UGA Columns February 16, 2015

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Vice president leads university’s efforts to increase endowment CAMPUS NEWS

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The University of Georgia University Theatre’s ‘Mein Kampf’ takes on legacy of failed artist Adolf Hitler

February 16, 2015

Vol. 42, No. 25

www.columns.uga.edu

emwi@uga.edu

Natalia Moore, left, and Lydia Stearns work together on building a robot in their Creative Activities for Teachers class, which is part of a Learning Technologies Grant project to integrate robot technology into the classroom.

‘Any time, any place’ Information technology investments offer flexibility for UGA students

camiew@uga.edu

Information technology is enhancing the learning environment at UGA and is on track to save students more than $1 million collectively in textbook and software costs over the next five years.

UGA has been offering free ­e-textbooks for select classes since fall 2013 thanks to a $25,000 University System of Georgia Incubator Grant administered through the university’s Center for Teaching and Learning.

“E-textbooks make knowledge even more accessible to students and benefit their bank accounts

and their path to graduation,” said Edward Watson, director of CTL. The program was introduced in large enrollment entry-level biology courses, where each printed textbook costs $97. In addition to saving students money, the openaccess texts enable professors to tailor their version by reorganizing chapters or adding material in the public domain.

Watson said the program has reached more than 1,600 students and saved a collective $158,749 last academic year. It is expected to save $200,000 a year for the next four years. The addition of two history courses to the program is adding another $70,200 annually in

savings, bringing the total to more than $1 million in five years.

A new agreement with Microsoft to allow students to download Office ProPlus software has benefited about 9,000 students, saving each of them the $79.99 four-year subscription cost. In total, that comes to nearly $720,000, not to mention the savings through vLab, a virtual computer lab for students that allows them to remotely access software on university computers.

Reducing textbook costs can help students graduate in a more timely manner. In a nationwide poll conducted by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group Education See TECHNOLOGY on page 8

UGA LIBRARIES

Georgia Writers Hall of Fame to induct 4 members

By Jean Cleveland jclevela@uga.edu

The Georgia Writers Hall of Fame at the UGA Libraries is launching a new initiative to honor Georgia literature by encouraging Georgia residents to read at least one book by each inductee before the annual November ceremony.

Vereen Bell, Taylor Branch, Paul Hemphill and Janisse Ray are the 2015 inductees. The ceremony will be held Nov. 9 at 10 a.m. in the Richard B. Russell Building Special Collections Libraries. An author event will be held Nov. 8 at 4 p.m.

“It is second nature for librarians to encourage reading,” said P. Toby Graham, university librarian and associate provost. “With

4&5

University names its new Washington, DC facility Delta Hall

By Emily Williams

By Camie Williams

UGA GUIDE

UGA has received a commitment for a $5 million grant from the Delta Air Lines Foundation to support UGA in Washington.

In recognition of the gift, UGA will name the university’s new residential facility in Washington, D.C., Delta Hall. The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia formally approved the naming at its meeting on Feb. 11.

“We are grateful to the Delta Air Lines Foundation for supporting UGA in Washington,” said President Jere W. Morehead. “Delta Air Lines has been a strong corporate partner of the University of Georgia for many years, and this latest gift demonstrates the leadership role Delta is taking in our ongoing comprehensive campaign to advance the University of Georgia.”

Funding UGA in Washington has been a priority for the university president and the UGA Foundation board of trustees as they seek to elevate the university to greater national stature. Delta’s gift also establishes a lecture series that will feature prominent speakers each year as well as five internships.

“The Delta Air Lines Foundation is proud to support the University of Georgia as it expands its reach and provides educational tools and resources to its global student population,” said Tad Hutcheson, vice president of community affairs for Delta. “Through the new facility in Washington, D.C., we aim to increase exposure for UGA and create a place where students can prosper.”

The new facility, which was purchased by the UGA Foundation in 2014, has undergone extensive

See FACILITY on page 8

FRANKLIN COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES

$5.3M grant to help develop new drug for Chagas disease

By James E. Hataway jhataway@uga.edu

UGA researchers in collaboration with Anacor Pharmaceuticals have received a $5.3 million grant from the Wellcome Trust to develop a new drug, which they hope will be ready to enter clinical trials by 2016, for the treatment of Chagas disease.

Chagas disease is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, which spreads via a subspecies of bloodfeeding insects commonly known as “kissing bugs” because they tend to bite people on the face and lips.While the disease can progress slowly, chronic infection almost inevitably results in irreparable damage to heart and digestive system tissues.

Between 10 million and 20 million people, mostly in Central and South America, are infected with Trypanosoma cruzi. Chagas Rick Tarleton disease kills more people in Latin America than any other infectious disease including malaria, tuberculosis and HIV. An increasing number of cases also are being documented outside the normal high transmission areas, including in the U.S. and Europe.

“The two drugs commonly used

See GRANT on page 8

WILLSON CENTER

Amazon conservationist to give Global Georgia lecture Feb. 19

By Dave Marr

davemarr@uga.edu Vereen Bell

Taylor Branch

the addition of a suggested reading list to our Georgia Writers Hall of Fame events, it is our hope that the recommendations will introduce each year’s inductees to a wider audience.”

This year’s inductees are: • Vereen Bell, author of Swamp Water. Published in 1940, the coming-of-age novel is set in the

Paul Hemphill

Janisse Ray

Okefenokee Swamp. The book is now available in paperback from the University of Georgia Press.

• Taylor Branch, author of At Canaan’s Edge, the final installment of his award-winning trilogy of books chronicling the life of Martin Luther King Jr. and much of the history of the American civil See WRITERS on page 8

Randy Borman, the son of AngloAmerican missionaries who was born and raised among an Amazonian tribe known as the Cofán people, will speak in the Chapel Feb. 19 at 4 p.m. His lecture, “An Amazon Contribution to Global Survival,” is open free to the public.

The lecture is part of the 2015 Global Georgia Initiative, an annual speaker series sponsored by the Jane and Harry Willson Center

for ­Humanities and Arts. It is presented in partnership with the Latin American and Caribbean Studies Institute and the Willson CenRandy Borman ter Research Cluster on Indigenous Foods and Fibers.

Borman, now the tribe’s chief

See LECTURE on page 8

2 Feb. 16, 2015 columns.uga.edu

PUBLIC SERVICE AND OUTREACH

Around academe

Northwestern University receives largest, single gift in its history

Northwestern University received a gift exceeding $100 million from alumna Roberta Buffet Elliott.

The president of the university, Morton Schapiro, announced the single gift as the ­largest in the university’s history.

The gift will be used to create the Roberta Buffet Institute for Global Studies, which will follow a multidisciplinary and problem-solving approach to advancing important global issues.

Schapiro hopes the Buffet Institute will take the impact of the university’s global programs to a whole new level.

Since receiving her degree from Northwestern in 1954, Elliot has been a major ­supporter of international studies for the university.

She was recognized for her generous gift to the university in January, while standing alongside her brother, Warren Buffet, the ­well-known financial investor.

Health insurance provider tips for identity theft protection after breach

News to Use

Anthem, the parent company of UGA’s health insurance provider, BlueCross and BlueShield of Georgia (BCBSGa), has been the victim of a security breach.

Anthem’s member data was accessed, which may impact UGA employees and dependents covered under the University System of Georgia Healthcare plans.

To be protected from identity theft, the USG office offers the following suggestions: • Watch mail and accounts closely for signs of fraud or identity theft.

• Place a fraud alert or freeze on your account with the three credit monitoring services (Equifax, TransUnion and Experian). Visit http://tinyurl.com/nob73wz for their contact information.

• Place a security freeze on your minor child’s credit account. Information is available on the Equifax website.

• Be aware of “phishing” scams and phone calls asking for account information.

• Monitor credit reports and accounts for signs of suspicious activity; notify the company or financial institution immediately if there is unauthorized activity. A free credit report and information about identity theft can be obtained from www.annualcreditreport.com.

If you think you are a victim of identity theft, contact your local police and Federal Trade Commission’s identity theft hotline at 1-877-438-4338 immediately. Information about security freeze and fraud prevention is available at the FTC website.

Visit www.AnthemFacts.com for answers to frequently asked questions about the cyberattack. Current and former BCBSGa members also may call Anthem at 1-877-263-7995.

Updated information from Anthem/ BCBSGa will be posted on the USG HR website at http://tinyurl.com/nob73wz.

Source: University System of Georgia

Most bachelor’s degrees

UGA placed No. 23 in a list of the top 25 institutions that granted the most bachelor’s degrees in 2012.* Other selected universities that made the list are: 1. U. of Phoenix-online 2. Arizona State U. 5. Penn. State U. 7. Texas A&M 8. U. of Texas at Austin 9. U. of Florida 10. Michigan State U. 17. UCLA 23. UGA 25. U. of California at Davis *The most current year for which information is available Source: The Chronicle of Higher Education

Janet Beckley

Georgia Chamber of Commerce, Fanning Institute launch initiative

By Kathleen Cason kcason@uga.edu

The Georgia Chamber of Commerce and UGA’s J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development have partnered to pilot a statewide community leadership development initiative called GeorgiaLEADS in conjunction with the celebration of the chamber’s 100th anniversary, which is being marked this year.

The partnership was announced at the annual Georgia Chamber of Commerce Eggs and Issues Breakfast last month.

GeorgiaLEADS will work with existing community leaders to develop programs specifically tailored to the needs of individual communities. Youth leadership development is expected to be a focus for many communities as one way to strengthen local workforce development efforts. The initiative also will train local program coordinators and

volunteers to ensure that the programs are locally sustainable.

The Fanning Institute, a unit of the Office of Public Service and Outreach, has a long-standing relationship with nearly every county in the state, developing community and youth leaders through training, education and technical assistance.

“Local chambers of commerce have expressed a desire to enhance local leadership programs, knowing that strong leadership is linked to economic and community vitality,” said Matt Bishop, director of the Fanning Institute. “We look forward to working with the Georgia Chamber in support of the GeorgiaLEADS initiative.”

“This initiative is unique because it is community-driven and supported by the private sector,” said Chris Clark, president and CEO of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. “Experts from Fanning will ensure that youth and

HOLMES-HUNTER LECTURE

community leadership programming is tailored to the individual needs of each of the communities. Likewise, the Georgia Chamber is eager to be a partner in GeorgiaLEADS because businesses recognize the importance of strong leadership in communities.”

This year, 10 counties and three regions will serve as pilot communities.

Over the next five years, 30 communities and seven regions are expected to participate. The partnership has identified the following counties as pilot communities: Appling, Bulloch, Carroll, Colquitt, Laurens, Richmond, Sumter, Towns, Troup and Washington counties. In addition, regional leadership development efforts are planned for multi-county areas in middle, southwest and northwest Georgia.

Members of some pilot communities met with Fanning faculty following the Eggs and Issues Breakfast to begin the planning phase of the initiative.

ACADEMIC AFFAIRS National search underway for next head of admissions

By Sam Fahmy

sfahmy@uga.edu

Paul Efland

Glenda Hatchett speaks during the 2015 Holmes-Hunter Lecture in the UGA Chapel.

‘A new story’: Former judge calls for resiliency in face of injustice

By Aaron Hale

aahale@uga.edu

A sermon broke out at the Chapel Feb. 6 as Glenda Hatchett preached the importance of determination in the face of adversity at the 2015 HolmesHunter Lecture.

Hatchett, best-known for her nationally syndicated show Judge Hatchett and now a senior attorney with the Hatchett Firm, delivered a lecture that evoked both laughter and tears from the audience that filled the Chapel. In addition to her popular TV series, Hatchett is a former chief presiding judge of the Fulton County Juvenile Court.

The Holmes-Hunter Lecture at UGA honors Charlayne Hunter-Gault and the late Hamilton Holmes, who became the first African-American students to enroll at UGA in 1961.

Held since 1985, it focuses on race relations, social justice and education with implications for inclusion and diversity.

One of UGA’s Signature Lectures, the Holmes-Hunter Lecture is sponsored by the Office of the President.

Hatchett began her talk by recalling her own experiences with Holmes, who was a next-door neighbor when she grew up in Atlanta. Hatchett said her entire neighborhood was supportive of Holmes’ difficult endeavor to break the color barrier at UGA. Throughout her lecture, which included several stories from her life, Hatchett reiterated the phrase, “The world needs to breathe.” Drawing on past and present inequality and injustice, Hatchett said leadership and a

willingness to understand one another are key components to creating a better world.

One story Hatchett told was of a time in first grade when her class at an all-black school finally was provided books. Hatchett found that pages were torn from the book she had been given.

As it turned out, the school could only provide books discarded from the nearby white school.

The young Hatchett demanded a new book from her teacher, who told her the sad reality: “Glenda, colored children don’t get new books.”

Incensed, Hatchet went to her father that night to call him into action.

As Hatchett recalled, her father told her that the teacher was right. She wouldn’t get any new books that year.

But then he told her, “I want you to sit down with your crayons, and I want you to write your own story.”

Hatchett said she didn’t understand her daddy’s point at the time, “but I get it now.”

“He couldn’t fix the system where colored children couldn’t get new books, but he could fix me,” she said. “He wouldn’t let me linger at the pity party.”

Hatchett directed her final point to the students in the Chapel. She said people will try to tell them that they can’t do things because of their religion, gender, ethnicity or class.

“They’re going to tell you all the reasons you can’t do it,” she said.

Her voice rose into the shout of a preacher: “You tell them, that’s the old story, and that you’ve come to write a new story.”

Pamela Whitten, UGA’s senior vice president for academic affairs and provost, has appointed a committee to begin a national search to fill the position of associate vice president for admissions and enrollment management.

Daniel Nadenicek, dean of the College of Environment and Design, will chair the search committee, which includes faculty, staff and student representatives.

Additional search committee members are Alison Alexander, senior associate dean for academic affairs and professor of telecommunications in the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication and chair of the University Council’s Faculty Admissions Committee; Charles Carabello, associate director of enrollment management in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions; Michelle Garfield Cook, associate provost for institutional diversity; Melinda DeMaria, associate director of admissions in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions; Silvia Giraudo, associate dean for academic programs and associate professor of foods and nutrition in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences; Jessica Hunt, major scholarships coordinator in the Honors Program; Bill McDonald, dean of students; Sierra Runnels, a first-year Foundation Fellow and premed student majoring in international affairs; and Alton Standifer, associate director of orientation and admissions officer in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

The committee will be assisted by the UGA Search Group in Human Resources.

Nancy McDuff, who has headed UGA’s Office of Undergraduate A dmissions since 1995, recently ­ ­announced that she intends to retire June 30 after 20 years of service to UGA and 37 years in higher education.

“Nancy has had an extraordinary impact on the University of Georgia during her two decades of service to this institution,” Whitten said. “The academic qualifications and diversity of our student body have risen dramatically, and they remain on an upward trajectory thanks to the solid foundation that she and her staff have put into place.”

RESEARCH NEWS

columns.uga.edu Feb. 16, 2015

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Digest UGA Campaign for Charities nets more than $400,000 in contributions

Participants in a July 2014 teachers workshop focusing on marine debris sift through the sands of Tybee Island in search of microplastic particles.

‘Plastic everywhere’ UGA Skidaway study finds high marine debris, need for standardized reporting along Georgia coast

By Molly Berg

mberg14@uga.edu

UGA researchers are hoping to find a consistent way to record the marine debris—particularly pieces of plastic— crowding Georgia’s beaches as part of an effort to find a solution for the growing problem.

Marine debris has been washing up on Georgia beaches and uninhabited islands for years. Combating the issue starts with figuring out how big it is, and a new two-part study from the UGA Skidaway Institute of Oceanography and Marine Extension published online in the Marine Pollution Bulletin finds that marine debris reporting can improve if it becomes standardized.

The problem right now is this: A volunteer group goes out and records the weight or volume of the marine debris collected. However, volunteers often don’t record the specific square feet measured or the contents of the debris.

Due to a lack of report standardization, researchers often can’t compare the marine debris, especially plastic fragments, reported by different groups.

“We’ve seen plastic usage go up dramatically,” said study co-author Dodie Sanders, a marine educator and outreach coordinator for UGA Marine

Extension, a unit of the Office of Public Service and Outreach. “It’s an important 21st-century global issue. We need to learn more to better understand the issues of marine debris.”

The study’s lead author Richard F. Lee, professor emeritus with the UGA Skidaway Institute of Oceanography, agrees.

“Plastic debris is created on land and then it goes into rivers, flows into the ocean and washes up on land,” he said.

“We’ve found that plastic debris ends up not only on populated beaches, but on inaccessible islands as well. We’ve found plastic everywhere on the coast.”

The first part of the study gathered debris from 20 sites along Georgia’s coast, including Tybee, Cumberland and Ossabaw islands. The debris was reported from volunteer organizations like Clean Coast, which hold monthly beach and marsh cleanups in Georgia.

“The volunteer groups reported the weight of the debris, though we didn’t know the exact amount of plastic,” Lee said. “Based off the volunteer information we received, we did a follow-up study to more precisely measure the marine debris in a fixed location and period of time.”

The total collected debris ranged from 180 to 1,000 kilograms. The levels

of plastic debris differed at each site over the course of the study, though plastic was consistently among the mix.

Found plastic included plastic bottles, wrappers, food utensils and fragments of fishing gear.

Sanders spearheaded the second part of the study, where she and students collected plastic debris from Skidaway and Wassaw islands over a period of two years. For the fieldwork, Sanders and students visited the islands each month. They took inventory of what kinds of plastics were on specific areas of the coast.

“On about a monthly basis, I would take students to learn about debris and tally all the items on the islands,” Sanders said. “We took areas of 200 meters by 40 meters and recorded the items found.

We also used GPS units to mark what areas we had done.”

Sanders said that since plastic debris is everywhere on the coast, it has to be addressed and reported efficiently to reduce its effects.

“There are proactive and reactive approaches to the issues of marine debris, and both are important,” she said.“We’ve been reactive so far by picking up debris.

The proactive approach is our role in educating the public and researching the negative impacts of marine debris.”

COLLEGE OF PUBLIC HEALTH, FRANKLIN COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES

UGA scientists help sequence bird, crocodilian genomes

By Rebecca Ayer alea@uga.edu

Using new computational methods developed by UGA researchers Liang Liu, Travis Glenn and others, an international team of scientists has shed light on an obscure period of avian evolution and further untangled the bird family tree.

Members of theAvian Phylogenomics Consortium, composed of 200 researchers from 80 institutions and 20 countries, have sequenced and analyzed the genomes of 48 species of birds and three species of crocodiles to better understand the fundamental evolutionary events that led to feathers, flight and song.

The consortium simultaneously published 28 papers—eight papers in a special issue of Science and 20 more in Genome Biology, GigaScience and other journals.

Glenn, an associate professor of

environmental health science in the College of Public Health; Liu, an assistant professor in the statistics department and the Institute of Bioinformatics in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences; and John Finger Jr., a doctoral student in the Interdisciplinary Toxicology Program and the College of Public Health, were co-authors on two of the eight papers published in Science.

The first of these two papers,“Whole genome analyses resolve the early branches to the tree of life of modern birds,” creates the most reliable tree of life for birds to date.

Statistical tools developed by Liu were used to analyze the genome-scale DNA sequences at the center of this new research.These new methods provide more robust results than traditional approaches.

Along with revealing the evolutionary relationships of major groups of birds, the team also showed that protein-coding

DNA, long thought to be among the best regions to use for such research, actually is biased and thus indicates the wrong relationships. Ultraconserved elements, or UCEs, and introns—­ nonprotein coding DNA strands—­ produce much more reliable results.

In the second Science paper, “Three crocodilian genomes reveal ancestral patterns of evolution among archosaurs,” Glenn, Finger and colleagues also used UCEs to compare the rate of molecular evolution of all major groups of tetrapods, the superclass of four-limbed vertebrates that includes amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals.

The team’s findings not only revealed that crocodilians evolved at remarkably slower rates compared to other tetrapods, but allowed the researchers to reconstruct the genome of the ­archosaurs, the early ancestors of birds, crocodiles and dinosaurs.

UGA faculty and staff generously supported the annual Campaign for Charities by contributing $403,707.92 in donations and pledges.

The contributions were made by 1,981 faculty and staff from Oct. 9 until Dec. 15, 2014, and this is the ninth consecutive year that donations have surpassed $400,000.

“It was such an honor to serve as chair of the Campaign for Charities,” said Charles N. Davis, the chairman of this year’s Campaign for Charities and dean of Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication. “The commitment and dedication of so many people across the university make this campaign special. Helping others—particularly during the holiday season—allows us all to give back to the community we love so much, in ways that resonate far beyond campus.”

The annual Campaign for Charities is part of the State Charitable Contributions program, which features more than 1,300 organizations that are eligible to receive donations.

Terry Leadership Speaker Series to feature Los Angeles lawyer

Chris Brearton, a partner in the Los Angeles firm Latham & Watkins’ entertainment, sports and media practice, will speak Feb. 20 at 10:10 a.m. at the Chapel.

Sponsored by the Terry College of Business Institute for Leadership Advancement, the program is open free to the public. It is part of the Terry Leadership Speaker Series.

Recognized as a leading lawyer in both the entertainment and sports law fields, Brearton advises motion picture studios, independent producers, financial institutions, investment funds, television networks and sports organizations. He counsels clients in transactions ranging from the creation of strategic alliances and complex commercial licensing arrangements to project financing and industry specific mergers and acquisitions.

Brearton graduated from the Terry College of Business in 1992 and from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1998. He was formerly a certified public accountant with KPMG in Los Angeles.

The speaker series brings well-known leaders to UGA. In these student-oriented forums, leaders are asked to discuss their unique leadership styles and experiences.

WUGA-FM to hold benefit Feb. 21

As part of its Artists-in-Residence series, WUGA-FM (91.7 and 97.9) will hold a benefit Feb. 21 from 3-5 p.m. at the home of awardwinning architect Lori Bork Newcomer.

The series highlights the artists and designers whose work has contributed to and improved culture in Athens. Newcomer is the architect who designed several of the mid-century modern homes that have been built on Pulaski Street and elsewhere. She specializes in unique, energy-efficient homes that use sustainable and local materials whenever possible.

Newcomer’s home at 150 Pulaski Heights won an award from the Athens branch of the U.S. Green Building Council. Those attending the benefit will see the many green—and beautiful— features of her home.

In addition to a tour of the home, Pratt Cassity, director of public service and outreach at the College of Environment and Design, will speak briefly at 4 p.m. about Newcomer’s award-winning work.

Admission, which includes refreshments, is $15, $10 for Friends of WUGA. Friends memberships are $30 or more annually.

Because of limited parking, attendees are encouraged to walk or park at First Christian Church of Athens, 268 W. Dougherty St., and take a shuttle to Newcomer’s house.

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.

EXHIBITIONS

UGAGUIDE

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.

Creatures in the Garden. Through March 8. State Botanical Garden.

The Life and Work of Alice Fischer, Cultural Pioneer.

Through March 8. Boone and George-Ann Knox Gallery II, Georgia Museum of Art. A Year on the Hill: Work by Jim Fiscus and Chris Bilheimer. Through March 8. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-9078, mlachow@uga.edu.

Chaos and Metamorphosis: The Art of Piero Lerda.

Though May 10. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-1817, hazbrown@uga.edu.

“OC” Carlisle Solo Art. Through May 11. Candler Hall.

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, FEBRUARY 16 HEALTH SCREENINGS UGA students can get a free cholesterol screening and blood pressure check Feb. 16-19 from 8 a.m. to noon and 1-3 p.m. There is a $10 fee for nonfees paid students, UGA faculty or staff members, spouses and domestic partners. Participants must be fasting, having had no food or drink other than water after midnight the night before. Check-in is at registration. University Health Center.

706-542-8690, bbingeman@uhs.uga.edu.

PRESIDENTS DAY Classes in session; offices open.

FILM The Paw Project. Part of the Animal Voices Film Festival. The Paw Project documentary is an against-all-odds story of a grassroots movement to protect cats, both large and small, from the effects of declawing and how the movement has prevailed, despite the efforts of well-funded professional veterinary associations. Sponsored by Speak Out for Species. 7:30 p.m. 101 Miller Learning Center.

706-224-3796, sos@uga.edu.

‘THE POWER OF THE “N” WORD’* A panel of professionals on interpersonal communication, African-American studies and student life will facilitate an open discussion on the “N” word—its usage, and its past, present and future relevance. The event is sponsored by University Housing, Myers Community. 8 p.m. Programming Room, Myers Hall.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17 WORKSHOP “Feedback Exercises for a Dynamic Classroom.”

2 p.m. Reading Room, Miller Learning Center.

706-583-0067, tchagood@uga.edu.

ECOLOGY SEMINAR “Interactions Between Climate Change and Biological Invasions,” Franck Courchamp, senior researcher at the National Research Center, Paris.

Reception precedes seminar in lobby. 4 p.m. Ecology building auditorium. 706-542-7247, bethgav@uga.edu.

VOICES FROM THE VANGUARD LECTURE “Communication as a Public Health Tool: Difficulties, Realities, Possibilities,” Glen Nowak, director of the Center for Health and Risk Communication.

Nowak will give his perspective on communication as a public health tool. 5:30 p.m. Chapel.

706-542-1210, pthomas@uga.edu.

BLACK HISTORY MONTH DINNER* An evening with dinner and an awards ceremony featuring the recipients of the Lillian C. Lynch Citation and the Larry D. and Brenda A. Thompson Award. $15-$55. 6 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-0830.

MEN’S BASKETBALL vs. South Carolina. To be televised on the SEC Network. $15. 7 p.m. Stegeman Coliseum.

706-542-1231.

BLACK IN AMERICA TOUR* Journalist Soledad O’Brien will highlight and discuss recent race-related events and show clips from some of her documentaries and pertinent news stories. To be followed by a panel discussion on race and law enforcement. $5, free for students with valid UGACards who pay activity fees on the Athens campus. 7 p.m. Grand Hall, Tate Student Center. 706-542-5773, meganrp@uga.edu.

CONCERT The Hugh Hodgson School of Music University Chorus will present its first concert of the new year.

8 p.m. Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall. 706-542-4752, musicpr@uga.edu.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18

the Guerrilla Girls, and ­Romaine Brooks, former Guerrilla Girl. Sponsored by the Willson Center for Humanities and Arts. 5:30 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-9078, mlachow@uga.edu.

ASH WEDNESDAY Christian religious observance.

CLASS “Best Practices for Accommodating Students and Employees with Disabilities.” This class, co-presented by UGA’s Equal Opportunity Office and Disability Resource Center, is open to all UGA faculty and staff. Register at http://www.hr.uga.edu/ training. 9 a.m. Training and Development Center.

706-542-4150, cnorins@uga.edu.

WORKSHOP “Creating Content for a Flipped Classroom: Getting Started with Screencast-O-Matic.” In this hands-on workshop, participants will focus on ScreencastO-Matic, an affordable screen capture tool that allows instructors to record the screen and webcam and edit the created video. Participants will learn how to create short videos in Screencast-O-Matic, edit ­videos and add captions. Participants also will d­ iscuss best practices for creating engaging content. 10:30 a.m. 372 Miller Learning Center. ­706-583-0067, tchagood@uga.edu.

BLACK HISTORY MONTH COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECT* This is one of the three community service opportunities being offered by Multicultural Services and Programs and the Center for Leadership and Service’s Service Ambassadors during Black ­History Month. The service projects will take place at Brooklyn Cemetery, one of the first African-­ American cemeteries in Athens. Participants can depart from the Center for Leadership and Service​ at 2:45 p.m., and return by 5:15 p.m. Those interested should sign up through UGAin, UGA’s Involvement Network. Brooklyn Cemetery, West Lake Drive. ­dannyb@uga.edu.

UNIVERSITY COUNCIL MEETING 3:30 p.m. Tate Student Center Theatre.

706-542-6020, hathcote@uga.edu.

FILM A free screening of Cafeteria Man will be shown in connection to the Food, Power, Politics: The Story of School Lunch exhibit. 6:30 p.m. Second floor auditorium, special collections libraries.

706-542-5788, jlevinso@uga.edu.

2ND THURSDAY CONCERT Faculty member and International Tchaikovsky Competition winner Evgeny Rivkin will bring his sensitive touch to the brand new Steinway piano for this performance. $18; $5 for UGA students.

7:30 p.m. Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall.

706-542-4752, musicpr@uga.edu.

Performing Arts Center to present comic musicians Mnozil Brass

By Bobby Tyler btyler@uga.edu

The UGA Performing Arts Center will present Mnozil Brass Feb. 24 at 8 p.m. in Hodgson Concert Hall. The Austrian band features classically trained musicians who combine musical virtuosity with a theatrical wit that has been compared to Monty Python.

Tickets for the Mnozil Brass concert are $25-$35 and are discounted for UGA students.

Tickets can be purchased at the Performing Arts Center box office, online at pac.uga.edu or by calling 706-542-4400.

Mnozil Brass began 20 years ago in a small tavern in Vienna called the Mnozil Inn, across the road from the music academy, where the friends got together for informal jams.

“We entertained in pubs, and we have brought that experience onstage,” said trumpeter Thomas Gansch.

The band now tours throughout world, performing up to 130 shows a year.

Mnozil Brass is a big hit on YouTube where the group’s humorous videos have attracted millions of viewers. The most popular video is “Lonely Boy,” in which band member Leonhard Paul simultaneously plays two trumpets with his hands and works two trombone slides with his feet.

ICON SEMINAR “Farm to School: An Overview from USDA’s National Director,” Deborah Kane, UGA alumna and USDA Farm to School national director. 4 p.m. Ecology building auditorium. katieb42@uga.edu.

SCREENING* The Nature of Change: Peabody Awards Collection Black History Month Screening Series–Part II. To feature Martin Luther King, a documentary broadcast that followed King and the SCLC for three months as they planned the Poor People’s Campaign. The program also follows King on his detour to Memphis and through his assassination. 4:30 p.m. 348 Miller Learning Center.

404-969-7183, mikalan@uga.edu.

CONCERT The UGA Collegium Musicum will perform. 6 p.m.

Ramsey Concert Hall, Performing Arts Center.

706-542-4752, musicpr@uga.edu.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19 EXHIBITION OPENING 925,000 Campsites: The Commodification of an American Experience. Through March 27. Opening reception and lecture by landscape architect Martin Hogue, Feb. 26 at 5 p.m. Jackson Street Building, 285 S. Jackson St. (See story at right).

CLASS This class, open to all UGA faculty and staff, will discuss the university’s Sexual Assault Response Team Protocol for responding to disclosures of sexual violence and sexual assault by students or other university community members. Register at http://www.hr.uga.edu/training. 9 a.m. Training and Development Center. 706-542-4150, cnorins@uga.edu.

CHOW AND CHAT* A discussion series to encourage dialogue about significant issues affecting students, staff and faculty of UGA, with an emphasis on topics impacting people of color. Noon. 473 Tate Student Center.

UGA’S DESEGREGATION: A STUDENT PERSPECTIVE* Fifty-four years since the integration of UGA, the university has made progress in championing a more diverse and inclusive campus climate. Charles Orgbon III, an Office of Institutional Diversity student worker, will present UGA’s desegregation in a way that tells a compelling story but also leaves the audience feeling a part of the movement to further UGA’s race relations dialogue. 4 p.m. Reading Room, Miller Learning Center. 706-583-8195, corgbon@uga.edu.

GUEST LECTURE Randy Borman is a conservationist and chief of territories for the Ecuadorian Cofan tribe. He will deliver a talk titled “An Amazon Contribution to Global Survival.” 4 p.m. Chapel. davemarr@uga. edu. (See story, page 1).

PANEL DISCUSSION Neysa Page-Lieberman, curator of Not Ready to Make Nice: Guerrilla Girls in the Artworld and ­Beyond and director and curator of the department of exhibitions, performance and student spaces at Columbia College, Chicago, will lead a discussion with Frida Kahlo, founding and ­current member of

Calendar items are taken from Columns files and from the university’s Master Calendar, maintained by 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/.

UNIVERSITY THEATRE PERFORMANCE Mein Kampf. Also to be performed Feb. 20-21 and 24-28 at 8 p.m. with a March 1 matinee performance at 2:30 p.m. $16, $12 for students.

Cellar Theatre, Fine Arts Building. (See bottom story at left).

FILM Pan’s Labyrinth (2006) will be shown. $2; $1 for UGA students who pay activity fees. 8 p.m. Tate Student Center Theatre. 706-542-6396.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20 TERRY LEADERSHIP SPEAKER SERIES LECTURE Chris Brearton, a partner in the Los Angeles firm Latham & Watkins’ entertainment, sports and media practice, will speak. 10:10 a.m. Chapel.

(See Digest, page 3).

WOMEN’S STUDIES FRIDAY SPEAKER LECTURE “Victimized for Being Different: Bullying Victimization of Young Women with Disabilities,” Caroline McNicholas, a doctoral student in the UGA health promotion and behavior department, and Pamela Orpinas, a professor of health promotion and behavior in the College of Public Health.

12:20 p.m. 148 Miller Learning Center.

706-542-2846, tlhat@uga.edu.

FILM Interstellar (2014) will be shown Feb. 20-22 at 3, 6 and 9 p.m. $2; $1 for UGA students who pay activity fees. Tate Student Center Theatre.

706-542-6396.

Atlanta Symphony Orchestra to perform

Circle Gallery will host nationally touring exhibit

btyler@uga.edu

mtufts@uga.edu

By Bobby Tyler

By Melissa Tufts

The UGA Performing Arts Center will present the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Feb. 22 at 3 p.m. in Hodgson Concert Hall.

Music director Robert Spano will conduct the concert, which will feature guest violinist Midori performing Schumann’s Violin Concerto. The program also will include Mendelssohn’s Overture to A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Wagner’s Prelude and “Good Friday Spell” from Parsifal and Prelude to Act One of Die Meistersinger.

Tickets for the Atlanta Symphony concert are $25-$67 and are discounted for UGA students. Tickets can be purchased at the Performing Arts Center box office, online at pac.uga.edu or by calling 706-542-4400.

Midori is recognized as one of the classical music world’s most gifted performers.

The Circle Gallery in the College of Environment and Design is hosting 925,000 Campsites: The Commodification of an American Experience by landscape architect Martin Hogue Feb. 19 through March 27.A reception and lecture by Hogue will be held Feb. 26 at 5 p.m.The gallery and lecture hall are located in the Jackson Street Building, 285 S. Jackson St. This exhibit, which examines the design and use of campsites in the U.S., is comprised of drawings, photographs and scholarly research that portray graphically the evolution of camping in America. Particular emphasis lies in campsite symbols, structures and character as well as infrastructure and cultural relevance.

Open free to the public, the gallery is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and by appointment.

University Theatre’s ‘Mein Kampf’ to take on Adolf Hitler as failed artist

By Aaron Kelly

aaronlk@uga.edu

University Theatre will present the bold farce Mein Kampf, written

by George Tabori, the son of a Holocaust survivor, Feb. 19-21 and 24-28 at 8 p.m. with a matinee performance March 1 at 2:30 p.m. in the Fine Arts Building’s Cellar Theatre.

Tickets are $16, $12 for students and may be purchased online at www.drama.uga.edu/box-office, by phone at 706-542-4400 or at the Performing Arts Center box office or the Tate Student Center ticket window.

In conjunction with this production, the UGA departments of theatre and film studies and German and Slavic studies will host the international symposium “George Tabori and the Theatre of the Holocaust” Feb. 26-28. Scholars and performers from around the world will gather in Athens for this interdisciplinary event, which is open free to the public. More information and a schedule of speakers and performances is at www.drama.uga.edu/event/tabori.

Directed by UGA alumnus Del Hamilton, co-founder of 7 Stages Theatre Company in Atlanta, the Mein Kampf production will move to Atlanta for a run March 12-14 at 8 p.m. and March 15 at 5 p.m. at 7 Stages.

Mein Kampf portrays Adolf Hitler as a young, struggling artist secretly yearning to take over the world and whose life is changed by a chance encounter with a Jewish Bible seller. This story is inspired by actual events, as Hamilton notes.

The production, like Tabori’s script, draws on Bertolt Brecht’s distancing techniques to encourage audiences to take a step back from the characters and action to think about what is occurring on the stage. This includes the many jokes and dark humor of the play as well as breaks from reality into a more exaggerated tone of an ominous dream.

POLITICAL SCIENCE COLLOQUIUM “The Anatomy of Government Failure: ­Substance, ­Process and Behavior,” Michael Munger, a ­political science professor at Duke University.

3:30 p.m. 302 Baldwin Hall. 706-542-2057, jmaltese@uga.edu.

OPENING RECEPTION This program and reception will celebrate the Pennington Radio Collection, which includes Golden Age radios and related artifacts. The collection is now on exhibit. Jay Hamilton, an associate professor at the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, will discuss radio as a disruptive technology in the early 20th century.

3:30 p.m. 271 special collections libraries.

BASEBALL vs. Florida State. First of three-game series. $5-$8. 5 p.m. Foley Field. 706-542-1231.

90 CARLTON: WINTER The Friends of the Georgia Museum of Art will present a reception featuring the winter ­exhibitions. Participants will enjoy light ­refreshments, gallery activities, door prizes and “Ask the ­Experts.” RSVP to gmoarsvp@uga.edu or ­706-542-4199. $5; free for members.

5:30 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-9078, mlachow@uga.edu.

AFRICA NIGHT 2015* Also to be held Feb. 21 at 7 p.m. Africa Night is a night of rich and vibrant cultural display that includes a play, music, dance, fashion show and a taste of foods that emerge from a rich continent. $7-$12. 7 p.m. Morton Theatre, 195 W. Washington St. GYMNASTICS vs. Alabama. To be televised on the SEC Network. $10; $6 for youth. 7 p.m.

Stegeman Coliseum.

706-542-1231.

4&5

CLASS “Watercolor Painting Inspired By Nature.” Also to meet Feb. 22 at noon. $160. 9 a.m. Gardenside Room, State Botanical Garden 706-542-6156, ckeber@uga.edu.

UGA MIRACLE DANCE MARATHON To benefit Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. This is a 24-hour event that will start Feb. 21 at 10 a.m. and end Feb. 22 at 10 a.m. Grand Hall, Tate Student Center.

EXHIBITION OPENING Small Truths: Pierre Daura’s Life and Vision.

Through April 19. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-1817, hazbrown@uga.edu.

EXHIBITION OPENING Pierre Daura (1896-1976): Picturing Attachments.

Through April 19. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-1817, hazbrown@uga.edu.

WUGA-FM’S ARTISTS-IN-RESIDENCE BENEFIT To feature architect Lori Bork Newcomer. To benefit WUGA-FM 91.7/97.9 FM. Parking at First Christian Church of Athens. $15; $10 for Friends of WUGA. 3 p.m. 150 Pulaski Heights.

706-542-9842, thaxtona@uga.edu. (See Digest, page 3).

WOMEN’S TENNIS vs. Georgia Tech. 4 p.m. Dan Magill Tennis Complex. 706-542-1621.

PANEL DISCUSSION* “The State of the Black Church.” Faith leaders from the Athens area will discuss strategies and structures to uplift the community and to challenge the minds of UGA students. The event is sponsored by the Institute for African American Studies, the Black Affairs Council, the National Pan-Hellenic Council and J. Ricardo Smith Ministries. 4 p.m. Mahler Hall, Georgia Center.

BASEBALL vs. Florida State. Second of three-game series. $5-$8. 4:30 p.m. Foley Field. 706-542-1231.

UNITY BALL* This annual formal event celebrates and promotes diversity and the unity of the campus community.

The event is sponsored by the Black Affairs Council. 7 p.m. M. Smith Griffith Grand Hall, Georgia Museum of Art.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22 BASEBALL vs. Florida State. Third of three-game series. $5-$8. 1 p.m. Foley Field. 706-542-1231.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL vs. Auburn. $5; $3 for youth. 2 p.m. Stegeman Coliseum.

CONCERT Midori, one of the world’s most famous violinists, joins music director Robert Spano and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra for Schumann’s Violin Concerto. $25-$67. 3 p.m. Hodgson Concert Hall, Performing Arts Center. 706-542-4400, ugaarts@uga.edu. (See story at left).

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23 WORKSHOP “Encouraging Collaboration with Blogs.” In this workshop, participants will discuss blogging as a way to facilitate student collaboration and group work. 10:30 a.m. 372 Miller Learning Center.

706-583-0067, tchagood@uga.edu.

WEEK OF SOUL KICKOFF* Students can participate in activities and games and enjoy free food. 11 a.m. Tate Student Center concourse.

SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS LECTURE “Management Intensive Grazing Rapidly Increases Soil Organic Matter,” Aaron Thompson, an associate professor in crop and soil sciences. 3:35 p.m.

103 Conner Hall. 706-542-8084, sustainag@uga.edu.

FILM Live and Let Live. Part of the Animal Voices Film Festival. Sponsored by Speak Out for Species. 7:30 p.m. 101 Miller Learning Center. ­706-224-3796, sos@uga.edu.

UGA OPERA THEATRE L’Amico Fritz. Also to be performed Feb. 21 at 8 p.m. and Feb. 22 at 3 p.m. $18; $5 with a UGACard. 8 p.m.

Fine Arts Theatre, Fine Arts Building.

706-542-4752, musicpr@uga.edu.

CONCERT Established by Levon Ambartsumian during his years as professor of violin at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory, ARCO has been based at UGA since 1995, where Ambartsumian is Franklin Professor of Violin at the Hugh Hodgson School of Music. $20. 8 p.m. Hodgson Concert Hall, Performing Arts Center. 706-542-4400, ugaarts@uga.edu.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21

COMING UP

CLASS “Native Plant Propagation.” Participants will learn the basics of propagating native wildflowers and shrubs by seeds, cuttings and division. $50. 9 a.m. Mimsie Lanier Center for Native Plant Studies, State Botanical Garden. 706-542-6156, ckeber@uga.edu.

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 Feb. 16, 2015

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.

PERFORMANCE Feb. 24. Mnozil Brass. $25-$35. 8 p.m. Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall, Performing Arts Center.

706-542-4400, ugaarts@uga.edu. (See story, above left). *PART OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH AT UGA

NEXT COLUMNS DEADLINES Feb. 18 (for March 2 issue) Feb. 25 (for March 9 issue) March 4 (for March 16 issue)

6 Feb. 16, 2015 columns.uga.edu

CAMPUS CLOSEUP

Feeling hot, hot, hot

After federal scientists announced last month that Earth’s warmest year on record was 2014, UGA’s Marshall Shepherd was quoted in an article

by USA Today.

Shepherd, the UGA Athletic Association Professor in the Social Sciences and 2013 president of the American Meteorological Society, told the newspaper that people younger than 29 have yet to experience one month where the average temperature was cooler than the 20th-century average.

“That’s a new normal that is a result of human activities on top of the natural varying climate that has global temperature trends moving very quickly towards a 1-2 degrees Celsius increase,” he said.

Fast feedback

Following the release and airing of McDonald’s “signs” commercial, which highlights McDonald’s signs throughout the country over time, USA Today wrote about the feedback on the fast food giant’s messages. The commercial included images ranging from birth announcements to messages about remembering 9/11 or saying “Boston Strong.”

The article quoted UGA’s Piyush Kumar, an associate professor in the Terry College of Business, about how the McDonald’s commercial is being received.

“McDonald’s has gotten a lot of bad press over the past year, and they are trying to create an image that says ‘we care,’ ” Kumar said. “The problem is that some wonder what McDonald’s has to do with these national tragedies.”

Unbanking it

Mehrsa Baradaran, an associate professor in the School of Law, was quoted in an article about Walmart’s Direct2Cash program, which will allow people to pick up their state and federal tax refunds in cash at its stores across the country, According to the Huffington Post piece, Walmart is helping to solve issues for the 10 million U.S. households that don’t use banks. Baradaran said that many unbanked Americans, who typically are low-income, often rely on check-cashing services that can be expensive or they borrow against their expected tax returns at “usurious” rates.

“Walmart is definitely doing more for the unbanked than the government at this point,” Baradaran said.

Baradaran added that in an ideal scenario, a government agency such as the U.S. Post Office would offer this service.

Rising right

An article on Mashable highlighted the increased activity of the European populist far-right political parties following the January attacks in Paris. The article focuses on various groups, all with a central theme of anti-Islamic rhetoric, despite coming from different places politically.

UGA’s Cas Mudde, an associate professor in the School of Public and International Affairs and author of Populist Radical Right Parties in Europe, told the website that “The basis of the ideology of Front National and other far right parties is nativism—the idea that a state should be inhabited by members of one nation—and that everyone else...is seen as a threat.”

Mudde also said that many of the parties grew out of nationalist subcultures, some that were linked to fascist movements, others that were connected to mainstream parties like the Conservatives.

Paul Efland

Forrest Bridges, information technology director in the College of Engineering, has been working with engineering students since before the college was formed.

IT director helps support College of Engineering students, faculty

By Matt Chambers mattdc@uga.edu

For Forrest Bridges, the year 2000 didn’t just mark the change on the calendar, it also marked a change in his career path.

Bridges had been working at a forestry company leading up to Y2K and “got stuck doing information technology stuff” despite his background in forestry and business.

“It all just kind of spun from there,” said Bridges, who now is IT director in the College of Engineering. “I just kept going with IT. I was always interested in IT anyway, but my job changed then to become fully IT.” Now, the Auburn, Alabama, native is responsible for handling anything and everything computer related in the College of Engineering. He supervises three full-time staff members in addition to four student workers.

“What I do depends on the day,” Bridges said. “One of the main things is that we have to make sure all our classrooms are up and running and that our faculty are able to conduct their research.”

To ensure that teaching and research are performed without any IT issues, Bridges works with firewalls and

networks, manages the virtual computer lab and coordinates technology efforts for a college that is spread out in various places around campus.

“It’s always something different going on,” Bridges said.“I’m just trying to make the best user experience for our students.”

Bridges has been working with engineering students since before the college was formed. He said he’s seen “a heck of a lot of growth during the years.” During that growth, he’s launched the college’s virtual computer labs to give students easier access to the programs they need.

He’s also put in place more automation for computer maintenance to avoid interfering with teaching and research.

“When I started here, we had fewer than 200 students. Now we’ve got a lot more,” he said. “It’s been challenging, but we put things in place six years ago to prepare for the growth we’re having.”

For Bridges, troubleshooting is the best part of working in IT. He said he loves the challenges that come with working with technology to determine what’s gone wrong.

Outside of the office, Bridges leaves technology behind for long runs. A frequent half marathon participant, he loves to run around campus and on the Oconee River Greenway in town.

FACTS

Forrest Bridges Information Technology Director College of Engineering M.A., Forestry, Auburn University, 1997 B.S., Forestry, Auburn University, 1995 B.S., Business Finance, Auburn University, 1992 At UGA: Eight years

“It’s a good time to get away and have no phone, email or whatever,” he said.“It’s just me and Mother Nature.”

Bridges also has a passion for British cars. He enjoys driving a 1976 Triumph Spitfire that he did a total restoration on.

Just like the car, Bridges knows that keeping the technology in the College of Engineering running requires constant attention. He is keeping an eye on class size growth to determine better ways to serve both current and future engineering students.

“That’s my No. 1 priority: Our students and their labs,” he said. “They have to be working because we’re here to educate our students, and if our labs are not working, then it’s hampering their educational experience.”

ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES

Finance and Administration welcomes 3 senior administrators

By Stephanie Schupska schupska@uga.edu

Finance and Administration recently filled three key leadership positions, and each of the new hires brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise as well as an eagerness to provide exceptional service to the university.

Robert Holden was appointed associate vice president for auxiliary services, effective Nov. 17; James Shore became senior associate vice president for finance and administration on Feb. 1; and Juan Jarrett has been named associate vice president for human resources, effective April 1.

Holden has 30 years of experience spanning academic and private industry.

Prior to his appointment at UGA, he was director of auxiliary business services for the University of California, San Diego.

Holden’s new responsibilities include the coordination and advancement of the

Robert Holden

James Shore

Auxiliary Services Division. He provides leadership and direction for seven of its operations—UGA Food Services, UGA Parking Services, Campus Transit, the UGA Bookstore, Bulldog Bucks, the UGA Golf Course and Vending Services.

Shore previously served as assistant vice president for budget and financial planning at Wake Forest University.

He had more than 11 years of financial administration experience at Wake Forest while serving as a budget analyst, a senior financial management analyst and as head of the university’s Office of Budget and Financial Planning.

As UGA’s budget director, Shore is responsible for the coordination and advancement of the university’s budget planning, development and management proJuan Jarrett cesses. His additional responsibilities involve supporting UGA’s teaching, research, public service and student life missions and facilitating operational duties within Finance and Administration.

Jarrett currently is completing his duties as chief human resources officer for the University of Massachusetts Amherst. As associate vice president for human resources, Jarrett will be responsible for the coordination and advancement of the university’s broad spectrum of human resources programs and services critically important to faculty, staff, students and retirees.

DIVISION OF DEVELOPMENT AND ALUMNI RELATIONS

columns.uga.edu Feb. 16, 2015

‘Opportunity for growth’

7

Vice president leads university’s efforts to increase endowment

By Aaron Hale

aahale@uga.edu

Kelly Kerner, UGA’s vice president for development and alumni relations, described having something like an “out-of-body” experience on his first day driving to work down Lumpkin Street in July.

“Five months before, I knew almost nothing about this university, and now I’m driving to work in this beautiful place at one of the great universities in the world,” Kerner said. “The gravity of the situation and what it meant to me personally and professionally was heady.”

The inspiration from that first trip to his office in the administration building hasn’t really left. It’s a good thing too, because that kind of enthusiasm is essential in his position.

Kerner is the man in charge of leading UGA’s comprehensive campaign—to raise no less than $1 billion—and creating a new culture of giving for the university.

UGA President Jere W. Morehead stressed the importance of this goal Jan. 21 at the State of the University address.

“The long-term success of the university also will be determined by our ability to increase private support,” Morehead said.

The effort to achieve the lofty fundraising goal, Kerner said, must start with a belief in the university’s mission of teaching, research and service.

“What we’re doing is really getting the opportunity to change lives,” he said.

A big transition

Kerner came to UGA from Bowdoin College, a small liberal arts college in Brunswick, Maine, with a 2013 endowment of more than $1 billion.

Aside from the differences in annual snowfall, the transition from New England to the South and from a liberal arts college to a public land-grant institution wasn’t as jarring as one might think.

Kerner said he probably is conditioned to be adaptable. As a child, his family moved from one place to another for his father’s job.

“Because of the sort of vagabond lifestyle we were living, I never really felt like any place was home,” he said. “We try to make home wherever we are.”

Kerner also acknowledged the support he’s received from his family.

“My wife, daughter and son have been unbelievable in this transition,” he said.

When it comes to the transition in jobs, Kerner said he already feels at home.

Paul Efland

Kelly Kerner, UGA’s vice president for development and alumni relations, is the man in charge of leading UGA’s comprehensive campaign—to raise no less than $1 billion—and creating a new culture of giving for the university.

“I actually feel like the day-to-day work is very similar (to Bowdoin College),” Kerner said. “Now, it’s just on a much bigger and more complicated scale.”

Kerner credits the smooth transition to a strong foundation established before he arrived at the Division of Development and Alumni Relations.

An outsider’s perspective

One of the advantages of bringing an outsider such as Kerner to UGA is that he brings fresh ideas to the university. Those ideas are especially valuable when they come from someone with a proven track-record of working with successful fundraising organizations.

Kerner sees his newcomer status as a counterweight to the rich institutional knowledge of other top administrators, including the president.

“I think any time you have a leadership team, balance is important,” Kerner said.

It goes both ways. While Kerner is pushing new ideas at UGA, he said he often goes to administrators steeped in UGA tradition when institutional knowledge is needed.

WEEKLY READER

Essays focus on strategic intelligence

Essentials of Strategic Intelligence Edited by Loch K. Johnson Praeger Security Studies Hardcover: $66; Paperback: $44

Essentials of Strategic Intelligence, a collection of 22 essays gathered and edited by Loch K. Johnson, Regents Professor of Public and International Affairs in the UGA School of Public and International Affairs, presents the findings and recommendations of leading authorities on the subject of strategic intelligence in the U.S. and abroad.

The topics include a close look at the controversial National Security Agency and its bulk metadata intelligence collection activities; an examination of the circumstances behind the intelligence failures related to the 9/11 attacks and suspected weapons of mass destruction in Iraq; probes into the most aggressive aspect of intelligence activity, CIA drone attacks and other forms of “covert action”; and evaluations of efforts to craft safeguards against the abuse of secret power in democratic societies.

Meeting UGA’s goals

Examining the UGA fundraising landscape, Kerner said there already are positive signs in place. Last year, the university raised $126 million.

“It shows great progress from where we came,” he said. “But when you look at all of the opportunities we have at the university to grow our revenue, that number could be a lot bigger.”

To increase these opportunities, Kerner initiated a reorganization of the development staff. The framework of the reorganization sought to clarify roles and build teams around the goal of greater effectiveness.

Kerner said he has focused on rebuilding and reorganizing a top-line structure in the division, which included the hiring of Jay Stroman as senior associate vice president for development and alumni relations. Kerner also promoted Meredith Gurley Johnson to executive director of the UGA Alumni Association.

Establishing the connections needed to raise the level of giving begins with the division’s ability to reach out to students and graduates of the university.

“If we do a good job engaging our alumni,

they’re more likely to be open to the idea of giving,” Kerner said. “I see alumni relations as the connective tissue for the group.”

Opportunity beckons

“Now that I’ve been here for six months, it’s blatantly clear,” Kerner said. “We have great opportunity for growth. If we can just execute on a few basic principles, we can see that growth become part of the nature of how we work.”

However, it will take some patience as the university prepares to reach its potential. While Kerner expects the university to raise more money this year than it did last, he estimated that it might take a few years before UGA gets the kind of fundraising traction it wants.

Until then, Kerner’s strategy has been to move the pieces into place and to try to get the university’s faculty, staff and alumni motivated to reach the goals.

“We have to believe that we’re one of the great universities in the world because we are,” he said. “Our aspirations are only limited by the hours in our day. Each individual’s effort is essential to the greatness of the institution.”

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 Janet Beckley Photo Editor Paul Efland Senior Reporter Aaron Hale Reporter Matt Chambers

Stice Lab site revamped

Copy Editor David Bill

http://www.stice.uga.edu/

An updated website for the Stice Lab features a new focus on past and current research.

The site has research highlights, the story of the lab as well as background on Steven Stice,

Regenerative Bioscience Center director and Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar.

The website also has areas dedicated to the lab’s partners and team members.

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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8 Feb. 16, 2015 columns.uga.edu TECHNOLOGY

from page 1 Fund, nearly half of college students reported that the cost of textbooks impacts how many and which courses students take each semester.

CTL also helps professors incorporate the latest technology into the classroom through its Learning Technology Grants.

ChanMin Kim, an assistant professor in the College of Education, is leading a project across several departments funded by a Learning Technology Grant that incorporates robotics technology into the classroom.

“The aim is to help teachers learn to use robotics for teaching science, technology, engineering and mathematics,” said Kim, whose work includes creating a website to offer open education resources like STEM lesson plans using robots and video presentations.

“This project exemplifies how technology can be used as a motivating, engaging tool for learning and performance.”

Because of the infrastructure put in place by Enterprise Information Technology Services at UGA, professors have many different avenues to reach students, whether in their classrooms, in their homes or across the globe.

Louise Wicker, a professor and coordinator for the non-thesis master of food technology program in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, said the Blackboard Collaborate Web conferencing tool enables working professionals as far away as New York—including leaders at McDonald’s and Arby’s—to access lectures.

WRITERS

from page 1 rights movement.

• Paul Hemphill, author of The Nashville Sound, which is being reissued by the UGA Press and recounts the clash between traditional country music and the 1960s invasion of pop performers. Hemphill focused on the blue-collar South, and his subjects touched on NASCAR racing, country music, college football and the region’s long struggle for racial equality and justice.

• Janisse Ray, author of Drifting Into Darien.

FACILITY She has been able to lecture while traveling to Chicago, Korea and the Netherlands, and guest lecturers have participated from around the world.

“We have the capability to prepare, teach and access knowledge, regardless of location,” Wicker said. “Students who are working full time like the flexibility of accessing lectures on their own schedule.”

Timothy Chester, vice president for information technology, said the university spends $750,000 annually on wireless expenditures—one of the top annual budgets in the nation—to ensure that wireless access is pervasive in academic spaces.

Other investments include a new $1.5 million supercomputer that enables data processing three times faster than the current rate for research computing, a popular new mobile app that puts several campus resources in one place and the creation of the vLab. In addition to saving students money on software, the vLab has allowed the university to save energy by replacing bulky computer processing towers with more energy-efficient, thin ones.

The Office of Sustainability projects that the vLab will save $2.2 million in energy costs by fiscal year 2017.

“It all ties into an enhanced student learning experience,” Chester said. “Students can learn any time, any place, thanks to the investments made in information technology at UGA.”

The Tate Student Center has launched a new initiative to help transfer students succeed at UGA. Dubbed the Transfer Student Experience, the initiative links transfer students with each other and with faculty, staff and administrators to help form a seamless adjustment to campus.

A central component of the program is Transfer Tuesdays, hosted by the Tate Student Center’s Office of Student Activities and Organizations and held the first and third Tuesday of each month.

The events are both social mixers and information-sharing sessions, with staff from key campus departments and units discussing their programs and services.

Upcoming Transfer Tuesdays are scheduled on Feb. 17, March 3 and 17 and April 7 and 21. They will be held from noon to 1:30 p.m. in Room 473 of the Tate Student Center.

Visit http://tate.uga.edu/transfers for more information.

Nominations for national award

UGA’s Center for Teaching and Learning is accepting nominations for the U.S. Professor of the Year Award.

Sponsored by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, the award honors the nation’s best undergraduate teachers.

Any UGA faculty who teaches undergraduate students may apply or be nominated. Submissions must be made

renovations to transform the 20,000-squarefoot space from a commercial office building to a residence hall and learning community.

The renovated building provides living quarters, classroom and study space for UGA students and faculty who participate in UGA’s experiential learning programs in the nation’s capital.

The facility is located on Massachusetts Avenue in the heart of Capitol Hill. The inaugural class of students moved into the

Also available from the UGA Press, the book is Ray’s account of paddling the Altamaha River, a passageway including many rare and endangered species, which led the Nature Conservancy to designate it as one of the world’s last great places.

The Georgia Writers Hall of Fame induction ceremony is a part of the UGA Spotlight on the Arts festival, which fosters awareness and appreciation of the arts and an environment conducive to artistic innovation.

March 3 by 5 p.m. and include a simple dossier to CTL Director Eddie Watson at edwatson@uga.edu consisting of a onepage letter of interest, a brief note of support from his/her department chair or dean and a current curriculum vitae.

Each national winner receives $5,000 contributed by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching; an all-expense paid trip for the winner, one guest and a current or former student to Washington, D.C., for the November awards celebration; an invitation to speak at the November awards luncheon and recognition at an evening congressional reception; and national media recognition.

Each state-level recipient also receives complimentary attendance for two at the luncheon and congressional reception, along with a recognition of achievement.

Visit http://t.uga.edu/1fG for more information. Email questions to Chase Hagood, CTL assistant director for faculty development and recognition, at tchagood@uga.edu.

Service-Learning Fellows

The Office of Service-Learning is accepting applications until March 20 for the 2015-2016 Service-Learning Fellows program.

The yearlong program is an opportunity for participating faculty to explore best practices of service-learning and community engagement while developing new service-learning courses or considering ways to integrate service-learning into existing programs.

house in January, and the dedication of Delta Hall is planned for Feb. 26.

UGA has a long history of promoting and sponsoring internships in Washington, D.C. The Washington Semester Program and the Honors in Washington Program, along with several schools and colleges, have offered opportunities for students to intern and study in the nation’s capital for more than a decade.

Delta Hall is the UGA in Washington residential facility in the Capitol Hill neighborhood on the east side of Stanton Park. The 20,000-square-foot facility provides living quarters, classroom and study space for UGA students and faculty who participate in UGA’s experiential learning programs in the nation’s capital.

GRANT

Bulletin Board Transfer Student Experience

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from page 1 to treat Chagas disease—benznidazole and nifurtimox—require a long course of therapy and have a number of serious side effects,” said Rick Tarleton, the UGA Athletic Association Distinguished Research Professor of Biological Sciences in the cellular biology department in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences.

“This, combined with the fact that many isolates of the parasite are resistant to these existing drugs, emphasizes the tremendous need for new treatments.”

Tarleton’s laboratory will work in

Complete application materials along with examples of previous Fellows ­projects are at http://t.uga.edu/1fF. Up to eight faculty members will be selected for participation and will receive a $2,500 faculty development award.

An information session for interested faculty will be held Feb. 24 from 3-4 p.m. in the Office of ServiceLearning, 1242 1⁄2 S. Lumpkin St. For questions related to the application, contact Shannon O. Wilder, director of the Office of Service-Learning, at swilder@uga.edu or 706-542-0535.

Credit Union scholarships

Georgia United Credit Union is accepting applications until March 1 for its 21st annual scholarship program.

The program is open to high school seniors preparing to go to college or technical school this fall. Applicants or their parents must be GUCU members.

Students can apply for one of 11 Vernon E. Carne scholarships or one of two Archbishop Emeritus John Francis Donoghue scholarships.

Those interested can see an online application and program rules at http://georgiaunitedcu.org/about-us/ community-development/hs-scholarships/ or call 770-476-6409 to request for an application to be mailed.

Scholarship recipients will be announced April 1, and the decision of the judging panel will be final.

Bulletin Board is limited to information that may pertain to a majority of faculty and staff members.

partnership with Anacor, a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing novel small molecule therapeutics derived from its boron chemistry platform.

Anacor pioneered the development of a boron-based drug class called oxaboroles, which researchers hope will serve as the foundation for a new Chagas therapy.

“These new drug classes have a lot of potential for a variety of diseases, including many of the most neglected diseases of humans,” said Tarleton, who is a member of UGA’s Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases.

“We have worked with Anacor to identify some potent lead compounds for use in Chagas disease, and this funding will help turn those leads into effective drugs.”

LECTURE from page 1

of territories, also will take part in the geography department colloquium “Disappearing Mountains of the Amazon: Land Grabs and Food Security in Cofán Territory” Feb. 20 at 3:30 p.m. in Room 200-C of the geographygeology building.

The Cofán, whose territory covers parts of Ecuador and Colombia, were on the verge of disappearance 40 years ago. As a result of unchecked incursion by oil companies and related development interests, the Cofán had seen a dramatic depletion and compromising of resources that posed a grave threat to their centuries-old way of life. Beginning in the mid-1970s, the Cofán began to fight back, successfully lobbying the Ecuadorian government for more control of their lands and bringing new oil exploration to a halt by the 1990s. Borman led the tribe’s resistance and reinvention.

Though raised in the tribal Cofán rainforest community, Borman was educated in modern, urban schools in Ecuador and attended college in the U.S. He then returned to Ecuador, where the encroachment on Cofán lands had reached crisis proportions. He learned Spanish in order to communicate with the Ecuadorian government on behalf of the Cofán, who spoke only their own indigenous language. This began a decades-long process of negotiation for conservation and the return of land rights that now is seen as an innovative model for protecting threatened ecosystems.

The Global Georgia Initiative is a series of lectures and conversations whose goal is to present global problems in local context by addressing pressing contemporary questions, including the economy, society and the environment, with a focus on how the arts and humanities can intervene.