March 1999   

It may not yet look like spring, but new projects are "sprouting" most everywhere in the college this month. Our College Strategic Planning effort is past the germination stage and now growing by leaps and bounds. We bega n with a university-wide open meeting in January, followed up with a retreat involving the college unit chairs and directors and the Strategic Planning Steering Committee, chaired by Roger Schlesinger. Professor Schlesinger and the committee are now facil itating five task forces involving the participation of over 50 faculty, staff, students and alumni. They will have a draft report that identifies planning goals in areas of greatest concern to the college in a few weeks.

Other "sprouts" include three new film series underway from Asia Studies, Foreign Languages, and Comparative American Cultures, and visits by four distinguished poets in March giving readings for the Ruth Slonim P oetry Series. I am especially proud to announce that of the four undergraduate students whose University Writing Portfolios were judged "the best" for fall 1998, two were Liberal Arts students: Kristofer Barber, Music and Clinton Williams, Humanities, WSU Vancouver.

Please remember that if you have news to share about our faculty, staff, students, and alumni, contact Sharon Hatch. And look for us next month!

Barbara Couture
Dean, College of Liberal Arts

Gary Huckleberry (Anthropology) was selected for the scientific team that will study the 9,300-year-old remains known as Kennewick Man. The initial research will involve analyzing the soil that clings to the bones and measuring the skeletal remains and teeth in an attempt to determine its racial origin.

Otwin Marenin (Political Science/Criminal Justice) was invited to present a paper on "The Role of Bilateral Support for Police Reform Processes" at an International Support for Police Reform in Transition from War to Peace conference organized by the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs, in Oslo, in March.

Amy Wharton and Mary Blair-Loy (Sociology) each received an Arts and Humanities Travel Grant Program Award.

Clayton Mosher (Sociology) and Dretha Phillips (SESRC) won a National Institute of Justice grant for an outcome evaluation of the drug treatment program at Pine Lodge in Spokane.

Gene Rosa (Sociology) will be a visiting professor at the University of Klagenfurt, Austria for two weeks in June where he will teach a course on The Risk Society.

Congratulations to History graduate student Bill Smith, who was awarded the Alpha Omicrom Pi’s Professor of the Month award.

Amy Mazur (Political Science) is co-organizing the third meeting for the research group she has been co directing— the Research Network on Gender, Politics, and the State. RNGS is a 40 member group conducting a cross-national study of the impact of women’s policy offices on public policy in 17 western democracies. The meeting will take place in July at Southampton University, UK and is funded by a European Science Foundation network grant awarded to the group last fall. As director of the French research team for RNGS, Mazur was Primary Investigator on a $45,000 grant from the Ministry of Social Affairs in France. Andrew Appleton (Political Science) is a member of the France-RNGS team as well.
Mazur is also section coordinator for the Comparative Politics section of the Western Political Science Association Meetings in March. She put together 17 panels for the meeting.

Ella Inglebret (Speech and Hearing Science) was selected by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, to participate on a planning committee for its first personnel preparation conference.

English doctoral candidate Bethany Blankenship was commissioned by the editors of the St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture to write a signed article on Agatha Christie for their forthcoming five-volume reference book. The graduate school and the GPSA has awarded her a travel grant to travel to the Shakespeare Association of America’s annual conference this April in San Francisco to present a paper entitled: "The King and the Shoemaker: Homogeneous Economics in ‘The Shoemaker’s Holiday’."

T.V. Reed (American Studies) has just signed a contract with University of Minnesota press for his book-in-progress, Social Movement Cultures and the Arts of Resistance. The contract includes a commitment from the press to wo rk with Reed in developing a multimedia Website to accompany the book which analyzes music, murals, films and other art forms that lend themselves to audio and visual illustration. Reed was recently awarded a Fulbright Fellowship to teach at the JF Kennedy Institut of the Freie Universitat, Berlin, Germany, for the summer of 2000.

In November, Bill Condon, director, WSU Writing Programs, did a lecture tour in Hong Kong. He presented three lectures, all under the aegis of Hong Kong Polytechnic University: "Serving Multiple Agendas: Writing Across the Curriculu m in American Universities," "From OWLs to Virtual Classrooms: Learning Spaces, Teaching Spaces, and Faculty Change," and "Portfolios of Writing: Assessment and Professional Development"

Marcel Wingate’s videotape series on stuttering will be used for the new graduate program at the Neve Yerushalemi-Zaidner Institute of Graduate Studies, Israel. The program will also use two of his books.

Joe Campbell (Philosophy) and Michael O’Rourke at the U of I, are organizing the second annual Inland Northwest Philosophy Conference to be held here and in Moscow, April 23-25th.

Bonnie Frederick (Foreign Languages) gave the commencement address to the graduating class from the High School Equivalency Program (HEP). The address was in both English and Spanish.

Two of the four undergraduate students who submitted the best University Writing Portfolios in fall semester were Liberal Arts majors. Congratulations to Kristofer Barber, Music (Vocal Performance) and Clinton Williams, Humanities ( English) - WSU Vancouver. They received $100 scholarships.

Margaret Sherve, American Studies doctoral student, has received a Graduate School travel grant to present a paper at the Mid America American Studies Conference in Omaha, Nebraska.

E. San Juan (Comparative American Cultures) was elected a three-year term member of the Board of Directors, College English Association, a nationwide association of college teachers of literature. He was also chosen corresponding ed itor for Weg und Ziel, a journal of politics and culture, published in Vienna, Austria. San Juan also published "Gramsci, Cesaire, Benjamin: Tracking Surrealism Across Multi-Critical Boundaries," in Comparaison II.

Katy Barber, American Studies doctoral candidate, has been awarded a post-doctoral appointment at the Center for Columbia River Studies in Portland, Oregon, effective this semester.

Ednie Garrison, American Studies doctoral candidate, won first prize in the Feminist Studies graduate student category. In addition to $500, the essay submitted will be published in the spring 2000 issue of Feminist Studies.

Mary Blair-Loy (Sociology) was awarded a mini-grant from the Curriculum Diversity Committee to add diversity elements to the course Sociology of the Family.

Brian Maki, a video producer at the Extended Degree Program entered Gregory Russell’s Criminal Justice 150 video course in the Aegis Awards competition for video professionals and WON! Judging is based on elements of production such as shooting, music, editing.

Joe Ayres (Communication) won "book of the year" and "convention paper of the year" from the Naitional Communication Association and was also ranked number eight on the list of "most prolific scholars" in Communication Studies.

Alex Tan (Communication) was named 1998 First Amendment Awards Winner by the Society of Professional Journalists, acknowledging his work as a member of the Campus Courts Task Force.

Fine Arts faculty have exhibited their works in several venues recently. Ann Christenson’s show "On Fire"was featured at the Clay Arts Center in Port Chester, New York. Jack Dollhausen’s show "Your Presence is Detected: Electronic Sculpture," was at the George Suyama Space in Seattle. Paul Lee was artist-in-residence at the Brandywine Workshop in Philadelphia and lectured at Temple University Tyler School f Art and at the University of The Arts. Works by Becky Anderson, Ross Coates and Francis Ho were featured in a Gallery West show in Moscow.

Tanichya Wongprasert was selected as Outstanding Teaching Assistant in Speech Communication.

Susan Chan (Music) performed a solo piano recital at Tuen Mun Town Hall in Hong Kong in December by invitation from the Hong Kong government. She also performed in a Christmas Concert jointly presented by the Consulate General of Sw itzerland and St. John’s Cathedral while in Hong Kong.

The Department of Sociology is following the career of their 1968 alumnus, David Longanecker, who has been assistant secretary for post secondary education with the U.S. Education Department. He will leave soon to become the executive director of the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education.

Erica Austin and Bruce Pinkleton (Communication) discussed their pioneering study of the effects of alcohol advertising on young children at a Faculty Fireside in Seattle in February. They also met with students in Nathan Hale High School’s broadcast class and made a presentation at the Puget Sound Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America.

Speech and Hearing Science graduate students, Sue Finley, Mary Stone, Karen Kalla, Britney Petersen and Jenifer Hankins joined SHS faculty members in delivering poster sessions and short courses at the Annual Convention of The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, in San Antonio in November.

Gail Chermak (Speech and Hearing Science) gave two presentations at a conference on central auditory processing disorders sponsored by the Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New York.

Marina Tolmacheva published an article: "Female Piety and Patronage in the Medieval Hajj," in Women in the Medieval Islamic World, edited by Gavin R.G. Hambly (St.Martin’s Press, 1998).

Noriko Kawamura was recently in Japan doing research on Japanese politics during WWI. She presented a paper, "The Terauchi Cabinet’s Policy in Sino-Japanese Cooperation: An Attempt to Establish Japan’s Supremacy in China during WWI, " at the New York Conference on Asian Studies at State University of New York at New Paltz in October.

Lisa Johnson-Shull, Writing Center Director, is coauthor of an essay titled "The ‘Butterfly Effect’: A Multiperspective Narrative of the Effects of Assessment on a Writing Center" in Weaving Knowledge Together: Writing Centers and Collaboration, a new book from the National Writing Centers Association Press.

Michael Myers (Philosophy) recently had an article, "Sharkaracarya and Ananda," appear in Philosophy East and West, the leading journal of comparative philosophy.

The third edition of Susan Armitage’s textbook, One Out of Many has recently been published.

Warren B. Roby (Foreign Languages) published an article in Language Learning and Technology, a journal for second and foreign language educators titled, "What’s in a Gloss?" A response to Lara L. Lomicka’s "To Gloss or Not to Gloss" : An Investigation of Reading Comprehension Online (Vol. 1)

Lynn Gordon and Liz Siler (both English) have been offered a contract from St. Martin’s Press for a book on ESL (English as a Second Language) Grammar to go with their handbooks.

Lance LeLoup (Political Science) is co-author of a new book The President and Congress: Collaboration and Combat in National Policy making.

Kelly Ervin (Comparative Anerican Cultures) published two articles, "Whites as a Minority Group? The Relationship Between Racial Self-esteem and Prejudice" in The Annals of Scholarship: Art Practices and the Human Sciences in a Global Culture.

March 1 Exhibit, "Art as Environ: The Contemporary Installation" runs until March 28 in the Fine Arts Museum. Exhibit Opening Lecture, Ross Coates, "Hermeneutics of Self-Worth as Defined by the Traditional Urba n/Rural Dichotomy, Fine Arts Auditorium, 7:30 p.m.

March 1-18 WSU Art Department Faculty Show featuring the works of Emily Blair, Marc Boone, Ann Christenson, Jack Dollhausen, Tamara Helm, Fran Ho, Paul Lee, Phuong Nguyen, Selene Santucci, Patrick Siler, Chris Wat ts. Esvelt Gallery, Columbia Basin College, Pasco.

March 4 Choral Concert, Bryan Hall Theater, 8:00 p.m.

March 4 Asia Film Festival, "Kagemusha," Fine Arts Auditorium, 7:00 p.m.

March 8 One Year Later Exhibit, works of 2998 MFA graduates, Gallery II, Fine Arts.

March 8 International Film Series, "Moskva slezam ne verit" (Moscow Doesn’t Believe in Tears), Fine Arts Auditorium, 7:00 p.m. Presented by Birgitta Ingemanson. (In Russian with English subtitles.)

March 9 Comparative American Cultures Film Series, Broken Blossoms, Discussion led by Rory Ong, Wilson 6, 7:00 p.m.

March 11 Ruth Slonim Poetry Series, Edward Dorn and Jennifer Dunbar Dorn, Avery Hall, Bundy Reading Room, 4:00 p.m.March 11 Solstice Wind Quintet, Bryan Hall Auditorium, 8 p.m.

March 23 Ruth Slonim Poetry Series, Henry Taylor, Bundy Reading Room, Avery Hall, 7:00 p.m.

March 25 Faculty Recital, Gerald Berthiaume, piano, Bryan Hall Theatre, 8:00 p.m.

March 26 Big Band II, Bryan Hall Theatre, 3:10 p.m.

March 27 Honor Band Day and Chamber Music Workshop, Concert in Bryan Hall Theatre at 7:00 p.m.

March 29 International Film Series, "Der Bewegte Mann" (Maybe, Maybe Not), Fine Arts Auditorium, 7:00 p.m. Presented by Rachel Halverson. (In German with English subtitles.)

March 30 Madrigal Concert, Bryan Hall Theatre, 8:00 p.m.March 31 Ruth Slonim Poetry Series, Murray Jackson, Avery Hall, Bundy Reading Room, 4:00 p.m.

Each year, WSU’s Music Program schedules a variety of activities for high school students.

These include events on campus for large groups, small groups, and individuals as well as workshops for teachers of the visiting students. The other side of Music’s efforts is trips to high schools across the state. Often faculty travel in small gr oups and visit two or three schools per day for a three day period. In other cases, faculty take a WSU student ensemble with them. While one purpose of all this activity is to assist in recruiting students, the focus is really on providing educational opp ortunities. An important aspect of the message delivered is that WSU encourages continued participation in music, whether or not students major in the field.

Band Day - usually in mid-September - is actually part of Future Cougar Day at WSU. As many as 20 marching bands visit, bringing 1,000 students. The students rehearse and perform with the Cougar Marching Band. There are also concerts by WSU student s and masterclasses by WSU faculty. Activities go until game time.

WSU’s Educational Choral Festival is in mid-October. Fall 1998 saw 24 (about 500 students total) choirs on campus for workshops with three of WSU’s faculty and two guest clinicians. Choirs engage in coaching, goal setting and a performance with WSU ’s ensembles.

In November, WSU’s Jazz Festival brings a guest artist (often funded by activities of WSU’s student ensembles) who performs with faculty and student jazz ensembles. Visiting jazz bands and jazz choirs are coached and reviewed by faculty. Master cla sses on individual instruments are provided by faculty and graduate students.

Voice Discoveries occurs twice in January, once on the west side (Auburn the last two years) and once on campus. This event focuses on solo singing. High school students are specially recommended by their teachers and come to the events for individ ual coaching, sessions on body and voice training, and recitals by WSU students and faculty. We often do scholarship auditions during this event.

In March, we do two events - Honor Band Day, and String chamber Music Workshop. Students are recommended by their high school teachers and are coached by faculty. For the String event, small prizes contributed by instrument vendors are given to the top three ensembles.

During 1998-99, there are at least 12 scheduled tours by WSU faculty and students to high schools in Washington. These include a three-day tour by the Solstice Woodwind Quintet, several one-day runouts by members of the string faculty to nearby com munities, trips by marching band and vocal jazz to competitive festivals, a trip by the percussion ensemble, and others. Generally, music teachers are happy to see university faculty come to their programs. They know WSU’s faculty will speak directly to a ll the music students to encourage them to keep their music interests alive beyond high school. The high school teachers also hear WSU’s faculty reinforce important aspects of playing and singing.

The time to coordinate all this activity, plus the time to actually do all the performances, coaching, and master classes, is a major commitment for the Music Program. Often, however, material performed has also been part of faculty recitals and ensemb le concerts. On balance, the Music Program believes strongly that a continuous investment in contacts with the public schools supports high quality in those programs, encourages lifelong involvement in music, and is directly related to WSU’s land grant mission.

The Murrow Symposium is scheduled for April 5, 7:30 in the Beasley Coliseum. Recently retired, ABC sports commentator Keith Jackson will deliver the keynote speech and also receive a Murrow Award. Jackson is a WSU alumnus and is recognized for his professionalism in covering all the major sports and the Olympics in 31 countries. Previous Symposium speakers include: Charles Kurault, Sam Donaldson, Sander Van Oker and Fred Friendly. The Murrow Award was created in 1997 and has been presented to Sam Donaldson, Frank Blethen and Walter Cronkite.

This year a second Murrow Award will be presented to Allen Neuharth, founder and first chairman of the Freedom Forum. Neuharth also founded USA Today and was chairman and CEO of the Gannett Company. The award will be presented to Ne uharth at a Special Convocation on May 28 at 7:30 p.m. in the CUB auditorium. Neuharth will deliver the keynote speech.

The deadline for College of Liberal Arts Scholarships is March 26. Applications can be obtained from Gloria Long in Administration Annex, room 303. Departmental scholarships may have di fferent deadlines. Applications for departmental scholarship may be obtained from departmental offices.

Faculty and staff of the College of Liberal Arts are invited to enroll in free courses offered by the Psychology department. To register call 335-7146 or email benjamin@wsu.edu. Courses are on Fridays – 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Johnson Tower 224

Apr. 2 Access 1 - Fund. Lect.

Apr. 9 Access 2 - Fund. Lab

Apr. 16 Access 3 - Linking Databases/Field Prop.

Apr. 23 Access 4 - Forms/Queries

Apr. 30 Access 5 - Reports