December 2010 - January 2011

Around Campus

Gabor awards honor exceptional employees
Cathy Cole

 The Gabor/UNF Foundation Award honors employees who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to the University of North Florida.

 

This year’s recipients are no exception. Kellie Woodle, an associate director in the Center for Academic Excellence, won the award in the Administrative and Professional category and Rosalyn Gilbert, the executive secretary in the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, won in the Support Personnel category. Both were singled out by their supervisors and peers as outstanding members of the UNF community who strive daily to make the University a better place to study, work and live.

 

“This is one of my favorite duties each year,” said UNF President John Delaney. “I get to help recognize employees who make this a great place to work. I once knew a guy who was completely miserable at work. He hated going in each day and it was largely because no one said thank you. That, to me, is a horrible situation to work in. The Gabor Awards allow us the opportunity to say thank you for all you do each day to make UNF great. We are a family here.”

 

Woodle said she was surprised to win the award. The morning of the ceremony, while coordinating schedules with her husband, she asked him to pick up their daughter from school so she could attend the ceremony. She joked that she might be late because she might win an award but quickly amended that statement by telling him, “But I am not going to win. I have been nominated before and I am so not going to win.”

 

But she did and no one was more surprised.

 

“I was very humbled and shocked,” said Woodle, who has worked at UNF for the past 19 years, ever since she graduated from UNF with a degree in broadcast communication. “I was nominated several years ago and just seeing what the people who actually win it do for the University is very inspiring. It is humbling to be regarded in that same kind of esteem. It is hard to put into words.”
 

Woodle said she loves what she does and thinks having the opportunity to help students each day is incredibly rewarding. She said she welcomes the chance to work with students and help them navigate through the choices, the courses and the policies at UNF so they will be successful academically and later in their professional careers.         

 

Gilbert said she was thrilled to win the award, but really could have done without all the attention that went along with it. “It feels good to know someone recognizes the fact that you are working hard and that someone thinks you are doing a good job, but I am very shy and introverted. I don’t like doing interviews or having my picture taken.”

 

Gilbert has worked at UNF for 25 years — 23 as a full-time staff member — and said that she very much appreciates the fact that the University makes an effort to recognize staff members through awards such as these.

 

Elizabeth Hardy, an admissions evaluator in the Enrollment Services Processing Office, was runner-up for the Gabor/UNF Foundation Award for Employee Excellence for University Support Employees. Shannon Italia, manager of the Career Management Center for the Coggin College of Business, was runner-up for Administrative and Professional employees.

 

Since the inception of the Gabor/UNF Foundation Employee Excellence Awards in 1992, they have recognized employees for outstanding job performance, professionalism, participation in professional development, dependability, contributions to the campus community and exceeding job requirements.

 

The University Support Personnel Association Staff Affairs Committee, which may include past Gabor/UNF Foundation Award winners, evaluates USPS employees nominated for the award to select a winner and runner-up. The Gabor/UNF Foundation Award Committee, Administrative and Professional Association executive officers and two past award recipients, determines the award winner and runner-up from the A&P employees nominated.

 

Woodle and Italia each received $600, a reserved parking place for a year, a plaque and a framed certificate. They also were photographed with UNF President John Delaney. Gilbert and Hardy each received $300, a plaque, a framed certificate and a photograph with Delaney. The Gabor Agency, UNF's supplemental insurance provider, and the UNF Foundation fund the awards.

 

“The Gabor Awards are a point of pride at the University and a wonderful way to recognize the hard work of our employees,” said Jeff Durfee, director of Information Technology Security and president of the Administrative and Professional Association, which sponsors the awards. “Each year, it gets harder and harder to choose our winners – there are so many who are deserving of the recognition."

Around Campus

Pentagon honors UNF professor with lifetime achievement award
Cathy Cole

In a war zone, the time it takes to cross-match blood types can mean the difference between life and death for a wounded solider. What once took more than an hour and wasted precious time was reduced to just 20 minutes by a University of North Florida professor while serving in the U.S. Navy.

 

Dr. Patrick Monaghan, a professor in UNF’s School of Nursing, was recently honored with the U.S. Department of Defense, Armed Services Blood Program Lifetime Achievement Award. He is only the third person in the award’s history to be selected.

 

Monaghan, a Yulee resident, was presented the award by Surgeon General of the U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Eric Schoomaker Oct. 9 in Baltimore, Md., during the 2010 annual meeting of the American Association of Blood Banks and Cellular Therapy and Transfusion Medicine Expo.

 

“I am overwhelmed to receive this honor,” Monaghan said, back on the UNF campus. “But what meant more to me were the cards the students in my classes gave me. The award is wonderful, but the cards in which the students took time to write something personal are what I will go back to over the years and read.”

 

And the two cards given to him by his students are displayed prominently in his office in the Brooks College of Health. The award and medal are laid across the seat of a visitor chair.

 

The award recognizes a retired member of the military blood-banking community who has made exceptional, transformational contributions to the Armed Services Blood Program (ASBP) for more than 20 years.

 

He learned about the award with a phone call early one Monday morning from the U.S. Pentagon. “That is a wake-up call,” he said. “I thought for a minute they were calling me back to active duty.”

 

That was not the case, however. He soon learned he had been selected to receive this prestigious award for his lifelong service to blood banking. “It blew me out of the water,” Monaghan said.

 

Monaghan, a UNF professor since 2006, teaches in the Anesthesiology Nursing Program in the Brooks College of Health and is also a professor in the Department of Anesthesiology, College of Medicine, University of Florida Health Science Center at Shands Jacksonville. He previously served as the assistant dean for Graduate and Continuing Education at the F. Edward Herbert School of Medicine and as a tenured full professor at the Graduate School of Nursing, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. 

 

“We are so fortunate to have Dr. Monaghan as a faculty member,” said Dr. Li Loriz, director of UNF’s School of Nursing. “This very prestigious recognition by his peers is a testament to the value he brings to UNF and our students, in addition to the impact he has made to the health care of our military.”

 

He had a 27-year career in the U.S. Navy and for 18 years, served as a Commissioned Officer Ensign through Commander in the Medical Services Corps. In the early ‘70s, Monaghan was selected from the Navy to receive specialty training in the Triservice Blood Bank Fellowship Program and was later chosen to attend post-graduate school and successfully earned both master’s and doctorate degrees in immunohematology from Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio.  

 

Monaghan was then assigned to the National Naval Medical Center, where he served for nine years as the director of the Blood Bank and Transfusion Service and managed a comprehensive department with a large blood donor center, blood components section, patient compatibility assessment unit and special procedure section to identify antibodies and perform workups. He also performed clinical research projects and was extensively involved in education and training duties. 

 

Monaghan serves on the board of directors for the Biomedical Research Institute and the Association of Entrepreneurial Sciences. He served six years on the American Association of Blood Banks, Inspection, Education and Accreditation committees and was an active member of the National Blood Policy organization, tasked with improving the provision and quality of blood products on a national basis.

 

Monaghan is as busy today as he has ever been with his two teaching positions, his supervision of graduate-level research and mentoring the next generation of nurse anesthetists. And he has no plans to give it all up any time soon, either.

 

Nodding to the photos of his students on the bulletin board over his desk, he said, “I would miss all these people. This is gratifying work and intellectually stimulating. The teaching is rewarding and the students are wonderful.”

Around Campus

Nowak leaves UNF after four decades
Julianna Williams

  

Janice Nowak, who has been employed by UNF longer than anyone else, has decided to leave the nest.

 

Now director of Enrollment Services, Compliance, Technology and Training, Nowak started working for UNF in November of 1970 as a secretary for the controller. She later made her way to Financial Aid and served as director of the department for nearly 19 years. After more than 40 continuous years of service to the University, Nowak is finally leaving UNF this month, with her official retirement beginning Feb. 28. It will undoubtedly be a bittersweet departure for her — and for those remaining at UNF who worked with her over the years.

 

When she came to UNF, Nowak had never intended to start and finish her career here, but that’s essentially what she did. After earning a two-year degree in secretarial science from what was then Florida Junior College, her first job out of school was working for a moving company that ended up being sold, leaving her without a job shortly after starting there. She heard from a friend that there was a new university coming to Jacksonville, so she immediately applied for a secretarial position.

 

“After I came in for an interview, I got a phone call and was told that they had selected another person who was older than I was and had more experience; I was 21 at the time,” Nowak said. “The following Monday I got another call and was told the person they’d offered the job to had gotten another job offer making more money, so they asked me if I was still interested. I really wasn’t the first choice to come to UNF, but somebody had a plan for me to be here. I always say once I got here, they couldn’t get rid of me!”

 

Nowak laughs as she recalls her time at UNF before the campus opened, back when employees worked in makeshift offices in a building on the Arlington Expressway shared with the Chamber of Commerce. Desks were set up in the corridor, with spaces partitioned by wooden doors and old metal bookshelves that came from the prison system. Nowak said there were few electrical outlets in that area so they had to string long lines of extension cords along the walls and under desks and chairs. And each time new employees were hired or a new shipment of library books was delivered, their workspaces would shrink by a couple of feet.

 

“And there were only enough chairs for each employee to have one,” she said. “When we hired student workers from the community college, anytime you got up to do anything you’d come back to find somebody sitting in your chair,” Nowak joked.

 

By the time campus opened in 1972, Nowak had already been promoted a time or two, and she kept moving her way up from there.

 

“I started out as Secretary III and then I was promoted to Secretary IV before I became a staff assistant for Dr. Darwin Coy in Student Affairs, who was at that point considered the dean of students,” she said. “I also worked on going back to school and getting a four-year degree, so once I did that, there was an opportunity to go into Financial Aid, so I moved into that department as an assistant director.”

 

Nowak said she has really enjoyed each position, but her favorite was when she served as director of Financial Aid. Although the job was laden with myriad challenges, from keeping up with rules and regulations regarding financial aid funding — and having to prepare federal financial reports on handwritten ledger sheets — to dealing with difficult students, it had its rewards.

 

“The part I enjoyed the most was being able to do something to make sure the students were successful. I spent a lot of hours personally staying after to make sure the students were getting paid [financial aid funding] when they needed to get paid,” she said. “I hope there are students out there who are successful because I played a role in helping them get through college. You don’t always know it when you’re in the middle of trying to help them, but some of them would have never made it through to get their degrees if they hadn’t had the personalized services we offered to them.”

 

It’s that level of caring and commitment that undoubtedly led to Nowak’s longevity at UNF — and it’s also probably why so many people really like her. Everett Malcolm, associate vice president of Student Affairs, got to know Nowak in 1975, when he interviewed for his first position at UNF as the director of the University’s first Child Development Research Center. “It was Janice who gave me my campus tour as well as my orientation to the division and the University,” he said. “The one thing that I can tell you about Janice’s contributions to UNF is that she has always done all within her ability to serve UNF and has always made our students her No. 1 priority.”

 

Martha Warner, who was hired by Nowak in 1990 as a receptionist and is now a senior financial aid officer in Enrollment Services Processing, remembers her former boss as one who wasn’t afraid to push up her sleeves and get “down and dirty” in order to solve problems. “There was nothing she wouldn’t do, even as the director,” she said. “Should I mention the ‘lost’ files that other staff couldn’t locate? By the end of the day or week, she would always be the one to find them.”

 

Warner said she’s grateful for the advancement opportunities Nowak gave her over the years, and even though they’re no longer in the same office, the two remain good friends. “I’m going to be selfish and hate seeing her leave, but she does deserve time now to be Grandma,” she said.

 

Malcolm shared a similar sentiment. “I have mixed feelings about Janice’s retirement. I’m happy that she will be able to enjoy the many years to come, but I’m saddened that this founding employee is leaving our UNF family,” he said.

 

Nowak said it’s the people who have kept her at UNF all this time. “I like working here! I really like being around the people who are here,” she said. “I have always had bosses who have allowed me to grow and they’ve always given me opportunities to try new things. It’s most definitely the people.”

 

Associate Vice President of Enrollment Services Deb Kaye, who has worked with Nowak in several capacities throughout the past 13 years, is Nowak’s current boss. As a final way of saying goodbye to Nowak, Kaye prepared an extensive final annual evaluation that was, to say the least, very impressive. Glowing, really.

 

“To say Janice has had a significant impact on our institution is truly an understatement,” Kaye wrote. “She evolved as a professional throughout her tenure here, developing from an office assistant to a director, mentoring countless staff members along the way. I consider myself one of the fortunate ones she mentored. Lacking training in financial aid, my position required that I supervise that unit and, luckily for me, Janice was the director who tutored me patiently over the years so I could muddle through the complex system she had mastered. Many, many others share an experience similar to mine.”

 

Kaye’s report listed 14 objectives Nowak attained in the previous year, 16 examples of professional development opportunities seized by Nowak and a whopping 14 future objectives to be accomplished in her final year. Most of those objectives centered on achieving a smooth transition in anticipation of Nowak’s impending departure.

 

Nowak is most certainly checking off each of those final objectives as she prepares for her final few weeks at UNF, while having mixed emotions of her own about leaving and starting a new chapter of her life. She’s looking forward to spending more time with her two granddaughters, who are 2 and 4, her husband and her parents. She’s also planning to do a lot of volunteer work.

 

“I’d like to go into high schools to encourage students to go to college, whether it’s at UNF or somewhere else, to help school counselors reach out to those students who sometimes slip through the cracks,” she said.

 

Her biggest concern is that she’ll have too much time on her hands once she leaves the working world for good. “For 40 years I’ve been coming here every day, keeping busy with work, so I won’t have that rigid schedule anymore,” she said. “I’ve been told I’ll be surprised how quickly I’ll fill up the days with activities. The nicest thing is I won’t have to worry about is getting up in the mornings or what to wear!”

 

Nowak’s retirement party is scheduled for 3 to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 8, in the University Center. All faculty, staff and students are invited to attend to say farewell to the longest-serving employee at UNF. Nowak hopes to see both new friends and old friends show up at what will surely be one of the biggest farewell gatherings in UNF’s history.  

 

“While I certainly wish Janice only the best as she begins her retirement, I cannot help feeling selfish for myself, Enrollment Services and the entire University as we realize we’re about to say goodbye to a most valued and trusted colleague and friend,” Kaye said.  “Simply put, Janice’s retirement will leave a gaping hole at UNF that no one will be able to fill.”

 

Nowak will be leaving behind an ever-dwindling group of founding faculty and staff who are still employed at UNF, including: Dr. Dale Clifford, associate professor and chair of the History Department, hired 8/16/72; Richard Crosby, associate vice president of Administration and Finance, hired 8/28/72; Dr. Louis Woods, professor for the Economics Department, hired 9/16/72; Joseph Capitanio, laboratory specialist for the College of Education and Human Services, hired 10/27/72; and Richard McAuslin, locksmith supervisor for Physical Facilities, hired 12/15/72. After 38 years at UNF, Crosby is currently on leave in preparation for his own official retirement in the coming months.

Around Campus

Holiday happenings at UNF

‘Tis the season to be jolly — and there are plenty of festive events happening at UNF (or nearby) to remind us that the holiday season is in full swing. Here are a few you might want to consider as you plan your holiday schedule:

 

Handel’s “Messiah” 

Dr. Cara Tasher and the UNF Chamber Singers, UNF Chamber Players and student soloists will perform in small ensembles in UNF’s second student-only performance of Handel’s “Messiah.” For more information, contact Ashley Earles-Bennett at (904) 620-2864.

 

Date: Friday, Dec. 3

Time: 7 p.m.

Location: St. Mark’s Episcopal Church (4129 Oxford Ave.)

Cost: $10 for adults; $5 for students

 

---

 

5^th Annual Feast of Carols          

This concert features the UNF Chorale, Women’s Chorale, Men’s Chorale, the UNF Orchestra and the UNF Brass Ensemble with special guest ensembles from the community. Feast of Carols is UNF’s annual event where UNF groups and local school and community ensembles share holiday music and perform together in a collaborative “Hallelujah” chorus from Handel’s “Messiah.” Dr. Cara Tasher will conduct this concert you won’t want to miss. For more information, contact Ashley Earles-Bennett at (904) 620-2864.

 

Date:  Saturday, Dec. 4

Time: 2 p.m.

Location: Lazzara Performance Hall

Cost:  $10 for adults; $7 for youth and seniors; free for UNF students with ID

 

---

 

Inaugural Holiday Scholarship Showcase Concert 

Come hear UNF Department of Music faculty members and student ensembles perform for a great cause — raising scholarship funds for talented students in need. For more information, contact Ashley Earles-Bennett at (904) 620-2864.

 

Order tickets at www.ticketreturn.com/prod2/Buy.asp?EventID=58258.

 

Date: Saturday, Dec. 4

Time: 7:30 p.m.

Location: Lazzara Performance Hall

Cost: $30 for adults; free for UNF students with ID

 

---

 

UNF Jazz Ensemble 1 Christmas Concert 

The UNF Jazz Ensemble 1 will perform a Christmas concert at Christ the Redeemer Church in Ponte Vedra Beach. The ensemble will perform the music of Count Basie and Thad Jones, as well as holiday favorites, all in a Big Band/swing format. Admission is free, but canned goods will be collected for the homeless and donations will be accepted for JE1. For more information, contact Ashley Earles-Bennett at (904) 620-2864.

 

Date: Sunday, Dec. 5
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Christ the Redeemer Church (190 S. Roscoe Blvd., Ponte Vedra Beach)
Cost:Free, but donations will be accepted

 

---

 

Big Orange Barbershop Chorus Holiday Concert 

The Big Orange Chorus will perform traditional Christmas music as well as contemporary Christmas favorites at UNF Dec. 11. Appearing as featured guest stars will be central Florida’s famous Liberty Voices, renowned soprano soloist Tiffany Coburn and a new men’s quartet, Throwback. It will be a star-studded evening of wholesome family entertainment that music lovers won’t want to miss. Tickets can be ordered online at www.bigorangechorus.com or by calling Bill Vockell at (904) 287-1896.

Date: Saturday, Dec. 11
Time: 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.
Location: Lazzara Performance Hall
Cost: $25

 

---

 

“Santaland Diaries” at MOCA 

The Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville, a cultural resource of UNF, will present “The Santaland Diaries,” a one-act play by David Sedaris Dec. 15-18. This contemporary cult classic, adapted for the stage by Joe Montello and featuring Ian Mairs, returns to the museum for its sixth year. In this one-act show, the irreverent and disgruntled Crumpet the Elf provides his own festive commentary and wicked mirth giving the audience an opportunity to celebrate the season with their favorite alternative holiday tradition. Tickets may be purchased online at www.mocajacksonville.org or by calling (904) 366-6911. Make an evening of it by having dinner at Café Nola beforehand and make your reservation by calling (904) 366-3911, ext. 231. Priority seating for the play will be given to those who have eaten dinner at Café Nola beforehand.  

 

Date:  Wednesday, Dec. 15, through Saturday, Dec. 18

Time:  7:30 p.m.

Location:  MOCA Theater (333 N. Laura St.)

Cost:  $10 for premiere performance Dec. 15; $15 for MOCA members and $20 for non-members Dec. 16-18

 

---

 

UNF Alumni Third Thursday Social 

Join UNF alumni for a monthly get-together at Seven Bridges Bar & Grille. To spread the holiday cheer, Alumni Services will offer everyone who attends the December event one free drink.

 

Date: Thursday, Dec. 16
Time: 5:30 to 8 p.m.
Location: Seven Bridges Bar & Grille, 9735 Gate Parkway North, Jacksonville
Cost: Free admission; cash bar

 

---

 

For a complete list of UNF-sponsored events happening on campus and beyond, check out UNF’s online calendar of events at https://vems.unfcsd.unf.edu/MasterCalendar/MasterCalendar.aspx 

Around Campus

UNF closing in on $75 million mark
Dan Dundon

When UNF President John Delaney launched the public phase of a $110 million capital campaign last October, the University had raised about $65 million during the “quiet” phase of the campaign. The Power of Transformation campaign is now closing in on the $75 million mark despite the slow economic recovery.

 

Dr. Pierre Allaire, vice president of Institutional Advancement, said the campaign has made remarkable progress considering the economic circumstances facing the Florida and the national economies. “It testifies to the commitment of our donors who believe in UNF and the work we are doing each day to transform the lives of our students,” he said.

 
 

Since the launch of the public phase of the campaign, a number of prominent donors have stepped forward to announce major gifts. Included among these gifts are two that will eventually result in an infusion of more than $1 million to the First Generation Scholarship program.

 

The gifts of $250,000 from EverBank Financial Corp. and the PGA Tour Inc. were announced at the annual First Generation luncheon in March. Eventually, they will generate $500,000 in state matching funds, resulting in a total of $1 million flowing into the program over the five-year commitment for both gifts. The money will fund scholarships for students who are the first in their families to go to college.

 

Nearly 8,000 donors have made gifts since the public phase of the campaign was announced and more than 3,300 of these donors are new donors. This means 18,667 donors have made gifts in the public and quiet phases of the campaign, resulting in $74.1 million being raised.

 

It includes two $1 million gifts from the campaign co-chairs, W. Radford Lovett II and Russell B Newton III. Both of the lead gifts will be devoted to scholarships and transformational learning opportunities, which are among the main goals of the campaign.

 

The Power of Transformation campaign is building on the success of Access to Excellence. That campaign from 1997 to 2003 set out to raise $65 million for the University. The campaign eventually raised more than $100 million from 11,000 donors, including 25 gifts of $1 million or more. 

 

However, The Power of Transformation campaign is providing significantly more scholarship assistance at a time of great need among students. 

“These scholarships are important because we need to increase the number of Florida residents who have a four-year degree,” Allaire said. “These scholarships are critical if Florida is to take its place in a knowledge-based global economy.”

 

Allaire emphasized much work remains for the campaign to achieve its various goals. “We are confident that with our outstanding volunteer leadership, UNF will ultimately succeed in this ambitious undertaking,” he said.

Faculty & Staff

Brooks College of Health

Nursing: Dr. Carol A. Ledbetter was elected by acclamation of the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) Board of Commissioners to serve a second term as the organization’s chairman. CCNE ensures the quality and integrity of baccalaureate and graduate degree programs that prepare nurses. Now in its 13th year of accreditation review activities, CCNE has accredited 530 baccalaureate and 378 master’s degree programs in nursing, as well as 32 Doctor of Nursing Practice programs. CCNE accredits nursing programs in 547 colleges and universities nationwide and in Puerto Rico, and 79 percent of institutions with baccalaureate and/or master’s degree nursing programs are affiliated with CCNE.

Nutrition and Dietetics: Dr. Judy Perkin was the keynote speaker for the 2010 University of Central Florida Breast Cancer Update in October. Her topic was “Diet and Breast Cancer Prevention.”

Athletic Training & Physical Therapy: Drs. James Churilla and Peter Magyari presented a paper about their recent research findings, “Association of Congestive Heart Failure and Body Mass Index with Metabolic Syndrome: 1999-2004 NHANES,” at the 8th Annual World Congress on Insulin Resistance, Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease in Los Angeles in November.

Public Health: Dr. M. Tes Tuason (currently on loan for the year from the Psychology Department) published “Cross-National Comparisons of Complex Problem-Solving Strategies in Two Microworlds” (co-authored by Drs. C. Dominik Güss and C. Gerhard) in Cognitive Science, Vol. 34, pages 489-520; and a chapter titled “Peace Psychology in a Poor World: Conflict Transformation in Response to Poverty” in Dr. Candice C. Carter’s book “Conflict Resolution and Peace Education: Transformations Across Disciplines,” published by Palgrave Macmillan. Tuason also published a chapter titled “All I Really Need to Know, I Learned Doing Play Therapy” in M.L.A. Carandang’s book “The Magic of Play: Children Heal Through Play Therapy,” published by Anvil Publishing Inc.

Several faculty members from the Brooks College of Health were recognized for outstanding service to the University at the 2010 Fall Convocation. Those who took home awards were:
• Drs. William D. Ahrens and Michele J. Moore, Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award
• Dr. Barbara J. Kruger, Outstanding Service Award
• Dr. Rob Haley, Outstanding International Leadership Award


Coggin College of Business

Management: Dr. Ping Zhang’s article titled “Board Information and Strategic Task Performance” was accepted for publication in Corporate Governance: An International Review.

Marketing & Logistics: Dr. A.C. “Josh” Samli was honored by the American Marketing Association as “the oldest fully functioning member of the American Marketing Association.” Samli just completed his 50th year of teaching.

Drs. Paul A. Fadill and Diana L. Tanner were both awarded an Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award at the 2010 Fall Convocation.


College of Arts & Sciences

Art & Design: Dr. P. Scott Brown presented a paper titled “Fallen Women in the Egerton Genesis: Hagar, Tamar, Dinah, and the Daughters of Lot” and co-chaired a session titled “From Eve to Mary: Models and Anti-Models of Women in the Middle Ages” at the Southeastern College Arts Conference (SECAC) in Richmond, Va., in October. Brown also will serve as the new editor of the SECAC Review. At the same conference Mark Creegan presented a paper titled “I Want My Shark’s Teeth Back: Pitfalls of a Contingent Art Practice;” Raymond Gaddy presented a paper titled “These Things You Will Not Re-Member;” Jenny Hager presented a paper titled “Student Work: Collaborative Sculpture (Site-Specific and Installation);” Paul Karabinis presented a paper titled “When Nothing is Certain, Everything is Possible: Alternative Photography as Pedagogical Strategy” and co-chaired a session with Christopher Trice titled “Teaching With Web 2.0 Tools: Strategies, Problems and Possibilities;” and Dr. Debra Murphy, who continues as president of SECAC, chaired a session titled “Women and War: Themes of Victory, Violence, Peace and Reconciliation Part I” and presented a paper titled “Giorgio Vasari’s ‘Holy Family with John the Baptist,’” which she also presented in the Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens.

Stephen Heywood gave a lecture in October titled “The Drive to Succeed, Doing What it Takes to Have a Successful Career as an Artist” at Utah Valley University, where he also demonstrated ceramics techniques.

Emily Douglass presented a printmaking workshop at the Mid- America Print Conference in Minneapolis in October. Douglass also lectured and taught intaglio workshops at the Oklahoma Arts Institute at Quarts Mountain in October.

Dr. Joe Butler was awarded a COAS Dean’s Leadership Council 2010-2011 Faculty Fellowship.

Dr. Dale Casamatta published (with Igor Brown, Donald Bryant, Eric Boyd, Daniel Garrison, Joel Graham, David McKay, John Peters, Svetlana Sarkisova, Gaozhong Shen and Kathie Thomas-Keprta) “Polyphasic Characterization of a Thermotolerant Siderophilic Filamentous Cyanobacterium that Produces Intracellular Iron Deposits” in Applied and Environmental Microbiology, Vol. 76, No. 19, pages 6664-6672, October 2010.

Dr. Thomas Pekarek was awarded the Distinguished Professor Runner-Up Award at the Fall 2010 Convocation. Other winners from the College of Arts & Sciences were:
• Drs. Emily Arthur Douglass, Cara. S Tasher, Rico. L Vitz and Pamela A. Zeiser, Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Awards
• Dr. Dan Moon, Outstanding Graduate Teaching Award
• Drs. Lev V. Gasparov and Richard Patterson, Outstanding Scholarship Award
• Dr. Mina Baliamoune-Lutz, Outstanding Service Award
• Dr. Pamela Zeiser, Outstanding International Leadership Award

Dr. Judith Ochrietor was awarded a COAS Dean’s Leadership Council 2010-2011 Faculty Fellowship.

Music: Dr. Michael Bovenzi performed as a soloist with the University of Florida Symphony Orchestra and the Philip Glass Concerto for Saxophone Quartet and Orchestra at the Phillips Center in Gainesville. Bovenzi is a founding member of the Onyx Saxophone Quartet, a new professional chamber music ensemble in the north-central Florida area.

Dr. Marc Dickman was a featured artist at the Amelia Island Jazz Festival in October.

Sociology & Anthropology: Dr. Adam Shapiro was an invited speaker at the PairFam International Conference on Intergenerational Relationships in Chemnitz, Germany, in September. His talk was titled “Marital Heterogeneity and its Implications for Intergenerational Relationships in the U.S.”

Jennifer Spaulding-Givens presented two papers, “Florida Self-Directed Care: A Choice-Based Service Delivery Model” and “The Empirical and Ethical Import of the Inclusion of Clients in Client Satisfaction Measurement Research,” at the annual conference of the International Center for the Study of Psychiatry and Psychology in Syracuse, NY.

Dr. Ronald Kephart received an invitation from the Jamaican Language Unit/Unit for Caribbean Language Research to participate in a working group planning an upcoming International Conference on Language Rights and Policy in the Creole-speaking Caribbean. In addition, Kephart presented at the UF Linguistics Department’s Thursday Linguistics Seminar on using linguistics to reduce prejudice toward non-standard languages.


College of Computing, Engineering & Construction

School of Computing: Dr. Kenneth E. Martin, as a representative director for the Association of Computing Machinery (ACM), participated in the Computer Science Accreditation Board meeting in October. Martin is also serving as chair of an accreditation review of an overseas university computer science program on behalf of the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET.

School of Engineering: Dr. Daniel Cox presented “Extending the Discrete Selection Capabilities of the P300 Speller to Goal-Oriented Robot Arm Control” (co-authored by G. Johnson, N. Waytowich, A. Henderson and D. Krusienski) at the 3rd International Conference on Biomedical Robotics and Biomechatronics in Tokyo in September; and “Robot Application of a Brain Computer Interface to Staubli TX40 Robots – Early Stages” (co-authored by Waytowich, Henderson and Krusienski) at the 13th International Symposium on Robotics and Applications within the Ninth Biannual World Automation Congress, in Kobe, Japan, in September. Both were published in the technical conferences’ proceedings.

Dr. Murat Tiryakioglu recently received the 2010 John Campbell Medal for his “sustained contribution to the science and understanding of metal casting.”

Dr. Pat Welsh presented UNF Research Results at the IBM LA Grid Summit at Florida Atlantic University in October. Welsh also gave a talk on offshore wind improvements to the Florida Oceans and Coasts Council (FOCC) in October. The FOCC is a legally mandated advisory body to the Governor and Legislature for ocean and coastal research priorities.

Dr. Adel K. El-Safty was awarded an Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award at the 2010 Fall Convocation.


College of Education & Human Services

Exceptional Student & Deaf Education: Dr. Katrina Hall presented her paper, co-authored by Drs. Lunetta Williams and Wanda Hedrick, titled “In School Independent Reading: What Does it Really Look Like?” at the Mid-South Educational Research Association Annual Meeting in Mobile, Ala., in November.

Dr. Debbie Reed was invited by the commissioner of the U.S. Administration on Developmental Disabilities to participate in a small group of key stakeholders to help develop a five-year strategic plan to guide the administration's priorities. The goal of the administration is to help state government, local communities and the private sector to help people with developmental disabilities reach their maximum potential through increased independence, productivity and integration within the community.

Drs. Susan Syverud and Caroline Guardino presented their research titled “Involving Undergraduates in Multiple Case Study Research: Reflection on Rewarding Experience” at the Florida Statewide Symposium for Engagement in Undergraduate Research at the University of Central Florida. The symposium was particularly helpful in generating and sharing ideas with other Florida professors successfully engaging undergraduates in creative research experiences. Guardino also presented her research on “Modifying the Classroom Environment to Reduce Disruptive Behaviors and Increase Academic Engagement in Classrooms with Students who have a Hearing Loss” to 140 teachers and staff at the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind (FSDB) in St. Augustine. A few teachers in the audience were members of Guardino’s consultative services a year ago in FSDB’s elementary program. These teachers assisted in the presentation by sharing their success stories from the modifications made in the previous school year.

Dr. Sherry Shaw presented “Undergraduate Research through Transformational Study Abroad” at the Florida Statewide Symposium for Engagement in Undergraduate Research at the University of Central Florida in October. She co-presented at the Conference of Interpreter Trainers in San Antonio in October with Dr. Len Roberson on the topics of “Service-Learning Evaluation in Interpreter Education and Assessment, Standards, & Program Accreditation: Linking National Standards and Interpreter Education.” Shaw was also a panelist on the topic of “Connecting Interpreter Education Programs: Models of Program Partnership to Expand BA Opportunities for Interpreters.” In addition, her monograph chapter, “BA/BS Completion Partnership Models: The 2 + 2, 3+1, Reverse 2 + 2, and Coordinated Academic Degree Program” was recently published by the National Consortium of Interpreter Education Centers. In November, Shaw presented on the UNF Foundation Grant Project, “Social Connectedness of Deaf Retirees” at the Mid-South Educational Research Association Annual Meeting in Mobile, Ala., in November.

Office of the Dean: Drs. Marsha Lupi and Karen Patterson recently presented at the Teacher Education Division of the Council for Exceptional Children in St. Louis, Mo. Lupi facilitated the session “Reflections on Leadership Journeys: Special Women, Special Leaders” with Dr. Suzanne Martin of the University of Central Florida. Patterson, along with Lupi and Martin, and Dr. Kevin Miller (Buffalo State University), presented a session titled “Continuing the Conversation: The Challenges of Department Chair and College Leadership Roles.”


Student Affairs

LGBT Resource Center: In October, Ryan Miller was the keynote speaker at the fifth annual Queer Texas Conference, a student-organized LGBT conference at the University of Texas at Austin.

Annette Robinette was awarded the Outstanding Undergraduate Advising Award and Mary Beth Janson was awarded the Outstanding International Service Award at the 2010 Fall Convocation.

Get to Know

Jin-Suk Byun

Name: Jin-Suk Byun

Department: Childhood Education
Job title: Assistant Professor
Years at UNF: A little more than 3

 

What do you do at UNF? Describe your job duties.  

I teach TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages) courses both at the undergraduate and graduate level in the College of Education and Human Services.

 

Tell us about your family.  

My wife and I celebrated our 20th anniversary in November 2010 and we have two teenage children, Joanna and Paul. Joanna is 18 years old and planning on flying away for a university and Paul is a 10th-grader now.

 
What is your favorite thing about working at UNF? 

I love teaching, especially teaching TESOL and Second Language Acquisition. UNF is giving me exactly the opportunity. I love it! In addition to that, my students are good. I enjoy watching them being prepared to become great teachers who will make a difference in the future education of America.

 

What is your favorite way to blow an hour?  

I love fishing. So I may be fishing at the beach.

 

What is the proudest/happiest moment of your life?  

One of the happiest moments of my life passed when my wife and I celebrated our 20th anniversary. I thank my wife deeply for giving me the moment.
 
Tell us something that would surprise people to know about you. 

When I was studying TESOL in my undergraduate program in Korea, my English was so poor that my classmates did not understand me when I spoke in English.   

 

What are you most passionate about? 

I try my best to love others and help people around me.

 

What’s the last book you read?My faith is very important in my life, so I read the Bible every day.

Good Question

 

Q: From Joel Jones (human resources specialist in Human Resources) -- Why doesn’t UNF advertise like other colleges?  I’ve seen television, print and billboard ads for FSCJ, Phoenix University, even UWF and UF, but nothing for UNF.   

 

A: From Sharon Ashton (assistant vice president of Public Relations) -- My office is responsible for marketing that enhances UNF’s public image. UNF does have an integrated marketing plan that includes a public awareness campaign called “Did You Know?” This ongoing campaign includes, among other forms of advertising, signage inside the Jacksonville International Airport, where 14 million people a year see the ads promoting UNF. Also, in an effort to stretch University funds, we rely heavily on what’s called “earned media,” essentially convincing the news media to do positive stories on UNF. Between TV, newspapers, radio and news websites, UNF is in the news an average of 17 times a day, every single day. News coverage is considered better than advertising because it comes with the credibility of a news organization.
 
A: From John Yancey (director of Admissions) -- My office has a modest marketing budget that is entirely focused on the recruitment of UNF students as we work to meet our enrollment targets. To do so, we advertise on websites associated with CollegeView.com, Collegeboard.com, and other educationally focused websites. Most of the advertising you mention above is generally used to build brand recognition (or in the case of FSCJ, promote a significant change in a brand) and in the Jacksonville area, the UNF brand is relatively strong and recognizable.  

 

Employees who have UNF-related questions they would like to have answered in the next issue of Inside are encouraged to send them to goodquestion@unf.edu Submitted questions will be considered for publication in the "Good Question" column, which is designed to help inform the campus community about relevant issues. When submitting questions, please include your name, department and job title, which will be included if your question is selected. The submission deadline is the 15th of each month. For more information, contact Julie Williams at jkwillia@unf.edu. 

Dateline

 Milestone Anniversaries 

Congratulations to the following employees who will celebrate a milestone anniversary at UNF in December or January:

   

 30 Years: 

John McEldowney, Associate Professor, Accounting & Finance

 

 25 Years: 

David Crabtree, Associate Director of the Student Union, Student Government

Alan Mead, Parking Attendant, University Parking

 

 20 Years: 

Judith Purcell, Travel Representative, Training & Services Institute

 

 15 Years: 

Michael Legg, Senior Telecomm Technician, Telephone Services

Debra Lenahen, Assistant Director and Adjunct, Disability Resource Center

Michael Weglicki, Assistant Director of Sport Facilities, Teaching Gymnasium

 

 10 Years: 

Beverly Colfry, Senior Accounts Payable Receiving Rep, Continuing Education

Melonie Handerson, Coordinator of Administrative Services, President's Office

Dennis McNulty, Program Assistant, Auxiliary Services

Jan Meires, Associate Professor, Nursing

Annette Robinette, Senior Academic Adviser, Academic Center for Excellence

Valarie Robinson, Adjunct and Coordinator, Career Services

 

 Five Years: 

Enrique Barquinero, Adjunct, World Languages

Imeh Ebong, Assistant Vice President of Research, Academic Affairs

Adel El Safty, Associate Professor, Civil Engineering

Timothy Hunter, IT Support Manager, Information Technology Services

Phillip Kearney, Law Enforcement Officer, Campus Police

Tiffany King, Administrative Secretary, Urban Internship

Diane Landschoot, Adjunct, College of Education & Human Services

Wesley Maas, Coordinator of Academic Support Services, Athletics

Mahreen Mian, Program Assistant, Child Development & Research Center

Shari Naman, Academic Adviser, Academic Center for Excellence

Susan Schlieben, Executive Secretary, Administration & Finance

Scott Schroeder, Adjunct & Head Coach, Golf

Christopher Sletten, Adjunct, Psychology

Nancy Soderberg, Faculty Administrator, Political Science & Public Administration

Theodore Wallman, Adjunct, Criminology & Criminal Justice

 

 Welcome 

The following employees were either hired by UNF or were promoted from OPS positions from mid-October to mid-November:

 

 Tellis Blunt, Groundskeeper, Physical Facilities

 Benjamin Bryan, Auto Equipment Mechanic, Physical Facilities

 Kathie Carswell, Office Manager, Civil Engineering

 John Cooper, Graphic Designer, University Housing

 Michelle Davis, Administrative Secretary, Biology

 Drew Dyr, Coordinator of IT Support, Information Technology Services

 James Hancock, Maintenance Support Worker, Physical Facilities

 LaZarios McClain, Enrollment Services Specialist, One Stop Center

 Cathleen Schultz, Adjunct, Brooks College of Health

 Jenay Sermon, Coordinator of Research & Program Services, Florida Institute of Education

 Il-Seop Shin, Assistant Professor, Electrical Engineering

 Brandi Tuccillo, Adjunct, Brooks College of Health

 Earnest Vickers, Groundskeeper, Physical Facilities

 
 

 Congratulations 

 Michelle Green (Coggin College Dean’s Office) will graduate from UNF Dec. 10 with a B.S. in communication. 

 

 Marie Mobley (COEHS Office of Educational Field Experiences) announces that her daughter, VaShawn Guice, married Tony Veal Oct. 15 in Las Vegas. VaShawn received her master’s degree in criminal justice from UNF. The couple honeymooned in Hawaii. They live in Washington, D.C. (photo)

Ask UNF

Finding job satisfaction

Job satisfaction is how happy you feel when you assess the nature of your job. Dr. Paul Fadil, a management professor, answers a few questions about job satisfaction and its importance.

 

What is the definition of job satisfaction and why is it so important? 

One of the most researched areas of management is job satisfaction. Simply put, job satisfaction describes the happiness or contentment an individual feels when he/she assesses the nature of their job. Every day doesn’t have to be heaven, but if you truly enjoy and value the job you have, then you are considered to have a high level of job satisfaction. In today’s economy of just being lucky to have a job only motivates someone to work hard enough just to keep it. When the employment situation picks up, employees who are dissatisfied tend to look for jobs they believe they would enjoy more. Therefore, job satisfaction should be something that both employers and employees aspire to attain.

 

Do employers need to keep their workers happy because of the notion that when workers are satisfied with their jobs performance improves? 

Unfortunately, and not without trying, the management field has never been able prove this. Actually, the satisfaction performance link is inconsistent at best. The management discipline has been trying for years to show that this is a viable relationship, but the research evidence has just not been there. So, unfortunately, happy workers do not necessarily make higher-performing workers.

 

What does research say about job satisfaction? 

Surprisingly, they found strong evidence for the reverse relationship. Researchers found that when someone discovers that they are very good at something (performing a task at a high level), then they begin to like it. So, if there are certain rewards that come with performing a job at a high level, such as a high salary, more power, being viewed as leader, and those things that are important to you, you almost rationalize loving something that you may not even like. Remember, job satisfaction deals with being satisfied and enjoying the job itself, not what the job brings you. A high salary, for example, is the benefit of being a CEO. Being excited to go to work because you have an important meeting or negotiation – that is being satisfied with your job. These two concepts must be separated to truly understand job satisfaction.

 

What are some things organizations can do to help their workers be more satisfied with their jobs?  

Some things that can be done to increase levels of job satisfaction include increasing the worker’s autonomy; providing appropriate training; providing constructive feedback; increasing job variety; and explaining where the worker’s job fits in to the overall organization.

 

Is there one thing out there that affects job satisfaction to a greater degree than anything else? 

Yes. Research has shown that 70 to 80 percent of your job satisfaction is directly related to the relationship you have with your immediate boss. One of the things I always tell my students is that if you take the time to cultivate and develop a positive professional and personal relationship with your boss, you can directly affect your own happiness in your job.

 

Ask UNF runs monthly in Inside and The Florida Times-Union, promoting the expertise of faculty and staff. If you have questions about this topic, contact Dr. Fadil at pfadil@unf.edu.

The Goods

Nutty over nuts

Do you go nutty over munching a handful of almonds or peanuts? Well, you should, because they provide an important source of nutrients for our bodies. Dr. Lauri Wright, a nutrition professor, discusses the myths and facts about the crunchy nut.

  

Myth: Nuts are bad for you.

Fact: Nuts are high in fat but they contain a healthy type of fat that promotes heart health. The Iowa Health Study found that women who ate nuts more than four times a week were 40 percent less likely to die of heart disease. The heart-health benefits of nuts were also found among men. The Physician’s Health Study found that men who consumed nuts more than two times a week had a reduced risk of sudden cardiac death. In fact, the Food and Drug Administration has approved a heart-health claim for almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, pecans, some pine nuts, pistachios and walnuts.

 

Myth: All nuts are the same. 

Fact: Each nut has its own claim to fame. Walnuts, for example, have the highest amount of omega-3 fats, which help lower triglycerides in the blood and slow down the growth of plaques in the arteries. Almonds, on the other hand, are high in heart-healthy fats but also contain antioxidants such as vitamin E. In fact, recent studies have found that not only do almonds help reduce high cholesterol but they also help with weight management. Though cashew nuts are not as heart healthy as walnuts and almonds, they are a great source of iron, which helps to build red blood cells and prevent anemia.

 

Myth: If nuts are good for me, then I don’t need to worry about how many I eat.  

Fact: Nuts are very high in calories – 15 cashews, for instance, deliver 180 calories. On top of that, it’s very easy to overeat these tasty snacks. What’s the solution? Try to restrain yourself to an ounce or two per day to obtain the health benefits but avoid excess calories. Also try substituting nuts for foods high in saturated fats. For example, use nuts when making cookies rather than chocolate chips.

 

Myth: Nuts don’t contain anything else healthy.

Fact: Nuts are one of the best plant sources of protein. They are rich in fiber, phytonutrients and antioxidants, which can help prevent cancer. And of course, nuts are high in monounsaturated fats, which have been shown to lower cholesterol and triglycerides. It goes without saying that nuts shouldn’t be eaten by anyone with an allergy to them. Bottom line: eaten in moderation, nuts can be a part of a healthy diet. So go nuts!

 

 

Black Walnut Pesto  

Walnuts, pine nuts, garlic and herbs make a delicious pesto sauce that may be used on pasta or as a dip.

 

Ingredients:

•   1 head of garlic
•   1 cup olive oil, plus about 2 tablespoons for basting
•   1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
•   1/4 cup fresh cilantro or parsley leaves
•   1 cup walnuts
•   1 cup pine nuts
•   1/2 cup black walnuts
•   1/4 cup dark-colored miso (soybean paste)

 

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a covered, oiled casserole dish, bake the garlic for 40 minutes, basting occasionally with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Let cool and then peel.
3. Meanwhile, chop the basil and cilantro or parsley. Add the garlic and chop again.
4. Add the walnuts and pine nuts. Chop until fine.
5. Add the miso and remaining cup of olive oil; process until well mixed.

 

Serving Size: 1/4 cup

 

Nutritional Analysis: 108 calories, 6g protein, 4g fat, 2g fiber, 142 mg sodium

 

If you have questions about nuts, you can contact Wright by e-mail at Lauri.wright@unf.edu. “The Goods” monthly column runs every third Thursday in the Taste section of The Florida Times-Union, promoting UNF nutrition faculty and featuring myths and facts about various foods.