February, 19, 1998 / Volume 17, Number 15
News Bureau | Calendar | II Info | II Archives
- Computer tool teaches pronunciation to acting students
- Theater professor Christine Sevec-Johnson and journalism professor Brian Johnson have developed a computer tool for teaching correct English pronunciation to acting students.
- Study shows how to revitalize old brands
- While some consumer brands naturally fade away because of shifting demand or improved competitive products, others are suffering from "marketing malpractice," according to Brian Wansink, a professor of marketing at the UI.
- Findings indicate trees, grass foster children's play and encourage adults to supervise
- Trees and grass do more than make a person feel closer to nature. In the midst of a public housing complex in inner-city Chicago, such greenery supports children's play, particularly creative forms of play, and encourages the presence of adult supervision.
- Keck Center will elevate genome research
- A new multidisciplinary center designed for state-of-the-art genome research at the UI will become operational by the fall semester thanks to a $1.25 million grant from the W.M. Keck Foundation of Los Angeles.
Asian American Awareness Month...Children may audition for spring musical...CDL accepting child-care applications...Kinley lecture announced...WILL-FM signal stronger at 101.1...Larsen award nominations due March 9...TAB offers travel grants for faculty...Interactive teleconference is March 4...Program sponsors two lectures...Noss speaks on 'Saving Nature's Legacy'...Staff story ideas sought
By Melissa Mitchell
Move over, Henry Higgins.
The man who transformed Eliza Doolittle into a gentlewoman in "My Fair Lady" may just have a pair of real-life counterparts at the UI, where theater professor Christine Sevec-Johnson and journalism professor Brian Johnson have developed a computer tool for teaching correct English pronunciation to acting students. The tool, called Phonetics Tutor, is a software program designed to enhance the learning of phonetics, a system that describes and analyzes the sounds of a language in this case, English.
"A number of sounds in the English language have been lost or obliterated during our times," Sevec-Johnson said. But for actors, who are frequently confronted with the need to parrot regional or international dialects, speak like Elizabethans or even deregionalize their own speech, "it's particularly important to begin by knowing what is standard," she said. For that reason, acting students are required to study phonetics for a semester and a half at the beginning of their course of study at the UI. They also use phonetics when working on Shakespeare or other classical texts.
To the uninitiated, a college class that focuses on speaking may sound like a no-brainer, but Sevec-Johnson says that's not the case at all. "It's actually very complicated, and the book [that the course is based on, "Speak With Distinction" by Edith Skinner] is filled with drills and examinations that are complex and tedious." Using Phonetics Tutor, students may complete the drills which include three practice sessions for each of the 25 to 30 vowel and diphthong combinations at their own pace outside of class. The program provides students with simultaneous audio and visual cues. For example, while a voice pronounces a combination of sounds, a large pair of on-screen lips provide a close-up view that demonstrates how the mouth should be shaped while making the sounds.
Though Phonetics Tutor doesn't include a drill requiring students to make pronouncements about the rain in Spain, the program is written in a style intended to be fun for students.
"The practice sentences are quite silly," said Sevec-Johnson, clicking on an example in which the program's speaker carefully enunciates the phrase: "Rolling Rock, Molson and Corona are best enjoyed while bowling."
Sevec-Johnson said she felt it was important to add color, humor and life to the program because after teaching the UI course for a number of years with only the book as a guide, she had "become painfully aware that they've needed something beyond that to help them solidify their skills."
Phonetics Tutor received rave reviews last summer in Chicago at the National Association of Theater in Higher Education, and recently was introduced in the UI course. Sevec-Johnson's ultimate goal is to acquire permission from the publisher of the course text to market a CD-ROM version as a companion tool.
By Mark Reutter
Brylcreem, Burma Shave, RC Cola, Hai Karate and Black Jack Gum share the distinction of being products once widely recognized and purchased by Americans, only to become ghosts of their former selves.
While some consumer brands naturally fade away because of shifting demand or improved competitive products, others are suffering from "marketing malpractice," according to Brian Wansink, a professor of marketing at the UI.
Wansink has made a specialty of studying how to revitalize older packaged goods. At his behavioral lab at the College of Commerce and Business Administration, he uses panels of consumers, test kitchens and cooperating grocery stores to understand what influences "kitchen psychology" or the way consumers buy inexpensive household goods.
In a study of 1,037 homemakers, he found that ads suggesting non-traditional uses for a common brand increased usage by 73 percent over ads touting common uses of the same product. The key to repositioning is to make the new use seem different but not too different from the established norm.
"Suppose a person sees an ad which encourages her to eat cranberry sauce with a weeknight chicken meal. Since eating cranberry sauce with chicken is not so very different from eating it with turkey on Thanksgiving Day, this 'attitude halo' can help bring cranberry sauce to mind whenever weekday chicken is served." He developed ads that made the connection between a Thanksgiving meal and a chicken dinner and increased average household usage by 1.2 cans of cranberry sauce per month.
In another study to be published this month in the Journal of Marketing Research, Wansink reports that consumers will buy greater quantities of a regular brand at the grocery store when presented with in-store ads that suggest high anchors, or large purchase amounts. These include ads such as "Three cans for $1.00" and "Buy six bags for the weekend."
"Anchor-based promotions can increase sales even if the retailer passes no discount through to the buyer," Wansink notes. In a soup sales promotion where there was no limit per person, consumers purchased an average of 3.5 cans of soup, but when the promotion offered a specific high number ("Limit of 12 per person") the average consumer picked up 7.1 cans.
Wansink traces his interest in revitalizing consumer brands to his father, a worker in a large bakery in Iowa. "When we didn't go on vacation some summers, my father would say, 'If people bought more bread we could go.' That seems to have gotten me thinking that some mature products could thrive and improve sales if we understood consumer psychology better."
The recent success of Aqua Velva in making inroads with the mid-20s crowd
indicates to Wansink that efforts to reinvigorate "trusted but tired
brands" can be a less costly option to business than the $75 million
to $100 million it takes to launch an item.
By Jim Barlow
Trees and grass do more than make a person feel closer to nature. In the midst of a public housing complex in inner-city Chicago, such greenery supports children's play, particularly creative forms of play, and encourages the presence of adult supervision.
The findings published in the January-February issue of Environment and Behavior have implications for urban policymakers and for the general health and well-being of children growing up amid the poverty of America's concrete jungles, say UI researchers.
In 64 outdoor spaces of Chicago's Ida B. Wells housing development, almost twice as many children (ages 3-12) played in areas with trees and grass than in barren spaces. Creative forms of play occurred considerably less frequently in non- or low-vegetation areas.
"I think from a policy standpoint, the findings about more play are exciting, because play in general has important implications in children's development," said Frances E. Kuo, co-director of the UI Human-Environment Research Laboratory.
Specially trained observers also watched for the presence of adults, finding that the children's access to either partial or full adult supervision was doubled in areas with vegetation. Observations were done during after-school hours and on Saturdays.
The sites, differing only in the amounts of vegetation, are about equal in size within the complex of 100 one- to four-story apartment buildings. On average, 16 families share a single courtyard. Of the 5,700 residents in the complex one of the 10 poorest neighborhoods in the nation 97 percent are African American and 44 percent are children under age 14. Unemployment is 93 percent.
"I think the public often has a sense that the conditions of the inner city are at least partially due to the behaviors of individuals who live there," Kuo said. "It's important to remember how many children are growing up in these conditions. We want kids to stay in school and be socially responsible and hold decent jobs. We really need to think about the environments they are growing up in."
Schools can't be considered the only fix for fostering the healthy development of inner-city children, said study co-author Andrea Faber Taylor, a Jonathan Baldwin Turner graduate fellow at the UI "What about children's free time? We need to consider where they spend that time. Children need nearby spaces that support activities, such as play, that are important for healthy development."
The study funded by the National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council carefully documented previous research that links the importance of play on social and cognitive development of children and the accessibility the children have to responsible adults.
"This study argues that the way we design our cities has a very critical impact on the people who live in them, in particular the children who are growing up there," said co-author William C. Sullivan, a landscape architect in the UI department of natural resources and environmental sciences.
By Jim Barlow
A new multidisciplinary center designed for state-of-the-art genome research at the UI will become operational by the fall semester thanks to a $1.25 million grant from the W.M. Keck Foundation of Los Angeles.
The W.M. Keck Center for Comparative and Functional Genomics will elevate the university's DNA-sequencing capabilities to full-scale genomics and allow researchers to understand how thousands of genes work simultaneously to make functioning organisms.
The Keck Foundation grant will be used to purchase seven automated DNA sequencers, advanced computers, workstations and other related equipment to aid in comparative and functional genome analyses.
The new center will build upon a long history of leadership in microbial, plant and livestock genomics conducted by UI scientists, said Harris Lewin, a professor of animal sciences and director of the UI Biotechnology Center.
"The Keck Foundation grant will boost research in several fields, particularly in biology, medicine and agriculture," Lewin said. "This is the beginning of a new era for biology on our campus. More than 30 researchers and numerous students from different disciplines will benefit."
Lewin and Shankar Subramaniam will be co-directors of the center. Subramaniam, a professor of physiology and a scientist at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications, specializes in bioinformatics the application of computer technology to the comprehensive management of biological information, particularly in genetics.
"The Keck grant to the UI will put the university in the front ranks of those universities sequencing microbial genomes, and greatly enhance its presence in all areas of genomic research," said microbiologist Carl Woese, who holds the Stanley O. Ikenberry Endowed Chair.
Woese, who changed the way scientists classify life on Earth by his discovery of the archaea, will use the center in his continuing collaboration in a project to sequence genomes of various members of the archaea.
The center will be located in the Edward R. Madigan Laboratory, 1201 W. Gregory, Urbana. In addition to the Keck grant, the center is receiving $526,000 of university funds and a grant from the Illinois Council for Food and Agriculture Research. The center is a collaborative effort of the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, the School of Life Sciences in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the College of Medicine at Urbana-Champaign, the College of Veterinary Medicine, the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, and NCSA.
The foundation's grant to the center is the second the foundation has given to the Urbana campus. The W.M. Keck Foundation is one of the nation's largest philanthropic organizations. Its primary mission is to provide grants to universities and colleges throughout the United States, with a particular emphasis in the fields of science, engineering and medical research.
By Shannon Vicic
At its Feb. 13 meeting in Urbana, the UI Board of Trustees appointed 14 professors as associates in the Center for Advanced Study for the 1998-99 academic year.
The appointments provide the professors with one semester of release time to carry out work on self-initiated programs of scholarly research or professional activity. Associates are selected in an annual competition among the faculty members of all UI departments and colleges.
Two of the appointees have been designated Beckman Associates. Named for UI alumnus and benefactor Arnold O. Beckman, the appointments recognize outstanding younger candidates who have made distinctive scholarly contributions in the sciences.
Faculty members named Beckman Associates, and the research they intend to pursue:
Faculty members named CAS associates, and the research they intend to pursue:
By Jim Barlow
Four UI researchers Paul W. Bohn, Cleora J. D'Arcy, Sung-Mo "Steve" Kang and Steven C. Zimmerman are among 270 scientists who were recognized Feb. 14 as new fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Fellowship recognizes "efforts toward advancing science or fostering applications that are deemed scientifically or socially distinguished," according to the association. With more than 144,000 members, the AAAS is the world's largest general science organization. The association, which publishes the weekly journal Science, was founded in 1848. The tradition of naming fellows began in 1874.
The elected scientists were honored during the AAAS annual meeting Feb. 12-17 in Philadelphia. The AAAS elected the new fellows in late October 1997.
Bohn, a professor and head of the chemistry department, is an expert in the field of analytical spectroscopy in which he explores the domain between molecules and macroscopic materials. He also is a sought-after lecturer for national and international symposiums. Bohn joined the faculty in 1983, after serving two years as a technical staff member at AT&T Bell Laboratories in Murray Hill, N.J.
D'Arcy, a professor of plant pathology in the department of crop sciences, studies a group of plant viruses called luteoviruses. She has developed methods to purify the viruses from their host plants and to produce antibodies that can be used to detect infected plants in the field. She also teaches a course on the ethical dimensions of being a professional scientist. D'Arcy joined the faculty in 1978. In addition to her teaching and research, she is teaching coordinator for her department.
Kang, a professor and head of the department of electrical and computer engineering, was recognized for his general interest in science and engineering. His research interests include very large-scale integrated microprocessors and network planning. He holds five patents and has co-written six books, including a leading textbook on integrated circuits. He joined the UI faculty in 1985 after spending 10 years as a scientist at AT&T Bell Laboratories in Murray Hill.
Zimmerman, a professor of chemistry, is noted for his research in organic chemistry as it applies to problems in pollution and human disease. His work has led to the development of a molecule that is useful in detecting air and water pollutants, and his cutting-edge work creating tiny, stable organic structures potentially may be applicable in future nano-sized electronic equipment or for drug-delivery systems for the human body. Zimmerman joined the UI faculty in 1985 after completing two years of postdoctoral research at the University of Cambridge in England.
Bohn, Kang and Zimmerman also are affiliates of the UI Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology.
By Andrea Lynn
The UI's new Illinois Program for Research in the Humanities has chosen its inaugural class of fellows.
Six IPRH Faculty Research Fellows and five Graduate Student Fellows have been named for 1998-1999, all of them drawn from the UI's humanities, social sciences and arts disciplines, and all of them "innovative scholars," said Michael Bérubé, the UI English professor who last fall was named the program's first director.
The main job of Illinois' new humanities program is "above all, to galvanize broad-based interest in the arts and humanities both on campus and off," Bérubé said.
Widely regarded as an articulate and outspoken voice in the so-called "culture wars," as well as an outstanding scholar-teacher, Bérubé is putting his own scholarship on hold to lead the effort to win some overdue recognition for his university's arts and humanities faculty members and graduate students. Aiding him is Christine Catanzarite, IPRH associate director.
Faculty Research Fellows and their projects:
The five Graduate Student Fellows are: Kevin Carollo, program in comparative literature; Gregory Diethrich, music; Sascha L. Goluboff, anthropology; Dana E. Katz, art history; and Kathleen A. Mapes, history.
IPRH also has announced its inaugural speakers' series, which is free and open to the public. All talks will be held in the Levis Faculty Center. Speakers and their topics:
A free public panel discussion/symposium on the rift between the black underclass and the black middle class in America, based on "The Two Nations of Black America," a PBS "Frontline" television program hosted by Henry Louis Gates, is scheduled for 7-9 p.m. Feb. 19, also in the Levis Center.
According to Bérubé, faculty fellows will receive released time from their teaching for one semester to allow them to develop research related to the broad theme of diaspora, and to design or redesign a course that is related to that subject. Graduate students will receive stipends of $6,000, plus tuition and fee waivers. All fellows also are provided with office space and limited research support. The fellows' academic work research and writing during the 1998-1999 fellowship period will contribute to the program's inaugural theme, "Diaspora, Identity and Expressive Culture."
All IPRH fellows will present their work-in-progress at an interdisciplinary conference in April 1999. Several invited speakers of national and international reputations will join them at the conference, which also will focus on diaspora.
For more information about fellowships, conferences or other IPRH activities,
contact Bérubé or Catanzarite at 244-3344.
By Jim Barlow
One of the world's most dreaded enemies the cockroach is returning as guest of honor Feb. 28 at the 15th annual Insect Fear Film Festival at the UI.
The misunderstood critter, against which Americans collectively deploy $250 million worth of toxins every year, was first featured as the focus of a festival in 1991. This year's event, dubbed "Roaches Redux," brings them back to showcase films of 1996 and 1997, beginning at 7 p.m. in Foellinger Auditorium. Doors open at 6 p.m. Admission is free.
The return of the cockroach to the festival begun by UI entomologist May Berenbaum as a fun way to educate people about insects is no coincidence. In fact, cockroaches are reproducing rapidly as central characters on the big screen, Berenbaum wrote in a 1996 issue of the American Entomologist. At the rate they are appearing on screen, she calculated that by the 22nd century there will be 300 cockroach films every five years (or about one a week). All this for an insect that humans would rather kill than understand.
Berenbaum, a member of the National Academy of Sciences and head of the UI entomology department, and her supporting crew of the Entomology Graduate Student Association, plan a diverse evening this year. Feature films will be:
"People come to the movies with preconceived notions about certain insects," Berenbaum said. "It is very, very hard to find advocates for cockroaches. This may be the reason 'Joe's Apartment' didn't do too well at the box office. Overall, the film is very sympathetic toward cockroaches."
"Mimic" is a good film for the festival, which traditionally focuses on the misinformation that Hollywood uses to portray insects, she said. In the film, genetically engineered insects are made to kill cockroaches carrying a deadly pathogen. Problems arise three years later when the man-made bugs grow into misanthropic, human-sized roaches.
"I can't begin to tell you how many things are wrong with this movie, even though there are entomologists listed as consultants," she said. "It appears that nobody took their advice. There are lines of dialogue that not only no entomologist would say but no introductory biology student would ever utter. This film is ideal, because the science is totally ridiculous."
So what's the real message she has to convey about cockroaches? "I think a few bad apples are spoiling the whole bunch here," Berenbaum said. "There are about 3,500 species of cockroaches worldwide, and the vast majority have nothing to do with humans. In Illinois we have only about a dozen species. Worldwide, there are only five or six that are noxious pests. There are maybe 50 species that have anything to do with houses, and at least half of those are just trying to get out of houses that they've gotten into by accident."
So we should love them because they are good? "Well good is a relative term, isn't it? Good for whom? Most cockroaches are detritivores; they eat dead stuff," she explained. "And humans tend to keep a lot of dead stuff in their homes."
Cockroaches live other places, too, such as in ant nests, in deserts, in rotting logs, she noted. "They live in all kinds of habitats where they happily consume decaying materials and contribute to the release of nutrients back into the ecosystem."
Other creatures actually depend on cockroaches. There are tiny mites that live on the bodies of cockroaches, and tiny wasps lay their eggs inside the egg cases of cockroaches.
"Not all cockroaches are interested in crawling into your underwear drawer," Berenbaum said. Some species, she added, show advanced maternal behavior and have sophisticated chemical communications systems.
Last year's event drew about 1,100 people. This year's event will feature a variety of short films, as well as mechanical cockroach robots, T-shirts, roach racing or trivia, and displays of a variety of cockroach species. Insect munchies, as always, will be available for consumption, but cockroach goodies will not be there. Cockroaches are used for food and medicinal purposes by indigenous tribes in such places as Thailand, Australia and French Guiana.
By Shannon Vicic
Crimes against people decreased by nearly 23 percent on the UI campus and in the surrounding community during the last four months of 1997.
From Sept. 1 to Dec. 31, 1997, there were 72 crimes against people in the statistical reporting area, down from 93 crimes against people in that area from Sept. 1 to Dec. 31, 1996.
From September to December 1997, there were six more aggravated assaults and batteries in the statistical reporting area, but there were nine fewer sexual assaults and 20 fewer robberies in that area than during the same months of 1996.
On university-owned property, there were 13 crimes against people committed from Sept. 1 to Dec. 31, 1997, five fewer than during the same period of the previous year.
"We're very pleased to see a pattern of decreased crime in and around our university campus," said O.J. Clark, chief of the UI police department. "It's good to know that we're keeping pace with the national trend of reduced crime."
However, Clark noted that it's still too early to tell whether the decrease will be sustained throughout the academic year.
The drop in crime may be attributable in part to the UI police department's recently implemented coordinated policing efforts with the departments of Champaign and Urbana, he said. This effort with the Champaign department has led to a greater police presence in the northwest quadrant of the statistical reporting area, where the greatest concentration of crimes against people typically occurs.
"We also have increased staffing levels at the UI police department, which has helped us to implement a problem-solving philosophy through which officers and the community work together to address public safety issues," Clark said.
Captain Kris Fitzpatrick, public information officer for the UI police department, cited safety-education programs as another potential factor in the decrease.
The university sponsors a mandatory sexual-assault awareness program for freshmen and resident-adviser training programs in university residence halls. In addition, university police officers present safety information to students in summer orientation.
The university also continues to sponsor the campuswide Truth or Dare safety campaign to help educate and raise awareness about campus-area crime patterns.
"Since this is the second year of Truth or Dare, we now have two groups of students who have been exposed to those messages, which may mean we have a larger population that's better educated about staying safe," Fitzpatrick said.
The UI police department is planning to conduct a survey during the spring semester to help determine whether its safety education programs are reaching students and others on campus.
Some other patterns revealed by the crime statistics:
To avoid becoming victims, students should drink responsibly and avoid walking alone at night. Those who travel at night should take Mass Transit District buses or use Nite Rides. Students walking at night should stick to populated, well-lit areas and stay alert to their surroundings.
Students should call 9-911 from campus phones in an emergency or to report any suspicious activity.
Although the statistics reflect crime in which there is physical harm to people, the crime that most often affects students is theft, Fitzpatrick said. During 1997, there were 425 thefts reported on university property.
"Although theft does not involve physical injury, it can have a major impact on students, since they may have to redo course work, purchase new textbooks, and cancel credit cards if their backpack is stolen," Fitzpatrick said.
Most thefts are the result of personal items being left unattended in places and situations where they can easily be taken. The campus buildings with the highest number of reported thefts are the Illini Union and university libraries.
The crime report is the first of three statistical reports on campus-area crime to be released this year by the police department. The second report will be released in May, covering both semesters of this academic year, and the third will be released in September, covering the year ending Aug. 31.
The UI Department of Public Safety maintains a Web page at http://www.dps.uiuc.edu/.
Nearly 600 UI faculty and staff members so far are part of a major initiative to develop a strategic plan for the administration of human resources, business and finance, and information technology.
The plan, commissioned by UI President James Stukel, is to be completed by the end of the current school year. The project is called "S3: Support Services Strategy."
"This is a central part of our overall goal of administering the university in the most efficient and economical way possible," Stukel said. "S3 holds out the promise of streamlining what we do, reducing paperwork and, we expect, making administration serve our essential work of teaching, research and outreach, not the other way around."
Some of the pieces are already in place.
"The university already has moved forward with a procurement redesign and several 'core applications,' such as the electronic standard time report and the electronic change of status," said Rick King, assistant vice president and director of S3 and director of the University Office for Planning and Budgeting. "If we had started the strategic plan two years ago, those other projects logically would be part of the plan. As it is, they are fully compatible just a little out of order."
The day-to-day work of the project is managed by a business team, composed of 13 people from all three campuses. That team reports to a steering committee, chaired by Craig Bazzani, vice president for business and finance. Separate campus advisory teams meet periodically to review the business team's work and make suggestions as to what the next steps should be. Finally, consultants from Arthur Andersen are working side-by-side on the business team. They provide an outsider perspective and knowledge of strategies that other universities and businesses are successfully using that could be applied to the UI.
Since late November, members of the business team have spoken face-to-face or by telephone with hundreds of university employees in the three target areas. The interviews with "process experts" employees who know how things are done now are completed. Several other groups of "end users" will take part in focus groups and customer-satisfaction surveys. This work will yield an understanding of how the three target areas perform now and will identify possible areas for improvement. All the interviews are confidential and, according to business team members, have been fruitful.
"As we hoped, people have been frank and full of observations and ideas," said Ann Borelli, associate vice president for administration and human resources who is heading up the human resources portion of the project.
The team also is making presentations about the project to campus groups, such as the Secretariat, the Staff Advisory Councils, the campus senates, and department and college business representatives.
When all this groundwork is done, the team will examine how the university works now and compare that to "best practices" in the public and private sectors. The team then will develop the outline of a strategic plan, which when widely understood will enable the university to set priorities and create action plans to get things accomplished.
Within the next few weeks, many university employees will be surveyed via the Web about change. The confidential survey will probe people's feelings about university leadership, communication, values and attitudes about change.
"Any plan will require a resolve to change, and it must project improvements for everyone," said Tony Graziano, associate dean in the College of Engineering. "If the business team does its work well, the campuses surely will embrace the tasks that outline work for years to come."
Although the strategic plan will focus on human resources, business and finance, and information technology, its impacts likely will be felt throughout the entire university. Because of that, the business team hopes to keep all members of the university family interested in the project as it develops.
"The success of S3 depends on good will, our ability to change and patience," Stukel said. "The university needs you to make this happen."
By Shannon Vicic
Richard O. Buckius has been appointed head of the UI department of mechanical and industrial engineering. The appointment was approved by the UI Board of Trustees at its Feb. 13 meeting in Urbana.
Buckius, a professor of mechanical engineering at the UI, has been serving as acting head of the department since Feb. 1. He is succeeding former head A.L. "Tad" Addy, who has retired.
Buckius has been at the UI since 1975. He served as associate head of the department of mechanical and industrial engineering from 1985 to 1987. From 1988 to 1991, he served as associate vice chancellor for research.
During his tenure at the university, Buckius has won several teaching awards, including the university's highest teaching award, the Campus Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching (now the Luckman Distinguished Undergraduate Teaching Award), the College of Engineering's W.L. Everitt Undergraduate Teaching Excellence Award, and the mechanical and industrial engineering department's Alumni Teaching Award, which he has received five times.
He has extensively published in the area of thermal sciences, including heat transfer, fluid dynamics and combustion. He also co-wrote "Fundamentals of Engineering Thermodynamics," a widely used textbook now in its second edition.
Buckius earned his bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in mechanical engineering from the University of California at Berkeley.
By Shannon Vicic
The Urbana-Champaign Senate approved several changes to the composition of the Athletic Board at its meeting last week.
The Athletic Board serves as an advisory committee to the chancellor and the athletic director on the fiscal and operational aspects of intercollegiate athletics. Acting as a Senate committee, it also is responsible for that program as it relates to the academic and educational objectives defined by the Senate.
Under revisions to the Senate's bylaws, the number of board members will increase from 15 to 17. An additional student and faculty member will serve on the board, upping faculty membership from eight to nine and student membership from two to three.
The board also will add another alumni member, increasing alumni membership from three to four, but that change will be offset by the removal of automatic membership for the president of the UI Alumni Association. The automatic membership of the president was taken out of the bylaws because the person serving in that position may not be a graduate of UIUC.
The addition of the fourth alumni member will provide alumni representation on each of the board's four subcommittees.
The UI Board of Trustees will continue to have one voting member on the board.
The increase in student membership led to the hike in the number of faculty members on the board. Under an NCAA rule, faculty members must constitute a majority of the board's members.
Term lengths for faculty members and alumni were increased from three to four years. The term for student members has been changed from two years to one year with the possibility of reappointment. This allows seniors to serve on the board and makes it possible for undergraduates to be reappointed to a second term.
Student members also will be selected differently under the revised bylaws. In the past, the chancellor appointed two students to the board from nominations submitted by the Senate.
Under the revised bylaws, the chancellor will select one student each from two nominated by the Senate, two nominated by the Student Athlete Advisory Board, and two nominated by the Illinois Student Government.
Intellectual property policy
The Senate also approved a new policy on intellectual property to replace the previous one. Among other things, the policy creates a more unified document covering patents, copyrights and trademarks.
Outdated sections of the old policy, including a section on copyright issues regarding the PLATO system, were removed from the new version.
The policy should benefit faculty members whose inventions yield profitable products and should assure that the faculty member's lab (or equivalent unit) is provided with a share of the profits.
The policy eliminates the previous two-stage system for distributing royalties. Under the old policy, the creator of a product received 50 percent of the first $200,000 of the cumulative net income from the product and 25 percent thereafter. The remaining net income was allocated in support of the university's research programs.
Under the new policy, a product's creator will receive 40 percent of its net revenue, while the originating unit will receive 20 percent, and the university will receive 40 percent.
Revised student election rules
In other business, the Senate approved a revision of the election rules for student senators that will accommodate an expected shift to online voting by the Student Elections Commission of the Illinois Student Government.
The changes to the election rules involve restrictions on campaigning in or near voting sites, the parameters of the voting time period, absentee voting and references to ballot boxes, a term that will be rendered obsolete once voting is conducted by computer.
The revisions will not become effective until student elections actually are conducted electronically.
Trustees approve additional retirement programs
By Shannon Vicic
The UI Board of Trustees approved the addition of two new retirement programs for university employees at its Feb. 13 meeting in Urbana.
Under legislation enacted last year, state universities and other agencies covered by the State Universities Retirement System (SURS) have the right to offer their employees two new retirement options self-managed and portable retirement programs.
The board's approval of the item allows UI employees to participate in those programs, which will be offered through SURS.
The self-managed program allows employees to direct their retirement contributions, along with employer contributions, to a broad spectrum of external investment funds.
The portable plan enables employees to remain under the basic SURS umbrella, but provides an option that permits them to withdraw funds from SURS at a lower penalty than under the traditional SURS program.
Under the portable plan, an employee who leaves the university may be able to recover more of his or her retirement account's value than he or she would under the traditional plan.
All UI employees will be asked to select one retirement program from the three available plans (traditional, portable or self-managed). The employee's choice will be permanent; the employee will not be allowed to shift to another program in the future.
SURS will provide additional information, seminars and counseling sessions to assist employees in the decision-making process. It is expected SURS will begin accepting UI employees' retirement program selections by April 1. UI participation will become effective July 1.
New housing for Springfield
The board also approved a $2.5 million construction project to create about 20 more housing units on the university's Springfield campus. The units will provide residential space for 80 to 100 students.
Currently, there are 126 residential units on the Springfield campus, which house more than 400 students. The project reflects an immediate need, since students who would like campus housing must be put on a waiting list, said UIS Chancellor Naomi Lynn.
The project will be paid for with funds originally set aside to add two stories to the Paulina Avenue parking structure on the Chicago campus.
After a review of the Chicago project, UI administrators determined that it was no longer in the best interests of the campus, since the site for the new ambulatory care facility is no longer located next to the parking structure and UIC picked up several hundred parking spaces next to a building it acquired in the area.
BLDD Architects of Decatur will construct the townhouse-style residential units on the Springfield campus. The firm has been involved with several housing projects on the Urbana campus, including the construction of Busey, Evans, Taft and Van Doren residence halls, as well as the remodeling of Daniels Hall and restoration of Harker Hall.
The site for the units will be determined during the development of the master plan for the Springfield campus.
In other action on construction projects, the board:
In other business
Former U.S. Sen. Paul Simon stopped by Friday's meeting. Simon was on campus to give a lecture to UI law students and to appear at a book-signing.
Simon briefly addressed the board about the need for increased federal funding for education. In 1949, 9 percent of the federal budget was spent on education, but in the previous fiscal year, education garnered only 1.4 percent of the budget, he said.
The trustees also approved the appointment of Thomas Mengler as interim provost designate and vice chancellor of academic affairs at the Urbana campus. Mengler, who will retain his position as dean of the College of Law, will receive an annual salary of $151,250.
Chancellor Michael Aiken gave a report on enhancements in undergraduate education at the Urbana-Champaign campus. Among the programs highlighted were the First-Year Impact Program, freshman convocation, first-year Discovery courses, and living and learning communities in campus residence halls.
Provost Larry Faulkner also reported on enhancements in general education requirements, including requirements for a second course in writing and three semesters of a foreign language.
Students, alumnus address board
During a public-comment session Feb. 12, the trustees heard from three speakers:
Tarun Kukreja, a junior in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the Urbana-Champaign campus, called upon the UI to implement a code of conduct that would help the public monitor the university's contractual relationships with businesses, private persons and other outside interests. A code of conduct would help ensure that contractual decisions made at the university are ethical and socially responsible, Kukreja said.
Patrick Oray, a 1995 UIUC graduate, expressed his "anger and disappointment" at the university's handling of issues of color. Specifically, Oray cited the university's handling of its cultural studies programs and failure to hire a dean of Native American students.
Brooke Anderson, a sophomore in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at UIUC, extended an invitation to the trustees to participate in a public panel discussion on the use of Chief Illiniwek as the UIUC symbol.
During the Friday session of the meeting, members of the Graduate Employees' Organization picketed and handed out letters to board members informing them that the organization has filed unfair labor practice charges against the university concerning its treatment of graduate assistants.
The GEO is charging that the university has converted graduate assistantships to hourly jobs without tuition waivers and that a new merit system has tied the granting of assistantships and salary raises to a graduate employee's progress.
By Shannon Vicic
Thomas M. Mengler, the dean of the UI College of Law, has been appointed interim provost designate at the UI.
Mengler will become interim provost April 14, when Larry Faulkner will step down as provost to become president of the University of Texas at Austin.
The university's board of trustees approved Mengler's interim appointment at its Feb. 13 meeting in Urbana. A nationwide search is under way to find Faulkner's successor.
Mengler has the complete confidence of the Council of Deans and other campus leaders, according to Chancellor Michael Aiken.
"He has done an outstanding job as dean of the College of Law," Aiken said. "I am delighted he is willing to take on the interim provost position, and although it certainly will be a challenge, I am confident that he will carry out the responsibilities in an effective and capable manner."
A native of River Forest, Ill., Mengler earned his bachelor's degree from Carleton College in Northfield, Minn., and a master's degree in philosophy from the University of Texas at Austin. He graduated from the University of Texas School of Law in 1981.
After serving as a law clerk for Judge James K. Logan of the U.S. Court of Appeals in Kansas, Mengler entered private practice in Washington, D.C.
From 1983 to 1985, Mengler was an assistant attorney general in Texas, working as a civil litigator in the antitrust division. He joined the UI faculty in 1985. He has been dean of the College of Law since 1993.
Mengler's teaching and research focus on civil procedure, complex litigation and evidence. As a consultant to the Federal Courts Study Committee, he participated in the drafting of jurisdictional legislation enacted by Congress in 1990.
From 1992-94, Mengler served as a consultant to the Long Range Planning Committee of the Judicial Conference of the United States, the administrative arm of the federal courts.
For more information, contact Jonathan Ying, jying@staff.uiuc.edu or 333-0050. Information for the events also may be found at the 1998 Asian American Awareness Month Web site at http://www.odos.uiuc.edu/apaa/aaam98.htm.
An economics professor at the University of Chicago since 1973, Heckman has tackled such questions as the impact of civil rights and affirmative-action programs on the U.S. economy, the impact of taxes on the labor supply and on the impact of unionism in developing countries. He is the author of two recent books, "Evaluating Social Programs: Methodological and Empirical Lessons From a Prototypical Job Training Program" and "Incentives in Government Bureaucracies: Can Incentives in Bureaucracies Emulate Market Efficiency?"
The Kinley Lecture is free and open to the public. It is sponsored by the department of economics and the College of Commerce and Business Administration.
WILL-FM broadcasts 24 hours a day, airing mostly classical music, with big band and folk music on Friday nights, and jazz on Saturday nights. For a complimentary copy of WILL's program guide, call 333-1070. Or visit WILL's Web site at www.will.uiuc.edu.
To request nomination forms, call Dennis Vidoni at 333-3701, or e-mail d-vidoni@illinois.edu. Deadline for nominations is March 9.
To apply, faculty members should submit a brief letter describing why attendance would be appropriate and beneficial to the faculty member and to his or her unit. A copy of the meeting announcement and/or registration materials, a detailed itinerary and an itemized budget estimate also should be submitted. The faculty member's unit head/chair must co-sign the application. Travel grants may not cover the entire estimated cost of the trip, so applicants should indicate other available support.
Within 30 days of completion of the trip, the travel-grant recipient must submit to TAB a brief report on the meeting or event, with a description of how the grant may influence the advancement of teaching in the recipient's unit.
Applications and supporting materials should be sent to the Teaching Advancement Board, Associate Provost Susan T. Gonzo, Office of the Provost, 208 Swanlund Administration Building, MC-304.
The teleconference focuses on adding interactive media to your marketing mix to enhance overall marketing efforts and increase enrollments.
The broadcast, scheduled from 1 to 3 p.m., will be followed by local case studies and discussion. Although registration is full for the conference, people may call 333-5010 or e-mail winsor@illinois.edu to be put on a waiting list. To learn more about the teleconference, visit http://www.pbs.org/learn/als/programs/live/market/.
The telecast is sponsored by the Continuing Education and Public Service, Continuing Engineering Education and the Campus Communications Council.
Meron Medzini, a senior lecturer at Hebrew University and Tel Aviv University, will speak on "The American-Israeli Relationship." The lecture is at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 19 in 314A Illini Union. Medzini is a former director of the Israel Government Press Office and editorial writer for the Jerusalem Post and other daily newspapers in Israel. The lecture is co-sponsored by the Hillel Foundation, the Drobny Program for Jewish Culture and Society, and ACDIS.
Biology and regional planning usually have been considered separate disciplines with disparate aims and methodologies. However, recently the limitations of species-by-species and resource-by-resource approaches to conservation have become clear. Noss argues that successful conservation efforts, especially biological reserve selection and design, require greater attention to ecosystems, landscapes and ecoregions, as well as a unification of science with planning. Noss offers a regional planning approach to conserving rare, threatened and endangered species, and will emphasize ecological considerations for selecting and designing areas to serve as biological reserves.
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.
faculty
Animal Sciences. Assistant/associate professor, statistical genetics. PhD with expertise in theory and application of statistics and mathematical modeling to molecular genetics required. Postdoctoral experience preferred. Available Aug. 1. Robert Easter, 333-3462, r-easter@illinois.edu. Extended closing date: Aug. 1.
International Programs and Studies. Director, Office of Women and International Development (60 percent Women and International Development; 40 percent faculty member in relevant department). Senior scholar with doctorate or terminal degree in appropriate field required. Substantial international experience on issues of gender and development, including interest in rural issues required. Available Aug. 21. Marianne Ferber, 333-0142. Closing date: March 31.
Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Office of. Provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs. Distinguished record of teaching and scholarly or research accomplishments required. Available immediately. Paul Bohn, 333-4238 or 333-6394, chancellor@illinois.edu. Closing date: March 27.
University High School. Teaching associate, computer science. BA/BS in computer science, educational technology, telecommmunications, media or related field with relevant experience required. MA/MS in computer science, educational technology, media or related field with teaching experience in technical area at secondary level preferred. Available Aug. 19. Linda Bruns-Wise, 333-2870. Closing date: March 31.
academic professional
Applied Life Studies, College of. Manager of systems services. BA/BS required, MA/MS preferred, with minimum three years' professional experience in networked administration and minimum three years' experience in computer support activities. Minimum $33,000. Available March 1. Jerry Burnam, 333-2131. Extended closing date: Feb. 23.
Athletics, Division of Intercollegiate. Assistant varsity coach, volleyball. BA/BS, sound administrative and interpersonal skills and basic knowledge of volleyball techniques required. Minimum two years' experience at Division I level preferred. Available immediately. Don Hardin, 333-8607. Closing date: March 12.
Beckman Institute. Research programmer, Visualization, Media and Imaging Lab. BA/BS and minimum two years' experience with computer graphics/multimedia applications and/or user support required. Hardware/software experience required. Available immediately. Tiffany Tsou, 244-4474, y-tsou@illinois.edu Closing date: March 2.
Beckman Institute. Network analyst, Theoretical Biophysics Group. BA/BS with work experience in system administration required, MA/MS preferred. Experience in administration of Unix platforms required. Available immediately. Gila Budescu, 244-6914, gila@ks.uiuc.edu. Closing date: Feb. 20.
Commerce and Business Administration. Associate director or director of development. BA/BS and minimum three years' experience in development or related field required. MA/MS and experience in major gift fund raising and/or university administration preferred. Available immediately. Mark Neville, 244-6446. Extended closing date: March 20.
Electrical and Computer Engineering. Research programmer. BA/BS required, MA/MS preferred, in electrical engineering, computer science or related field with minimum two years' relevant experience required. Available immediately. M. Tracy, 333-9699. Closing date: Feb. 27.
Housing Division. Resident director. BA/BS and residence hall experience required, MA/MS in college student personnel or related field preferred. Available July 21. Minimum $19,000 plus furnished apartment. Michael Herrington, 333-0770. Closing date: March 20.
Housing Division. Area coordinator. MA/MS in college student personnel or related field and minimum three years' residence hall experience required. Available July 1. Minimum $28,000. Michael Herrington, 333-0770. Closing date: March 20.
International Programs and Studies. Associate director, study abroad office. MA/MS and minimum three years' study abroad administrative experience required. Available immediately. Sheila Roberts, 333-6104. Closing date: Feb. 27.
Liberal Arts and Sciences. Academic adviser, general curriculum center. BA/BS in a liberal arts and sciences major and MA/MS required. Minimum two years' advising experience with undergraduate students required. Experience advising UIUC undergrads and working knowledge of UIUC administration preferred. Available Aug. 21. Brian Ranier, 333-4714. Closing date: March 16.
McKinley Health Center. Visiting research programmer. BA/BS in computer science/engineering or related field required. Minimum two years' experience in network administration, project management, object-oriented methodologies and client-server environment required. Implementing relational graphic user interface databases in non-technical environment required. Available immediately. Chair, Visiting Research Programmer Search Committee, 333-2711. Closing date: March 2.
WILL AM-FM-TV. Marketing specialist. BA/BS with specialization in communications area and minimum two years' successful professional experience in marketing/marketing-related fields required. Available April 1. Promotion Coordinator Search Committee, 333-1070. Closing date: Feb. 27.
staff
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
By Nancy Koeneman
What is your job at the UI and how long have you worked here?
I'm a certified veterinary technician. I've been here 12 years and I work at the small animal clinic.
What kinds of things do you do as a veterinary technician?
This is a licensed position. We have to take a board exam when we finish school and then 10 hours a year of continuing education. Some of the things we do are under the direction of a veterinarian. We can't diagnose, give rabies vaccines or sign health certificates, but we can do a variety of things. We do a lot of client communication.
I've worked in the emergency room, the ICU [intensive care unit] and most areas of medicine. I've been working in the dermatology section for the past four years since I've found immunology and allergies really interesting. My job includes setting up for the procedures, such as skin tests or laser surgery. One of the things I've done is start up the allergen hot line. Once the doctor diagnoses an animal's problem, we set up treatment therapies to attack the problem and build the immune system. It's just like with humans: We start them on a small dose of what they are allergic to. I process the allergens [prepare the medication] we use to help the patients. The hot line allows clients to call in and order the allergens for their animals, and if they have questions, to leave a message for me to call them back. People used to call the front desk or the pharmacy, but they need to talk to our department to make an order. I make up their order and they can pick it up or we can mail it to them.
Since animals are so often the cause of people allergies, it's interesting to find that they can have allergies, too. Are people surprised to find their animal might have an allergy and what they are allergic to?
People are so amazed we can do this kind of thing. Their animals might have itching or watering eyes, but once we diagnose the animal's problem, usually because there is some kind of other infection, we can test for and treat the environmental or inhalant allergies. They can be allergic to house dust, molds, pollen the same things people can be allergic to. And just like with humans, spring, summer and fall are our busiest times. Animals also can react the same ways as humans to allergens. I usually attend veterinary seminars for my continuing education but a few years ago I attended a human dermatology conference. There were 10,000 people there. I did a poster on allergic reactions in animals, such as hives on horses, and many of the people came by and said, "Wow! Dogs can get that?" and, "You can treat that?" They were just amazed.
How many people are in your department?
It's a great group. We have four people. A staff dermatologist who is a tenured professional, two residents who are attaining their specialty in dermatology and me.
You seem to have a real commitment and affection for animals. Do you have any pets yourself?
My husband and I have a small farm. He has a background in animal sciences, too. We have seven dogs, cats, fish, parakeets, a horse, a pony and other assorted animals. We just got some sheep that our two shelties will practice herding. We've just started showing the shelties in the past year. We have two boys, ages 9 and 7, and they help with the chores and are learning how to show the shelties. They're not old enough yet to actually show, but I do 4-H projects with them. We also are into sports. I've coached soccer and hope to do that again. We also enjoy scuba diving. I'm interested in marine life and sea creatures.
How do you find time for all this?
I'm just crazy. Eventually I'd like to study marine biology, but as you can tell, I'm a little busy right now. Maybe in the future.
Costin was a professor of psychology at the UI. He lived in Champaign for 50 years before moving to Fairfax. He was a member of Sinai Temple while living in Champaign.
Survivors include his wife, Lela; two daughters; two sisters; and five grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, Northern Virginia Chapter, 10201 Lee Highway, Suite 210, Fairfax, VA 22030.
De Grado received his BA at Kean College of New Jersey and studied at Indiana University. He joined the UI faculty in 1991.
He had a nationwide reputation and has performed in the United States, Europe and Asia as a recitalist, chamber musician and soloist with orchestra.
De Grado began his piano studies at age 4 and was performing by age 12. He toured the United States, Japan, Europe and Brazil with violinist Joshua Bell and made appearances on the "Tonight Show." He continued to tour with Bell after coming to the UI and also collaborated with UI piano professor Ian Hobson as well as cellists Steven Iserlis and Nathaniel Rosen.
He was in Spain on a concert tour with Bell at the time of his death.
Survivors include his mother, stepfather, a sister and stepsister.
Memorial contributions may be made to the UI Foundation. Gifts should be designated for the School of Music's De Grado Memorial Fund.
Goldhaber was born in Germany, where she earned a doctoral degree at the University of Munich in 1935. She was credited with the discovery that spontaneous fission is associated with the emission of neutrons. She made the observation in 1942 as a research physicist at the UI, but it was classified top secret and not announced until after World War II.
Goldhaber added to the knowledge of the structure of the nucleus when she found regularities in nuclear excited states. She also did research on long-lived isomers and heavy ions. In 1948, while at the UI, she and her husband, Maurice Goldhaber, determined that beta rays were identical with electrons. She left the UI in 1950 to become the first woman with a Ph.D. in physics on the Brookhaven faculty. She retired as a senior scientist at Brookhaven National Laboratory.
She was elected a fellow of the American Physics Society in 1947 and the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 1980, and to membership in the National Academy of Sciences in 1972.
Gould received a bachelor's degree from Iowa State University and a doctorate from the University of Minnesota. He served as a corporal in the U.S. infantry during World War II and was an expert rifleman. He fought at the Battle of the Bulge and on D-Day and was awarded two bronze stars for heroism.
He was a professor at the UI from 1958 to 1995. He was a member of the American Legion, National Science Teachers Association, Illinois Science Teachers Association and Phi Delta Kappa.
He is survived by his wife, Muriel; a daughter; a son; three grandchildren; and a great-grandson.
Memorials may be made to the Orrin Gould Memorial, Alzheimer's Society of Washington, P.O. Box 4104, Bellingham, WA 98227.
Tash graduated from Unity High School, Tolono, and served in the U.S. Army. He was employed at the UI for 32 years. He retired in 1997 as a building service supervisor.
Survivors include his wife, Patricia; a son; a brother; and four sisters.
Memorial contributions may be made to the First United Methodist Church of Champaign.
For many, the World Wide Web is a gateway to unlimited information. For Keith Wessel, a blind student studying computer science at the UI, the Web is more like a gate with a padlock and a "do not enter" sign.
That's because the vast majority of Web-site developers aren't taking into account the needs of the disabled. It's troubling not only to Wessel, but to researchers such as the UI's Jon Gunderson.
"Access to the Web and other information networks is a new literacy skill," says Gunderson, coordinator of assistive communication and information technologies at the UI's Division of Rehabilitation-Education Services. "People without skills or the ability to access these information networks will be at a severe disadvantage in employment and education situations."
Wessel, Gunderson and a host of others nationwide have been working on wide-ranging independent and collaborative efforts aimed at ensuring universal access to the Web. In addition to chairing a subcommittee at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications that issued recommendations for making browser technology more accessible, Gunderson has provided input to the World Wide Web Consortium's Web Access Initiative, an international collaborative effort launched last year and supported by industry and government.
At the UI, Wessel demonstrated his own, hands-on initiative. While working as a full-time intern at NCSA, he designed a Web-based diagnostic tool called the Text-Only Maker, or TOM. A work in progress, TOM will enable Web-site developers to check their sites for access problems, and receive suggested solutions as well.
Access problems vary, depending on the nature of individual disabilities. For example, unless accompanied by text-based information, audio clips are useless for those with hearing impairments. And for the visually impaired who rely on screen readers, which provide output to speech synthesizers or refreshable Braille displays large portions of information are rendered meaningless. "For instance," Wessel said, "if someone has a picture on a site and I'm using a text-based browser and I pull up a page that's graphical, I get '[image].' There's no information to tell me what's there. All a Web developer has to do is insert a tag into the code that provides text describing the picture."
Other obstacles for Wessel include frames design devices that subdivide single Web pages. Frames can't be readily accessed via screen readers. The fix? "Make a 'no frames' option available."
"The key to solving these problems is to place the responsibility in the hands of the people who are doing the work," Wessel said. "First, we need to find them; second, we need to convince them to make their sites accessible." The reasons to do so will become apparent, he said, especially when "people consider that approximately 20 percent of the population has some form of disability."
More information on this topic is available at www.w3.org/WAI.