Augusta State University PR » ASU Report

September ASU Report

Heather Hopkins — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 11:16:47 +0000

The ASU Report is a monthly online publication for faculty, staff, students, alumni and friends of the university. If you have a news item, please send it to publicrelations@aug.edu.

Please use the menu below to navigate this month’s articles.

ASU authors featured at festival

Danielle Harris — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 17:25:05 +0000

About 10 ASU authors will be featured in this year’s Arts in the Heart of Augusta festival, Sept. 19-21, with Dr. Robert Parham, dean of the Pamplin College of Arts and Sciences, kicking off the events in the Literary Café. Dr. Parham, who also serves as editor of the Southern Poetry Review, will present a program at the Meet and Greet Author Reception, 6-9 p.m., on Friday, Sept. 19, in the café. Saturday’s events run from 11 a.m. through 8:45 p.m., beginning with a panel discussion at 11 a.m., Publishers Perspective for Writers.

The panel will address the publishing process from the publishers’ perspective, from query letter to advances and contracts and will feature three publishers/editors. At noon, Dr. Jim Garvey, chair of the Department of Communications and Professional Writing; Professor Michael Searles, Department of History, Anthropology, and Philosophy; and Ms. Karen Gillespie will discuss How to Find Success as a Writer, giving tips on various ways writers can find their successful niche. At 2 p.m., Professor Doug Joiner, communications and professional writing, will present Forbidden Broadway, a spoof of Broadway hits; from 3-3:45 p.m., Dr. Hubert van Tuyll, chair of the Department of History, Anthropology, and Philosophy, and Dr. Debra van Tuyll, Department of Communications and Professional Writing, will discuss On Writing and Researching the Civil War; and from 4-4:45 p.m., Professor Nancy Sutherland, Department of English and Foreign Languages, and Lynette Samuel, Children’s Literature Panel. From 5-5:45 p.m., Dr. Lee Ann Caldwell, director of the Center for the Study of Georgia History, will speak on Writing and Researching the History of Augusta; from 6-6:45 p.m., Rick Davis, Department of Communications and Professional Writing, will present a monologue he authored, The Sword Swallower’s Husband. The evening concludes with a 7 p.m. concert. On Sunday, Sept. 21, book signings begin at noon, and at 2:30, Dr. Ted Atkinson, Department of English and Foreign Languages, will read from his book Faulkner and The Great Depression: Aesthetics, Ideology, and Cultural Politics.

The Literary Café is being sponsored by the university and the event is being coordinated by Ms. Leza Witherington, Department of Communications and Professional Writing.

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Jaguar Alert System

Danielle Harris — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 15:19:38 +0000

An Emergency Notification System is now in place to notify faculty, staff, and students of emergency situations. “Only emergency notices regarding severe threats to campus or public safety that call for immediate action will be issued,” says Jasper Cooke, director of the Department of Public Safety. Jaguar Alert will not be used for nonemergency notifications such as lane closures, crime updates, inclement weather closings, or situations that have been contained where a threat does not exist.

“If there is anyone on campus who has not opted into the Jaguar Alert System, I urge them to do so,” says Chief Cooke.

In the Jaguar Alert System—which is provided by Connect-ED—faculty, staff, and students who opt in to the service may register two telephone numbers, two email addresses, and one device for text to receive emergency alerts. Emergency messages are broadcast to all contact numbers and email addresses provided.

“Emergency calls or emails from the Jaguar Alert System should be taken seriously by everyone. In the event of an emergency notification, it is also important that everyone follows the instructions provided and takes the immediate action requested,” says Chief Cooke. “

If you have not registered, please go into Pipeline, click on the Jaguar Alert button, and follow the directions for opting into the program. Once you have registered, you will receive a confirmation message.

“The new Emergency Notification System is designed to keep our faculty, staff, and students as safe as possible prior to, during, and following emergencies,” says Chief Cooke. “But they have to opt into the program first.”

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Dr. Saundra Reinke, an asset to ASU and the community

Danielle Harris — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 15:11:08 +0000

Dr. Saundra Reinke, director of the Master of Public Administration program and associate professor of political science, has been named interim director of ASU’s Center for Immigration Studies.

“I know that Dr. Reinke will do a fine job directing the center and its activities,” says Dr. Samuel Sullivan, vice president for academic affairs. “She will continue the quality and distinctness for which the center has come to be known.”

The center was created in 2006, and its focus has been primarily on Georgia’s Latino communities. It has sponsored several campus forums dealing with immigration and the law, conducted research for the Georgia Latino Acculturation Study, and engaged in outreach in the local Latino communities.

Dr. Reinke will focus the center’s research on identifying community programs and policies that help immigrants adjust to life in the United States.

The center is housed in the Department of Political Science, as is the Master of Public Administration program, which she also directs. “Because of Dr. Reinke’s leadership, the MPA program was recently approved for accreditation by the National Association of Schools of Public Administration, which is the most prominent accreditation that an MPA program can receive. We are enormously proud of this achievement and of her work as director of the program,” says Dr. Sullivan.

One of the newest and most popular tracks in the program is Homeland Security. The track prepares students for the challenge of preparing our nation and our community for disasters resulting from terrorism, accidents, or natural causes. The first students in this track graduated in May.

The MPA program is getting a positive reputation and is attracting students from other major universities in our region,” says Dr. Reinke. “We’re preparing the next generation of leaders. We expect to one day open the newspaper and see the names of our community leaders and know they came through our program at ASU.”

Dr. Reinke, a former U.S. Air Force officer, was also instrumental in having the university join the Servicemembers Opportunity College (SOC), which allows ASU to have a presence at Fort Gordon. SOC gives soldiers the opportunity to attend ASU and receive some credit based on specific military training they may have received. Dr. Reinke chairs the Fort Gordon liaison committee which works to improve relationships between Fort Gordon and ASU.

“Because of her efforts, we will develop and maintain a close relationship with our friends at Ft. Gordon,” says Dr. Sullivan.

In addition to the roles she holds at ASU, she serves on the editorial board of the PA Times, the monthly newspaper for the American Society for Public Administration. She also finds time to volunteer in the community and was a member of the 2005 (the best class) class of Leadership Augusta. She also serves as an ordained deacon in the Episcopal Church. She says her faith and Jesus Christ are what keep her going. “Making my little piece of the world a little bit better is my abiding passion,” she says.

Her work was recognized in 2008 when the Girl Scouts selected her as one of their Women of Excellence. The award recognizes women who embody the ideals of confidence, character, courage, and service.

“I am very proud of Dr. Reinke’s accomplishments and pleased with the exceptional work that she is doing on behalf of Augusta State University,” says Dr. Sullivan.

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ASU recieves Forestry Grant

Danielle Harris — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 14:54:20 +0000

Augusta State received an Urban Forestry Grant in August from the Georgia Forestry Commission’s (GFC) Urban and Community Forestry Grant program. A signing ceremony was held on Aug. 19 in Fanning Hall with officials from ASU and GFC participating.

“I’m very happy to have been a witness to the signing,” said Rep. Barbara Sims. “The campus of Augusta State is beautiful, and this effort is important in preserving what is so special about the campus.”

The $5,700 matching grant is one of only 30 awarded in the state. “The Georgia Forestry Commission is pleased to provide funding for capacity-building programs such as this one,” GFC Interim Director Robert Farris said. “We are proud to kick off this project in partnership with our congressional leadership and Augusta State University.”

Max Brown, supervisor of grounds and landscaping for plant operations, called it a “blessing for the institution” and explained how the funds will be used. “We’re proposing to have the trees on campus inventoried by the Davey Tree Expert Company using a Global Positioning System, and they will recommend the action that should be taken to better maintain the trees. Many of our trees are mature, so we’ll be looking at their health.”

Signing the grant on behalf of the university was President William A. Bloodworth, Jr.

The objective of the funding, designated by the 1990 Farm Bill, is to enhance Georgia’s community forests and build awareness of their importance and impact statewide. A variety of forestry-related literature is available to the public at the Georgia Forestry Commission office. Further information about urban forestry grants and a statewide list of grants is available on the Georgia Forestry Commission website at www.gatrees.org.

For more information about the grant, contact Kimberly Gray, director of ASU’s Grant Office.

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Former ASU golfer named to Ryder Cup Team

Danielle Harris — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 14:30:15 +0000

By Joey Warren, contributing writer

Former ASU golfer, Oliver Wilson, secured a place on the European Ryder Cup team after tying for 10th place in the European Tour’s Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles Golf Club in Perthshire, Scotland, on Aug. 31. Wilson becomes the second ASU golfer to play in the prestigious biannual tournament that pits European players against American golfers. The 37th Ryder Cup Matches will be staged Sept. 19-21 at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Ky.

Wilson, the only three-time All-American in the history of the Jaguar men’s golf program, enjoyed his best season professionally in 2008. He moved inside the top 50 in the Official World Golf Rankings earlier in the year and currently ranks eighth on the European Tour’s Order of Merit and 51st in the world rankings.

In 23 events in 2008, Wilson has posted 11 top-25 finishes, 10 top 20s, and seven top 10s, including four runner-up efforts.

With Wilson’s qualification, Augusta State is one of five U.S. men’s collegiate golf programs to be represented in each of the last two Ryder Cups (Stanford–Tiger Woods; Arizona State–Phil Mickelson and Paul Casey; Arizona-Jim Furyk; and Georgia Tech–Stewart Cink).

Augustan, Vaughn Taylor, a two-time winner on the PGA Tour and an All-American as a senior at ASU in 1998, was a member of the 2006 U.S. Ryder Cup team that Europe defeated 18.5 to 9.5 at the K Club in Straffan, County Kildare, Ireland.

The Ryder Cup will mark the sixth time Wilson has represented his homeland in international competition. As a collegian, Wilson was a member of the Great Britain & Ireland Palmer Cup teams in 2001, 2002, and 2003 and played a key role in clinching the 2003 Walker Cup for Europe at Ganton Golf Club. As a professional in 2007, Wilson was a part of the winning GB&I squad that defeated continental Europe in the Seve Trophy.

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Campus Notables

Tunisia Williams — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 14:07:27 +0000

ASU faculty members Linda Banister and Rosalyn Floyd, music , and Lee Ann Caldwell, director of the Center for the Study of Georgia History, will participate in a symposium at the Morris Museum of Art in connection with its exhibition, Landscape of Slavery: The Plantation in American Art, on Sept. 6.

Kristin Casaletto, art, has an artwork in the exhibition National Small Works 2008 at the Washington Printmakers Gallery in Washington, D.C. She also participated in the University System’s Faculty Development Seminar in Morocco and Spain this summer and has been named to participate in the Governor’s Teaching Fellowship program for this academic year.

Cree-Walker Professor of Economics Mark Thompson, Hull College, has been selected for this year’s Leadership Augusta class. Leadership Augusta, which encourages and develops community leadership, is a project of the Metro Augusta Chamber of Commerce.

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September Birthdays

Tunisia Williams — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 20:37:35 +0000

Waralene Currie	Public Relations & Publications	September 1
Carolyn E. Stephens	Educational Leadership, Counseling, and Special Education	September 1
Kathryn T. Thompson	Academic Advisement Center	September 1
Sherri C. Hobbs	Public Safety	September 2
Sharon L. Lorenti	Nursing	September 3
Ralph Whitehead	Electric Shop	September 3
Thomas V. Nakashima	Art	September 4
Damon E. Armour	ITS	September 7
Joshua A. Taylor	Public Safety	September 7
Jeanine R. Burse	Biology	September 8
John C. Sligar	Math & Computer Science	September 8
Scott R. Argo	Admissions	September 9
William A. Bloodworth, Jr.	President	September 9
Phillip E. Mixon	Reese Library	September 10
Stephen T. Whittle	Learning Support	September 10
Janelle R. Mangrum	Nursing	September 11
Kelly B. Thomas	Maxwell Theatre	September 11
Ying Wang	Math & Computer Science	September 11
Carolyn S. Cope	Communication & Professional Writing	September 12
Timothy M. Williams, Jr.	Media Services	September 12
Margaret B. Sansbury	Academic Advisement Center	September 13
John A. Chilton	Public Safety	September 14
Mark P. Mulich	ITS	September 14
David K. Saunders	Biology	September 14
Martha M. Bryant	Reese Library	September 16
Michael W. Wilkins	Registrar’s Office	September 16
Mark B. Brown	Special Projects	September 17
Richard G. Deaner	Educational Leadership, Counseling, and Special Education	September 17
Mary J. Eubanks	Procurement Office	September 17
Lynda A. Lotz	Sociology, Criminal Justice, & Social Work	September 17
Valerie A. Cato	English & Foreign Languages	September 18
Thomas M. Colbert	Chemistry & Physics	September 18
Martin D. Jones	Music	September 19
Jill K. Harnesberger	English & Foreign Languages	September 21
LeeAnn C. Swann	Center for the Study of Georgia History	September 21
Edward Anthony	HVAC Shop	September 22
Willene C. Holmes	Office of Financial Aid	September 22
Stephanie A. Myers	Chemistry & Physics	September 22
Walter E. Evans III	English & Foreign Languages	September 23
Eva L. Martin	Bookstore	September 23
Kristin M. Casaletto	Art	September 24
Nicolette P. Deloach	ITS	September 24
Vicki M. Hoffa	Business Office	September 24
B Roxanne Padgett	Office of Financial Aid	September 24
Stacy L. Fowler	Sociology, Criminal Justice, & Social Work	September 25
Mary E. Kerins	Reese Library	September 26
Jasper A. Cooke	Public Safety	September 27
Tracey A. Griffin	Landscaping & Grounds	September 27
Cathy R. Tugmon	Biology	September 27
Roosevelt Jackson	Landscaping & Grounds	September 28
Heather L. Hopkins	Public Relations & Publications	September 29
Dan Whitfield	VP of Business Operations	September 30

RG Brown III exhibit

Tunisia Williams — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 20:15:16 +0000

How can something be considered a work of art when it cannot be seen or touched? This is a question one art professor has found a way to answer. And he has agreed to use Augusta State University as his canvas.

As part of the city’s first Westobou Festival, ASU will be a venue for several art exhibits, one of which will display the “invisible art form” of University of Georgia Associate Professor of Art RG Brown III.

Mr. Brown creates artworks that involve burying forms under the earth, scanning the buried objects with sonar equipment, and then using that imagery as documentation for gallery-based artworks.

Earlier this month, a hole was excavated on campus, and Mr. Brown, with the assistance of several art students, constructed a foam boat and placed it underground. For three days (Aug. 29-Sept.1), surveys and scans of the area were conducted to create digital images. These digital works of art will be on display during the Westobou Festival (Sept.18-27) and at an exhibition being held in the New Space Galley in Washington Hall in October. On Friday, Sept. 19, at 3 p.m., Mr. Brown will give an artist talk, which will be held in 170 University Hall.

Also on display will be four traditional African canoes, two dug out and two plant style, that were commissioned as part of a Fulbright project the artist did in West Africa. Two will be placed in front of the Maxwell Theatre, and two in front of Washington Hall. The boats will be on display from Friday, Sept. 11, until Friday, Nov. 7.

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New department chairs in the Pamplin College of Arts and Sciences

Tunisia Williams — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 17:08:07 +0000

Two departments in the Katherine Reese Pamplin College of Arts and Sciences are entering fall semester with interim chairs: Ms. Jennifer Onofrio will serve as the acting chair for the Department of Art, and Dr. Richard Griner will serve as acting chair for the Department of Biology.

“The Pamplin College of Arts and Sciences is blessed with an exceptionally high caliber of faculty,” says Dr. Robert Parham, dean of the Pamplin College. “Both Dr. Griner and Ms. Onofrio will provide excellent leadership for their departments as well as outstanding teaching and mentoring to our students.

Ms. Onofrio, associate professor of art, has been a faculty member at ASU since 1995. A nationally recognized artist, she has exhibited her work in numerous group and solo exhibitions at such galleries as the Sherry Leedy Contemporary Art Gallery in Kansas City, the ARC Gallery in Chicago, the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, and locally, at the Morris Museum, the Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art, and the Mary Pauline Gallery. She has been a visiting artist at 14 institutions and served as a juror for the Arkansas Arts Council, Northeast Missouri State University, and Lander University.

Ms. Onofrio earned her bachelor’s degree in painting and sculpture from the University of Wisconsin and her master of fine arts degree in sculpture, photography, and drawing from the University of California at Davis. At ASU, she teaches photography, 3-D design, and humanities.

Dr. Griner, associate professor of biology, has been a faculty member at ASU since 1999. Previously he was a postdoctoral research fellow of the Cell Biology Group at the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute in Tampa, Fla., and an associate scientist under contract with the Environmental Protection Agency, Environmental Services Division’s Biological Assessment Team. He has written and co-authored a number of articles for such publications as the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, the Journal of Biological Chemistry, In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology, Carcinogenesis: Integrative Cancer Research, and Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, among others. He also is a contributor to the books Methods in Molecular Biology, Drug Toxicodynamics, and Mechanisms of Injury in Renal Disease and Toxicity.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in biology and microbiology from the University of Georgia, where he also earned a doctorate in pharmacology.

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