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Study: Chronic loneliness in older adults leads to more physician office visits RESEARCH NEWS
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MFA exhibition on display in Athens, Atlanta; New York to be next stop
April 20, 2015
Vol. 42, No. 34
www.columns.uga.edu
‘Exciting vision’
By Aaron Hale
Sarah Covert, a veteran UGA faculty member and administrator, has been named the institution’s first associate vice president for faculty affairs. Covert has served as interim director of the Office of Faculty Affairs since January and is a professor in the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources. In her new role, she will report directly to Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Pamela Whitten, who elevated the position of director of the Office of Faculty Affairs to the associate vice president level as part of a broader effort to increase the support and services that faculty receive. As associate vice president for faculty affairs, Covert will serve as a member of the provost’s administrative team and will work closely with deans, department heads and other administrators on matters related to faculty personnel. She will continue to oversee the Office of Faculty Affairs and its role in managing UGA’s promotion and tenure process while also expanding the training and development programs it offers and partnering with the Office of Institutional Diversity to enhance the recruitment of diverse faculty. “With the appointment of Dr. Covert to the position of associate vice president for faculty affairs, this institution is poised to take the level of service and support it provides to faculty to an even higher level,” Whitten said. “As someone who rose through the faculty ranks and has excelled as
the governor and the General Assembly, and to the chancellor and board of regents for The Georgia Gentheir support of the eral Assembly, which University of Georgia’s adjourned April 2, passed priorities for the coming a fiscal year 2016 state year,” said UGA Presibudget that includes an increase for higher dent Jere W. Morehead. LEGISLATIVE education and merit“We are particularly based salary increases indebted to our area for University System of legislative delegation: Georgia employees, which includes Sen. Bill Cowsert, Sen. Fran Ginn, those at UGA. Rep. Terry England, Rep. Chuck The legislature approved a Williams, Rep. Regina Quick and 4.2 percent funding increase for Rep. Spencer Frye. Through their higher education in the new bud- actions, they have helped us to betget—up $81 million from last year to ter serve our students and the state.” $2.02 billion.The General Assembly The budget’s bond package also set aside $11.3 million for uni- includes: versity system faculty and staff salary • $43.1 million for construction increases, employee recruitment and of Phase II of the Terry Learnretention salary adjustments. ing Community, which also is “We are most appreciative to See LEGISLATURE on page 8 aahale@uga.edu
Peter Frey
Veteran administrator named UGA’s first associate VP for faculty affairs
sfahmy@uga.edu
4&5
State’s FY16 budget includes money for merit-based raises
Sarah Covert, UGA’s first associate vice president for faculty affairs, will work closely with deans, department heads and other administrators on matters related to faculty personnel.
By Sam Fahmy
UGA GUIDE
an administrator, she brings a wealth of experience and an exciting vision to this new position.” As associate dean for academic affairs in the Warnell School, a position she held from 20092014, Covert served as its promotion and tenure unit head and also oversaw student services and instructional programs for undergraduate and graduate students. The recruitment of diverse students became an area of focus for the Warnell School under her leadership, and she oversaw instructional performance evaluations for faculty as well as graduate assistantship funds. Covert has served on several university-wide committees related to curriculum, instructional support, international education, program review and strategic planning. She chaired the university’s program review and assessment committee from 2012-2013 and served on the University Curriculum Committee of University Council from 2009-2014. She has served on the advisory board of the Office of International Education and currently serves on the university’s Strategic Planning Committee. In the 2013-2014 academic year, she served as a Fellow of the Southeastern Conference Academic Leadership Development Program and also was a Center for Teaching and Learning Writing Fellow. In addition, she has been a Center for Teaching and Learning Lilly Teaching Fellow and a Senior Teaching Fellow. She has held courtesy appointments in the genetics and plant biology departments in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, and in the plant pathology department in the College of See ADMINISTRATOR on page 8
UPDATE
OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY
UGA Earth Week observance to promote sustainable living By Kevin Kirsche kkirsche@uga.edu
Each spring, the university hosts UGA Earth Week to encourage sustainable living. The weeklong celebration centers on the national Earth Day observance on April 22. From April 20-24, the UGA Office of Sustainability, Students for Environmental Action and other campus and community organizations will host events highlighting opportunities ranging from alternative transportation and local food to water resource preservation and career insights
from industry leaders. UGA Earth Week is held in conjunction with Athens-Clarke County GreenFest, a communitywide event that provides citizens with the opportunity to increase their awareness of and interest in improving the environment of their homes, yards, businesses and communities. Earth Week will kick off April 20 with a food truck and farmers market festival in the Tate Student Center Plaza from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. In addition to local food vendors, this event will feature local and student-led organizations See EARTH on page 8
OFFICE OF INSTITUTIONAL DIVERSITY
University’s chief diversity officer takes on expanded role to address women’s issues By Camie Williams camiew@uga.edu
At the turn of the 20th century, Michelle Garfield Cook’s great-grandparents worked for the faculty at UGA. But as African-Americans, the seamstress and the blacksmith had to enter buildings from the back. In the 1960s, when her parents were choosing a college, they witnessed history with the admission of UGA’s first two African-American students, Charlayne Hunter and Hamilton Holmes. Now, Cook is associate provost for institutional diversity. She knows the decisions of today are what will drive the direction of the campus for the next generation. “Within a couple of generations, significant change is possible when people are willing to do the work,” Cook said. “We don’t know what the campus is going
to look like in 20 years or 50 years. It can be a more welcoming place for all people, and that will be based on the actions we take today.” Provost Pamela Whitten added women’s issues to the Office of Institutional Diversity’s mission shortly after becoming provost last year, and Cook plays a key role in two initiatives related to women launched by UGA President Jere W. Morehead and Whitten. As part of the Women’s Resources Initiative launched in September, Cook serves on the Women’s Resources Coordinating Committee, an advisory body of faculty, staff, students and administrators that helps consider feedback from the campus community about women’s resources and recommends ways to enhance their organization and visibility. In addition, Cook Andrew Davis Tucker chairs the Women’s Leadership Initiative Planning Michelle Garfield Cook, associate provost for institutional diversity, said that Committee, which is working with Whitten to advance actions taken now can make UGA a more “welcoming place for all people” in See DIVERSITY on page 8
the future.
2 April 20, 2015 columns.uga.edu
ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
Around academe
Online course website edX agrees to make content more accessible
EdX Inc., a website created by MIT and Harvard University that provides massive open online courses created by the schools, has entered into a settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice to remedy violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The settlement resolves allegations that edX’s online courses were not accessible to students with disabilities, such as those who are visually impaired or have hearing loss. EdX now is required to provide accurate captioning and oral navigation signals. MIT and Harvard also are making programming changes to the website so those with dexterity disabilities can navigate content more easily.
Syracuse University drops fossil fuel stocks from its $1.2B endowment Syracuse University has announced plans to drop all fossil fuel stocks from its $1.2 billion endowment, the largest endowment to divest entirely of fossil fuel stocks. The drop is in response to a “Divest SU” campaign by The General Body, a movement and coalition of Syracuse University students organizing for change. These student protesters staged an 18-day sit-in over disinvestment from fossil fuels in November.
Make a tornado emergency plan
By Camie Williams camiew@uga.edu
This fall, the university will launch UGA Elements, a new authoritative profiling database for faculty. Think of it as the UGA version of LinkedIn. The system will become the primary source of data for UGA faculty research, scholarship, service, awards and honors. The new tool will replace the Faculty Activity Repository, which will be decommissioned June 15. Beginning in spring 2016, all UGA faculty will be required to use UGA Elements to facilitate the annual performance evaluation process. After a yearslong process and input from working groups of more than 50 faculty members and staff, UGA selected Elements software because of its easy-to-use format and automated input. “With UGA Elements, faculty can find colleagues with similar research interests to partner with across campus,” said Jerry Legge, associate provost for academic planning. “With the option to make portions of their UGA Elements profile public in the future, faculty can raise their visibility on the national and international level and help attract students and collaborators.” In UGA Elements, information about faculty publications automatically
is added to profiles from authoritative sources, including Thomson-Reuters’ Web of Science and PubMed. The software, which is used by such universities as Emory University, Georgia Tech, Duke University, Cornell University and the University of Virginia, will be used by all UGA faculty—from librarians and professors to public service associates and research scientists. Over the past year, a working group led by the Office of Academic Planning, Enterprise Information Technology Services and the Office of the Vice President for Research, in conjunction with the Office of the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, consulted with liaisons from every school and college at the university to design a product that meets the diversity of needs across campus. Those administrative liaisons, listed at http://elements.uga.edu/contact, also serve as the primary point of contact for faculty with questions about Elements. Legge said information from UGA databases such as FAR, Athena and Contracts and Grants will be migrated to the new system this summer. When the system is accessible to all faculty in the fall, information such as a faculty member’s education, positions and contact information already will be part of their profile. Course information, grants and
Source: Office of Emergency Preparedness
Name: Jon Calabria
Georgia Fund 2015
Position: Assistant professor in the College of Environment and Design At UGA: 5 years Beneficiary of his gift to the university: State Botanical Garden Why he contributes: “To me, the State Botanical Garden of Georgia has wonderful natural areas to explore and a diverse collection of plants stewarded by very dedicated staff. The garden fosters educational programs and applied research that make significant contributions to plant conservation and ecological restoration across the state of Georgia. It is because of these efforts that I choose to support the State Botanical Garden.”
To make your contribution to the Georgia Fund, please contact the Office of Annual Giving at 706-542-8119. Source: College Factual
By Denise H. Horton
denisehhorton@gmail.com
Sue Myers Smith
SENATOR VISITS UGA—U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson, right, stands with Dr. Sheila W. Allen, dean of the UGA College of Veterinary Medicine, after hearing a presentation on the new Veterinary Medical Center. During his April 10 campus visit, Isakson met with students at the School of Public and International Affairs, gave a presentation at the School of Law and took a tour of the Veterinary Medical Center.
PUBLIC SERVICE AND OUTREACH
Why I Give
Janet Beckley
many professional activities also will be automatically loaded into the system. “A major advantage of UGA Elements is the automatic searching of public and subscription databases for publications authored by UGA faculty,” said Robert Scott, associate vice president for research, who serves on the UGA Elements working group. “When Elements is put into production this fall, faculty will see a list of search results and be asked to claim the publications they authored,” Scott added. “As they continue to publish, the new publications will be retrieved automatically. Additional publications can be entered through various import processes, so we expect much less manual entry than was required in the existing system.” Additional functionality will be added to UGA Elements in the coming years. Because of this phased approach, some of the data in the Faculty Activity Repository will not be migrated into the UGA Elements system at its initial launch. Although the information will be stored for later use, faculty who want to maintain a personal copy of the data in FAR can run and store a report before the June 15 decommissioning. Instructions for doing so can be found at http://elements.uga.edu/training.
Office of Global Programs names advisory team
News to Use
March, April and May are the most common months for tornadoes in Georgia, and knowing how to prepare for such an emergency can help families stay safe. “Families should practice their emergency plan well before the impending threat of a tornado,” said Pam Knox, UGA meteorologist. A tornado watch means tornadoes are possible; a warning means a tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar. During a tornado warning, seek shelter indoors or in a parked vehicle. If living in a traditional frame home, Knox said the safest place to go is the basement or an interior room on the lowest level, one that is small and without windows. When time allows, Knox recommends bringing a mattress and/or pillows into the room to use as protection from flying debris. Seeking shelter outdoors should be a last resort. If no other shelter is available, get into a parked car but don’t drive away. “Get in your car and buckle up,” Knox said. “The seat belts and air bags will help keep you safe should the car be lifted up. And, the car also will protect you from lightning and hail. “Don’t try to seek shelter under an overpass,” Knox said. “The wind can be even stronger under these structures.” If staying outside is the only option, move to the lowest possible location. For more information, download a severe weather preparedness guide at http://tinyurl.com/28volft.
University to replace Faculty Activity Repository with UGA Elements
Former PSO faculty member named director of Archway Partnership By Kelly Simmons
simmonsk@uga.edu
Robert E. Gordon Jr., a public finance lawyer and former UGA Public Service and Outreach faculty member, has been named director of the Archway Partnership, effective April 13. From 2010 to 2014, Gordon served as economic development and fiscal analysis unit manager for the Carl Vinson Institute of Government, a unit of the UGA Office of Public Service and Outreach, which also includes the Archway Partnership. “Rob’s experience with outreach programs at UGA and his familiarity with communities in Georgia made him the perfect candidate for the position,” said Jennifer Frum, vice president for public service and outreach. “His expertise in economic and community development will boost the efforts we are making in Archway communities throughout Georgia to help attract jobs, develop leaders and solve critical issues.”
As director of the Archway Partnership, Gordon will oversee work being done in eight communities now actively involved in the Archway program.Through that partnership, Robert Gordon an Archway professional is based in each community and serves as its contact with UGA, bringing resources from the university to help address issues identified by community residents. Communities currently active in Archway are Sandersville, Tennille/ Washington County, Hart County, Americus/Sumter County, Hawkinsville/Pulaski County, Dalton/Whitfield County, Cairo/Grady County, Habersham County and Metter/ Candler County. Griffin/Spalding County will become an Archway Partnership community in July.
An advisory team that includes top UGA administrators and faculty has been established to provide support and guidance to the Office of Global Programs in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. The advisory team was established by Amrit Bart, who was named Office of Global Programs director in March 2014. Bart began reaching out to faculty and administrators throughout the university soon after his arrival, seeking insight in developing the office’s new strategic plan. At the group’s first meeting, Tim Smalley, a professor in the college’s horticulture department, was elected chair of the committee and the committee’s bylaws were approved. Other members of the committee include Joe Broder, CAES associate dean for academic affairs; Corrie Brown, a professor of pathology in the College of Veterinary Medicine; Jinru Chen, a professor of food science and technology; Rob Cooper, assistant to the CAES dean for external relations; Rob Derrick, interim director for international partnerships in the UGA Office of International Education; Mike Doyle, Regents Professor and director of the Center for Food Safety; Jack Houston, a professor emeritus of agricultural and applied economics; Scott Jackson, GRA Eminent Scholar and a professor of crop and soil sciences; Maria Navarro, an associate professor of agriculture leadership, education and communication; Greg Price, UGA Extension director of county operations; Octavio Ramirez, head of the agricultural and applied economics department; Scott Russell, a professor of poultry science; Harald Scherm, CAES assistant dean for research and professor of plant pathology; Rakesh Singh, head of the food science and technology department; Srinivasan Rajagopalbabu, an associate professor of entomology; and Steve Stice, a professor, senior research scientist and GRA Eminent Scholar of Animal and Dairy Science.
RESEARCH NEWS
columns.uga.edu April 20, 2015
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Digest College of Public Health to hold Community Open House April 20
Rebecca Ayer
Kerstin Gerst Emerson, left, and Jayani Jayawardhana, both assistant professors of health policy and management in UGA’s College of Public Health, studied how loneliness impacted the number of physician visits and hospitalizations reported by older adults.
‘Like seeing a friend’ Chronic loneliness in older adults leads to more office visits to physicians
By Rebecca Ayer alea@uga.edu
Experiences of loneliness and social isolation can lead to increased health care use among older adults, according to new research from the UGA College of Public Health.The study, published online in the American Journal of Public Health, found that the frequency of physician visits particularly was influenced by chronic loneliness and suggests that the identification and targeting of interventions for lonely elders may significantly decrease physician visits and health care costs. “Logically, it makes sense that people who are in poorer health because of loneliness would use health care more,” said Kerstin Gerst Emerson, study co-author and an assistant professor of health policy and management. “But we wondered, could people also be visiting their doctor or making those extra appointments because they were lonely?” To answer this question, Emerson and co-author Jayani Jayawardhana, also an assistant professor of health policy and management, looked at how loneliness impacted the number of physician visits and hospitalizations reported by senior adults living among the general population and not in a retirement community. Their analysis relied on data from the
2008 and 2012 University of Michigan Health and Retirement Study, a national survey of Americans older than age 50. To gauge loneliness, study participants were asked how often they felt they lacked companionship, how often they felt left out and how often they felt isolated from others. Their responses, ranging from “often” to “some of the time” to “hardly ever or never,” then were used to create an index of loneliness, where higher scores on the scale equaled higher loneliness. Respondents who were identified as lonely in both years of the study were considered to be chronically lonely. “We often assume that if a person has enough friends and relatives they are doing OK,” said Emerson, a faculty member in the college’s Institute of Gerontology. “But loneliness is not the same as being alone. You can be lonely in a crowded room. It’s very much about how you feel about your actual social relationships.” Emerson and Jayawardhana reviewed responses from 3,530 communitydwelling adults aged 60 and older, comparing their loneliness scores with their self-reported hospital stays and physician visits. The researchers found that while loneliness experienced at only one time point did not predict health care use,
chronic loneliness—being lonely in both 2008 and 2012—was significantly associated with an increased number of doctor visits. Although the researchers had hypothesized that chronic loneliness would impact both physician visits and hospitalizations, only physician visits were significant in their sample of older adults. “This finding made sense to us,” Jayawardhana said.“You build a relationship with your physician over the years, so a visit to the doctor’s office is like seeing a friend. Hospitalizations, on the other hand, require a referral from a doctor, and you don’t know who you will see.” The study’s findings support a growing body of research establishing loneliness as a significant public health issue among older adults. Over half of study respondents reported being lonely, with that percentage increasing from 53 percent to 57 percent four years later. Lonely respondents also reported more problems with daily living tasks and a greater number of depressive symptoms. They also were less likely to count their health as good, very good or excellent. The study suggests that since chronically lonely older adults are likely to turn to physicians for social contact, health care workers should take loneliness into consideration as a factor when seeing patients for other illnesses and complaints.
COLLEGE OF FAMILY AND CONSUMER SCIENCES
Recipe for antibacterial plastic: Plastic plus egg whites By Cal Powell
jcpowell@uga.edu
Bioplastics made from protein sources such as albumin and whey have shown significant antibacterial properties, according to a recent study by the UGA College of Family and Consumer Sciences. These findings eventually could lead to their use in food packaging and medical applications, such as wound healing dressings, sutures, catheter tubes and drug delivery. Researchers tested three nontraditional bioplastic materials—albumin, whey and soy proteins—as alternatives to conventional petroleum-based plastics that pose risks of contamination. In particular, albumin, a protein found in egg whites, demonstrated tremendous antibacterial properties when blended with a traditional plasticizer
such as glycerol. “It was found that it had complete inhibition, as in no bacteria would grow on the plastic once applied,” said Alex Jones, a doctoral student in the textiles, merchandising and interiors department. “The bacteria wouldn’t be able to live on it.” The study appears in the online version of the Journal of Applied Polymer Science. One of the researchers’ aims is to find ways to reduce the amount of petroleum used in traditional plastic production; another is to find a fully biodegradable bioplastic. The albumin-glycerol blended bioplastic met both standards, Jones said. “If you put it in a landfill, this being pure protein, it will break down,” he said. “If you put it in soil for a month—at most two months—these plastics
will disappear.” The next step in the research involves a deeper analysis of the albumin-based bioplastic’s potential for use in the biomedical and food packaging fields. About 4.5 percent of hospital admissions in the U.S. in 2002 resulted in a hospital-acquired infection. Food contamination as a result of traditional plastics is a notable risk too. Researchers are encouraged by the antimicrobial properties of albuminbased bioplastics that could potentially reduce these risks through drug elution—loading the bioplastic with either drugs or food preservatives that can kill bacteria or prevent it from spreading. Study co-authors are Suraj Sharma in the textiles, merchandising and interiors department, and Abhyuday Mandal in the statistics department. They aided in the statistical analysis and discussion.
The UGA College of Public Health will host its first Community Open House April 20 from 3-6 p.m. at the Health Sciences Campus. Free and open to the public, the open house will showcase the college’s ongoing transition to the Health Sciences Campus. The college is commemorating its 10th anniversary this year, and the Community Open House will kick off a yearlong observance of the college’s achievements over the past decade, including accreditation and the move to serve as the primary tenant of the Health Sciences Campus. The Community Open House, which will highlight the college’s role in the community, will include health screenings, children’s activities and various demonstrations by community organizations. In addition, guided tours will allow visitors to see the work done by the Office of University Architects to renovate and revitalize the campus. Guests also will be able to interact with the college’s students and faculty as they share the work they’re doing on campus. The open house will conclude with an installment of “Community Conversations” presented by Athens Regional Health System. Panelists taking part in the 30-minute discussion will explore the question “What is Public Health?”
Arizona State University ecologist to deliver 2015 Odum Lecture
Ecologist Nancy Grimm will deliver the 30th annual Odum Lecture at the UGA Odum School of Ecology April 21 at 4 p.m. Free and open to the public, her presentation will be followed by a reception. A professor of ecology in the School of Life Sciences at Arizona State University, Grimm also is a senior sustainability scientist in ASU’s Julie Ann Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability. She studies how climate change and human activities affect ecological processes in aquatic and urban ecosystems. Her ongoing research includes studies of the flow of nutrients through urban stormwater systems, the ecosystem services stormwater infrastructure provides and how climate change and variability impact the response of streams to disturbances like floods and droughts.
Dawgs Ditch the Dumpster and Donate to be held April 25 through May 9
UGA plans to break a record with this year’s Dawgs Ditch the Dumpster and Donate by diverting more than 38,000 pounds of material from local landfills during campus move-out this year. Sponsored by University Housing, UGA Hillel and Goodwill of North Georgia, the event will be held April 25 through May 9 for housing residents to recycle unwanted clothing, books and other household items instead of throwing them away. These donations will help local Goodwill stores. Donation trucks, tents, trailers and bins will be set up in 23 locations across campus, outside residence halls, the Greek Park and Family and Graduate Housing. Food donations of canned and boxed goods also will be accepted for delivery to the Athens Food Bank.
UGA to host water resources conference
UGA will host the 2015 Georgia Water Resources Conference, a biennial forum to discuss issues facing the state’s water resources, April 28-29 at the UGA Hotel and Conference Center. Held every other year since 1989, the open forum is a way for scientists, policymakers, students and other stakeholders to discuss the state’s water resources, current water policies, research and water management. The conference is being organized by the UGA Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources in cooperation with a number of state agencies and university departments.
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
columns.uga.edu April 20, 2015
4&5
Environmentalist to speak at Earth Day program held by ‘The Georgia Review’ By Laura Solomon lagsolo@uga.edu
Award-winning writer and environmental activist Gary Ferguson will speak at The Georgia Review’s seventh annual Earth Day program April 22 at 7 p.m. in the Day Chapel at the State Botanical Garden, with a reception to follow. Among Ferguson’s nearly two dozen books are The Carry Home: Lessons from the American Wilderness, The Great Divide: The Rocky Mountains in the American Mind, Decade of the Wolf: Returning the Wild to Yellowstone, Hawk’s Rest: A Season in the Remote Heart of Yellowstone and Through the Woods: A Journey Through America’s Forests. Ferguson has been a keynote presenter for many programs, among them the 50th anniversary celebration of the Conservation Alliance and the National Geographic Lecture Series. Ferguson is the recipient of the 2006 Lifetime Achievement Award of the High Plains Book Festival, the 2005 Montana Book of the Year Award for Decade of the Wolf and the 1997 Lowell Thomas Award for Through the Woods. Ferguson’s talk is open free to the public, but seating in the chapel is limited and early arrival is recommended. Selected copies of Ferguson’s books and copies of The Georgia Review will be available for purchase. The post-talk reception will feature music by Hawk Proof Rooster and catering by home.made.
Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center to take part in Arch Chamber Music Festival
MFA exhibition on display in Athens, Atlanta; New York to be next stop
By Bobby Tyler btyler@uga.edu
The UGA Performing Arts Center will present the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center in the fourth annual Arch Chamber Music Festival April 25-26 in Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall. The Chamber Music Society will offer two concerts during the weekend festival, each with different programs. The April 25 concert will be at 8 p.m. and will include works by Brahms, Martinu, Shoenfield, Dvorak and Mark O’Connor. The April 26 concert will be at 3 p.m. and will feature music by Mozart, Schumann and Anton Arensky. Tickets for each concert are $40 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. The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center is America’s premier repertory company for chamber music, with a roster of the world’s leading instrumentalists. Seven of Lincoln Center’s artists will perform in Hodgson Hall for the Arch Chamber Music Festival: pianists Gloria Chien and Wu Han, violinists Chad Hoopes and Arnaud Sussmann, violist Matthew Lipman, clarinetist Jose Franch-Ballester and cellist David Finckel. Finckel and Han serve as co-artistic directors of the Chamber Music Society. The husband-and-wife duo launched ArtistLed, classical music’s first musician-directed and Internet-based recording company, whose catalog of 16 albums has won widespread critical acclaim, including BBC Music Magazine’s Editor’s Choice Award. The couple are also the founding artistic directors of the Music@Menlo Chamber Music Festival and Institute in Silicon Valley, and they were named the 2012 Musicians of the Year by Musical America. The Chamber Music Society is one of 11 constituents of New York City’s Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, the largest performing arts complex in the world.
EXHIBITIONS A Feast of Color: Recent Works by Tom Ventulett. Through April 26. State Botanical Garden. 706-542-8717, wtonks@uga.edu. Southern Highlands Reserve: A Garden Rooted in the Place of its Making. Through April 30. Circle Gallery, College of Environment and Design. Master of Fine Arts Degree Candidates Exhibition. Through May 3. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-1817, hazbrown@uga.edu. (See story, above right). 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. Jay Robinson: Quarks, Leptons and Peanuts. Through June 21. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-1817, hazbrown@uga.edu. AiryLight: Visualizing the Invisible. Through June 28. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-1817, hazbrown@uga.edu. Circles. Through June 28. An interactive audio-visual installation that uses sonar sensors to detect viewers’ presence and manipulate the key, melodies and effects of the work based on their proximity. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-1817, hazbrown@uga.edu. The Pennington Radio Collection. Through December. Brown Media Archives and Peabody Awards Collection, special collections libraries. 706-542-8079, jclevela@uga.edu.
MONDAY, APRIL 20 EARTH WEEK KICKOFF* To feature over 30 local and student organizations. There will be live music, food trucks and furry animals to kick off a full week of Earth-themed events. 11 a.m. Tate Student Center Plaza. 404-285-9921, mpatt@uga.edu. (See story, page 1).
By Alan Flurry
aflurry@uga.edu
CED’s annual critique week to be held April 22-24 By Melissa Tufts mtufts@uga.edu
The College of Environment and Design will hold its annual college-wide critique April 22-24 in the Jackson Street Building. Classes are canceled, and students will have a chance to present their work throughout the day to the public, including design professionals. Public critique and professional input are essential elements in the process of teaching design. Projects this year range from park design to city planning, both in the U.S. and abroad; cultural resource conservation; small- and large-scale sustainability projects; public service projects; and more. For more information, contact Shelley Cannady at scannady@uga.edu.
CULTURAL AWARENESS CELEBRATION Hosted by the faculty and students of the African Languages Program. There will be free African cuisine prepared by students and faculty as well as skits, music and dance. 11 a.m. Grand Hall, Tate Student Center.
Terry College of Business Net Impact and the Environmental Law Association, this panel brings together top industry leaders to discuss their impact in sustainable business and offer insights for the next generation of sustainability leaders. 3:30 p.m. Larry Walker Room, Dean Rusk Hall. mpatt@uga.edu. (See story, page 1).
NOONTIME CONCERT Free lunchtime concert by the Jupiter String Quartet with clarinetist Jon Manasse and pianist Jon Nakamatsu. Noon. Chapel. 706-542-4400, ugaarts@uga.edu.
ODUM LECTURE* Nancy B. Grimm, a professor in the School of Life Sciences at Arizona State University. A reception will follow the lecture. 4 p.m. Ecology building auditorium. 706-542-7247, bethgav@uga.edu. (See Digest, page 3).
BLOOD DRIVE 2 p.m. Russell Hall. COLLEGE OF PUBLIC HEALTH COMMUNITY OPEN HOUSE 3 p.m. Health Sciences Campus. 706-542-2662, alea@uga.edu. (See Digest, page 3). BIOETHICS SEMINAR “Prediction and Prodrome: The Ethics of Medicine as a Risk Management System,” Paul R. Wolpe, Asa Griggs Candler Professor of Bioethics and director of the Center for Ethics at Emory University. Sponsored by the UGA Center for Drug Discovery. 3:30 p.m. 201 Pharmacy South. 706-542-9755, ransley2@uga.edu. CONCERT A performance by the Jupiter String Quartet with clarinetist Jon Manasse and pianist Jon Nakamatsu. $35. 8 p.m. Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall, Performing Arts Center. 706-542-4400, ugaarts@uga.edu.
TUESDAY, APRIL 21 BLOOD DRIVE 9:30 a.m. University Health Center. TALK SCIENCE TO ME* This one-hour workshop will teach participants how to better communicate science through a case study examining pet waste and water pollution. 11 a.m. 140 Tate Student Center. mpatt@uga.edu. (See story, page 1).
‘PEABODY DECADES’ SCREENING A free screening of the “Peabody Decades” film Blue & Gray: Commemorating the 150th Anniversary of the American Civil War’s End. 6:30 p.m. Second-floor auditorium, special collections libraries. 706-542-4789, mlmiller@uga.edu. BASEBALL vs. Clemson. $5-$8. 7 p.m. Foley Field. 706-542-1231. YOGA UNDER THE STARS* Hosted by UGA Office of Sustainability, UGA Students for Environmental Action and Rubber Soul Yoga. 8 p.m. Myers Hall quad. 770-560-1777, bshea@uga.edu. (See story, page 1).
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22 FLOWER ARRANGING CLASS “Creative/Miniature Design.” Upon completion of all five units, students will be awarded the Basic Design Certificate from the Garden Club of Georgia. Courses do not need to be completed in order. $45. 9 a.m. Gardenside room, State Botanical Garden. 706-542-6156, ckeber@uga.edu. WARNELL DEAN FINALIST PRESENTATION Presentation by W. Dale Greene, a professor and interim dean of the Warnell School. 9:30 a.m. 120 R.C. Wilson Pharmacy Building.
SPRING TUESDAY TOUR Join a guided tour of the three museum galleries. 2 p.m. Special collections libraries. 706-542-8079, jclevela@uga.edu.
TOUR AT TWO: MUSEUM MYSTERIES Join Brittany Ranew, Kress Interpretive Fellow, to explore unknowns about works of art in the permanent collection. 2 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-1817, hazbrown@uga.edu.
SUSTAINABILITY PANEL* Co-sponsored by UGA Office of Sustainability,
FIRST-AID TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION CLASS Class size limited. $25. 2 p.m. Conference
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/.
Room A, University Health Center. 706-542-8707, aambo@uhs.uga.edu. UNIVERSITY COUNCIL MEETING 3:30 p.m. Tate Student Center Theatre. 706-542-6020. SOFTBALL vs. Georgia State. 6 p.m. Jack Turner Stadium. 706-542-1621. GREEN ON THE SCREEN University Housing’s Green on the Screen will present Watermark. 7 p.m. Fireside Lounge, Rooker Hall. 706-542-8325, carrie.campbell@uga.edu. ‘THE GEORGIA REVIEW’ EARTH DAY PROGRAM* Speaker: Gary Ferguson, award-winning writer and environmental activist. 7 p.m. Day Chapel, State Botanical Garden. 706-542-6156, ckeber@uga.edu. (See story, above right).
THURSDAY, APRIL 23 BLOOD DRIVE 9 a.m. Reception Hall, Tate Student Center. CHARTER LECTURE Speaker: Ed Larson, Pulitzer Prize-winning former UGA professor. Larson now is on the faculty at Pepperdine University. 11 a.m. Chapel. RECYCLING HAPPY HOUR* Participants can bring hard-to-recycle items such as electronics and receive a Coca-Cola product in return. 5 p.m. Lot E01, Intramural Fields. 706-613-3512. (See story, page 1). ‘MFA SPEAKS’ The 19 MFA candidates will each have three minutes to give a glimpse into their work. They then take to the galleries to engage directly with visitors. Co-sponsored by the Lamar Dodd School of Art. 5:30 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-1817, hazbrown@uga.edu. (See story, above right). FILM SCREENING Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989). $2; $1 for UGA students who pay activity fees. 8 p.m. Tate Student Center Theatre. 706-542-6396. MUSEUM MIX This event will feature a DJ, free refreshments and access to the galleries until midnight. 8 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-1817, hazbrown@uga.edu.
For the first time, Master of Fine Arts degree candidates in UGA’s Lamar Dodd School of Art are taking their exit show on the road. Partnerships in Atlanta and New York City are giving the students the opportunity to gain exposure at two of the nation’s top arts scenes. Exhibitions featuring work by graduating students are on view at the Georgia Museum of Art through May 3 and at the Atlanta Decorative Arts Center through April 30. Work representing all 19 students and selected from the two exhibitions will then be shown at Rogue Space Chelsea in New York from May 26 to June 4, with an opening reception on May 28. The museum will host “MFA Speaks,” a panel discussion with the students about their work, April 23 at 5:30 p.m. “This year’s graduating class has created varied and exceptional work. In my first year as director, I am proud to be a small part of our first MFA class to exhibit in New York, Athens and Atlanta as a culmination of their studies,” said Chris Garvin, a professor and director of the art school. “We are excited that these graduating students will renew a great Dodd tradition of exporting Georgia art to the rest of the world while starting a new legacy for future classes to embrace.” The 2015 MFA candidates and their disciplines are Patrick Brien, drawing and painting; Joseph Camoosa, drawing and painting; Winnie Gier, photography; Andrew Indelicato, drawing and painting; Allan Innman, drawing and painting; Mark Johnson, ceramics; Mahera Khaleque, drawing and painting; Anna Gay Leavitt, photography; Tyler Leslie, printmaking; Cameron Lyden, jewelry metals; Jessica Machacek, printmaking; Louisa Powell, sculpture; Georgia Rhodes, photography; Phillip Scarpone, sculpture; Lillian Smith, jewelry metals; Andrew Soper, interior design; Zipporah Thompson, fabric design; Lucas Underwood, photography; and Bo Wang, interior design.
FRIDAY, APRIL 24 CONFEDERATE CONSTITUTION ON DISPLAY The only surviving copy of the permanent Constitution of the Confederate States of America will be displayed. Due to the fragility of the document, it is displayed annually for one day. 8 a.m. Hargrett Galleries, special collections libraries. 706-542-8079, jclevela@uga.edu. ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONALS DAY CONFERENCE $189; $125 for a half-day; $39 for luncheon only. 8:30 a.m. Georgia Center. 706-542-3537, questions@georgiacenter.uga.edu. (See Bulletin Board, page 8). FILM SCREENING The Imitation Game (2014) will be shown April 24-26 at 3, 6 and 9 p.m. $2; $1 for UGA students who pay activity fees. Tate Student Center Theatre. 706-542-6396. SPRING SHAG A night of swing dancing, food and company, Spring Shag is CURE at UGA’s largest event of the year. The goal for the night is to raise enough money for five surgeries for children at the CURE Kenya Hospital. All the money raised will go directly to the children’s surgeries. $10. 7:30 p.m. Herty Field. 678-779-8421, cnb123@uga.edu.
SATURDAY, APRIL 25 HALF-MOON OUTFITTERS CHEROKEE ROSE 5K This is the only race that is run on the State Botanical Garden’s trails. $45. 9 a.m. State Botanical Garden. 706-548-7225, athens@halfmoonoutfitters.com.
SUNDAY, APRIL 26 SPRING BIRD RAMBLE Participants will join the Oconee Rivers Audubon Society for a morning bird walk. 8 a.m. State Botanical Garden. 706-542-6156, ckeber@uga.edu.
MONDAY, APRIL 27 SPRING SEMESTER CLASSES END WARNELL DEAN FINALIST PRESENTATION Presentation by Mark Ryan, the Rucker Professor of Wildlife Conservation and director of the School of Natural Resources at the University of Missouri, Columbia. 9:30 a.m. 120 R.C. Wilson Pharmacy Building. BLOOD DRIVE 2:30 p.m. East Campus Village. LECTURE “USDA National Needs Fellows: Student Research.” The USDA-NIFA NNF program funding supports a master’s-level graduate program emphasizing interdisciplinary work on food system problems. The first cohort of graduate students began in August 2014. Part of the Sustainable Food Systems Seminar Series. 3:35 p.m. 103 Conner Hall. 706-247-5167, sustainag@uga.edu.
CLASS “Botanical Watercolor Illustration.” Participants will learn the art of botanical watercolor illustration. They will use a flower of their choice to learn how to compose, sketch and paint a botanical watercolor illustration. $75. 9:30 a.m. Gardenside room, State Botanical Garden. 706-542-6156, ckeber@uga.edu.
RECITAL A performance by the Bulldog Brass Society, a graduate brass quintet at the Hugh Hodgson School of Music. 6 p.m. Ramsey Concert Hall, Performing Arts Center. 706-542-4752, musicpr@uga.edu.
LAVENDER GRADUATION Lavender Graduation is a cultural celebration that acknowledges the achievements and contributions of LGBTQ students on UGA’s campus. 2 p.m. Mahler Hall, Georgia Center. dohyun.ahn@uga.edu.
READING DAY April 28.
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.
CONCERT The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center visits UGA to take part in the fourth annual Arch Chamber Music Festival. A concert also will be held April 26 at 3 p.m. $40. 8 p.m. Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall, Performing Arts Center. 706-542-4400, ugaarts@uga.edu. (See story, above left).
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.
COMING UP
SPRING SEMESTER FINAL EXAMS April 29 Through May 5. *PART OF UGA EARTH WEEK
NEXT COLUMNS DEADLINES May 6 (for May 18 issue) June 3 (for June 15 issue) June 17(for June 29 issue)
6 April 20, 2015 columns.uga.edu
Laine Bradshaw
FACULTY PROFILE
Laine Bradshaw, an assistant professor in the College of Education’s educational psychology department, received the Jason Millman Measurement Scholar Award from the National Council on Measurement in Education. The award recognizes contributions to the field of applied measurement. It is given to scholars within five years of receiving a
doctoral degree. Bradshaw, who teaches in the college’s quantitative methodology program, specializes in an emerging field of statistical models that add diagnostic feedback for teachers following a student’s assessment. The idea, Bradshaw said, is to give teachers information on student strengths and weaknesses within a certain subject, rather than one overall test score. Archie B. Carroll, a professor emeritus of management in the Terry College of Business, was listed as one of the entries in the 2015 Dictionary of Corporate Social Responsibility: CSR, Sustainability, Ethics and Governance published by Springer International Publishing in Switzerland. The editor-in-chief of the dictionary is Samuel O. Idowu of London Metropolitan University. Carroll also wrote the foreword to the dictionary. The entry on Carroll reads: “Archie B. Carroll is one of the most important scholars who is working in the fields of corporate social responsibility (CSR), corporate social performance (CSP), business ethics and stakeholder management. ... Carroll is one of the most cited scholars in the field of CSR worldwide.” Dr. Jean Chin, executive director of the University Health Center, received the Charles F. Bohmann Award at the 2015 Southern College Health Association conference in Charlotte, North Carolina. This award represents the highest honor of the association. Nominees are outstanding leaders who have established impressive standards for excellence and service in college health and the SCHA. Supported by many letters of recommendations from former students, Chin was selected by a unanimous vote. The SCHA executive board will recommend her for the American College Health Association Award. Ron Courson, senior associate athletic director for sports medicine, will receive the 2015 Jack Weakley College Athletic Trainers’ Society Service Award. The Weakley Award is given to an individual who has made significant contributions to the profession of college athletic training and shown support for Ron Courson the college athletic trainer, “helping those who help others.” Courson will be honored May 14 at the 2015 CATS spring symposium in Las Vegas, Nevada. Courson chaired the NATA/AFCA Spearing in Football Task Force. He also chaired the InterAssociation Task Force on Sudden Cardiac Arrest in Athletics. He was a member of the Inter-Association Task Force that produced Exertional Heat Illness guidelines and was on the team that developed the Appropriate Medical Coverage for Intercollegiate Athletics recommendations. In addition, he has participated on writing teams for NATA position statements about sudden cardiac arrest in athletics, emergency preparation in athletics, management of the spine-injured athlete and preventing sudden death in sport. Most recently, he participated in the 2014 Football Safety Summit. Kudos recognizes special contributions of staff, faculty and administrators in teaching, research and service. News items are limited to election into office of state, regional, national and international societies; major awards and prizes; and similarly notable accomplishments.
Robert Newcomb
Caroline Cason Barratt, director of the Miller Learning Center Library Commons, leads classes in library research for the Lamar Dodd School of Art, the College of Environment and Design and the anthropology department.
Discovery channel: MLC library director helps students find learning tools By Jean Cleveland jclevela@uga.edu
Equipped with an undergraduate degree in English, Caroline Cason Barratt was looking for a job in Athens in 1999. A familiar story, but Cason trusted her instincts and applied to the UGA Libraries, landing an entry-level position. Barratt, director of the Miller Learning Center Library Commons since 2010, said that first job gave her the opportunity to realize that she loved being in libraries and conducting research. It also made her realize how much she loved libraries as an institution. “Within months I knew I wanted to pursue my Master of Library and Information Science,” she said. “It was the vocation for me.” She now directs a library with no circulating books and a focus on digital research sources and references; that fact helps reflects the changes to librarianship shaped by technology. Regardless of format—digital or print, in-person or via chat reference—Barratt said, “the main thing is helping people … leading to the moment of realization for them to answer a question, maybe open a new door and find a new path. “Libraries are endless sources of discovery,” she also said. Not just a home for classrooms, the Miller Learning Center also was designed as a unique combination of library resources and computing and study space, creating a comprehensive learning environment that maximizes innovative technology. It operates as a partnership between the UGA Libraries, Enterprise Information Technology Services and
the Center for Teaching and Learning. Barratt was involved from the very start in planning the services and activities the new facility would offer and has helped steer program development there since opening day. As technology has evolved, so has the MLC. Today a Digital Media Lab provides UGA students access to the latest in multimedia software and hardware for the creation and editing of course-related, digital media projects. When the MLC opened as the Student Learning Center in 2003, there were 500 desktop computers. Now the MLC also lends laptops, iPads, digital cameras and audio recording equipment. “Learning commons like the MLC are creative places that attempt to provide all the tools a student might need for the end result, which could be a multimedia project or a paper,” Barratt said. In 2007, Barratt co-founded the UGA Libraries’ Undergraduate Research Awards, which are based on students’ ability to articulate their research process, reflect on the path followed and discuss what they concluded. “It’s been amazing to have this opportunity to see what people do with what they find,” she said. “It gives us insight we would not otherwise have. We often help people find an answer, but we don’t see where it leads them.” The latest development at the MLC was the move to staying open 24 hours. That change, Barratt said, was met with “a huge, positive response from the students, with the overarching theme, ‘It’s been a lifesaver.’ ” Originally designed to be open 24 hours, the MLC previously closed at
FACTS
Caroline Cason Barratt Director, Library Commons, Miller Learning Center M.A., Art History, UGA, 2008 M.L.I.S., University of South Carolina, 2003 B.A., English Literature, University of Florida, 1996 At UGA: 16 years
2 a.m. due to budget constraints, but was open around the clock the weeks before and during final exams each semester. Barratt maintains a presence on the reference service desk and continues a rigorous teaching load. “It’s important to me to be involved in what happens day to day and understand what things people are asking for, and a good way to do that is to be on a service desk,” Barratt said. “It’s also fun and enlightening to work with our student consultants.” Barratt’s research includes studies on student information-seeking behaviors and the evolution of the learning commons, including the use of digital resources like e-books. As a teaching librarian, she leads classes in library research for the Lamar Dodd School of Art, the College of Environment and Design and the anthropology department. She also has taught a First-Year Odyssey seminar. “My professional life would not be complete without the teaching component,” Barratt said. “I enjoy talking to students about our resources and working with them on projects.”
OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION
OIE honors 8 UGA faculty, staff members at reception By Martina Kloss martina@uga.edu
The UGA Office of International Education honored eight faculty and staff members at its annual International Education Awards Reception, held April 8 at the Garden Club of Georgia. William Kisaalita, a biological and mechanical engineering professor in the College of Engineering, received the Richard Reiff Internationalization Award. Since 1990 Kisaalita has been regularly taking students to Uganda, Burkina Faso, Morocco, Tanzania and South Africa as part of engineering design and service-learning and research projects Beth D. Tolley and Robert Moser
received the Study Abroad Award. Tolley is a clinical associate professor in the College of Education and the director of a study-abroad program, “UGA/ Modena Schools: A cross cultural study abroad experience in early childhood, elementary, and middle school education.” Moser is an associate professor of Portuguese, Brazilian and Lusophone African literature and culture at UGA. He is also the director of the Portuguese Flagship Program. Akinloye Ojo, an associate professor in the comparative literature department, received the International Diversity Award, which recognizes a faculty or staff member who has shown dedication to promoting diversity as part of UGA’s internationalization.
Jack Pannecoucke, an assistant in the Office of the Registrar, received the Mary Ann Kelley Open Arms Award, which honors faculty or staff who have gone above and beyond their formal duties in facilitating the presence of international students and scholars at UGA. Three additional awards were presented. Roxanne Eberle, an associate professor in the English department, received the Friend of UGA at Oxford Award. Ben Reynolds, a science May semester coordinator at the UGA Studies Abroad in Cortona, was awarded the Dedicato a Cortona Award. Spenser Simrill, a professor in the English department, received the Costa Rica Adelante Award.
INSTRUCTIONAL NEWS
columns.uga.edu April 20, 2015
Students of history
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Role-playing teaching strategy immerses students in pivotal moments of past By Aaron Hale
aahale@uga.edu
The giddy energy circulating through the auditorium of the college lecture hall make the “People, Parasites and Plagues” class feel more like an elementary school play than the large science course that it was. While delivering speeches about a cholera outbreak, some students—including some of the women—are sporting fake mustaches and employing accents that sound like they just finished watching a Harry Potter movie marathon. The students are offering hypotheses for the outbreak. Some blame “bad air”; others claim the disease is spreading through blood. Both the outdated and reasonable arguments draw a mix of cheers and jeers from classmates, including some shouts of “pish posh” and “hogwash.” Big science college lecture classes aren’t supposed to use fake mustaches and bad British accents. But in this student-led role-playing game really reimagining the 1854 Broad Street cholera outbreak in London, the classroom definitely is engaged. The fun and game have a purpose, said Julie Moore, a professor of infectious disease in the UGA College of Veterinary Medicine. “The exercise for the students is to really explore these different historical viewpoints of disease,” Moore said. “It’s an opportunity for them to really understand the basis for this kind of (scientific) controversy and gain an understanding of how our concepts of disease have really changed over time.” The game is part of a pedagogical strategy called Reacting to the Past, which places students in the role of historical figures at a pivotal moment in history. In each of these games, there are arguments to be made, compromises to be struck and decisions to render. Reacting to the Past has been around UGA for decades but is undergoing a revival in UGA classrooms—especially in science,
Aaron Hale
Caroline McArthur, left, a health promotion major, and Allison Morgan, a biology major, give speeches during a Reacting to the Past game in Julie Moore’s “People, Parasites and Plagues” class.
technology, engineering and math courses—as a way to get students to think more deeply about complex material. Naomi Norman, Meigs Professor of Classics and co-director of UGA’s Reacting to the Past Program, said Reacting to the Past creates “a very dynamic classroom,” where students not only participate but get emotionally invested in the material. Norman recently was named UGA associate vice president for instruction. Reacting to the Past pedagogy originated in the history department of Barnard College, which may explain why many of these games revolve around the kind of lessons learned in high school social studies and history classes, like Plato’s Republic or the French Revolution. However, increasingly games examine historical debates in science and health care policy. For each game, instructors assign roles. Students must research historical figures, write speeches and collaborate—or conspire—with
WEEKLY READER
Book details gubernatorial controversy
The Three Governors Controversy: Skullduggery, Machinations, and the Decline of Georgia’s Progressive Politics By Charles S. Bullock III, Scott E. Buchanan and Ronald Keith Gaddie University of Georgia Press Cloth and e-book: $32.95
The death of Georgia Gov.-elect Eugene Talmadge launched one of the most unusual political events in U.S. history: the state had three active governors at once. The Three Governors Controversy is the first full-length examination of that episode, which wasn’t just a crazy quirk of Georgia politics, but the decisive battle in a struggle between the state’s progressive and rustic forces. In 1946, rural forces aided by the county unit system, Jim Crow intimidation of black voters and the Talmadge machine’s “loyal 100,000” voters united to claim the governorship. Charles S. Bullock III, the Richard B. Russell Professor of Political Science in the UGA School of Public and International Affairs, co-wrote the book with Scott E. Buchanan and Ronald Keith Gaddie.
“Intellectually, students are encouraged to fight with ideas.” FAUSTO SARMIENTO Geography professor and 2014 UGA Reacting to the Past Fellow
other students outside of class. The students’ goal is to “win” the game in class, or have their historical figure’s goals realized. Sometimes the instructor gently prods the class to keep conversation moving and encourages students to negotiate deals with other classmates in and out of class. But mostly, the instructor lets the students lead and watches the game unfold. One lesson from Reacting to the Past is that history does not always repeat itself. Sometimes the Loyalists win the day in revolutionary New York City; sometimes Octavius fails to become Caesar Augustus; in
the case of the game in Moore’s class, sometimes London government officials don’t replace the pump that led to the cholera epidemic. “It’s the clearest way I know to show history is not linear,” Norman said. “It could have turned out differently.” But Reacting to the Past is more than a lesson in historical perspective. Fausto Sarmiento, a geography professor in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, said the game also helps students learn how to construct an argument. “Intellectually, students are encouraged to fight with ideas,” he said. Sarmiento, who was named the inaugural UGA Reacting to the Past Fellow in 2014, is teaching an honors geography course this fall that will use a game based on the Copenhagen Accord, an agreement made among nations in 2009 to lower emissions in order to slow climate change. Students won’t just play the role of scientists; some will be politicians
and economists vying for a voice in climate change policy. “In the real world, environmental policy isn’t only made by scientists,” Sarmiento said. Reacting to the Past fits nicely into the Center for Teaching and Learning’s recent emphasis on active learning and flipping the classroom. A flipped classroom is a pedagogical strategy in which students first experience exposure to concepts prior to coming to class and, once in class, instructors assist students as they deepen their learning through specifically designed activities. “In the world of higher education teaching and learning, one of the most talked about pedagogical strategies today is flipping the classroom. That’s what Reacting is,” said Chase Hagood, assistant director of faculty development and recognition at CTL. Hagood was recently named co-director of UGA’s Reacting to the Past Program. This summer, Hagood will lead a game for graduate students and faculty revolving around the question of religious freedom in colonial Massachusetts. Reacting@UGA, a group of faculty dedicated to the pedagogy, and CTL will host the Reacting to the Past Game Development Conference and Newbie Day July 15-18 in the Miller Learning Center to expose new faculty to Reacting to the Past and work with experienced Reacting faculty across the country to create more games for students. Faculty who use the pedagogy insist the game is not just good for students, but it also changes how faculty think about teaching. “It reinvigorates us as instructors,” Norman said. Back inside the Veterinary College auditorium, class time has ended. In a typical class, students would probably be rushing out the door to the next class. But in this class, even as students remove the fake mustaches and ditch the British accents, they still are talking about cholera and still trying to find an edge to win the game.
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
Institutional Diversity updates website
Copy Editor David Bill
diversity.uga.edu
The Office of Institutional Diversity has an updated website with a new design. Prominently featuring stories about UGA’s students, faculty and staff, the website also highlights upcoming
diversity events. The new site showcases the range of diversity programs UGA has to offer. It also has an area where visitors can learn about giving to UGA.
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 April 20, 2015 columns.uga.edu
LEGISLATURE
from page 1
supported by $14 million in private funds. Phase I of the project is being built entirely from private funds; • $17 million for the construction of the Center for Molecular Medicine, which also is supported by $8 million in non-state funds; • $5 million for the renovation of the Animal and Dairy Science Center on the Tifton campus; • $3.3 million for equipment to support the Science Learning Center; and • $1.5 million for equipment to support the veterinary medicine diagnostic labs in Athens and Tifton. The budget includes the following additional operating funds: • $520,000 for three agricultural research positions; • $360,000 for six new UGA Extension county agents; • $300,000 for three forestry Extension positions; • $169,569 for maintenance and operations of the Marine Institute at Sapelo Island; and • $39,000 for the Georgia Capitol Agricultural History Museum.
DIVERSITY
Photos by Paul Efland
COMPLETE TEARDOWN
The demolition of the old Bolton Dining Commons is expected to be finished by May 9. Current plans call for the site to be used as a parking lot until long-term plans are finalized. The new Bolton Dining Commons opened last fall on the corner of Baxter and Lumpkin streets.
ADMINISTRATOR from page 1
Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. She was recognized for outstanding instruction at UGA’s 2003 Honors Day ceremony. Covert has garnered nearly $6 million in external funding for her research on economically and ecologically significant fungal pathogens, and her journal articles have been cited nearly 3,800 times. She also holds a patent for transgenic plants that have a high tolerance to drought and extreme light conditions. She was named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2007. “I am excited to have this opportunity to work campus-wide with staff, faculty and
administrators in support of UGA’s outstanding faculty,” Covert said. “I look forward to maintaining UGA’s current strengths in faculty affairs and to enhancing faculty recruitment, retention and advancement through new programs and refined administrative procedures.” Covert joined UGA’s faculty in 1993 after completing a National Science Foundation postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Arizona. She earned a bachelor’s degree magna cum laude in biochemistry from Dartmouth University and earned her doctorate in bacteriology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Bulletin Board Spring pottery sale
The UGA Ceramic Student Organization will hold a spring pottery sale April 21-23 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the first floor lobby of the Lamar Dodd School of Art, 270 River Road. Work on sale will include handbuilt sculptures for home and garden as well as functional pottery: teapots, mugs, plates, vases and bowls. All work was made by ceramic students or faculty. Prices will start at $10. For more information, contact Ted Saupe, tsaupe@uga.edu.
New retirees reception
The Office of the President, the Office of the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost and the UGA Retirees Association will host a reception April 30 for UGA faculty, staff and administrators who retired between May 2014 and April 2015. The new retirees, who were mailed invitations to the event, will be presented with certificates thanking them for their service to the university. The keynote speaker for the event will be University System of Georgia Chancellor Hank Huckaby. Information will be available at the reception about UGARA and also the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, an organization open to Athens-area
residents older than age 50. OLLI offers members access to courses, social events, travel opportunities and other activities. UGARA includes all UGA retirees— faculty, staff and administrators—who become members when they officially retire from the university. UGARA is governed by a council of elected members who serve three-year terms. The council members for 2014-2015 are Brahm Verma, president; Tom Lauth, vice president; Kathy Hoard, secretary; Sharron Thompson, treasurer; as well as Tommy Altman, Ruth Bettandorff, Freda Scott Giles, Sharron Hannon and Ed Kanemasu. Lauth will succeed Verma as president of the council for 2015-2016. Incoming council members for next year include Mark Eason, Paul Kurtz and Tom Landrum, who will succeed council members who have completed their service. For more information about UGARA, see http://ugara.uga.edu/ or visit the UGARA Facebook page.
Administrative Professionals Day Conference
The Administrative Professionals Day Conference, sponsored by the Georgia Center for Continuing Education and the International
from page 1 gender equity on campus. Cook chairs the faculty committee that is working with a consultant on a gender equity study as well as a planning committee for a campus-wide survey that will provide insights into everyday experiences of students, faculty and staff. She said she expects to learn a lot through the anonymous, online format of the survey, which will address but is not limited to issues associated with race, ethnicity, sexual orientation and gender. “I expect to receive feedback that people haven’t articulated in the past because they haven’t had a way to do so,” Cook said. “We will be able to use the results to make changes that bring us closer together. That is critically important.” Cook said she is enthusiastic about taking on OID’s expanded role in addressing women’s issues and sees each opportunity to help someone as an opportunity to enrich the campus for everyone. “People sometimes see issues of diversity as a pie to be divided, and if one group gets a larger piece, there is less for me and my group,” she said. “We address that head on. There is no proverbial pie. We are trying to provide awareness and resources to better the experience of all students, faculty and staff.”
Association of Administrative Professionals, will be held April 24 at the Georgia Center from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Breakout sessions will feature speakers who will discuss practical tips for enhancing skills and putting professional development on a faster track. Conference fees range from $39-$189. For more information, visit http://t.uga.edu/1mA.
Library course reserves
The UGA Libraries is accepting course reserve lists for summer semester, which begins May 12. Information on using course reserves including the full course reserve letter, guidelines, submission forms, processing priorities, deadlines and other important dates is at http://t.uga.edu/16h. The course reserve deadline is May 1. Lists received after this date will be processed as quickly as possible according to processing priorities. For more information, contact Mollie Armour at 706-542-2081 or mainresv@uga.edu or Brenda Robbins at sciresv@uga.edu or 706-542-4535. Bulletin Board is limited to information that may pertain to a majority of faculty and staff members.
EARTH
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promoting sustainability initiatives and handson learning activities, bike repairs and food made in Athens. Earth Day T-shirts will be made on-site; bring a lightly colored T-shirt to participate. Partnering organizations include UGA Food Services and the Athens Farmers Market. Later that day, the Campus Bike Co-op, a student led group, will lead a bike ride around Athens to promote alternative transportation. The ride will start at 6 p.m. at Myers quadrangle. At 7 p.m., the Athens Science Café will feature Marshall Shepherd, who will discuss “Zombies, Sports and Cola: What Does it Mean for Communicating Weather and Climate?” at The Foundry (previously the Melting Point at Graduate Athens). A UGA Athletic Association Distinguished Professor, Shepherd is director of the Atmospheric Sciences Program in the geography department and host of the Weather Channel’s WXGeeks. On April 21, the ACC Stormwater Office will conduct a hands-on workshop from 11 a.m. to noon in Room 140 of the Tate Student Center. The workshop will teach participants how to better communicate science through a case study involving pet waste and water pollution. From 3:30-5 p.m. in the Larry Walker Room of Dean Rusk Hall, the Inspiring Careers in Sustainability Panel will feature industry leaders from Coca-Cola, Cox Enterprises, Southface and Georgia Power. At 4 p.m., the Odum School of Ecology will host the 30th annual 2015 Odum Lecture, which will be delivered by ecologist Nancy Grimm at 4 p.m. in the ecology auditorium (see Digest, page 3). A professor of ecology at Arizona State University, Grimm studies how climate change and human activities affect ecological processes in aquatic and urban ecosystems. Evening activities begin at 6:30 p.m. Peace by Piece UGA is hosting a panel discussion focused on “Sustainability in Religion and Philosophy” in Room 148 of the Miller Learning Center. This panel will delve into topics such as environmental stewardship and responsibility and how different religions view the environment. The panel discussion will be followed by Yoga Under the Stars at 8 p.m. on Myers quadrangle. Led by Cal Clements from Rubber Soul Yoga, the event is free, but participants should bring a towel or yoga mat. On national Earth Day, April 22, a Chew Crew cleanup day will be held from 3:305:30 p.m. at Tanyard Creek. Volunteers are asked to meet outside the Hull Street parking deck near Tanyard Creek to help remove trash and invasive species and conduct general site maintenance. The SXSM (South by South Milledge) Sustainable Spring Concert and no-waste dinner will be held from 5:30-8:30 p.m. in the UGArden, located just past the State Botanical Garden on South Milledge Avenue. Participating bands include the Ecotones and New Nature, Zale and Wieuca. Participants are asked to bring a homemade dish to share. At 7 p.m., The Georgia Review will host award-winning writer and environmental activist Gary Ferguson as the speaker for its annual Earth Day program (see story, pages 4&5). The event will be held in the Day Chapel at the State Botanical Garden. On April 23, Recycling Happy Hour will be held from 5-7 p.m. in parking lot E01 of the UGA intramural fields.This drive-through electronics recycling event is sponsored by the Athens-Clarke County Recycling Division, WUGA, Coca-Cola, UGA Parking Services and the Office of Sustainability. Bring electronics such as TVs, computers, phones and cables, batteries, light bulbs and cooking grease to the intramural fields and receive a free beverage in return. At 7 p.m., The Wisdom to Survive will be screened in Room 137 of the Tate Student Center. UGA Earth Week will conclude April 24 with the annual Middle Oconee River Kayaking and Cleanup. It will be held from 2-5 p.m. at Big Dogs on the River, which is located at 2525 Atlanta Highway. Participants will join Big Dogs on the River, UOWN, Keep Athens-Clarke County Beautiful, the Georgia River Network, UGA Outdoor Recreation and the Office of Sustainability to paddle and clean up the riverbanks of the Middle Oconee River.