University of Central Arkansas

Julia Robison, the University of Central Arkansas’s associate director of Student Financial Aid, has been awarded the Outstanding Service Award by the Arkansas Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators.

The award was announced during the association’s fall conference held Oct. 22-23 at the Embassy Suites in Little Rock. It is given to individuals for their exceptional contribution to the association and to their profession.

“I did not expect this award,” Robison said. “I am truly honored and appreciate the association giving me this award. As upcoming president, I plan to do my best to live up to the expectations of this award.”

Robison started her career at UCA in August 1995 as a counselor. In 1997, she was promoted to assistant director. She was named the associate director of Student Financial Aid in 2001.

Before coming to UCA, Robison worked in financial aid at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis.

Robison has been a member of the Arkansas Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators since 1995. She has served on the association’s Financial Aid Awareness Committee and the Fall Conference Committee. In 2005, Robison was elected to the AASFAA Board as delegate at large. She was elected President-Elect of the association last year. Her term as president begins 2010.

The Arkansas Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators is made up of representatives from colleges, universities, lending institutions and scholarship organizations. The association also provides scholarship opportunities to students in the state through organization fund-raisers.

Dr. Stephanie Vanderslice's passion for writing and teaching has earned her this year's Arkansas University English Teacher of the Year Award.

The award will be presented by the Arkansas Council of Teachers of English and Language Arts during a reception Nov. 5 at the Peabody Hotel in Little Rock.

The ACTELA has recognized outstanding English and Language Arts teachers since 2004. Winners are selected based on their professionalism, service and accomplishments in the field of English and Language Arts.

Dr. Kurt Boniecki was honored by the University of Central Arkansas's Richard Hudson chapter of the American Association of University Professors and the UCA Faculty Senate for being named this year’s recipient of the Shared Governance Award.

The award is given by the Arkansas chapter of the American Association of University Professors in recognition of outstanding work and service in the field of higher education and the support of academic freedom.

A champagne toast was held in Dr. Boniecki’s honor Oct. 22 at Mike’s Place.

Dr. Boniecki, the former president of the UCA Faculty Senate, was nominated by the Richard Hudson chapter earlier this spring. Dr. Brian Bolter, the chapter's president, said Dr. Boniecki was recognized for his leadership during the transition of presidents and his hard work representing the faculty's intertest.

The state AAUP unanimously supported Dr. Boniecki receiving the award, Dr. Bolter said.

"They were very supportive and understood the difficult situation he was put into," he said. "It is not often that faculty is recognized for something like this. It is only given when someone has truly done exemplary work."

Dr. Boniecki, an associate professor in the Psychology and Counseling Department, said it was an honor to be acknowleged by his peers.

"What I was able to accomplish as Faculty Senate president during the last year would not have been possible without AAUP," Dr. Boniecki said. "They, as an organization, provided the support that the faculty needed in order to protect academic integrity and the freedom and the rights of professors. That is all I tried to do during my tenure last year."

The University of Central Arkansas recently partnered with the William J. Clinton Presidential Library to provide social studies teachers from around the state a workshop promoting civic competence and responsibility among the nation’s elementary and secondary students.

The program, called “We the People: The Citizen and The Constitution Workshop,” took place Sept. 25.

Marilyn Friga, an UCA College of Education instructor, and Dr. Patsy Ramsey, an UCA Department of History faculty member, collaborated with Education Specialist Kathleen Pate of the William J. Clinton Presidential Library to offer the program.

The instructional program enhances students’ understanding of the history and foundations of the institutions of American constitutional democracy. The workshop provided K-12 teachers with the opportunity to collaborate and integrate the Center for Civic Education program to the curriculum. The workshop focused on innovative strategies to enhance student learning. The participants also learned of teaching strategies including constitution games, reading and study skills, political cartoons, mock trial simulations, and guided discussion as authentic assessment and preparation for Congressional Simulated Hearings. All participants received a full classroom set of textbooks with instructional guides funded by the U.S. Department of Education. The workshop concluded with a presidential tour of the William J. Clinton Presidential Library Center.

Dr. Michael Hargis, an assistant professor in the Department of Management within College of Business at the University of Central Arkansas, has been appointed to the Arkansas Governor’s Council of Economic Advisors. The council works closely with the Department of Finance and Administration as well as Governor Mike Beebe’s Office on economic forecasts and development issues.