May 2006

• SIUE Asst. Professor Named Permanent Member of National Group
• Summer ShowBiz 2006 Kicks Off With A Chorus Line On June 15
• SIUE Speech Professor Named Director Of Assessment
• Three Faculty in School of Pharmacy Nationally Recognized
• Sevim Named Dean Of Engineering School
• SIUE Development Director Named Director Of Annual Giving
• Heil Sound, Contributed To The Old MRF, To Be Honored
• SIUE Executive Director Honored For Ethics, Passion
• Federal Judge Dismisses Discrimination Lawsuit Against SIUE
• Legendary Choreographer, Anthropologist K. Dunham Dies; Was Emerita University Professor
• Photo taken at Evergreen Hall groundbreaking May 18
• Illinois Attorney General Announces IDNR acquisition of Bohm Woods
• SIU/SDM Graduates To Receive Diplomas June 3 At SIUE Campus
• SIBA Supports Contractors For SIUE Construction Institute
• SIUE's Economic Impact Touted In FY05 Study Results
• D. Scannell Dies; Was Assistant Director Of Human Resources
• Darlene Wagen is the May Employee of the Month
• A. Peters Dies; Was Administrative Aide In CAS
• Meridian Society Awards Nearly $19K To Civic-Minded Groups
• State Legislature Approves $4.2 Million Operating Increase For Southern Illinois University
• W. Lauck Dies; Was Administrative Assistant
• Commencement List Of Class Of 2006
• Celebration Raises $8K For SIUE Nursing Scholarships
• 2006-07 Chancellor Scholars Named
• 2006-07 Presidential Scholars Named
• Head Start News
• Catch The Ethanol Wave
• KMOX Investigative Reporter To Emcee Awards Event
• Changes
• SIUE Police Chief Receives IACP Certification
• Local Construction Foremen Complete Leadership Course At SIUE
• BOT Approves Proposal To Name Dental School's Main Clinic Wing
• SIU Board Approves $34 Million In Bids For Evergreen
• Two SIUE Pharmacy Students Chosen For National Awards
• 2006-2007 Undergraduate Research Academy Scholars Named

5/31/06

SIUE Asst. Professor Named Permanent Member of National Group

(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) The work of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville's Michael O'Malley, assistant professor of educational administration, earned him a permanent spot within a prestigious national group of scholars.

Nominated for admission in fall 2005, O'Malley was recognized as a leader in his field for contributing to the field of curriculum studies and integrating the fields of curriculum studies and educational leadership.

Membership is limited to 125 professors. The honorary organization was formed to identify scholarly works that have a significant impact on the field of curriculum studies.

Members of the group meet annually in San Francisco during a conference of the American Educational Research Association.

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5/31/06

Summer ShowBiz 2006 Kicks Off With A Chorus Line On June 15

(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) The hopes, anxieties, and excitement of "chorus gypsies" auditioning for a Broadway show are center stage in Michael Bennett's backstage peek, A Chorus Line, opening Thursday, June 15, at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

It's part of SIUE's Summer ShowBiz 2006, which also includes Rodgers and Hammerstein's State Fair opening July 13. For some 25 years, the SIUE Department of Theater and Dance has featured blockbuster Broadway hit musicals for summer entertainment, and this year continues that tradition.

A Chorus Line continues at 7:30 p.m. curtain through June 17 and at 2 p.m. Sunday, June 18, and then again at 7:30 from June 22-24 and at 2 p.m. Sunday, June 25. State Fair opens at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 13, continuing through Saturday, July 15, and then at 2 p.m. Sunday, July 16. It also runs at 7:30 Thursday-Saturday, July 20-22, and at 2 p.m. Sunday, July 23. All shows are staged in the theater of SIUE's Katherine Dunham Hall.

A Chorus Line, with music by Marvin Hamlisch and lyrics by Edward Kleban, won nine Tony Awards in 1976, including Best Original Musical and Best Director for Bennett. Hamlisch and Kleban won for Best Score. The musical opened July 25, 1975, on Broadway at the Shubert Theatre. It closed there April 28, 1990, after 6,137 performances. For some time, A Chorus Line held the record as the longest-running musical in Broadway history.

This nontraditional hit musical tells the story of 25 dancers auditioning for eight slots in the chorus of an unnamed Broadway play. Created by choreographer Bennett, who had previously received five Tony nominations for choreography in several musicals, including Promises, Promises and Coco, finally won a Tony for his work in Follies in 1971 and then another for Seesaw in 1973.

Bennett went on to win a third Tony for the Broadway hit Dream girls in 1981, but he will forever be linked with A Chorus Line. When the musical did break the record in 1983 for longest-running musical, Bennett re-staged it to include a final scene in which all 338 dancers appeared who had ever been in the cast since it opened. He died in 1987 from an AIDS-related illness while working on two shows.

State Fair, which started as a novel by Iowa-born author, Phil Stong, in 1932, became a film a year later starring Will Rogers and Janet Gaynor. It was released as a movie musical in 1945, scored by Rodgers and Hammerstein (who were basking in the success of their first two musicals, Oklahoma! and Carousel at the time) and starring Dana Andrews and Jeanne Crain. Some 15 years later, the remake starred Pat Boone and Ann-Margret.

In 1996, director James Hammerstein (son of the legendary lyricist) decided to resurrect the work as a Broadway musical, adding more heretofore unheard songs from the Rodgers and Hammerstein library. The musical starred John Davidson, Kathryn Crosby, Andrea McArdle, and Donna McKechnie, who, by the way, starred in the first cast of A Chorus Line.

State Fair follows the Frake family as they attend the Iowa State Fair, each with their own dreams and expectations-Abel wants a blue ribbon for his prize boar and his wife, Melissa, has hopes that her mincemeat will win the food competition, while brother and sister, Wayne and Margy, are trying to find true love. This production has lively dance numbers, such as It's a Grand Night for Singing, and sweet ballads, including the R&H staple, It Might as Well Be Spring.

The upcoming Summer ShowBiz production of State Fair is based on the 1996 stage version of the musical, which garnered two Tony nominations and won the New York People's Choice or FANY Award for Best Musical and Best Score.

Subscription tickets for both Summer ShowBiz productions are $28; students and senior citizens, $23, while individual tickets for each show are $15; students, senior citizens, $12. Tickets are available through the SIUE Fine Arts box office, (618) 650-2774.

Four photos are available for A Chorus Line: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Photo 1: Cast members include (from left): David Whitacre of Lindenhurst, as Greg; Rachel Hanks of Arnold, Mo., as Val; Acacia Moll of Altamont, as Kristine; Phil Leveling of Glen Carbon, as Don; Aiesha Dukes, also of Glen Carbon, as Maggie; and Tyler Smith of Morrison, as Mike. (SIUE Photo by Bill Brinson).

Photo 2: Members of the cast include (from left): Tyler Smith of Morrison, as Mike; Aiesha Dukes of Glen Carbon, as Maggie; Phil Leveling, also of Glen Carbon, as Don; Acacia Moll of Altamont, as Kristine; David Whitacre of Lindenhurst, as Greg; and Rachel Hanks of Arnold, Mo., as Val. (SIUE Photo by Bill Brinson).

Photo 3: Cast members include (from left): David Whitacre of Lindenhurst, as Greg; Aiesha Dukes of Glen Carbon, as Maggie; Tyler Smith (foreground) of Morrison, as Mike; Phil Leveling (in background) of Glen Carbon, as Don; Rachel Hanks of Arnold, Mo., as Val; and Acacia Moll of Altamont, as Kristine. (SIUE Photo by Bill Brinson).

Photo 4: Cast members include (back to front): Phil Leveling of Glen Carbon, as Don; Aiesha Dukes of Glen Carbon, as Maggie; Tyler Smith of Morrison, as Mike; David Whitacre of Lindenhurst, as Greg; Acacia Moll of Altamont, as Kristine; and Rachel Hanks of Arnold, Mo., as Val. (SIUE Photo by Bill Brinson).

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5/30/06

SIUE Speech Professor Named Director Of Assessment

(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) Lesa Stern, associate professor of Speech Communication at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, has been appointed director of Undergraduate Assessment and Program Review for the University, according to SIUE Provost Sharon Hahs. Stern will take her new post July 16.

Joining the University faculty in 1994, Stern has been involved in senior assignment since 1995 and was chosen as an assessment scholar in 2000. She will succeed Douglas Eder, current director of the University's assessment programs who is leaving the University in August for a similar position at Arizona State University.

As director of Undergraduate Assessment and Program Review, Stern will be responsible for implementing the University's assessment plan and the undergraduate program review process, and for coordinating SIUE's Undergraduate Research Academy.

A native of San Diego, Stern earned bachelor's degrees in both Communications and Psychology at UCLA in 1987 and went on to receive a master's in communication at the University of Arizona. She earned a doctorate in Communication in 1994, also at Arizona, where she specialized in conflict management and interpersonal and nonverbal communication with minors in family studies and research methods.

While at SIUE, Stern has been part of the Higher Learning Commission's (HLC) Assessment Think Tank, and has been selected to serve as an AQIP Strategy Forum facilitator for the HLC. AQIP is the Academic Quality Improvement Program, an innovative method for maintaining regional accreditation for the University. In addition, Stern has served on Illinois Articulation Initiative panels for the Illinois Board of Higher Education.

Click here for photo of Lesa Stern

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5/26/06

Three Faculty in School of Pharmacy Nationally Recognized

(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) Three Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy faculty members recently were recognized nationally for their design of a community-learning environment orientation program for students.

Building a Community of Learners: Laying the Foundation with a Weeklong New Student Orientation Program is the name of the orientation model designed by Therese Poirier, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Cathy Santanello, Assistant Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences and the Director of Instructional Strategies and Gireesh Gupchup, Associate Dean for Student Affairs and a professor of pharmaceutical sciences in the School of Pharmacy.

The orientation program was created to provide a community-type atmosphere for students in order to structure interdisciplinary teams and promote critical thinking among the group.

The design model received an honorable mention in the 2006 Innovations in Teaching Competition for the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy.

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5/26/06

Sevim Named Dean Of Engineering School

Hasan Sevim, associate dean of the College of Engineering at SIU Carbondale, has been named dean of the School of Engineering effective Aug. 16, according to SIUE Provost Sharon Hahs.

Sevim replaces Paul A. Seaburg, who retired in December after more than five years of service to the University. Bernard Waxman, a professor of Computer Science and chair of that department, has been serving as interim dean. After 17 years of service, Waxman will retire when Sevim assumes the post. Sevim's appointment is subject to approval by the SIU Board of Trustees.

Sevim, 55, became associate dean of the SIUC College of Engineering in July 2000. He joined SIUC's teaching ranks in 1983 as an assistant professor of Mining Engineering. He became an associate professor in 1988 and a full professor in 1995. He received the department's outstanding teacher award five times. Sevim served as acting associate dean from August 1998 to June 2000.

It was a difficult decision to leave SIUC after 23 years, Sevim said, noting he likes SIUC's campus, faculty, staff and his job. "It's not easy to leave 23 years behind, although I'm going to a sister institution, which I think makes it a little easier," he said.

SIUC Provost John M. Dunn said Sevim "is highly respected for his commitment to students in engineering. He has been very innovative in recruiting and helping students achieve academic success. His loss to our campus is significant, but we are very pleased that Dr. Sevim will remain a key academic leader in the Southern Illinois University system," Dunn said.

William P. Osborne, dean of SIUC's College of Engineering, said he sees Sevim's appointment as an opportunity for collaboration between the two engineering schools. "I think it's a great opportunity for SIUC and SIUE to work together and we are definitely going to pursue that," Osborne said. "Hasan is a very, very capable person who is going to make a great dean. We are very sorry to lose him."

Sevim earned a bachelor's in mining engineering at Technical University of Istanbul, Turkey, in 1974, a master's in mining engineering at Columbia University in 1978 and a doctorate in mining engineering at Columbia University in 1984.

He is the father of two sons: Ulas, a materials engineer who works for Intel, and Baris, who earned a bachelor's in finance from SIUC earlier this month.

Click here for a photo to accompany this story

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5/25/06

SIUE Development Director Named Director Of Annual Giving

(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) Julie S. Babington, formerly director of development for the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Education, recently was named director of Annual Giving for the SIUE Foundation, according to Harold Melser, the Foundation's executive director of University Development.

As director of Annual Giving, Babington is playing a vital role in reaching the University's vision through continuing development of a successful, ever-growing annual giving effort as part of the SIUE Foundation's commitment to assist the University. Babington also assists in planning annual giving strategies and the day-to-day implementation and management of the University's giving program.

A native of Clifton, Babington began her career as a director of Youth and Family Programs at the Kankakee Area YMCA in 1995. She went on to become a special events coordinator for the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation International in Southfield, Mich., and an associate development director for Intercollegiate Athletics at the Eastern Michigan University Foundation in Ypsilanti, Mich., before joining the SIUE staff.

"In the coming months, one of my priorities will be working on a comprehensive annual giving program for SIUE faculty and staff" Babington said. "I'll also be organizing an SIUE day for gathering small business support," she said, "and we'll be developing a plan to enhance the annual giving telephone campaign."

Babington earned a bachelor of science in Family and Consumer Sciences in 1995 at Western Illinois University, Macomb. She and her husband, John, reside in Edwardsville with their three children: Luke, 7; Mason, 3; and Bennett, five months.

Click here for a photo of Julie Babington

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5/25/06

Heil Sound, Contributed To The Old MRF, To Be Honored

(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) If it wasn't for the Iron Butterfly blowing a speaker at the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Mississippi River Festival in 1969, the legendary festival probably wouldn't have enlisted the help of legendary sound designer Bob Heil.

Heil, founder and owner of Heil Sound in Fairview Heights and before that Ye Olde Music Shoppe in Marissa, was no stranger to rock-n-roll when Bob Shaw, sound man for the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, called him to replace the broken speaker at the MRF. Shaw was in charge of sound at the MRF, where the symphony orchestra shared the stage with some of the hottest rock acts in the world from 1969-1979.

Heil stayed with the MRF for seven summers as his business grew and he went on to create lasting relationships with rock-n-roll legends such as Peter Townsend of The Who, Peter Frampton, Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead, and Joe Walsh of Eagles fame, just to name a few.

And, now, after more than 40 years in the sound business, Heil's sound designs (including the sound mixer he created for the MRF), will be featured in a display to be installed June 1 at the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame Museum in Cleveland.

His secret to success? "These rockers like my work because with my PA systems are designed to articulate each word the singer sings," Heil explained. "And these singers appreciate that."

And, Heil's come a long way from the days when he was a protégé of Stan Kann, playing the pipe organ at the Fox Theatre in St. Louis. "As a musician, I played throughout the St. Louis area and, in 1966, I opened a Hammond Organ shop in Marissa," Heil said. "I noticed young kids coming in who were involved in local rock bands and who were looking for large PA systems to handle the high volume music they were playing.

"I knew something about electronics because of my hobby as a ham radio operator," he explained. "I built a large PA and began marketing it, but, when Bob Shaw called in 1969, I realized I was going to have to build a monster PA for the festival," Heil said. "I knew George Bails at

the Fox and asked if I could have a very large speaker he was throwing out, which I then used for the PA."

It was Bails who later called Heil, asking if Heil could build another sound system for a rock group that was coming to play the Fox. "He put me on the phone with the lead singer of the band-it was Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead, who explained that his sound system had been confiscated by drug enforcement agents.

"I still have a photo of that concert and you can see my bumper sticker on the back of the electric piano that says: 'Ye Olde Music Shoppe.' They bought that system and took it on tour."

Heil continued to rub elbows with the rock music elite. He met Joe Walsh when Walsh was part of the James Gang and they became long-lasting friends because of their mutual interest in ham radio. "He and I created the first 'talk box' that Peter Frampton made famous," Heil pointed out. He and Frampton also have remained friends after all these years.

Heil now travels around the country as a sound consultant and still keeps in touch with the world of rock music. "The MRF was a great event and the people who ran it were the key," Heil said. "It was run by college students who understood the music and wanted to see it presented well.

"I'd like to think our sound system played an important part of making that SIUE festival a legendary event for many years."

In addition to the MRS sound board and Frampton's "talk box," the Heil display, to be opened by June 8 at the Cleveland Museum, will feature: the first quad sound mixer built for The Who as well as the rear surround speakers used in The Who's 1974 Quadrophenia Tour; the first hand-wired Heil/Sunn mixer used for all of The Who's NEXT concerts; the fiberglass monitor used by The Who, Mountain, Jeff Beck, and Humble Pie concerts; the actual microphone that Heil rigged for Roger Daltry so he could do his trademark microphone "swings"; and many historic photos and memorabilia surrounding Heil's career.

It's been quite a ride for the 65-year-old Heil, who looks 35. "Throughout my life, I've lived by the motto: 'If it isn't fun, don't do it.'"

Click here for photo of Bob Heil

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5/23/06

SIUE Executive Director Honored For Ethics, Passion

(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) Harold Melser takes a "do as I say and do" approach to mentoring fundraising professionals. For nearly 40 years he has built a reputation for inspiring others; first as a college educator for nearly a decade, and then spending three more decades in the development profession.

Melser recently was recognized as a person who has had a positive impact on his profession. He was awarded the 2006 Founders' Award from the St. Louis Planned Giving Council.

As executive director of University Development and the director of Planned Giving at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Melser said he is happy to share his knowledge with the University's seven development directors, and to take it on the road, serving as guest lecturer and speaker for numerous classes and seminars on development-specifically, gift planning.

"St. Louis is blessed with a lot of great givers and families, and wonderful professionals who lift up our profession," Melser said. "I'm lucky to be part of that; part of the consulting and involved in the cultivation."

Melser's passion and commitment to planned giving make him a much sought-after mentor in the St. Louis area. "He was the second person I called when I was making the transition from a legal practice into nonprofit development," said Dianne Johnson, council president.

"Through his work with individuals and organizations, he's passionate about charitable planning and that passion he brings to bear in every individual donor relationship and institution he works with."

Melser was an assistant professor of Speech at Concordia University in Nebraska, and then served in various capacities within foundation offices, including the Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod, and the Deaconess Foundation in St. Louis. Now, in his role at SIUE, Melser said ethics has guided him during his career, and he hopes to pass that message along to others.

"Teaching, for me, is a joy," Melser said. "It's always been part of my life. I continue to enjoy it and look for opportunities to teach.

"I've been very fortunate to be able to help support gift-planning professionals so that they gather more support for their missions and organizations. I've always seen charitable giving as at the heart of philanthropy."

Melser, who has traveled to several locations-including Florida, Ohio, Idaho and Washington, D.C.-to offer his wisdom to new as well as long-term professionals in the field, said the award was a significant honor.

Click here for a photo of Harold Melser, shown with Jeff Jones, Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations; Teresa Mitchell, Director of Prospect Research both on the left, and Vice Chancellor of University Relations G. Patrick Williams.

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5/23/06

Federal Judge Dismisses Discrimination Lawsuit Against SIUE

(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) A lawsuit alleging that Southern Illinois University Edwardsville discriminated against four African-American SIUE police officers was dismissed recently by Federal District Court Judge Patrick Murphy.

Murphy, presiding in East St. Louis, granted the University's motion for summary judgment, dismissing the case "with prejudice" because of the officers' failure to support claims of discrimination and retaliation.

In their lawsuit, the officers made three claims: 1) that SIUE discriminated against them by disproportionately assigning black officers to the University's East St. Louis campus; 2) that the University discriminated against them by failing to promote them to sergeant; and 3) that the University retaliated against the officers after they made the allegations of discrimination.

In March, SIUE attorneys filed a motion for summary judgment and argued the motion before Murphy in April. He dismissed all claims in the case May 17.

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5/22/06

Legendary Choreographer, Anthropologist K. Dunham Dies; Was Emerita University Professor

Katherine Dunham, emerita University professor for the SIU system and retired adjunct faculty member in the SIUE Department of Anthropology, died Sunday in her apartment on the Upper West Side of New York City. She would have been 97 next month.

A native of Chicago, Miss Dunham-after a storied 35-year, worldwide career as a dancer and choreographer in the theater and in film-came to the SIU Carbondale campus in 1964 when she was invited to choreograph a student opera. It was during that time she first visited East St. Louis, which was to become her second home and base of operations. In 1967, Miss Dunham was appointed visiting artist-in-residence in what was then known as the Fine Arts Division of SIUE. She became a University Professor and adjunct professor of Anthropology in 1975 She retired in 1982.

Miss Dunham founded the Katherine Dunham Center for Performing Arts at SIUE's East St. Louis Center, when it was located in the old Broadview Hotel, 411 E. Broadway, and also the Dynamic Museum, also in East St. Louis. Later, it was named the Katherine Dunham Dynamic Museum, 1005 Pennsylvania Avenue.

The Kennedy Center Honor was bestowed on Miss Dunhan in 1983, for her long service to the arts, and she was awarded a National Medal of Arts at the White House. The American Dance Festival presented her with its Samuel H. Scripps Award in 1986, and in 1987 the Alvin Ailey Dance Company created a retrospective, "The Magic of Katherine Dunham." These are only a small example of the many awards and honors she received throughout her career.

According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, a birthday celebration was being planned for Miss Dunham's 97th birthday at the Missouri History Museum. The event was set for next month, the Post noted, and was to include performers from Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Ballet Hispanico and Afriky Lolo.

Miss Dunham appeared on the SIUE campus in November-speaking in the hall which was named for her in 1998-as she took part in the Festival of the Black Arts Movement on the SIUE campus and in other venues in the St. Louis Area.

The festival was sponsored by the University through Drum voices Revue, a multicultural literary journal published by the Department of English Language and Literature, and the Eugene B. Redmond Writers Club of East St. Louis. The festival also featured jazz saxophonist Hamiett Bluiett and area poets, such as Melba Boyd, Jayne Cortez, Sherman Fowler, and K. Curtis Lyle. Also appearing with Miss Dunham was a drum ensemble.

During her career as an anthropologist, Miss Dunham anticipated the way anthropologists treat research today by documenting her relationships with the people she studied, according to the late SIUE Emerita Professor Joyce Aschenbrenner. In 2002, Aschenbrenner published a book, Katherine Dunham: Dancing a Life. about Miss Dunham's career. It was Aschenbrenner's second book about the legendary choreographer.

According to Aschenbrenner, Dunham recorded not only the facts, but also her interactions with the people in the Caribbean and in other societies. When Dunham did the research about a particular culture, she demonstrated and interpreted that research in a dance medium.

"I recall many years ago," Aschenbrenner said during an interview when her book was published, "Ms. Dunham spoke at Yale about her research, but also brought along her dancers to interpret the research through dance.

"I don't think the academics at Yale had ever seen that before," Aschenbrenner said with a chuckle. "She had become immersed in the culture of a country and presented it as anthropology research, but also as art."

SIUE Chancellor Vaughn Vandegrift said the University community is saddened by the news of the Miss Dunham's death. "Miss Dunham's career as a world-renowned dancer, choreographer and educator spanned seven decades," Vandegrift pointed out. "She will be remembered for her great accomplishments but also for her vision and spirit.

"Katherine Dunham was an extraordinary woman, one who performed on stages throughout the world and in film.," Vandegrift said. "SIUE will especially remember her for her dedication to the students of the East St. Louis Center, where she spent many years teaching the dance techniques that she created and that have become a staple for choreographers and dancers everywhere.

"Her legacy as a gifted dancer of international acclaim and a supporter of culture and arts in the Metro-East will proceed her for generations to come. Her vision is alive and well in her beloved East St. Louis. Her spirit will always be felt on the Edwardsville campus, as students learn and study in Dunham Hall, named for the late artist.

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Click here for photo of Evergreen Hall groundbreaking

From left: Narbeth Emmanuel, vice chancellor for Student Affairs; SIU President Glenn Poshard; SIUE Chancellor Vaughn Vandegrift; Illinois Rep. Tom Holbrook, of Belleville; SIUE Housing Director Michael Schultz; Kenn Neher, vice chancellor for Administration; SIUE Provost Sharon Hahs; and G. Patrick Williams, vice chancellor for University Relations. (SIUE Photo by Denise Macdonald)

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5/18/06

Illinois Attorney General Announces IDNR acquisition of Bohm Woods

(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, appearing at a news conference Wednesday at SIUE, applauded the State of Illinois' recent acquisition of the Bohm Woods, a 92-acre tract just across New Poag Road north of campus, made possible by a major legal settlement regarding air pollution.

Joined by officials of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), area lawmakers, university officials, environmentalists and residents, Madigan revealed the details of the settlement at a morning news conference in the Morris University Center. The Attorney General and IDNR Deputy Director Leslie Sgro announced that earlier this spring the IDNR Division of Realty successfully negotiated the purchase of the land using funds provided by Dynegy Inc.

The funds were part of a May 2005 settlement between Dynegy, Madigan's office, the U.S. Department of Justice and several environmental organizations, including American Bottom Conservancy, Health and Environmental Justice-St. Louis Inc., Illinois Stewardship Alliance and Prairie Rivers Network.

The settlement stemmed from a 1999 lawsuit that was part of a federal initiative to bring Dynegy's Baldwin Energy Complex and its other coal-fired power plants into full compliance with the New Source Review provisions of the federal Clean Air Act. At the time, Illinois Power's Baldwin Power Station in Randolph County was one of the largest sources of air pollution in the nation. Dynegy acquired Decatur-based Illinois Power in 2000 and, according to the company, has made significant investments in air emission controls at Baldwin that have resulted in reductions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide by 90 percent and 65 percent, respectively.

Under the consent decree in this case, Dynegy will spend more than half a billion dollars over the next 10 years to further control emissions from the Baldwin Station and four other power plants in Illinois.

Madigan said the Bohm Woods tract was at risk of development but under IDNR's directives will be preserved as natural land and habitat. Bohm Woods is the largest and best old-growth forest remaining in the Metro-East. "Environmental experts in my office and at IDNR, along with others gathered here today, all agree on the significance of this acquisition," Madigan said. "Spectacular wildflowers appear each spring and these woods provide a habitat for bird species requiring large blocks of land to survive.

"Because of this acquisition, these woods will endure as a nearly undisturbed example of an original Illinois forest." Archeologists from IDNR note that Bohm Woods was included on the Illinois Natural Areas Inventory, the state's list of areas of the highest ecological significance for its superior quality dry-mesic upland forest and mesic forest. Oaks, hickories, walnut, sycamore, pawpaw and redbud are among the more than 30 tree species found there.

Madigan continued, "This land acquisition is an example of how enforcing our laws can not only end illegal behavior, but can start the beginning of an entirely new environmental chapter."

"Bohm Woods is an example of the environmentally rich and diverse habitats unique to Illinois," said IDNR Director Sam Flood. "Thanks to the collaborative efforts of Attorney General Madigan's office and the Justice Department, this land will be preserved for important educational and scientific research that will benefit generations to come." Madigan and Flood noted that the area's proximity to SIUE could enable its use as a natural classroom laboratory for educational use and scientific research by students and educators.

The Environmental Law and Policy Center (ELPC) of Chicago represented four citizen environmental organizations that intervened in the lawsuit. "The environment has benefited in a number of ways from the consent decree that settled the Clean Air Act case regarding Baldwin," said Albert Ettinger, ELPC senior staff attorney. "Illinois DNR's acquisition of this important natural area will benefit the people of the Metro-East area and Illinois as a whole."

Kathy Andria, president of American Bottom Conservancy, based in the Metro-East, said she was pleased that Bohm Woods will now be preserved as an important part of Illinois history. "So much of our beautiful land is being developed so quickly without regard to the environmental consequences," Andria said. "Trees help control air pollution. With this acquisition, not only will we have preserved a high-quality forested land, but doing so also will help diminish soil erosion on the bluffs and stormwater runoff to the American Bottom."

The $1,545,600 cost of the purchase of Bohm Woods from a group of 13 owners, some of whom are descendents of the Bohm homestead, fulfills the Metro-East land acquisition portion of the Dynegy consent decree, which requires the company to spend a total of $15 million on Supplemental Environmental Projects (SEPs). Of the $15 million in SEPs, $5 million is allocated to land acquisition and natural resource projects.

"As one of our key business regions and a state where the majority of our employees work and live, we are committed to making a positive difference in Illinois. In this case, it means helping to protect an important ecosystem," said Stephen A. Furbacher, president and chief operating officer of Dynegy, Inc. "The Bohm Woods donation and other Dynegy environmental initiatives ensure the long-term preservation of some of the state's most scenic areas, while providing expanded public use opportunities for current and future generations."

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5/17/06

SIU/SDM Graduates To Receive Diplomas June 3 At SIUE Campus

(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) Dr. Dean Nicholas, president-elect of the Illinois State Dental Society (ISDS) and a practicing dentist, will be the guest speaker at the June 3 commencement ceremony of the Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine.

Some 50 students are expected to receive a doctorate in Dental Medicine at the 10 a.m. event that Saturday in Meridian Ballroom, on the first floor of SIU Edwardsville's Morris University Center. A reception for students, faculty and family members will follow the ceremony.

Dr. Nicholas has been active in all levels of organized dentistry, while also holding ISDS offices of vice president, secretary and treasurer from 2002 to becoming president-elect. For the past six years, he has been a delegate to the ISDS House of Representatives.

From 1986 through the present, Nicholas held the offices of chair, vice chair, and secretary on the Course Committee of the Chicago Dental Society. He also served as president of the West Suburban Branch. Twice serving as dinner chair for the West Suburban Branch, Dr. Nicholas was appointed Clinic Night chair for 1998-1999, and Program chair for 1999-2000.

He is a member of the DENT-IL-PAC's Governor's Club and has served on the ADA Council on Dental Benefits. Nicholas also has been a delegate in the House of Delegates from 2002 to present and has served on the College of DuPage Advisory Board for Hygiene. Nicholas also is a Fellow of the American College of Dentists and International College of Dentists.

The Hellenic American Dental Society awarded Nicholas a scholarship in 1984, and he has served that organization in six officer positions since 1987, including board Chair in 1992 and past president in 2005. He maintains an active membership in the Loyola Alumni Association.

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5/17/06

SIBA Supports Contractors For SIUE Construction Institute

Click here for photo of recipients

(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) Tim Garvey, executive director of the Southern Illinois Building Association (SIBA), has announced that two contractors, sponsored by SIBA's Southern Illinois Construction Advancement Program, successfully completed the 2006 Construction Leadership Institute at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. The two contractors who received the SIBA Award to attend the Institute are Kercell Parker, owner of KRI Midwest Inc., and Kevin Edwards, owner of Kevin Edwards Trucking.

The SIUE Construction Leadership Institute is a unique collaborative program developed by a steering committee of area construction industry executives and the SIUE Schools of Business and Engineering. The program is designed to assist managers in the construction industry to develop and enhance their leadership skills, and to provide the knowledge, framework, and strategy individuals need to lead in today's challenging business environment in the construction industry.

The Institute's innovative curriculum features instruction by industry practitioners and experts, and university faculty who apply theory to practical problem-solving and decision-making skills. The program focuses on managing risk factors of construction projects in order to maximize profitability and minimize costs.

Participants learn key management strategies important to their futures as corporate leaders, including legal issues, human resource issues and financial issues; aligning the organization to identify new business opportunities; and anticipating and responding to future developments, including economic and workforce trends.

For information about the program, please call 618-650-2668 or email: executived@siue.edu.

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5/16/07

SIUE's Economic Impact Touted In FY05 Study Results

(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) For every state tax dollar spent on Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, the University generated $5 in the local and regional economy, according to an FY05 economic impact study unveiled today by SIUE Chancellor Vaughn Vandegrift.

The study also shows that SIUE, SIUE households, and visitors spent more than $178 million in Southwestern Illinois and throughout the St. Louis Metropolitan Area during FY05. Total estimated impact of SIUE during the same time period is more than $356 million.

The study-coordinated by R. W. Hafer, John B. Meisel and Timothy S. Sullivan, all members of the SIUE Economics and Finance faculty-shows the impact of SIUE on the region stemming from the varied activities of the University, such as expenditures with area vendors. The analysis also considers the effect of SIUE on local government revenues.

"SIUE is a dynamic, vibrant academic community dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for our region," Vandegrift said as he presented the study's results today to a gathering of Edwardsville-Glen Carbon business leaders, university officials and civic leaders at a luncheon on campus. "As a public institution, we take our roles and responsibilities very seriously," he said. "As a state-assisted University, we work to expand the labor force, tax base, and economy."

Vandegrift pointed to SIUE's expenditures in the region of $290 million during FY05 that signifies the important impact of the University.

According to the study, there are indirect expenditures as a result of SIUE's presence in the region. For example, visitors coming to campus spent more than $27 million in FY05. More than 100,000 visitors attended SIUE sporting events, admissions events, conferences, and entertainment events during the same time period, which also resulted in creation of more than 600 additional jobs in the area.

Other points made in the study include:

• Some 8,600 SIUE students would not be in the area if were not for the University
• More than 4,000 full-time jobs can be attributed to SIUE's presence
• SIUE generated nearly $19 million in state and local tax revenues
• More than 50 percent of SIUE graduates stay in the area
• More than 37,000 SIUE alumni live in the region
• More than 12,000 alums hold advanced degrees

Michael Pierceall, executive director of the Alliance of Edwardsville and Glen Carbon, the host of the luncheon, said "SIUE is a tremendous asset not only to our community but to the entire metropolitan area and region. Many of the businesses that locate in our community note the presence of the University as one of the compelling factors leading to their investment decision," he added.

"The Alliance has a strong partnership with SIUE, which has helped us achieve our economic goals and objectives."

The Alliance is a non-profit organization that takes a leading role in enhancing economic growth by helping create partnerships among businesses, developers and economic development organizations.

Also attending the meeting was Jim Pennekamp, special assistant to the Chancellor for Economic Development, who said the study shows what the University has accomplished as well as what SIUE's research park is contributing to the regional economy. "University Park's mission is to mobilize the vast intellectual and applied research capabilities of SIUE, and facilitate interaction with both existing and emerging business and industry," said Pennekamp, who also is executive director of the University's research park.

"Working with our state, county and local economic development allies we can create new opportunities for growth and development throughout the region."

Vandegrift said he is excited about the results reported in the study. "It shows we are doing our job," he said. "But, perhaps, more importantly, it shows our energy, our excitement, and our passion for adding to the vitality of the region."

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5/16/06

D. Scannell Dies; Was Assistant Director Of Human Resources

Denise Scannell, assistant director of Human Resources, died suddenly Sunday, May 14, at Anderson Hospital in Maryville. She was 54.

A native of St. Louis, Scannell joined the University staff in 1974 as a clerk in the Graduate School. She became assistant director of Human Resources in 2000. She also had been a clerk at the SIU School of Dental Medicine and a clerk in the SIUE Office of Admissions and Records, as well as an accounting clerk in the Office of Payroll. She joined the staff of Human Resources in 1989 as a coordinator of Information Systems. Before coming to the University, Scannell had been with Melles Griout Inc. in Irvine, Calif.

Scannell earned a bachelor of science in Accountancy at SIUE.

Visitation is scheduled from 4-8 p.m. Wednesday at Weber Funeral Home in Edwardsville. Funeral services will be conducted at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at St. Mary's Church in Edwardsville.

5/11/06

Click here for Employee of the Month photo

Congratulations: Darlene Wagen, assistant coordinator in the Office of Continuing Education, is recipient of the May Employee Recognition Award. In the photo, Wagen is shown here with her supervisor, Amalie "Molly" Fedor, a coordinator in that office, and Kenn Neher, vice chancellor for Administration who presented the award. In addition to the plaque she received, Wagen was awarded a $25 Gift Certificate to the SIUE Bookstore, a parking spot close to her office for one month, and two complimentary lunch coupons to the University Restaurant (SIUE Photo by Bill Brinson)

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5/9/06

A. Peters Dies; Was Administrative Aide In CAS

Annette Peters, retired administrative aide in the College of Arts and Sciences associate dean's office, died May. 5. She was 67.

Joining the University in 1980, Peters began her career as a clerk. By 1990 she had become an administrative aide in the office of Sam Pearson, who was dean of what was then known as the School of Social Sciences. When the School became part of the College of Arts and Sciences, Peters became administrative aide to Associate Dean David Steinberg. She retired in May 2000.

Before coming to SIUE, Peters held various positions at Florists Mutual, Trinity Lutheran School in Worden, Sunset Hills Country Club in Edwardsville, and in Earl Vuagniaux's office, also in Edwardsville.

5/9/06

Meridian Society Awards Nearly $19K To Civic-Minded Groups

(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) Celebrating its third year, a philanthropic organization through Southern Illinois University Edwardsville awarded $18,705 on Monday to help further the efforts of area community and civic-minded groups.

The University's Meridian Society-a women's philanthropic group that contributes donations annually to worthy causes-hosted an awards celebration called Salut! III in B. Barnard Birger Hall. The latest donations bring the group's total contributions over three years to $56,026.

Awardees honored at the ceremony this year included;

• The SIUE Department of Pharmacy Practice and Illinois Poison Center in the amount of $4,925 for a project titled Poison Prevention for Safety.
• The SIUE Department of Biological Sciences/The Gardens at SIUE and Nature Preserve Foundation, Inc. in the amount of $4,015 for a project involving forest edge habitat restoration in the Gardens. Students and members of the community will be involved in the project's implementation.
• The SIUE School of Nursing, along with The Children's Museum, Edwardsville, in the amount of $3,000 for a program titled Promoting Peace through Global Awareness and Cultural Understanding: Developing Healthy Children in a Healthy World Community. The program will focus on health-education initiatives at the museum for area children.
• The SIUE Museum Studies Program of the Department of Historical Studies and the William and Florence Schmidt Art Gallery at Southwest Illinois College in the amount of $570 for Museum Family Day at SWIC.
• The SIUE East St. Louis Center TRIO Program in the amount of $4,300 for a program titled Real Men Talk. The Meridian Society's award committee determined the project "encourages trust and develops confidence among the young men who participate," making it a worthwhile endeavor.
• The SIUE Art & Design Dept. and Friends of Col. Benjamin Stephenson House in the amount of $1,895 for a Stephenson House Brochure to promote the important, historical landmark, which is located in Edwardsville.

The Meridian Society is guided by its mission: Engaging the Metropolitan St. Louis area and enhancing the University's national reputation for quality.

Award-winning investigative reporter Megan Lynch emceed at the ceremony. Lynch returned to her Alma Mater to recognize the evening's award recipients. She has been the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including an Edward R. Murrow Award, an award for Excellence in Legal Journalism from the Missouri Bar Association, a Media Excellence Award from Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the Nancy Dickerson Whitehead Award from Drug Strategies.

During her career Lynch has traveled to Israel to assess International conflict and New Hampshire to cover the Presidential Primaries. She also earned a master's in Public Affairs Reporting from the former Sangamon State University in Springfield.

Currently Lynch is a member of the SIUE Mass Communications Alumni Advisory Board, the local board of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and the Phoenix Crisis Center board.

The event marks the third time the organization has provided assistance to organizations. Recipients are selected from a pool of applicants.

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5/9/06

State Legislature Approves $4.2 Million Operating Increase For Southern Illinois University

Following several years of state revenue shortfalls and corresponding austerity measures, the Illinois General Assembly has approved an FY07 state budget that includes a 1.9% operating increase for Southern Illinois University. The increase will mean an additional $4.2 million dollars in state supported operating assistance for the university.

Southern Illinois University President Glenn Poshard, who earlier this year joined with other higher education leaders in urging Illinois Gov. Blagojevich's budget office to increase higher education funding, praised the legislative action. "The funding agreement reached between the state legislature and Gov. Blagojevich is a significant step forward in getting higher education funding back on track in Illinois," Poshard said.

Included in the funding increase for SIU was a $1.2 million appropriation for operating expenses related to the SIU School of Medicine's Combined Laboratory Facility, a $35 million state-of-the art BSL 3 (biological safety level 3) laboratory that was completed last year, but unable to open because of lack of operating funds. The facility will be shared with the Illinois State Police and the Illinois Department of Public Health.

"This funding increase will allow our Medical School to develop more cancer research labs, moving us closer to our goal of establishing a nationally recognized cancer institute," Poshard said.

A related funding item for the University in the state budget included a $1 million appropriation for a Presidential Scholarship Fund in memory of the late SIU President James E. Walker, who died earlier this year after a long battle with cancer. Walker was the first African-American to lead the SIU system.

Walker, who grew up in public housing in Alabama, often mentioned that without financial assistance he could not have gone to college. "Establishing a scholarship fund to memorialize Jim Walker's American success story will serve as a financial beacon for those students pursuing their academic goals," Poshard said.

"Senate President Emil Jones, Jr. was instrumental in helping us secure these scholarship funds; for that we owe him a debt of thanks."

Other related items in the FY07 state budget for SIU includes:

• Renewal of $200,000 in minority retention funds (split equally between SIUE and SIUC)
• Renewal of $250,000 for the Sen. Vince Demuzio undergraduate internship (split equally between SIUE and SIUC)
• $262,000 for SIUC Touch of Nature for construction of new cabins
• $1.5 million grant to the SIUE School of Pharmacy for second-year funding
• $4 million for research and improvements at SIUE's National Corn to Ethanol Research Center
• $25.6 million capital re-appropriation for the SIUC Morris Library project
• $11.8 million capital re-appropriation for the School of Medicine's SimmonsCooper Cancer Institute project

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5/5/06

W. Lauck Dies; Was Administrative Assistant

William Jett Lauck, a retired administrative assistant who specialized in typewriter repair for the University, died Wednesday, May 3. He was 71. His daughter, Linda Skelton, is a staff assistant in the University's Office of Research and Projects.

Lauck graduated from SIU Carbondale, later becoming an automotive instructor and inspector in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War. During his lifetime, he founded and co-owned two businesses-United Typewriter Service and A & L Automobile Appraisal and Consulting Service. Lauck also was co-owner of the Cobden Museum. He retired from SIUE in 1991.

Lauck's hobby was cars, and he spent his free time restoring antique cars. He was a longtime member and past president of the Alton Antique Auto Association and the Southern Illinois Mustang Association. He was a lifetime member of the Mustang Club of America and was one of the original founders of the Roxana Car Show, active in car shows and parades.

He was appointed and served 16 years as a judge for the Illinois Secretary of State Car Show held each year in Springfield. In his later years, he was a well-known and well-respected independent automobile appraiser.

Visitation is scheduled from 1-6 p.m. Sunday, May 7, at Gent Funeral Home in Alton, where funeral services will be conducted at 1 p.m. Monday, May 8. Burial will be at Brighton City Cemetery, with full military honors by the Alton VFW Post 1308.

Memorials may be made to the Alton Antique Auto Association or the Southern Illinois Mustang Association.

Information for this obituary was gathered from The Telegraph in Alton

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5/4/06

Commencement List Of Class Of 2006 (pdf)

5/5/06

Celebration Raises $8K For SIUE Nursing Scholarships

(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) In its second year, the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Nursing Jewels of Nursing Excellence Gala and Awards ceremony generated nearly $8,000 through regular and silent auctions.

The event drew a crowd of nearly 250 faculty, staff, students, alumni, administrators and health-care professionals. The fundraiser is offered annually to promote excellence in education and to raise money for student scholarships.

Merchandise for the auctions was donated by area businesses, nursing faculty and staff, and community groups.

The recent event-at Sunset Hills Country Club in Edwardsville-marked the 40th anniversary celebration of the SIUE School of Nursing on the Edwardsville campus. Before moving to SIUE in 1966, the School of Nursing had been located on the Carbondale campus.

The following awards were presented: St. Louis Children's Hospital for Outstanding Hospital or Health Care Agency; John and Joyce Juhasz for Outstanding Friend to Nursing; Sandra Burton, a 1995 graduate for Outstanding Nursing SIUE Alumna/us; Sabeena Faiz, a 2003 graduate for Outstanding New Nurse SIUE Alumna/us.

Student nurse-ambassadors volunteered time to help with the event, which was sponsored by various health-care institutions. Institutions included Christian Hospital in St. Louis; Alton Memorial Hospital; Anderson Hospital in Maryville, Crawford Memorial Hospital in Robinson, Global Staffing Strategies Inc. of St. Louis, St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Belleville, SSM St. Joseph Hospital of Kirkwood, Mo., St. John's Hospital in Springfield, Gateway Regional Medical Center in Granite City, St. Louis Children's Hospital and the St. Louis VA Medical Center.

In-kind support was provided by Jeffrey's Flowers by Design, Henke Auction and Realty, the Framery, the Home Depot and Love's In Bloom.

At the event a new School of Nursing pin was unveiled, along with two commissioned works; a musical composition, Courage and Compassion, by SIUE Assistant Professor Kim Archer, and a piece of artwork, Nursing…In the Moment, by art contest winner Cheryl Green, a graduate student in the School of Nursing, and SIUE art student Elizabeth Adams Marks.

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5/4/06

Chancellor Scholars for 06-07

(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) Several students from Illinois and Missouri have accepted Chancellor's Scholarships to attend Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Each year, SIUE makes available 20 Chancellor Scholarships which cover tuition, fees and room and board for four years.

The Chancellor's Scholars Program is a premier program offering scholarships to students with strong academic ability and a record of personal achievement, leadership and service. "We offer a wide range of scholarships and study opportunities for academically strong students," said Boyd Bradshaw, SIUE's assistant vice chancellor for Enrollment Management.

Bradshaw said that once these high achievers enroll at SIUE, they will find academic programs that continually challenge their academic and intellectual abilities. "SIUE offers programs that will put these students in a position to take charge of their education, and create a curriculum that will prepare them to excel in the next phase of their lives."

SIUE offers a quality, affordable education with a broad choice of degrees and programs, ranging from career-oriented fields of study to the essential, more traditional, liberal arts. With a strong faculty, small class sizes, and an active campus life, SIUE attracts top academic students through its ability to provide a high-quality learning environment and scholarship opportunities.

Additional information about scholarship opportunities is available on-line: www.admissions.siue.edu/honors.

Click on names for each student's photo: Tyson Graham, Elise Valdes, Ryan Wiggs, Andrew Wolf

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5/4/06

Presidential Scholars for 2006-07

(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) Several Illinois students have accepted a Presidential Scholarship to attend Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Each year, SIUE has available 11 Presidential Scholarships which cover tuition, fees, and room and board for four years.

Presidential Scholars is a premier scholarship program that recognizes young scholars interested in special academic opportunities as undergraduate students. "We offer a wide range of scholarships and study opportunities for academically strong students," said Boyd Bradshaw, SIUE's assistant vice chancellor for Enrollment Management.

Bradshaw said that once these high achievers enroll at SIUE, they will find academic programs that continually challenge their academic and intellectual abilities. "SIUE offers programs that will put these students in a position to take charge of their education, and create a curriculum that will prepare them to excel in the next phase of their lives."

SIUE provides a quality, affordable education with a broad choice of degrees and programs, ranging from career-oriented fields of study to the essential, more traditional, liberal arts. With a strong faculty, small class sizes, community service opportunities, and an active campus life, SIUE attracts top academic students through its ability to provide a high-quality learning environment and several scholarship opportunities.

Additional information about scholarship opportunities at SIUE is available on-line: www.admissions.siue.edu/honors.

Click on names for each student's photo: Natalie Butler, Benjamin Sheets, Lauren Spencer.

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5/3/06

Head Start News

Head Start Honors Parents

The SIUE Head Start/Early Head Start Program held its 23rd Annual Parent Recognition Banquet on April 28th at Fisher's Restaurant in Belleville.

The purpose of the event was to recognize parents' commitment to Head Start through service. More than 200 parents were recognized for their participation in the areas of volunteer work, male involvement, perfect attendance, Head Start/Early Head Start Policy Council, Success Families and education/training.

The program is also a time for parents to show and acknowledge their appreciation for Head Start. "I work at the Clyde C. Jordan Senior Citizens Center, and my goal is to attend college," said Jourdan Hamilton. "The staff at the Cahokia Head Start Center supports and encourages me in my roles as a father, an employee and in pursuing my goals."

"We really wanted to boost the parents' morale and change the pace," said Curtiseena Wilson, award ceremony committee chair. Other committee members included Cassandra Allen and Rhonda Moore, both parents; C. Sanders Banks, Sandra Biver, Lloyd Cotton, Carolyn Jason, and Alicia Parker, all Head Start staff.

Click here for a photo that shows Kitty Lawrence, SIUE art therapy graduate student and Empowerment Sculpture designer, congratulating Discovery Center for Little Scholars 4-year-old student Ormya Williams on her completed rock.

Start Students Work On Empowerment Sculpture

SIUE Head Start/Early Head Start children, parents and staff spent much of the day April 21 painting rocks, under the direction of Kitty Lawrence, SIUE art therapy graduate student and Empowerment Sculpture designer; Gussie Klorer, director of the SIUE Graduate Art Therapy program; and Edna Patterson-Petty, SIUE Head Start art therapist

The painting session was one of many that will produce 1,200 painted river rocks. The rocks will be assembled onto a steel Empowerment Sculpture, which will consist of three figures reaching out from the same base to represent Head Start's commitment to enhancing the development of children, empowering families and strengthening communities. Lawrence, who designed the sculpture, said the artwork will be one of 12 in a contest on the Edwardsville campus. If the Empowerment Sculpture wins the first-place $1,000 award, Lawrence said she will donate the prize money to SIUE Head Start/Early Head Start.

Click here for a photo that shows Discovery Center children Jordan Rodgers, 4; Terriyanna Jones, 4; and Ramesha Blue, 4; painting rocks that will be part of the sculpture.

Lovejoy Dads Put Fun to Flight

Lovejoy Head Start grandfathers, dads and uncles took advantage of a recent windy, cold day to fly kites with their children. The men also read books geared toward the month of March's curriculum theme: "Busy Bugs."

Also participating that day was Brooklyn (Lovejoy) Mayor Nathaniel Obannon. The Lovejoy Head Start staff and School District 188 Pre Kindergarten thanked the 14 men for making the day a fun day.

Click here for a photo showing Mayor Obannon reading to the children.

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5/3/06

Catch The Ethanol Wave

(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) The pros and cons of ethanol production and use will be the topic of a discussion, Entrepreneur Technologies: Catching the Ethanol Wave, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Meridian Ballroom on the first floor of Morris University Center at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville on Friday, May 12.

Martha Schlicher, director of the National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center in SIUE's University Park will share her knowledge of the current state of reliance on ethanol as a renewable fuel source, as well as projected future trends for the industry. She also will answer attendees' questions.

Event sponsors include the SIUE Entrepreneurship Center and the Academy of Science-St. Louis.

Space is limited and reservations are required. The cost to register is $20. A box lunch will be provided.

For more information call Kristine Polo, Entrepreneurship Center director, (618) 650-2166.

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5/3/06

KMOX Investigative Reporter To Emcee Awards Event

(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) Award-winning investigative reporter Megan Lynch will return to her Alma Mater to emcee a 6:30 p.m. ceremony Monday, May 8 at Southern Illinois University's B. Barnard Birger Hall. The ceremony will be a forum to announce this year's recipients of awards from the University's Meridian Society.

Lynch, who earned a bachelor's in Mass Communications from SIUE, has been the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including an Edward R. Murrow Award, an award for Excellence in Legal Journalism from the Missouri Bar Association, a Media Excellence Award from Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the Nancy Dickerson Whitehead Award from Drug Strategies.

During her career Lynch has traveled to Israel to assess International conflict and New Hampshire to cover the Presidential Primaries. She also earned a master's in Public Affairs Reporting from the former Sangamon State University in Springfield.

Currently Lynch is a member of the SIUE Mass Communications Alumni Advisory Board, the local board of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and the Phoenix Crisis Center board.

At the ceremony, the University's Meridian Society will award grants to various community and civic-minded groups. The Meridian Society is a philanthropic group of women with a mission: Engaging the Metropolitan St. Louis area and enhancing the University's national reputation for quality.

The event will mark the third time the organization has provided assistance to organizations. Recipients are selected from a pool of applicants.

Those interested in joining the Meridian Society, or in making a donation, or learning more about philanthropic endeavors, is encouraged to attend the event. For more information or to register, call 618-650-2345.

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5/3/06

Changes

Retirements

Michael Cummings, grounds worker for Facilities Management, effective April 1 after more than 19 years of service.

Dorothy Ebbeler, department information supervisor for the School of Dental Medicine, effective May 1 after 30 years of service.

James Edwards, building service sub-foreman for Facilities Management, effective April 1 after more than 22 years of service.

Joan Kessinger, a secretary in the Office of Counseling Services, effective April 1 after 17 years of service.

Martha LoRusso, a secretary in the Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders, effective May 1 after 17 years of service.

Phyllis Werner, manager of the SIUE Service Center, effective April 1 after more than 31 years of service.

Jacqueline Wright, a specialist in the School of Dental Medicine, effective May 1 after more than 29 years of service.

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5/3/06

SIUE Police Chief Receives IACP Certification

(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Police Chief Gina Hays has been designated a Certified Police Chief by the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP).

The designation states Hays has met the highest standards of competency and conduct for the law enforcement profession. To be eligible for consideration, Hays first met IACP's criteria for experience, education, professional membership, and community involvement. In addition, she showed competence in other law enforcement management areas.

Hays then took a test for knowledge of managerial concepts, modern policing concepts, law and leading cases, and budgeting principles. Once satisfying these requirements, Hays faced a panel of three active Illinois police chiefs who evaluated her in the areas of leadership, management, public relations, verbal communication and ethics.

According to the IACP, only those police chiefs who have successfully passed all phases of the process are granted IACP certification, making Hays one of a select few police chiefs to meet the stringent requirements of the program since its inception in 1998.

Illinois is the only state that currently offers such a program, developed by the IACP in conjunction with a public safety consulting firm, overseeing development of the program to recognize those law enforcement professionals who excel in all facets of the police chief function. To maintain IACP certification, police chiefs must meet on-going requirements and apply for recertification every five years.

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5/3/06

Local Construction Foremen Complete Leadership Course At SIUE

(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) Twenty-four members of Laborers International Union of North America (LIUNA), from the Twelve Counties Southwestern Illinois Laborers' District Council, recently completed the Construction Foreman Development Program sponsored by the Labor and Management programs through the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Business. Ron Shevlin, retired business manager of the District Council, was one of the original organizers of the annual foreman training program, along with Marvin Finkelstein, professor of Sociology at SIUE, who continues to coordinate the program. Participants attended 12 weekly sessions, with experts presenting topics of critical importance to foreman, including metric conversion and blueprint reading, principles of leadership and motivation, theory and practice of planning and control, and accident prevention and loss control. (SIUE Photos by Bill Brinson)

Click on bold-faced headers to find photographs suitable to print

Belleville area: In the front row, at far left, is Ed Smith, special assistant to the LIUNA president, and at far right is Ron Shevlin, retired LIUNA president. Those in the center are foreman who completed the program from the Belleville area: (front row) Travis Craig, Frank Evans, Richard Foote, Jason Johnson and Steve Rynders; (back row) Seth Trokey, Tyler Trokey, Timothy Walz and Damon Williams.

Alton area: In the front row, at far left, is Ed Smith, special assistant to the LIUNA president, and at far right is Ron Shevlin, retired LIUNA president. Those in the center are foreman who completed the program from the Alton area: Dave File, Jason Main, Terri Michki, Nathan Sheppard, Barney Seidler, Ricky Smith, Bill Sloan and Ryan Machota.

Jersey County area: At far left, is Marv Finkelkstein, coordinator of the foreman development program, with Ed Smith, special assistant to the LIUNA president. At far right is Ron Shevlin, retired LIUNA president. Second from right is Richard Lockhart, a foreman who completed the program in Jersey County.

Greenville area: At far left, is Marv Finkelkstein, coordinator of the foreman development program, with Ed Smith, special assistant to the LIUNA president. At far right is Ron Shevlin, retired LIUNA president. In the center are Jeannie Writz and Danny Beard, two foremen who completed the program in the Greenville area.

Carlyle area: At far left, is Marv Finkelkstein, coordinator of the foreman development program, with Ed Smith, special assistant to the LIUNA president. At far right is Ron Shevlin, retired LIUNA president. Second from right is Melvin Starr, a foreman who completed the program in the Carlyle area.

Calhoun County: At far left, is Marv Finkelkstein, coordinator of the foreman development program, with Ed Smith, special assistant to the LIUNA president. At far right is Ron Shevlin, retired LIUNA president. In the center are Don and Dennis Dougherty, two foremen who completed the program in Calhoun County.

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5/2/06

BOT Approves Proposal To Name Dental School's Main Clinic Wing

(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) The Southern Illinois University Board of Trustees considered today a proposal to name the new addition to the Main Clinic at the SIU School of Dental Medicine. Under the proposal, the addition would be named the Delta Dental of Illinois Advanced Care Wing.

The board's reading was one of several SIUE matters for consideration at its regular meeting today at SIU Edwardsville.

The Advanced Care Wing will provide 24 new "operatories," or workstations, and effectively offer dental students educational opportunities previously unavailable at the dental school. Among several advantages presented by the expansion, the additional operatory space allows the SDM to consolidate the teaching of general dentistry and specialty disciplines, including periodontics and endodontics, to one location.

The School of Dental Medicine matter was proposed to recognize Delta Dental of Illinois' $250,000 pledge to the dental school's Clinic Expansion Campaign. According to SIU/SDM Dean Ann Boyle, the gift will be used to purchase equipment for the wing's new operatories. "The gift allows the School to enhance its mission of excellence in dental education," Boyle said, "and to improve patient care."

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5/2/06

SIU Board Approves $34 Million In Bids For Evergreen

(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) The Southern Illinois University Board of Trustees today awarded bids totaling some $34.4 million to five Southern Illinois contractors and one Missouri contractor for construction of SIU Edwardsville's fourth student residence hall-Evergreen Hall.

The board today also approved an increase in the entire project budget from $39.2 million to $40.8 million because of significant increases in the cost of copper materials. The project is to be completed July 2007.

Evergreen, to be the newest of SIUE's residence halls, will be located on Circle Drive near its intersection with Whiteside Road, south of SIUE's Bluff Hall. The new, three-story hall will contain 190,000 square feet, providing space for 511 beds for upperclassmen students. The project also calls for construction of a 550-space parking lot.

SIUE officials said the project will be funded through the sale of revenue bonds to be re-paid from housing revenues and parking and traffic revenues.

The contracts were awarded to: River City Construction, of Benton, for general contracting, $22,685,000; Pyramid Electrical Contractors, of Fairview Heights, for electrical work, $3,754,850; Southern Illinois Piping Contractors Inc., of Carbondale, for heating and cooling, $2,260,000; Amsco Mechanical, of Granite City, for plumbing, $3,285,000; Hock Mechanical Inc., of Belleville, for ventilation, $1,084,960; and Dreyer Investment Corp., d/b/a Bi-State Fire Protection, of St. Charles, Mo., for fire protection work, $1,342,850.

The project also includes architect and engineering fees, other construction costs such as testing services and electric service to the site; professional indemnity insurance; and equipment; and contingency fees, all totaling $6,386,212, bringing the overall cost of the project to $40,798, 872.

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5/2/06

Two SIUE Pharmacy Students Chosen For National Awards

(EDWARDSVILLE) Of 15 national scholarships winners among students from about 90 schools of pharmacy across the country, two are rooted at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. For a school that opened its doors to students in fall 2005, this is an honor.

Scholarships worth $5,000 each have been awarded to students Jason Scott and Mary Stunson. Each student will work closely with a faculty mentor to complete a research project. The awards are made possible by the American Foundation for Pharmaceutical Education's Gateway to Research Scholarships program.

Ronald Worthington is the faculty member who is mentoring Scott. He said the two will address the problem of blood-thinner resistance for heart patients who undergo a certain procedure.

"The problem is that patients with coronary artery disease who are going to have angioplasty treatment are put on blood-thinning drugs to prevent a clot from forming," Worthington said. "About a quarter of patients fail to respond to these blood-thinning drugs, which increases their risk of stroke."

Worthington said he and Scott will study whether genetic reasons are behind this resistance. He said the two will work in collaboration with the University of Tennessee, examining about 200 patients in a coronary disease clinic there. About a quarter of the patients have the resistance problem, Worthington said, noting he and Scott will study specific genes. The study of 15 genes, he said, will help the duo determine the efficacy of other types of therapy to prevent strokes for these patients.

"We don't know which one or which combination is responsible," Worthington said of the genes. He said the study will take about three years, and the student's scholarship will allow him to participate in at least the first phase of the project.

Guim Kwon will work closely with Stunson on a project involving how obesity might cause insulin-resistance and diabetes. Kwon noted that the two will examine a protein called adipocyte differentiation related protein (ADRP) to see what role it plays in fat-accumulation in insulin-secreting cells. It is hypothesized that ADRP protects the insulin-secreting cells from lipotoxicity (toxic effects of fats) by confining excess fat molecules in lipid vesicles (fat balls inside the cell), so that they do not interfere with normal function of the cells.

Kwon and Stunson will knock out the gene and study how the cells respond to feeding on different types of fat molecules. "About 85 percent of Type 2 Diabetes patients are obese," Kwon said. "We're trying to understand the link between obesity and type 2 diabetes."

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5/2/06

2006-2007 Undergraduate Research Academy Scholars Named

(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) Some Southern Illinois University Edwardsville undergraduate students will channel their creative energy into completing projects of a caliber that usually is expected of graduate students.

A total of 17 students have been named 2006-2007 Undergraduate Research Academy scholars. The upperclassmen-juniors and seniors-will focus on a dimension that relates to their major area of study. URA students will work closely with faculty, and will be assisted by academic departments and faculty mentors.

This year's scholars, majors, topics and mentors are:

ILLINOIS

Bartelso: Jenna Toennies, Biological Sciences/Mechanical Engineering, Comparison of Feeding and Jumping in the Northern Leopard Frog, Rana pipiens, with mentors Rick Essner, assistant professor of Biological Sciences and Majid Molki, professor of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering;

Benld: Brandy Olroyd, Special Education and Communication Disorders (Speech Language Pathology and Audiology), Recording and Analyzing the Speech of Persons with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis to Create Customized Speech Recognition Technology, with mentor Melanie Brimer, assistant professor of Special Education and Communication Disorders;

Caseyville: Brittany Marron, Civil Engineering, A Comparison of Sentencing in Vehicular Homicides Resulting from Impaired and Non-impaired Driving, with mentor Greg Luttrell, assistant professor of Civil Engineering;

East Alton: Jesse Gernigin, English Language and Literature, A Socioculture Categorization, Evaluation and Analysis of Changes in Application of Humor in Salman Rushdie's Novels, with mentor Jeffrey Skoblow, professor of English Language and Literature;

East St. Louis: Marquetta Brown, Psychology, Behavioral Consequences of Self-Oppression for African-Americans: Relationship among African Self-Consciousness, Self-Responsibility, and Life Satisfaction, with mentor Michael Dudley, assistant professor of Psychology;

Edwardsville: Erin Marks, Anthropology, Who Fed Cahokia?, with mentor Julie Holt, assistant professor of Anthropology;

Edwardsville: Ross Mead, Computer Science, Impromptu Teams of Heterogeneous Mobile Robots, with mentor Jerry Weinberg, associate professor and chair of Computer Science;

Godfrey: James Stice, Art and Design (Metal smithing), The Plasticity of Metal and Its Use in Creating Organic Form, with mentor Paulette Myers, professor of Art and Design;

Greenville: Jon Sandifer, Civil Engineering, Investigation into the Expected Angle of Lean of a Bicyclist Traversing a Horizontal Curve, with mentor Greg Luttrell, assistant professor of Civil Engineering;

Jacksonville: Natasha Coats, Theater and Dance, with an emphasis in Dance; Making a Ballet into a Contemporary Work, with mentor Mikey Thomas, instructor in Theater and Dance;

Mascotah: Andrew "A.J." Givens, Political Science, The Impact of Failed States on Terrorism in the Middle East, with Denise DeGarmo, assistant professor of Political Science;

Rochelle: A. Brad Duthie, Biological Sciences, The Effects of Seed Dormancy and Mass on Germination and Viability in the Federally Threatened Floodplain Species, Boltania decurrens, with mentor Marian Smith, professor of Biological Sciences;

Springfield: Elise Berger, Biological Sciences, A Study of the Isonymy Structure of Historical Madison County, with mentor Luci Kohn, assistant professor of Biological Sciences;

Springfield: Kim Taylor, Speech Communication, Facebook: Applications for Faculty/Staff, with mentor Lesa Stern, associate professor of Speech Communication;

Springfield: David Wiatrolik, Civil Engineering, Determining the Relationship Between Bicycle Tire Friction Factors and Surface Debris, with mentor Greg Luttrell, assistant professor of Civil Engineering;

MISSOURI

Arnold: Leia Zumbro, Art and Design (Metal smithing), Exploring Iron as a Small Scale Jewelry Element, with mentor Paulette Myers, professor of Art and Design.

St. Peters: Ian Williams, Political Science, The Effect of Ethno-Linguistic Diversity on Economic Development in Sub-Saharan Africa, with mentor Denise DeGarmo, assistant professor of Political Science;

Each award recipient works for two consecutive semesters on the project and receives a budget of up to $800, plus a personal monetary award, tuition assistance and graduation with honors. For more information on the programs through the Office of Undergraduate Assessment and Program Review, call (618) 650-2640.

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