University of Central Arkansas

UCA students, faculty and staff have been assisting with clean-up efforts for victims of tornados that struck Arkansas on February 5. An initial group of 20 individuals went to Clinton, Arkansas on February 9 to assist with clean-up. The following Saturday, February 16, over 50 individuals went to Clinton to work in a relief center. On Saturday, February 23, 45 students and staff went to Mountain View to assist with clean-up. These efforts have been coordinated by Wendy Holbrook, Charlotte Strickland, Heather Harmon-Murphy, John Fincher and Julie Bernard from the Office of Student Life, in cooperation with Bit Stephens from the Baptist Collegiate Ministry. Other UCA affiliated groups have organized donation drives and clean-up assistance for Atkins, Arkansas and other parts of the state.

Career Services is hosting the annual Teachers' Fair for education majors Friday, February 26, 2008. The following Wednesday, March 5 is the annual Spring Job Fair open to all majors. These events are held in the Student Center Ballroom from 9 am until 2 pm. Both events are open to students, alumni and the community.

UCA student J. Luke McCoy was named a "Power of 10 Award Winner" for his work at the Northwestern Mutual Financial Network during the 2007 company awards year. McCoy will be recognized for his achievement at the 2008 College Award Show, held during the 128th Annual Meeting of Northwestern Mutual in Milwaukee, as well as at UCA's Second Annual Internship Banquet in March.

The Power of 10 Award recognizes financial representative interns who have obtained a very high level of success in building their businesses and developing their client base. Historically, Power of 10 Award winners are in the top ten percent of the internship program across the country. McCoy is a member of the Bertasi Financial Group of Northwestern Mutual Financial Network in Little Rock, Arkansas. He lives with his wife Lindsey in the North Little Rock area.

Each year, the internship program, named one of the Top 10 internship programs by the Princeton Review for twelve consecutive years since 1996, provides real-world opportunities for more than 1,000 full-time college and university students throughout the country. The Northwestern Mutual internship program has had students participate from over 500 different campuses across the country with more than 20,000 student participates since 1967.

Northwestern Mutual Financial Network is a FORTUNE 500 company with over $1 trillion of life insurance protection in force.

UCA this week welcomed Jason Bube, a 3-D computer animation artist at NBC Artworks in New York City, who presented two workshops and an evening lecture as Artist in Residence for the College of Fine Arts and Communication.

Bube creates broadcast graphics and illustrations of current events for MSNBC and is a member of the team that designs and implements the look and feel of the cable news channel. During the residency, he led two graphics workshops that included demonstrations using 2D and 3D computer animation tools, and he described NBC's graphic workflow from initial design to going on the air. He also gave an evening talk about working in the 24-hour news industry and the restructuring that NBC recently underwent.

Ginny and Reid Adams of UCA's Department of Biology recently accompanied nine UCA students to the Arkansas-Mississippi American Fisheries Society meeting in Tunica, Miss. Seven of the students presented five oral talks and two student poster presentations, and four of the seven presenters were undergraduates. All of the presentations were highly complimented by other universities as well as state and federal agency personnel. Sarah Pavan, an undergraduate Biology major, won recognition for the best undergraduate oral presentation. Her talk was entitled "Temporal patterns of development in southern brook lamprey (Ichthyomyzon gagei) in Cadron Creek, Arkansas" and is part of Sarah's Honor's thesis (co-advised by Ginny and Reid Adams). Based on recent interest in fish/fisheries ecology, the Adamses will be establishing a UCA American Fisheries Society sub-unit.

Mark Spitzer, assistant professor of Writing at UCA, recently had his award-winning essay "Gittin' Myself a Garfish" published in Tight Lines, an anthology published by The Yale Anglers' Journal (New York).

Pam Bennett of UCA's Department of Family and Consumer Sciences has received the National Council on Family Relations' Certified Family Life Educator (CFLE) designation. CFLEs have a proven background in the ten family life content areas deemed core to family education, and the CFLE designation recognizes professionals as qualified family life educators.

UCA Athletics facilities improve with the construction of the Track/Soccer Stadium and the Baseball Stadium renovation. Both projects will truly enhance the sport offerings at UCA. The total $5 million project will continue to make our facilities great and further solidify our move to DI.

UCA Athletics, in association with Sonic Drive-In, sponsors the UCAlive Sonic Student Loyalty program for all sports. UCA students are vital to our growth in NCAA Division I athletics and UCAlive will bring the students right to the action. UCA Athletics give away big prizes each year (skydiving, flat screen tv, Nintendo Wii, Apple notebooks and tons of cash) that are only available to UCAlive members. Students sign up at the games.

UCA Athletics is a proud NCAA Division I Athletics Program. UCA is a full member of the Southland Conference which is represented by institutions in Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas. The Southland Conference participates in the Football Championship Subdivision and in all other sports has the conference champion represent the conference in NCAA post season play.

The future of the University of Central Arkansas and the City of Conway are inextricably tied together. UCA, founded in 1907, has evolved from a teachers college with 100 students to the state's second largest university, with 12,650 students. And UCA has evolved in athletics, from three football national championships in the NAIA to its current Division I athletic program.

Conway's population has increased by 150 percent in the past 27 years, from 20,375 in 1980 to approximately 55,000 residents today, which makes it one of the state's largest cities. UCA and Conway have grown and continue to grow together. Fortunately, UCA and Conway have an extraordinary relationship. From transportation to road planning to community support, UCA and Conway have the same focus.

Graduates in 2007 became the first to receive a new UCA alumni lapel pin at graduation.

It was the second phase of a tradition that began when the 2007 graduates first enrolled at UCA in 2004. That year, the Association of Future Alumni presented incoming freshmen with a small UCA lapel pin during Welcome Week.

“The AFA wanted to begin a traditional pinning ceremony that consisted of presenting freshmen with a lapel pin welcoming them to UCA, and then follow that up with the presentation of an alumni lapel pin to welcome them to the alumni family at graduation,” said Alumni Services Director Jan Newcomer. “We thought it was extra special that the first class to receive the alumni lapel pins was our centennial graduates.”

Graduates at each commencement exercise were presented with a small, round lapel pin with silver lettering over a purple background. The pin reads “UCA alumni” and denotes the founding year of the institution.

The pins are not just for 2007 graduates though. “We want this to become a tradition,” Newcomer said. “This is our way of not only welcoming students to the campus, but also welcoming them to the UCA alumni family. All new students and graduates will be eligible to receive the pins.”

In 2007, the UCA Alumni Association set a goal of reaching 100 life members in honor of the university’s centennial anniversary. The association not only met their goal, but surpassed it with a total of 123 life members.

Life members pay a one-time $500 fee to the alumni association, making them members of the association for life. To find out more about purchasing a life membership, contact the UCA Alumni Office at (501) 450-3114 or email alumni@uca.edu.

Retired Conway businessman Michel Fortier has donated $135,000 to the UCA College of Education to establish the Mary Jane Fortier Memorial Distinguished Scholars Fund. (use this as the intro)

The gift, established in memory of Fortier’s late wife, will provide scholarships for students studying in the college’s new doctoral program in leadership studies.

"Mr. Fortier's generous gift will allow the College of Education to support the work of worthy doctoral students," said Dr. Patty Phelps, interim dean of the College of Education. "We appreciate his leadership vision and his willingness to invest in our new Ph.D. program in Leadership Studies."

Last fall, the Arkansas Department of Higher Education approved UCA’s newest doctoral program in leadership studies. The program will begin admitting students in the fall. UCA also offers doctoral programs in physical therapy, school psychology and communication sciences and disorders. A clinical doctorate in physical therapy is also available.

Fortier said he was inspired to give to the new program because he believes that leadership traits – particularly visionary strategic planning, empathy and intellect – transcend all disciplines, whether in business, government or education.

“My career had nothing to do with education, but after I retired, I became interested in the status of education in Arkansas, and in other states – particularly with regard to minorities and the poor,” Fortier said. I am interested in developing leaders – not necessarily principals and superintendents, but individuals who will establish a more optimistic program that will make a decided change in the status of education in the state.”

A World War II veteran, Fortier is the founder and former CEO and board chairman of 4TA Fortier Inc. The Conway-based company is now equally co-owned by four of his children. Prior to becoming a successful entrepreneur, Fortier held five administrative and managerial positions for Bryant air conditioning company, and served as vice president for sales and strategic planning for Universal Nolin.

He is a 1942 graduate of Purdue University, and holds a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering.

Fortier’s gift is also being recognized as a major contribution to UCA’s first comprehensive fundraising campaign, “New Vision, New Century: The Centennial Campaign for UCA,” which was publicly announced last fall.

“Mr. Fortier’s generosity to the College of Education’s new doctoral program will help many students not only further their education, but also become strong leaders for the state. We are especially grateful that he chose to make his gift a part of UCA’s first major fundraising campaign,” Vice President of Advancement and Development Kelley Erstine said.

For more information on donating to the Mary Jane Fortier Memorial Distinguished Scholars Fund, contact the UCA Foundation at (501) 450-5288 or toll free 1-800-981-4426.

The UCA Alumni Association now has a roadmap for the future that focuses on five key goals.

Last fall, the association approved and began implementing its first formal strategic plan. “This is going to tell the alumni association where to go and how to get there,” said Alumni Services Director Jan Newcomer.

Fifteen alumni from across the state and country, including international representatives, formed the committee that worked for nearly three months developing the plan.

“The Alumni Association’s Board of Directors recognized that UCA has gone through a lot of growth with the expanded student enrollment, the athletics move to Division I and the overall marketing of the university, and for these reasons they decided the association needed to address these new opportunities for growth with a solid plan,” Newcomer said. (use this as the intro)

The committee developed a three-year strategic plan that will begin being implemented in 2008. The plan addresses issues of equal importance such as increasing alumni membership, branding the association, fundraising, marketing and promoting awareness to the student body.

“In three years, we won’t just reach our goals and then stop. By that time we hope to have an ongoing strategic plan. This is just the first step,” Newcomer said.

Alumni can help the association be successful with its plan by becoming a member, getting involved in alumni activities and attending events, using the services provided by the association and providing feedback.

“Our hope is that this plan will provide not only better services and programs, but better communication and more ownership and pride among alumni association members. Their communication and participation is important because they have to let us know what we’re doing right and where we need to improve and that’s taking ownership,” Newcomer said.

UCA Alumni Association Strategic Goals

• Foster and maintain relations with alumni and friends by retaining and increasing memberships in the Alumni Association.



• Establish a “brand” for the Alumni Association consistent with the UCA brand.



• Strengthen the fiscal condition of the Alumni Association through financial contributions.



• Aggressively market the Alumni Association through communications, direct marketing, print advertising and events.



• Promote the Alumni Association to all members of the UCA student body.

The University of Central Arkansas Foundation recently announced a gift valued at approximately $550,000 from Bobbie Garner Floyd of Conway in memory of her late husband, John M. Garner. The donation is a combination of a cash gift and a planned charitable remainder trust.

The John M. Garner and Bobbie Garner Floyd Scholarship Fund will fund scholarships for students with a preference for students from Wynne High School and Cross County High School, or from high schools in the following Delta counties: Greene, Poinsett, St. Francis and Woodruff.

John and Bobbie graduated from UCA, then Arkansas State Teachers College. Both earned bachelor’s degrees in 1965, and she earned a master’s degree in 1974.

John was an entrepreneur in housing and real estate in northeast Arkansas. He passed away in 2003. Bobbie retired in 1995 after a 27-year career as an extension home economist with the University of Arkansas working in Wynne and Cross County. After moving to Conway in 2004, she met and married Dave Floyd the following year.

Bobbie said she was inspired to make the donation after seeing news reports last year of a planned gift made to UCA by Jake and Mary Ellen White Crow. “John and I always felt strongly about education. We were the first in our families to earn college degrees, and I believe earning a higher education helped us achieve success throughout our lives,” Bobbie explained. “Seeing the impact of the Crow gift made me realize I could do something through the university that would help others and honor the memory of my late husband. I can’t think of anything better than helping someone, who might not otherwise, earn a higher education.”

“We truly appreciate the generosity of Mrs. Floyd in establishing this scholarship fund in memory of her late husband,” Vice President of Advancement and Development Kelley Erstine said. “This fund is not only a commitment to UCA, but also to students and families in the Delta region who will benefit from this financial assistance.”

The Garner/Floyd gift is also being recognized as a major contribution to UCA’s first comprehensive fundraising campaign, “New Vision, New Century: The Centennial Campaign for UCA,” which was publicly announced last fall.

To date, the campaign has raised more than $21 million for scholarships, endowments and capital projects. The goal is to raise $35 million by the end of 2009.

For more information on donating to the John M. Garner and Bobbie Garner Floyd Scholarship Fund, contact the UCA Foundation at (501) 450-5288 or toll free 1-800-981-4426.

The UCA Alumni Association and Association of Future Alumni will unveil the university’s official class ring on at 1:45 p.m. on March 11 in the Student Center Ballroom.

The ring is reserved exclusively for alumni and students in good standing who have completed at least 60 credit hours. Unlike individual class rings of the past, the official class ring will remain unchanged, offering a tangible connection to the past, present and future of UCA.

Each gold or white gold ring features symbolic images related to the university such as Main Hall, the UCA Bear logo and the 1907 for the founding year of the school. Rings may be personalized by engraving the recipient’s name or initials.

Students who purchase the ring will wear it with the school name facing them until they graduate. At their commencement ceremony, students will be invited to turn their rings around with the name facing outward, symbolizing that the graduate is now ready to face the world.

The official class ring is being offered through Balfour. For more information on the official class ring, contact the Alumni Services Office at 501-450-3114.

The launch of UCA’s first-ever comprehensive fundraising campaign has offered the campus community, alumni and friends a chance to reflect on the importance of making an investment in UCA.

Several years ago fundraisers in the UCA Foundation set out to define some opportunities where alumni and friends could make an investment in the university, so they began asking, all across campus: “What do you need?”

“The response was overwhelming,” said Vice President of Advancement and Development Kelley Erstine. “Professors, chairs, deans, coaches, students … everyone shared their needs, and the requests could not be ignored.”

The needs include buildings, endowed visiting chairs, need-based scholarships, endowments for equipment, and support for outreach programs. We need endowed professorships, upgraded athletic facilities and funding to bring more cultural events to campus. We need graduate assistantships and funding for research and professional development. We need more and better technology, office and learning space and equipment. And the list goes on.

While the need is great, UCA has had many successes to celebrate. Through aggressive marketing, we are no longer the best kept secret in the mid-South, and that shows in the dramatic increase in enrollment over the last five years. We are also making great strides with athletics as we transition to the Division I Southland Conference.

We’ve had a Rhodes Scholar, a Goldwater Scholar, stellar athletic teams, students who have become successful alumni in business, science, the arts, education and a myriad of other professions. Now, imagine how many more successes we could celebrate if we gave back just a portion of what we have received.

What if we could fight the state’s nursing shortage simply by constructing a building that would provide enough classrooms to hold all of the students who want to come to UCA to become nurses and nurse educators?

What if that professor had a little seed money to start on the research that just might help find a cure for a serious disease?

What if we could bring a national political figure to campus and inspire the student who might someday become president?

What if a scholarship had been available to pay even a portion of the tuition bill, and your child had one less loan to repay?

Mary Ellen White Crow and her husband, Jake, made a commitment to the university nearly two decades ago when they decided to leave their estate to UCA in a bequest.

Mary Ellen was the first of 11 children in her family to earn a four-year college degree. She received a bachelor’s degree in secondary education from UCA (then Arkansas State Teachers College) in 1939.

Paying for tuition was often difficult, but Mary Ellen was recognized by her teachers for being studious, so they helped her in times of need.

She always remembered the generosity of her beloved alma mater and later in life, she and Jake made plans to return the favor by leaving their estate to UCA after their only son, Jacob Crow Jr., passed away in 1988.

Mary Ellen and Jake were equal partners in a 1,000-acre soybean and cotton farm business in Elaine, a small Delta town in Phillips County.

Jake, who passed away in 1994, demonstrated some of the finest characteristics of the Crow family: he was hard-working, community-minded and very generous. These characteristics caused him to join his wife in leaving their estate to UCA to establish a scholarship for descendants of their families as well as students from the counties in which the couple grew up.

When Mary Ellen passed away last summer, it was revealed that the Crows’ generosity had resulted in a $3 million gift, the largest in UCA history, all directed to student scholarships. Forethought on the part of a modest farming couple from rural southeast Arkansas will touch the lives of our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. These students may never know the Crows, but they will know that they cared.

Robin Nix ’65 knew the UCA Marching Band needed new uniforms. Without available funds, the band had been using the same uniforms for twice as long as the originally intended seven to 10 years.

Nix, a former clarinet and saxophone player who was the marching band’s drum major for four years, met with President Lu Hardin to talk about the need for uniforms. “As he is so good at doing,” Nix said, “President Hardin convinced me to help out. So I committed to buy 275 new uniforms.”

“This is one of the largest and most visible gifts that the College of Fine Arts and Communication has received,” said Dr. Rollin Potter, dean of the college. “Mr. Nix’s generosity will benefit hundreds of band members and thousands of UCA football fans. We are very appreciative of his support and this important donation.”

When the fundraising staff began planning the university’s first major campaign, they faced the challenge of narrowing the campaign’s focus to a few key areas.

“We wanted the campaign to be comprehensive, meaning anyone could give to any area they desired and have it count toward the campaign goal, but we needed to have some focus as well,” Erstine said.

What they came up with were three areas of emphasis that covered a broad array of giving opportunities. The priorities of the campaign were identified as: endowments, facility enhancements and annual support.

“We think it is important to focus on these three areas because it is private donations to our endowments, facilities and annual fund that will help the most people and make UCA an even stronger leader in the next century,” Erstine said.

Many opportunities exist under the umbrella of these three areas.

The foundation seeks to establish and strengthen endowments in the areas of scholarships, faculty support including lectureships, professorships and chairs, and program resources.

The foundation also seeks to help the university fund the construction of new academic facilities for programs including education, health sciences and business; upgrade athletic facilities, and enhance campus aesthetics.

Increased annual support will help the Foundation build its Margin of Excellence fund, which has the flexibility to provide resources when a critical need arises. It will also be used to strengthen endowments that have already been established for student scholarships as well as faculty and departmental needs.

“We want our alumni and friends to make a financial commitment wherever their heart is, but we established these three areas as a guide. This provides a narrowed list of critical needs and can help us find the right fit for our prospective donors,” Erstine said.

In September, thousands from the campus and surrounding community turned out for the public announcement of “New Vision, New Century: The Centennial Campaign for UCA.” The announcement was made during a pep-rally style event on the lawn in front of McAlister Hall. The kickoff included the announcement of a $35 million campaign goal.

Tuba players from the marching band – donning their new uniforms – helped President Hardin make the announcement by unveiling each number of the goal on the bells of their instruments. As the final number was unveiled, the amount flashed on two large projection screens on opposite sides of a large stage and the marching band began playing the university’s fight song.

The kickoff event also included performances by the UCA Jazz Band and the UCA Marching Band, an appearance by the cheerleading squad, video presentations, festival-style refreshments and a commemorative mug giveaway.

Nearly $20 million has already been raised toward the goal and the final tally will be counted once the campaign comes to a close at the end of 2009. “Our fundraising staff has worked hard to make this first campaign successful, and we appreciate the willingness of our alumni and friends in stepping up to support our efforts,” Erstine said. “I also want to recognize the leadership of President Hardin, the board of trustees and the foundation board for helping us achieve early success with this campaign.”

The support of our alumni and friends has made such a difference. In just five years, the foundation has more than tripled its assets from approximately $10 million to nearly $32 million. The UCA Foundation has grown to become ranked among the largest foundations in the state. This year alone, the foundation distributed nearly $400,000 for student scholarships and faculty grants.

Still, the need is great.

While nearly 300 students received private scholarships from the UCA Foundation this year, support was available to only a portion of those who applied. Similarly, due to limited funds available for faculty grants, those awarded are presented as seed money for new programs and often cannot be renewed.

“It is heart-wrenching to write a letter to a student that says, ‘I’m sorry, but we can’t offer you a scholarship,’ or to a faculty member, ‘We can’t fund this grant proposal because we simply don’t have the means.’ When we have to say no, we could be ending someone’s dreams, and that’s a heavy burden,” Erstine said. “I hope that with the success of this campaign the foundation will be able to not only help make the university stronger … to build more buildings and offer more endowments, but also we want to be able to touch more lives … to say yes and make people’s dreams come true.”

Bear Facts Day is a great time for prospective students and their families to come out and see what makes UCA a great choice for a college education.

This day is filled with a special time to hear UCA faculty speak passionately about degree programs, tour the campus, look at housing options, learn about UCA student life, and best of all, to enjoy a meal in our award winning Christian cafeteria. In addition, a special time is set aside for parents to meet with various UCA faculty and staff to learn about scholarships and financial aid, housing options, campus security, academia, campus technology, and admissions/registration.

The next date will be April 4th and begins at 9:30 a.m in the UCA Student Center. To register for Bear Facts Day, call (800) 243-8245 or visit beabear.com/bearfactsday.htm

Residential colleges are more than just places to stay. They are co-educational living and learning communities that provide opportunities to connect to every aspect of student life. UCA offers three residential colleges: Hughes, State, and Short-Denney.

The UCA Office of Admissions offers daily tours to prospective students and their families at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Monday through Friday while classes are in session. All tours leave from the Office of Admissions in Bernard Hall 101. Please call (800) 243-8245 to schedule your tour or logon to www.beabear.com/tours.htm. You'll see why UCA is known as "The Center of Learning." We can't wait to meet you!

Over the last century, the University of Central Arkansas has become a four-year, public institution offering undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees. It is one of the best and most affordable options for higher education in the South. UCA offers its students 81 undergraduate and 42 graduate certificate and degree programs, including doctoral programs in four disciplines. With an enrollment of over 12,000, UCA is large enough to offer academic diversity, yet small enough to show personal interest and support.

UCA students, faculty and staff have been assisting with clean-up efforts for victims of tornadoes that struck Arkansas on February 5. An initial group of 20 individuals went to Clinton, Arkansas on February 9 to assist with clean-up. The following Saturday, February 16, another 50 to 60 individuals went to Clinton to work in a relief center.

These efforts were coordinated by Wendy Holbrook, Charlotte Strickland, Heather Harmon-Murphy and Julie Bernard from the Office of Student Life, in cooperation with Bit Stephens from the Baptist Collegiate Ministry. Other UCA affiliated groups have organized donation drives and clean-up efforts for Atkins, Arkansas and other parts of the state.

Student Life and Baptist Collegiate Ministry is planning another trip to Mountain View in Stone County for Saturday, February 23. Individuals interested in participating can sign up in room 207 Student Center. Transportation and food will be provided. Participants will depart from the Reynolds Hall parking lot at 9:00 a.m., and will return around 6:00 p.m. For further information, please call 450-3137.

UCA is concerned about student success, which is reflected in our graduation rate – among the highest in the state! In addition to our goal of graduating students, we are committed to developing the “whole student.”

We offer, for example, over 140 student organizations, including 20 Greek organizations, to develop leadership skills. We provide 17 intramural sport programs, a modern campus recreation and fitness center, and a new Student Health Center to promote health and physical fitness. We sponsor nationally-known musical artists, comedians, movies and other entertainment acts to promote social development.

UCA offers a variety of minority and international student programs, including travel abroad opportunities, to promote diversity and cultural understanding. We offer individual, group and outreach counseling services to facilitate emotional growth. We have an active career services department to assist students with job placement and career development. And our department of housing and residence life offers a variety of living options - including honors halls, residential colleges and apartment living – that contribute to the intellectual and social growth of each student.

If you desire to graduate as a well-rounded individual, UCA is committed to your success!

The UCA Chamber Players will conclude the College of Fine Arts and Communication’s 2007-08 Arts and Presidency Series with a concert this Sunday, Feb. 24 at the Clinton School of Public Service in Little Rock.

The concert, set for 3 p.m. in Sturgis Hall, is free and open to the public. It will feature three performances: the Sunaura Trio, composed of UCA woodwind faculty members Carolyn Brown (flute), Kelly Johnson (clarinet) and Lorraine Duso (oboe); Neil Rutman on piano; and the UCA Pinnacle Brass (faculty members Larry Jones on trumpet, Brent Shires on horn, Denis Winter on trombone, Ben Miles on tuba and UCA music student Alex Hekkila on trumpet).

"We're proud of the artistry of our faculty," said Jeff Jarvis, chair of the UCA Department of Music. "Many of these are principal players for the Arkansas Symphony. They are some of the outstanding musicians in the state of Arkansas -- a state treasure. This will be a great opportunity to hear them outside of Conway."

The performance will be the first large-scale UCA chamber event in Little Rock.

The UCA College of Fine Arts and Communication began its Arts and Presidency series in 2005. It includes three presentations each academic year at the Clinton Center or Clinton School. Previous presenters have included President Clinton’s National Endowment Association Chair William Ivey, Arkansas author Ellen Gilchrist, opera star Denyce Graves, historian/Pulitizer prize-winning author Garry Wills, renowned opera singer Heidi Grant Murphy, poets Sharon Olds and Terry Wright and chair of the UCA Department of Writing David Harvey.

"One of the big reasons we're doing this is to showcase what we'll do in China," Jarvis said, referring to an exchange between UCA and East China Normal University in Shanghai.

The UCA contingent will spend two weeks there in May. Jarvis said the local musicians will be involved in a gala concert in Shanghai’s central square.

For further information on the UCA musicians, visit www.uca.edu/cfac/music/faculty.html.

The UCA Occupational Therapy Department Spring Conference will be held this weekend, Feb. 22 and 23, at the UCA Student Center. The keynote address will be delivered by Carolyn Baum of Washington University in St. Louis, who is the immediate past president of the American Occupational Therapy Association.

The title of the conference is "Embracing the Spirit of Evidence-Based Practice: An Update on Intervention Strategies, Efficacies, and Outcomes." The Cynthia B. Cole Outstanding Fieldwork Educator Award will be announced and the newest inductees to the Occupational Therapy National Honor Society, Pi Theta Epsilon, will be introduced.

The conference will end with a community event on Saturday at 12 noon, held in conjunction with the Arkansas Chapter of the AARP, called CarFit. This is a drive-through program in which trained individuals, including occupational therapists attending the conference, will see how drivers "fit" into their cars for safety. Suggestions may be made to enhance each driver's "fit." While this program is targeted toward mature or older drivers, it is available free to all drivers who stop by. People from the campus and community are encouraged to stop by the large parking lot located on Donaghey between Wingo Hall and Reynolds Performance Hall to go through the CarFit checkpoints.

The Arkansas Zeta Chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity at UCA recently attended the Carlson Leadership Academy (CLA) in Dallas and was recognized with awards for chapter and individual member success.

The chapter received the Manpower Excellence award and Academic Excellence award for top manpower and academic honors among all fraternities at UCA. Additionally, the chapter was recognized as a "90+ Chapter," landing them in an elite group of chapters who have over 90 members. Currently, the UCA SigEp chapter has 130 undergraduate members. In recognition of a safe, clean, and impressive chapter house, the chapter was awarded the Chapter House of the Year for Region 11. This is the third time in four years the Arkansas Zeta Chapter has received this honor.

Kyle Reynolds '08, Vice President of Finance, was awarded the Zollinger Outstanding Senior award. This award is the highest honor that can be awarded to a graduating senior, and Reynolds is only the second person in the chapter's history to receive such an honor. The Zollinger Outstanding Senior is also provided a $1,000 scholarship that he will award to a sophomore chapter leader.

Gary O. Bunn was recognized for his continued support and advancement as a volunteer with a pewter Jefferson Cup in honor of being named the 2008 Distinguished Alumnus. Bunn is the second person in the chapter's history to receive such an honor. The Distinguished Alumnus award is given to a volunteer who has served the fraternity at a local and national level for at least five years. In addition to serving as the Arkansas Zeta Alumni Corporation Treasurer, Bunn currently serves the national fraternity as a member of the National Leadership Committee, which oversees the fraternity's national leadership continuum programs.

The Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre at UCA will hold open auditions for five children's roles in The Sound of Music on Saturday, April 19 at 10 a.m. in the Bridges/Larson Theatre in the Snow Fine Arts Center on the UCA campus.

Girls, ages 6-12, may audition for the roles of Gretl, Marta, and Brigitta. Boys ages 12-15 may audition for the roles of Kurt and Friedrich. All other roles have been cast.

Students interested in auditioning should be familiar with music from the production, but no other preparation is necessary to audition. Auditionees are asked to arrive just prior to 10:00 am to fill out an audition form. Students should be available for a possible call-back in the afternoon.

Rehearsals will begin May 12th and those cast must be available to rehearse some afternoons between 2 and 4 and some evenings between 6pm and 10pm. Performances will be June 12, 13, 15, 21, 26 and 29. Children's director for The Sound of Music is Ruthann Curry Browne, director of the Youth Theatre of Central Arkansas.

Information can also be obtained by calling Browne at 450-5610.

The launch of UCA's first-ever comprehensive fundraising campaign has offered the campus community, alumni and friends a chance to reflect on the importance of making an investment in UCA.

Several years ago fundraisers in the UCA Foundation set out to define some opportunities where alumni and friends could make an investment in the university, so they began asking, all across campus: "What do you need?"

"The response was overwhelming," said Vice President of Advancement and Development Kelley Erstine. "Professors, chairs, deans, coaches, students ... everyone shared their needs, and the requests could not be ignored."

The needs include buildings, endowed visiting chairs, need-based scholarships, endowments for equipment, and support for outreach programs. We need endowed professorships, upgraded athletic facilities and funding to bring more cultural events to campus. We need graduate assistantships and funding for research and professional development. We need more and better technology, office and learning space and equipment. And the list goes on.

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UCA's Office of Student Life is organizing a Tornado Relief Effort to assist the victims of the recent storms that recently devastated parts of Arkansas.

Buses will depart from the Reynolds parking lot this Saturday, Feb. 23 at 9 a.m. to transport volunteers to the disaster areas. Food will be provided to all who participate, and the buses will return to UCA at 6 p.m. that evening.

All UCA faculty, staff, students, friends and family are encouraged to sign up for the trip prior to 12 noon on Friday, Feb. 22 in Student Center 207. Volunteers should wear layered clothes, durable shoes, and UCA apparel, and bring work gloves, rubber gloves, shovels, rakes, and other useful tools. Tetanus shots are available at the UCA Health Center for $2 for those who have not received one in the last five to ten years.

Donations also are being accepted at Student Center 207 for the following items: bottled water, cleaning supplies, work gloves, baby food, durable trash bags, gift cards, and non-perishable food items (boxed & canned).

This is just one of many donation drives and relief trips organized by UCA-affiliated groups. For more information about Saturday's trip, please call 450-3137.

More than 180 UCA faculty and staff were recently recognized for submitting 212 grant proposals in 2007, resulting in a total of $4.33 million received at UCA during that year. The grant funding was used for faculty research and academic programs and services.

The faculty and staff who were instrumental in bringing those funds to UCA were honored at a reception at which UCA President Lu Hardin, Interim Provost Keith Atkinson and college deans congratulated them for a job well done.

The UCA Quiz Bowl team recently placed third at the NAQT Southwest Sectionals held at the University of Tulsa.

The accomplishment was notable because it was the first tournament competition for the new team, which was formed this semester.

Tobin Williamson of Dardanelle made the All-Region team, and Jason Groves of Morrilton answered two questions in a 3-question overtime to defeat Kansas State University in the game to determine third place. Other schools UCA defeated on their way to third place included the University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University, Hendrix College (in overtime), and Harding University.

Other team members included Joshua Simmons of Magnolia, Patrick Kangrga of Little Rock, and Dean Turbeville of Nashville.

Garry Craig Powell of UCA's Department of Writing has just had his short story "Kamila and the King of Kandy" accepted for publication by Red Wheelbarrow Literary Magazine.

Tim Thornes, assistant professor of linguistics in UCA's Department of Writing, has had his paper 'Historical Pathways in the Development of Complex Predicates in Northern Paiute' accepted for publication as a chapter in the second volume of "New Challenges in Typology" to be published by Mouton de Gruyter (Berlin - New York) in early 2009. The goal of the volume, according to its editors, is to "promote an awareness of the theoretical relevance of typological and descriptive work." The international solicitation was for papers by linguists who defended their dissertation between 2003 and 2006 in order to present recent work by scholars specializing in typology and language description--in particular, descriptions of lesser-known and endangered languages of the world.

The University of Central Arkansas next week will host a public forum about education reform organized in partnership with the Arkansas Policy Foundation.

The event will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 20 at 1 p.m. in the UCA Student Center Ballroom, and it will feature a panel discussion among UCA President Lu Hardin and professors Roy Whitehead and Walter Block.

Reforms enacted in Arkansas during this decade include the expansion of charter schools; fewer K-12 districts; increased transparency, including a uniform system of school accounting; and use of performance measures for administrators and teachers. Other reforms to be discussed at the Feb. 20 forum include district letter grades based on student performance, school choice, vouchers, a tax-credit system, and education under a full free-enterprise system.

Hardin became UCA president in 2002 after serving as director of the Arkansas Department of Higher Education. Before that he was an Arkansas state senator for 14 years and was chairman of the Senate Education Committee. During that time he also was a professor of legal studies at Arkansas Tech University.

Whitehead is an associate professor of business law at UCA, and he has authored or co-authored more than 75 articles in peer-reviewed academic journals since 1995.

Block is a professor of economics at Loyola University in New Orleans and has authored over 210 journal articles. From 1997 to 2001, he was professor and chair of the UCA Department of Economics and Finance (1997-2001).

The Arkansas Policy Foundation is a nonpartisan, non-profit organization that analyzes the impact of public policy on Arkansas and makes recommendations. The Foundation emphasizes the importance of tax policy and education reform.

UCA recently hosted the final Arkansas round of a civics competition called "We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution." Three teams of Arkansas high school students competed for a bid to represent the state at the national finals, which will be held in Washington D.C. in April.

Teams from Russellville Junior High School, Vilonia High School and Charleston High School faced each other at UCA, with Russellville capturing the state title.

UCA assistant professor Jeffrey Whittingham coordinated the state competition, with assistance from UCA instructors Marilyn Friga and Pat Ramsey.

"We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution" is a nationally acclaimed program organized by the Center for Civic Education focusing on the history and principles of the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights for upper elementary, middle, and high school students. Its primary goal is to promote civic competence and responsibility among the nation's elementary and secondary students. The culminating activity is a simulated congressional hearing in which students "testify" before a panel of judges. Students demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of constitutional principles and have opportunities to evaluate, take, and defend positions on relevant historical and contemporary issues.

UCA professors Ginny Adams, Karen Steelman and Laurie Warren received a $50,000 grant from the Perry County, Missouri Soil and Water Conservation District for a contaminant concentration analysis in streams utilized by Grotto Sculpin (Cottus carolinae) in that county.

In 2002, the Grotto Sculpin was designated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as a candidate for listing as a Federal Threatened or Endangered Species. The Grotto Sculpin is a relatively small fish that exhibits cave adapatation and is restricted to five cave systems in Perry County. This study will allow the researchers to obtain valuable data on the concentrations of potentially harmful contaminates present in Grotto Sculpin habitat. The information gained from this project will enable identification of anthropogenic processes influencing water quality of cave streams in Perry County, and provide baseline data from which to monitor environmental contaminant levels in the future. Additionally, determination of the concentrations of contaminates present in Grotto Sculpin habitat will aid in assessing the potential for adverse developmental, health and reproductive effects on the species.

"This study will provide students with both field and laboratory experience in examing water quality in a karst system," said Adams. "We will be applying relatively new technology to study water quality over time in the caves. Techniques developed during this project will be applicable to other waterways and karst environments, including the cave and karst regions of Arkansas."

Family and friends continue to search for John Glasgow, a Little Rock executive who was last seen in Little Rock on Jan. 28 and is thought to have disappeared on Petit Jean Mountain, where his car and cell phone were found.

Glasgow graduated from UCA in 1985 with a degree in accounting. UCA alumni with any information about his whereabouts are encouraged to visit the website www.findjohnglasgow.com.

The UCA Foundation recently announced a gift valued at approximately $550,000 from Bobbie Garner Floyd of Conway in memory of her late husband, John M. Garner. The donation is a combination of a cash gift and a planned charitable remainder trust.

The John M. Garner and Bobbie Garner Floyd Scholarship Fund will fund scholarships for students with a preference for students from Wynne High School and Cross County High School, or from high schools in the following Delta counties: Greene, Poinsett, St. Francis and Woodruff.

John and Bobbie graduated from UCA, then Arkansas State Teachers College. Both earned bachelor?s degrees in 1965, and she earned a master?s degree in 1974.

John was an entrepreneur in housing and real estate in northeast Arkansas. He passed away in 2003. Bobbie retired in 1995 after a 27-year career as an extension home economist with the University of Arkansas working in Wynne and Cross County. After moving to Conway in 2004, she met and married Dave Floyd the following year.

Bobbie said she was inspired to make the donation after seeing news reports last year of a planned gift made to UCA by Jake and Mary Ellen White Crow. "John and I always felt strongly about education. We were the first in our families to earn college degrees, and I believe earning a higher education helped us achieve success throughout our lives," Bobbie explained. "Seeing the impact of the Crow gift made me realize I could do something through the university that would help others and honor the memory of my late husband. I can?t think of anything better than helping someone, who might not otherwise, earn a higher education."

"We truly appreciate the generosity of Mrs. Floyd in establishing this scholarship fund in memory of her late husband," Vice President of Advancement and Development Kelley Erstine said. "This fund is not only a commitment to UCA, but also to students and families in the Delta region who will benefit from this financial assistance."

The Garner/Floyd gift is also being recognized as a major contribution to UCA?s first comprehensive fundraising campaign, "New Vision, New Century: The Centennial Campaign for UCA," which was publicly announced last fall.

To date, the campaign has raised more than $21 million for scholarships, endowments and capital projects. The goal is to raise $35 million by the end of 2009.

For more information on donating to the John M. Garner and Bobbie Garner Floyd Scholarship Fund, contact the UCA Foundation at (501) 450-5288 or toll free 1-800-981-4426.

The UCA Debate Team recently made an excellent showing recently at the Boosier Parrish Community College debate tournament with four competitors going a combined 16?8 and advancing two UCA competitors to octofinals.

Jonathan Welk, a junior Political Science major, went 5?1 in his first collegiate debate competition and advanced to octofinals. Chris White, a freshman Political Science major, went 4-2 and advanced to octofinals. Both lost their octofinal rounds to strong competition but led the way for an impressive performance by UCA in the Novice Division. Among schools competing in the Novice division, UCA finished 3rd out of 11 schools.

Also doing well at the tournament were sophomore Justin Lowery, who went 4?2 and narrowly missed qualifying for octofinals, and freshman Casey Goudy, who had a 3-3 record.

The overall winning record builds on two excellent outings late in the fall semester. Goudy advanced all the way to semifinals in the Novice division with a 3?3 record at the Mississippi College tournament. Kenneth Savage and White had 3?3 records, with Savage narrowly missing a qualifying spot in quarterfinal round. Goudy and Savage finished fifth and sixth, respectively, in speaker rankings. Also competing were Varsity debaters Jerry Garner, who had a 4?2 record, and Lewis Wharton, with a 3?3 record.

The UCA debate team is coached by Anthony McMullen and adjunct instructor Mark Lowery. The debate team is an approved university activity of UCA's Department of Speech and Public Relations.

UCA professors JD Swanson, Kari Naylor, Lance Bridges, Brent Hill and Melissa Kelley received a $25,000 grant from Arkansas INBRE to expand the incubation and freezer equipment in UCA's College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. UCA will match the grant with an additional $5,000. The funds will be used to increase -80 degree freezer space by one-third and update incubator space, allowing researchers a greater capacity to continue their projects by reducing the risk of scheduling and space conflicts on these pieces of equipment.

UCA President Lu Hardin recently joined the leaders of the other member institutions of the Arkansas Association of Public Universities on Mount Magazine for the first AAPU Presidents and Chancellors Advance/Retreat.

A major topic of discussion among the leaders was working together to increase the number of Arkansans holding a bachelor's degree by formulating strategies to increase college-going rates, transfers from two-year colleges, and targeting those over 25, with some college credit, to complete their degree. The group also discussed the importance of higher education to economic development, applauding Gov. Mike Beebe for often stating that the two are inextricably tied, and by working to increase science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) related degrees as Arkansas prepares for a knowledge-based economy.

"Our task, as we launch this new association, is to elevate in the minds of Arkansans that the intellectual capacity to fuel the economy of the future is powered by higher education," said AAPU executive director Tim Wooldridge. "This meeting was a great first step in working together to accomplish this goal."

On Monday, the group was joined by officials from the Arkansas Department of Higher Education including Director Jim Purcell, Deputy Director Steve Floyd. and Bob Brown, president of Arkansas Tech University.

In attendance with Hardin were David Rankin, chairman of the AAPU and president of Southern Arkansas University, University of Arkansas System President Alan Sugg, University of Arkansas Chancellor-Elect G. David Gearhart, University of Arkansas at Fort Smith Chancellor Paul Beran, University of Arkansas at Little Rock Chancellor Joel Anderson, University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Vice President for Agriculture Milo Shult, and Henderson State University President Charles Dunn.

UCA Theatre will present six evenings of totally improvised theatre entitled The Flaky Biscuit Convention on February 13-15 and 20-22 at 7:30 p.m. in the Bridges/Larson Theatre in the Snow Fine Arts Center on the UCA campus.

The company cast includes John Brunson and Jackie Rivera, both of Jacksonville, Meg Graham of Rogers, Josh Heffington of Greenbrier, Megumi Kabe of Japan, Aaron Kopf and Melia Matlock, both of Little Rock, Bradley Mancil of Harrison, F.E. Mosby of Dover, Matt Peoples of Carlisle, Christa Whitlow of Alma, and T.J. Williams of Conway. The company is under the direction of Kevin Browne, assistant professor of Theatre.

Based upon the short and long-form narrative improvisation, the group will entertain suggestions from the audience in addition to devising on-the-spot, innovative improv. Seating will be festival style, on stage with the troupe. Some material may not be suitable for children.

Tickets are $8 each for the general public and two free with a current UCA I.D. Seating is limited and reservations are highly encouraged as all performances are expected to sell out. Additionally, due to the nature of the seating arrangements, no one will be admitted after the performance begins.

Reservations can be made by calling UCA Ticket Central at 501-450-3265 or toll-free 866-810-0012. Information is also available online at www.uca.edu/theatre.

Tim Thornes, assistant professor of Linguistics in UCA's Department of Writing, has an invited book review that will appear in the spring issue of the International Journal of American Linguistics (University of Chicago Press). He reviews "Timbisha (Panamint)" by John McLaughlin, a grammatical description of a highly endangered language of the Death Valley region of southeastern California.

Jim Guinee, staff psychologist and director of training at the counseling center, this month presented on the topic "Development and Decision Making of Religious Clients" at the joint conference of the American College Counseling Association/Georgia College Counseling Association in Savannah, Ga. At the conference, Guinee was also awarded by the Georgia College Counseling Association the 2008 Professional Contribution Award.

Terry Weidner will be the keynote speaker at the 2008 UCA China Symposium on Fri., Mar. 7, from 12 noon to 4 p.m. at the McCastlain Ballroom on the UCA campus.

This year's symposium, titled ?The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly: China in 2008,? is sponsored by a Title VI Federal Grant and the UCA Confucius Institute for Arkansas, in conjunction with UCA's Instructional Development Center and UCA's Humanities and World Cultures Institute.

The symposium is free of charge and includes lunch. A panel discussion will follow Weidner?s speech. There will be limited seating, and participants must register by Feb. 15. For registration information, contact Adam Frank at (501) 450-3486 or afrank@uca.edu.

Weidner is the Director of the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Center, an Asia Center at the University of Montana. A Ph.D. in Chinese history (U.C. Davis), he began his career in academics before working six years as a Chinese political and economic analyst for the Foreign Broadcast Information Service in Washington, D.C., a job that entailed analyzing Chinese economic reform and U.S.-China relations using Chinese media. He also served as a political officer at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, where he was one of two people responsible for reporting on the Chinese pro-democracy movement (Tiananmen).

After leaving government, Weidner served for seven years as the associate director of International Programs and professor of Chinese history at the University of Kansas, and then moved to the University of Missouri, where he was Director of the Asian Affairs Center and the Missouri International Training Institute from 1998-2003. Weidner?s current research and teaching interests include Chinese political economy, and U.S.-China political and economic relations.

The UCA Board of Trustees will hold a regularly scheduled meeting this Friday, Feb. 8 at 2 p.m. in the Board of Trustees Conference Room in Wingo Hall on the UCA campus.

The meeting agenda is available on the UCA website at this link.

Arkansas State Sen. Tracy Steele will be featured at February's edition of "Tuesday with a Professional," which will take place next Tues., Feb. 12 during X-period (1:40 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.) in Student Center 215.

Steele will discuss his political career as well as the foundation he leads, The Stand Foundation, which is designed to provide young adults with opportunities for leadership, community service, networking, and career development. This event is open to faculty, staff and students.

"Tuesday with a Professional" is a mini-lecture series sponsored by UCA Minority Student Services. The series brings a minority professional on the second Tuesday of each month to share information about his or her academic and career path.

John Vanderslice, assistant professor of Writing at UCA, has had new short stories accepted for publication by the journals Eureka and Boston Literary Magazine.

Renee Ryburn, instructor in UCA's Department of Family & Consumer Sciences, completed her Ph.D. at Iowa State University this Fall. She graduated in December with a doctoral degree in Family and Consumer Sciences Education. Her dissertation was titled: "Mentoring practices in family and consumer sciences education: A model for change."

Mary Ann Campbell, adjunct instructor in UCA's Department of Family & Consumer Sciences, completed her Ph.D. at Iowa State University this Fall. She graduated in December with a doctoral degree in Family & Consumer Sciences Education. Her dissertation was titled: "A Phenomenological study of family influence on Millennial college students' money beliefs and behaviors."

Arkansas native Lula Washington, who founded the Los Angeles-based Lula Washington Dance Theatre, returns to her home state for the first time for two concerts in the Donald W. Reynolds Performance Hall at UCA on Feb. 21 and 22, at 7:30 p.m. each night.

Tickets range from $23 to $35, and there is a $10 student ticket, all seats, all sections, pending availability. Contact UCA Ticket Central toll free from anywhere in Arkansas at 866-810-0012 between 10 am and 4 pm, Monday through Friday.

In a recent conversation with UCA Public Appearances, Washington said, "Coming back to Arkansas has been a dream of mine for a long time. I left Arkansas at a very young age. This is an opportunity for me to come back and speak with a cultural voice, my voice, and with my company, to bring dance pieces that will speak to all people, not just to African-Americans." She concluded, "I feel that I am coming full circle, coming back to my birthplace to meet people and share the art of movement and dance, to tell the stories and the struggles that we have all gone through. It is a dream come true."

The Arkansas Educational Television Network (AETN), located next to Reynolds Performance Hall on the UCA campus, will film Washington and her company while they are in residence, as well as the entire Friday night concert.

Repertoire for the concerts includes the world premiere of a new work by Ms. Washington entitled "The Nine," based on the events of the nine African-American students as they attempted to integrate Central High School in Little Rock in 1957. Washington was attending a segregated elementary school in Los Angeles at the time and witnessed the Little Rock Central High School events from the unique perspective of a child.
As part of its Arkansas residency, Lula Washington Dance Theatre will spend most of the day of Feb. 20 at Parkview Arts Magnet High School in Little Rock, performing for and teaching the Parkview Dancers, under the direction of Michael Tidwell.

The LWDT company will conduct an ?Open Rehearsal? during X-period (1:40 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.) in Reynolds Performance Hall on Thursday, February 21, prior to their opening night concert.

Information about Lula Washington Dance Theatre can be found online at www.lulawashington.com.

UCA students recently elected the 2008 executive officers for The Bear Den, UCA's largest student organization.

The Bear Den is responsible for promoting school spirit and organizing UCA pep rallies, Homecoming and Midnight Madness, among many other things. This year the Executive Board hopes to start some new traditions at UCA and encourage attendance and spirit at all athletic events.

The new officers are: President Amir Rostampour; Vice President for Programs Katie Gehrki; Co-Spirit Chair Lilly Nguyen; Co-Spirit Chair Jessica Coleman; Co-Tailgate Chair Craig Cole; Co-Tailgate Chair Chelsea Silvestri; Football Theme Chair Cayce Raney; Co-Public Relations Chair Whitley Watson; Co-Public Relations Chair Shun Barrientez; Finance Chair Casey Jo Burnett; Homecoming Chair Katie Boger; Family Day Chair Megan Trusty; Basketball Chair Lindsey Smith; Communications Chair Dahlia Ashford.

For more information about The Bear Den, visit www.uca.edu/bearden.

Jennifer Tanner, the managing director of the Strategic Growth Institute & Community Development Institute at UCA, recently completed a survey that led the town of Alabama, New York to proceed with a feasibility study of the town's ability to support a manufacturing business park.

The feasibility study was halted last fall after the Alabama Town Board expressed concerns over public opinion of the project. The GCEDC then committed $15,000 to conduct an extensive study to gauge public support. The process began with an informational flyer that was sent to all residents and was followed by two Town Hall-style question-and-answer sessions that were conducted in November and attended by nearly 200 people. Tanner's survey was then sent to all land owners, residents and registered voters in the Town of Alabama to gauge community support.

The survey generated an unusually high rate of response -- 41.8 percent of those surveyed -- when a response rate of only 10 to 15 percent would be sufficient for statistical accuracy. Tanner was so impressed by the process and the response rate that she intends to write a case study review of the project. Copies of the final report are currently available at the Alabama Town Hall and on the GCEDC?s website, www.gcedc.com.

Mark Spitzer, assistant professor of Writing at UCA, had a book review accepted for publication in the January issue of 63 Channels. This review of Pariah Tales by J.P. Lowe has also been published in Author's Den.

Charles Bane, assistant professor of English at UCA, has published an essay entitled, "The Art of War (Films): Fear and Desire and Paths of Glory" in the book Stanley Kubrick: Essays on His Films and Legacy, edited by Gary D. Rhodes (Queen's University, Belfast). The essay explores Kubrick's fascination with war by examining his first two "war" films (Kubrick would later do two more: "Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb" and "Full Metal Jacket"). "Paths of Glory" is considered alongside the film's source text, Humphrey Cobb's 1935 novel by the same name.