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Global programs director to expand international relationships at UGA CAMPUS NEWS
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The University of Georgia State Ballet Theatre of Russia to perform ‘The Nutcracker’
Vol. 42, No. 19
December 8, 2014
www.columns.uga.edu
UGA GUIDE
Professor to study declining Chinook salmon in Alaska By Sandi Martin
smartin@warnell.uga.edu
Dot Paul
John Knox, an associate professor and undergraduate coordinator in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences geography department, was selected as the Georgia Professor of the Year for 2014 by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.
Best of the best
A UGA professor will use a nearly $500,000 grant to study Chinook salmon in Alaska, where populations of the fish have been in decline for more than a decade. Gary Grossman, a professor in UGA’s Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, along with Warnell postdoctoral research associate Jason Neuswanger, will assess habitat-related factors affecting the number of juvenile Chinook salmon a river can support—specifically how much water flow and food is necessary for the fish to survive. Grossman and Neuswanger’s work will focus on rivers in the Arctic-Yukon-Kuskokwim drainage, which encompasses more than 40 percent of the land in Alaska and where the salmon is in heavy decline.
4&5
“Little is known about the factors affecting the foraging biology or habitat use of juveniles or resident adults of these species, and this information surely will aid in future conservation and management efforts,” Grossman said. Chinook salmon, also called king salmon, is the largest North American salmon and is found in the north Pacific Ocean and rivers from California to Alaska. The salmon is highly sought after by commercial and recreational fisheries; however, nine populations of Chinook salmon are listed as either threatened or endangered. According to the Acrtic-YukonKuskokwim Sustainable Salmon Initiative, salmon returning to spawn in western Alaskan rivers have been declining for more than a decade, leading to restrictions on commercial fisheries in the area.
See SALMON on page 8
UGA faculty member honored as Georgia Professor Office of Government Relations Tobin Carr named associate of the Year by CASE, Carnegie Foundation By Alan Flurry
aflurry@uga.edu
The Council for Advancement and Support of Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching have selected UGA’s John A. Knox as the Georgia Professor of the Year for 2014. The honor was conferred Nov. 20 in Washington, D.C., at a national awards celebration. An associate professor and undergraduate coordinator in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences geography department, Knox is the first state winner of the award from UGA since 2004 and the first atmospheric scientist from any state to be selected since 1989. Knox and the other state w inners were chosen from nearly 400 top
professors nominated by colleges and universities throughout the U.S. The U.S. Professors of the Year program recognizes the most outstanding undergraduate instructors in the country—those who excel in teaching and positively influence the lives and careers of students. Sponsored by CASE and the Carnegie Foundation, it is the only national program to recognize excellence in undergraduate teaching and mentoring. “It’s a distinct honor to be the first UGA professor in a decade selected to receive this award,” Knox said. “I never thought about a university teaching career until I was a senior in college, when my honors director and mentor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Ada Long, said I should be a professor.
Ever since, I’ve been emulating Ada and her dedication to undergraduates.This award is at least half Ada’s.” Knox has taught more than 5,000 students in his career— 97 percent of them undergraduates—in over 90 different sections of courses at the freshman through doctorate levels. In 2012, he was named one of “The Best 300 Professors” in the nation by the Princeton Review, based partially on anonymous online teaching evaluations of 42,000 professors in all fields. In 2013, Knox was honored by UGA with a Richard B. Russell Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching and, in 2014, was named the Franklin College Outstanding Advisor of the Year. See PROFESSOR on page 8
VP for government relations By Tom Jackson
tjackson@uga.edu
Tobin R. “Toby” Carr has been named associate vice president for government relations and director of state governmental relations at UGA. He currently is planning director for the Georgia Department of Transportation. Carr will succeed Tricia Chastain, whom Gov. Nathan Deal announced Nov. 24 will become president of the Georgia Student Finance Commission, the state agency that oversees administration of the HOPE Scholarship and other state scholarship, grant and loan programs. “Tricia Chastain has been the consummate professional in
representing the University of Georgia’s interests at the state Capitol and is a terrific selection by the governor to head this important Tobin Carr program in state government,” said J. Griffin Doyle, vice president for government relations. “Toby Carr has the knowledge and experience to continue the university’s important work in state government relations, and I am excited about his joining our team.” Carr was appointed to his
See GOVERNMENT on page 8
Office of the Vice President for Research
Finance and Administration
By James E. Hataway
in sustainability initiatives
Three UGA faculty members named AAAS Fellows Cost savings being reinvested is a major milestone in a scientist’s career, and thus the University of Georgia is enormously Three UGA faculty pleased that three of members have been named our faculty have been Fellows of the American Asselected for this honor,” sociation for the Advancesaid David Lee, vice ment of Science, an honor president for research. bestowed upon them by “This peer recognition their peers for “scientifically Alan Dorsey David Garfinkel Samantha Joye is important to our or socially distinguished efforts to advance science or its rosette pin—representing science faculty, and it also brings added applications.” and engineering, respectively— distinction to the university.” The 2014 AAAS Fellows, all in These three faculty members Feb. 14 at the AAAS Fellows Forum are among 401 new AAAS Fellows during the 2015 AAAS annual UGA’s Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, are: who will be presented with an of- meeting in San Jose, California. “Selection as an AAAS Fellow See FELLOWS on page 8 ficial certificate and a gold and blue jhataway@uga.edu
By Kevin Kirsche kkirsche@uga.edu
UGA continues to provide sustainability leadership through reinvestment in student engagement and resource conservation initiatives. UGA President Jere W. Morehead has approved a proposal to redirect $80,000 in annual savings garnered through efforts by the Office of Sustainability to further engage students and conserve resources—without increasing the student green fee.
The proposal first was presented to and endorsed by UGA’s Mandatory Student Fee Advisory Committee comprised of UGA students, faculty and staff on Nov.18. In 2009, UGA students voted to establish the student green fee of $3 per semester in the fall and spring and $2 in the summer as a funding source for the Office of Sustainability as well as associated programs and initiatives to reduce the university’s impact on the environment.
See SUSTAINABILITY on page 8
2 Dec. 8, 2014 columns.uga.edu Report finds the number of religion faculty positions is declining
Around academe
A report by the American Academy of Religion and the Society of Biblical Literature found that the number of religion faculty positions listed with the two groups fell during the 2013-2014 academic year. The report said that 452 positions were listed, which was down from 548. The number of positions listed is considered a general measure of the health of the academic job market for religion faculty, though not all religion positions are listed with the organizations.
Number of undergraduate public health majors grew from 1992 to 2012
The number of undergraduate majors in public health has grown considerably, according to a report released last month by the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health. Nearly 50,000 undergraduates received public health degrees from 1992 to 2012, but, according to the report, the growth came toward the latter end with half of those degrees being awarded from 2008 to 2012. The report also found that the percentage of undergraduate degrees in public health awarded to women grew from 61 percent to 78 percent from 1992 to 2012.
Tobacco cessation classes to begin
News to Use
College of Pharmacy students will offer free “Beat the Pack” tobacco cessation programs in January to help those who want to stop using tobacco. Registration is now open for the spring tobacco cessation programs, one available to UGA employees and the Athens community, and another to UGA students. UGA became tobacco free (cigarettes, chewing tobacco, and e-cigarettes) on Oct. 1. Adapted from Pfizer’s “Beat the Pack” smoking cessation program, the pharmacy students’ program can be used for both cigarettes and chewing tobacco. Sessions will be held once weekly for six weeks. Each six-week session will focus on tobacco-use issues. The non-student program is open to both UGA employees and the general public. The meetings will be held weekly on Tuesdays from 5:45-6:45 p.m., Jan. 13 through Feb. 17 at the Training and Development Center building at 315 South Thomas St. Parking at the center is free after 5 p.m. The non-student program is free, but space is limited to the first 10 participants. The registration deadline for this year’s program is Jan. 9. Those interested in either program may register by faxing a completed registration form to 706-542-6022; emailing a completed registration form to beatthepack@rx.uga.edu or calling 706-542-5328. A PDF of the registration form and program flyers can be downloaded at http://t.uga.edu/PO. For more information, call Kay Brooks, Ashley Hannings or Deanna McEwen at 706-542-5328 or email beatthepack@rx.uga.edu. Source: College of Pharmacy
World
Travelers UGA was ranked No. 17 among all U.S. institutions on the number of U.S. students studying abroad. The top destination countries for UGA students were:
Country Italy United Kingdom France Costa Rica Spain Australia Austria Fiji China
Students 233 231 163 156 127 98 98 59 58
Source: Office of International Education
Development and Alumni Relations Division
Meredith Gurley Johnson named executive director of UGA Alumni Association By Elizabeth Elmore eelmore@uga.edu
Meredith Gurley Johnson, a 2000 graduate of UGA who has worked in higher education advancement for more than 13 years, has been named executive director of the UGA Alumni Association. Johnson has served as interim executive director since March and assumed the executive director position on Dec. 1. In this role, she oversees all alumni engagement activities and services, including student programs, young alumni outreach, regional programs, special events and collaborative projects on campus. “In her capacity as interim executive director, Meredith has shown the leadership, vision, creativity, spirit and energy necessary to take the university to the next level in our efforts to closely engage our alumni and parents alike,”
said Kelly Kerner, vice president for development and alumni relations. “After conducting a national search, it was clear that Meredith is the right leader for this time in our history.” Meredith Gurley Johnson In 2001, Johnson joined the UGA Alumni Association as its first Atlanta programs coordinator based out of the new Atlanta Alumni Center in Buckhead. In 2006, she was named director of the Atlanta Alumni Center and managed the facility, Atlanta-area programming and special projects relating to alumni in metro Atlanta. Seven years later, Johnson became associate director of alumni relations, the position she held prior to being named interim executive director. Prior to joining the UGA Alumni
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
Southwest Georgia district head named director of UGA Extension By Faith Peppers pepper@uga.edu
Laura Perry Johnson has been named the director of UGA Extension beginning Jan. 1. “We are confident Laura will take UGA Extension in new and exciting directions,” said J. Scott Angle, dean and director of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. “Her wealth of experience and deep understanding of the state and the needs of those we serve will be invaluable.” Perry Johnson, whose official title will be associate dean of extension, is currently the district extension director for southwest Georgia, where she manages faculty, staff and UGA Extension programs for 41 counties. She has been with the college for 25 years, serving as a graduate teaching and research assistant, laboratory technician, youth livestock specialist and district 4-H program development coordinator before becoming district director.
Perry Johnson has bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in animal and dairy science from the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. She currently holds the rank of Laura Perry senior public service Johnson associate within the UGA public service faculty system. “When I (started at) the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences as a student in 1983, I had no idea where that would lead me,” Perry Johnson said. “But it’s my belief in this organization and the work we do that has kept me here. I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to help continue to move the organization forward and enhance our reputation as one of the premier Extension organizations in the nation.”
2014 louise mcbee lecture
Former U. of Michigan president calls for more higher education funding By Aaron Hale
aahale@uga.edu
It is of critical importance that America focus its attention on the future of public research universities, said Mary Sue Coleman, president emerita of the University of Michigan, during the McBee Lecture in the Chapel Dec. 2. Coleman, who served as the University of Michigan president from 2002 until July of this year and is co-chair of the Lincoln Project: Excellence and Access in Public Education, said the U.S. needs to protect its legacy in higher education. “American higher education, particularly public higher education, is one of the monumental achievements of this country,” she said. “No other nation can rival the innovation, creativity and intellectual fervor of American universities.” That distinction, Coleman said, enhances America’s well-being by improving medicine, businesses, national security and more. When it comes to income inequality, Coleman said, higher education is well suited to provide solutions. Unfortunately, public higher education is threatened, Coleman said, by
trends of decreased financial support from state and federal governments and by public skepticism about the value of higher education. To work toward preserving and improving public universities, Coleman offered three goals on which public universities need to focus: making a better case for state and federal financial support; building stronger partnerships with private enterprise with the goal of better funding; and getting better at multitasking the other challenges facing universities in the 21st century. This multitasking, Coleman said, includes establishing partnerships between universities in research, finding ways to lower costs and focusing on need-based scholarships to make education available to all. “I trust that together we will see that America’s public research universities are powerful, productive and able to grow in the 21st century,” she said. Sponsored by the Institute of Higher Education, the lecture honors Louise McBee, a former UGA vice president for academic affairs and a former state representative from Athens.
Association, Johnson served as coordinator of annual giving and alumni relations for the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences. Since joining the UGA Alumni Association, she has helped launch various signature programs, including Bulldog 100 and UGA Days. In 2014, Johnson was awarded the Georgia Education Advancement Council’s Award for Excellence in Alumni Relations for her work at UGA. “It is an honor to be selected as executive director of alumni relations for the University of Georgia. As a graduate of UGA, I have never been more proud of the hard work put forth by the administrators, faculty and students that make this place so special,” Johnson said. “I am thankful for the alumni and friends who support this university, and look forward to energizing my peers and the UGA community as we advance the institution together.”
School of Social Work Parham Policy Day focuses on issues of poverty, race By Laurie Anderson laurie@uga.edu
The 11th annual Parham Policy Day, held Nov. 18 at the Georgia Museum of Art, highlighted the plight of disenfranchised people of color with a screening of the award-winning documentary The Throwaways. The film depicts the problems of ghetto residents in upstate New York and their struggles for better treatment by local government and law enforcement agencies. A panel discussion of the film followed the screening. Panelists included the film’s co-directors Ira McKinley and Bhawin Suchak, fresh from receiving the New York Civil Liberties Union Carol S. Knox Award for their work on the documentary. Other panelists included Rebecca Matthew, an assistant professor of social work; Russell Gabriel, director of Georgia Law’s Criminal Defense Clinic; and Obie Clayton, the Asa Edmund Ware Distinguished Professor and chair of the sociology and criminal justice department at Clark Atlanta University. The discussion focused on several issues raised in the film: the profiling and mass incarceration of people of color, education and how to empower poor communities. McKinley, a U.S. Air Force veteran who had experienced drug addiction, homelessness and imprisonment, described his recent involvement with community gardens and urged attendees to consider creative economic solutions. “Start thinking outside of the box,” he said. “These policies and procedures are not working, so let’s think of new policies that can work.” Suchak, who worked as an educator prior to becoming a filmmaker, emphasized the importance of communication about sensitive issues. “Our purpose in this film is to spark conversations,” he said. “Something that we want to be part of the message of The Throwaways is a large issue in the country that people don’t want to talk about, and that is racism, which has left a legacy on this country.” The event was organized by graduate students in the School of Social Work under the guidance of June Gary Hopps, the Thomas M. “Jim” Parham Professor of Family and Children Studies.
Research News
columns.uga.edu Dec. 8, 2014
3
Digest MBA program rises in rankings
Malissa Clark, an assistant professor of industrial/organizational psychology in UGA’s Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, is the lead author on the study that found workaholism tends to produce negative impacts for employers and employees.
‘All work and no play’ Franklin College of Arts and Sciences’ study examines psychology of workaholism
By Alan Flurry
aflurry@uga.edu
Even in a culture that lionizes hard work, workaholism tends to produce negative impacts for employers and employees, according to a new study from a UGA researcher. The study, “All Work and No Play? A Meta-Analytic Examination of the Correlates and Outcomes of Workaholism” published in the Journal of Management, uses existing data to relate the causes and effects of workaholism, including its similarities to other forms of addiction. “Though there is some disagreement on whether it should be conceptualized as an addiction, some researchers go so far as calling workaholism a ‘positive addiction,’ ” said Malissa Clark, an assistant professor of industrial/organizational psychology in UGA’s Franklin College of Arts and Sciences and lead author on the study. “We recognize in this study that it brings a negative outcome for yourself and the people around you. The mixed rhetoric and research surrounding workaholism provided the need for a thorough quantitative analysis.” Workaholism, a term coined by American psychologist Wayne Oates in 1971, describes a condition in which someone’s need for work becomes so
excessive as to create disturbances or interference with personal health and happiness, interpersonal relations and social functioning. “My prior research has shown that workaholics experience negative emotions, both at work and at home. Similar to other types of addictions, workaholics may feel a fleeting high or a rush when they’re at work, but quickly become overwhelmed by feelings of guilt or anxiety,” Clark said. “Looking at the motivations behind working, workaholics seem pushed to work not because they love it but because they feel internal pressure to work. This internal compulsion is similar to having an addiction.” Clark said that while promoting a workaholic culture in the U.S. and elsewhere often is seen as promoting hard work and a viable route to moving up in a company, negative consequences also are apparent. “Our results show that while unrelated to job performance, workaholism does influence other aspects like job stress, greater work-life conflict, decreased physical health and job burnout that indicate workers aren’t going to be productive,” she said. The research suggests a split in motivations behind work that reveals a difference between workaholism and
work engagement. “When you look more broadly at the outcomes that were overwhelmingly negative and compare those to other analyses of work engagement, which were overwhelmingly positive, we see that there are two very different constructs,” Clark said. “One is feeling driven to work because of an internal compulsion, where there’s guilt if you’re not working—that’s workaholism. “The other feeling is wanting to work because you feel joy in work and that’s why you go to work every day, because you enjoy it,” she added. “And I say that is work engagement.” The researchers found no connections to external explanations for workaholism relating to financial reward or self-efficacy. Instead, the condition was highly related to perfectionism and the achievements of so-called Type A personalities. And while the average amount of hours worked by Americans is increasing, Clark said that “we also see trends that millennials seem to care more about work-family balance than previous generations, so as millennials enter the workforce and move into leadership positions, I am hopeful we will see more organizations touting a family-friendly culture rather than a workaholic culture.”
Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication
Research shows viral ads spread due to two types of social sharing By Molly Berg
mberg14@uga.edu
In August 2013, Americans watched viral video ads 22.8 billion times.According to a new UGA study, this has to do with two processes of social Web sharing: referral and coreferral. Understanding the decision-making process could help brands expand their content. The study, published in the Journal of Interactive Advertising, examined viral ads and how they were passed through social networks. Viral ads are defined as unpaid, peer-to-peer content passed along by online users. Unlike regular viral videos, viral ads communicate branded content. “We wanted to find out what motivates people to share advertisements online,” said study co-author Karen King, the Jim Kennedy New Media Professor in the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication. “Compared to
other social media users, advertisers have more of a challenge when creating viral ads for their brands.” King suggests that if brands want their ads to go viral, they need to seek out and identify brand advocates to share the content through social media. “Advertisers should look for social media users who already have strong relationships with their brand,” she said. “Understanding their motivations will be key to the sharing of the ad.” The first of the two sharing decision processes is referral, where a user actively decides whether or not to share a video from the advertiser with a social network, according to King. The second sharing process is coreferral, a more passive act, where users share and comment on a video that appears in their social network. Online ads need a large number of coreferrers to go viral. To test these processes, King and
her co-author, former Grady doctoral student Jameson Hayes, turned to college students, many of whom already participated in online video sharing. They took pre-existing YouTube videos that previously had gone viral and edited them so that brand names were seen only in the last four seconds. After watching the ads, students were asked the likelihood of their referral of the videos on Facebook. Results showed that, depending on a positive relationship with the brand, students were more likely to refer the ads, and students who were more open to offering opinions also would refer the ads. Contrary to referral, the decision to corefer an ad didn’t depend on brand relationship, King and Hayes found. It was influenced by the opinion-sharing and relationship-building tendencies of users. In other words, coreferral was more dependent on a user’s relationship with a social network.
The full-time MBA program in the Terry College of Business continues to place among the nation’s best, according to the 2014 rankings from Bloomberg Businessweek. The Terry College program climbed to 25th among public schools and No. 50 nationwide, up two spots from its previous ranking. Businessweek ranks MBA programs on three criteria: a student satisfaction survey, an employer survey and the expertise of each school’s faculty. The Terry College’s higher ranking comes due, in part, to a nine-space jump on the student survey. The program’s upward momentum goes beyond Bloomberg Businessweek. Earlier this year, The Economist placed Terry’s MBA program at 17th among U.S. public schools and No. 42 overall among all U.S. schools.
CED landscape architecture programs ranked among top 10 nationwide
The College of Environment and Design’s landscape architecture programs recently were ranked in the top 10 in the nation by Design Intelligence magazine as part of the 2015 edition of “America’s Best Architecture & Design Schools.” The college’s undergraduate landscape architecture program was ranked fourth in the nation, while the master’s degree program in landscape architecture program was ranked 10th. In addition, deans and department heads from peer institutions ranked the bachelor’s program third in the nation. In the Southeast region, the college’s bachelor’s degree program was ranked second and the master’s degree program third.
UGA among only 6 teams to place in top 25 of football and retention rankings
UGA, which has spent the 2014 college football season ranked in the top 25, recently entered the top 25 in another important category: overall university student retention performance. In a study published by Eduventures, a higher education research and consulting company, UGA was one of only six institutions in the nation to rank in the top 25 in both categories—with retention rate defined as the percentage of a school’s first-time, first-year undergraduates who continue at that school the following year. To determine the retention rate top-25 poll, Eduventures compared each Division I institution’s actual retention rate with a statistically predicted metric to estimate how it should perform based on academic, social, environmental and financial indicators. UGA, which came it at No. 9 in the retention rankings, was joined only by Florida State, Ohio State, Texas A&M, the University of Southern California and UCLA as schools at the top of both the football and retention rankings.
Georgia Debate Union wins tournament
The Georgia Debate Union from UGA recently won an intercollegiate debate tournament featuring 32 teams from East Coast colleges. Hosted by Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, the competition included teams from Boston College, Emory University, the University of Florida, Georgetown University, the University of Kentucky, the University of Minnesota, the U.S. Military Academy, the U.S. Naval Academy, Vanderbilt University and Wake Forest University. The two-person UGA team—Amy Feinberg of Canton, an international affairs and public relations major, and Tucker Boyce of Alpharetta, an economics major—emerged victorious, compiling a 9-1 record overall. Feinberg and Boyce defeated teams from Florida, Wake Forest and Georgetown on their way to victory. Feinberg also was recognized as the sixth best speaker at the tournament.
PERIODICALS POSTAGE STATEMENT Columns (USPS 020-024) is published weekly during the academic year and biweekly during the summer for the faculty and staff of the University of Georgia by the UGA News Service. Periodicals postage is paid in Athens, Georgia. Postmaster: Send off-campus address changes to Columns, UGA News Service, 286 Oconee Street, Suite 200 North, Athens, GA 30602-1999.
For a complete listing of events 7 8 5 at the University of Georgia, check the Master Calendar on the Web (calendar.uga.edu/). I
The following events are open to the public, unless otherwise specified. Dates, times and locations may change without advance notice.
UGAGUIDE
Performing Arts Center to present Handel’s ‘Messiah’
St. Petersburg State Symphony Orchestra to perform Jan. 5
By Bobby Tyler btyler@uga.edu
By Bobby Tyler btyler@uga.edu
The UGA Performing Arts Center will present a rare complete performance of Handel’s Messiah Dec. 20 at 7 p.m. and Dec. 21 at 2 p.m. in Hodgson Concert Hall. The concert will feature The Knights chamber orchestra from New York and the UGA Hodgson Singers along with four professional soloists. The program will open with The Knights performing Arcangelo Corelli’s Christmas Concerto. Tickets for the concert are $32-$47 and are discounted for UGA students. They can be purchased at the Performing Arts Center, online at pac.uga.edu or by calling the box office at 706-542-4400. The New York Times has praised The Knights for their “polished performances and imaginative programming,” and the Los Angeles Times called them “the future of classical music in America.” Founded by the Jacobsen brothers, violinist Colin and cellist Eric, The Knights have collaborated with a list of music superstars. The ensemble will return to Athens in February as chamber orchestra in residence with a Masterworks series concert and special educational programs for area schoolchildren. Under the direction of Daniel Bara, the UGA Hodgson Singers were the 2014 Grand Prix winners of the International Choral Competition Ave Verum in Salzburg, Austria. The Hodgson Singers will be joined by four professional soloists for Messiah: soprano Molly Quinn, countertenor Reginald Mobley, tenor Kyle Stegall and bass-baritone Paul Max Tipton.
advisories Rutherford Street open to traffic for Commencement Despite the ongoing construction and renovation at Foley Field baseball stadium, both lanes of Rutherford Street adjacent to Foley Field will be opened to traffic on Dec. 19 to accommodate traffic to and from Stegeman Coliseum for Commencement. Holiday HVAC setbacks Facilities Management will shut off or reduce all non-essential heating and airconditioning equipment in campus buildings during the holiday break. Departments also should turn off and unplug other equipment such as copiers, computers, appliances and lab equipment not needed during this period. Heat and A/C reductions will begin during the day Dec. 24 and will be restored during the day Jan. 2. For details and exceptions see http://t.uga.edu/17N.
EXHIBITIONS Vince Dooley: A Retrospective, 1954-1988. Through Dec. 15. Special collections libraries. Look What the Wind Blew In: Behind the Scenes Letters of Margaret Mitchell and Her Friends. Through Dec. 23. Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library. Boxers and Backbeats: Tomata du Plenty and the West Coast Punk Scene. Through Jan. 4. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662, hazbrown@uga.edu. The ... of E6, part of Athens Celebrates Elephant Six. Through Jan. 4. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662, hazbrown@uga.edu. Emilio Pucci in America. Through Feb. 1. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662, hazbrown@uga.edu. The Nightmare Transported into Art: Odilon Redon’s “St. Anthony.” Through Jan. 25. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662, hazbrown@uga.edu. Not Ready to Make Nice: Guerrilla Girls in the Artworld and Beyond. Through March 1. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662, hazbrown@uga.edu. “OC” Carlisle Solo Art. Through May 11. Candler Hall.
The State Ballet Theatre of Russia will perform ‘The Nutcracker’ Dec. 20 at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and Dec. 21 at 3 p.m. in the Classic Center Theatre.
State Ballet Theatre of Russia to perform ‘The Nutcracker’ at Classic Center By Bobby Tyler btyler@uga.edu
The UGA Performing Arts Center will present the State Ballet Theatre of Russia in The Nutcracker Dec. 20 at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and Dec. 21 at 3 p.m. in the Classic Center Theatre. The Nutcracker is a special collaboration between the UGA Performing Arts Center and the Classic Center. Tickets for The Nutcracker are $25-$35 for adults and $15 for children ages 12 and younger. Tickets can be purchased at the UGA Performing Arts Center box office, online at pac.uga.edu or by calling 706-542-4400. They also can be purchased at the Classic Center box office, at www.ClassicCenter.com or by calling 706-357-4444. After the success of his ballet The Sleeping Beauty, Pyotr Ilyich
Food, Power and Politics: The Story of School Lunch. Through May 15. Russell Library Gallery, special collections libraries. Terra Verte. Through May 31. Jane and Harry Willson Sculpture Garden, Georgia Museum of Art.
MONDAY, DECEMBER 8 ‘Meet Me at the Garden!’ Participants will learn more about the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UGA as well as the Friends of the Garden, the State Botanical Garden’s support organization. 5 p.m. Conservatory, State Botanical Garden. 706-542-6156, ckeber@uga.edu. Concert The 5 Browns. $25-$40. 8 p.m. Hodgson Concert Hall, Performing Arts Center. 706-542-4400, ugaaarts@uga.edu. Theatrical Performance The Graduate Acting Ensemble will present California Suite, Neil Simon’s comedy about Beverly Hills, where the perfect vacation begins and ends—either much too soon or not soon enough. Tickets must be paid for with cash. $5. 8 p.m. Cellar Theatre, Fine Arts Building. Also to be performed Dec. 9 at 8 p.m. wgeist@uga.edu.
Tchaikovsky was commissioned by the director of Russia’s Imperial Theatre to compose the score for The Nutcracker, using a libretto adapted from E.T.A. Hoffman’s The Nutcracker and the Mouse King. The ballet premiered Dec.18,1892,attheMariinskyTheatrein St. Petersburg. The score, which includes “Waltz of the Flowers,” “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” and “Waltz of the Snowflakes,” is considered one of Tchaikovsky’s most melodic. The Nutcracker has now become one of the most widely performed ballets throughout the world. With a company of 50 dancers, the State Ballet Theatre’s production of The Nutcracker features elaborate sets and costumes, along with the same authentic Russian choreography that is performed by Moscow’s famed Bolshoi Ballet.
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10 Reading Day Sustainability Office Semester In Review The 2014 Fall Semester in Review will include brief presentations from Office of Sustainability student interns, poster session and table displays from UGA classes and programs and an announcement of the Campus Sustainability grant winners. There also will be light lunch fare and opportunities for networking. 11 a.m. 285 special collections libraries. lem89@uga.edu. Artful Conversation Participants can join Carissa DiCindio, curator of education, for an in-depth discussion of Elaine de Kooning’s painting “Bacchus #81” (1983). 2 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-9078, mlachow@uga.edu.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 11 Fall Semester Final Exams Through Dec. 17.
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12 UGA Hockey vs. Tennessee. $7-$25. 7:30 p.m. Classic Center, 300 N. Thomas St.
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 13
Friday Class Schedule in Effect This is done to equalize the class minutes between MWF and TTH classes and to provide an equal number of class meetings for courses that may meet only once per week.
Family Day Participants can explore the colorful, funky fashion of designer Emilio Pucci in the exhibition Emilio Pucci in America then create their own Pucci-inspired marbled holiday ornaments in the Michael and Mary Erlanger Studio Classroom. 10 a.m. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-9078, mlachow@uga.edu.
Fall Semester Classes End Tuesday Tour at Two A tour of the exhibit galleries of the Walter J. Brown Media Archives and Peabody Awards Collection, the Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library and the Richard B. Russell Library for Political Research and Studies. Participants should meet in the rotunda on the second floor. 2 p.m. Special collections libraries. 706-542-8079, jclevela@uga.edu. Holiday Concert The Classic City Band will perform holiday music during an evening concert in the festively decorated conservatory. 6:30 p.m. State Botanical Garden. 706-542-6156, ckeber@uga.edu.
Calendar items are taken from Columns files and from the university’s Master Calendar, maintained by University Public Affairs. Notices are published here as space permits, with priority given to items of multidisciplinary interest. The Master Calendar is available on the Web at calendar.uga.edu/.
UGA Hockey vs. Johnson and Wales. $7-$25. 4 p.m. Classic Center, 300 N. Thomas St.
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14
The UGA Performing Arts Center will present Russia’s St. Petersburg State Symphony Orchestra Jan. 5 at 8 p.m. in Hodgson Concert Hall. Principal guest conductor Vladimir Lande will lead the orchestra in a program that includes Shostakovich’s Fifth Symphony and Bernstein’s Candide Overture. Award-winning cellist Dmitry Kouzov will join the orchestra for Schumann’s Cello Concerto. Tickets for the concert are $25-$57 and are discounted for UGA students. They can be purchased at the Performing Arts Center, online at pac.uga.edu or by calling the box office at 706-542-4400. The St. Petersburg State Symphony Orchestra was established in 1967 as the Orchestra of Ancient and Modern Music. It was renamed the St. Petersburg State Symphony Orchestra in 1985 and began holding
concerts in the Mirror Hall of St. Petersburg’s Beloselsky-Belozersky Palace. The orchestra started touring internationally in 1990 and now tours extensively throughout Europe, North and South America, China and Japan with programs that encompass a range of music. In 2008, Lande was named the orchestra’s principal guest conductor. He also is guest conductor of the National Gallery Orchestra in Washington and music director of the Washington Soloists Chamber Orchestra and the Johns Hopkins University Chamber Orchestra. Russian cellist Kouzov received the New York Cello Society Rising Star Award, and he won first prize at the International Beethoven Competition. Kouzov is also a two-time laureate of Russia’s International Virtuosi of the Year Competition. The Performing Arts Center will offer a pre-concert lecture 45 minutes prior to the performance.
Russia’s St. Petersburg State Symphony Orchestra will perform Jan. 5 at 8 p.m. in Hodgson Concert Hall. group meets once a week to renew a love of music and perform throughout the year. 2 p.m. Visitor Center and Conservatory, State Botanical Garden. joycelking426@gmail. com. Spotlight Tour Led by docents. 3 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-9078, mlachow@uga.edu.
MONDAY, DECEMBER 15 Blood Drive 11 a.m. UGA Police Department, Hodgson Oil Building.
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17 Hanukkah Jewish religious observance. Blood Drive 11 a.m. Main library. Tour at Two A tour of The Nightmare Transported into Art: Odilon Redon’s “St. Anthony” will be led by Laura Valeri, associate curator of European art. 2 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-9078, mlachow@uga.edu.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18 Drawing in the Galleries Visitors are invited to sketch in the galleries during these hours. No instruction provided. Pencils only. 5 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-9078, mlachow@uga.edu.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20 Performance The Nutcracker. Set to Tchaikovsky’s music, the production features the same authentic Russian choreography that is performed by Moscow’s Bolshoi Ballet. $15-$35. 3 p.m. Classic Center, 300 N. Thomas St. Also to be performed Dec. 20 at 7:30 p.m. and Dec. 21 at 3 p.m. 706-542-4400, ugaarts@uga.edu. (See story, above left). Women’s Basketball vs. Furman. $5; $3 for youth. 4 p.m. Stegeman Coliseum. Performance The Knights chamber orchestra from New York City, UGA’s Hodgson Singers and four professional soloists join forces under the direction of Daniel Bara for a rare complete performance of Handel’s Messiah. $32-$47. 7 p.m. Hodgson Concert Hall, Performing Arts Center. Also to be performed Dec. 21 at 2 p.m. 706-542-4400, ugaarts@uga.edu. (See story, above left).
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 21 Men’s Basketball vs. Seton Hall. To be televised on ESPNU. $15. 6 p.m. Stegeman Coliseum. 706-542-1231.
MONDAY, DECEMBER 22 Fall Semester Grades Due by 5 p.m. Women’s Basketball vs. Belmont. $5; $3 for youth. 7 p.m. Stegeman Coliseum.
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 19 Fall 2014 Undergraduate Commencement Roger Hunter, a UGA alumnus and associate director for programs at the NASA Ames Research Center, will deliver the university’s undergraduate Commencement address. 9:30 a.m. Stegeman Coliseum.
Gymnastics Sneak Peek This is an intrasquad meet. 2 p.m. Stegeman Coliseum. 706-542-1231.
Residence Halls Close For Winter Break All residence halls, except Reed Hall, Payne Hall and East Campus Village, will close at noon. 706-542-8325, ccampbel@uga.edu.
Holiday Concert The New Horizons Band is composed of members 50 and older who learned a musical instrument recently or returned to their musical instruments from earlier in life. The
Fall 2014 Graduate Commencement The university’s graduate Commencement will feature Gregory H. Robinson, the UGA Foundation Distinguished Professor of Chemistry. 2:30 p.m. Stegeman Coliseum.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 25 Christmas Christmas/New Year’s Holidays No classes; offices closed through Jan. 1. Offices reopen Jan. 2.
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 26 Kwanzaa
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The Cook’s Holiday will be held Dec. 17-19. Tickets are $16.95 for adults and $8.50 for children ages 6-12; children age 5 and younger will be admitted free.
Cook’s Holiday brings together campus community By Molly Berg
For Janyce Dawkins, the director of the Equal Opportunity Office, attending the Cook’s Holiday buffet with her staff is an annual tradition. “We put a sign on the office door and we go,” Dawkins said. “The office makes sure to reserve a table in advance so we can sit together. We also come early so we can see everyone as they arrive.” Now in her fourth year of attending, Dawkins praises both the food and environment that the Cook’s Holiday provides. “Walking through the door lifts your spirit because the atmosphere is so joyous and festive,” she said. “The excitement is infectious.” Dawkins originally took the three other staff members in the EOO as a way of saying “thank you” to them, but over the years she found that she received much more in return. “We started going because Cook’s Holiday is a seasonal gathering,” she said. “The office is able to come together and sit down and eat great food. It’s a win-win for everyone.” This year’s Cook’s Holiday will have a “whimsical holiday” theme. The menu will include perennial crowd favorites like black oak ham, shrimp and grits,
Southern smoked turkey breast, berry tartlet and mini red velvet cupcakes. Those attending the Cook’s Holiday will have an opportunity to dine at lunch or dinner at the Village Summit, depending on the day they attend. The lunch buffet will run from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 17 and 18, and from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m Dec. 19. The dinner buffet is Dec. 17, the first night of Cook’s Holiday, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Tickets for the dinner are limited and must be purchased in advance. Tickets can be purchased by calling 706-583-0892 or by going to http://t.uga.edu/17S. Tickets are $16.95 for adults and $8.50 for children ages 6-12; children age 5 and younger will be admitted free. The Allegro Quartet will perform traditional holiday songs during lunch on Dec. 17 and 19. On Dec. 18, the UGA Accidentals will sing a capella versions of holiday carols. Complimentary parking for guests will be available at the East Campus parking deck. For employees in the Equal Opportunity Office, Cook’s Holiday is a can’t-miss event. “I always ask people whether they’ve attended the buffet or not,” Dawkins said. “I hope they never stop doing Cook’s Holiday.”
THURSDAY, JANUARY 1
THURSDAY, JANUARY 8
mberg14@uga.edu
New Year’s Day No classes. Offices closed.
Women’s Basketball vs. Missouri. $5; $3 for youth. 7 p.m. Stegeman Coliseum.
FRIDAY, JANUARY 2
FRIDAY, JANUARY 9
Spring Semester Orientation Residence Halls Open Residence halls open following winter break. 8 a.m. ccampbel@uga.edu.
SATURDAY, JANUARY 3 Men’s Basketball vs. Norfolk State. To be televised on FSN. $15. 2 p.m. Stegeman Coliseum. 706-542-1231.
Friends First Friday This monthly event includes a full breakfast and an opportunity to meet new people while learning about the garden, gardening or garden history. RSVP by calling 706-542-9353 by Jan. 7. $12. 9 a.m. State Botanical Garden. 706-542-9353.
SATURDAY, JANUARY 10 Gymnastics vs. Michigan. $6-$10. 4 p.m. Stegeman Coliseum. 706-542-1231.
SUNDAY, JANUARY 4 Women’s Basketball vs. Alabama. To be televised on FOXSN. $5; $3 for youth. 1 p.m. Stegeman Coliseum.
SUNDAY, JANUARY 11
Full Moon Hike Participants should be prepared to hike up to 2 miles on wooded trails and in the garden. Those with young children or infants are advised to bring a backpack carrier. $5; $15 per family. 7 p.m. Visitor Center fountain, State Botanical Garden. 706-542-6156, ckeber@uga.edu.
Exhibition Opening Creatures in the Garden. Through March 8. The Mountain Laurel Quilt Guild will bring their work for an exhibition. The exhibition includes quilts featuring a variety of creatures embedded in scenes with flowers, trees and natural landscapes. An opening reception will be held at 2 p.m. in the Visitor Center of the State Botanical Garden. 706-542-6156, ckeber@uga.edu.
MONDAY, JANUARY 5
MONDAY, JANUARY 12
Drop/Add for Spring Semester For undergraduate level courses (1000 – 5999) and graduate level courses (60009999). Through Jan. 9. Spring Semester Classes Begin Concert The St. Petersburg State Symphony Orchestra will perform a program that includes a mix of classical music favorites, including the “Fifth Symphony of Shostakovich,” Bernstein’s “Candide Overture” and Schumann’s “Cello Concerto.” $25-$57. 8 p.m. Hodgson Concert Hall, Performing Arts Center. 706-542-4400, ugaarts@uga.edu. (See story, above left).
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27
TUESDAY, JANUARY 6
Men’s Basketball vs. Mercer. To be televised on SECN. $15. 6 p.m. Stegeman Coliseum. 706-542-1231.
Men’s Basketball vs. Arkansas. To be televised on ESPN. $15. 7 p.m. Stegeman Coliseum. 706-542-1231.
To submit a listing for the master calendar and columns Post event information first to the Master Calendar website (calendar.uga.edu/). Listings for Columns are taken from the Master Calendar 12 days before the publication date. Events not posted by then may not be printed in Columns.
columns.uga.edu Dec. 8, 2014
Any additional information about the event may be sent directly to Columns. Email is preferred (columns@uga.edu), but materials can be mailed to Columns, News Service, 286 Oconee Street, Suite 200 North, Campus Mail 1999.
Hugh Hodgson Faculty Series Concert Hodgson School faculty member Philip Snyder will perform a concert. $10; $5 with a UGACard. 8 p.m. Ramsey Concert Hall, Performing Arts Center. 706-542-4752, musicpr@uga.edu.
Coming up Performance Jan. 13. Swan Lake is one of the most popular and beloved of all classical ballets. The State Ballet Theatre of Russia brings the story to life in its production filled with dancing, lavish sets and costumes. Also to be held Jan. 14 at 8 p.m. $52-$62 8 p.m. Fine Arts Theatre, Fine Arts Building. 706-542-4400, ugaarts@uga.edu Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Jan. 19. No classes; offices closed.
Next columns deadlines Dec. 10 (for Jan. 12 issue) Jan. 7 (for Jan. 20 issue) Jan. 14 (for Jan. 26 issue)
6 Dec. 8, 2014 columns.uga.edu
CAMPUS CLOSEUP
Historical changes
Claudio Saunt, the Richard B. Russell Professor in American History in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, was quoted in an article about expanding and revising the views on early American history. The story in The Chronicle of Higher Education quotes Saunt as saying that the other 96 percent of North America— the land not occupied by the 13 colonies—“has been largely unexplored by early American historians.” Saunt—who wrote West of the Revolution, a book that focuses on 1776 events that were beyond the 13 colonies—told the publication that the field of early American history is “just on the edge of being completely transformed.”
Mistrusting agencies
ABC News quoted UGA’s Nathan Carter in an article about Americans’ declining trust in national agencies and institutions. Carter, an assistant professor in Franklin College’s psychology department, said that while people tend to trust public health officials, fears caused by Ebola have increased the sensitivity to perceived breaches in that trust. Carter said that the balance between trust and doubt has swung more to doubt. “I do think it’s a big problem; and how to repair that trust, that’s probably the biggest question,” he said. Carter also told ABC News that peaks of trust following events that rally people around the government—such as terrorists attacks—are not as high as they have been in the past. That, he said, means there is a gradual degradation in the public’s perception of institutions, something that Carter finds worrisome.
Legal battle
As short-term rental company HomeAway challenges San Francisco’s attempt to make a legal framework for Airbnb in court, UGA’s Dan Coenen lent his expertise to an article in Bloomberg Businessweek. HomeAway is arguing that the city’s new ordinance, which only allows short-term rentals if the person renting out the space actually lives there as a primary residence, illegally discriminates against its users who rent out their vacant living units. Coenen, University Professor and holder of the Harmon W. Caldwell Chair in Constitutional Law in the School of Law, said that courts have struck down city and state laws that are deemed protectionist. He also said that HomeAway might have an argument, but that laws that were found discriminatory have been allowed to stay in place as long as there’s another reason for their existence. “If I can argue that this type of law is the best way to prevent end-arounds around zoning law or the commercialization of residential areas, that could be upheld,” Coenen said. “That’s where the battle will be fought.”
Paul Efland
Ryan Crowe, Meat Science Technology Center coordinator, came to UGA after years at Publix where he first started as a bag boy and worked his way up into the meat department.
Meat man: MSTC coordinator shares passion, knowledge with others By Matt Chambers mattdc@uga.edu
From the posters of meat cuts and a cow femur pencil holder to the rows of butcher knives, Ryan Crowe’s office screams meat. Crowe, who is the Meat Science Technology Center coordinator, fully embraces that and readily admits meat is his passion. “Ever since I started cutting meat and then found out some jobs you could do with meats, I’ve been interested,” Crowe said. “I knew that meat was where I wanted to go.” The Florida native is responsible for managing the Meat Science Technology Center in the animal and dairy science department of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. The center is a fully functional meat and animal harvesting and processing facility. It is used to facilitate teaching, research and outreach while harvesting and processing 100-140 cattle, 240 hogs and 30 sheep annually. To do that, Crowe plays many different roles from helping with course labs to providing informational clinics to chefs and local groups. He also coordinates a weekly meat sale that is open to the public and run by student workers every Friday during the year. All proceeds from the sale
go directly to the animal and dairy science department. “Nearly 99.9 percent of what we produce here is sold through the front case,” Crowe said. Crowe trains and manages 10-12 students on the harvesting, fabrication, processing and selling of meat. “This gives them some info so they can figure out if they want to go into the meat industry,” Crowe said. “I kind of take it upon myself to show them some cool stuff and hopefully trigger them to say, ‘I want to do meats.’ ” Crowe said teaching the students and seeing them finally understand a process or technique really drives him. “Those a-ha moments a kid has are the best,” he said. “Sometimes they’re working here a whole semester and then there’s that moment you’re with them and you say or show them something and they just get it. That’s awesome to see.” In between running the center and training students, Crowe works with local groups or UGA Extension agents to host clinics such as Beef 101 or Pork 101. He also coordinates with UGA researchers to determine what to do with animals and carcasses at certain stages of the work. Crowe also creates and updates food safety plans, deals with inspectors and keeps the center running. Crowe came to UGA after years
of working for Publix in its meat department. He started with the grocer as a bag boy, but had his sights set on the meat department from the get-go. “I always said that when I turned 18 I wanted to go into the meat department, so a week after I turned 18, I was back in the meat department cleaning up,” he said. “I started from the bottom and learned everything I could on my way up.” Along with the other aspects of running the center, the math and merchandising of meat really appeal to Crowe. “I like saying this carcass is worth this amount of money, but if I cut it this way, I can make this much money,” he said. “Really, meat in itself intrigues me because you can take a cut of meat and cut it this way and it’s one thing; then you turn it this way and it’s a different item.”
joined the faculty of UGA’s Center for Computational Quantum Chemistry that same year. Schleyer’s research contributions include the discovery of simple ways of synthesizing adaPaul Schleyer mantane and other cage molecules by rearrangement, new types of hydrogen bonding, elucidation of solvolysis mechanisms and the nature of reactive intermediates as well as a range of physical organic, organometallic, inorganic and theoretical topics. Schleyer also was a pioneer computational chemist. The discoveries of basically new molecular structures, particularly those involving lithium and electron deficient systems, are among his major achievements.
He received honorary doctorates in Lyon, France; Munich, Germany; and Kiev, Ukraine as well as awards in seven countries and in different areas: physical organic, computational, boron, lithium and, most recently, theoretical chemistry. He was past president of the World Association of Theoretically-Oriented Chemists, a Fellow of the Bavarian and the International Academy of Quantum Chemical Science, Co-editor emeritus of the Journal of Computational Chemistry and the editor-in-chief of the Encyclopedia of Computational Chemistry. The author of 12 books, Schleyer also published more than 1,110 papers. Schleyer is survived by Inge, his wife of 45 years, and daughters Betti, Laura and Karen from an earlier marriage. A memorial colloquium for Schleyer was held Dec. 2 in the chemistry building.
Facts Ryan Crowe Meat Science Technology Center Coordinator Animal and Dairy Science Department College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences B.A., Animal Science, University of Florida, 2000 At UGA: 12 years
obituary
Paul Schleyer Weather war
J. Marshall Shepherd, the UGA Athletic Association Professor in the Social Sciences, was quoted in a USA Today article about China hacking into the U.S. weather satellite network. Weather satellite data includes not only forecasts but also warnings that are vital to Americans and the U.S. economy, according to Shepherd, who is director of the atmospheric sciences program in Franklin College’s geography department. “The Chinese hacking of our weather system illustrates that they also understand the value of this data and information,” Shepherd said. “Every corner of our lives depends on weather information.”
Paul von Ragué Schleyer, the Graham Perdue Professor of Chemistry in UGA’s Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, died Nov. 21. At age 84, Schleyer still was teaching and contributing pre-eminent research to the field of quantum chemistry up to the day before his death. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Schleyer earned his bachelor’s degree from Princeton in 1951 and master’s and doctoral degrees from Harvard in 1956 and 1957, respectively. He joined the Princeton faculty in 1969 as the Eugene Higgins Professor of Chemistry. In 1976 he joined the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg in Germany as co-director of the Organic Institute; he was founding director of its Computer Chemistry Center in 1993. After becoming professor emeritus at Erlangen-Nuremberg in 1998, he
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
columns.uga.edu Dec. 8, 2014
Worldwide connections
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Global programs director plans to expand international relationships
By Denise Horton
denisehorton@gmail.com
Amrit Bart’s goal is to build connections. The new head of the Office of Global Programs in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Bart said much of the research underway at the college has implications for the international arena. “We need to establish the relationships necessary to ensure that work helps both the international community and the state of Georgia,” he said. Bart’s international experience dates back to childhood when he moved to Atlanta from Nepal after his father took a job at the Centers for Disease Control. After attending Earlham College as an undergraduate, Bart earned his master’s degree in aquaculture at Auburn University. He was interested in developing alternative food production methods to feed more people. He worked at the University of Kentucky on a project focused on improving Indonesia’s fisheries and aquaculture educational programs before returning to Auburn to earn a doctorate in aquaculture and a second master’s degree in agricultural economics. “I realized that it wasn’t enough to understand the biology of raising fish or their reproductive physiology,” Bart said. “I needed to understand resource flows and production economics if we are to feed the hungry world.” As a faculty member at the Asian Institute of Technology in Thailand and director of its Vietnam campus, Bart learned the value that a strong reputation can provide an institution, its faculty and students. During his 15 years with the Asian Institute of Technology, Bart established his own network of relationships, particularly with graduate students. “Graduate students from many countries would come to (the Asian Institute of Technology) for their course work, but we encouraged
Paul Efland
Amrit Bart, head of the Office of Global Programs in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, said that one goal of his office is to expand international relationships in a way that supports faculty and the university.
them to return to their home institutions to conduct their lab work and field work,” he said. “As their major professor, I would visit their research sites, which meant I spent days and weeks with both my students and their colleagues learning not only about the data they were generating but also their cultures and traditions.” Not only did those relationships result in long-term friendships, they also opened doors to a variety of collaborations, particularly as those former students rose through the government and academic ranks in their home countries. For example, Bart recalls a master’s degree candidate who, upon finishing his degree, returned to Burma and became one of the country’s most successful fish farmers. “This former student has helped his country significantly by growing this industry,” Bart said.“He also continues to contribute to the institute by bringing visitors and supporting the university’s research efforts.”
weekly reader
Book recounts ‘Tangible Past’ of Athens
The Tangible Past in Athens, Georgia Edited by Charlotte Thomas Marshall $55
On May 10, 1793, a few recent arrivals on the Oconee River at the Cedar Shoals—where an ancient Cherokee and Creek trail crossed the waterway and where Athens and UGA would soon rise—petitioned Gov. Edward Telfair to build a blockhouse for the “preservation of this settlement.” Ever since, Athenians have come together to ensure this goal. The Tangible Past in Athens, Georgia, a collection of essays, photos and appendices, is another effort on the part of Athens citizens to tell the story of the preservation of that settlement. Over 200 years after its beginning, this outpost has grown from a few hardy adventurers near the thenwestern boundary of the U.S. into a diverse and appealing city approaching a population of 125,000.The city now is known nationally and for its vibrancy, erudition and good living.
Bart plans to work with faculty and administrators at UGA to develop similar relationships. “We need to build from what we have,” Bart said. He uses as an example the Peanut Mycotoxin Innovation Lab, which received a $15 million grant last year to work in Haiti, Ghana, Mozambique, Malawi and Zambia. The university also has international research projects underway in the fields of poultry and plant genomics. “A goal of the Office of Global Programs is to expand those international relationships in a way that supports both the faculty and the university,” he said. Increasing UGA’s visibility internationally will benefit both the university and the state in multiple ways. “When you have programs that are recognized as being innovative and having substance, opportunities come your way,” he said.“If we’re not
creating opportunities for our young scientists to have strong international links, they are going to miss out.” Those international links go beyond the research lab. At the undergraduate level, CAES offers study abroad programs and hopes to attract the increasing number of international students studying in the U.S. “UGA is in the enviable position of having competition for its seats,” he said. “However, fewer than 1 percent of our undergraduate students are from other countries.” That’s too bad, Bart said, because international students can be a “conduit for sharing ideas and developing businesses collaboratively.” Similarly, the state benefits from Georgia students who have had extensive international experiences. “Poultry, cotton and peanuts are all global commodities. Companies want employees who can communicate across nations and across cultures,” Bart said.
One way to enhance students’ global awareness is through the immersive international experiences offered through the certificate in international agriculture program and study abroad programs, both of which are open to CAES undergraduate and graduate students. Bart’s office also oversees the Peace Corps master’s degree in international agriculture, which allows students to take a year of graduate courses prior to their two-year Peace Corps assignment. After returning, the master’s candidates may use their Peace Corps experience as the basis for their thesis or as the internship requirement for a non-thesis degree. “CAES has made a commitment that each department will offer two study abroad programs,” Bart said. “Part of our office’s role is to support the departments to ensure that these are high-quality, immersive opportunities that provide students the opportunity to learn about a different culture, in addition to learning more about themselves.” Since arriving at UGA seven months ago, Bart already has been creating connections between UGA and his former colleagues. This summer he led a contingent to Thailand, Vietnam and Myanmar that included CAES Dean Scott Angle.Among the accomplishments of that initial trip is a program that is expected to result in the Vietnamese government paying for graduate students to complete their doctorate in agriculture-related fields at UGA. In January, Bart will lead another trip, this time to Indonesia and China, with the goal of establishing additional networks with university and government agencies. “I’ve only been at UGA for a short period and I’m learning about the research and the faculty who have international ties,” Bart said. “But as I interact with more people, and as the faculty learn more about the Office of Global Programs, we will find more ways to work together to enhance our international visibility and success.”
ABOUT COLUMNS
Cybersights
Columns is available to the campus community by subscription for an annual fee of $20 (second-class delivery) or $40 (first-class delivery). Faculty and staff members with a disability may call 706-542-8017 for assistance in obtaining this publication in an alternate format. Columns staff can be reached at 706-542-8017 or columns@uga.edu
Editor Juliett Dinkins Art Director Kris Barratt
Social media aids campaign efforts
Photo Editor Paul Efland
https://www.facebook.com/pages/UGA-Campaign-forCharities/722128271200088 https://twitter.com/UGAforCharities Social media sites have been set up to promote the Campaign for Charities, a drive that allows faculty and staff to donate to a variety of charity organizations that are part of the State Charitable Contributions Program. This year’s campaign, which runs until Dec. 15,
has a goal of $425,000. The social media sites have facts and tidbits about the Campaign for Charities. There also are photographs of prize drawing winners and of the Campaign for Charities Kickoff celebration that was held Oct. 9.
Senior Reporter Aaron Hale Reporter Matt Chambers The University of Georgia is committed to principles of equal opportunity and affirmative action. The University of Georgia is a unit of the University System of Georgia. I
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Salmon from page 1
Paul Efland
EXPANDING BALDWIN—UGA administrators, students and state legislators broke ground
Dec. 2 to mark the beginning of a project that will expand and renovate the historic Baldwin Hall. The roughly $8 million project, with funding approved by the Georgia General Assembly, includes construction of a 10,800-square-foot Baldwin Hall Annex and renovations to the existing building. Work on the addition is slated to begin in June and run through May 2016. Renovations are expected to be complete in September 2016. Baldwin Hall currently houses the School of Public and International Affairs as well as the departments of sociology and anthropology in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences. The existing building will be renovated to provide academic departments with modern instructional facilities, greater accessibility for individuals with disabilities and a more efficient mechanical system.
PROFESSOR from page 1 “Dr. Knox exemplifies the very best of university teaching and scholarship,” said Alan T. Dorsey, dean of the Franklin College. “His high regard for teaching translates into great dedication to his students and an unwavering commitment to his subject matter that makes learning infectious.” Knox has authored nearly 250 professional and popular-media publications, including over 40 peer-reviewed articles and two books. His research output includes articles with 44 student co-authors, including 17 undergraduates. His research on clear-air turbulence forecasting has been funded by NASA and NOAA and was honored by the National Weather Association with its Fujita Research Achievement Award in 2010. In addition to advising dozens of students, Knox also serves as faculty adviser to three undergraduate student groups: the
Demosthenian Literary Society, the UGA Aviation Club and Gamma Theta Upsilon geography honor society. “I cannot think of anyone as deserving as John Knox for this award,” said Kavita Pandit, associate provost for international education and a professor in the geography department. “He is one of those gifted professors whose outstanding skills as a teacher are matched by his record of scholarship and contributions to his discipline.” Knox is especially appreciative of his students. “Without the UGA undergraduates in my big introductory classes and my upper-level atmospheric sciences classes, I wouldn’t have been in Washington, D.C., receiving this award,” he said. “Thanks to them for putting up with, and even enjoying, my unique approach to learning about geography, weather and climate.”
Bulletin Board Reduced flu shot rates
The University Health Center has reduced its rates for flu shots offered to UGA students, faculty, and staff, their spouses/partners and dependent children age 9 and older. The cost is now $15 for fees-paid students and $20 for faculty, staff and non-fees paid students, a savings of $5. Regular appointments will continue through January or while supplies last. Appointments for faculty and staff, available Tuesdays through Fridays in the Allergy Travel Clinic, can be made by calling 706-542-5575. Dependents must be accompanied by a parent or spouse/partner. Faculty and staff will be provided with a statement to file with their private insurance company.
Wimba Classroom download
Instructors have until Dec. 19 to download their archived Wimba Classroom Web conferencing sessions. Wimba Classroom was replaced by Blackboard Collaborate in August as the Web conferencing tool for instructional purposes within eLearning Commons and outside eLC as freestanding sessions. The company that supports Wimba Classroom will end support of the product at the end of 2014. Instructions for downloading sessions recorded before August are at http://ctl.uga.edu/web-conferencing/faculty. After Dec. 19, the archived Wimba Classroom sessions will be no longer available.
Wimba Voice tools, including Voice Boards, Voice Podcaster and Voice Presentation, will remain available in eLC. For technical questions, contact the EITS Help Desk at 706-542-3106 or helpdesk@uga.edu.
eLearning Commons upgrade
UGA’s learning management system, eLearning Commons, will be unavailable during an upgrade that will start Dec. 27 and will end Jan. 2 at 5 p.m. The upgrade is scheduled to be completed before spring semester classes start Jan. 5. The University System of Georgia is upgrading to a newer version of Desire2Learn, which powers eLC. This upgrade will result in an outage of eLC for several days. The upgrade will mostly improve existing tools of eLC and will not include a design change. The complete list of changes is available online at http://t.uga.edu/17R. Instructors are encouraged to plan in advance with this outage in mind. The EITS Help Desk will be closed for technical support when UGA is closed Dec. 25 through Jan. 1. Instructors who need technical assistance with eLC during that time, or any time, may contact the University System of Georgia’s Desire2Learn Help Center at https://d2lhelp.view.usg.edu/.
University Woman’s Club
The University Woman’s Club will meet Jan. 13 at 11 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall of Central Presbyterian Church, 380 Alps Road. Guest speaker
But why this is happening isn’t quite clear, Grossman said. Using a $495,282 grant from the North Pacific Research Board, he and Neuswanger will construct a general mathematical model detailing the processes involved in feeding by these salmon. Although their work focuses on juvenile Chinook salmon, they also will examine the effects of prey capture and availability and current on two additional species: the arctic grayling and the Dolly Varden trout, related species that are important sport and subsistence fish for Alaskans. Grossman plans to develop and test a “fitness-based foraging model” that can
predict how the salmon, grayling and Dolly Varden are foraging for food. Chinook salmon are “drift-feeders” that eat food they find drifting in the water column. Knowing the driving force behind these foraging habits will help researchers understand energy intake and diet composition and habitat quality. Previous attempts to determine those factors, however, used faulty assumptions that have since been disproven. The new model should eliminate those inaccuracies, Grossman said, but he and Neuswanger will finalize development of the model, conduct experiments to estimate some of the variables and test it using the three fish species.
GOVERNMENT from page 1
Sustainability from page 1
current DOT post in 2012, a position in which he has led a team of some 30 planning professionals in guiding strategic planning and project budget documents that direct state and federal resources to fund transportation projects. A student in the Honors Program, Carr graduated from the UGA in 2001 with bachelor’s degrees in business administration and agricultural engineering. Before assuming his DOT post, Carr served as Deal’s transportation policy adviser and the governor’s liaison to the Georgia House of Representatives. He previously was director of Deal’s gubernatorial transition committee. “I congratulate the governor on his outstanding selection of Tricia Chastain,” said UGA President Jere W. Morehead. “While her expertise will be missed at UGA, I am delighted to welcome alumnus Toby Carr back to the University of Georgia as associate vice president for government relations. Toby was an excellent student leader and Honors student on campus. His deep commitment to the success of this institution and his considerable and varied experience in state government make him the perfect candidate to fill this critical position.” “I’m humbled and thrilled to serve my alma mater in this role,” Carr said. “I’m very grateful to Gov. Deal for his support of this new endeavor and to President Morehead and Vice President Doyle for giving me the opportunity to advance the mission of UGA.”
Based on the success of this program, a $1 per semester increase to the green fee was included on the Student Government Association’s 2013 Homecoming ballot. While 75 percent of participating students voted in favor of the increase, the university did not submit this request to the board of regents for consideration during the fiscal year 2015 budget process. Instead, the university administration opted first to conduct the five-year review of the Office of Sustainability. Following the 12-week review, the review team stated that it “strongly believes UGA should be placing more resources into this initiative to supplement the student green fee to sustain the office and to advance UGA sustainability in general.” As a result, Morehead approved the proposal to redirect $80,000 of cost savings— roughly equivalent to a $1 fee increase—to support the office’s annual operating budget. This action will provide students with more opportunities for grants and internships. “This plan unites two strategic priorities for the University of Georgia—advancing campus sustainability and investing in programs that provide experiential learning opportunities for students,” Morehead said. “I am grateful to the Office of Sustainability for coordinating the conservation efforts on campus that have improved our efficiency and generated these cost savings.” The university plans to implement this change immediately by redirecting $40,000 of cost savings during spring 2015 to support these initiatives. The full $80,000 would be redirected in the 2015-2016 academic year. “We are pleased that UGA’s commitment to sustainability and resource conservation has resulted in tangible cost savings that we can redirect for the benefit of our students,” said Ryan Nesbit, vice president for finance and administration. “Our hope and desire would be for this strategy to eliminate the need for an increase to the student green fee at least through the next three fiscal years.”
for the meeting is Phil Lanoue, superintendent of schools for Clarke County.
Kellogg Award applications
Since 2006, the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities and the National Outreach Scholarship Conference, with support from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, have partnered to recognize the outreach and engagement partnerships of four-year public universities. The award recognizes programs that demonstrate how colleges and universities have redesigned their learning, discovery and engagement functions to become even more involved with their communities. A committee administered by the Office of the Vice President for Public Service and Outreach will recommend one applicant to be UGA’s nominee for the Southern region. To apply, send a 500-word abstract to Paul Brooks, associate vice president, by Jan. 23, that summarizes the outreach and engagement partnership; the issue and its significance for the relationship between the university and community, including the reciprocity of the relationship; the partnership’s impact on the community partner(s), and on the university partners; the lessons learned and best practices from the partnership; and future plans for the partnership. For questions and to submit abstracts, contact Brooks at 706-542-6167 or pjbrooks@uga.edu. Bulletin Board is limited to information that may pertain to a majority of faculty and staff members.
FELLOWS
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• Alan T. Dorsey, dean of the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences and a professor of physics. Dorsey’s research in theoretical condensed matter physics seeks an understanding of the peculiar properties of matter subjected to extreme conditions, such as low temperatures and high magnetic fields. Such conditions reveal fundamental quantummechanical phenomena that lead to wholly new phases of matter, such as superconductors, superfluids and supersolids. • David J. Garfinkel, a professor of biochemistry and molecular biology. Garfinkel’s research focuses on “jumping genes” known as transposons, which make additional copies of themselves and insert those copies throughout the genome. The Garfinkel lab has contributed to understanding the mechanism by which transposable genetic elements are mobilized, shape genome structure and function and are regulated by host factors. • Samantha Joye, the UGA Athletic Association Professor of Arts and Sciences and a professor of marine sciences. Joye is a microbial geochemist by training, and her expertise lies in quantifying rates of microbial hydrocarbon metabolism and environmental geochemical signatures in natural environments. She has studied Gulf of Mexico natural seeps for 20 years and has tracked the environmental fate of oil and gas released from the Macondo well blowout since May 2010.