Nov. 20, 1997 / Volume 16, Number 10
News Bureau | Calendar | II Info | II Archives
- Despite laws, school procedures keeping homelss children out
- The law says every child should have access to an education, but many schools may be keeping some kids out, perhaps unintentionally, a UI report says.
- Brain-activity data clarify earlier contradictions
- Psychologists need not worry about years of confusing research regarding anxiety. With emotional response broken into two aspects worry and panic a distinct pattern of activity arises in the brain, researchers say.
Barn documentary looks at farm life ... Participants needed for study ... WILL campaign to equip new building ... Order your holiday carry-outs ... I Space features two new exhibits ... International Friends needs volunteers ...Office of Business Affairs offers training
By Craig Chamberlain
The law says every child should have access to an education, but many schools may be keeping some kids out, perhaps unintentionally, a UI report says.
Almost three-fourths of 646 Illinois principals responding to a recent survey said their school maintained enrollment requirements that, the researchers note, could prevent or delay homeless children from getting in.
That is not only a disservice to the kids, but runs counter to both federal and state law, says David Dupper, a professor of social work, who co-wrote the survey report with professor Anthony Halter and graduate student Brenda Carpenter, both of whom also are in the School of Social Work.
"Up to 70 percent of the public school principals responding to our survey had at least one requirement for enrolling a child in school that is not in keeping with the law," Carpenter said.
The survey, funded by the Illinois State Board of Education, went out to 21,000 school principals, teachers, social workers and counselors throughout the state. A total of 2,820 were returned, resulting in a 13.4 percent response rate. The survey report is going to the state board of education this month.
The laws in question are the federal Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act, last revised in 1994, and the Illinois Education for Homeless Children Act, enacted in 1995. Both acts state that homeless children whether living on the street, with mothers in women's shelters, in-between various relatives, or in other less-than-permanent shelter cannot be denied immediate enrollment in school.
"The laws basically state that you cannot bar a child from enrolling due to any of the problems that may be presented because a child is homeless," Dupper said. "The law states you've got to get the kid enrolled but most districts are not following the law."
A school, for instance, might require a permanent address or documents such as medical records, Dupper said. Yet the child cannot list a permanent address. Parents, overwhelmed by other concerns, may not easily be able to produce the required documents. The time lost in the process is time lost from class. And the child may soon be moving to another school, where the process starts again.
The results of the survey seem to indicate many school personnel are more unaware than uncaring in dealing with the problem, Dupper said. "We found that over 50 percent of teachers are never made aware of homeless children in their classroom," he said, yet 97 percent said it was important for them to know. "Teachers were saying, 'It's important that I know for a lot of reasons,' " Carpenter said, " 'but one of the main reasons is so I can help.' "
The survey is only the first step in a process to change the situation. Using their findings, the UI researchers will make recommendations to the state board of education on the development of materials to raise awareness of barriers faced by homeless children and their legal rights.
By Jim Barlow
Psychologists need not worry about years of confusing research regarding anxiety. With emotional response broken into two aspects worry and panic a distinct pattern of activity arises in the brain, researchers say.
The new findings, reported by UI researchers, show that panic attacks, or excessive psychophysiological arousal, are reflected in people who worry by increased electrical activity in the right posterior of the brain during times of environmental stress. While at rest, worriers in the study showed more activity in the left frontal section of the brain.
As a result of the findings in this study reported in the August issue of the Journal of Abnormal Psychology and subsequent work, the researchers have begun a project measuring brain activity in combat veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome.
In the study, 40 students were split into groups based on levels of reported trait anxiety, which is associated with a tendency toward anxious arousal and panic. As the students listened to narratives that depicted pleasant, unpleasant, arousing or non-arousing events, researchers measured brain activity.
Previous research on anxiety has yielded often contradicting and unexplainable results, with electrical activity fluctuating between the brain's left and right hemispheres. The new findings, said UI psychologist Wendy Heller, may clear up the confusion.
"Worry seems to be associated more with verbal ruminating, obsessing or making up stories in your head," she said. "Panic is much more a physiological state of alertness in which a person responds to a perceived threat with heart pounding, hands sweating, light-headedness and/or dizziness.
"It's been right there in the literature. Most of the studies that found more right-hemisphere activity were looking at panic or some kind of stressful state," she said. "Most of the studies that found more left-hemisphere activity were looking at worry. Now we have a possible explanation for this very bizarre pattern in the literature."
A clearer picture of right-hemisphere involvement in emotional responses to the environment is emerging, Heller said. "It also may turn out to play a role in anxiety disorders in general. In post-traumatic stress, for example, a person becomes hypervigilant. We know the threat system is activated. The puzzle is coming together, allowing us to begin looking for the mechanism."
The findings in Abnormal Psychology were reported by Heller, doctoral students Jack B. Nitschke and Marci A. Etienne, and Gregory A. Miller, a professor of psychology. A related study, done by Heller, Nitschke and Dana L. Lindsay, a UI medical student who now is at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, appeared in the journal Cognition and Emotion. Heller also detailed a subsequent, unpublished study at the Fourth Laterality and Psychopathology Conference in London in June. The work was supported by the National Institutes of Mental Health.
Tan turns from science to suspense in first novel
By Doris K. Dahl
While growing up, Maureen Tan read everything she could get her hands on but was disappointed that the male characters always had the adventures. Move over James Bond.
Tan's first suspense novel, "A.K.A. Jane," which appeared in bookstores nationwide last month, introduces readers to Jane Nichols, a beautiful, tough and intelligent agent with Britain's MI5 secret service.
"The thing that was dissatisfying about all of those [books], was that everything I read left me wishing I was a guy," said Tan, assistant director of UI's Engineering Publications Office. "The books that had a woman in an adventure mostly were in the context of this woman's boyfriend or potential boyfriend. I think most of us growing up at that time felt that if you wanted to have a real adventure, it would help to be a man."
Writing "A.K.A. Jane" was an abrupt departure for Tan, who has been writing about science for more than 20 years, 11 at the UI. Her feature articles, usually about things like rolling steel mill sludge or ice accretion, are written for Engineering Outlook, a magazine that publicizes the research and education of the College of Engineering. "Basically I write about engineering so my mother can understand it," Tan said. "I figure if Mom enjoys it, I've hit it right."
Jane and the resulting novel actually developed over several years and as a result of Tan trying to "exercise her other writing muscles." Her first effort was a "bad romance novel" written by Tan and a friend more than a decade ago.
"[When we started writing the romance novel,] I was trying to get as far away from science writing as I could. But we kept going back into the chapters to 'toughen up' the heroine. By the end of the book, you couldn't figure out why she would fall into the arms of this man. By the time we finished it, we knew it was bad," Tan concedes.
She began writing scenes with a strong female character that would eventually become Jane. "I wrote her in scenes, mostly because I hadn't set out to write a book," said Tan, who worked over the next six months to a year developing the characters and the context for the scenes that would allow the characters to react the way she wanted them to.
Two characters began to form Jane Nichols and Alex Callaghan, the ruggedly handsome chief of police in Savannah, Ga. "In spite of everything that has happened to him, Alex believes that the good guys win," Tan said. "He believes in home and family views we traditionally link with women. Jane's view is not like that at all. She's not even sure the good guys are good and is very cynical. Her belief that things turn out in the end has been totally shattered."
When did those scenes start to form a book? "I always wanted to write a book," Tan said. "I think I realized I had a legitimate perhaps publishable book about seven years ago."
At that time, she began pushing herself to write more. Working evenings and weekends, "A.K.A. Jane" began to take shape. "It's exhilarating to do this kind of writing," Tan said, "because you realize that you control the book. You can do anything you want within reason. There are no rules. I wrote it in pieces, and while writing it, I didn't know how it would end."
After completing the manuscript, Tan got a false start with her first agent. Publishing houses that received it gave positive feedback, but none were interested in publishing the story. "In retrospect, the manuscript was not ready to be published," Tan said. Upon the advice of a close friend, she began the process of rewriting. Two years later, she felt it was ready.
This time she wrote to the top 10 literary agents in New York. One responded with interest in seeing the manuscript and a few months later agreed to represent her. Six months later she had a contract with Mysterious Press, a division of Warner Books.
Her editor at Mysterious Press suggested some changes to the manuscript and Tan agreed. "One of the things they wanted me to do was to toughen up the ending," Tan said. "By the time I got to the end, I was tired of it and I did the one thing I did not want to do. I allowed Jane to be rescued. My editor called me on it and I agreed. Jane needed to rescue herself."
Eighteen months after signing the contract, "A.K.A. Jane" arrived in bookstores.
Tan says her experience as a published novelist has been like a trip through the Looking Glass. Her Alice-in-Wonderland story already has taken her to bookseller and mystery conventions in Monterey, Calif., Indianapolis and Philadelphia. She has signed thousands of books, and even had a chauffeur-driven limousine ferry her to mystery bookstores around New York City for book signings.
"One of the incredible kicks of [having my book published], is that I've met well-established writers people whose books I've read," Tan said, "I met Ralph McInerny who wrote the Father Dowling mysteries, Donald Westlake (who also wrote under the name Richard Stark), and Liza Cody, who wrote the Anna Lee detective series that became a series on PBS. It's like walking onto the set of a movie and meeting the stars."
And "A.K.A. Jane" has received rave reviews. Publisher's Weekly said "This high-charged thriller doesn't let up for a moment " The Poisoned Pen, a well-respected bookstore in Arizona, extolled the book's virtues with "What fun! [we] enjoyed Jane's panache and her upbeat woman-takes-all story in the James Bond tradition." Murder Ink called it a "straight-ahead thriller."
"I love the reviews," Tan said, "but what has affected me the most is the way some of the booksellers talk about Jane as if she's a real person. And they ask what is going to happen in the next book."
Although Tan had considered writing a second book, she was surprised when her contract with Mysterious Press was for two books, with the completion of the second "Jane" novel due to the publisher in March 1998, with its debut planned for spring 1999. In addition, she also has signed a contract for an abridged audiotape version of "A.K.A. Jane," and the first book also will be published in German.
What about the next book? Between her book signings and conventions, she's been working on it and is admittedly somewhat anxious with a spring deadline. "I'm being more methodical in writing the next book," Tan said. "I've got a clear idea of where it's going and, yes, I know how it will end."
Would she give up her day job to become a full-time mystery writer and deal with more deadlines, conventions, book signings and the trappings of fame? "In a heartbeat," said Tan.
For the love of a book: UI responds to call of America Reads
By Jim Barlow
More than 250 UI undergraduates have answered the call of their president to wage war. Their weapons are books and pencils. The enemy is illiteracy; the front lines, Champaign-Urbana elementary schools.
"You read a lot about the shocking statistics on how many people don't know how to read," said Lan Ly, a junior accounting major from Frankfort, Ill. "I just want to do my part, to put in an effort to help people."
In making his America Reads Challenge, President Clinton noted 40 percent of children in 1994 were not reading adequately by the end of third grade. As part of a nationwide program, he proposed that colleges and universities mobilize 100,000 federal work-study students to tutor elementary students. For the current fiscal year, work-study funding rose to $830 million, a 35 percent increase.
At the UI, some 250-300 students are expected to take part, making $7 an hour and earning a combined $400,000 in 1997-98, said Orlo Austin, director of student financial aid. The expenditure, he said, represents a significant portion of the university's increase in federal work-study funds.
During September, the first wave of UI participants took part in three two-hour training sessions to learn the basics of how to teach reading and writing skills to elementary students who are struggling. Tutoring began Oct. 1.
"We don't want the students to just bring worksheets or extensions of activities that their teachers already are doing in the classrooms," said Bonnie Armbruster, a professor of elementary education who volunteered to direct the training effort. "We want this to be a fairly independent effort, so we are trying to train the tutors to do some relatively simple activities."
Tutors will introduce new books to their students, support and encourage them as they read, make sure they are comprehending the stories and direct writing exercises built on the reading.
The UI effort in America Reads is the largest of 33 college programs in Illinois and matched only by Penn State University in the Big Ten. In all, as of Sept. 19, 757 colleges were participating nationwide. UI students travel to 17 public elementary schools in Champaign and Urbana, where they work one-on-one in 30-minute sessions with first- through fifth-graders. Each semester, each elementary student will receive about 10 hours of help from a tutor.
"America Reads provides us with another forum to support student literacy in our elementary schools," said Susan Zola, director of the federal Title I program in the Champaign schools. "These students will typically be working below their grade level and will benefit from some additional instruction."
While money is a factor, the UI students' reasons for participating go deeper.
"I think I can make a difference," Ly said. "It is important to show kids that you care about them and their ability to learn. Just encouraging them to read should do a lot for their self-esteem, and that will help them try harder to learn."
For Alexandra Livshin, a freshman from Mundelein, Ill., the program offers an extension of her interest in biology. "I want to be a pediatrician, so I thought this would be helpful to be with the kids, to see how they are and how they react to things," she said.
Mike Kantowski, a junior computer engineering major from Chicago, said he is happy to be part of America Reads. "I think the program is a great opportunity to learn about children and to make a difference in someone's life."
For junior Latanya Burke of Chicago, America Reads fits both her educational plans (secondary education) and her lifestyle. "I tutored last year at a middle school, and I liked it. Tutoring is better for me than working at a lot of other jobs," she said. "I'd rather work with kids, especially in teaching them how to read. Last year, I tutored a young girl who was labeled 'at-risk,' and I think I made a big impact on her."
Students who were eligible for work-study assistance were mailed information about the America Reads initiative in June. More than 400 students then showed up Sept. 2 at the America Reads Information Fair at the Illini Union. Some 300 students applied. Those chosen - 267 were offered positions - had some previous experience working with children and a fall semester schedule that would allow them to participate in meaningful blocks of time.
"We were overwhelmed at the positive response," Armbruster said. "We weren't really anticipating that many takers."
While screening the applicants, officials also realized another potential resource of the students. "We surprisingly discovered that we had volunteers who spoke a number of languages fluently, including Korean, Vietnamese and Spanish," Austin said. "We might be able to take advantage of these language abilities as time goes on to assist the needs of kids whose families do not speak English as their first language."
Officials also were pleased at the racial diversity among the participants, as well as the number of young men who signed up to serve as tutors and be role models for elementary children. The mix of whites, blacks, Hispanics and Asians bodes well for education, said Armbruster, who is a co-investigator of a federal grant designed to recruit, support and place more minority teachers in America's schools. She's also developing a spring semester course, "Serving Children in Schools and Communities."
How well the program works is on everyone's mind. Achievement data were gathered at the beginning for elementary students. They will be assessed at the end of the year to measure improvement.
UI graduate students serve as site coordinators at each public school. They will work closely with teachers and the tutors to make sure the needs of each child are addressed.
America Reads "offers a meaningful opportunity for UI students to learn about themselves and make a valuable service contribution to the Champaign and Urbana communities," Austin said. "This puts our students in a helper role, which can boost their own self-esteem. They will be role models and it will require discipline and effort for them to live up to that expectation."
"I believe in this effort at both the national level and at our local level," Armbruster said. "I think it certainly fits in with the spirit of Partnership Illinois [a service-oriented outreach initiative by the UI], because this is an opportunity for the community to collaborate with the public schools."
A lot of children need assistance in reading and writing, she added, "and I think they can be helped by people who have a little training and a big heart."
The UI's new Waste Transfer and Material Recovery Facility opened Nov. 17. The facility will enable the campus to expand its recycling program and allow the UI to maximize its waste recycling and recycling revenues, as well as minimize waste disposal costs and exceed state requirements for reducing landfill waste.
Cardboard, paper, plastic, glass, cans and scrap metal will be recycled at the facility, where an estimated 8,000 tons of waste will be processed each year, said Tim Hoss, coordinator of the campus recycling program. The facility is designed to increase the campus recycling rate and provide on-site processing, which is necessary to sell the materials to manufacturers.
Recyclables will be manually sorted from campus waste as it is transported along a conveyor. The material is baled, then sold and shipped. Remaining waste is compacted and hauled to the landfill.
The Waste Transfer and Material Recovery Facility will be operated by the UI Operation and Maintenance Division.
The new facility was partially funded by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs which awarded a $100,000 grant to help pay for the facility's equipment.
By Jim Barlow
Just how much a pet has become a full family member can be painfully evident when the pet's death is looming. In many cases, the owner may need support and guidance. As of Oct. 1, a group of UI veterinary students is a phone call away.
The Companion Animal Related Emotions (CARE) Helpline is for anyone facing the death of a pet. Second-year veterinary students work the Helpline 244-CARE (2273) from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays; however, they will respond at other times, depending on their schedules, to messages left on the Helpline's 24-hour answering system.
"So many people feel uncomfortable with death, be it an animal or a person," said Julia Brannon, student director and second-year veterinary student who proposed the Helpline. "Once you start identifying your grief and talking about it, your grief can progress."
Available through the Helpline is literature on grief-related issues that can be mailed upon request. Students also can talk to callers and help guide them through often-tough questions related to pet-death decisions.
Brannon, who holds a bachelor's degree in zoology from Southern Illinois University, says her motivation for the Helpline was based on 10 years of experience as a veterinary technician for a Chicago-area mobile surgery unit after graduating from Winnetka's New Trier High School in 1984. During that time, she said, "I saw a lot of properly and improperly handled death experiences."
Some veterinarians have not been trained on how to interact effectively with grieving pet owners, she said. "An improper way to handle it is when veterinarians want to just get the experience over with because it is very troublesome to them. It is difficult for some veterinarians to manage their emotions and/or their client's emotions."
Students participating in the CARE Helpline are enrolled in the course, "Bereavement Issues in Veterinary Practice," which is being taught by a mental-health professional. They also participated in a half-day seminar on "The Human-Animal Bond and Grief" conducted Sept. 7 at the UI College of Veterinary Medicine by Carolyn Butler of Colorado State University.
"The students will be learning about effective methods to communicate with their clients," said Jo Ann Eurell, faculty adviser and professor of veterinary biosciences. "They will learn about the strong bond that many owners have with their pets and how that bond can affect their clients' lives. The students will help pet owners by being good listeners and helping people understand their grief over the loss or illness of their 'best friend.' In the process, the students will develop skills that will help them in their practice of veterinary medicine."
The CARE Helpline, funded through donations to the college's Companion Animal Memorial Fund, is modeled after the Chicago Veterinary Medical Association Helpline.
New undergraduate program bridges gap between engineering and business
By Mark Reutter
Removing the barriers between engineering and business education is the goal of a pioneering new program developed at the UI.
The Program in Technology and Management, believed to be the nation's first interdisciplinary program for undergraduate students, enables engineering and business majors to learn together through joint classes and team projects.
"We see Illinois as a testbed for new teaching ideas," said Thomas F. Conry, head of the department of general engineering. "Our goal is to eliminate barriers between the technical and commercial disciplines that in industry can needlessly impede the development of products and processes."
The program, which starts in the junior year and has 70 students enrolled, is co-taught by faculty members in the College of Commerce and Business Administration and the College of Engineering.
Starting with the first course, "Organizing for Innovation," each student becomes a member of a four- to six-person team composed of both engineering and business students. The students take two other joint courses, "Business Process Modeling" and "Product Modeling and Development," before putting what they have learned into the Capstone Project, a senior-year design effort.
As part of the project, the teams are given real-world problems by industrial partners. "The teams work on the project, write a report and give a presentation," said Kent B. Monroe, head of the department of business administration. Last spring was the first year of the Capstone effort.
The teams completed three projects, "and the results are now being evaluated by our partners, General Electric, General Motors and Caterpillar," Monroe said.
Course work in the program is rigorous, requiring students to complete 22 hours of electives in addition to their regular classes. Engineering majors study financial analysis, operations management and marketing, while business majors take courses in materials science, engineering mechanics and introduction to electrical and computer engineering.
"The program has been developed so that business majors can gain deeper appreciation for the technical issues and constraints associated with conceiving, developing and manufacturing a product, while engineering majors are better trained in marketing, finance and other core business subjects," Conry said.
"This is still an experimental program, but the students I've talked to have been very positive about it," said Monroe, the J. M. Jones Professor of Business Administration and co-director with Conry of the program.
Support for the joint program has been provided by a gift from Leonard C. and Mary Lou Hoeft and by the Procter & Gamble Fund, the GE Fund and the AT&T Foundation.
Center to foster interdisciplinary study in humanities, social sciences
By Andrea Lynn
Widely regarded as an articulate and outspoken voice in the so-called culture wars, as well as a brilliant scholar-teacher, English professor Michael Bérubé has been a bright star in the humanities firmament for years. Today, however, he's put his own scholarship on hold, in order to lead an effort to win some overdue recognition for his university's arts and humanities faculty.
The high-profile professor, known for his pull-no-punches critiques of academia, his compassionate and thoughtful advocacy of disability issues, and his black-and-teal rollerblades, has been named director of the Illinois Program for Research in the Humanities (IPRH) at the UI. Conceived of as a means to draw attention to the UI's rich resources human and otherwise in humanities scholarship and teaching, IPRH will "foster and promote interdisciplinary study in the humanities, arts and social sciences at Illinois," a campus better known for its physical and life sciences.
"What we have here is a lot of either underutilized or undercoordinated resources," Bérubé said, "and so we wind up with a national reputation that isn't commensurate with our talents. Part of our job at IPRH will be to fix that." Examples of Illinois' stellar resources, Bérubé said, are the Advanced Information Technologies Group, Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, the Krannert Art Museum and the University Library.
The plan, Bérubé said, is to make "the groundbreaking work of our faculty and graduate students more widely available and intelligible to diverse campus constituencies as well as to the general Illinois public." Bérubé conceded that on the UI campus, as on many others, the work of the faculty in the humanities, the arts and the social sciences is not only not well understood, but it also "runs on parallel tracks," rarely intersecting. As a consequence, "There's a huge amount of information deficit."
IPRH will use a variety of elements to get the word out and to see that paths cross. Among the elements are a themed fellowship program for faculty and graduate students (the first theme is "Diaspora, Identity and Expressive Culture"); an annual conference; new or redesigned courses; study groups; themed panels; and a high-profile speaker series.
Regarding the speaker series, Bérubé said IPRH has as one model the conferences and postdoctoral fellowships organized by the UI Unit for Criticism and Interpretive Theory, which brought in a great many influential leading scholars and attracted much attention and many kudos. "It was an illustrious bunch who came here; they left a little of themselves, and took news about Illinois with them wherever they went," said Bérubé, noting that he isn't as interested in "a cavalcade of stars" as he is in such scholars' ability to "galvanize graduate student and faculty interest."
Assisting Bérubé is a new Humanities Task Force and a new associate director, Christine Catanzarite, a former professor of theater at Illinois State University. "Christine has everything we were looking for," Bérubé said. Of himself, he said he thinks he has "a good sense of a number of important areas of study in the humanities and of the people working in them. And, if my organizational skills catch up with my knowledge of the field, I can be a good coordinator."
The deadline for submitting applications to the fellowship program, which will admit its first class next year, is Dec. 12.
One of the newest departments at the UI is beginning a new degree program.
The department of East Asian languages and cultures (EALC), created six years ago, will now offer a doctoral degree in East Asian languages and cultures. The doctorate, according to Ronald Toby, head of EALC, will prepare scholar-teachers for employment in university and government jobs.
With course work in the languages, literatures, societies and cultures of China, Japan and Korea, EALC already offers a bachelor of arts degree and master of arts degree in Asian studies. It has 21 faculty members and serves more than 1,250 students, including 35 undergraduate majors and 28 graduate students.
The Illinois Board of Higher Education approved EALC's request to offer the Ph.D. beginning in the 1998-1999 academic year. The department soon will start taking applications for its first class in the doctoral program, which will be admitted next fall.
The department was born in the early 1990s, when the university reconfigured the Center for East Asian and Pacific Studies, splitting the teaching and research functions to create the academic department of East Asian languages and cultures, while retaining the outreach and area studies functions in the center.
Larry Faulkner, UI provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs, believes a doctoral program in the department is important "for the development of the strongest possible faculty and student pool and the strongest possible education and research programs."
"I look at this as the last step in the creation of a department dealing with a part of the world and a part of global culture that is of very high interest in the United States right now, both to American students and to the general population," said Faulkner, who was dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences when EALC was being created.
According to Toby, a historian of premodern Japan, if Americans, as citizens of a rapidly shrinking world, are to thrive in the 21st century, they need to understand the languages and cultures of the peoples and nations of East Asia, "for they are now as much a part of 'our' world as any of the world's peoples and cultures. The beliefs and the activities of the peoples of China, Japan and Korea, not to mention the ways that they interpret American actions and motives, are fundamentally shaped by their historical experiences and cultural life-ways."
The department plans to hire additional assistant professors over the next four years through reallocation within the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. No new state funding was needed to establish the doctoral program.
Trustees approve 4.5 percent increase in student charges
By Jody Osterreicher, UIC News Bureau
Next fall, students at the UI's Urbana campus will pay 3 percent more for tuition, 5 percent more for student fees and 5.4 percent more for room and board. The UI Board of Trustees approved the new student charges for the 1998-99 school year at its Nov. 12 and 13 meeting in Chicago.
The vote means that undergraduate tuition for Illinois residents will increase from $3,308 to $3,408, mandatory fees for all students will increase from $880 to $924, and room and board will increase from $4,710 to $4,962. The total of these charges is $9,294 for a two-semester school year, up from $8,898. The overall increase in costs is 4.5 percent or $396. If the $68 annual increase approved last month to pay off athletic facilities is factored in , however, the overall increases in costs are 5.25 percent or $464. Out-of-state tuition will be three times the new rate.
"By any measure, be it against inflation or against the real value of a UI education, these increases are modest, warranted and fair," UI president James J. Stukel said in a prepared statement. Though UI student trustee Kelly M. Doyle, Urbana, voted in favor of the action, she noted earlier in the session that students at the Urbana campus want more detailed information about where the fee increase money is going. Documents reviewed by the board show that the 5 percent student fee increase will go toward support for new technology in career services, start-up support for the Arcade Building conversion to student services, increase in debt service for the refurbishing of the IMPE pools and Arcade Building and an increase in utility costs. The student government fee will decrease by $1 next fall.
The board passed additional increases of $576 for engineering students, $500 for chemistry and life science students, $200 for fine and applied arts students at the lower division and $400 for FAA students at the upper division. These additional funds will be used to cover a variety of increased costs and improvements.
The board also raised tuition for graduate students, from $3,308 to $3,408, or 3 percent. The board passed additional increases of 2 percent or $192 for law students and 7.7 percent or $500 for MBA students.
UIC students will pay 3 percent more for tuition and room and board and 3.6 percent more for fees next fall than they did this year. That means UIC's tuition will increase from $2,956 to $3,046, mandatory fees from $948 to $982, and room and board from $5,528 to $5,690. The total of these charges is $9,718 for a two-semester school year, up from $9,432 this year.
Students at the Springfield campus will pay an average of 3.1 percent more overall. The total of these charges is $9,846 for a two-semester school year, up from $9,548 this year. The largest increase for these students was in fees, which will rise 23.5 percent
Trustee Ada Lopez cast the sole vote against increases for both tuition and student fees. After the board meeting, Lopez told reporters that she is concerned that working class people have to make too many sacrifices to send their children to the UI. "I understand $4,000 being pocket money for some, but if you have four or more kids, then you're talking about $16,000. What does a family do? Select the oldest boy and tell the daughters that they have to get married? It must be a heart-wrenching decision When I became a board member I said that I would try to voice the concerns of ordinary people, so that's what I'm trying to do." Lopez questioned why the board "raises everything by 3 percent," adding that the tuition and fee increases may exceed inflation and that many working people receive no annual raises.
Board supports elimination of university fire department
By Jody Osterreicher, UIC News Bureau
There was little heat and no hint of a flame when the UI Board of Trustees voted Nov. 13 to take the ax to the UI fire department and enter an intergovernmental agreement with the cities of Champaign and Urbana to provide fire protection services to the campus. Trustees Judith Ann Calder and Ada Lopez voted against the measure, but said little in protest of the action.
Trustee Tom Lamont made a brief statement reiterating his support for the plan, saying, "If safety is truly our number one goal here, this is the appropriate thing to do." Student trustee Kelly M. Doyle voted for the action, noting earlier in the session that overall, students at the Urbana campus think the fire department contract is a good idea.
The UIUC fire department, which has existed since the turn of the century and is the only fire department of its kind at a public university in Illinois, will be eliminated under that plan, and the university will pay the municipalities $1.7 million annually to provide emergency medical and fire protection services to the campus. The cities are negotiating with International Association of Firefighters Local 594. It is expected that the firefighters would either be employed by the Champaign or Urbana Fire Departments or the university. The cities expect to begin service to the campus in April.
The action was taken following a two-year review of the campus's fire safety and emergency medical service by external consultants, internal and external fire safety experts and a committee of faculty and staff, and students. The participants concluded that the station and equipment are inadequate and that better service at a lower cost could be achieved through a contract with the cities of Urbana and Champaign.
The initial payment of $1.7 million will rise each year to cover cost increases and is below that of building a primary fire station and maintaining a full-service fire department, according to documents reviewed by the board. Under the proposed agreement, the university will build a first-strike substation on campus to be staffed by the Urbana fire department.
Revised plans for Spurlock Museum approved by board
By Jody Osterreicher, UIC News Bureau
It's back to the future for the Spurlock Museum of World Cultures. The scope of the museum had to be reduced after a gift, in the form of stock, took a tumble in the market, Chancellor Michael Aiken told members of the UI Board of Trustees, who were asked Nov. 12 to approve an increase in the Spurlock project budget and scope. After the stock lost some of its value, the university scaled back its plans for the museum, but then several donors came forward to help complete the project as it originally was envisioned.
The board approved the expansion of the project from the proposed $8.6 million to $10.8 million. The $2.2 million increase will allow planners to add basement storage, an auditorium and an exhibit space. A portion of that amount, $128,000, will go toward additional architectural design fees.
Trustee Judith Ann Calder asked why additional money was raised for this project when there hasn't been funding for a capital project for three years and there are other projects, including a new UIC College of Medicine [building], which are critically important to the university. Aiken said many people were willing to donate money only to this project. "That's true of many projects. They're donor-driven," University President James J. Stukel said.
Calder also urged university administrators to ask donors to set aside a portion of their donations for the maintenance and operation of new buildings. "We've been doing that. It doesn't always work," Aiken said.
The board approved the final design for the museum after representatives from the architectural design firm Nagle, Hartray, Danker, Kagan, McKay of Chicago presented plans for the project and answered questions. They spoke at length about how the museum, to be located on the corner of Gregory and Oregon streets, just east of Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, will fit in with surrounding buildings and how visitors will gain access to the museum.
They expect 60 percent of visitors to be students from both the university and nearby schools. The planners also said that they expect faculty members (25 percent) and campus visitors (15 percent) to visit the museum.
The plans call for visitor parking, a bus drop-off area, a primary entrance on Gregory Street angling toward California Avenue and a secondary entrance, also on the Gregory Street side, that provides direct access to the auditorium and may be used at night when the galleries are closed.
The museum will contain an orientation gallery called "Aspects of Humanity," a core gallery showing what all cultures have in common, a revolving exhibit space and five permanent galleries. Museum offices will be in the basement; the museum store will be on the first floor of the two-story building.
The exterior of the building will be constructed of red brick, similar to that found on other campus buildings, with a cast stone trim and other stone accents. To add interest to the building and say something about what visitors will find inside, the architectural designers also included brick detailing drawn from Greek, Persian, Native American and Egyptian ornamentation. The museum roof will be copper.
Six department heads approved by trustees
By Shannon Vicic
At its Nov. 13 meeting in Chicago, the UI Board of Trustees approved the appointment of six department heads.
Five department heads were appointed in the School of Life Sciences.
Philip M. Best was appointed head of the department of molecular and integrative physiology. Best will continue to serve as a professor in the department, as well as in the department of basic sciences in the College of Medicine and in the bioengineering office in the College of Engineering. Best has been a professor at the UI since 1979. He earned his doctorate from the University of Washington.
John M. Cheeseman was appointed head of the department of plant biology. Cheeseman will continue to serve as a professor of plant biology as well as an affiliate in the department of natural resources and environmental sciences. Cheeseman began working as a professor at the UI in 1979. He earned his doctorate from Duke University.
John E. Cronan Jr. was appointed head of the department of microbiology. Cronan will continue to serve as a professor of microbiology and biochemistry. Cronan has served on the faculty of the UI since 1978. He earned his doctorate from the University of California at Irvine.
Arthur L. DeVries was appointed head of the department of ecology, ethology and evolution. DeVries will continue to serve as a professor of ecology, ethology and evolution as well as a professor of molecular and integrative physiology. He came to the university in 1976. DeVries earned his doctorate from Stanford University.
Alan F. Horwitz was appointed head of the department of cell and structural biology. Horwitz will continue to serve as a professor in the department, as well as in biochemistry and in basic sciences in the College of Medicine. Horwitz is returning to the head position after stepping down in 1995 to pursue full-time teaching and research. He was the first head of the department of cell and structural biology when it was formed in 1988. Horwitz earned his doctorate from Stanford University.
In addition to the appointments in the School of Life Sciences, Christopher Silver was appointed head of the department of urban and regional planning in the College of Fine and Applied Arts. Silver also will serve as a professor of urban and regional planning.
Before coming to the UI, Silver was an urban development adviser for the USAID Project in Jakarta, Indonesia. He earned his doctorate from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Ullestad named new Assembly Hall director
Kevin Ullestad, who most recently was the director of the Saginaw Civic Center in Saginaw, Mich., has been chosen as the new director of the UI Assembly Hall.
"We are delighted to have the opportunity to have someone of Kevin's experience and credentials as the new director of the Assembly Hall," said S. Eugene Barton, associate vice chancellor for student affairs. "His experience in the various areas of arena management and multipurpose facilities will work well with the programming and operational procedures of the Assembly Hall."
After receiving his undergraduate degree from the University of Northern Iowa, Ullestad began his career as the marketing director of the Iowa State Center at Iowa State University in Ames. He also worked as the director of the event, booking and marketing division of the 14,000-seat Veteran's Memorial Auditorium in Des Moines, and as the general manager of the West Plains Civic Center, an entertainment complex in West Plains, Mo.
Ullestad, who reports to Barton, was chosen after a five-month nationwide search. His appointment is pending approval from the UI Board of Trustees at its meeting Jan. 14-15 in Chicago. Ullestad is the fourth permanent director of the Assembly Hall, following Tom Parkinson, Wayne Hecht and Xen Riggs.
The Assembly Hall is a 17,000-seat multipurpose facility managed by the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs. The hall is host to a variety of events, including entertainment, community and athletic events, as well as commencement and convocation ceremonies. An $11 million renovation to improve backstage facilities as well as access for loading and unloading of equipment is expected to be completed in fall 1998.
Citing the need for greater research and awareness about psychological disorders, the UI Foundation announced Nov. 7 that Douglas P. Colbeth, president and CEO of Spyglass Inc., and his wife, Margaret R., of Naperville, Ill., have made a donation in excess of $2 million to set up an endowment for research in psychology and psychiatry at the UI's Urbana-Champaign and Chicago campuses.
The endowment, being created through a charitable remainder unitrust established in the UI Foundation, was announced during a visit by the Colbeths to the UI's Urbana-Champaign campus. The endowment will support research in the department of psychology in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the Urbana campus and the department of psychiatry in the College of Medicine at the UI's Medical Center in Chicago.
"We decided to make this gift to support mental illness research and awareness," Mr. Colbeth said. "Millions of individuals, families and our society in general can benefit enormously from earlier diagnosis and a greater awareness of conditions which can today be treated very effectively. Through greater understanding and awareness, we can erase stigmas, and confront the fear and confusion which surround mental illness. We want to make a small but important difference in helping individuals, families and society reduce a tremendous amount of unnecessary suffering."
While Mr. Colbeth is not an alumnus of the university, Colbeth has strong technical and business ties to the UI with many of his Spyglass colleagues among UI graduates. In 1990, a group of scientists from the UI's National Center for Supercomputing Applications in Urbana-Champaign founded Spyglass to develop scientific graphing software. In 1994, the watershed event of commercializing the world's first graphical browser for the World Wide Web occurred when Spyglass became the master licensee of Mosaic, which was developed at NCSA. With Spyglass help, Mosaic became the catalyst for the proliferation of the Web and is the technological basis of Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser.
Since then, Spyglass has become the leader in providing expertise, software and services for making non-PC devices work with the Web. Spyglass has developed Web-enabled solutions for some of the world's best known device manufacturers. Among companies that have licensed embedded browsers, servers and infrastructure products and/or consulting services from Spyglass are Xerox Corp. for a new line of copiers; IBM Corp. for its line of network computers; and Thomson Consumer Electronics (owners of the RCA, ProScan and GE brands) for a new generation of RCA television set-top boxes.
This is not the first gift the Colbeths have made to the university. In 1995, an outright gift from the Colbeths created the Spyglass Endowed Scholarship Fund. Merit-based Spyglass Scholarships are awarded each year to promising computer science students at the Urbana-Champaign campus, with preference given to Illinois natives.
The new Colbeth gift provision comes as the university nears the $900 million milestone in its $1 billion Campaign Illinois fund drive. The fundraising effort, which began in l991, is scheduled to conclude at Dec. 31, 1998.
A pioneer in the magazine publishing world is paying tribute to the First Amendment and to journalism by way of his alma mater, the UI.
Hugh M. Hefner, the founder and editor-in-chief of Playboy and a 1949 UI graduate, has set up an endowment to support five graduate student fellowships in journalism.
His $500,000 gift to the UI department of journalism in the College of Communications will establish the Hugh M. Hefner First Amendment Scholar fellowships. One Hefner scholar will be named every year for five years beginning in the fall of 1998. After five years, the interest on the endowment will sustain the fellowships.
The purpose of the endowment, Hefner said, is "to inspire and to assist graduate students in journalism, and in particular, to focus on what I think journalism is all about, which is the freedom of speech and of the press."
"For me, journalism isn't just one more profession. Of all of the creative arts, it is the one that goes to the heart of democracy."
Hefner entered the UI Division of Special Services for War Veterans in the fall of 1946, following his discharge from the Army. Doubling up on courses, he was able to graduate in January 1949, after 2 1/2 years, earning a bachelor of science degree; he majored in psychology and double-minored in creative writing and art. Hefner's first issue of Playboy was published four years later, in December 1953.
Hefner timed the gift announcement to a memorial service Oct. 24 at the UI for Theodore (Ted) Peterson, a dean of the UI College of Communications from 1957 to 1979 who died Aug. 27, and with whom Hefner had a long personal and professional relationship. Their friendship began in the early 1950s when Playboy magazine was in its infancy.
Kim Rotzoll, current dean of the UI College of Communications, said his college is very grateful for Hefner's endowment and for his "tribute to Ted."
"Hugh Hefner's gift will enable our excellent department of journalism to add five graduate assistantships, thus helping not only present and future students, but also the faculty [members] who they will be working with as well."
For many years, Hefner has sponsored an annual scholarship to the UI department of journalism. He also endowed a chair for the Study of American Film at the University of Southern California's School of Cinema and Television.
Lindvahl's interest wasn't in making a documentary about barn architecture, rather he "was more interested in life around the barn and the barn as witness to a part of history." The barns he highlights aren't the biggest, or best, or most beautiful, however, "they're three places that have been in the same family since they were built," he said.
The program uses old photos and film as well as new footage to tell the story of the barns. It also answers commonly asked questions about barns and looks at the future of barns.
"Farming at the close of the 20th century involves computers, satellites and complex soil analysis," Lindvahl said. "Farmers find nostalgia an extravagance they can ill afford, and each year more barns are consumed by nature and its forces."
The documentary is part of a Smithsonian Institution traveling exhibit on barns, "Barn Again," touring the nation this year.
Participants must be able to complete a writing sample and will be asked to complete about two hours of testing at a convenient location. A person familiar with the daily activities of each participant will be asked to complete a form that assesses daily living skills.
Anyone interested in participating in the study or who knows of someone who might meet the criteria should contact Wilson at 581-7446 or e-mail cfbmw@eiu.edu.
"We want both to honor people who have helped bring WILL this far, and to give community members the opportunity to pay tribute to friends and family members who made a difference in their lives," said Debbie Day, WILL development director. "Some donors are honoring family members; others want to honor a teacher, special neighbor or childhood friend," Day said. With a gift of $1,000, a name will be engraved on an 8-inch stone. With a $5,000 gift, donors may select a 12-inch stone for their tribute. Benches surrounding the plaza may be dedicated with a gift of $10,000.
Gifts from Robert C. and Alice Curtis Campbell and several other donors funded construction of Campbell Hall. However, an additional $1.5 million was needed for equipment purchases. The stations must raise $500,000 of this total.
The Friends Plaza will welcome visitors, faculty and staff members and students to WILL's new television and radio studios, and to the adjoining Richmond Journalism Teaching Studio. The plaza will be used for informal public gatherings, as well as small concerts and casual receptions.
The funds to complete and equip the new telecommunication facility must be raised in addition to the annual Friends of WILL contributions that support WILL's annual operating budget, Day said. WILL hopes to have commitments for plaza tributes complete by August 1998 when the plaza stones are scheduled to be set in place.
The carry-out menu includes 9-inch pies (apple for $6.45, pumpkin for $6.20 and pecan for $8.65), carrot layer cake for $12.90, Swedish Limpa Bread for $3.95, dinner rolls for $3.25 a dozen and pecan rolls for $11.05 a dozen.
Orders must be placed by noon Nov. 24 and may be made by calling 333-1140 or returning an order form to Illini Union Food Service, MC-384. Orders will be available for pickup on Nov. 26 between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. in the Colonial Room of the Illini Union. Free parking will be provided that day in the D-10 lot, just east of the Union.
"Space, Movement and Light: The Architecture of Jack Sherman Baker, F.A.I.A." includes 31 boards showcasing the emeritus professor's built designs. Also featured are two models of unbuilt work by the renowned Midwestern architect, whose work combines an abstract clarity with the celebration of everyday rituals. A fellow in the American Institute of Architects, Baker is perhaps best-known for his penchant for designing buildings that are meant to be lived in, not "put up with."
"Michael Norton: The Archetypal Moment" is a collection of tempera paintings by the self-taught artist, who has exhibited in California, Chicago and New York. In a catalog that accompanies the exhibition, art and design professor Buzz Spector notes that Norton displays "meticulous craft and profound devotion" in his small-scale paintings, which are created by applying layer upon layer of egg tempera on Masonite panels that are prepared with his own formula of gesso.
An opening reception is scheduled for 5 to 7 p.m. Nov. 21 at the gallery, 230 W. Superior St., Chicago.
Participants are matched with an international student or scholar at the UI. Once matched, International Friends participants meet at mutually convenient times for conversation and to share activities of interest.
The International Friends program helps an international visitor learn more about American life. Likewise, the host gains a better understanding of another culture and way of life.
Hosts do not house the visitors, but simply invite them to participate in various events such as holiday celebrations, sharing a meal, outings or exchanging ideas over coffee. Contacts average three times a semester.
Host opportunities are open to anyone, married or single, with or without children. There are no requirements for serving as a host, except the desire to share your friendship with an international visitor.
For more information about the International Friends program, call Nancy McGlathrey, 352-6902, or e-mail Martha Diehl, mgdiehl@prarienet.org.
To reserve a place in a session, call the extension designated for the topic(s) you wish to attend and give name of topic, date and time of session, attendee name and campus extension and e-mail address. Participants also may register electronically through the OBA homepage at http://www.oba.uiuc.edu.
Sessions being offered:
The Office of Academic Human Resources, Suite 420, 807 S. Wright St., maintains the listings for faculty and academic professional positions. More complete descriptions are available in that office during regular business hours. Job listings are also updated weekly on its Web site at: http://www.oc.uiuc.edu/ahr/ahrjobrg.htm. Any other information may be obtained from the person indicated in the listing.
Architecture. Assistant/associate professor, architectural structures. PhD with research experience related to building structures or M Arch, MSAE or MSCE and license to practice architecture or structural engineering and ability to teach undergraduate and graduate courses in structures division required. Available Aug. 21. R. Alan Forrester, 333-1330. Closing date: Jan. 15.
Architecture. Assistant/associate professor, practice and technology. PhD or professional registration and demonstrated teaching and research competency required. Available Aug. 21. R. Alan Forrester, 333-1330. Closing date: Jan. 15.
Art and Design. Assistant professor, modern European art. PhD required. Ability to teach history of photography desired. Available immediately. Jonathan Fineberg, 333-2537. Closing date: Feb. 2.
Aviation. Assistant professor of aviation (full- or part-time). PhD and research interest required. Available Jan. 6. Rick Weinberg, 244-8606. Closing date: Dec. 22.
Community Health. Assistant professor. Doctorate in health services research, health administration and health policy or related health field required. Background in application of health and/or health policy preferred. Record of teaching, research, grant activity, publications and interdisciplinary work preferred. Available Aug. 21. Thomas O'Rourke, 333-3163. Closing date: Feb. 20.
Education. Assistant professor, educational organization and leadership. Earned doctorate with specialization in school-district-level administration required. Record of scholarly productivity and experience in educational administration preferred. Available August. Paul Thurston, 333-2155. Closing date: Jan. 15.
Geology. Faculty (rank open), (2 positions available: Ralph E. Grim Professor in Geology and Environmental Council Professor of Geology). PhD and demonstrated potential for research and teaching excellence required. Available August. Jay Bass, 333-1018, j-bass@illinois.edu. Closing date: Jan. 15.
Kinesiology. Assistant professor, Office of Gerontology and Aging Studies. Doctorate and academic background in kinesiology or related field required. Teaching and postdocoral research experience preferred. Available Aug. 21. Steven Petruzello, 244-7325. Closing date: Jan. 13.
Veterinary Clinical Medicine. Assistant/associate professor, small animal internal medicine. DVM or equivalent, or diplomate status or intent and eligibility for exam in ACVIM required. Prefer advanced degree, research or intellectual productivity and/or skills in gastroenterology, urology or endocrinology. Available June 1. Sheila Voyles, 333-5300. Closing date: Feb. 1.
Veterinary Clinical Medicine. Assistant professor, small animal neurosurgery-neurology. DVM or diplomate status or intent and eligibility for examination in either ACVIM-neurology with surgical training or ACVS with training or experience in neurology. Available immediately. Sheila Voyles, 244-7976. Closing date: Jan. 30.
Administrative Information Systems and Services (Chicago). Research programmer, computer network operations. BA/BS in computer science or related field and minimum two years' work experience in network design, planning, installation, operation support and maintenance required. Experience with bridge, router, wide area network and/or related technologies preferred. Available immediately. Susan Nelson McLain, 333-8635, aissap@uillinois.edu. Extended closing date: Nov. 24.
Administrative Information Systems and Services. Visiting hypermedia communicator, publications. BA/BS required, preferably in English, communications, journalism or related field. MA/MS preferred. Minimum three years' experience with desktop publishing, including preparation of documents for printing required. Available immediately. Susan Nelson McLain, 333-8635 aissap@uillinois.edu. Closing date: Dec. 1.
Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences. Research specialist in agriculture, farm and resource management lab. MA/MS in agricultural economics or related field required, preferably in production economics, farm management and natural resources economics. Minimum three years' experience in research, report writing and developing research-based education programs desired. Available Jan. 5. Robert Hornbaker, 333-5508, hornbake@illinois.edu. Closing date: Dec. 17.
Aviation. Aviation education specialist (1 - 8 openings expected; also see faculty listing). BA/BS and certified flight instructor certificate with airplane and instrument ratings required, MA/MS preferred. Available Jan. 6. Rick Weinberg, 244-8606. Closing date: Dec. 22.
Campus Development, Office of. Associate director or director of foundation relations. BA/BS required, MA/MS preferred and minimum three years' experience in development to qualify as associate director; minimum five years' specific experience for director. Available immediately. Richard Wilson, 244-1206. Closing date: Dec. 5.
Civil Engineering. Research information specialist. BA/BS and minimum three years' experience required. Experience in information resourcing and referencing, development of Web site and electronic databases, business management and accounting in a reference and resourcing facility preferred. Minimum $28,000. Available Dec. 21. David Daniel, 333-3814. Closing date: Nov. 24.
Civil Engineering (Mid-America Earthquake Center). Deputy director. MA/MS required, PhD preferred in an earthquake engineering or related field. Administrative experience related to multi-disciplinary research preferred. Available March 1. David Daniel, 333-3814. Closing date: Jan. 23.
Committee on Institutional Cooperation. Director, graduate minority affairs. MA/MS and related experience required, PhD with grants and administrative experience preferred. Available immediately. Sandy Williams, 333-8475. Closing date: Dec. 22.
Computer Science. Hypermedia communicator. BA/BS and minimum three years' experience in relevant field. Experience working with electronic multimedia such as Web authoring and publication preferred. Available immediately. Barb Armstrong, 333-6454, barb@cs.uiuc.edu. Closing date: Dec. 12.
Computing and Communications Services Office. Research programmer, workstation services group. BA/BS in computer science or related field and minimum two years' experience in UNIX system administration required, preferably on multiple platforms. Available immediately. Joyce McCabe, 333-8794. Closing date: Dec. 9.
Computing and Communications Services Office. Research programmer and/or visiting research programmer (consulting, 1 or more positions available, full or part-time). BA/BS and minimum two years' experience required. Available immediately. Direct program questions to Greg Kesner, 244-1819, kesner@illinois.edu, and questions regarding positions to dus@illinois.edu. Closing date: Nov. 17.
Crop Sciences. Research specialist in agriculture, molecular weed science. BS in biological or related science required, MS preferred. Experience in DNA cloning, isolation, PCR amplification and/or restriction analysis is required. Available immediately. Patrick Tranel, 333-1531, tranel@illinois.edu. Extended closing date: Dec. 2.
Crop Sciences. Visiting research specialist in agriculture. MS in agronomy, biology or related field and minimum two years' flow cytometry experience required. Available immediately. A. Lane Rayburn, 333-4374, arayburn@illinois.edu. Closing date: Dec. 2.
Crop Sciences. Research specialist in agriculture, plant virology. BS in biological or related science required, MS preferred. Experience in immunological and molecular biological techniques required. Available immediately. Cleora D'Arcy, 333-9485, c-darcy@illinois.edu. Closing date: Dec. 2.
General Engineering. Assistant to the head. BA/BS in business or related field required, accounting preferred. Some experience required, minimum three years' preferred. Knowledge of campus business systems, organizational structure, accounting principles and practices desired. Available immediately. Thomas Conry, 333-2730. Closing date: Nov. 24.
Grants and Contracts. Data processing auditor. BA/BS in accountancy, computer science or operations research required, CPA and/or advanced degree preferred. Minimum five years' professional auditing experience required, preferably at institution of higher education. Minimum $40,000. Available Jan. 21. Kay Williams, 333-4880, kayw@illinois.edu. Closing date: Dec. 1.
Library and Information Science, Graduate School of. Research information specialist, Prairienet. BA/BS required, MA/MS preferred. Ability to work effectively with community organizations, knowledge of UNIX and Windows-based Internet clients and basic data base and HTML understanding required. Available immediately. Leigh Estabrook, 333-3281, leighe@illinois.edu. Closing date: Dec. 1.
Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences. Research specialist in agriculture. BA/BS and knowledge in soil science, agriculture and ecology required. Experience with computer spreadsheet and database software preferred. LuAnn Schiff, 244-1484. Closing date: Nov. 28.
Social Work. Director of development. BA/BS required, preferably in social work; MA/MS in social work preferred. Experience in fund raising, grant writing and social service administration desired. Available immediately. Director of Development Search Committee, 333-2260. Closing date: Dec. 22.
Supercomputing Applications, National Center for. Coordinator of external relations, Alliance institutional development and relations. BS required in related field, MS or PhD preferred. Minimum one year's experience in budget management and allocation and working with management in a university environment. Available immediately. NCSA Human Resources, search #5855, 333-1698, career@ncsa.uiuc.edu. Closing date: Nov. 28.
University Counsel, Office of (Chicago). Claims analyst. BA/BS required. Knowledge of civil rights and general liability with minimum two years' experience preferred. Available immediately. Jeanne Schalk, 312-996-7762, jeannes@uillinois.edu. Closing date: Dec. 15.
Vice Chancellor for Research, Office of. Research information specialist, research and technology management office. BA/BS required, MS in library and information science and minimum two years' experience in data base searching in library or corporate organization preferred. Available immediately. Isabel Busch, 333-7862, I-busch@illinois.edu. Closing date: Jan. 15.
Water Survey, Illinois State. Technical assistant, National Atmospheric Deposition Program's Central Analytical Lab. BA/BS in a physical or biological science or engineering required, chemistry course work and experience in statistically summarizing environmental data sets desired. Minimum two years' experience with personal computers required. Minimum $22,500. Water Survey Human Resources, 333-0448. Closing date: when filled.
Personnel Services Office, 52 E. Gregory Drive, Champaign, conducts open and continuous testing for civil service classifications used on campus. More information is available by calling 333-2137. Or visit its Web site at: www.uiuc.edu/providers/pso/pso.html
Daniel Abrams, professor of civil engineering, has been named the first holder of the Hanson Engineers Professorship in Civil Engineering at the UI. Abrams is a leader in the field of structural engineering whose research and writings on the seismic behavior of masonry structures has set new construction standards worldwide. He was inaugurated in a campus ceremony Oct. 10. The professorship was established by Hanson Engineers Inc. of Springfield, in honor of the firm's founder, Walter E. Hanson. Hanson taught civil engineering at the UI after receiving his master's degree in 1947. In 1954, Hanson and two of his former students founded Hanson Engineers which today is one of the largest private employers of the UI's civil engineering graduates.
John C. Chato, assistant dean of engineering and professor emeritus of mechanical engineering, will be honored at a special session organized by former students and colleagues at the International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition in Dallas this month. The speakers will cite Chato's contributions to engineering, particularly in the field of bioheat transfer. In addition, Chato will deliver a lecture on the future of biothermal engineering. The lecture is the result of a workshop he organized at the Allerton Conference Center last April, sponsored by the National Science Foundation and the bioengineering faculty of UI. He, along with a former student, also will present another paper at this meeting on the safe-touch temperature of heated equipment.
Stephen P. Cohen, director of the Program in Arms Control, Disarmament and International Security, served as chair of the fifth "Summer School" for younger South Asian and Chinese scholars. The 12-day program took place in September in Kandy, Sri Lanka. He also served as commentator on Kanti Bajpai's paper, "An Economizing Strategy for Indian foreign Policy," delivered at the International Institute for Strategic Studies meeting at Nimrana Fort, India. On Sept. 18, Cohen inaugurated a memorial lecture series at India's premiere military institution, the United Services Institution of India, in New Delhi. Cohen was the first lecturer in the series, which was named after Col. Pyaral Lal, an Indian Army officer who was editor of the United Services Institution Journal and who was instrumental in developing higher education and training programs for the Indian army.
Ramona Curry, professor of film studies, has received a Fulbright senior research grant to study in Germany in spring 1998. The award will support Curry's archival research on early German cinema. Curry is working on a book that focuses on the marketing of film stars and the fledgling film industry's relation to the German government during World War I. She will spend most of her time in Berlin, where she will be affiliated with Humboldt University.
Dorothy Figueira, professor of comparative literature, has been elected to the advisory board of the American Comparative Literature Association. She also was elected to the executive counsel of the International Comparative Literature Association this summer.
Jacquie Hill, professor of anthropology and of educational psychology, received the Council on Anthropology and Education's Spindler Award in recognition of her significant and ongoing contributions to the field of educational anthropology. Her contributions are widely recognized for having significantly advanced the knowledge of the study of educational processes and cultural transmission. She will be honored at the annual meeting of the American Anthropological Association this month in Washington, D.C.
Billy Morrow Jackson, professor emeritus, and his wife, Siti Mariah Jackson are exhibiting paintings, prints and ceramic sculpture in the Wright Museum of Art at Beloit College, in Beloit, Wisc., through Dec. 10. For more information about the exhibit, call the museum at (608) 363-2677. More information also is available at the Jacksons' Web site at http://www.jacksonstudios.com.
Patricia Knowles, professor and head of the department of dance, was elected president and member of the board of directors of the National Association of Schools of Dance. Her term runs until September 2000.
Robin McFarquhar, professor of theater, recently served as fight director for two theatrical productions in Chicago and is about to start work on a third play. At the Steppenwolf Theater, he directed the fight sequences for "A Streetcar Named Desire," starring Gary Sinise, and at the Goodman Theater, worked on "As You Like It." This month, McFarquhar begins work on "Griller," a new play by Eric Bogosian, which is receiving its world premiere at the Goodman.
Bea Nettles, chair of the photography program in the School of Art and Design, was named Honored Educator for the Society for Photographic Education at its Midwest Regional Conference in Minneapolis on Oct. 10. Thirteen of her 27 years of teaching have been at the UI, and her textbook, "Breaking the Rules: A Photo Media Cookbook," has been used by more than 20,000 students since it was first published in 1977.
Barbara O'Keefe, professor of speech communication and of mechanical and industrial engineering, has been elected to a three-year term as a board member at large of the International Communication Association. O'Keefe has played a significant role in the development of constructivism as an approach to communication studies and in the development and application of the theory of message-design logics to the analysis of individual communication competence. She has worked extensively in the development and evaluation of computer-based collaboration technologies.
Patricia O'Morchoe, professor of cell and structural biology, of nutritional sciences and of veterinary pathobiology, was named Boss of the Year by the Secretariat, an organization of supervisory-level staff employees at the UI. She recieved the award for performing her duties well while enthusiastically supporting the UI, her consideration of other staff members and students, and her excellent leadership and organizational abilities. O'Morchoe accepted the award at an October luncheon.
Michael Pleck, professor and associate head of general engineering, was named a recipient of a Delta Sigma Omicron Distinguished Teaching Award. This award recognizes exemplary faculty members and graduate teaching assistants for implementing and/or advocating for innovative instructional strategies, technologies and disability-related accommodations. Their actions help students with disabilities have equal access to academic resources and curricula. The award will be presented to Pleck at the Instructional Awards Banquet in April.
John Prussing, professor of aeronautical and astronautical engineering, has been elected a Fellow in the American Astronautical Society for 1997. He is the first AAS Fellow at the UI. Prussing is being recognized for "contributions that have made a significant and lasting impact on the fields of spaceflight mechanics and astronautics." The award will be presented at the 1997 National Conference and the 44th Annual Meeting in Pasadena, Calif. in early December.
"Life is Real, Life is Earnest," a mixed media collage by Dennis Rowan, professor of art and design, was accepted for a national juried exhibition, Nexus II-Common Threads, which will be displayed at the St. Louis Art Guild Gallery through Jan. 10. The exhibition was juried by Jeremy Strick, the Frances and Thomas Dittmer Curator of Twentieth Century Painting and Sculpture of the Art Institute of Chicago. Rowan was awarded the Certificate for Excellence for two-dimensional work.
G. Terry Smith, fire service education specialist, was presented the Board of Directors Award by the Illinois Chapter of the International Association of Arson Investigators. He received the award in recognition of his outstanding dedication and service to his chapter. Smith is coordinator for the Fire Service Institute's Fire/Arson Investigation program and serves on the Illinois Chapter IAAI education committee. He was presented the award Sept. 11.
Steven Zimmerman, professor of chemistry, was honored Sept. 9 by the American Chemical Society for his work in designing molecules that may someday become environmental sensors, drug-delivery agents and a new class of plastics. The 1997 Arthur C. Cope Scholar Award was presented to him at the society's national meeting in Las Vegas. The award recognizes and encourages excellence in organic chemistry and includes a $25,000 unrestricted research grant.
The Dads Association recently presented its Certificate of Merit Awards. Zigrida Arbatsky, secretary and supervisor of the UI's computer science library, was honored with the 1997 Certificate of Merit Outstanding Staff Member Award. One of Arbatsky's main achievements was to transform the computer science reading room into a functional library accepted into the UI's main library system. Arbatsky also was recognized for her friendliness and helpfulness to the computer science library's patrons. Nancy Blake, professor of comparative literature and a member of the Campus Honors Faculty, received the 1997 Certificate of Merit Outstanding Faculty Member Award. Blake was recognized for being an outstanding teacher in the areas of women's studies and in criticism and interpretive theory. Blake also was lauded for her ability to blend intellectual challenge, wide-ranging discussion, and humor into her classes.
In the Oct. 21 election, staff employees selected three staff employees as representatives to the State Universities Civil Service Advisory Committee. Bernie Hettinger, electrician, Operation and Maintenance, and Paul Ochs, carpenter, O&M, were re-elected to four-year terms. Gary Fry, ironworker, O&M, was elected to serve the three years remaining in a vacant position. The State Universities Civil Service Advisory Committee is responsible for recommending actions and presenting problems to the Merit Board on behalf of staff employees.
The Illinois Center for the Book and the Illinois State Library selected the UI Press to receive the Illinois Literary Heritage Award "in recognition of longtime achievement and significant contributions to the literary life of our state and to the Illinois community of the book." The award particularly recognized the press's Prairie State Books project, which has reissued significant books about Illinois or by Illinois authors, with new introductions. Press director Richard Wentworth received the award and spoke at the presentation ceremony in Chicago in May, which coincided with the Printers Row Book Fair and Book Expo American.
UI United Way Pillars, those who have donated $500 or more to the United Way of Champaign County, were honored at a special event hosted by Lon Kruger, head coach for Men's Basketball, and his wife Barb in their home. Leadership gifts from the 289 UI faculty and staff members, and retirees totaled $206,261.63. This represented 28 percent of the 1996 United Way of Champaign County Pillar Campaign. The campaign funds critical programs of 31 nonprofit agencies throughout Champaign County including programs meeting child care, family support, youth development, physical health, homelessness and senior citizen needs.
We also recently have been doing excavations "under" East St. Louis, which was the location of a several-hundred-acre 13th-century Indian site with more than two dozen massive earthen mounds. The site was believed to have been totally destroyed in the mid-1800s by the expansion of East St. Louis, but our excavations have shown that a large part of the site, including the bases of many mounds, is still intact under the streets and buildings of the modern city.
In addition, we are participating in several small projects mapping a series of burial mounds dating to about the time of Christ on private land near Lincoln, and are doing excavations in the village area of a large mound site near Lebanon that is being destroyed by agricultural activities. One of our high-profile projects is the archaeological surveys for the third Chicago airport.
Honn worked as a secretary for four years at the UI's agriculture department and another 34 years in the department of chemical engineering.
She was a member of the Oratorial Society of Champaign and a member of Secretariat.
Survivors include two brothers and two sisters.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Diabetes Association.
Kibler retired after working as a printing press operator, computer systems operator and supervisor in the Printing Division at the UI.
Surviving are his wife, Linda; two daughters; his mother; two brothers; a sister and five grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Vineyard Christian Fellowship, Urbana.
Langendorf was a plumber for the UI for 10 years. He also was a member of Local 149 of Plumbers and Steamfitters.
Surviving are his wife, Christine; his parents; three sons; one grandchild; two sisters and four brothers.
Memorial contributions may be made to the family.
Civic groups in many Illinois communities see the World Wide Web as a promising new resource for attracting businesses, residents and visitors to their towns. But in many cases, especially in smaller towns, those groups lack practical knowledge about how to create and maintain a useful, attractive Web site for their community.
A new program that recently was awarded a $14,400 grant from the UI's Partnership Illinois council will provide such groups with much-needed information about getting their communities online.
Alaina Kanfer, manager of the Technology Research Group at the UI's National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) is overseeing the creation of the Illinois Community Mosaic (ICM), a Web site that will provide Illinois communities with information about setting up community networks.
NCSA has been providing help for community network projects since 1993, when it began working with Champaign County to build the Champaign County Network, or CCNet, a nonprofit subsidiary of the Champaign County Chamber of Commerce and a collaborative project between the Chamber and the UI.
CCNet is not a computer network but a network of citizens in the community, including representatives from business, education, health care, agribusiness, government and libraries, whose goal is to develop information technology projects to benefit the region.
The group has been responsible for several networking technology and applications pilot projects in the county, as well as for larger outreach efforts, such as an annual Internet Fair at Parkland College.
In part because of its work with CCNet, NCSA has received numerous requests over the years from Illinois citizens interested in getting their communities online.
"In order to reach the whole state, or at least a larger constituency, we hosted and co-sponsored a conference on building community networks in June 1996," Kanfer said. They plan to make the conference an annual event.
In response to comments from conference participants, an electronic mailing list and a quarterly newsletter were established to provide additional information about building community networks.
The Illinois Community Mosaic Web site to be created with the Partnership Illinois seed grant will complement those outreach services. The site will contain information that NCSA has gleaned from its earlier outreach and the knowledge gained by communities from their own network projects.
In addition, NCSA will work with the Graduate School of Library and Information Science, the Cooperative Extension Service, the Laboratory for Community and Economic Development and other units in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences to reap their expertise for the project.
The Web site will provide a directory of community network activities around the state, community Web sites in Illinois, contact names for projects, as well as detailed information about each project, such as the sponsor, infrastructure architecture, goals, participation level and funding.
Using both a search engine and index interface, Illinois Community Mosaic will provide links to general Internet resources for community networks, strategies, software and human resources around the world. The site also will include a section where Web surfers can contribute information about their own experiences with community networks.
The project represents a practical application of NCSA research about how people use and misuse information technology.
"We've studied how businesses advertise on the Web what they're not doing and what they should be doing and we've studied how communities put their Web sites online and found out which ones thrive and which ones disappear and become ghost towns," Kanfer said. "It's the next step to transfer the knowledge we've gained through that research to communities."
The ICM Web site will be modeled after Illinois Learning Mosaic, an NCSA-sponsored Web site that contains information for Illinois teachers about online educational resources.
For more information about the Illinois Community Mosaic Web site, contact Kanfer at 244-0876 or alaina@ncsa.uiuc.edu.
Partnership Illinois, a UI initiative announced in August 1996, was created to help coordinate public-service and outreach efforts at the university, increase the impact of the university's outreach programs, and create opportunities to serve the state.