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VPASA Quarterly Report
to Board of Trustees

OCTOBER 2004

JANUARY 2005

BOARD OF TRUSTEES REPORT

DIVISION OF ACADEMIC AND STUDENT AFFAIRS

 

ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

 

 

COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES

 

Department of Art

The Department of Art had four students that graduated in December, 2004.

The Department of Art received reaffirmation of accreditation from NASAD.

Criminal Justice

Alpha Sigma Omega chapter of The American Criminal Justice Association/Lamda Alpha Epsilon attended the ACJA regional conference on November 18th- 20th in Nashville, Tennessee.  ASO members Brandy Sandlin, Amy Grano, Josh Mathis, Patrick McGill, Jason Hicks and Wade Bryan participated in various competitions at the conference.  Dr. Rick Davis also attended as the faculty sponsor.  The group won three ribbons in the firearms and crime scene competitions and also brought home the Spirit Award for the chapter that best represents the mission of The American Criminal Justice Association.

Department of Drama

JSU Departments of Drama and Music began rehearsals for the semester’s musical offering, THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD, by Rupert Holmes on Wednesday, January 5th.     The show, to be directed by Dr. Wayne Claeren, is based on an unfinished novel by Charles Dickens.  Mrs. Teresa Stricklin will be working with students vocally.  Mr. Carlton Ward has designed sets and scenic drops.  Mr. Freddy Clements has been designing and procuring period costume pieces.  Lighting will be designed by drama major, Wil Robinson.  This year’s choreographer will be Laura Danette from New York City.  The orchestra conductor will be graduate music student Jeremy Stovall.  Mr. David Keefer will perform Technical Director duties.  Accompanists for the production will be drama’s secretary and box office manager, Ms. Jan Rhodes, and drama student, Steven DiBlasi.  Stage manager for the production is Ms. Lindsay Jacks. The cast, chosen during November auditions includes:  Russell Reeps, Joshua Sirten, Jason Skinner, Judy Holt, Britani Mason, Erin Pool, Rick Gwin, Brian Seitel, Kelly Summers, Crystal Bonds, Heather Norton, Chris Harper, Derrek Gindelsperger, Brandon Green, Jarrod Lee, Andrew Cayse, Dustin Stilwell, Joe Carter, Caitlin Perkins, Pamela Shirley, Leslie Lewis, Leslie Gober, Amy Mitchell, Brian Roberson, and Michael Turner.   The show will run February 17-20 and 24-27 on the main stage of Ernest Stone Performing Arts Center.

The following JSU Drama students received Irene Ryan Award Nominations as a result of their involvement in the November production of AS YOU LIKE IT:  Amanda Kirker, Jessica Sanborn, Stephen J. Williams, and Casey Campbell for their contributions as actors, and Lindsay Jacks for her contribution as stage manager.  These nominations are for the ten-state Southeast region.

Drama had six graduates for the fall 2004 semester – Amanda Kirker, Kristen Atkinson, Sara Murdock, Clay Smith, Jori Cates (a double major in Communications), and Brian Seitel (who also had a liver transplant during the term).

JSU Drama awarded academic scholarships for the spring 2005 term to the following four students, Stephen J. Williams, Lindsay Jacks, Teri Ulm and Heather Norton.  The department was able to award partial tuition scholarships to 23 other drama majors.

The following JSU Drama students were “passed on” at the fall Southeastern Theatre Screening Auditions and are planning to attend further auditions this spring:  Jessica Sanborn, Casey Campbell, Michael McDonald, Judy Holt, and Joseph Carter.

Remaining productions for the drama department’s 2004-2005 season include “HEROES” (the Southern Playwright’s winning play), and “ON THE VERGE OR THE GEOGRAPHY OF YEARNING.” 

Institute for Emergency Preparedness

Academic Programs

The internet based academic programs in the IEP continue to grow.  With the registration of a master’s student from North Dakota, individuals from all 50 states have enrolled in our programs.   We continue our position as having the highest enrollment of any Emergency Management program in the United States.  Our goal is to maintain our leadership role in emergency management education.  We have added, this semester, a minor in Homeland Security to complement our major in Emergency Management.

Our relationship with the Association of Public-Safety Communication Officials (APCO International) continues to flourish.  We anticipate that this relationship will be expanded to include a joint relationship with the Center for Domestic Preparedness after we move to McClellan. 

Emergency Management Related Contract Support

The Institute for Emergency Preparedness (IEP) continues its leadership role in providing emergency management and homeland security contractual support to local and state agencies as well as the private sector.  Our efforts in this arena provide an added measure of safety and security to the citizens of Alabama in the event of a disaster or terrorist event. 

One of our newer clients is the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH).  We will soon start on our third ADPH contract.  The total value of these contracts is over $320,000.00

The following is a summary of projects the IEP has completed, and those in which we are presently engaged:

Completed Projects

We have successfully completed Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) plans for the Alabama counties of Coffee, Butler, Clay, Etowah and Talladega. These plans provide the logistical procedures necessary to distribute vaccinations and other critical medications in the event of a biological mass emergency in the state.

For the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH), we recently completed a contract to assess the current CSEPP Medical Emergency Operation Center (MEOC) Plan and make recommendations for modifications and improvements.  This plan, which will be activated in the event of a Level IV CSEPP event at Anniston Army Depot, is to provide prioritization and coordination of medical assistance to the general population.

For the State of Alabama Emergency Management Agency (AEMA), we have recently completed a contract to provide specific planning and guidance support to various county EMA’s as well as for AEMA’s Headquarters in Clanton, AL.

IEP served as the lead contact for all county emergency management agencies within the state to provide guidance for the completion of a self-assessment of each county local emergency management program. This assessment, the Emergency Management Accreditation Program (EMAP), is derived from standards developed by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA 1600) with support from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). IEP orchestrated several workshops, three of which were conducted at JSU, in which county EMA personnel completed their assessments on-line. IEP personnel consulted with each county EMA director to ensure their responses were accurate.

As the selected contractor, IEP completed Emergency Operations Plans (EOPs) for the Alabama counties of Butler, Lamar, Macon, Sumter and Winston. Each of these projects required extensive discussions and on-site visits with local county officials and emergency responders as well as with emergency management officials from AEMA.

We recently completed a contract with the Huntsville/Madison County EMA in which we revised their countywide resource database.  Through a process of surveying and follow up contact with over 600 resource providers, IEP designed and constructed an entirely new database using Microsoft Access software. This database details the resources that are available in the event of a disaster or major emergency in the county.

We recently brought to a successful conclusion IEP’s work to provide Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program (CSEPP) related support to the Calhoun County Emergency Management Agency (EMA).  Over a twenty-four month period, the IEP:

  • Developed specifications for emergency respiratory protection devices to be distributed to populations within the identified CSEPP risk zones --- the first such distribution of this type of equipment to civilian populations in the United States.

  • Developed the requirements for CSEPP Event Chemical Detection Instruments.

  • Developed Standard Operations Procedures for all EMA Operations and Equipment.

  • Redefined and upgraded all Calhoun County School Bus Routes and prepared On-Bus Driver Instructions for In-Route Bus Evacuation during a CSEPP Event.

  • Upgraded all Jacksonville City School Bus Route Maps with up-to-date software (Microsoft MapPoint) for CSEPP Alerting and Evacuation Planning.

  • Completed all planning and consultation with local emergency response organizations to revise the Calhoun County Emergency Operations Plan (EOP). This EOP was approved by the Alabama Emergency Management Agency (AEMA) and adopted by the Calhoun County Commission on August 13, 2004.

We are in the final stages of a subcontract with Argonne National Laboratory to provide assistance to individuals with special needs in the Anniston Army Depot (ANAD) CSEPP community.  This project addresses the additional measures that would be needed to assist special needs individuals in the event of an accident/incident involving Chemical Weapons stored at ANAD.

We have begun the second year of our contract to provide the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program (CSEPP) related support to the Talladega County’s Emergency Management Agency. Specific projects underway consist of:

  • Finalization of the Talladega County Emergency Operations Plan (EOP): All planning, consultation and documentation work is complete. The plan was approved by the Alabama Emergency Management Agency (AEMA) and the Talladega County Emergency Management Agency (TCEMA) director.

  • An all-hazardous Recovery Plan for Talladega County has been written and is pending final review.

  • In the process of preparing training workshops to illustrate how the EOP is designed to function for some 450 individuals representing law enforcement, fire and rescue, emergency medical, emergency management and local volunteer agencies and state agencies located within Talladega County.

  • Creating a countywide electronic resource database to facilitate TCEMA’s access to various types of resources is located if required in a disaster response effort.

  • Developing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all EMA Operations and Equipment.

  • Developing Memos of Agreement/Understanding with TCEMA and Ambulance Services within the county for CSEPP Events.

  • Upgrading Talladega County School Bus Route Mapping for TCBOE pertaining to CSEPP Event Alerting and Evacuation.

  • Developing Operating Procedures for Talladega County Evacuation Reception Centers, Backup EMA Emergency Operations Center and all county Volunteer Fire Departments newly installed Public Tornado Shelters.

  • Performing site visits of all Talladega Schools along with representatives of the TCEMA and the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) to ensure those designated schools met all requirements to serve as emergency shelters.

  • Working to upgrade program deficiencies identified within TCEMA’s Emergency Management Accreditation Program (EMAP) assessment. Twenty-two areas will be addressed through written guidance and further consultation to ensure compliance with EMAP standards.

  • Developing a Talladega County Homeland Strategic Guide (TCHSG) to be used by the Talladega County Homeland Strategic Planning Committee (TCHSPC) to assist local agencies in meeting their national compliance requirements.

  • Contract with the TCEMA to provide Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training to one hundred first responders. 

We are currently working on a partnership with United Defense to provide assistance regarding facilitating the acquisition and use of surplus military vehicles for homeland security by civilian agencies.  These vehicles have unique characteristics which make well suited for certain types of emergency response scenarios. IEP designed and conducted a survey of all current owners of these specific military vehicles requesting information to develop a customer and sales projection database.

We are currently working on a contract with ADPH to assess four Mass Vaccination Exercises that will be conducted in the state of Alabama.  These exercises will assess the ability to rapidly vaccinate large numbers of citizens in the event of a biological emergency.

The IEP staff is also involved with the recovery effort from Ivan.  Two members of the IEP contractual staff are on emergency loan to the Alabama State Emergency Management Agency to assist with the recovery effort. 

We will shortly begin a contract with Alabama Department of Public Health to provide medical planning and guidance for the seven Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program (CSEPP) counties in Alabama.

Mathematical, Computing and Information Services

Dr. Dennis Martin – had a refereed paper, “Evaluating Oral Presentations”, at the CCSC: Eastern Conference, Baltimore, MD.  The paper will be published in the Conference Proceedings.

Dr. S. Krishnaprasad – has a refereed paper, “Proactive Computing:  Characteristics, Technology and Applications” accepted for presentation at ACM Mid-Southeastern Conference, Gatlinburg TN and has been published in the ACM Mid-Southeastern Fall.

Dr. S. Krishnaprasad – has a refereed paper, “Weaving Java Threads: Some Student Friendly Examples” accepted for presentation at the CCSC: Southeastern Conference, Spartanburg, SC.  The paper will be published in the Conference Proceedings.

Dr. Guillermo Francia  – has a refereed paper, “Wireless Network Laboratory Projects” accepted for presentation at the CCSC: Southeastern Conference, Spartanburg, SC.  The paper has been published in the Conference Proceedings.

Ms. Amy Franklin – has a refereed paper, “No Black Girls Tried Out: The invisibility of Race in Discussions with Female Athletes” accepted for presentation at the American Educational Studies Assoc. Conference, Kansas City, MO.  The paper has been published in the Conference Proceedings.

Dr. Thomas Leathrum – assisting with a seminar on “Mathlets for Teaching and Learning Mathematics”, AMS/MAA Joint Conference, Atlanta, GA.

Dr. Jan Case – has a refereed paper, “Using Simulated Roulette to Demonstrate the Different Information Give by Expected Value & Standard Deviation” accepted for presentation at the AMS/MAA Joint Conference, Atlanta, GA.

Dr. David Dempsey – has a refereed paper, “Mathematicians Are Real People, Too:  Biographies in a Senior Capstone Course” accepted for presentation at the AMS/MAA Joint Conference, Atlanta, GA.

Dr. Jaedeok Kim – has a refereed paper, “An Interesting Problem Involving Projections in Operator Algebra” accepted for presentation at the AMS/MAA Joint Conference, Atlanta, GA.

Dr. Youngmi Kim & Dr. Martin J. Evans – has a refereed paper, “Subnormal Subgroups of Finite Rank” accepted for presentation at the AMS/MAA Joint Conference, Atlanta, GA.

Dr. Edwin Smith – has a refereed paper, “Packing for Frontier Life in Three Dimensional Space” accepted for presentation at the AMS/MAA Joint Conference, Atlanta, GA.

Student Activities

Two Computer Science Programming Teams competed in the CCSC Southeastern competition at Dunwoody, GA.  Team one placed third and Team Two placed eleventh out of 33 teams.

Professional Development

Mr. Aaron Garrett, Ms. Mary Jane Peters, & Mr. David Thornton – selected to participate in “Lego Mindstorms in CC 2001 Workshop” sponsored by NSF at University of Mississippi, MS which aids in providing innovative project ideas in computer science.


David L. Walters Department of Music

During the reporting period of October, November, and December 2004 the David L. Walters Department of Music, its students, faculty and guest performers participated in the following activities:

MUSICAL PERFORMANCES

Ensembles and students of the Walters Department of Music presented an average of four public performances a week during this period.  Each of the following ensembles presented at least one public on-campus performance during the period:  A Cappella Choir, Madrigal Singers, Encore!: Vocal Ensemble, Gospel Choir, Chamber Winds, Percussion Ensemble, Mallet Ensemble, JSU Community Orchestra, Jazz I, Jazz II, and Jazz III.  The Marching Southerners performed as each home football game as well at a playoff game with Furman in Greenville, SC.  Most ensembles performed additional programs off-campus as well.  Members of Sigma Alpha Iota presented a sorority recital, as did members of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia professional music fraternity.  Six individual students presented recitals as part of their degree requirements during this period.

Jacksonville Opera Theater presented two one act operas (The Telephone, by Gian Carlo Menotti and A Question of Taste by William Schuman) on 28, 29, 30 October 2004 to sold out houses.

The A Cappella Choir presented a Traditional Winter Concert at First Presbyterian Church, Anniston, on 14 November 2004.

The annual Madrigal Dinner was presented on campus on 3 and 4 December 2004 by The Madrigal Singers.

The Civic Chorale presented a community concert at St. Michael and All Angels’ Episcopal Church, Anniston, on 5 December 2004.

The annual Community Holiday Concert was presented by various ensembles and soloists of the Walters Department of Music on 12 December 2004 at the Arts and Exhibit Center on McClellan. This venue was made available through the courtesy of Mr. Julian Jenkins.  This concert also sponsored a food drive to assist local community agencies.  The food drive was successful and the audience from Anniston and vicinity was larger than previously.

The Marching Southerners made exhibition appearances at five band competitions in Alabama and Georgia before high school band students, parents, fans and supporters during the fall.  Each appearance was before an estimated audience of 8,000 observers.  On 23 October 2004 The Southerners appeared in exhibition at “Bands of America (BOA) Regional Finals” in the Atlanta Dome before an audience of 50, 000 spectators.

NEWSWORTHY EVENTS

JSU Piano Festival 2004.  Under the direction of Dr. Gail Steward, the JSU piano faculty presented a two-day festival for high school and college aged piano students on 22-23 October 2004.  Featured artist was Dr. Ruth Rendleman, resident artist and Professor of Music at Montclair University (New Jersey) who presented an evening recital for the public and conducted a master class for participants. 

 

At Homecoming, 6 November 2004, a ceremony conducted by JSU President, Dr. William Meehan, and Trustee Board Chairman, Mr. James Bennett, named the administrative space in Mason Hall used by the Department Secretary and Department Head the “Finley Administrative Suite” in honor of Dr. John T. Finley, former department head.  A large number of friends and alumni were present for the event.

JSU Drumline garnered 2nd place in the competition for indoor marching percussion ensembles held at the International Percussive Arts Society convention in Nashville on 12 November 2004.  Students and percussion faculty also attended various workshops, lectures and performances held at this premier gathering of percussionists.

The Department hosted the Alabama String Teachers Association Honor Stings Festival on 19, 20, 21 November 2004.  A full schedule of rehearsals, classes and performances was undertaken.  Student participants came from Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia and Mississippi.

Dr. John T. Finley was awarded Department Head Emeritus status at the University Graduation Ceremony on 18 December 2004.

Jazz I Ensemble was formally invited to be one of nine collegiate jazz bands to perform at the 47th Annual University of Notre Dame Collegiate Jazz Festival.  Invitations are based partially upon presentation of taped performances and record of achievement. Those invited are selected from applications by over 200 bands from across the country.  This Festival is the oldest and most prestigious collegiate jazz event in the US.

FACULTY ACHIEVEMENTS

The Jacksonville Brass (the faculty brass quintet of Jacksonville State University) performed at the Anniston Museum on 7 November 2004.  Quintet members are Dr. John Merriman, trumpet, Dr. Chip Crotts, trumpet, Mr. Jeff Solomon, Horn, Dr. James Roberts, trombone, Mr. Chris Hosmer, tuba.

Dr. Jerryl Davis, oboe, presented a Faculty Recital on campus on 13 November 2004.  He also performed at Berry College in a faculty exchange.

FACILITY IMPROVEMENT

The halls in Mason Hall were painted with a darker shade to produce a wainscot effect.  This has resulted in reduced scuffing of walls and neater appearance to the building.

Administrative offices for the department secretary and department head were painted and cleaned.  The department secretary received upgraded furniture.

Physical & Earth Sciences

Dr. Kelly Gregg presented a paper at the annual meeting of the Association of American Geographers, Southeastern division, entitled "Mapping the Cherokee Trail of Tears". Dr. Gregg is also serving as the State Representative to the National Organization.

Dr. Brent Helms was awarded a Faculty Research Grant in the amount of $2997.00. “An Analytical Study on the Concentration of PCB’s in Soil and Plants Throughout and Along Snow Creek and Choccolocco Creek” in December.

Dr. Miriam Hill and Dr. Bryan Burgess presented "AEGIS" or "Alabama Environmental Geographical Information Systems" at the Sierra Gulf Coast Region Conference, Ozark Folk Center, Mountain View, Arkansas, October 3, 2004.

Dr. Hill also presented a paper "GIS Software for Your Classroom: Demonstration and Grant Information”, at the annual meeting of the National Council for Geographic Education, Kansas City, Missouri, October 2004.

Three journal publications were also submitted, “On Matriculation", The Journal for the Liberal Arts and Sciences 8 (4): 46.  "Lonesome and Scared", The Journal for the Liberal Arts and Sciences 8 (4): 46. "A Phenomenology Through Vicarious Experience", The Journal for the Liberal Arts and Sciences 8 (4):47.

Dr. Harry Holstein presented a paper titled Kelly Springs (1Ta654), a Late Woodland Ellis Phase Site in the Middle Coosa Valley, Talladega County, Alabama at the annual meeting of the Southeastern Archaeological Conference in St. Louis, Missouri.

Dr. Holstein was awarded a Faculty Research Grant for Davis Farm in the amount of $2,920.00 in December.

Mr. Hunter Johnson presented a paper titled “Pits, Posts, and Fires: An Examination of “Special Place” Mortuary Patterning at the Hammonds Site (1Dk71)” at the annual meeting of the Southeastern Archaeological Conference in St. Louis, MO.

Mr. Johnson was awarded a Faculty Research grant in the amount of $3,000.00 for the Tallasseehatchee Battlefield in December. And was elected the President of the Alabama Archaeological Society for 2005.

Mr. Keith Little presented a paper titled “Conjectured Impacts of Sixteenth Century Spanish Conquests: Aboriginal Sociopolitical Reorganization in the Coosa Valley at the annual meeting of the Southeastern Archaeological Conference in St. Louis, Missouri.

Dr. David Steffy and C. Blalock. Presented “Impervious Surface Assessment of the Towne Creek Watershed”, Etowah County, Alabama.  At the Annual Fall Meeting of the American Geophysical Union, San Francisco, Dec. 13- 17, 2004.

Dr. Steffy was awarded a Faculty Research Grant in the amount of $3007.00. “Continued Investigation of Mercury Contamination in the Choccolocco Creek Watershed, Calhoun County, Alabamain December.

 

Dr. Al Nichols was awarded a Faculty Research grant in the amount of $2500.00 for “Development of Derivatives of 4-Amino-5, 7-Dichlorokynurenic Acid for Use as Anticonvulsant Agents”.

Department of Political Science and Public Administration

Dr. Owens was elected to the Cherokee County Commission.

 

Dr. Barnett is presenting four academic papers at conferences in the field this spring and summer.  Additionally, he will serve as conference chair and Vice President for the Alabama Political Science Association.  JSU will host the annual conference of the association in April, 2005.

 

Dr. Veasey continues to his service as a faculty member and a member of the curriculum committee at the annual Community Development Institute (CDI) in Conway, AR during the summer of 2005.  Veasey has also written a chapter on financial administration for The Community Development Guidebook to be published by the CDI this spring.

Department of Sociology and Social Work

Mr. Jonathan Adams, MSW and Mr. James Powe, MSW, Presentation, 22nd Annual Baccalaureate Program Director’s Conference, November 3-7, 2004.

Dr. Adrian Aveni, "Social Inequality in the United States", The Donoho School, October 25, 2004.

Dr. Nancy Francisco-Stewart, Presentation, NASW Georgia Annual Meeting, October 15-17, 2004, Marietta, GA.

Dr. Nancy Francisco-Stewart, Presentation, AL/MS Social Work Education Conference, October 7-8, 2004.

 

Dr. Nancy Francisco-Stewart, Presentation, 22nd Annual Baccalaureate Program Director’s Conference, November 3-7, 2004.

 

Dr. Clark Hudspeth and Dr. Hugh McCain, Jr. “Less Permissive or Hooking Up or Both?”  Paper presented at the 30th annual meeting of the Mid-South Sociological Association Meeting. October 20-23, 2004: Biloxi, Mississippi.

 

Dr. David Loconto, “Labels and racism: When Whites are raced."  Presentation at the 30th annual meeting of the The Mid-South Sociological Association, October 20-23, 2004: Biloxi, Mississippi.

 

Dr. David Loconto, Forthcoming Publication, Practice Tests for Kendall’s.  Sociology in Our Times: The Essentials, 5th Edition.  Wadsworth Publishers.

 

Dr. Maureen Newton, Speaker, Agency for Substance Abuse Prevention-Red Ribbon Kick-Off Ceremony, Anniston, AL, Speaker, October 7, 2004.

 

Dr. Maureen Newton, Presentation, “A Community-Based Alternative for Low-Risk Juvenile Offenders,” Coker College Fifth Annual Social Work Conference, October 15, 2004, Hartsville, SC.

 

Dr. Maureen Newton and Ms. Robyn Snider, MSW, LCSW, Presentation, 22nd Annual Baccalaureate Program Director’s Conference, November 3-7, 2004, “Connecting with Community to Enhance Social Work Education.

 

Ms. Kim Womack, MSW, LCSW, National Program Chair for the 22nd Annual Baccalaureate Program Director’s Conference, November 3-7, 2004, Detroit, MI.

National Council for Geographic Education

The National Council for Geographic Education (NCGE) has its administrative headquarters housed within the Department of Physical and Earth Sciences.  NCGE is a national professional organization for geography educators with some 4,000 members in the United States, Canada and abroad.  The staff consists of:

Dr. Michal L. LeVasseur, Executive Director

Ms. Allison Newton, Associate Director

Ms. Peggy Pritchard, Administrative Assistant

Dr. Osa Brand, Director of Educational Outreach (office in Washington, DC)

 

Dr. Osa Brand represents NCGE in Washington, DC, working closely with other national organizations and institutions to advance geography education.  Dr. Brand has represented NCGE as an invited attendee for the following:

 

Fund for the Improvement of Post-Secondary Education Workshop, Washington, DC, October 5, 2004.

 

Young Scholars’ Social Science Summit , Washington, DC, October 27, 2004.

 

NASA Community Meeting, Monterey, CA, November 1-4, 2004.

Center of Education Policy Forum on No Child Left Behind, Washington, DC, November 15, 2004.

 

Dr. Michal L. LeVasseur serves as Executive Director of NCGE, coordinating and directing the activities of the organization, and serving as its official representative to other organizations and events.  Specific activities included:

 

Several presentations of “Culture: The Sound of Place” for National Geographic Society to promote the theme of the 2004 Geography Action program.  Created PowerPoint presentation for teachers in the United States and Canada to use in their classrooms and in professional in-service presentations.

 

Serve on the Editorial Board of the Southeastern Geographer, journal of the Southeast Division of the Association of American Geographers.

 

Serve on the Editorial Board of the journal Research in Geographic Education, Gilbert M. Grosvenor Center for Geographic Education.

 

Invited presentation “Careers in Geography,” Samford University, Birmingham, AL, October 14, 2004.

 

NASA Community Meeting, Monterey, CA, November 1-4, 2004.  This meeting was organized to help NASA assess its current educational priorities and to help develop a viable education plan for the next ten years.

 

Attended the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) annual meeting, Baltimore, MD, November 17-21, 2004.  Hosted an exhibit booth and informational sessions.

 

Coordination of legislative initiative with other organizations and members of Congress.

 

NCGE hosts an annual conference, which was held in Kansas City, Missouri, October 18-23, 2004, with 560 attendees.  Ms. Allison Newton, Associate Director, coordinates the program and events for the annual meeting.  Special sessions represent the collaborative efforts of NCGE over the past year:

 

Alex Trebek hosted a Geography Bee for meeting attendees, made possible by the assistance of the National Geographic Society.

 

Congressman Dennis Moore addressed the conference as part of an initiative to address political policy regarding geography education.

 

A panel discussion focusing on workforce skills was hosted by Tim Magner, Deputy Director, DOE Office of Educational Technology; Doug Levin, Education Policy Director, Cable in the Classroom and Partnership for 21st Century Board Member, in conjunction with Dr. Osa Brand.

 

NASA and NSTA (National Science Teachers Association) presented a one-day teacher institute, Using NASA Resources to Study the earth: Human Impacts on Land Cover Change.

 

Presentation by Takao Shibata, Consul General of Japan on The Environmental Challenge of Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol; jointly sponsored by NCGE and the National Consortium for Teaching About Asia (NCTA).

 

Special presentation by Dr. David Lambert, Executive Director of the Geographical Association (United Kingdom), Promoting Excellence in Geography Education in the United Kingdom.

 

NCGE received a Grosvenor Grant from the National Geographic Education Foundation in December 2004 to support the project, A Training Program for New Advanced Placement Human Geography Teachers (2005-2007).  This grant with matching funds from the University of Oregon will support the development of an on-line human geography course and three summer teacher institutes, one of which will held at Jacksonville State University (summer 2006).

 

A grant proposal was submitted to NASA in September 2004.  The project, Remote Sensing: A New Approach to Grades 4-6 Geography, is developing curriculum materials based on remotely sensed images and GIS.

 

Grant proposals to fund teacher training and curriculum development projects have been submitted in partnership with Cambridge Studios, The North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE), and The Gilbert M. Grosvenor Center for Geographic Education.

 

NCGE publishes a bi-monthly newsletter, Perspective and a bi-monthly peer-reviewed journal, the Journal of Geography.  In support of the legislative initiative, NCGE is preparing a special supplement to the Journal of Geography to address public policy and geography education.

 

As part of its mission, NCGE creates and publishes books and materials for educators.  New publications include:

 

Teaching Human Geography: Selections from the Journal of Geography, edited by Gary S. Elbow, October 2004.

 

The American Landscape from the Air: Studying US Geography with Aerial Photography, edited by Paul R. Baumann, November 2004 (book and CD).

 

A Teacher’s Guide to Advanced Placement Geography: Essay’s, Strategies, and Resources, edited by Robert S. Bednarz, November 2004.

 

Current collaborative projects with other organizations include:

 

Teachers’ Guide to Modern Geography in collaboration with the Association of American Geographers; development of materials for preservice teacher training and organize annual teacher workshops (2004-2008).

 

Young Scholars’ Social Science Summits in collaboration with social science associations and funded by the American Psychological Association; provide series of one-day panel presentations and workshops.

 

Partnership for 21st Century Skills, an alliance of business, government and education organizations established to identify and encourage the integration of information, communication, and technology (ICT) skills into the K-12 curriculum.  NCGE provided the matrix for integration ICT skills into the geography curriculum, which has been discussed in the Partnership’s 2004 report, A Policy-maker’s Guide to 21st Century Skills and is displayed on the related website:  www.21stcenturyskills.org/matrices/.  NCGE continues to advise the Partnership with respect to geography.

 

NASA Explorer Schools program, a NSTA-managed educational initiative.  NCGE serves on the advisory board and works with NASA and NSTA to offer teacher workshops.

 

Collaborative projects with the Geographical Association (United Kingdom) as a result of Executive Director LeVasseur’s attendance to the International Geographical Congress meeting in Scotland, August 2004.

 

In response to the No Child Left Behind Act, in which geography is identified as a core discipline but without funding, the major geography organizations have begun a collaborative initiative to work with state and national legislators to improve the funding of geography education. 

The National Council for Geographic Education thanks Jacksonville State University, especially President Bill Meehan, Dean J. Earl Wade, and Associate Dean Lisa Williams for the continued support of the administrative office.  We are pleased to be associated with Jacksonville State University and appreciate the opportunity to represent the university as well as NCGE.

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION & PROFESSIONAL STUDIES

 

Dean’s Office

 

Dr. John Hammett, Professor of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation was selected Associate Dean of the College of Education and Professional Studies.  The new position began January 1, 2005.

 

Dr. Cynthia Harper represented President Meehan at the Alabama Partnership for Children Board of Directors Meeting on October 26, 2004 in Clanton, Alabama.

 

The College of Education and Professional Studies hosted the Superintendent’s Consortium on October 28, 2004.  Superintendents from the JSU regional service area attended. 

 

Dr. Cynthia Harper made a professional presentation at the Mid-South Education Research Association (MSERA) Conference in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, November 16-19, 2004.  The presentation title was “Does Highly Qualified Teacher Status Mean Better Collaboration”?

 

Dr. Cynthia Harper has been accepted to make a professional presentation at the Association of Teacher Educators (ATE) Conference in Chicago, Illinois February 13-16, 2005.

 

Dr. Cynthia Harper served on the New Teacher Grant Committee sponsored by Alabama Power on December 6, 2004 in Birmingham, Alabama. Seven new teachers from across Alabama were selected as grant recipients. 

 

Faculty and staff in the College of Education and Professional Studies completed the annual report for 2004, the “Passport to Success”.

 

The Television Services Unit is developing a new College of Education and Professional Studies recruiting video.

 

 

Department of Child Development Center

 

The JSU Child Development Center has an enrollment of 124 children ages six weeks through six years of age.  There are nine instructional classrooms opened.  There are currently 43 employees at the Center. Each classroom has a fully credentialed lead teacher and two teacher assistants to conduct daily lesson plans and provide quality childcare to the community.

 

As children enroll at the Center, the parents are issued a password that enables them to go on line and view their child in their classrooms via internet.  This unique feature is not available in any other childcare facility in the area.  The cameras provide ultimate safety and advancement toward perfecting teaching skills performed and observed daily.

 

The Center has received a 100% rating for our October and November visits from the Calhoun County Health Department.  Food preparation has begun on site. We have recently purchased a new freezer and refrigerator for the kitchen of the Center. The children receive a hot breakfast and lunch, and two nutritious snacks daily.

 

Parents visited the Center during the 2004 holiday season.  They enjoyed having lunch with their children for Thanksgiving and Christmas.   On December 8, 2004, Santa visited the Center and had pictures made with the children.

 

All employees employed at the Center have undergone fingerprinting and criminal background checks by the Alabama Bureau of Investigation.  This information is currently on file at the Center.  Employees are encouraged to take continuing education and professional development courses throughout the year. Nine employees of the Center are currently enrolled in local Universities to further their education.  Two employees are receiving tuition remission from JSU.

 

Mr. Grant Cockrell from Child Care Central is providing consultation concerning becoming accredited through the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).  The Center will be closed on March 18, 2005 for staff development.  Mrs. Katrina Chilton from the United Cerebral Palsy Center will be conducting a ten hour training session of new trends and laws for child care providers. 

 

The Center is currently using childcare manager software.  This software provides fingertip access to vital information on the children enrolled and the employees.  Information such as, medical history, birthdays, classroom groups, payments of tuition and certification information is stored and readily available. 

 

The Center is currently hosting the following J.S.U. practicum classes:  Child Growth and Development 352 (approximately 40 students), Early Childhood Education 306 (approximately 12 students), Nursing 324 (4 students) and Family and Consumer Science 460 (3 students).

 

JSU CDC has also established a successful partnership with the JSU Continuing Education Department.  Plans are underway to host a summer camp for summer 2005.  

 

 

Department of Communication

 

Dr. Kingsley O. Harbor, head of the Department of Communication and Mr. Mike Stedham, manager of student media, on the invitation of Alabama Press Association (APA), visited and made a presentation to the APA in defense of the department’s request for a grant for its 2005 Summer Journalism Institute. The presenters responded to several questions from APA members, and all seemed to have gone well. The department will hear from APA in due course concerning the outcome of the grant application.

 

The department continues to work on Outcomes Assessment and other preparations in readiness for its future accreditation visit by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC).

 

In November 2004, Dr. Kingsley O. Harbor attended the International Conference on Social Science Research in New Orleans where he presented a paper titled, “Social Science Research as the Horse that pulls the Cart of Technology: In Search of Global Understanding through Communication.” Additionally, he also served as panel chair and discussant of other sessions in the conference. Similarly Dr. Augustine Ihator will be presenting at the American Association of Behavioral and Social Sciences (AABSS) conference in Las Vegas (February 15-18, 2005). Dr. Ihator received the JSU Faculty Travel Grant for 2004-05 which will enable him to present a paper at the above conference.

 

In November 2004, our Public Relations students visited the Honda plant in Lincoln, Alabama for a first-hand experience of how an automobile is manufactured. It was an experience to be remembered, according to their instructor who took them there--Dr. Augustine Ihator.

 

Mr. Jerry Chandler, assistant professor of communication, traveled to Stockholm, Sweden for a conference. He was one of a select group of journalists invited to the Stockholm conference for their work in aviation journalism.

           

Student outcomes assessment is underway in the Department of Communication. It is very encouraging that department faculty has embraced student outcomes assessment enthusiastically.

 

Curriculum revision is also on-going in the department. The department has, inter alia, developed three new capstone courses in its three concentration areas—Broadcasting, Print journalism and Public relations. Each course is designed to synthesize all the necessary skills requisite for effective and successful employment in each concentration, which students had learned during their course duration in the department.

 

The 2004 Ayers Lecture Series was held on December 1, 2004. This year’s lecture was different from previous years in three ways: (a) instead of one, there were two speakers, (b) the speakers were both foreigners—Russians, and (c) they were a group of father and daughter—Alexander Pumpyanski and Ceda Pumpyanski respectively. Attendance at Ayers Lecture Series is usually high, and this year’s was no exception. 

 

The Communication Department has concluded its interviews of two candidates for the generalist position that is open in the department, and has decided to re-advertise the position.

 

Dr. Kingsley Harbor has two papers accepted for presentation at the 12th Annual Georgia Conference on College and University Teaching in February, 2005. One, a competitive, refereed paper, is titled, “The Reality of Departmental Assessment: A Descriptive Case Study of the Assessment Plan,” and the other, a proposal, is titled, “Measures of Student Outcomes: A Review of Critical Concepts In Assessment.” The competitive paper was also selected for publication in KSU’s online journal, Reaching through Teaching, which is due out in fall 2005.

 

In December 2004, the Department of Communication conducted Exit interviews with graduating seniors who graduated December 18, 2004. This year’s interview was combined with an Exit Exam given to the graduating seniors. These activities are all part of the department’s student outcomes assessment program.

Department of Curriculum and Instruction

Dr. Steve Armstrong attended the Alabama State Improvement Grant (SIG) 2004 Meeting in Montgomery, Alabama, September 28th and 29th.  This meeting was held to discuss the provisions for the newly awarded grant beginning October 2004.

 

Dr. Larry Beard presented at the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), Teacher Education Division (TED) Conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico, November 9-14, 2004.  The topic was Assistive Technology in the University Classroom – How We Do It.

 

Dr. Larry Beard presented at MSERA Conference in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, November 17-18, 2004.

 

Dr. Elizabeth Engley presented at the Alabama Association for Young Children (AAYC) Annual Conference in Birmingham, Alabama on October 22, 2004.  The topic was Using Movement, Dance, and the Creative Arts to Bridge the Communications Gap with English Language Learners.

 

Dr. Slenda Haynes presented at the Alabama Reading Association (ARA) Annual Conference in Birmingham, Alabama on October 29, 2004.  The topic was Motivating Children to Read.

 

Dr. Celia Hilber presented at the Alabama Association for Young Children (AAYC) Annual Conference in Birmingham, Alabama on October 22, 2004.  The topic was Using Movement, Dance, and the Creative Arts to Bridge the Communications Gap with English Language Learners.

 

Dr. Nina King presented at the Alabama Association for Young Children (AAYC) Annual conference in Birmingham, Alabama on October 22, 2004.  The topic was Using Movement, Dance, and the Creative Arts to Bridge the Communications Gap with English Language Learners.

 

Dr. Nina King presented at the MSERA Conference in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, November 16-19, 2004.  The topic was Highly Qualified Teacher Status & Collaboration Among Early Childhood & Special Educators.

Dr. Patsy Lowry presented at the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Regional Conference in Baltimore, Maryland on October 14, 2004.  The topic was Teaching Geometric Concepts Integrated Within Other Content Areas.

Dr. Patsy Lowry presented at the MSERA Conference in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, November 16-19, 2004.  The topics were 1. Developing a Sense of Diversity for the Classroom Setting and 2. Photojournaling:  An Innovative Instructional Technique for Today’s College Classroom.

Dr. Judy McCrary presented at the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Regional Conference in Baltimore, Maryland on October 14, 2004.  The topic was Teaching Geometric Concepts Integrated Within Other Content Areas.

Dr. Judy McCrary presented at the MSERA Conference in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, November 16-19, 2004.  The topics were 1.  Developing a Sense of Diversity for the Classroom Setting and 2.  Photojournaling:  An Innovative Instructional Technique for Today’s College Classroom.

Mrs. Lynetta Owens presented at MSERA Conference in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, November 16-19, 2004.  The topic was Does Being Highly Qualified Promote Greater Collaboration.

 

Dr. Gena Riley presented at the Alabama Council of Teachers of Mathematics (ACTM) Annual Conference in Montgomery, Alabama on October 22, 2004.  The topic was Mathematics Through Technology and Activities.

 

Dr. Gena Riley served as a reviewer for Alabama Course of Study:  Science Committee in Montgomery, Alabama on November 3, 2004.  She is assisting in the editing process of the K-12 Science Standards.

 

Dr. Gena Riley presented at the MSERA Conference in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, November 17-19, 2004.  The topic was Student Perceptions of Instruction Using Blackboard vs. On-Campus Instruction.

 

Mrs. Jennifer Strain presented at the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) Regional Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana on November 4, 2004.  The topic was The Fine Art of Science.

 

Mrs. Phyllis Taylor attended the Alabama Course of Study:  Science Committee Meeting in Montgomery, Alabama, October 7, 8 and November 3, 2004.  She is serving as a member on the Committee to revise curriculum standards for K-12 science.

 

Mrs. Phyllis Taylor presented at the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) Regional Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana on November 4, 2004.  The topic was The Fine Art of Science.

 

James Matthew Byers (Matt), a senior elementary education major has written and illustrated a novel.  Grecian Ruen, a mythological novel written in rhyme, has just been released by Publishers America.  Matt is both a gifted writer and artist according to Phyllis Taylor who has worked with him in EED 312, Children’s Literature.  He is married, has a son, and works full time at the Learning Tree.

Department of Educational Resources



Dr. Dennis Zuelke presented at the PDK International Conference In Las Vegas, NV.

 

Dr. Denise Richardson attended the Hinn Scientific Workshop in Birmingham, AL.

 

EDRS faculty are receiving LiveText training at each departmental Faculty meeting.

Dr. Donna Herring has made the following presentations:  Web Technology, Scrap booking the Educational Profile, Web Design with Dreamweaver, Integrating Technology for ParaPros, and Accelerated Mathematics

Dr. Herring has had a grant funded in the amount of $90,000.00 Through the Mathematics and Science Partnership Program.

Dr. Nancy Fox presented at the Alabama Counseling Association Fall Conference in Huntsville, AL.  The title of the presentation was, “Community Service Programs & Academic Achievement”.

 

Dr. Sheila Webb presented at the European-American Foreign Conference in Rome, Italy.  The title of her presentation was:      “Historical Parameters Present in Today’s Educational System”.

 

Dr. Delisa Dismukes, Dr. Donna Herring, Dr. Gordon Nelson, Dr. Charles Notar, and Dr. Jan Wilson presented at the MSERA Conference in Gatlinburg, TN.  Presentation topics were: Dismukes/Wilson – “Teacher Truths:  Listening to the Heart of  Educators”.  Herring – “Web Evaluation for Pre-service Teachers”.  Nelson – “How to Distribute, Collect & Analyze a Survey on the Web”., Notar – “Tips & Tricks on How to Use Blackboard”.

Department of Family and Consumer Sciences


Enrollment in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences for fall, 2004 was 603 students.  Enrollment for Spring 2005 is currently 612  students.

 

Dr. Debra Goodwin served on the Executive Board of the Alabama Dietetics Association and attended the Fall Board Meeting on September 10, 2004.

 

Mrs. Karen Nemeth participated in the first Orientation to Education Seminar on Saturday, September 11, 2004.

 

Mrs. Karen Nemeth serves on the Executive Board of the Alabama Association of Family and Consumer Sciences Meeting and attended the Board Meeting on October 5, 2004.

 

Mrs. Karen Nemeth toured the Honda Manufacturing Plant in Lincoln, Alabama on Thursday, October 7, 2004.  A meeting of the Jacksonville High School Career Technical Education Advisory Council was held at the conclusion of the tour.

 

Mrs. Karen Nemeth and Dr. Tim Roberts served on the Talladega City Schools Career Technical Education Advisory Council.  They attended the fall meeting and Career Tech Banquet on October 19.

Mrs. Paula Napoli made several presentations to local parenting groups.

Mrs. Karen Nemeth attended the Alabama Association of Teachers of Family and Consumer Sciences Executive Board Meeting on October 26, 2004 at Shelby County High School in Columbiana.  She serves as the Higher Education Vice-President. 

Dr. Tim Roberts and students from the Family and Consumer Sciences Department attended the Alabama Association of Family and Consumer Sciences Fall Leadership Conference at Oakwood College on October 28.  This annual event is for student leaders in Family and Consumer Sciences.  The event is hosted by one of Alabama’s Family and Consumer Sciences college programs each year.  The keynote speaker was Dr. Jim Moran, President of the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences.  He is the first male to be chosen as the national president of this organization which has over 10, 000 members.  AAFCS is dedicated to improving the quality of life for individuals, families and communities.  Dr. Moran is currently Assistant Vice President of Academic Affairs at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.  Dietetics students also meet with the Dietetic Internship Coordinator at Oakwood to investigate internship possibilities.

Mrs. Karen Nemeth, Dr. Tim Roberts and Mrs. Paula Napoli attended the Diversity workshop on Monday November 1.

Mrs. Paula Napoli presented two workshops to the parents of Preschool Friends at Grace Episcopal Church on Monday, Oct. 18th and Monday, October 25, 2004.  The topics were “Discipline” and “Trash to Teachables.”

Ms. Napoli also presented a workshop with Dr. Nina King, Dr. Celia Hilbur and Dr. Elizabeth Engley on Oct. 22nd, 23rd, and 24th at the Alabama Association for Young Children in Birmingham.  The workshop was entitled “Bridging the Gap using Art and Dance with English Language Learners.”

The JSU Child Center on campus had special visitors during October.  A nurse, the Jacksonville Fire Department with truck, and Dr. George Cline & Mr. Bones from the Biology Department. 

Dr. Tim Roberts serves on the Alabama Dietary Managers Association Board and attended the Fall Board Meeting on November 8, 2004 at Auburn University.

Dr. Tim Roberts attended a workshop at UAB on November 4, 2004 entitled, “Consumer Food Behaviors & Food Industry Initiatives to Encourage Healthier Eating.”

Dr. Goodwin and Mrs. Nemeth completed TEAMS training.

FCS students sold boiled peanuts and snacks at Homecoming.  Dr. Roberts and Dr. Goodwin assisted.  This was a fundraiser for the Student Dietetic and Foodservice Association.  Proceeds will help defray costs to attend the annual Alabama Dietetics Association Meeting in the spring.

On November 12, 2004 Mrs. Robbie Boggs and a number of Family and Consumer Sciences students participated in Fashion Merchandising career day in Atlanta, Ga.  This event was sponsored by Fashion Group International of which Ms. Boggs is a member.

On November 15, 2004 Dr. Tim Roberts gave a presentation entitled “Health & Promotion Implications of Low Carbohydrate Diets”, for the Alabama State Association of Health Physical Ed. & Recreation at the Wynfrey Hotel in Birmingham, AL.

Department of Health, Physical Education & Recreation

Dr. Donna Hey secured grant money through the Alabama State Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance for four local schools in the JSU area.

The 4th Annual Gamecock Gallup and Youth Fun Run are currently underway.

Health Education and Physical Education faculty are working on NCATE accreditation materials. 

Dr. Ronnie Harris presented a program on Beginning Tai Chi at Reinhardt College.  He made the following presentations at the 2005 World Congress on Disabilities in Orlando, Florida:

  • Developing Outside School Programs for Special Needs Children
  • Learn to Play Tennis
  • Tennis for the Family and School
  • Fitness and Leisure for the Entire Family

Congratulations to Ms. Rachel Doak, Ms. Candice Scruggs, and Ms. Molly Sosebee on attending the AAHPERD Leadership Conference.  Dr. Glen Roswal and Dr.  William Hey served as sponsors and organizers of the conference.

Congratulations to Dr. Glen Roswal for receiving the Hoyt Webb Award for lifetime achievement given in honor of Hoyt Webb the founder of Camp ASCCA.

Dr. Roswal presented, "Communication:  Keys to Success," at Canada AHPERD Leadership Conference in St. George, Ontario.  He also made the following presentations at the 2005 World Congress on Disabilities in Orlando, Florida

  • Developing Outside School Programs for Special Needs Children
  • Learn to Play Tennis
  • Tennis for the Family and School
  • Fitness and Leisure for the Entire Family


He also presented "Challenge Course Activities," at AAHPERD National Student Leadership Conference in Jackson Gap, Alabama 

Dr. Roswal led a seminar for professors from Romanian Universities on "Special Olympics and Adapted Physical Education," in Predeal, Romania. 

He led a seminar for professors from Bulgarian Universities on "Special Olympics and Adapted Physical Education," in Sofia, Bulgaria.  

He also visited several Romania university physical education programs and met with faculty

Mr. Jim McLaughlin participated in the Army Ten-Mile Run in Washington DC.

The 4th Annual Gamecock Gallup was held on Saturday, November 6, 2004.  47 have reregistered. 

The 2nd Annual Gamecock Youth Run was held on Saturday, November 6, 2004.   241 registered for this event.  Last year 121 children participated. 

Mr. McLaughlin was awarded an honorary membership in the JSU ROTC Alumni Association at the alumni dinner on November 5.  At the ASAHPERD Conference his presentation was titled "Health and Performance Implications of Low Carbohydrate Diets," which was co-presented with Dr. Tim Roberts in FCS.  

He currently holds the Research Section Chair in ASAHPERD, with responsibilities to review grant proposals submitted to ASAHPERD and plan the Fall Conference by recruiting, reviewing and deciding which presentations to accept as presentations and poster sessions at the conference. 

He was elected as the Vice President Elect for Exercise and Sports Science Division and will assume that role in May 2005 when his term as Research Section Chair expires.

Dr. Glenn Roswal led a seminar for professors from Romanian Universities on "Special Olympics and Adapted Physical Education," in Predeal, Romania .  He met with the Rector (President) and Dean at Romanian National Sport Academy in Bucharest, Romania. 

He led a seminar for professors from Bulgarian Universities on "Special Olympics and Adapted Physical Education," in Sofia, Bulgaria.  

He was appointed to ICHPER-SD (International Council on Health, Physical Education, Recreation, Sport, and Dance) Adapted Physical Education Commission.  He will serve as a delegate at the MINIPS-IV Conference (Ministers of Education and Ministers of Sport and Physical Education) in Athens, Greece December 5-8.  He will serve as oversees academic on accreditation panel for Sport and Recreation Leadership degree at Hong Kong Baptist University, December 15-18.

Dr. Roland Thornburg presented Elementary Rhythms and Dance at the Fall conference for ASAHPERD.  He was elected as Chair Elect, College Division, ASAHPERD.

Ms. Lori Thornburg presented Elementary Rhythms and Dance at the Fall conference for ASAHPERD.  She initiated a reading program at Sacred Heart School for elementary students using JSU student-athletes majoring in physical education as readers.

Ms. Donna Hey presented two programs at the ASAHPERD fall conference: Rhythmic Activities for Large Groups (K-8) and Let's Have a Ball Dancing.  She is currently serving as VP of Dance Division.  She was voted VP Elect of General Division.  She secured a state award granting PE equipment to Piedmont Elementary, Weaver Elementary, and Ohatchee Elementary schools.

Mr. Kory Hill attended the NASPE assessment project administrator training session in Chattanooga Tennessee.  He will be responsible for gathering assessment data at local secondary sites starting Fall 2005. He purposed to develop national assessment (Like we have for fitness with the president's physical fitness test) for motor skills.)  He serves as ASAHPERD Research Chair Elect.

Ms. Gina Mabrey gave three presentations at the fall 2004 ASAHPERD Conference:

  • Have a Ball
  • Rhythmic Activities for Large Group
  • Elementary Rhythms & Dance


She will serve as 2004 - 2005 ASAHPERD College Chair and 2005 - 2006 ASAHPERD Ethnic Minority Chair-elect.

Dr. William Hey was awarded Alabama State Health Educator of the Year.

Ms. Courtney Brothers was honored as the JSU Health Education Student of the Year for 2004-2005.  She will be traveling to Chicago to attend the national conference and be awarded the national recognition certificate in Spring 2005.

 

The Department of HPER held its Fall 2004 HPER Honor Society Induction and Awards Ceremony on December 15, 2004.  Fourteen HPER students were inducted into the Society and six graduating members received honor cords and a plaque.

Department of Instructional Services

 

Faculty/staff accomplishments:  Mr. Mike Zenanko has been awarded certificates as a Master Tutor and a Master Tutor Trainer a master tutor trainer by the Association of the Tutoring Profession (ATP). He edited three Newsletters for the ATP and two for the JSU chapter of PDK. 

 

Mrs. Penny Lane has ordered various reading books along with computer software to support the Clinical Experiences programs.

 

Mr. Stan Cates has loaded software, Microsoft Office 2003 and Adobe Creative Suite to support instruction in the Multimedia Instructional Laboratories. Mr. Joe Whitmore, Special Services, provided a Cash-to-Card Machine for the Multimedia Instructional Laboratories. This will allow CE&PS students to more easily use the Pharos printing system. 

 

Mrs. Dorothy Phillips reports that the Teaching/Learning Center had157 tutors working with community children in the fall.  Another thirty three children will attend the Reading Diagnosis reading tutorials.

Department of the Teacher Service Center



Dr. Kelly Ryan recruited at Snead State Community College, Gadsden State Community College, Southern Union Community College, and Northeast Alabama Community College.

 

Staff in the Teacher Service Center completed 283 graduation checkouts and processed graduation applications for the Teacher Education Program.

 

The Teacher Service Center placed over 200 Preservice Teachers in area school systems for clinical and field experiences.

 

The Teacher Service Center served undergraduate and graduate teacher education students by providing extended office hours.

Department of Technology & Engineering

 

JSU received a one million dollar appropriation through the Federal Transit Administration to assist with the development of the Bus Technology Center.

The Masters Degree is tentatively scheduled for final approval at the February ACHE meeting.

 

The department has expanded its partnership with North American Bus Industries to develop projects involving structural analysis and testing.

 

The department is exploring the development of a program to allow students to obtain dual teaching certification in technology education and technical education.

 

The department and Doncasters, Ltd. have established a long-term partnership.  As a result of this industry based partnership the Department of Technology & Engineering will be hosting an "Industrial Safety Coordinators" Seminar for Doncasters, Ltd.  The week-long seminar beginning on January 24th will focus on providing the participants with the skills and knowledge necessary for developing and managing an occupational safety and health program.  Participants will include Doncasters employees from sites throughout the United States and Europe. Mr. Jess Godbey will lead this seminar.

 

Dr. Noureddine Bekhouche attended a technical conference in Huntsville in December 2004 to update skills using LabView data acquisition software.

Department of TV SERVICES

 

“Inside Gamecock Athletics” by Television Services is taped.  The program features highlights from Saturday’s football game, comments from Head Coach Jack Crow and interviews with JSU football players.  “Inside Gamecock Athletics” can be seen during football season on Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m., Wednesdays at 3 p.m., Fridays at 1 a.m. and 2 p.m. on TV24.  Horizon Communications in Marshall County also broadcast the show.

The October 16th Preview Day commercial begins airing on TV24.

A new JSU commercial is approved.  This spot began airing October 17th.

The JSU/Murray State football game was taped for broadcast on TV24.  TV Services Director Mike Hathcock was the play by play announcer.

Taped and Edited the Greater Calhoun County Area Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities Twenty-First Annual Awards Luncheon.  This year’s theme is “You’re Hired!  Success Knows No Limitations.”  This program aired numerous times on Cable One and TV24. 

Installed more than $50,000 worth of new equipment for the Communication Department in the small television studio in Self Hall.

Picked up donated audio equipment from Gadsden State.  The donated equipment was given to JSU because the radio station at Gadsden State is closing.  The University of Alabama originally donated this equipment to Gadsden State.  An audio console, audio editor, other production equipment and furniture will be installed in the off-air production suite of the JSU radio station WLJS.

 

The JSU/Samford Homecoming football game is taped.  It aired on TV24 at various times during the week.  TV services director Mike Hathcock was the play by play announcer.

 

The JSU Spring Registration commercial was approved by the Office of Admissions.  The commercial began airing in December on ABC 33/40, cable in Gadsden/Huntsville, NBC 13 and TV24.

 

Taped the JSU/Southeast Missouri State football game.  It aired on TV24 at various times during the week.  TV Services director Mike Hathcock was the play by play announcer.

 

Prepared and sent off two 30 second JSU commercials for airing over the CSS network.  These commercials aired Saturday, November 27th during the JSU/Furman playoff game.

 

Set up and taped “A Closer Christmas.”  This special aired on TV24 numerous times during the Christmas Season.

 

Taped Russian Editor/Journalist Alexander Pumpyansky’s speech for the Ayers Lecture.  The Ayers Lecture is sponsored by the Communication Department. 

 

 Fall Commencement is produced by Television Services and broadcast live over TV24 and streamed live over the internet.  The Commencement is also archived for one week afterwards on the internet so that viewers who could not see it live had the opportunity to watch the event at a time convenient for them.  More than 600 people around the world watched the live video streaming.  There was more than 4000 downloads of the archived ceremonies.  The television broadcast also played at later dates and times.

 

Production work continues for the College of Education and Professional Studies recruiting video.  Only three more departments and a few off-campus shots are needed to complete the taping.  After the production is complete, editing and other post-production work can begin.

COLLEGE OF GRADUATE STUDIES AND CONTINUING EDUCATION

Continuing Education

In 2004, the Office of Continuing Education conducted 496 classes with service being provided to 10,002 enrollees generating 42,651 contact hours.

The University Partnership for Alabama Continuing Education provided training to 146 county administrators with 37 receiving certificates in County Administration and 26 receiving Certifications in County Administration.  There are 94 County Engineers participating in their Certificate Program and 24 have received their Certifications.

In 2004, 40 police chiefs earned their Certificates in Police Management, 49 chiefs earned their 80 hour certifications, 9 earned their 180-Level III Certifications, and 3 earned their 240 hour Advanced Certifications.  Two classes were conducted in 2004 for the Certified Revenue Officers Association of Alabama.

Business and Industry training was provided for Alabama Specialty Products, Calhoun County Community Foundation, EAI, ITC Delta Com, Jacksonville Medical Center, M and H Valve, and Regional Medical Center.  A new project with Federal Mogul was developed and initiated in December, 2004 for their Corporation’s Management Team and hourly team leaders.  A 72 hour training program with Wellborn Cabinet in Ashland is set to begin in February, 2005. Jacksonville Medical Center is continuing its training program in 2005 and a new project is in development with Honeywell.

In an ongoing partnership with East Alabama Regional Planning and Development Commission, four seminars were conducted on the subjects of “Serving the Hispanic Community,” “A Practical Guide to Successful Media Relations,” “Urgent Update on the Fair Labor Standards Act,” and “Drug Awareness Update.”  There were 293 participants in these seminars coming from throughout the ten county area served by the East Alabama Regional Planning and Development Commission.

In-Service Education

The Jacksonville State University In-Service Education Center received a contract from the Alabama Department of Education for $1,039,453.00 to provide salary support and program facilitation for nine principals in Alabama schools in support of the Alabama Reading Initiative Program.

The Jacksonville State University In-Service Education Center participated with the Statewide In-service network in the Alabama Staff Development Council Conference, in Birmingham, on October 14-15, 2004.  Eighteen participants in the Jacksonville region were sponsored by Jacksonville State University In-Service Education Center.

Vicky Brown attended the Alabama Staff Development Council Executive Board meeting on October, 13, 2004, in Birmingham.

The Jacksonville State University In-Service Education Center facilitated Alabama Reading Initiative training for Kitty Stone Elementary on their in-service day, October 19, 2004.

The Jacksonville State University In-Service Education Center and the Alabama Department of Education jointly sponsored “Alabama Writing Assessment Training,” on November 16-17, 2004, for teachers in the JSU region.

The Jacksonville State University In-Service Education Center and the Alabama Leadership Academy jointly sponsored, “Leading and Learning With Web Based Support,” on November 4, 2004 for area school based support teams.

The Jacksonville State University In-Service Education Center and the Alabama Department of Education jointly sponsored a series of training sessions entitled, “Improving Math in Grades 7th and 8th,” during October and November in Jacksonville, Gadsden, and Springville.

COLLEGE OF NURSING AND HEALTH SCIENCES

Nursing Career Day was held on October 11, 2004 with 27 agencies represented.  Prospective employers set up displays in the Nursing Arts Lab and all upper division nursing students participated.

 

The BSN Advisory Board met October 14, 2004.  The BSN Advisory Board serves to enhance communication between the College of Nursing and Health Sciences (CNHS) and our “community of interest”.  The 24 participants focused on issues and trends in health care and the CNHS’s role in contributing to solutions.

 

The Alabama Board of Nursing Annual report was submitted October 14, 2004.  Significant changes in the CNHS program/curriculum that were reported included:

 

Adoption of Professional Values (attached)

The RN-BSN (STEP) program became completely on line

The MSN program became completely on line

Criminal background and drug screens were implemented for students and faculty beginning fall, 2004

 

Strategies for improving BSN outcomes were implemented during fall, 2004 

 

Tighten Every Component (TEC)…an Operational Plan for Excellence was begun in March 2004.  After an eight-hour faculty development activity related to curriculum and pedagogical principles, faculty were divided into “teams” (Curriculum, Classroom Delivery, On-line Delivery, Testing, Clinical/Nursing Arts Lab, Clinical Associates/Adjuncts, and Affective Dimensions of Professional) charged with developing recommendations to “tighten every component”.  Strategies that have been implemented as a result of TEC include:

 

Every faculty member was requested to complete a 16-hour NCSBN Basic or Advanced Assessment Strategy course.

 

Clinical skills checkoffs are no longer videotaped.

 

There was an intensive, two-day faculty development session, August 31 and September 1, to strengthen knowledge of the curriculum and teaching skills of adjunct/clinical associates and new faculty. 

 

Teaching Together is a weekly session designed to enhance and improve teaching skills of new faculty and provide an avenue of mentoring from senior faculty.

 

Brown Baggin’ with Faculty is a weekly informal time of sharing between students and faculty.  It is designed to address professional issues in the Affective Domain.  Further, it is believed that success in the nursing program can be enhanced if students are provided an avenue for dialogue in regards to stress and time management, decision making, prioritizing, and operationalizing professional values.

 

The rigor of NU 422 Leadership and Health Policy was increased after review of existing literature, ATI Content Mastery Series and the NCLEX Test Plan Report.

 

NU 306 Pharmacology was revised to focus on drug calculations, drug classifications, and a limited number of specific drugs.  This course had been primarily on-line; the revised course is taught in a classroom setting.  This two-semester hour course was changed from two hours theory to one hour theory and one hour lab.  Interactive activities and lab demonstrations will be utilized to increase the effectiveness of instruction.

 

Recruitment and Retention of Diverse Populations is an initiative that was begun in fall 2004 under the direction of Marilyn Bougere.  Information gleaned from the Sullivan Commission on Missing Persons:  Minorities in the Health Professions, together with the CNHS’s goal of increasing student and faculty diversity led to the development of this project which aims to recruit a diverse student population and assist them in successful completion of the program.

 

Mary Miller, CNHS nursing student, was elected State President of the Alabama Association of Nursing Students.  Ms. Miller is the local Chapter President at JSU.

 

A faculty retreat was held on December 7, 2004.  Finalization of curricular changes was made in preparation for the CCNE Accreditation visit March 7-9, 2005.

 

The CNHS Self Study for accreditation was completed.  Bound copies will be available by January 20, 2005. 

 

Confirmation of a “mock” accreditation visit by Dr. Debra Davis, Dean, College of Nursing, University of South Alabama was made for February 18, 2005.

 

The BSN programs had 25 December graduates; the MSN program graduated 7.

 

There were 89 qualified applicants for upper division nursing for the spring 2005 term.  Of those, 63 were admitted, 6 withdrew, and 20 were denied admission.

 

BSN programs in the CNHS have 249 students:  240 generic (traditional) students and 9 STEP (RN-BSN) students.

 

There were 10 new MSN students admitted spring 2005 for a total of 29 MSN students actively enrolled.

 

Tammy Morrow, RN, BSN and Shawn Wilson, RN, BSN were employed as full time clinical associates.  Both Mrs. Morrow and Ms. Wilson are MSN students in the CNHS.

 

Mrs. Paula Cosper, RN, MSN, CRNP will be retiring on or about July 1, 2005.  Mrs. Cosper, who has been the nurse practitioner in the CNHS Nursing Center Clinic for 21 years, will be on medical leave until her retirement.  Mrs. Juda Carter, RN, MSN, CRNP was employed as the temporary Nursing Clinic Coordinator.

 

Ms. Lynn Hillhouse, Instructor in Nursing, has been instrumental in establishing Senior Rx in Cherokee County.  The Senior Rx program provides medications for low income individuals who might otherwise be unable to afford their medications.  JSU Nursing students participate in this program as well. 

 

For the 2003-2004 academic year, 72 CNHS graduates took the NCLEX (RN licensure) exam with first time pass rate of  84.7%.

 

Professional Values:

 

Professional values serve as a foundation for nursing practice.  Practicing nursing with an appreciation of respectfulness, caring and human dignity leads to a sense of honor and fulfillment.  Nurse educators are challenged to convey core values while introducing students to the professional role.  The faculty of the college join together in the responsibility to teach nursing values and show how they are translated into practice.

           

The faculty of the college use diverse teaching strategies to support the development of values.  In the clinical setting, faculty encourage students to reflect on situations that involve the application of values.  In the classroom, scenarios are introduced that promote awareness of issues and values prevalent in society.  Faculty strive to develop a learning environment in which ethical behavior is expected and respected.  Faculty endeavor to display behaviors that convey fairness, concern, respectfulness, and integrity. 

           

Students who are joining the profession learn to take on the responsibility of promoting nursing values through their actions.  Students agree to uphold standards of honesty, integrity and accountability.  Students develop a climate of inclusiveness, respect and growing self-awareness as they interact with patients, colleagues and faculty.  Students are encouraged to speak out when they notice injustices and to show concern for those who are vulnerable.

           

The following values are embraced as core professional values by the faculty, staff and students of our college:

 

Altruism is concern for the well being of others.  Nurses show altruism by advocating for patients, especially for those who are unable to protect themselves.  Through unselfish support, especially mentoring colleagues in their professional growth, nurses show altruism.  Altruistic actions help to create a climate of caring and professionalism. 

 

Respect for autonomy defends the right to self-determination.  Nurses demonstrate this value by protecting patients’ rights to be involved in making decisions about their care.  Nurses develop partnerships with patients and their families to facilitate sharing of information and to honor the rights of patients and their proxies to consent or to refuse.  Within the college, autonomy is supported when faculty, staff, and students participate in governance and decision-making.

 

Human dignity is respect for the innate worth of each human being.  Nurses who respect human dignity find value in others because of their humanity, not because of their wealth, social standing or level of alertness.  Every human being deserves a life of dignity, including courtesy and privacy.  As much as possible, human beings should have the opportunity to participate in worthwhile efforts while developing their unique talents.  Participation contributes to a sense of dignity and being valued.

 

Integrity is the quality of wholeness.  Nurses who act with integrity show wholeness in the harmony of their ethical beliefs and their actions.  Integrity embraces honesty, accountability and responsibility.  Nurses with integrity maintain high standards of care by respecting professional standards of practice and developing greater professional competency.  Nurses also respect integrity when they acknowledge themselves and others as whole persons with unique identities.  A person’s wholeness includes qualities of identity, culture, personality, and varying physical abilities that are made welcome.  Nurses approach people who are different with empathy and respect.

 

Social justice is the aspect of justice that is expressed in social arrangements, whether local or global.  Social justice upholds the principle that all human beings are equally deserving of dignity and human rights.  Nurses support the right of all patients to have access to health care without discrimination.  Nurses act in solidarity with those who are poor and vulnerable, seeing the interconnections between all people.  Within the college, the value of social justice inspires faculty and students to provide fair opportunities and to repair social disadvantages.

Reference

American Association of Colleges of Nursing.  (1998). The essentials of baccalaureate education for professional nursing practice.  Washington, DC:  Author.

HOUSTON COLE LIBRARY

The library now provides wireless Internet access on the 11th  and 12th floors.

 

Government Documents switched vendors of cataloging records at a considerable cost saving.

 

The library team won the President’s Cup for most participants in the Gamecock Gallop 5K race.

 

Sonja McAbee and John-Bauer Graham published “Expectations, Realities, and Perceptions of Subject Specialist Librarians’ Duties in Medium-Sized Academic Libraries” in Journal of Academic Librarianship, V. 31, 2005.

 

Hanrong Wang and William Hubbard published “Integrating Pathfinders in the Digital Library:  A Model for China” in Lecture Notes in Computer Science 3334 – Digital Libraries:  International Collaboration and Cross-Fertilization.  Springer, 2004, p. 618-625.

 

Hanrong Wang published “Information Via Academic BBS in China:  A Content Analysis” in Internet Chinese Librarianship:  An International Electronic Journal, no. 18, December 2004.

 

Bethany Skaggs published:

  • “Review of The Historical Dictionary of Unitarian Universalism” in Reference    Review,  2004, 18:8.

  • “Review of Mycenaean Civilization:  An Annotated Bibliography through 2002,” Reference Review, 2004, 18:8.

  • “Review of The Egyptologist,” Historical Novels Review, 2004.

  • “Review of He Who Lifts the Skies,” Historical Novels Review, 2004.

  • “Review of The Last Duel:  A True Story of Crime, Scandal, and Trial by Combat in Medieval France,” Historical Novels Review, 2004.

  • “Review of You Did What?  Mad Plans and Great Historical Disasters,” Historical Novels Review, 2004.

Paula Barnett-Ellis and Laurie Charnigo presented “Offer It and They Will Come:  The Use of Wireless Networks in Medium Sized Academic Libraries” at the Southeastern Library Association Biennial Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina.

 

William Hubbard presented “Integrating Pathfinders in the Digital Library:  A Model for China” at the 7th International Conference on Asian Digital Libraries, ICADL2004 in Shanghai, China.

 

 

JSU GADSDEN / FORT PAYNE

 

Video teleconferencing equipment has been installed at the Fort Payne site.  This will enhance the number of courses being delivered to Northeast Alabama and better serve graduate students in the area.  Otherwise there are three graduate courses offered on site in the spring semester with 21, 20 and 16 enrolled. 

OFFICE OF DISTANCE EDUCATION

The following report is submitted:

Faculty/staff accomplishments:  Ms. Sherri Restauri and Dr. Frank. King presented at the Mid-South Educational Research Association in Gatlinburg, Tennessee in November 2004. The topic of their presentation was, "How to Distribute, Collect, and Analyze a Survey on the Web". Ms. Restauri will also be presenting in March 2005 in Phoenix, AZ at the Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education (SITE) conference. The topic of the presentation is "Teaching Research Methods to Pre-Service Teachers in an Online Environment".

 

Jacksonville State University has a growing population of distance students and an increasing level of usage of the existing Blackboard Learning System among the University’s students and faculty.   Being aware of this growth, and having a desire to continue to offer students the highest level of educational value with its online content, the Office of Distance Education has identified several enhancements it would like to implement to streamline administrative processes and provide the foundation for future application growth.

 

The Office of Distance Education has moved forward, in cooperation with the Division of Information Technology, to begin the implementation of Blackboard integration with the current student information system.  Integration will enable Jacksonville State University to populate all user, course, enrollment and faculty assignment data on a regular basis.  Jacksonville State University’s integration goal is to provide an efficient, reliable system which facilitates straightforward usage.  Integrating the Blackboard Learning System with Jacksonville State University’s student information system will automate the creation of user accounts, course shells and enrollments.  The end result will be the centralized management of student, instructor, course, and enrollment data.

 

Fifteen new courses were added to the Electronic Campus course listing during the fall 2004 reporting period. In addition, 32 new courses were added to the Electronic Campus site for the spring 2005 term. The University is currently advertising over 100 unique courses through the SREB's Ways in Mentor/Electronic Campus websites, attracting students from the southeast region of the United States, as well as all over the country. 

 

The Blackboard Training Workshop series was offered during the fall 2004 term, including an Introductory (September 29, 2004), Intermediate (October 13, 2004), and Advanced (November 4, 2004) workshop training session, each lasting 3 ½ hours. Faculty completing each individual workshop received a certificate indicating their expertise in the specific areas of Blackboard covered in each session.

 

Over 50 individual training sessions on the Blackboard system, instructional design issues, course construction, and other pertinent instructional technology concerns were offered during this reporting period. An instructional session for Library personnel was also conducted by the Instructional Media Specialist for the Office of Distance Education. The Instructional Technology & Design Laboratory continued to be used extensively by faculty members in conjunction with Distance Education staff members for one-on-one training on Blackboard, as well as instructional design and instructional technology assistance.

 

At the beginning of the spring 2005 semester, videoconferencing classes were offered at 13 different sites in Alabama and Georgia.  The College of Education and Professional Studies and the College of Commerce and Business Administration offered courses through videoconferencing.

OFFICE OF THE REGISTRAR

The Registrar’s Office successfully coordinated two Fall commencement ceremonies.  Two ceremonies were held to accommodate the large number of guests who attend the ceremonies.

Mrs. Kathy Campbell, Acting Registrar, has announced her retirement from Jacksonville State University effective March 31, 2005.  She began working as a Student Assistant in the Office of Admissions and Records while an undergraduate student.  Mrs. Campbell has been on staff at JSU for twenty eight years.  Beginning as a Clerk Typist, Mrs. Campbell has also worked as a Transcript Analyst, and was Assistant Director of Admissions and Records.  Mrs. Campbell has been Acting Registrar since April 1999.

Student Affairs

Admissions

Approximately 150 juniors from 52 area high schools got a taste of college life courtesy of Jacksonville State University’s Emerging Leaders Day on November 9, 2004.

The event, in its fifth year at JSU, is an opportunity for the students to participate in leadership seminars, meet student leaders from other high schools as well as meet with JSU student leaders. High school counselors were asked to identify three juniors in their school who hold leadership roles and are interested in further developing leadership skills to attend the event. 


At the end of the day, several students received door prizes as souvenirs of their day at JSU.  Nekedra Swain, a junior from Talladega County Central High School, walked away with the grand prize: a leadership scholarship worth one year’s tuition at JSU.

Career Placement Services

October 7, 2004.  Fall Career Fair held in Merrill Building with 42 recruiters present. Approximately 200 students attended the fair.  20% of those attending were Criminal Justice majors followed by 12% Management; 12% Communication, and 12% Technology.  54% of those attending were seniors; 27% were juniors, and 19% were master’s students

Mrs. Aultman and Mrs. White gave information presentations to 6 different classes in the College of Commerce and Business Administration during the month of October.

October 26, 2004.  Four students participated in on-campus interviews with Sherwin-Williams.

October 26, 2004.  United Rentals based out of New York presented an information session in the TMB auditorium for JSU students.  They interviewed JSU students the following day in Career Placement Services.

 

October 27, 2004. Mrs. Aultman presented a presentation on Interviewing/Resume Writing to 30 students in Dr. Williams class in the College of Commerce and Business Administration.

 

October 28, 2004.  Richard Herren of U.S. Army Audit interviewed 4 accounting students for current openings.

 

November 5, 2004.  Mrs. Aultman and Mrs. White attended a Criminal Justice Alumni Panel in Brewer Hall and a luncheon following in the President’s Dining Hall. 

 

November 10, 2004.  Dress on a Dime Workshop held in TMB.

 

November 15, 2005.  American Cast Iron and Pipe interviewed 3 safety students for current co-op openings.

 

December 14, 2004.  Choice Fabricators interviewed 4 students for Spring co-op positions.

 

December 15, 2004 Christmas Open House in Career Placement Services for employers and faculty

 

3000+ students were contacted via email concerning job openings during the months of October, November, and December.  45 teaching positions were posted; 89 non-teaching jobs were posted.  145 students were assisted face-to-face in the office of Career Placement Services during this period.

 

 

Disability Support Services

 

Funding--DSS has recently signed a $150,000.00 agreement with the Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services to provide support services for JSU ADRS students who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Blind, Low Vision.  This will reduce the amount of paperwork currently needed for such services, and enhance the quality of services through the possibility of hiring personnel to provide the services.

 

DSS was pleased to see 13 of their students graduate at the December exercises.

 

Ms. Cindy Camp, hosted by the Captioned Media Program/for the Deaf, has been selected to present at the Association of College Educators for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in Alberta, Canada.

 

DSS was well represented at the South East Regional Institute on Deafness.  Ms. Dee Johnston, Lead Interpreter, presented and was also selected as a Conference Interpreter.  Ms. Cindy Camp presented and exhibited for the Captioned Media Program.

 

Ms. Cindy Camp was invited and sponsored by higher education associations to present at meetings in Pennsylvania and Texas.

 

Ms. Linda Turner conducted a Leadership Workshop at the Alabama School for the Deaf, Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind through a special project -  L.I.F.E. - which is a WIA/ADECA funded grant through the Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services.

 

 

Financial Aid

 

The financial aid office strives to assist as many students who need financial aid to continue their educational dream.  Our office has disbursed the following amounts in federal student aid for fall 2004 and first payable for spring 2005 as follows:

 

            Federal Pell Grant                                         $  7,488,890

 

            Federal Supplemental Grant                       $     464,466

 

            Alabama State Grant                                    $       42,000

 

            Logan Walker Loans                                    $       93,244

 

            Federal Stafford Loans                                $24,495,964

 

Total number Offers of Financial Aid the office has mailed to students as of January 10, 2005 is 6,130.

 

 

Multicultural Services

 

The Office of Multicultural Services and National Panhellenic Council (NPHC) sponsored the sixth annual Homecoming Stepshow at Pete Mathews Coliseum on November 6, 2004.   Two teams from the JSU NPHC, JSU Diamond Girls and two visiting step teams (Mad Skills Dancers from Birmingham and Anniston High School, and one singing group from Anniston participated in the stepshow.  Over sixteen hundred and fifty (1650) students and guest of the University attended this event.  This was the largest crowd ever for a stepshow. 

 

The Office of Multicultural Services sponsored the second annual Native American Month Pow Wow from November 12-14, 2004 on the Quad.  November was Native American Month.  The entire first and second grades from Kitty Stone Elementary School attended the Pow Wow on Friday, November 12, 2004, and a large number of guests from the community and University attended the celebration.  Seven vendors displaying Native American cultural crafts also participated.

 

The Office of Multicultural Services will sponsor eight students to the Southwest Black Student Leadership Conference at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas from January 20-23, 2005.   This will be the ninth year that students from the University participated in similar leadership conferences.  Over 1200 students and advisors attended this conference in 2004.  Officers and members in the African American Association (AAA) will attend this year’s conference. The conference provides its participants with an opportunity to enhance their leadership skills, explore issues of importance to students of color, meet potential employers, network and interact with significant national and international leaders.  The theme of SBSLC 2005 is Igniting the FLAME: Future Leaders Aiming to Manifest Excellent. It is our hope that through dynamic, innovative workshops, participants are challenged to desire and achieve excellence in every area of their individual lives.  The student’s will attended numerous leadership workshops. 

 

During the week of January 17, 2005 Jacksonville State University will celebrate Martin Luther King Week.  We are planning many exciting programs and activities for the student body and faculty.  A special program of the famous “I Have a Dream” speech and guest speaker, Mr. Lumuel Davis, will held on January 19, 2005 in TMB Auditorium at 7:00 p.m.  The office will also sponsor a bus trip to Martin Luther King Center in Atlanta, Georgia on January 17, 2004 a MLK Gospel Explosion in Leone Cole Auditorium on January 22, 2005.

 

Black History Month at JSU promises to be very entertaining and educational.  The highlight of the month will be the Soul Food Dinner Theater featuring JSU Gospel Choir in concert on February 10, 2005 at 6:30 p.m. at Leone Cole Auditorium.  Other activities for the month include the a comedy show, poetry night, a performance by Step Afrika, a Scholarship Talent Night and an African American Heritage Month Free Party for students in Cole Auditorium.

 

The Office of Multicultural Services, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, and the African American Association will sponsor a Student Appreciation and Fun Day on the Quad to end the semester and prepare students for upcoming finals on April 13, 2005.  During the fall semester over 700 students/faculty/staff enjoyed a free cookout dinner, entertainment, as well as the latest sounds by DJ Anthony Gregory and participated in sporting activities.

 

 

Student Life

SGA

The SGA held an involvement meeting on September 17, 2004.  An estimated 130 people participated in the involvement meeting.  Students had the chance to meet committee heads, executive officers, and exchanged contact information at the involvement meeting.  This contact information has allowed the Student Senate and Student Activities Council to incorporate the enthusiastic spirit of the students at JSU. 

 

The S.T.A.R.S (Student Teams Advocating Realistic Solutions) committee of the Student Senate registered a record-breaking 150 students to vote in the 2004 Presidential Elections.  The committee also provided information to assure that JSU students were aware of candidates running for office through Presidential Candidate information sheets and a project called “Storm the Dorms.”

 

The Elections Committee for the Student Senate had a record breaking 825 students to vote for the 2004 Homecoming Queen.

 

The Blood Drive was held on November 16 and 17, 2004.  There was a large turnout from the Jacksonville Community as well as JSU.  The total amount of blood donors for the American Red Cross Association was 150 and almost 30 students volunteered for the SGA at the drive. 

 

The Student Activities Council held bi-weekly Movie Nights, featuring a different movie every other Tuesday during the fall semester.  The Student Activities Council also hosted a Coffeehouse during December featuring a solo guitarist.  This event provided free cheesecake, coffee and musical entertainment to the numerous students that attended.

The Student Activities Council ended the semester with Midnight Snack in the Caf during finals.  This event has record setting numbers with over 615 students in participation as well as multiple faculty and staff present to volunteer their services to the students of JSU. 

The Student Judiciary Council has seen many students and faculty appealing traffic violations at the monthly traffic appeals court.  The October Traffic Court was comprised of twenty cases with eleven appellants in attendance.  November Traffic Appeals Court saw record-breaking numbers with fifty-nine cases to be appealed.  December’s court only consisted of twenty-three cases with eight appellants present.

Freshman Forum

The JSU Freshman Forum worked extremely hard with their numerous service projects for the fall semester.  Their first project was handing out goodie bags to the senior citizens at the Jacksonville Health and Rehabilitation Center.  The 40 members of Freshman Forum prepared these bags with various fruits and crackers and handed them out for a treat for Halloween. 

In November, they hosted a “Blast from the Past” All Freshman Mixer.  They invited all their freshman friends to an exciting evening of games, dancing, door prizes and food.  To go along with the theme, they dressed like someone from their favorite decade (50’s, 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s).

To close the semester, the Freshman Forum members raised money to sponsor a less fortunate child off the Angel Tree for Christmas.  Over the Christmas holidays, several of these students went shopping to purchase items for this child.  They bought various items for this 12-year-old girl, such as a purse, clothes, and make-up. 

Throughout this last semester, Freshman Forum attended a Student Senate meeting, participated in the 2004 Homecoming Banner Competition, and even conducted an Open Forum that was open to all JSU Freshman to voice their concerns about the campus community.  Freshman Forum is excited about beginning the Spring Semester with upcoming activities such as the INSPIRE Program and Project Valentine.

Greek Life

All Executive members of the Interfraternity Council, the National Pan-Hellenic Council, and the Panhellenic Council attended a retreat from January 5 – 6, 2005.  The Councils outlined goals for the entire Greek community and their respective Greek councils.  Collaboration among councils was discussed and initiated. 

On January 6, 2005, all 18 fraternity and sorority presidents were brought together for a Presidents’ Workshop.  The Executive Councils presented the Greek Life goals and their respective council goals to the chapter presidents.  Follow-ups to this workshop will take place in monthly Presidents’ Roundtables.

Membership in our Greek community jumped drastically.  Currently 564 students are members of Greek organizations.  This is an increase from Spring 2004, when 478 students were member of Greek organizations. 

The Interfraternity Council applied for five awards for the Southeastern Interfraternity Conference held in Atlanta, Georgia in February.  All five executive council members will attend the conference.

 

Several Panhellenic Council women will be attending the Southeastern Panhellenic Conference held in Atlanta, Georgia in March.  The women will be applying for the Greek Communications Award in late January.

 

Fraternal Futures, a program developed by the Kettering Foundation, will be sending moderators for the second installment of this program at Jacksonville State University.   Fraternal Futures provides an opportunity for a large number of Greek students to discuss the potential of our community.

Academic Report

The following chapters exceeded the All Undergraduate Grade Point Average (G.P.A.) during Fall 2004:

Delta Sigma Theta          3.05

Phi Mu                              3.01

Zeta Tau Alpha                2.89

Alpha Omicon Pi             2.84

Alpha Xi Delta                 2.84

Delta Sigma Theta          2.82

This was an increase from only four (4) organizations exceeding the All Undergraduate Grade Point Average in Fall 2003.   The Interfraternity Council (IFC) Grade Point Average increased by 0.13 from Spring 2004.


Department of University Housing and Residence Life

Halls

Total Capacity

 

Total # of Residents

 

Spring 05 Occupancy %

 

Spring 04

Occupancy

%

Crow

184

 

164

 

89.0

 

81.0

Daugette

150

 

132

 

88.0

 

85.0

Dixon

192

 

162

 

84.0

 

88.0

Fitzpatrick

227

 

198

 

87.0

 

89.0

Logan

122

 

88

 

72.0

 

86.0

Patterson

118

 

86

 

73.0

 

81.0

Sparkman

428

 

303

 

71.0

 

90.0

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOTALS

1421

 

1133

 

80%

 

86%

 
    
    
     

 
    
    
     

 
    
    
     

Apartments

Total Capacity

Total # of Residents

Spring 05 Occupancy %

 

Spring 04 Occupancy

%

Campus Inn

83

83

100.0

 

73.0

College

22

22

100.0

 

91.0

Jax

40

34

85.0

 

81.0

Pannell Efficiency

70

66

94.0

 

87.0

Penn House

32

32

100.0

 

69.0

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOTALS

247

237

96%

 

80%



# of Houses

# of Houses Occupied

Spring 05 Occupancy

%

 

Spring 04 Occupancy

%

9

9

100%

 

69%

 
    
    
     

Specialty Houses

Total Capacity

Total # of Residents

Spring 05 Occupancy %

 

Spring 04 Occupancy

%

International House

41

36

88.0

 

95.0

Panhellenic House

19

18

95.0

 

73.0

 

 

 

 

 

 

Totals

60

54

90%

 

84%

 


*The Spring 2005 overall occupancy average is 82%

*The Spring 2004 overall occupancy average was 79%.

 

 

JSU Police Department

Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Plan Training

 

UPD conducted a CSEPP training exercise on 14 December 2004 for all JSU employees. Both JSU shelters were opened and a total of 69 JSU employees were trained. To date, 389 have been trained. The training was announced in advance to allow fro maximum participation. Training announcements were placed on the JSU News web site and building managers received email notifications prior to the training. JSU employees also received a telephonic message early on the 14th announcing the training would begin at 3:00 PM. Written comments were solicited from the training participants and will be used to improve future training.

 

Christmas Food Donation Program

 

The University Police once again sponsored the Jacksonville annual food donation for the needy program. The donation of non-perishable food items and cash was a big success.  Other sponsors included Jacksonville Police Department and Jacksonville Fire Department with the JSU Music Department providing a free concert at McClellan. Money collections were $9,934.00.  The program helped 38 families with 81 children.

 

 



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