June 2008

A Student Union brick campaign will begin this summer when UNF offers the opportunity to purchase a personalized paver that will be laid in Osprey Plaza, the atrium walkway between the east and west buildings of the 148,000-square-foot structure, before the scheduled opening in 2009.

Organizers hope a UNF brick will provide an opportunity for faculty and staff to demonstrate support for students, become a prized graduation gift, or a way for a grateful student to honor a mentor or favorite professor.

"It is an opportunity for alumni, students, faculty, staff, parents and community members to purchase personalized bricks as a tangible expression of UNF pride and spirit that will be visible for generations," said Dr. Lucy Croft, assistant vice president for Student Affairs.

A personalized 8-by-8-inch paver will cost $200 for faculty, staff, alumni and others. Currently enrolled students will pay $100. The price includes the lettering that will be cut into the bricks. Proceeds from brick sales will go to the Division of Student Affairs to help pay for scholarships, programs and initiatives to enhance student life.

Bruce Ogier, a 1974 UNF graduate and member of the Student Affairs Community Council that proposed the brick campaign, said the council was looking for a fund-raising method to help Student Affairs enhance student life on campus, as well as create new ways for employees, students, alumni and others to connect to the University.

The brick campaign is expected to become an annual fund-raising source for Student Affairs for years to come. The atrium walkway will include thousands of bricks. Plans call for bricks to be installed once or twice a year, depending on sales.

Ogier said the brick campaign gives Student Affairs "the opportunity to have extra money to accelerate what would be good programs, which would be state-funded, to enhance them and make them even better."

The plaza is certain to become a well-traveled walkway as students, faculty and staff visit the hub of activity at the Student Union, which will house the Student Government offices, the UNF Bookstore, a convenience store, food court and other amenities. 

Dr. Pamela Chally's hard work paid off May 30 when she was named this year's EVE Award winner for excellence in education at a luncheon at Jacksonville's Hyatt Regency. The Florida Times-Union presented its annual EVE Awards to recognize women who have made a positive impact on the Northeast Florida area and the people who live here. Chally, dean of the Brooks College of Health, received the coveted award based on her outstanding accomplishments over the past year.

Among her many successes, Chally performed a yearlong survey to evaluate and address the area's nursing shortage. She also obtained the naming grant needed to complete the $10 million expansion of the Brooks College of Health building and she was instrumental in taking the University's nursing and physical therapy programs from the master's level to the doctoral level.

Known on campus as a personable, dedicated and committed health care educator, Chally was characterized by the EVE Award judges as diplomatic and visionary and one who "just stays on the task until she gets it done."

"It's quite an honor to be selected for this award. I feel very humbled by it," Chally said. "It means a lot to be recognized by other women in the city for my accomplishments and for being committed to what I believe in."

UNF's Dr. Kristine Webb was also nominated for this year's EVE Awards and was a finalist in the education category. As director of UNF's Disability Resource Center and associate professor for the Department of Exceptional Student and Deaf Education, Webb's primary accomplishment in 2007 was making a UNF education feasible, available and enjoyable for students with disabilities. She also was responsible for substantially increasing the use of the resource center and its assistive technology and partnering with national, community and campus groups to enable 29 students with disabilities to graduate. This more than doubled the number of graduates in the previous two years.

EVE Awards have been presented by The Jacksonville Times-Union since 1969, recognizing local women for their efforts and accomplishments in the areas of education, volunteer service and employment. Four finalists in each of the three categories are honored for their significant contributions of the past year and one woman from each category is presented the golden apple, which represents the community's first and most esteemed award for women. Recipients are chosen by a panel of judges including former EVE Award winners. 

While the audience at the recent "Coffee Talk with the Office of the General Counsel" event at Starbucks was comprised mainly of high-ranking staff administrators, a high-ranking member of a student organization also took advantage of the opportunity to learn about the law and UNF.

"As the attorney general for Student Government, I attended the 'Coffee Talk with the Office of the General Counsel' to learn about legal issues that are currently facing our campus," said Leslie Burch, a UNF senior who will be going to law school next summer. "By seeking education about these issues, Student Government becomes better equipped to represent and serve the students."

Chris Wrenn, an attorney from the General Counsel's Office, and Dan Endicott, director of Environmental Health, Safety, Risk Management and Building Code Administration, made brief presentations at the Coffee Talk event, touching on a number of subjects. This was the third "Coffee Talk with the Office of the General Counsel." The series is designed to address legal issues that arise at UNF, using a question-and-answer format.

"'Coffee Talks' provide students, faculty and staff opportunities to learn about the framework and practical application of federal and state law and University regulation," Wrenn said. "'Coffee Talks' are a good way to expand your knowledge about the law and find everyday applications in your life and career," he said.

Wrenn and Endicott spoke in general terms about issues related to management of legal risks by vendors, contractors and other non-University people. The risk management included safety compliance, transfer of risk, indemnity and insurance coverage.

Wrenn said the majority of the legal risks at UNF relate to intentional or unintentional torts. An intentional tort is a wrongful act by one party against another that results in damages and is recognized by law as grounds for a lawsuit. Intentional torts, which Wrenn said are not often seen at UNF, can include such actions as copyright infringement, slander and libel, assault and trespass.

Unintentional torts occur because of negligence, which results in an injury to a person or damage to property. Slips and falls and injuries incurred on University-owned equipment or facilities are examples of tort risks to UNF.

There are limitations on risk in Florida that don't exist in other states, Wrenn said. Because UNF is a state entity, sovereign immunity is available for UNF in an unintentional tort above $100,000 per person or $200,000 per occurrence. Sovereign immunity precludes persons bringing suits against the University from recovering higher amounts.

Endicott's department is responsible for risk management. They perform a risk review of contracts and agreements for student/University-sponsored events to try and ensure the risk is transferred from the University to the vendor or sponsor of the event.

Endicott spoke about environmental risks, which are addressed in contracts with UNF's vendors. "All wastes are recycled, used as fuel or incinerated so nothing is left to be stored in a barrel somewhere," he said. In addition to being environmentally sound, the disposal or recycling of wastes heads off potential future legal problems by ensuring local, state and federal regulations are adhered to.

When he talked about the transfer of risks, Wrenn addressed the topic of indemnity, which he defined as the assumption of one party of the liability of another party. Vendors often ask for an indemnity clause in contracts with the University. Wrenn referred to insurance as a subset of indemnity. The insurance company assumes the liability risks of the insured.

The Office of the General Counsel, with four attorneys on staff, provides legal representation and support for all segments of the University community. Identifying and reducing legal risk to UNF is one of its main goals.

Negotiable instruments like checks, drafts and promissory notes were the topics at the second "Coffee Talk" in April. Copyright law was the subject for the first "Coffee Talk" in March. The subject for this month's event hasn't yet been determined.

The UNF Wind Ensemble performed June 1 as part of the Excellence in Education Concert Series at Carnegie Hall in New York City, marking the first time any UNF musical group has ever taken the stage at the renowned venue.

The ensemble, conducted by Dr. Gordon Brock, performed music by various leading composers, including Bassi, Daugherty, Tchaikovsky, Ticheli and Tosti. In addition, Dr. Krzysztof Biernacki performed as a baritone soloist, recent UNF graduate Casey Dodd performed as a timpani soloist and Dr. Guy Yehuda performed as a clarinet soloist. Dr. Randall Tinnin served as the guest conductor.

About 50 UNF students made the trip to New York, courtesy of funding provided by the University's Transformational Learning Opportunity program. As part of the TLO, students also were scheduled to attend an open rehearsal of the New York Philharmonic and a subsequent performance of the same program, and to tour the Juilliard School of Music. Brock, chair of the Department of Music, organized the trip. 

UNF's Envionmental Health and Safety Department recently received the prestigious Gold Award presented by the state of Florida's Interagency Advisory Council on Loss Prevention Award for Excellence in Loss Prevention. This is the highest honor that can be received by the IAC.

The award, presented May 7 during an IAC meeting, recognizes UNF's outstanding efforts in loss prevention through an objective comparison of the University's safety program to established best practices in loss prevention. The IAC recognized UNF as having one of the best safety programs in the state.

The award was based upon scores obtained by completing a safety program evaluation survey. Agencies receiving a score of 94 percent or greater received the coveted designation. 

This March I was privileged to be able to attend a Coggin College, marketing focused Study Abroad to China with 20 business students. We attended lectures prior to the trip to learn about culture, economics, religion, architecture, and marketing in China. During the trip we spent 10 days exhausting as many learning activities as possible! One highlight for our students was that we visited universities in both Beijing and Xi'an, where we attended short lectures. Afterwards the students had a chance to meet one-on-one with Chinese students.

We also toured Tian An Men Square, the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven, a silk factory, a jade factory, KFC (yes, to see why they are such a success in China), several street markets, the Terracotta Warriors Museum, Ming tombs, Shanghai Museum, a Buddhist temple, a Muslim mosque, climbed the Great Wall (well, I climbed as far as I could and some made it to the top!), and rode the fastest train - that sits just above the track, not actually on the track.

The experience has transformed how we see the Chinese people and their culture. We ended our trip with unforgettable memories and lifelong friends. 

The Office of Research and Sponsored Programs announces the following grants and contracts, which were awarded from Feb. 29 to April 30:

Dr. Lehman Barnes (Foundations & Secondary Education), "BBBS Reflective Practice Project, 2008," Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Florida Inc., $5,000

Dr. Michele Moore (Public Health), "Brief Positive Image Communications for Adolescents - Modification 6," University of Florida/National Institute on Drug Abuse, $67,342

Frederick Nelson (Foundations & Secondary Education), Dean Krusienski (Engineering) and Dr. Paul Eason (Engineering), "The Mathematics and Science Partnership Grant: Life, Earth, and Physical Science (LEAPS) Project," Duval County Public Schools, $22,680

Dr. Cynthia Nyquist-Battie (Public Health), "Diagnostics for Intentionally Released Human Pathogens in Surface- and Drinking-Waters," University of West Florida/U.S. Department of Defense, $105,814; and "Real Time/Near Real Time Detection of Microbial Pathogens/Toxins Associated with Food, Water, and Surfaces 2007-2010," University of South Florida/U.S. Department of the Army, $375,666

Dr. Nirmalkumar Patel (Chemistry & Physics), "HASP Student Payload: O3 Sensor Technology Development and Atmospheric Experimentation," University of North Dakota/National Aeronautics and Space Administration, $4,990

Dr. Len Roberson (Exceptional Student & Deaf Education), "Project SCIPP (Severe Cognitive Impairment Personnel Preparation) - A Multi University Consortium," University of Florida/U.S. Department of Education, $20,000

Dr. Kristine Webb (Exceptional Student & Deaf Education), "Project SOURCE: Status of University/Community College Resources for College Experiences," Florida Developmental Disabilities Council/U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, $66,880

Dr. Jeffry Will (Sociology & Anthropology), "Pine Forest Pilot Needs and Assets Assessment," Housing Partnership of Northeast Florida, $10,015

Brooks College of Health

Athletic Training and Physical Therapy: Drs. Peter Magyari and James Churilla will present a poster titled “Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome among Active Duty Firefighters” at the 55th annual meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine in Indianapolis. The abstract of the presentation will be published in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, Vol. 40, No. 5. Magyari was also appointed to the ACSM Certification Exam Development Team, and Churilla was named as the associate editor of the ACSM’s Certified News.

School of Nursing: Dr. M. Catherine Hough had an article titled “Learning, Decisions and Transformation in Critical Care Nursing Practice” published in the journal Nursing Ethics, Vol. 15, No. 3, 2008.

Public Health: Dr. Joan Farrell presented a research paper and a daylong workshop titled “Godly Play: Physical, Emotional and Spiritual Responses of Hospitalized Children with Chronic Illness” at the 2008 annual conference for the Association of Professional Chaplins in Pittsburgh in March.

Dr. Michele J. Moore had an article (co-authored by C.E. Werch) titled “Relationship Between Vigorous Exercise Frequency and Substance Use Among First Year Drinking College Students” published in the Journal of American College Health, Vol. 56, No. 6, 2008.

Coggin College of Business

Management: Diane Denslow recently presented a paper co-authored by Dr. Larry Giunipero of Florida State University titled “Nurturing Supplier Diversity in the Fastest Growing Sectors of Small Business” at the 93rd Annual International Supply Management Conference.

Dr. Saurabh Gupta recently had an article titled “End-User Training: What We Know, Need to Know” published in the journal Database.

College of Arts and Sciences

Art and Design: Dr. David Begley presented his paper “Kicking and Screaming: Developing a Digital Media Curriculum” at the American Institute of Graphic Artists Massaging Media 2: Graphic Design Education in the Age of Dynamic Media Conference in Boston in April.

Dr. Emily Arthur Douglass recently served as an invited visiting artist at the University of Colorado. Douglass assisted printmaker Karen Kunc.

Biology: Dr. Dale Casamatta was named the new co-editor of the Physiological Society of America’s Newsletter.

Dr. Matthew Gilg and four of his students presented at the annual Benthic Ecology Meetings in Providence, RI. The students’ poster presentations and Gilg’s oral presentation were given on their research on the biology of invasive green mussels.

Dr. Michael Lentz and four of his students recently presented “Molecular and Morphologic Characterization of Cyanophages from Eutrophic Lakes in Northeast Florida” at the 10th Southeast Regional Virology Conference in Atlanta.

Dr. Judith Ochrietor presented a poster titled "Basigin Gene Products Interact with Each Other in the Vertebrate Retina" at the annual Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology meeting in Ft. Lauderdale. She and four undergraduate students presented the posters “Investigation of ERK Signaling through Basigin Gene Products in Retinal Epithelial Cells,” “Investigation of the Protein-Protein Interaction between Basigin and MCT1 within the C-terminus of the MCT1 Molecule Obtained from Vertebrate Retina” and “Characterization of the Basigin/Basigin-2 Interaction in Mouse Retina” at the Southeast Nerve Net meeting in Atlanta.

Chemistry and Physics: Dr. L. Barry Albright (with co-authors Drs. Michael O. Woodburne, Ted J. Fremd, Carl C. Swisher III, Bruce J. MacFadden and Gary R. Scott) published “Revised Chronostratigraphy and Biostratigraphy of the John Day Formation (Turtle Cove and Kimberly Members), Oregon, with Implications for Updated Calibration of the Arikareean North American Land Mammal Age” in The Journal of Geology, Vol. 116.

Dr. James L. Garner recently published “The Physics of the Natural Philosophers.”

Dr. Lev Gasparov received a three-year National Science Foundation grant titled "RUI: Optical Studies of Magnetic, Charge and Orbital Ordering in Lone-pair Compounds and Magnetite."

Dr. Jay Huebner (along with R.T. Arrieta) received a patent in April for “Sensing Device and Method Using Photo-Induced Charge Movements,” U.S. Patent No. 7,354,700. Huebner and Dr. Nirmal Patel (along with Jason Saredy and Brian Stadelmaier) also published “Odor Sensing with Indium Tin Oxide Thin Films on Quartz Crystal Microbalance” in the peer-reviewed journal Sensors & Transducers, Vol. 91, No. 4.

Communication: Drs. John Davies and Casey Welch (with Dr. Jace Hargis) presented “The Bridge Course Design: Faculty Collaboration, Student-Centered Learning and Cross-Course Formative Assessment” at the International Conference on College Teaching and Learning in Jacksonville in April.

Dr. Christine K. Holland presented her paper “Critical Cultural Theory: Teaching the Global Flow” at the International Conference on College Teaching and Learning in Jacksonville in April.

Dr. John Parmelee published "Candidate Films, Biographical" in the Encyclopedia of Political Communication.

English: Bernadette Gambino presented two papers, “Establishing an Environment Conducive to Civil Discourse in the Freshman English Classroom” and “Fighting Samsara,” at the Writing Matters conference in Baton Rouge in April.

History: Dr. Dale Clifford delivered a paper on "The State of Military History in the Academy" at the annual meeting of the Society for Military History in Ogden, Utah, in April.

Dr. Aaron Sheehan-Dean published an article, "If It Was Not For You I Would Be Willing To Die: The Civil War Correspondence of Michael and Sallie Raysor," in Florida Historical Quarterly, Winter 2008.

Mathematics and Statistics: Dr. Dan Dreibelbis presented “Visualizing Milnor’s Fibration Theorem” at the 2008 Joint Annual Mathematics Association of America, Florida Section, and at the Florida Two Year Colleges Mathematics Association meetings in Lakeland in February. At this same conference, Dr. Daniela Genova presented “Defining Graphs by Subgraphs” and Dr. Scott Hochwald presented two talks, “Harmonic Services, Problems and Solutions Everyone Should Know” and “How Does the MAA Attract & Retain New Members and Increase Attendance at Meetings and at a MathFest?”

Dr. Richard Patterson was an invited researcher and presented a series of colloquiums on “Classical Analysis/Sequence Spaces” at Istanbul Commerce University in Istanbul, Turkey, in March.

Dr. Kening Wang gave a talk titled “An Interactive Substructuring Algorithm for $C_O$ Interior Penalty Methods” at the 32nd Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics Southeast Atlantic Section Conference at the University of Central Florida in Orlando.

Music: Dr. Marc Dickman led the River City Swing Band in a performance with John Pizzarelli at the Jacksonville Jazz Festival in April.

Dennis Marks and Danny Gottlieb performed the house rhythm section for the Jacksonville Jazz Piano Competition in April.

Philosophy: Dr. Daniel Callcut presented "Mill, Sentimentalism and the Problem of Moral Authority" at the Annual Meeting of the Central Division of the American Philosophical Association in Chicago in April.

Political Science and Public Administration: Dr. Hyunsun Choi and Simon Choi presented “Koreans in Suburbia: Economic Stability and Social Assimilation in A Suburban World?” at the Global Decentralization and the New Metropolis Conference at the Virginia Tech Metropolitan Institute in Reston, Va., in April. Choi also published “Luxurious and Poor Miami” in Kook To (Planning and Policy), Vol. 318, South Korea: Korea Research Institute for Human Settlements.

Dr. Paul Harwood presented "Running Scared of SCADA: An Analysis of the Vulnerabilities of America's Infrastructure to Cyberattack" (with Ryan Tesnow) at the Florida Political Science Association meeting in Tampa in April.

Dr. J. Patrick Plumlee was appointed and formally approved in April by the Jacksonville City Council as a member of the City of Jacksonville Ethics Commission.

Dr. Darren Wheeler presented his paper “Checking Presidential Detention Power in the War on Terror: What Should We Expect from the Judiciary?” at the Florida Political Science Association Conference in St. Petersburg in April.

Psychology: Dr. Tes Tuason published “Those Who Were Born Poor: A Qualitative Study of Philippine Poverty" in the Journal of Counseling Psychology, Vol. 55, No. 2, and "Expressive Group Therapy with At-risk African American Adolescent Girls" in the International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, Vol. 14. Tuason also made three paper presentations to the 2008 International Counseling Psychology Conference in Chicago in March. She was a convener of the symposium titled "What Can Counseling Psychologists Do in Unjust Worlds?" and presented “What Happens to Us? Families Left Behind by Overseas Workers" and "Transitional Issues for Counseling Psychology Students: Studying and Working Abroad in a Changing World.” She also made poster presentations with counseling graduate students at the conference, co-presenting "Parenting in Filipino Transnational Families" and "Attachment in Long Distance Romantic Relationships: A Qualitative Study of Security, Intimacy and Jealousy."

Dr. Susana Urbina published “A Tale of Two Minds,” a review of the book “A History of Modern Experimental Psychology: From James and Wundt to Cognitive Science.” The review was published in PsycCRITIQUES - Contemporary Psychology: APA Review of Books, Vol. 53, No 8, Article 2. Urbina also served as the discussant at an American Educational Research Association (AERA) symposium on the legacy of Anne Anastasi in New York City.

Dr. Adam Carle (with R.E. Millsap and D.A. Cole) published “Measurement Bias Across Gender on the Children’s Depression Inventory: Evidence for Invariance from Two Latent Variable Models” in Education and Psychological Measurement, Vol. 68.

Drs. David Jaffee, Adam Carle, Rick Phillips and L. Paltoo published “Intended and Unintended Consequences of Freshman Learning Communities: An Initial Investigation” in the Journal of The First-Year Experience & Students in Transition, Vol. 20.

Sociology and Anthropology: Dr. Krista Paulsen presented the paper “Making a Market Feel at Home: Assumptions and Implications of Model Home Merchandising” at the conference A Suburban World? in Reston, Va. This international, interdisciplinary conference was sponsored by the Virginia Tech Metropolitan Institute.

World Languages: Dr. Kyle Echols presented “La re-escritura de Quisqueya: Los poetas afro-dominicanos y la lucha contra el indianismo oficial, 1925-45” at the Modern Language Association meeting in Chicago in December 2007.

Dr. Jorge Febles’ essay “La canción popular como gesto discursivo en la narrativa de Roberto G. Fernández” appeared in the Selected Proceedings of the International Conference on Caribbean Studies (Nov. 2-5, 2006). Febles also presented “Hijastro de Caín: Cabrerainfantilismos de Roberto G. Fernández” at the 38th annual conference of the Popular Culture Association and the American Culture Association in San Francisco in March.

Dr. Renée Scott published “Desarraigo e identidad: el immigrante judío en La piel del alma.” The essay appeared in Memoria histórica, género e intersciplinariedad. Los estudios hispánicos en el siglo XXI, edited by Santiago Juan Navarro and Joan Torres-Pou and published by Madrid’s Biblioteca Nueva, 2008.

College of Computing, Engineering and Construction

School of Engineering: Principal Investigator Dr. Daniel Cox, along with Lad Daniels (industry partner) and Nikolaos Kodogianidis (UNF student) attended the National Science Foundation PFI Grantees Workshop in Washington, D.C., March 30 to April 1. More than 200 Partnerships for Innovation Program NSF grant recipients attended the workshop, which featured a full agenda of prominent speakers, breakout sessions for research and programmatic topics and poster sessions.

Dr. Adel El-Safty gave an invited presentation at the Jacksonville MENSA Chapter on “Repair of Concrete Structures.” El-Safty also presented two papers at the American Society of Civil Engineering’s Crossing Borders - 2008 Structures Congress: “Forensic Investigation of a Bridge Construction Scaffolding Collapse” (with Michael Zinszer and George Morcous) and “Extending the Service Life of Bridges Using FRP Repaired Beams and Continuous Decks.”

Jean Fryman organized the second annual Egg Drop Competition for fifth graders from Sallye B. Mathis and S. P. Livingston elementary schools. The event was co-sponsored by HDR Engineering Inc.

School of Computing: Dr. Albert Ritzhaupt published three papers: “Leveraging Laptops in Florida Middle Schools: Changes in Instructional Practice and Student Technology Use” in the Florida League of Middle Schools Journal; “Effective Institutional and Instructional Practices in Online Community College Business Education” (with S.M. Wilcox) in Business Education Forum; and “A Hybrid and Novel Approach to Teaching Computer Programming in MIS Curriculum” (with T.G. Gill, S. Negash, M. Whitman, A. Woszczynski, K. Hoganson, H. Mattord) in the Handbook of Distance Learning for Real-Time and Asynchronous Information Technology Education (pages 278-300), published by Idea Group Reference in Hershey, Pa.

Dr. Charles Winton served as the chief judge for the Georgia Region Botball Educational Robotics Tournament held at Mercer University in April.

College of Education and Human Services

Leadership, Counseling and Instructional Technology: Dr. Sebastian Foti presented "Portfolios and the Emergent Self" at the E-Portfolio 2008 conference in Montreal in May.

Dr. John J. Venn has been appointed as interim chair of the Department of Leadership, Counseling and Instructional Technology. His one-year appointment will begin July 1.

Dr. George Corrick, Leadership Emeritus, presented “Leading Deaf Education: Challenge, Opportunity, Burden” as keynote speaker at the annual national meeting of the Conference of Educational Administrators of Schools and Programs for the Deaf in Great Falls, Mont., in April.

Dr. Betty Bennett recently discussed the anti-bullying bill, the Jeffrey Johnston Stand Up for All Students Act, on WJXT’s "Ask the UNF Expert."

Exceptional Student and Deaf Education: Dr. Donald Moores was Ph.D. dissertation committee chair for Jessteene Clifford at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. The title was “The Instructional Episodes of Itinerant Teachers of Students Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing.” Dr. Clifford successfully defended her dissertation and is Moore’s last Gallaudet Ph.D. advisee.

Dr. Karen Patterson recently discussed autism on WJXT’s "Ask the UNF Expert." Childhood Education: Dr. Lunetta Williams presented “Engaging Boys in Literacy: Gaining Insight through Book Selections” at the International Reading Association conference in Atlanta in May.

Dr. Jacqueline Batey recently discussed the benefits of play dates for kids on WJXT’s “Ask the UNF Expert.”

Drs. Christine Weber and Laurel Stanley are organizing the WOGI (Working on Gifted Issues) Culminating Institute, which will take place at the World Golf Village June 9-10.
UNF Counseling Center

Dr. Terry DiNuzzo has been elected president of the International Association of Counseling Services (IACS) for 2008-2009. DiNuzzo is currently vice president and serves as chair of the IACS Board of Accreditation.

Dr. Lindsay Leonard recently received her doctoral degree from the University of Florida in counselor education. Her dissertation was titled “Trauma Therapists’ Quality of Life: The Impact of Individual and Workplace Factors on Compassion Fatigue and Compassion Satisfaction.” She also published an article titled “Benefits of a Holistic Wellness Group Counseling Model for Girls at Risk for Delinquency: An Exploratory Study” in the Journal of Humanistic Counseling, Education, and Development.

University Police Department

Assistant Chief John Dean was formally commended by Chief Peter Paulding with the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation as Assessor of the Year for 2007. There are only a select few to join the ranks of accreditation assessors in the state.

Department: Information Technology Services
Job: Director, Enterprise Systems
Years at UNF: 12

Tell us about your family.
My family is the most important thing in my life! I am married to a wise and wonderful woman - Yemisi (she is probably reading this since she works here at UNF and provided these specific words), and I have two sons: Dylan, who's 11, and my little firecracker Samuel, who is 2.

If you could choose any other career, what would it be and why?
I would be an entrepreneur. I like the flexibility that comes with being my own boss, so that I could spend more quality time with family. I am always inspired by people who start with an idea and turn it into a vocation of their own choosing.

What would you like to do when you retire?
Travel and spend more time with my family; study and maybe teach history and play endless golf. I am convinced I can break 70!

What is your favorite thing about working at UNF?
The people. I enjoy the campus community, its multicultural environment and intellectual vibe that I am exposed to on a daily basis. I often tell people that I get to see people on their way to some place they aspire to be and that if you stay long enough you get to meet them again as their dreams and aspirations are being fulfilled.

If you won the lottery, what would do with the money?
We would love to build a school and provide others with the gift of an education ... education truly is transforming for a family. I am living proof.

What is the proudest/happiest moment of your life?
There are a few - Definitely getting married; watching my kids being born; graduating from college (I am a first-generation college graduate in my family).

Tell us something that would surprise people to know about you.
I was born and grew up in a very small town (almost a village!) on Maryland's Eastern Shore ... along with my two brothers. We all enlisted in the U. S. Navy at 18 and enjoyed serving our country. My youngest brother has continued to serve for almost 20 years now!

What person had the greatest impact on your life?
My father because of his work ethic, moral compass and his deep and abiding compassion for, and commitment to, helping others.

What are you most passionate about?
My family, my faith.

What's the last book you read?
"Time for Tom" (VeggieTales Series) by Phil Vischer to my son Samuel. His reaction: "Read it again, daddy." 

Q: From Dr. John Hatle (Biology): What is the history and logic behind requiring students to acquire a minimum number of credits during summer terms? It seems like an odd graduation requirement.

A: From Victoria Lane (Enrollment Services): The summer session enrollment rule is a Florida statute that was created in 1975. One of the reasons this requirement was created was to ensure that the universities facilities were being used year round. The legislature did not want expensive building space to remain empty during the summer term, so they made it a requirement for students to take nine hours. Some also feel that it helps students stay on track for graduation. This rule can be waived by Academic Affairs if the student can show unusual financial hardship.

Q: From Dr. Christine Rasche (Criminology and Criminal Justice): Several years ago, as the University was experiencing a growth spurt (though when has it NOT been growing?) there was some talk about putting up attractive directional signs at various intersections on campus so that new students and visitors could find their way around. What happened to that idea?

A: From Zak Ovadia (Facilities Planning and Construction): The idea of improving wayfinding signage on campus is alive and healthy. The Office of Facilities Planning and Construction has been working with a specialist consultant and representatives from various departments to produce a template for new signage throughout campus. Construction documents are in the last stages of completion. Following the approval of funding, one can expect to see some of the new signs going up before the end of the calendar year. There were several presentations made to the campus community at large describing the various new construction activities as well as showing what is being contemplated for the wayfinding system. That slide presentation is available on the A&P Association Web site at www.unf.edu/facstaff/apa (click on "Construction Update" under the heading "Presentations from our Fall 2007 Meeting").

Welcome
Welcome to the following new employees who have been hired by UNF since April:

Willie Allen, custodial worker in Physical Facilities

Susan Archer, adjunct professor in Mathematics and Statistics

Jeffrey Bowen, associate librarian in the Carpenter Library

Kay Carter, office manager in Public Health

Gina Christopher, adjunct professor in Nursing

Victoria Coyle Ogden, coordinator of research program services in Advancement Services

Mary Daly, adjunct professor in Public Health

Christene Eastman, coordinator of construction projects in Facilities Planning

Luis Flores, project manager in Facilities Planning

Jill Jackson, assistant director of development, advancement and alumni affairs in the College of Arts and Sciences

Edessa Jobli, adjunct professor in Public Health

Sherif Labib, adjunct professor in Building Construction Management

Edwin Matulin, adjunct professor in Management

Dena Norman, senior secretary for the Florida Institute of Education

Jean Perras, coordinator of computer applications for the Training and Services Institute

Reginald Pringle, custodial worker in Physical Facilities

Martha Seneca, adjunct professor in Nursing

Dawn Sensemeyer, adjunct professor in Foundations and Secondary Education

Karen Smith, assistant director of development, advancement and alumni affairs in the Coggin College of Business

Milestone Anniversaries
Congratulations to the following employees who are celebrating milestone anniversaries with UNF this month:

35 Years:

• Lee Murray (Physical Facilities)
• Earle Traynham (Economics)

25 Years:

• Tammy Oliver (University Police Department)

20 Years:

• Donald Hicks (Physical Facilities)

15 Years:

• Keith Hufford (Information Technology Services)

10 Years:

• Vicki Gipe (Economics)

Five Years:

• Sherry Dale (Parking Services)
• Stacy Jarvis-Mejia (Continuing Education)
• Lester Jones (University Housing)
• Maisha Tolliver (Physical Facilities)
• Sherry Sands (President's Office)
• Robb Waltner (Carpenter Library)

Congratulations

Dr. Gregory Ahearn (Biology) was recently selected for the John A. Delaney Presidential Professorship. Michael Biagini (Financial Systems) and Dr. Lucy Croft (Student Affairs) ran the Boston Marathon recently. Biagini was the fastest North Florida runner entered in the marathon.

Dr. Yemisi Bolumole and Lynn Brown, advisers of the Transportation & Logistics Society (TLS), announce that the TLS was voted UNF Club of the Year out of 170 registered student organizations in UNF Club Alliance.

Casey Hampton (Admissions) announces the birth of his niece, Molly Rose Hampton, who was born April 2 in Orlando.

Eric Scott (Athletics) was named coordinator of intercollegiate athletics.

Dr. Jeffrey W. Steagall was honored as the Distinguished Professor at the 11th Annual Prime F. Osborn, III Distinguished Business Leader Awards ceremony May 21.

New 2008-2009 Academic Advising Council officers include Michael Murillo (Academic Center for Excellence), who was elected Professional Development and Training Officer; Paul Schreier (Coggin College) elected Communications Officer; and Bruce Turner (Academic Center for Excellence) elected Assessment Officer.

UNF employee and alumnus Erica Nichols (Physical Facilities) and Joseph Winn (also a UNF alum) will be wed June 28 at the Beaches Chapel Church in Neptune Beach. After the ceremony the couple will reside in southern California, where Winn is currently an employee of Western Digital. Western Digital recruited Winn during a UNF Robotics competition in 2005.

Deborah Price (UPD) recently attended the Police Academy at St. Johns River Community College and is now a fully certified law enforcement officer with the University Police Department. Price was hired at UPD in 1999 as a secretary and then became office manger in 2003. Tracy Merrill did the same, starting with UPD as a dispatcher and attending the academy on her own time to become a police officer. They are both UNF homegrown police officers.

Each year, there are more than 100,000 injuries to the eye among individuals involved in sports-related activities. It's been estimated that 90 percent of eye injuries can be prevented by using off-the-shelf eye guards. Here's what Dr. Joel Beam has to say about sports eye injuries.

What sports have the highest risk of eye injury?
A risk of injury to the eye is present in any sport that involves a stick, racquet, bat, ball or other projectile, or body contact. Sports with a high risk of eye injury include baseball, basketball, boxing, fencing, field hockey, ice hockey, lacrosse, martial arts, paintball, racquetball, softball, squash and street hockey.

What types of eye guards are available for sports?
Eye guards are available in three designs: glasses, shields and goggles. Glasses can be used in baseball, basketball, field hockey, football, ice hockey, lacrosse and softball. Multiple styles are available in one- or three-piece frame designs. Shields are designed to be used in combination with baseball and softball catcher's masks, field hockey, football, ice hockey and lacrosse helmets and face guards. Most shields are attached on the inside surface of the face guards. Goggles are used to provide protection in lacrosse, skiing, swimming and water polo. Swimming and water polo goggles are manufactured in a cup style to fit snugly over the eyes, while lacrosse designs are constructed of a foam-lined, light wire frame.

Are eye guards mandatory in any sport?
Eye guards are mandatory in only one college/university and high school sport, women's and girl's lacrosse. However, athletes who wear contact lenses or glasses for vision correction should wear eye guards for protection.

Do my sunglasses provide adequate protection?
No. Street wear sunglasses are not designed to reduce the risk of eye injury from projectiles (ball, stick or bat). Sports eye guards are manufactured with polycarbonate plastic lenses and high-impact resistant frames and materials. Guards can be purchased with UV protection, anti-fog, anti-glare and anti-scratch coatings as well as prescription vision corrections.

How do I go about purchasing an eye guard?
Before purchasing a guard, schedule a visit with your eye doctor for a vision screening to identify any concerns, such as special protection for past injuries or need for vision correction. Next, only purchase and use eye guards that meet ASTM, ANSI, NOCSAE and PECC standards. These organizations have developed standards and guidelines for the manufacturing, maintenance and use of protective eye guards. You can think of this as the "Good Housekeeping Seal." Eye guards are available at local sporting goods and specialty sports stores and will be clearly marked with conformance to ASTM, ANSI, NOCSAE and PECC standards. Lastly, have an experienced ophthalmologist, optometrist or optician assist with the selection and fitting of the guard.

Every month, the column "Ask UNF" runs in Inside and The Florida Times-Union, promoting the expertise of UNF faculty and staff. Next month's topic will focus on male body image. If you have a question about this topic, e-mail it to askunfcolumn@unf.edu.