November 2009

It hasn’t been an easy year, but faculty, staff and students at UNF have a lot to be thankful for – and a lot to look forward to this next year – according to President John Delaney, who presented his State of the University address at convocation Oct. 2.

Thirty-seven years to the day UNF opened its doors to students, Delaney spoke to a larger-than-usual crowd in the Lazzara Performance Hall.

As he reflected on the past year, including his temporary appointment as president in residence for the Florida Board of Governors in which he essentially served as interim chancellor during the Legislative Session, Delaney said he’s seen a change in attitude about higher education.

“The economic crisis and the changes in population growth have led to an acute awareness that we need to change Florida’s economy if the state is to thrive,” he said. “We have been working hard to carry the message that if we are to regain economic prosperity we cannot rely on Florida’s historic economic legs: agriculture, tourism and population growth. We must move to a knowledge-based economy. We have to create a new economy for Florida.”

According to Delaney, a new economy for Florida calls for a plan that invests heavily in higher education, builds up research capacity at all the state’s public universities and increases the number of people who earn college degrees to sustain a knowledge-based economy, so the State University System is the foundation on which to “build the new Florida.”

Delaney said he spent many hours helping to develop, articulate and sell the plan to the Board of Governors, the Legislature and the governor, and that people are beginning to understand how important the State University System is to Florida’s future.

“We are not just a nice add-on, we are a foundation on which to build a new Florida,” he said.

The new State University System chancellor has taken on the agenda, Delaney said, adding that he hopes everyone will be hearing more and more about the plan over the next several months.

He also said his temporary appointment as president in residence enabled him to work closely with the Legislature and the governor on higher education issues.

“Since our UNF agenda aligns with the board, I was essentially killing two birds with one stone,” Delaney said. “In this work I was able to help move through a budget for the state universities that allowed each university discretion to increase tuition, which had long been restricted by the Legislature. This budget also decoupled tuition from Bright Futures, another restriction on setting appropriate tuition.”

What that means to UNF, he said, is that UNF’s cuts were much less drastic than they would have been had the State University System not received a tuition differential – and that UNF will have greater control over its tuition rates in the future.

Focusing on UNF, Delaney turned to the most visible growth the University experienced this past year: the physical additions to the campus, including 700,000 square feet of new building space, an increase of 22 percent over the previous year. It includes the new College of Education and Human Services Building, the new Brooks College of Health addition, the addition of MOCA Jacksonville as a cultural resource of UNF, the new Student Union and Osprey Fountains, the latest and greatest residence hall “with the now-famous lazy river.”

On the surface, it looks like UNF has been swimming its own lazy river full of cash – but as Delaney explained, the money spent on the new construction came from sources that could only be used for new buildings, namely PECO (Public Education Capital Outlay) funding.

“Regrettably, those dollars could not have been used for the raises I know each of you would like to have and each of you deserves,” Delaney said. “I often refer to this as having different colors of money that can only be spent on certain-colored functions.”

While upcoming construction plans may pale in comparison to last year’s construction, they include the design of a new biology building and the renovation of spaces vacated when departments and offices transferred to new locations. Also on the drawing board this year is the five-year master plan, which will detail the next phase of UNF’s construction.


One of the successes Delaney talked about was the $13 million UNF raised in private funding in 2008-09, which was quite a feat considering the deflated economy. The good news is that supporters of UNF are still willing to give to the University to fund scholarships, fellowships, program enhancements, capital projects and faculty support.  

Delaney also spoke about The Power of Transformation Campaign to raise $110 million, the most ambitious fund-raising effort in UNF’s history. So far, UNF has raised $65 million of that goal.

“If we are going to transform our students’ lives, and in turn, transform this community, we need community support,” he said.

Delaney said the University has made great strides over the last year in accomplishing its mission, which is to foster the intellectual and cultural growth and civic awareness of its students; to ensure students and faculty engage together and individually in the discovery and application of knowledge; and to maintain an unreserved commitment to student success within a diverse, supportive campus culture. He said outside organizations have taken notice of UNF’s mission-related successes this past year, including the following:

• The visitation team from SACS (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools) noted in their report that “UNF has an institutional commitment to quality and integrity” that has allowed UNF to put together the strategies needed to enhance student learning and development
• The School of Nursing was recognized this past year by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing as a recipient of the prestigious Innovations in Professional Nursing Education Award;
• The College of Education and Human Services received the Exemplary Professional Development School Achievement Award from the National Association of Professional Development Schools.

That kind of recognition, according to Delaney, shows that UNF is on the road to achieving the preeminence it’s seeking. “These recognitions also highlight our faculty’s hard work and give testimony to the quality programs we are offering our students,” he said. “We are on the right track, and we need to keep our focus on quality as well as on the numbers we are using to measure that quality.”

In an effort to focus on quality and earn recognition for the University’s commitment to community engagement, this year UNF will seek endorsement from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, an independent policy and research center whose charge is "to do and perform all things necessary to encourage, uphold and dignify the profession of the teacher."

“This designation will document our ongoing efforts to engage our students in community-based transformational learning and all of our other various efforts to serve as cultural, economic and educational resources for Northeast Florida,” Delaney said. “It will also align us with some rather prestigious colleges and universities, such as Duke, UCLA and Georgetown.”

UNF’s Community-Based Transformational Learning program this year will be charged with expanding and enhancing the University’s commitments to students, the community and transformational learning, which Delaney dubbed the three hallmarks of UNF. The University will also increase its emphasis on measuring success through a set of benchmark metrics, keeping track of things like student retention, graduation rates and SAT scores of entering freshmen. All are important measures that tell us how well UNF is meeting students’ needs. “They also tell the taxpayer and parents who are paying the bills how well we’re investing their money,” Delaney said.

Are we a better institution than we were a year ago? Absolutely, Delaney said.  

“As we come out of these challenging times I know we are better positioned to capitalize on the future. So, today I want to celebrate,” he concluded. “Celebrate our collective and individual successes; celebrate the important work we are engaged in; celebrate the fact that we can work together with each other; celebrate the opportunities we will have as we move forward; and celebrate the fact that we are helping to transform the lives of some amazing students.”

Of the many accolades and honors that have accrued to UNF 2009 Distinguished Professor Dr. Jeff Steagall, he considers his crowning achievement to be developing the International Business Program to its current status as a flagship program at the Coggin College of Business. He acknowledged this fact in his acceptance speech at the recent fall convocation ceremony in the Fine Arts Center.

“I am sure that the primary contribution that led me up here today,” he said from the podium, “is in fact my service. Within that category, Coggin’s International Business, or IB program, is surely the particular achievement on which my reputation is based.”

Steagall’s reputation is well justified considering his achievements:

• He served for 13 years as director of the International Business Program;
• In 1998 he led the first Coggin study-abroad course – and he has led three more since;
• He has grown study-abroad courses to at least 10 a year, with 224 students and 16 faculty members participating in 2007-08;
• He arranged more than 20 student-exchange programs with foreign universities;
• He helped design majors for International Business and International Studies;
• He raised approximately $700,000 for study-abroad scholarships;
• He helped design the GlobalMBA program, an international double-degree program with three foreign partner schools that won a national Best Practices in International Education Award.

“Jeff is an exceptionally worthy recipient our UNF Distinguished Professor Award,” said Dr. John McAllister, dean of the Coggin College of Business. “He guided our International Business Program from its infancy in the 1990s to its flagship designation two years ago. Jeff has earned the respect of his colleagues in the Coggin College and across the University. This respect also emanates from untold numbers of faculty members around the world, who think first of Jeff Steagall when they hear [the words] ‘UNF’ and ‘excellence’ in international business education.”

Steagall, who came to UNF in 1990, is a professor of economics and the Richard deRaismes Kip Professor of International Business. In his speech, he thanked colleagues for their contributions for what he called “this incredible honor.” And he thanked his family for supporting him and “putting up with” his extended absences.

Steagall received the Prime F. Osborn III Distinguished Business Award in 2008. In 2007, Steagall was presented with the Outstanding University Service Award. He won the Outstanding Undergraduate Teacher Award in 2000. Among his other honors, Steagall was the recipient of two Teaching Incentive Program Awards for Outstanding Teaching in 1995 and 1998.

Perhaps the most poignant part of Steagall’s address was when he acknowledged some past and present UNF colleagues for their efforts in helping instill the qualities that culminated in the Distinguished Professor Award.
    
“I also owe thanks to so many colleagues – more than I can name right now,” Steagall said. “However, I will mention a few by name: Paul Mason and Jay Coleman from whom I learned to be a good teacher, scholar and service provider; Steve Shapiro from whom I learned the importance of university-level service; Tom Leonard, who taught me how to write grants and build programs; and Steve Paulson, without whose persistent encouragement I doubt I would have had the courage to accept the IB directorship all those years ago.”

The Distinguished Professor Award is presented annually to a faculty member who has a balanced record of distinction at UNF in teaching, scholarship and service. Steagall is the 32nd winner of the Distinguished Professor Award. The award includes a $5,000 honorarium, a commemorative plaque, the listing of the recipient’s name on a permanent University plaque and an invitation to deliver the fall academic convocation address. The award is made possible through unrestricted gifts to the UNF Foundation.

Several UNF faculty members have been recognized by the Florida Nurses Association as being among the Great 100 Nurses in the state, marking the celebration of the association’s 100 years of service.
            
“I have always known that the School of Nursing at UNF and its faculty members were exceptional,” said Dr. Pam Chally, dean of the Brooks College of Health at UNF. “Now the entire state has recognized our faculty.”

Ten School of Nursing faculty members were recognized as being exemplary in the areas of administration, practice, community nursing, research, education and advocacy/role models during a late September awards ceremony in St. Petersburg.

The selected Great 100 Nurses include: Bill Ahrens, Dr. Kathy Bloom, Chally, Dr. Barbara Drummond-Huth, Kay Fullwood, Dr. Barbara Kruger, Dr. Li Loriz, Dr. John McDonough, Doreen Perez and Dr. Lucy Trice.

 A member of the School of Nursing faculty at UNF since 1998, Aherns has received numerous awards. This year, he was recognized with the Jo Ann Barnett Award for Compassionate Nursing Care in Education from the University of Alabama-Birmingham School of Nursing Alumni Chapter. He also has received a Brooks College of Health Undergraduate Teaching Award and a Students’ Choice Outstanding Professor award. He recently completed a two-year term on the Florida Nurses Association Board of Directors.

Bloom is an exemplary nurse researcher. Not only does she have an extensive record of research, she is a mentor to junior faculty and students.

Chally has been an educator for more than 35 years and has received six teaching awards, including an Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award from UNF. She plays an active role on many community boards and professional organizations, and as a former chair of the Board of Nursing, she worked to improve the nursing shortage in Florida. As an advocate for health care and nursing, she has received the Desmond Tutu Peace and Reconciliation Award, UNF Distinguished Professor, EVE Award and Woman of Influence from the Jacksonville Business Journal.

With more than 30 years of experience as a nursing administrator, Drummond-Huth led Flagler Hospital to become the first hospital in Northeast Florida to achieve Magnet status, a symbol of excellence. This distinction mirrors her own personal commitment to the education of her staff in support of quality nursing care. She has twice been chair of the Florida Organization of Nurse Executives.

Fullwood had a great role model throughout her nursing life and, as a result, tries to be an excellent role model to others in the nursing profession. She works to incorporate professionalism into practice and identification with the values of the nursing profession.

Kruger, a community/public health nurse, has been instrumental in the development of the community-based, population-focused curriculum at UNF. She has ascertained that all faculty (not just the community nursing faculty) have a working knowledge of public health principles.

Loriz serves as the director of the School of Nursing. Her leadership and advocacy are driving forces behind a community nursing program that has made a difference in the lives within the Northeast Florida five-county region. Some 350 service-learning projects have provided 25,000 student-hours each year in initiatives involving more than 50 community partners with significant benefits experienced by those served.

McDonough has been actively involved in the education of nurse anesthetists since 1994, developing various nurse anesthetist programs that have a reputation as being high-quality, innovative programs. He has developed a stellar program, utilizing state-of-the-art technology in order to maintain the same quality at all points of instruction.

Perez serves as director of Student Medical Services. As a nurse for 31 years, she always felt advocacy was one of the most important roles nurses could embrace. She has participated in national, state and local activities that support policy reform related to student health care. During her last five visits to Washington, D.C., she worked on issues related to women’s health, drug and alcohol use in higher education and contraceptive pricing.

Trice, the associate dean in the Brooks College of Health, has been an administrator in nursing education since 1992, when she was appointed as interim chair for the then-Department of Nursing at UNF. During her tenure as chair, she was instrumental in the movement of the Department of Nursing to its designation as the School of Nursing. Under her guidance as director of the School of Nursing, faculty collaboration became more evident and the attrition of nursing faculty decreased. 

Acclaimed international music and folk dancing take center stage this month at the Fine Arts Center with performances by the famed Bruckner Orchester Linz and Virsky Ukraininan National Dance Company.

Bruckner Orchester Linz
Conducted by Dennis Russell Davies, the Bruckner Orchester Linz, guest violinist Renaud Capuçon and mezzo-soprano Kathryn Handsaker will perform at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13, in the Lazzara Performance Hall. The program features famed American composer Leonard Bernstein’s “Symphony No. 1,” “Serenade” and “Symphonic Dances from West Side Story.” Tickets are $30 to $56 for the general public and $10 for students.

As an internationally acclaimed musician and conductor, Davies is avidly sought out for his breadth of repertoire, technical brilliance and fearless music-making. Named Instrumentalist of the Year for 2005 by the French Victoires de la Musique, Capuçon has taken his place among the top echelon of young violinists. Australian-born Handsaker is an accomplished operatic singer in her homeland and abroad. She has also received many awards and prizes during her solo career.

The orchestra, which looks back on a history and tradition dating back more than 200 years, has developed over the last three decades into one of the leading orchestras of Central Europe. With its 110 musicians, Bruckner Orchester Linz is not only the concert orchestra for the state of Upper Austria, but also the opera orchestra at the Landestheater Linz.

Virsky Ukrainian National Dance Company
The Virsky Ukrainian National Dance Company will perform at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 27, at the Fine Arts Center. Tickets are $25 to $45 for the general public and $10 for students. 

The renowned folk dance ensemble named after Pavlo Virsky is famous for its bright colors, the unity of content and form and the vivid embodiment of its stage concept. This artistic group has embraced the beauty of its native Ukraine, the wisdom of its people as well as the folk tradition of humor and optimism.

The history of the ensemble goes back to 1937 when Virsky and Mykola Bolotov, well-known Ukrainian ballet-masters, brought together a group of folk dancers.

From 1955 to 1975, Virsky headed the ensemble. It was under his guidance that the ensemble matured into a professional dance company performing for audiences around the world.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.unf.edu/fineartscenter or call the Ticket Box Office at ext. 2878.

UNF’s Coggin College of Business has once again made the list of outstanding business schools.

The Princeton Review, a New York-based education services company, features Coggin College in the 2010 edition of its book, “The Best 301 Business Schools.”

“We are proud to be honored by The Princeton Review,” said Dr. John McAllister, dean of the Coggin College of Business. “The college’s distinctiveness finds its source in our high-quality faculty-student interaction, our global perspective and our commitment to continuous learning.”

“The Best 301 Business Schools: 2010 Edition” includes a two-page profile of each school, which highlights academics, student life and admissions, plus ratings for academics, selectivity and career placement services.

“We are pleased to recommend UNF’s Coggin College to readers of our book and users of our site as one of the best institutions they could attend to earn an MBA,” said Robert Franek, senior vice president of publishing for The Princeton Review. “We chose the 301 business schools in this book based on our opinion of their academic programs and offerings, as well as our review of institutional data we collect from the schools.”

The Princeton Review doesn’t rank the business schools in the book on a single hierarchical list from 1 to 301, or name one business school best overall. The list is based on The Princeton Review’s surveys of 19,000 students attending the 301 business schools profiled in the book.

Only schools that permitted The Princeton Review to survey their students were eligible for consideration for the list. Conducted during the 2008-09, 2007-08 and 2006-07 academic years, the student surveys were primarily completed online.

In May 2006, two Coggin College programs – Transportation and Logistics and International Business – were selected as UNF flagship programs. Both business programs are of the highest caliber and have the potential to draw talented students from around the world, tackle cutting-edge research projects and help solve problems facing today’s businesses. This recognition of excellence will allow these business programs to grow and expand.

With more than 3,800 students, the Coggin College’s mission is to educate and develop business professionals through rigorous and relevant accredited degree programs offered by faculty devoted to student learning and engaged in scholarly activities.

Since 1976, the Coggin College of Business has been accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). Only one in five business schools are awarded the accreditation, which honors the best business schools in the world. The AACSB is a world leader in accreditation for business education. 

One of the hottest cars in America, the Nissan Cube Krōm, and the coolest museum in Jacksonville have combined forces to create the MOCA Cube – and UNF employees have a chance to win it.

Faculty and staff can make a $30 donation to the Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville, a cultural resource of UNF, and receive a six-month general membership to the museum, admission for two to the Dec. 11 drawing party and a chance to win the car.    

“The MOCA Cube is a wonderful moving representation of the museum and its philosophy: being cutting edge while remaining fun, cool and accessible,” said Deborah Broder, director of MOCA.

During the six-month trial membership period, UNF employees will be able to enjoy two upcoming exhibitions in 2010 dedicated to work inspired by Marilyn Monroe and African-American artists. In the meantime, employees are welcomed to see the current exhibitions on display through Jan. 3, showcasing work by UNF’s Art and Design faculty and painter/printmaker Robert Motherwell.

The MOCA Cube will be appearing around campus, so keep an eye on Campus Update each day for the next sighting. For more information about this special program, call Matilda Anderson, manager of membership and communications for MOCA, at (904) 366-6911, ext. 202 or visit www.mocajacksonville.unf.edu

UNF will host its second Market Day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 18, on the Student Union’s Osprey Plaza.
Vendors from throughout Northeast Florida will provide a unique shopping experience, offering everything from jewelry and coffee to candles and apples. For more information, contact Katie Chenard at ext. 1075 or k.chenard@unf.edu.  

Are you wondering about all the recent news about the St. Johns River? The river’s health has been a hot topic this year. Here are some of the latest findings:

Overall, is our river healthy?
The river is healthy by some measures and unhealthy by others. For example, bald eagle population numbers along the river are increasing, but levels of nutrients – nitrogen and phosphorus – are unacceptably high. Fecal coliform bacteria, found in the digestive tract of warm-blooded animals and used to indicate water contamination by feces, are at acceptable levels in the main stem of the lower St. Johns River basin, but are at exceedingly high levels in several of its tributaries. You can read more about it in the 2009 State of the River Report, a collaboration by UNF and Jacksonville University and supported by the Environmental Protection Board of the city of Jacksonville. The report is available at www.sjrreport.com .

What caused all the algae we saw this summer in the river?
Excessive nutrients, combined with sunlight and warm summer temperatures, create conditions favorable to rapid algae growth. These algal blooms are problematic because they can become toxic and because the decomposition of the algae consumes oxygen and lowers dissolved oxygen levels in the water. This in turn harms aquatic life.

How can I help the St. Johns River?
If you have a lawn, you can reduce your fertilizer use or choose a fertilizer with some slow-release content. Slow-release fertilizers discharge nitrogen and phosphorus a little at a time instead of dumping them quickly and allowing them to be washed away. Anyone can conserve water. It’s the easiest way to reduce demand on all our water resources. Repair those leaky faucets, take a shorter shower or collect rainwater in a rain barrel. And collect and dispose of your dog’s droppings. They can contribute to fecal coliform bacteria in the river.

How are my favorite fish species doing?
The red drum and the southern flounder are not currently at risk of over-fishing but require close monitoring of their populations. Blue crabs are an important fishery in the lower St. Johns River basin, but whether or not they are over-fished is unclear because blue crab abundance relies upon knowing the maximum age of the blue crab, which is not known. These and several other species are described in the report.

How healthy is the creek in my neighborhood?
The health of each tributary to the river depends greatly on land use around it, as well as the type and extent of human impact on it. One tributary may cut through undeveloped forest, another may drain agricultural land, and a third may pass through residential or industrial areas on its way to the main stem of the river. Twenty tributaries of the lowest St. Johns River basin are described in the full report. For example, Julington Creek has shown average nitrogen and phosphorus levels that exceed water quality criteria, but its average fecal coliform bacteria level falls below the critical level.

Dr. Radha Pyati is the director of the UNF Environmental Center and associate professor of chemistry. She was the principal investigator in the St. Johns River Report. If you have any questions regarding the 2009 State of the River report, contact Pyati at ext. 1918.

Every month, the column "Ask UNF" runs in Inside and The Florida Times-Union, promoting the expertise of UNF faculty and staff.

Brooks College of Health

Clinical and Applied Movement Sciences: Dr. Rose Marie Rine was the invited speaker for a two-day workshop for the Hong Kong Physical Therapy Association in October. She and colleague Dr. Jennifer Braswell provided lectures and hands-on training to physical therapists on “Vestibular Rehabilitation for Children: Evaluation and Intervention.”

Nutrition and Dietetics: Dr. Judith Rodriguez was recognized by State Attorney General Bill McCollum for her “commitment to studying and understanding the nutritional needs of the Hispanic community.”

Nursing: Dr. Carol A. Ledbetter was elected chairman of the Board of Commissioners for the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) in October; her one-year term will begin in January. The board is the final authority on all policy and accreditation matters affecting CCNE, which currently accredits 883 nursing programs (513 baccalaureate, 366 master’s and four doctor of nursing practice) at 526 institutions. The board is comprised of 13 individuals who broadly represent CCNE’s community of interest. Ledbetter serves on the board as a representative of the faculty.  

Dr. W. Patrick Monaghan received the 2009 Distinguished Alumnus Award from Bowling Green State University. The BGSU Alumni Association presented the 49th Distinguished Alumnus Award to Monaghan at the university’s summer commencement.

Public Health: Dr. Elissa Howard-Barr’s book “The Truth About Sexual Behavior and Unplanned Pregnancy,” 2nd edition, with co-author Stacey M. Barrineau, a former student and graduate of UNF’s community health program, was published by Facts on File in August. She also presented “Family Life Education for Students with Disabilities” with co-presenter Dr. Darrel Lang, in Richmond, Va., through the Virginia Department of Education.    

Coggin College of Business

Economics and Geography: Dr. Chris W. Baynard is now representing the Coggin College of Business on the UNF Environmental Center Board, replacing Professor Christopher Johnson.

Marketing and Logistics: Dr. A. Coskun “Josh” Samli presented a paper titled “Globalization of Emerging New Luxuries: A Major Challenge for International Retailers” at the ninth tri-annual conference of the Academy of Marketing Science and the American College Retailing Association. His paper was also published in the conference proceedings. Samli served as the co-chair for the international track.

College of Arts and Sciences

Biology: Dr. Doria Bowers presented a research poster “Arbovirus Lifecycle in the Mosquito Host” at the Emerging and Re-Emerging Infectious Diseases in Central and Eastern Europe international meeting in Sofia, Bulgaria, in September.
    
Dr. Judy Ochrietor and co-authors N.A. Finch and P.J. Linser published “Hydrophobic Interactions Stabilize the Basigin-MCT1 Complex” in the October issue of Protein Journal.

English: Dr. Mary Baron gave a talk in September on “Arts Inside,” her volunteer work with jailed juveniles, and read from her recent book of poetry “Storyknife,” at the Florida Heritage Book Festival at Flagler College in St. Augustine.

History: Dr. David Courtwright presented "A Short History of Drug Use and Drug Policy" at the Global Public Policy Forum on the U.S. War on Drugs in September in El Paso. He also gave a talk on culture-war politics to the University of Texas at El Paso History Department.

Dr. Aaron Sheehan-Dean published "Politics in Civil War Virginia: A Democracy on Trial" in “Virginia at War, 1864,” edited by William C. Davis and James I. Robertson (Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 2009).

Music: Dr. Gary Smart will release a new CD of piano music titled “Turtle Dreams of Flight” with Albany Records.
    
Philosophy: Dr. Julie Ingersoll has published  “Mobilizing Evangelicals: Christian Reconstruction and the Roots of the Religious Right” in “Evangelicals and Democracy in America,” edited by Steven Brint and Jean Reith Schroedel.
    
Dr. Rico Vitz presented his paper “Lies, Captivating Lies, and Religious Belief: Hume on the Learned Elite and the Christian ‘Superstition’” at the 36th International Hume Conference in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.

Sociology and Anthropology: Dr. Rosa De Jorio’s chapter “Da siti sacri a patrimonio pubblico: il caso di Djenne, Mali” (“From Sacred Sites to Public Patrimony: The Case of Djenne, Mali”) was published in the volume edited by Paola Bacchetti e Vanni Beltrami, “Afriche: Scritti in Onore di Bernardo Bernardi,” Rome, 2009.

World Languages: Dr. María Ángeles Fernández-Cifuentes presented a paper titled “El entrelacement cervantino: don Quijote en la residencia ducal y Sancho en la Ínsula Barataria” at the 5th Conference of the Asociación Hispánica de Humanidades in Seville, Spain, in June. Cifuentes also participated in the 14th Conference of the Asociación Internacional de Teatro Español y Novohispano de los Siglos de Oro in Olmedo, Spain in July. At that conference she read “Lope narrador: la figura de donaire como génesis de las Novelas a Marcia Leonarda.”

Dr. Renée S. Scott presented “La mirada sobre la mujer en el cine de Lucrecia Martel” during the annual conference of the International Congress of the Latin American Studies Association, held in Rio de Janeiro, in June.

College of Computing, Engineering and Construction

Construction Management: Drs. J. David Lambert and Patrick Welsh presented to leaders of the Florida Department of Emergency Management their Rapid Assessment Team - Video Vehicle (RAT-V2) designed to use HD video technology to conduct damage assessment in near-real-time after a hurricane landfall. The vehicle helps detect damage from hurricane-embedded tornadoes as well as more accurately assess the hurricane wind field at landfall.  Welsh, as a Florida-at-large member of the Southeast Coastal Ocean Observing Regional Association (SECOORA) Board of Directors, attended the SECOORA Board Meeting in Raleigh, N.C., and reported on efforts of the science committee to devise a future proposal for SECOORA development methodology and evaluation criteria. Welsh and Terry Smith (Dean's Office) visited Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach in September to discuss ongoing, collaborative atmospheric and oceanic research with Drs. Christopher Herbster and Brad Muller, as well as other colleagues and students of Applied Meteorology in the Department of Applied Aviation Sciences. The visit resulted in agreement on expanded meteorological data-sharing and continued development of computational, atmospheric and oceanic models.

School of Engineering: Dr. Chris Brown and co-author J.F. Renner published their paper, “Aquifer, Storage and Recovery (ASR): An Innovative Water Management Alternative,” in the Georgia Engineer, Vol. 16, No. 4. Brown and A. Anderson-Vincent presented their invited abstract, “ASR - An Innovative Water Solution for Michigan,” at the annual meeting for the Michigan Chapter of the AWWA (American Water Works Association) in September. Brown also recently presented “What Civil and Environmental Engineers Do” at the Creekside High School Civil Engineering Academy.

Dr. Adel ElSafty gave a presentation, “University-based Studios for In-depth Learning Experiences on Precast Concrete,” at the Precast Concrete Institute (PCI) Foundation in September. ElSafty’s video on “Authentic Structural Engineering Education and the Progress with the Design Studio” was shown during the opening ceremony of the 2009 PCI Convention and National Bridge Conference in San Antonio.  He and co-authors Khalid Yousri and Hosam Seleem presented and published their paper “Concrete Repair and Cathodic Protection of Corroded Reinforced Concrete Structure” at the same convention. El-Safty and Dr. Dan Richard (Office of Faculty Enhancement) gave a presentation at UNF on “Making Learning Meaningful: Integrating Community-Based Learning and the Classroom” in September.

Jean Fryman represented the School of Engineering at an open house event at Creekside High School to meet parents whose children are interested in engineering.

Dr. Susan Vasana gave a presentation, “Creativity in Problem Solving,” at the UNF Office of Faculty Enhancement program titled Engaging the Whole New Mind: Creativity and UNF Reads.

College of Education and Human Services

Childhood Education: Dr. Katie Monnin recently received a contract for her second book “Teaching Early Reader Comics and Graphic Novels” by Maupin House publishing. The book will be released in the summer.  In September, Monnin presented “Redefining Reading in Florida Schools During a New Media Age: Graphic Novels as Reading Rockets to the Future” at the Florida Reading Association (FRA) conference in Orlando. Monnin will appear at the Miami Book Fair later this month promoting her first book “Teaching Graphic Novels: Practical Strategies for the Secondary ELA Classroom,” released this month.
 
The annual Family Fest outdoor literacy event took place in October on the UNF Nature Trails. This event is a collaborative initiative between the Child Development Research Center and the Department of Childhood Education. The focus of the event is to engage children and their families in arts-infused activities that support literacy development and foster an appreciation for nature. The children and their families had the opportunity to canoe, visit with animals from the Jacksonville Zoo, go on a nature scavenger hunt, paint a mural, listen to a poetry and storytelling performance by Dr. Nile Stanley, create their own books with children's author Dr. Gigi Morales David and make an assortment of creative crafts led by COEHS students.   

Exceptional Student and Deaf Education: Dr. Kris Webb participated in the Distinguished Scholars Program for doctoral students at Clemson University in October. She presented via video conference “Transition from High School to Adult Life: Postsecondary Education for Individuals with Disabilities” and has been invited to do a similar presentation to doctoral students at Texas A&M University later this month.
 
Foundations and Secondary Education: Drs. Wanda Lastrapes and Meiko Negishi presented “Using a Journal Blog in Initial Field Experiences: Linking Theory with Reality” at the Florida Association of Teacher Educators Annual Conference (FATE) in Daytona Beach in October. Drs. Marsha Lupi, Jacqueline Batey, Terence Cavanaugh, Lastrapes and Negishi also presented at the FATE conference. Dr. Madalina Tanase helped with the conference, Dr. Otilia Salmon served as a board member and Lastrapes, FATE past president, presided over the conference.

Leadership, Counseling and Instructional Technology: Dr. Terence Cavanaugh was quoted extensively in a recent Florida Times-Union article titled “First Coast Professors Meet Surging Student Demand by Going Digital: More Schools are Offering Online Courses to Attract Students.” Cavanaugh made three presentations at the Florida Reading Association (FRA) conference in September, one as a featured and invited speaker on “E-books in the Classroom” and two other general sessions, “Using Word Clouds in the Classroom” and “Map that Book.” Last month he presented “Professional Reading Program for an Educational Technology Program” and “Mapping for Community in CMS Online Instruction” at the FATE conference in Daytona Beach.

Dr. Jason W. Lee presented “Prayer, Athletics and Religious Freedom” and “Sport Internships: Practices and Perspectives” with co-authors Drs. Jennifer Jackson-Kane and Michael Smucker at the 2009 Florida Alliance of Health, Physical Education, Recreation, Dance and Sport (FAHPERDS) Conference in Orlando last month. At the same conference, Lee completed his term of office as the Association for Sport president. Dr. Kristi Sweeny was voted in as the president–elect of the Sport Association, a position previously held by Dr. Jennifer Jackson-Kane, and Dr. E. Newton Jackson Jr. was presented the Education Leadership Association’s 2009 Outstanding Professional Leader Award. Lee has been featured in recent radio interviews including an “In Context” session addressing his recent text “Sport & Criminal Behavior.” The show aired on WJCT 89.9 FM public radio Sept. 12 (and is currently available online). Lee was also interviewed by WCXR-Jacksonville about the current status of the Jacksonville Jaguars, including the concern over poor ticket sales and rumored potential for team relocation. 

Department: School of Nursing
Position: Associate Professor and Director
Years at UNF: 13

What do you do at UNF? Describe your job duties.
I am an associate professor and the director for the School of Nursing. I have been the director for the past six years. I not only am responsible for the administration of the SON [School of Nursing], I also teach graduate courses, guest lecture and maintain a clinical practice at Student Health.

Tell us about your family.
I have been married to a wonderful man, Tony Flaris, for the past 10 years. I have a very spoiled indoor cat, Yoda, who thinks she is a dog and always has to be by my side. I also have two outdoor cats I have rescued. If they come, I will feed them and care for them.

What person had the greatest impact on your life? 
My mother. She was a strong woman, full of conviction. She was not afraid to speak her mind. She was full of energy, kind, generous and loved life. She taught me that life was fragile; never knowing when it will end. Thanks to her, I live each day as if it is the last, so I will have no regrets.

Who is the most famous person you ever met?
Oh, I lived and worked in [Washington] D.C. for 20 years. I met Tip O’Neill when he was Speaker of the House under Carter. I took care of Jim Brady when he was admitted to George Washington University Hospital after the [assassination] attempt against President Reagan. I have met Barbara Bush and Lee Atwater. I also had an opportunity to meet Louise Fletcher (Nurse Ratchet). That was a too funny as I was feeling somewhat like Nurse Ratchet that day when she came by to visit a patient of mine.

If you could choose any other career, what would it be and why?
I don’t think I would choose any other career. I love nursing! It has become my identity. I am a nurse. My patients have touched my life along the years. Now as faculty, my students touch my life. I just hope I have had this impact on patients and students.
 
What would you like to do when you retire?
Travel to various locations to scuba dive until my body is unable to carry the gear. Then continue to travel and learn about other people and cultures.

Tell us something that would surprise people to know about you.
I already mentioned I enjoy scuba diving, however, I love cave diving. There is something about being in a cave, alone with your thoughts, wondering what lies around the next turn. It is empowering to be able to do this. I somehow feel if I can handle that environment I can handle anything.

What is your favorite thing about working at UNF?
The people; the interaction with students and colleagues is enriching. As faculty and a nursing professional, you are always learning, keeping up with the latest developments in health care and sharing those. This is very stimulating.

What was the first concert you ever attended, and what was the most recent concert you attended?
First concert was during my first semester at Georgetown in 1976. It was a Peter Tosh concert. This concert was a true reflection of the times. I was a naïve college freshman from Puerto Rico, now living in Georgetown … Wow! My last concert was a 311 concert I attended with Tony.

If you were not working at UNF, what would you be doing?
Working as a nurse practitioner with the elderly.

What’s the last book you read?
“A Thousand Splendid Suns” by Khaled Hosseini, the author of “The Kite Runner.” This is a poignant story of a woman’s day-to-day struggles in Afghanistan. It was quite an eye-opener. 

Q – From Rebecca Johnson (career services counselor, College of Computing, Engineering and Construction): In front of the Arena, traffic gets very backed up due to pedestrian crossing zones, so much so that UNF had to re-route traffic exiting the nearby parking garage to be right-turn only. It seems that UNF went to the expense of building a beautiful, wide pedestrian bridge over this walkway. Why do we not force pedestrian crossing traffic from these two crossing zones onto the pedestrian bridge? It would not impede pedestrian or vehicle traffic in any way; in fact, both would be improved. I have been on many university campuses that use the pedestrian crossing bridge system very successfully. Why don’t we? And why go to the expense of building a pedestrian bridge if we are not going to have people use it?
 
A – From John Dean (chief, UNF Police Department): The University does not want to force the use of the cross walk [or pedestrian bridge]; we want pedestrians to be able to use both.
 

Q – From Arva Sufi (adviser, College of Arts and Sciences Advising Office): I would like to know why UNF’s main roadways do not include bike lanes. Bike traffic has become a norm on campus, especially with so many students living on and in the vicinity of the campus. Are there plans for future bike lanes?
 
A – From Zak Ovadia (director, Facilities Planning and Construction): The campus master plan devised in the early 1970s did not anticipate the need for bike lanes on campus. Society today accepts and demands alternative transportation methods including bicycles and this reality is being discussed by the administration on a regular basis to see how it can be met as we develop the new master plan. Facilities Planning has worked with a consultant to see what can be done to accommodate the need for bicycle lanes on campus. Unfortunately, the current layout of the roadway and sidewalks does not lend itself to adding bicycle lanes and maintaining an acceptable level of safety. As we continue holding focus group discussions on master planning issues affecting the campus over the next 10 years, this issue (and many others) will receive more focused attention.


Q – From Kathy Westberry (event planning associate, Admissions): Will there ever be an ‘express’ shuttle that goes directly from UNF Hall to the Library? Has this idea been considered at all? And what about a shuttle that goes from the Library to UNF Hall as well?

A – From Vince Smyth (director, Auxiliary Services): Express-type shuttles were considered by the consultant when we originally set up the shuttle system and have been discussed on occasion since, but each time have been rejected. Students are paying the full cost of the shuttle system through a transportation access fee, and all decisions relating to the operations should be student-based. While there are some students who commute and park in Lot 53, there are also many who want access to and from the housing areas, and regular service from all the south-route shuttles is expected.  

Q – From Mary Stumph (legal assistant, Office of the General Counsel): Why are there no benches for students to sit on while they wait for the shuttle at UNF Hall?

A – Also from Smyth: This is a good observation/suggestion. We will look into providing benches for those waiting for the shuttle at UNF Hall.

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.  Questions submitted 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 .

Milestone Anniversaries
Congratulations to the following employees who will celebrate a milestone anniversary at UNF in November.

35 Years:
James Alderman, University Librarian, Thomas G. Carpenter Library

25 Years:
Franklin Maddox, Maintenance Specialist, Physical Facilities                
Mary McConville, Executive Assistant, Student Affairs

15 Years:

Linda Sciarratta, Administrative Assistant, College of Education and Human Services  

     
10 Years:
Jean Glasgow, Senior Property Assets Representative, Controller’s Office                        
Margaret Radtke, Office Manager, School of Computing
Sheila Rodriguez, Office Manager, Electrical Engineering             
Angela Simmons, Financial Systems Specialist, Financial Systems Department
Judy Smith, Administrative Secretary, Philosophy and Religious Studies     
Marco Urbano, IT Support Center Manager, Information Technology Services    
Elizabeth Willis, Director of Research and Program Services, Exceptional Student and Deaf Education

Five Years:
Devany Groves, Assistant Director of University Budgets, Budget Office                      
Dwayne Howard, Law Enforcement Sergeant, Campus Police                      
Janet Hurlock-Dick, Adjunct, College of Education and Human Services         
Joel Jones, Human Resources Specialist, Human Resources
Jean Loos, Teaching Laboratory Specialist, Civil Engineering                  
Kelly Reeder, Office Assistant, Academic Center for Excellence     
Patrick Welsh, Professor, Civil Engineering                  
Tyler Young, Assistant Director of Greek Life, Fraternity and Sorority Life

Welcome
The following employees were either hired by UNF or accepted new positions at UNF from mid-September to mid-October:

Eric Adams, Custodial Worker, Physical Facilities                
Nathaniel Apatov, Assistant Professor, Nursing
Dorene Baldwin, Associate Dean, Carpenter Library
Willa Cogdell, Custodial Worker, University Housing
Laura Diesel, Executive Secretary, Intercollegiate Athletics
Susan Gregg, Coordinator, Disability Resource Center
Lauren Harris, Administrative Secretary, School of Computing
Sherry Hays, Public Relations Associate, Public Relations
David Henderson, Groundskeeper, Physical Facilities
Kenneth Holmes, Custodial Worker, Physical Facilities
Haihong Hu, Assistant Professor, Leadership and Counseling
Tawanna Huguley, Accounting Associate, Physical Facilities
Indra Koirala, Custodial Worker, Physical Facilities
Lynn Layfield, Assistant Director of Student Financial Aid, Enrollment Services
Theresa Meckstroth, Assistant Director of Advancement/Development, Coggin College of Business
Nadine Pettyjohn, Custodial Worker, University Housing
Jeffrey Rodgers, Maintenance Mechanic, University Housing
Willette Rogers, Senior Custodial Supervisor, Physical Facilities
Joseph Schermann, Maintenance Mechanic, Physical Facilities
Irene Silas, Instructional Specialist, Student Affairs
Donni Welch-Rawls, Instructor, Clinical and Applied Movement Science
Deborah Williams-Watson, Academic Adviser, College of Arts and Sciences
Dean Yoakam, Groundskeeper, Physical Facilities

Congratulations:  
The Educator Preparation Institute recently received approval from the Veterans Administration that enables veterans to pursue second careers as educators through the EPI using their VA funds. This success is a personal victory for Dr. Betty Bennett (College of Education and Human Services). Her father, Woodrow Hand, was a disabled American veteran. He worked in many areas after his military service, many of those years teaching at a vocational school. He always maintained that meaningful work was his secret to good health.

Dr. A. Coskun “Josh” Samli (Marketing and Logistics) is celebrating his 50th year of teaching at 10 different major universities.