 5 p.m. (Choose one.) Bird 224. (227-2088) Spanish/latin American Film Festivai -"Hable con Ella" (subtitled). 7:30p.m. UC theater. (227-3872) Catamount Concert Series - "Terrifying Tuesday;' music for Halloween. 8 p.m. RH. (227-7242) Tuesday, Oct. 21-Thursday, Oct. 23 Theater - Conservatory Showcase. 7:30p.m. Niggli Theatre.$. (227-7491) Wednesday, Oct. 22 Advising day - No classes or faculty meetings. (227-7495) "2008 History versus Political Science Intellectual Throwdown!"- Debate over thinkers shaping the tenor of our time. 3-5 p.m. Reynolds Hall. (227-7243) Thursday, Oct. 23 Department Head Conversations - 10:10-11:30 a.m. Multipurpose Room B, UC. (227-3012) Concert - WCU Percussion Ensemble. 8 p.m. RH. (227-7242) Friday, Oct. 24 University Club TGIF - For members and their guests. 5 p.m. UCiubhouse, Central Drive.$. (227-3933) Catamount volleyball - vs. College of Charleston. 7 p.m. RRAC. $. (227-7338) Catamount soccer - vs. Chattanooga. 7 p.m. CAC. $. (227-7338) Friday, Oct. 24-Saturday, Oct. 25 Movie - "Kung Fu Panda." 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. UC theater.$. (227-7479) Friday, Oct. 24-Sunday, Oct. 26 Family Weekend - Annual event for current and prospectiveWCU families. (227-2591) Saturday, Oct. 25 Make a Difference Day - Day of Service at various sites throughout Western North Carolina. (227-2592) Catamount football - vs. Georgia Southern. 1 p.m. WS/BW. $. (227-7338) Catamount volleyball - vs. the Citadel. 7 p.m. RRAC. $. (227-7338) Sunday, Oct. 26 Catamount soccer - vs. Samford. Senior Day. 2 p.m. CAC. $. (227-7338) Monday, Oct. 27 Hall-O-Ween! - Trick-or-treat event for families. 6-9 p.m. The Village. (227-7303) Tuesday, Oct. 28 Siren test - Three-minute test of siren system. 12 p.m. (227-7301) Weight loss Tuesdays - Education on diet, exercise and stress management 12:30 and 5 p.m. (Choose one.) Bird 224. (227-2088) Visiting artist - John Grade, sculptor and installation artist. 4-6 p.m. Room 130, FAPAC. (227-3598) Catamount Concert Series - Smoky Mountain Brass Quintet. 8 p.m. RH. (227-7242) Wednesday, Oct. 29 Academic Forum - Focus on the Quality Enhancement Plan. 3:35-5 p.m. UC theater. (227-3012) KEY: $- Admission fet; BB- Btlk Building; CAC- Catamount Athkti< Center; CAT-Center for Applied Technology; CCB- Cordelia Camp Building; esc- Catamount Softball Complex; FAPAC- Fint and Performing Arts Center; HA- Hoey Auditorium; HFR-H.f. Robin100 Administration Building; Hl-Hunter library; HS/Cf- Hennon Stadium/Childress field; MHC- Mountain Heritage Ctnter; NSANatural SderKrs Auditorium; RH-Recital Hall, Coulter Building; RRAC- Ramsey Regional Activity Center; UC-A.K. Hinds Univtrsity Ctnter; WSIBW- Whitmile Stadium/Bob Waters field. Submissions: Send tU!WS items, calendar notices and address changes to Reporter@email.wcu.edu or WCU Calendar, 420 H. F. Robinson Building. Submit items for The Reporter calendar at least four weeks prior to the evem. Thursday, Oct. 30 Theater - "The War of the Worlds." Scholarship fund raiser. 7:30p.m. FAPAC $. (227-2479) Friday, Oct. 31 University Club TGIF - For members and their guests. 5 p.m. UCiubhouse, Central Drive.$. (227-3933) Galaxy of Stars Series - "The Blues Brothers Revival." 7:30p.m. FA PAC.$. (227-2479) Friday, Oct. 31-Saturday, Nov. 1 Movie - "Cioverfield." 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. UC theater.$. (227-7479) NOVEMBER 2008 Saturday, Nov. 1 Catamount football - vs. Chattanooga. Hall of Fame Day. 1 p.m. WS/BW. $. (227-7338) EXHIBITS Fine Art Museum "lewis Buck: Beyond the Surface - Life Works in Painting and Assemblage"-A career survey spanning SO years of the Black Mountain artist's life. Through Dec. 15. "Chimera: The Fruits oflabor" - Master of Fine Arts thesis exhibit by Brandon Guthrie. Oct. 28-Nov. 6. Hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Friday; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursdays; and 1 to 4 p.m. Saturdays. Donations appreciated. (http://fapac.wcu.edu or 227-3591) Mountain Heritage Center "The Artistry of Plain-Style Furniture" -19th century, handmade WNC furniture. Gallery(, through Dec.15. "People of One Fire" - Cherokee pottery. Gallery B, through Nov. 16. Hours: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Fri. and 2-5 p.m. Sun. (www.wcu.edu/mhc or 227-7129) Hunter Library Art for the Election Season - Theme of registering and voting. Main level, through Nov 8. (227-3599) George Edward Frizzell Hunter Library Hunter Library