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Remembering Paul Sarvela 1959 - 2014

Since 1916

Daily Egyptian

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2014 VOLUME 98 ISSUE 127

Luke Nozicka

@LukeNozicka | Daily Egyptian

When interim Chancellor Paul Sarvela died Sunday at Memorial Hospital of Carbondale, the university didn’t lose just its chancellor. It lost a husband, a father and a man who loved life, beer,

research, music and fishing. “I really thought I was going to come into work this morning and find out it had been a bad dream,” interim Provost Susan Ford said Monday. “And there he would be, sitting behind his desk with a smile on his face, telling me how his day was going.”

Paul Sarvela speaks to the Marching Salukis Aug. 14 during band camp.

Many described Paul, who was appointed acting chancellor July 8, as a loving family man who enjoyed relaxation. “I had several occasions to be at social events with Dr. Sarvela and his wife [Debbie] and it was really delightful to see how close he was

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with his family,” said Ford, who got to know Paul well when she was assigned provost duties Aug. 4. “Just knowing Dr. Sarvela, it seems to me what he would want everyone to do is treasure their family, take care of their health and put their focus on business, sort of in that order, in memory of him. To understand your priorities and really take some enjoyment out of life.” SIU President Randy Dunn, who met Paul as dean of the College of Applied Sciences and Arts in the mid-1990s, said Paul was authentic. “There was no pretense to Paul whatsoever. No irony,” Dunn said. “I use this line that I think sums this all up, and it’s: if you have a problem with Paul Sarvela, you’re the problem. He was one that poured his heart and soul into everything he did.” Former SIU President Glenn Poshard, who has been friends with the Sarvela family for 15 years, said Paul was one of the finest people he had ever met. Poshard said Paul, who loved the outdoors, had an unforgettable laugh. “I would be sitting in my office and I usually kept the door open, and I could hear this big belly laugh down the hallway and I knew it was Paul,” he said. “His office

was down the hall from mine in the Stone Center and we had the opportunity to see each other ever day. Paul was one of my closest, dearest friends and I’m going to miss him extraordinarily so.” James Garvey, interim vice chancellor for research, said Paul was a visionary leader and genuinely cared about the people he worked with. “Paul was wonderful. … He was very passionate about the students and the integrity of the education here,” Garvey said. “He was also very interested in the application of research, not just interested in research for his sake, but the use of research… for the betterment of society.” Garvey said he and Paul, who frequently worked on church projects, used to talk for long periods of time about beer. “The man loved beer,” said Garvey, who used to home brew. “It wasn’t just about going out and socializing; He was interested in how to make beer, what kind of types of beer were out there. He was very passionate about that. It was a good opportunity for us to bond over the science of brewing.” Please see SARVELA · 4

SIU commemorates veterans’ service Austin Miller

@AMiller_DE | Daily Egyptian

The final active duty serviceman to be drafted has retired from the Army after 42 years of service. The retirement of Ralph Rigby, who was drafted at age 19, means the U.S. military is now comprised entirely of volunteers. During SIU’s annual Veterans Day ceremony held in Shryock Auditorium, Craig Hensen, commander of air force ROTC detachment 205, said the distinction makes this Veterans Day different from recent years. Hensen said veterans make up 8 percent of the current U.S. population, but this will be reduced to 4 percent in the next 30 years, because only 1 percent is serving. “Now that we have an all-volunteer force, the general public’s exposure to veterans and those who have served is decreasing,” Hensen said. “This day serves as an opportunity for the U.S. population to express their gratitude for those who have decided, voluntarily, to undertake military service in defense of the nation.” Hensen, who graduated from SIU in 1992, said this dwindling direct contact with soldiers changes how the general public views the military and creates a divide between the two sides. The consequences of which would be mutual

misunderstanding, and possibly a mistrust of the military. “It used to be, ‘my dad served, my brother served, my son served, my mom served,’ and now we’re in the, ‘I know a guy I went to school with who served,’ or ‘my cousin served.’ We’re headed on a way to ‘some guy that knew a guy that I was in high school with joined the Army,’” he said. “As those opportunities are diminished, we need to guard against the lionization of this warrior class.” As part of the university’s commemoration of Veterans Day, more than 100 Air Force and Army ROTC cadets held a vigil in front of the Old Main Flagpole near Shryock during the 24 hours prior to the ceremony. Justin Linder, cadet wing commander, marched and instructed cadets to their position during a two-hour shift on Monday, and returned at 5 a.m. Tuesday to oversee the operation. Linder, a senior from Springfield studying aviation management, said a marine stopped his motorcycle to personally thank and salute him during his march. “I’ve never had someone show me that much respect, towards Veterans Day,” Linder said. “It’s an eye-opening experience for what’s going to come in my future.” Even though he is not officially in the service,

L ewis M arien D aiLy e gyptian ROTC cadets stand at rest Monday during the Annual POW/MIA Awareness Day Vigil at the Old Main Flagpole near Altgeld Hall. The vigil, sponsored by Arnold Air Society Harper Squadron, started at 11 a.m. Monday, featuring more than 100 Air Force and Army ROTC cadets rotating in and out every 15 minutes until the Veterans Day Ceremony at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Shryock Auditorium.

Linder said being a member of ROTC has an added bonus during the holiday. “I see what it means to so many people in the community,” he said. “Now, it’s more than just

a day off of school. It’s a thank-you to all those veterans who’ve come before me, so I could fill in their shoes.” Please see VETERANS · 2


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