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Alumni Association’s executive director ushering in new era of giving CAMPUS NEWS
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Twin sisters to perform concert April 7 in Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall
March 30, 2015
Vol. 42, No. 31
www.columns.uga.edu
camiew@uga.edu
Andrew Davis Tucker
Georgia’s first lady, Sandra Deal, shown reading to pre-K students in UGA’s Child Development Lab, says the key to success as an adult is a good education as a child.
Reading ‘Discovery’ Georgia’s first lady visits UGA as part of statewide literacy campaign
jcpowell@uga.edu
Georgia’s first lady, Sandra Deal, read to pre-K students in UGA’s Child Development Lab at the McPhaul Center March 16 as part of the Read Across Georgia campaign. Deal, a former sixth-grade teacher and the daughter of educators, went all out with facial expressions and sound effects to engage the group of 4- and 5-year-olds who gathered to hear her read T.J.’s Discovery, a new book written by teachers at the Rollins Center for Language and Literacy at the Atlanta Speech School. To date, Deal has spoken to students in all 159 Georgia counties
4&5
President, provost launch Women’s Leadership Initiative By Camie Williams
By Cal Powell
UGA GUIDE
and more than 430 schools as part of a campaign to promote literacy. She spent more than an hour visiting and reading to the students at the Child Development Lab, a unit of the human development and family science department within the UGA College of Family and Consumer Sciences. “I feel like the key to (being successful) is getting a good education when you’re young,” Deal said. “That’s why I’ve taken the opportunity to read to young children rather than work with the older children since I’ve been first lady. I feel like the foundation is just so very, very important. Pre-K is where we start.” After reading to the McPhaul students, Deal invited Chelsea
Jarrell, park manager at the nearby Victoria Bryant State Park, to speak to the students about various outdoor activities available to them that promote family interaction. As she left, Deal was presented with a handmade sign from Amelia Spell, one of the McPhaul Center students, signed by her and her classmates. Deal visited with students at Athens’ Chase Street Elementary School and Madison County’s Ila Elementary School later in the day. The Read Across Georgia campaign was launched in 2012 and supports Gov. Nathan Deal’s Grade Level Reading Initiative, which aims to have all Georgia third-graders reading at grade level or better by the end of third grade.
COMMENCEMENT
In the latest in a series of efforts to foster gender equity at UGA, President Jere W. Morehead and Provost Pamela Whitten have launched an initiative to enhance the representation of women in leadership roles on campus. The Women’s Leadership Initiative will address issues such as recruitment and hiring, career development, work-life balance and leadership development. “Improving gender equity in higher education leadership is an issue of national concern,” Morehead said. “At the University
of Georgia, we are striving to be part of the solution to this issue by creating a campus environment that supports women in their preparation for critical leadership positions.” The initiative will be supported initially by a 10-member planning committee, and a larger implementation committee will be formed at a later date. Whitten invites faculty and staff to share their ideas by contacting her at pwhitten@uga.edu. “Every member of the university community should experience an environment that allows them to achieve their See INITIATIVE on page 8
ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
UGA administrator named associate VP for instruction By Tracy N. Coley tcoley@uga.edu
Naomi Norman, a Josiah Meigs Distinguished Teaching Professor and veteran administrator in the classics department in UGA’s Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, has been named associate vice president for instruction. The appointment is effective April 1. Norman has served as department head in classics for the last several years and has been a faculty member in the Franklin College since 1980. She is a member of the UGA Teaching Academy and served as a Senior Teaching Fellow in 2008-2009. “Dr. Norman has a longstanding record of academic leadership
and administration,” said Rahul Shrivastav, vice president for instruction. “She is passionate about providing meaningful learning Naomi Norman experiences to students and brings a wealth of knowledge and university experience to the position. We are looking forward to having Dr. Norman’s leadership in the Office of the Vice President for Instruction.” As associate vice president for instruction, Norman will work with Shrivastav and Ronald Cervero,
See INSTRUCTION on page 8
GRADUATE SCHOOL
‘GMA’ anchor, founding director of CITS DeKalb County superintendent will address university’s spring graduates to deliver annual Early Lecture By Stephanie Schupska schupska@uga.edu
Good Morning America anchor Amy Robach will give undergraduates one final charge on May 8 before UGA sends its newest alumni off with a fireworks farewell. The spring Commencement ceremony will begin at 7 p.m. in Sanford Stadium. The graduate ceremony, which will feature University Professor Emeritus Gary Bertsch, who is now chairman of the international advisory group TradeSecure LLC, will be held at 10 a.m. in Stegeman Coliseum. Tickets are not required for either ceremony.
Amy Robach
Gary Bertsch
“Amy Robach is a veteran television journalist with national and international recognition. She also is one of the University of Georgia’s most accomplished alumni,” said President Jere W. Morehead. “We are honored to welcome her back to campus to deliver the Commencement address and look forward to hearing
her inspirational message to our graduating seniors.” A 1995 alumna of the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, Robach has been a news anchor for ABC’s Good Morning America since March 2014. During her time at ABC News— she originally joined the network as a correspondent based in New York—she has traveled nationally and internationally to cover major news events. Robach has reported and hosted several 20/20 programs for ABC News, including ones on polygamist leader Warren Jeffs for “Breaking Polygamy: Secrets of the Sect” and See COMMENCEMENT on page 8
By Kristen Cameron kcam@uga.edu
Michael L. Thurmond, the superintendent of the DeKalb County School District, will deliver the 15th annual Mary Frances Early Lecture April 1. The lecture, which will be take place at 3 p.m. in the Tate Student Center Theatre, is open free to the public. Thurmond, an Athens native, was appointed superintendent of the DeKalb County School System in 2013 to address accreditation issues. Under his leadership, the system’s accreditation was upgraded in 2014. He is currently on leave from the law firm of Butler Wooten
Cheeley and Peak while he serves as superintendent. T h u r mond was elected to the Georgia General Assembly in 1986. He Michael Thurmond was the first African-American elected from Clarke County since Reconstruction. After his tenure in the General Assembly,Thurmond wasappointed to direct Georgia’s transition from the Welfare-to-Work program
See EARLY on page 8
2 March 30, 2015 columns.uga.edu
REGENERATIVE BIOSCIENCE CENTER
Around academe
MIT encouraging students to discuss stress after 4 recent suicides
The recent suicides of four students—two in March—at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have prompted students, administrators and faculty to reconsider issues about stress. MIT is encouraging students to talk about stress caused by their workload. Many students agree the stress largely is caused by grades and academic workload, according to an article in The Boston Globe. The school is planning to launch a campuswide campaign, We All Struggle Together, that aims to make it more socially acceptable to acknowledge imperfections and to seek assistance. The hope is that an open dialogue about stress will reduce student suicides.
University of Oklahoma building legal case to keep painting stolen by Nazis
The University of Oklahoma is building a legal argument to keep a painting by Camille Pissarro that was stolen by Nazis in 1941. Leone Meyer, a 75-year-old Holocaust survivor living in Paris, has maintained that she is entitled to the painting, “Shepherdess Bringing in Sheep,” and has sued the university for ownership. The lawsuit previously was thrown out because it was filed in the wrong state.
Plan to eat healthy when dining out
News to Use
Eating healthy often means including more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy and lean proteins into meals. Because it can be difficult to get all of these food groups at a restaurant, eating healthy while dining out starts with a plan. The first step is to do your planning on a full stomach to ensure clarity of thought. Start by listing the top 10 restaurants, fast food or otherwise, you visit most frequently. Look up their menus online and identify the healthy foods they serve that you enjoy eating. Next, identify a few of the days in the next week you predict you’ll want someone else to prepare a meal. Examples might be meeting a co-worker for lunch, celebrating a birthday or realizing that you won’t have time to prepare food because of other commitments. Then plan to eat a specific dish at a specific restaurant on one or more of those days. While planning, remember to pick a variety of foods. Normal eating patterns include feeling hungrier than planned on one day and feeling more full on others. Ultimately, by taking some time to plan and putting a bit of forethought into the day, you can ensure that you eat healthy meals when dining out. For healthy cooking at home, consider taking the instructional classes from the University Health Center’s Nutrition Kitchen, which offers cooking classes periodically in the summer for faculty and staff. Source: UGA Health Center
Super centers
UGA’s Tate Student Center was ranked among the top 30 “most amazing college unions and campus centers” in the U.S. Other selected universities that made the list include:
1. 2. 4. 6. 8. 9. 13. 20. 21. 28.
High Point U. Oklahoma State U. Cal State UNC, Charlotte U. of Michigan San Diego State U. Iowa State U. UGA Ohio State U. Florida State U.
Source: Best College Values
Janet Beckley
A new breed: RBC researcher works to save endangered Sumatran tiger By Charlene Betourney cbetourney@uga.edu
Franklin West doesn’t want to save the world. He just wants to save endangered animals, like the Sumatran tiger. An assistant professor of animal and dairy science in UGA’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, West has been on a quest to save the Sumatran tiger from extinction since he worked on a research project at Princeton University. “I always have had a love for endangered animal species, with big cats being chief among them,” said West, who also is a faculty member at the university’s Regenerative Bioscience Center. “We also know a lot about cat reproductive physiology from domestic cats, so it is a logical starting point for this project as our goal is to ultimately make sperm and eggs from tiger and leopard stem cells for breeding programs.” The Sumatran tiger, which tops the endangered list, has fallen prey to human poaching activities and habitat loss, according to West. Today, there are less than 400 Sumatran tigers in the world. West believes he may have found a way to help save the Sumatran tiger and other endangered animals. Using pioneering technology West developed with RBC director Steven Stice, researchers can generate stem cells from skin cells. These cells can then be turned into sperm for artificial insemination in zoo breeding programs. “The big picture ramification is this technology could be used for any endangered species,” West said. Cells from a Sumatran tiger are now frozen in incubator banks at the Regenerative Bioscience Center, but unfortunately so is funding for the project.
Rich Addicks
Franklin West, left, and Steven Stice of UGA’s Regenerative Bioscience Center have developed stem cell technology that can be used in zoo breeding programs to help save endangered animal species from extinction.
Without federal aid, the tiger project is at a standstill. To keep it alive, West is turning to UGA’s c rowdfunding website, Georgia Funder (https://dar.uga.edu/funder/), to raise money for additional research. Maintained by the university’s Office of Development, Georgia Funder allows UGA and its colleges, schools and academic units to showcase their prospective projects and outline funding priorities. Donors then can choose specific projects of interest at UGA to support. So far, the campaign to fund the tiger research, which ends April 30, has raised less than $1,000 of the needed $25,000. Regina Smith, a former associate vice president of research at UGA, is one of the early donors for the tiger crowdfunding effort. “These are the projects that need special avenues to amass funding because they are so unusual,” she said. “That’s the
beauty of crowdfunding. It’s easy, quick and takes advantage of people’s inherent desire to lend a hand.” Smith said humans have a responsibility to prevent the extinction of any species, but especially one “as majestic as Sumatran tigers.” The cells collected for this project came from a tiger at Zoo Atlanta named Jalal, who died in 2010. The proximity of the zoo has elevated one student’s awareness of his role in conservation and the key impact of the campaign in preventing species extinction. “As a child, I visited Zoo Atlanta countless times,” said Aaron Maslia, a senior biological sciences major from Atlanta. “Being able to work in the lab that could potentially produce an animal that I could get to see as an adult would be an amazing experience.” Donations for this project can be made at http://t.uga.edu/177.
COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
SCHOOL OF LAW CAES Spring Showcase will feature Former Home Depot agricultural, environmental sciences Foundation exec to give House Lecture By J. Merritt Melancon you note or thank you selfie to donors. jmerritt@uga.edu
The UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences will host its inaugural CAES Spring Showcase April 3-16. “Our college is a very exciting place to be throughout the year but especially in April,” said Jean Bertrand, the college’s assistant dean for academic affairs. “From protecting the environment to feeding the world, we work to improve lives. We are very proud of our college’s accomplishments and want to open our doors to our community. ” The showcase will open April 3 with the Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomics Graduate Student Plant Sale. It will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Miller Plant Sciences Building and the Miller Learning Center. The UGA Bug Dawgs of the entomology department will host the 30th annual Insect Zoo open house April 3 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the lawn in front of the plant sciences building. The showcase will continue April 7 with International Ag Day at the Georgia Museum of Art from 4-6 p.m. Prabhu Pingali, director of the Tata-Cornell Agriculture and Nutrition Initiative at Cornell University, will speak during the college’s Office of Global Programs International Ag Day, an annual celebration of student and faculty global work. As part of Thank a Donor Day on April 9, the college’s AgDawgs will be at the Tate Student Center Plaza from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to help students send a thank
The annual Great Southland Stampede Rodeo, an award-winning student event run by the UGA Block and Bridle Club, will be held April 9-11. Gates open at 6 p.m. and shows start at 8 p.m. in the UGA Livestock Arena on South Milledge Avenue. For more information, visit www.greatsouthlandstampederodeo.com. Plantapalooza, the annual plant sale, will be held April 11 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. in three locations: the UGA Horticulture Club (near the Riverbend Greenhouse Complex), the Trial Gardens at UGA (located between Snelling Dining Commons and the pharmacy building) and the State Botanical Garden. As part of the annual G-Day Game on April 11, the college will host the CAES Tailgate from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Conner Hall. The G-Day Game will kick off at 2 p.m. in Sanford Stadium. On April 14, retired Navy Rear Adm. Timothy Ziemer will give a lecture, “President’s Malaria Initiative: The U.S. Government’s Commitment to the Global Malaria Fight,” from 4-5:30 p.m. in Masters Hall of the Georgia Center. The CAES Undergraduate Research Symposium will be held April 15 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Conner Hall. The showcase will conclude April 16 with Ag Day at the Tate Student Center from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sigma Alpha agricultural sorority will host a mobile petting zoo, mini-insectival and information booths. The complete Spring Showcase schedule of events is available at http://t.uga.edu/1o3.
By Lona Panter lonap@uga.edu
Kelly Caffarelli, former president of the Home Depot Foundation, will present “Long Pants or Short Skirts: Fitting In, Fighting Back or Finding Your Own Way” as the UGA School of Law’s 33rd Edith House lecturer April 2 at 1:30 p.m. in the school’s Hatton Lovejoy Courtroom. The lecture is open free to the public. Caffarelli currently is the president of Caffarelli Consulting, which advises mission-focus organizations on making their programs more impactful by measuring the outcome of their work and providing insights on how to improve their work to accomplish more. Prior to starting her own firm, Caffarelli served as president and was a member of the board of directors for the Home Depot Foundation from 2003 to 2014. Caffarelli joined Home Depot as senior corporate counsel in 1999 after practicing with the law firms Jones Day and King & Spalding. She previously clerked for Chief Judge B. Avant Edenfield of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia. She also served on numerous nonprofit boards, including Volunteers of America, the Woodruff Arts Center, The Galloway School and Zoo Atlanta. The Edith House Lecture is sponsored by the Women Law Students Association in honor of one of the first female graduates of Georgia Law.
RESEARCH NEWS
columns.uga.edu March 30, 2015
3
Digest Habitat for Humanity International collection opens at Hargrett Library
Paul Efland
Theresa Devasia, a third-year statistics major at UGA, left, and Andreas Handel, an assistant professor of epidemiology in the College of Public Health, are part of a team that found that the stomach flu typically lasts the same amount of time no matter a person’s age or the type of norovirus with which a person is infected.
Well and good
UGA study finds stomach flu symptoms last an average of 44 hours By Sydney Devine srdevine@uga.edu
Norovirus infections, sometimes known as the stomach flu, typically last for the same amount of time independent of age or the type of norovirus with which a person is infected, according to a recent study by the UGA College of Public Health, Emory University and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The study was published in the journal Epidemiology and Infection. Symptoms from a norovirus infection last about two days, a finding that is constant between infected individuals as well as environmental settings. The incubation period, or time until symptoms start, is also consistent at 1.5 days from time of infection. “I would have expected there to be a difference in something like a hospital setting or a difference depending on age groups,” said Andreas Handel, an assistant professor of epidemiology in the College of Public Health. “But when we analyzed the data, we didn’t see much
of a difference.” Norovirus infections lead to unpleasant and often severe gastrointestinal problems. The symptoms of a norovirus infection often include vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, and at times, dehydration, said Theresa Devasia, a third-year statistics major at UGA. While infections tend to be most severe in the young and the old, it was not well known how the time between the infection, the onset of symptoms and the duration of symptoms might depend on age and other characteristics. Working on this study, Devasia and Handel studied a large set of outbreaks of norovirus infections. They went through past research to collect their data, searching for norovirus outbreaks and obtaining details about the patients, the setting, means of transmission and other relevant values. “For instance, we looked at health care settings and food service settings to see if they might show differences,” Handel said. They found that for those who get
norovirus, “32 hours is on average how long it takes from being exposed to having symptoms, and 44 hours is on average how long you have the symptoms—pretty much no matter what,” Handel said. They also found that none of the characteristics they investigated showed a meaningful association with the duration of the time until symptoms show up and the duration of symptoms. One caveat noted by the authors is that the data they analyzed was reported on the level of individual outbreaks, not individual patients. Future studies looking at individual patients are required to further test the findings. Understanding the time it takes before symptoms start and the duration of symptoms is important for infection control methods as well as for future computer modeling studies that are often used to evaluate the impact of a potential norovirus vaccine, which is currently in development. Additional study co-authors are Ben Lopman of the CDC and Juan Leon of Emory University.
COLLEGE OF FAMILY AND CONSUMER SCIENCES
Study: Plant chemicals may prevent post-menopausal liver damage By Hyacinth Empinado empinado@uga.edu
Women going through menopause often struggle with weight gain that results when their estrogen levels drop. Many turn to weight-loss supplements to help them shed those extra pounds. But those supplements may cause an accumulation of fat in the liver and a potentially life-threatening condition called nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Now UGA researchers have shown in studies of post-menopausal animals that a mix of phytochemicals, along with vitamin D, may help protect the liver against inflammation caused by the accumulation of fat. The study was published recently in the journal Obesity. “Women going through menopause have an increased tendency to store fat in their livers,” said Colette Miller, the study’s lead author and a postdoctoral research associate in the foods and human nutrition department in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences. “They also have increases in visceral fat—the fat around their organs—where inflammation also occurs.”
Many popular weight-loss supplements cause fat to mobilize in the body, increasing the accumulation of fat in the liver, said Miller. Over time, the extra fat can lead to inflammation and scarring. The plant compounds used by the UGA researchers—resveratrol, found in grapes; genistein, found in soybeans; and quercetin, found in apple peels and onions—have been shown in previous studies to be fat-busters, causing fat cells to burst and release their contents. Miller said it’s nearly impossible to get enough of any of these compounds through food or supplements to gain any benefit. However, she said, together they have a synergistic effect that “cuts the doses you need.” While the treatment did not cause the animals ingesting the compounds to lose weight overall, the researchers saw that visceral fat layers were decreased. “We were able to demonstrate that our phytochemical treatment is shuttling the fat away from the fat tissue to be burned or stored elsewhere,” Miller said. “Ultimately what we saw was that there was no damage in the liver being caused by this increased fat associated
with menopause.” Miller said fatty liver disease is a public health issue that will affect many people. Although it usually is associated with alcoholism, it increasingly is diagnosed in individuals who consume little to no alcohol, especially those who are overweight or obese, including adolescents and children. Currently, the disease has no treatment. “There might be nothing you can do about the fat being shuttled to the liver, but if you can prevent the fat from being toxic or from causing disease, then that might be the best way of treating this,” Miller said. Study co-authors include Jeong YehYang, an assistant research scientist in the UGA Complex Carbohydrate Research Center; Tucker Avra, a graduate student in the College of Veterinary Medicine; and Suresh Ambati, an assistant research scientist in the genetics department of the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences. The late Clifton Baile, D.W. Brooks Distinguished Professor, GRA Eminent Scholar in Biotechnology and former head of the Obesity Initiative, was the principal investigator on the study.
Habitat for Humanity International will frame a house, to be used as affordable housing in Athens, on the lawn of the UGA Richard B. Russell Building Special Collections Libraries April 1. The symbolic house framing will be the highlight of a program to announce the opening of the Habitat for Humanity International records at UGA’s Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library. Habitat’s materials are the latest and largest addition to a growing body of related collections at the library that revolve around the topics of housing, philanthropy and social change. These materials document the formation, growth and operation of one of the most recognized nonprofit organizations as it has worked toward the mission of ending substandard housing around the globe. UGA President Jere W. Morehead and Habitat for Humanity International CEO Jonathan Reckford will participate in the April 1 activities, including the ceremonial raising of an exterior wall of the house during a program beginning at 11:30 a.m. The theme for the day is “Preserving Our Past, Building Our Future.” After the event, the structure will be moved by Athens Habitat for Humanity to the Carpenter’s Circle neighborhood, where it will be completed by local volunteers and become home to Kim Arnold and her daughter, Molly.
‘Automatic for Autism’ benefit to raise awareness, money for UGA program
A resource fair and movie screening in April will raise awareness of autism while celebrating the successful end to a fundraiser for an autism treatment clinic on the UGA campus. “Automatic for Autism,” a campaign launched last fall by four members of the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce’s LEAD Athens class of 2015, will create an endowment fund for the College of Education’s Applied Behavior Analysis Support Clinic, which serves children and adults with autism. To celebrate the campaign’s success, and to bring more awareness about autism to the larger community, the group is hosting a resource fair and film screening April 1 at Ciné in downtown Athens. The resource fair begins at 4 p.m. in Ciné’s lab and features information from health care providers, schools and autism specialists. The resource fair will be followed by the film Temple Grandin about an autistic woman who is one of the top scientists in the industry of livestock handling. The family-friendly event is open free to the public, but donations are welcome and cans of “Automatic for Autism” coffee roasted by Jittery Joe’s will be available for purchase.
University of Georgia Press to host AAUP Book, Jacket and Journal Show
The University of Georgia Press will exhibit the Association of American University Presses 2014 Book, Jacket and Journal Show April 8-10 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the press’s offices on the third floor of UGA’s main library. The show features the best of university press design. Since September, it has traveled across the country, starting with Kent State University Press, Oxford University Press and Princeton University Press. The show will end at the University Press of Florida in May. Each year, a panel selects the best books from a variety of categories, including scholarly typographic, scholarly illustrated, trade typographic, trade illustrated and jackets and covers. This year, the committee received 263 books, 330 jacket and cover design entries and four journals to judge. Individuals or large groups who are unable to come during the show times can contact Kaelin Broaddus, kaelinb@uga.edu, to schedule an appointment for times during the week of April 6.
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 March 30, 2015
4&5
Pulitzer Prize-winning author, Circle Gallery exhibit will feature Southern Highlands journalist to lecture April 2 By Dave Marr Reserve, native plants davemarr@uga.edu By Melissa Tufts mtufts@uga.edu
Christina and Michelle Naughton will perform April 7 at 8 p.m. in Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall.
Twin sisters will perform piano concert April 7 in Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall By Bobby Tyler btyler@uga.edu
Rare ecosystems and native plants will be featured in the exhibit Southern Highlands Reserve:A Garden Rooted in the Place of its Making. The exhibit will be on display in the Circle Gallery at the UGA College of Environment and Design April 2-30. An opening reception will take place April 2 from 4:30-6 p.m. Located in one of the most outstanding natural landscapes in North America, the Southern Highlands Reserve boasts flora and fauna unique to the Arctic, creating what some ecologists call “Canada in North Carolina.” The exhibit will feature photography and nursery plants of the various rare systems found at the reserve including spray cliffs, Blue Ridge escarpment habitats and high-elevation forests that include spruce and mixed hardwoods. Kelly Holdbrooks, a graduate of the UGA College of Environment and Design and director of the Southern Highlands Reserve, will serve as curator for the exhibit, which is made possible by the CED. Located in Toxaway, North Carolina, the Southern Highlands Reserve is open to the public on a limited basis for educational and research purposes.
Douglas A. Blackmon, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Slavery by Another Name: The Re-Enslavement of Black Americans from the Civil War to World War II, will visit UGA for a talk on April 2 at 4 p.m. in the Larry Walker Room of Dean Rusk Hall. His visit is co-sponsored by the UGA Jane and Harry Willson Center for Humanities and Arts and the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, with additional support from the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences’ history department and the School of Law. Blackmon spent more than two decades as a daily newspaper reporter and bureau chief, first with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, then, from 1995-2012, with The Wall Street Journal. He won his first Pulitzer Prize for The Wall Street Journal staff’s breaking news coverage of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. Slavery by Another Name, published in 2008, won the Pulitzer Prize in the general nonfiction book category. The book was adapted into a 90-minute documentary film that premiered at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival before being broadcast on PBS. Blackmon appeared in the film and served as co-executive producer.
The UGA Performing Arts Center will present Christina and Michelle Naughton in a duo piano recital April 7 at 8 p.m. in Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall. The twin sisters have been praised by the San Francisco Examiner for their “stellar musicianship, technical mastery and awe-inspiring artistry.” Tickets for the concert, which range in price from $25-$42, 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. Born in Princeton, New Jersey, to parents of European and Chinese descent, the Naughtons are graduates of the Juilliard School and the Curtis Institute of Music. They made their Asian debut with the Hong Kong Philharmonic, where the Sing Tao Daily commented, “Joining two hearts and four hands at two grand pianos, the Naughton sisters created an electrifying and moving musical performance.” The Performing Arts Center will offer a pre-concert lecture at 7:15 p.m. that will be open free to the public.
EXHIBITIONS Keith Wilson: Desire Path. Through April 17. College of Environment and Design exhibit hall. The Art of Diplomacy: Winston Churchill and the Pursuit of Painting. Through April 17. This exhibition includes a selection of seven paintings by Winston Churchill, prime minister of the United Kingdom and Nobel Prize winner. Hargrett Gallery, special collections libraries. 706-542-0628, cdunham@uga.edu. Small Truths: Pierre Daura’s Life and Vision. Through April 19. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-1817, hazbrown@uga.edu. Pierre Daura (1896-1976): Picturing Attachments. Through April 19. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-1817, hazbrown@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. Jay Robinson: Quarks, Leptons and Peanuts. Through June 21. 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, MARCH 30 2015 CURO SYMPOSIUM The 2015 Center for Undergraduate Research Opportunities Symposium will be held through March 31. Classic Center, 300 N. Thomas St.
CONCERT Hugh Hodgson School of Music professor Jean Martin-Williams and the UGA Horn Choir will p resent a spring concert. 6 p.m. Ramsey Concert Hall, Performing Arts Center. 706-542-4752, musicpr@uga.edu. FILM SCREENING The Punk Singer: A Film About Kathleen Hanna. Part of the Women’s History Month Film Festival. 6:30 p.m. 102 Miller Learning Center. FILM SCREENING Vegucated is an award-winning documentary that follows three meat- and cheese-loving New Yorkers who accept a six-week challenge to adopt a vegan diet. 7:30 p.m. 101 Miller Learning Center. 706-224-3796, sos@uga.edu.
CLASS “Spring Wildflowers of Upland Deciduous Forests of Georgia.” Participants will learn the botanical terminology to identify and describe plants and a variety of tools to identify spring-blooming plants. $50. 9 a.m. Visitor Center’s Classroom 2, State Botanical Garden. 706-542-6156, ckeber@uga.edu. WORKSHOP “Why to Bring Students to the Archives (and How).” When done correctly, archives-based learning can have a huge positive impact on student engagement, individual skill building, course learning objectives, campus goals like retention and civic participation at large. This talk will push participants to evaluate their own practices—in and out of the archives—in the interest of excellent pedagogical design. 10 a.m. 271 special collections libraries. 706-583-0067, tchagood@uga.edu. WORKSHOP “Effective Pedagogical Design for Archives-Based Learning.” This workshop is for instructors and collections staff alike who want to create effective and engaging learning experiences around hands-on primary source research. 2 p.m. 285 special collections libraries. 706-583-0067, tchagood@uga.edu. ECOLOGY SEMINAR “Remote Sensing of Water Resources: Successes and Challenges,” Deepak Mishra, an associate professor in the UGA geography department. Reception precedes seminar in lobby. 4 p.m. Ecology building auditorium. 706-542-7247, bethgav@uga.edu.
BLOOD DRIVE 10 a.m. Hodgson Oil Building.
BASEBALL vs. Georgia Tech. $5-$8. 7 p.m. Foley Field. 706-542-1231. CONCERT Ukrainian pianist Vadym Kholodenko. $25-$42. 8 p.m. Hodgson Concert Hall, Performing Arts Center. 706-542-4400, ugaarts@uga.edu. (See story, above right).
OPEN HOUSE For the Georgia Electron Microscopy Center. Tours
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/.
and demonstrations of the instrumentation will be provided. 9 a.m. 154 Barrow Hall. 706-542-4080, caur@uga.edu. OPENING OF HABITAT INTERNATIONAL COLLECTION A symbolic house framing will be the highlight of a program to announce the opening of the Habitat for Humanity International records at UGA’s Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library. 11:30 a.m. Front lawn, special collections libraries. 706-542-8079, jclevela@uga.edu. (See Digest, page 3). MARY FRANCES EARLY LECTURE Speaker: Michael L. Thurmond, the superintendent of the DeKalb County School District. A reception will follow. 3 p.m. Tate Student Center Theatre. 706-542-6416, ajewell@uga.edu. (See story, page 1).
TUESDAY, MARCH 31
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1
Ralph Lauer
Van Cliburn gold medalist to play works by Handel, Mozart, Beethoven, Debussy By Bobby Tyler btyler@uga.edu
The UGA Performing Arts Center will present pianist Vadym Kholodenko March 31 at 8 p.m. in Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall. Kholodenko won the gold medal at the 14th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 2013 and is the reigning gold medalist of the quadrennial competition. Tickets for the concert are $25-$42; they will be 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. In addition to winning the gold, Kholodenko took home prizes for best performance of the piano quintet and best performance of the commissioned work. He further demonstrated his artistry with a cadenza in Mozart’s “Concerto No. 21 in C Major,” which he composed himself on the plane from Moscow. Kholodenko’s Performing Arts Center program will include works by Handel, Mozart, Beethoven and Debussy. The Performing Arts Center will offer a pre-concert lecture 45 minutes prior to the performance.
GRADUATE SCHOOL DEAN FINALIST PRESENTATION Presentation by William Graves, a candidate for dean of the Graduate School. Graves is a professor of horticulture and associate dean of the Graduate College at Iowa State University. 9:30 a.m. 135 Tate Student Center.
LECTURE “Surviving to Thriving: How to Empower the Poor Through Simple Sustainable Agriculture Technology Solutions,” William Kisaalita, a professor in the College of Engineering. Kisaalita has returned from Uganda and will be sharing lessons learned in developing and successfully deploying these types of solutions in sub-Saharan Africa. 3:35 p.m. 103 Conner Hall. 706-542-8084, sustainag@uga.edu.
Vadym Kholodenko will perform March 31 at 8 p.m. in Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall.
SHORT FILM FESTIVAL Espana En Corto is a short film festival that offers UGA students and community members an inside look at current short films directed by up-andcoming Spanish filmmakers. 7 p.m. Also April 2. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-1817, hazbrown@uga.edu. SOFTBALL vs. North Carolina. 7 p.m. Jack Turner Stadium. 706-542-1621.
GUEST LECTURE “Giambettino Cignaroli’s Ecstasy of St. Francis for Pontremoli,” Robert Coleman, an associate professor of art history at the University of Notre Dame. 5:30 p.m. S151 Lamar Dodd School of Art. charlotte.maier@uga.edu.
d epartment will host the 30th annual Insect Zoo open house that includes a photo booth, live bug exhibits, roach races, cricket spitting and beetle tractor pulls. 10 a.m. Miller Plant Sciences lawn. 706-542-1238, entomolo@uga.edu. (See story, page 2).
CONCERT The UGA Jazz Bands, led by Hugh Hodgson School of Music professor David D’Angelo, will present a spring concert. 6 p.m. Ramsey Concert Hall, Performing Arts Center. 706-542-4752, musicpr@uga.edu.
RETIREE HEALTH INSURANCE INFORMATION MEETING University System of Georgia representatives will provide details and answer questions about the changes in USG retiree health plans. The changes become effective Jan. 1, 2016. 10 a.m. Masters Hall, Georgia Center. 706-542-2222, benefits@uga.edu.
HOLLOWELL LECTURE Speaker: Tomika Brown-Nagin, a professor of law and history in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at Harvard University. A light reception will precede the lecture. 7 p.m. Morton Theatre, 195 W. Washington St. 706-542-5450. CONCERT The UGA African American Choral Ensemble, led by Hugh Hodgson School of Music professor Gregory Broughton, will give its spring performance. 8 p.m. Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall. 706-542-4752, musicpr@uga.edu. FILM SCREENING Smart House (1999) will be shown. $2; $1 for UGA students who pay activity fees. 8 p.m. Tate Student Center Theatre. 706-542-6396.
THURSDAY, APRIL 2 EXHIBITION OPENING Southern Highlands Reserve: A Garden Rooted in the Place of its Making. Through April 30. Circle Gallery. (See story, above). WORKSHOP “James, Dewey and Vygotsky at Hogwarts: Theory to Practice and Back Again.” It is often difficult to take somewhat abstract theories of teaching and learning and conjure up pedagogical practice concretely based upon those ideas and principles; however, this session will engage participants in that process by examining the teaching practices of a select group of famous professors, those at Hogwarts. 1 p.m. North Instructional Plaza Mall. 706-583-0067, tchagood@uga.edu. EDITH HOUSE LECTURE Speaker: Kelly Caffarelli, UGA alumna and former president of the Home Depot Foundation. 1:30 p.m. Hatton Lovejoy Courtroom, Law School. kab13@uga.edu. (See story, page 2). WILLIAM A. OWENS LECTURE Speaker: Carl LeJuez from the University of Maryland’s clinical psychology department. 3:30 p.m. Reception Hall, Tate Student Center. 706-542-2983, jshaikun@uga.edu. GUEST LECTURE Douglas A. Blackmon, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Slavery by Another Name: The Re-Enslavement of Black Americans from the Civil War to World War II, will speak. 4 p.m. Larry Walker Room, Dean Rusk Hall. (See story, above right).
FRIDAY, APRIL 3 GOOD FRIDAY Christian religious observance. PASSOVER Jewish religious observance. HEALTH CARE SYMPOSIUM A panel discussion on the impact of data management and data integration in creating innovation in health care. Panelists will include health care consultants and executives from Athens hospitals St. Mary’s Hospital and Athens Regional Medical Center. Registration is required. 8 a.m. 277 special collections libraries. 706-542-1843, acooper@uga.edu. PLANT SALE The Institute of Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomics Graduate Student Association will hold a plant sale to raise funds. The sale will be at D.W. Brooks Mall, outside of Miller Plant Sciences Building. Plants also will be sold at the northwest lawn outside the Tate Student Center. $2 per plant. 9 a.m. 410-251-6416, bstewar4@uga.edu. (See story, page 2). COLLEGE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE OPEN HOUSE The UGA College of Veterinary Medicine’s annual open house will include exotic animal displays, horseback-riding demonstrations, a parade of dog breeds and limited tours of the new UGA Veterinary Teaching Hospital. 9 a.m. College of Veterinary Medicine. 706-583-5485, kygilmor@uga.edu. UGA INSECT ZOO The UGA Bug Dawgs of the UGA entomology
WOMEN’S STUDIES FRIDAY SPEAKER SERIES LECTURE “Examining the Lives and Teaching Styles of Black and Brown Lesbian Teachers and Personnel,” Bettina Love, an assistant professor in the educational theory and practice department. 12:20 p.m. 148 Miller Learning Center. 706-542-2846, tlhat@uga.edu. RETIREE HEALTH INSURANCE INFORMATION MEETING University System of Georgia representatives will provide details and answer questions about the changes in USG retiree health plans. The changes become effective Jan. 1, 2016. 2 p.m. Masters Hall, Georgia Center. 706-542-2222, benefits@uga.edu. FILM SCREENING The Luck of the Irish (2001) will be shown at 3, 6 and 9 p.m. $2; $1 for UGA students who pay activity fees. Tate Student Center Theatre. 706-542-6396. WOMEN’S TENNIS vs. Ole Miss. 5 p.m. Dan Magill Tennis Complex. 706-542-1621. SOFTBALL vs. Missouri. First of three-game series. 6 p.m. Jack Turner Stadium. 706-542-1621. RECITAL A performance by the Bulldog Brass Society, a graduate brass quintet at the Hugh Hodgson School of Music. The performance will feature a special appearance by the group’s coach, Philip Smith, a UGA professor and former principal trumpet of the New York Philharmonic. 6 p.m. Ramsey Concert Hall, Performing Arts Center. 706-542-4752, musicpr@uga.edu. BASEBALL vs. Vanderbilt. First of three-game series. $5-$8. 7 p.m. Foley Field. 706-542-1231. 2ND THURSDAY CONCERT SERIES Faculty member and International Tchaikovsky Competition winner Evgeny Rivkin will bring his sensitive touch to the Hugh Hodgson School of Music’s brand new Steinway grand piano. $18; $5 for students with a UGACard. 7:30 p.m. Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall. 706-542-4752, jcutchin@uga.edu.
SATURDAY, APRIL 4 BOTANY CLASS
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The goal of this class is to familiarize participants with the basic characteristics that botanists look at when investigating an unknown plant. $105. 9 a.m. Classroom 2, State Botanical Garden. 706-542-6156, ckeber@uga.edu. SOFTBALL vs. Missouri. Second of three-game series. 2 p.m. Jack Turner Stadium. 706-542-1621. BASEBALL vs. Vanderbilt. Second of three-game series. $5-$8. 2 p.m. Foley Field. 706-542-1231. FILM SCREENING The Lizzie McGuire Movie (2003) will be shown at 3, 6 and 9 p.m. $2; $1 for UGA students who pay activity fees. Tate Student Center Theatre. 706-542-6396. FULL MOON HIKE Participants should be prepared to hike up to 2 miles on wooded trails and in the garden. $5; $15 per family. 8 p.m. Visitor Center fountain, State Botanical Garden. 706-542-6156, ckeber@uga.edu.
SUNDAY, APRIL 5 EASTER Christian religious observance. BASEBALL vs. Vanderbilt. Third of three-game series. $5-$8. Noon. Foley Field. 706-542-1231. WOMEN’S TENNIS vs. Mississippi State. 1 p.m. Dan Magill Tennis Complex. 706-542-1621. SOFTBALL vs. Missouri. Third of three-game series. 2 p.m. Jack Turner Stadium. 706-542-1621. FILM SCREENING The Thirteenth Year (1999) will be shown at 3, 6 and 9 p.m. $2; $1 for UGA students who pay activity fees. Tate Student Center Theatre. 706-542-6396.
COMING UP GRADUATE SCHOOL DEAN FINALIST PRESENTATION April 7. Presentation by Carolyn Drews-Botsch, a candidate for dean of the Graduate School. DrewsBotsch is a professor and vice chair of academic affairs in the epidemiology department at Emory University. 9:30 a.m. 135 Tate Student Center. COMPUTER HEALTH AND SECURITY FAIR April 7-8. UGA students, faculty and staff can bring their personal laptops for free security checks. 10 a.m. Second floor rotunda, Miller Learning Center. 706-542-3678, spauff@uga.edu. (See Bulletin Board, page 8). CONCERT April 7. Twin sisters Christina and Michelle Naughton will perform. $25-$42. 8 p.m. Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall, Performing Arts Center. 706-542-4400, ugaarts@uga.edu. (See story, above left).
NEXT COLUMNS DEADLINES April 1 (for April 13 issue) April 8 (for April 20 issue) April 15 (for April 27 issue)
6 March 30, 2015 columns.uga.edu
CAMPUS CLOSEUP
Surveying sports
UGA’s Nathaniel Grow was quoted by ESPN in an article about the need for a regulatory agency for professional sports. “Usually, if Congress gives someone a monopoly and hundreds of millions of dollars in public funding, you’d expect some ability to monitor how the business is being run,” said Grow, an assistant professor of legal studies at the Terry College of Business. The article stated that when an institution or big business becomes too powerful, customers and/or rivals then sue under the Sherman Antitrust Act, which prevents collusion and anticompetitive behaviors. Grow said that act “doesn’t really work” on sporting leagues.
Fueled jobs
A UGA history professor was quoted in a Los Angeles Times article about how lower gas prices are helping residents of Mississippi. In the article, the writer stated that Mississippi residents spend about 6 percent of their after-tax income on gasoline, more than any other state in the U.S. The reason behind that is that the state is rural and residents have to drive to get places. Mississippi also has the highest jobless rate in the nation. “The scarcity of jobs means a lot of people are driving good distances to work,” said James C. Cobb, who holds the B. Phinizy Spalding Professorship in History in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences.
Nuts about narcissism
W. Keith Campbell, a professor and head of the psychology department in UGA’s Franklin College, was quoted in two articles about narcissism last month. CBS News reported on a large-scale analysis of previously published studies that found men statistically scored higher on personality tests for narcissism. That discovery spanned across every age group. “Generally you see men as a little more external in how they interact with the world,” said Campbell, who was not a part of the analysis. “Women tend to be a little more interpersonal. That’s consistent with narcissism.” Campbell pointed out that the study was talking about “grandiose narcissism, an inflated view of yourself as being special and important.” The Los Angeles Times spoke with Campbell for an article about a study that found that parents who believe their children are better or deserve more than other children can pass those beliefs on to their children. The study, which focused on children ages 7-12 and their parents, found a direct correlation between parents who overvalue their children and children who are narcissistic. Campbell applauded the research. “I think that looking at the age group is really interesting,” he said. “These findings are consistent with theory and other research on narcissism and parenting, so I think there is good evidence that parenting can cause narcissism.”
Examining emails
The Associated Press quoted Charles Davis, dean of the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, in an article about public information laws and Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email account while she was secretary of state. Davis said there is a “patchwork” of federal and state laws written “for the era of paper records” that now “aren’t serving us well.” Davis also said, “This is the bedeviling thing: It’s good government law that rests on the honesty and transparency of public officials. If a government official sets out on a mission to lie to the public or withhold from the public by using private email or some other means, there’s not much we can do about it.”
Paul Efland
Vicki Worsham, a reference assistant at UGA’s science library, operated Worsham’s Man in the Moon bookshop for nearly three years before coming to UGA.
Many chapters: Library associate’s life filled with child care, books, service By Molly Berg
mberg14@uga.edu
Vicki Worsham’s interests are threefold: child care, books and service work. And, over the last 30 years, she has integrated all three into her life. As a reference assistant at UGA’s science library, Worsham spends her time organizing the reference collection and assisting the needs of science library patrons. “My work changes every day,” she said. As part of her job, Worsham takes care of the reference collection, collaborates with the cataloging department, helps student workers and creates the employee schedule for the service desk. She also sets up a rotating quarterly display on the second floor and works at the service desk. Worsham’s varied duties incorporate the dedicated mentality she applies to her job. “If you commit to something, you commit to it fully,” she said. “It’s important to be 100 percent into what you’re doing. My goal is to carry out my responsibilities with enthusiasm and heart.” Though a seasoned veteran at the science library, Worsham hasn’t always worked in the library sciences field. She initially started out in child care with jobs working as a paraprofessional, a nanny and a substitute teacher. She then worked for book retailers like Barnes & Noble and Chapter 11,
even managing a location for a time. She still was not satisfied until she combined her experience in both child care and books. “I decided to open my own children’s bookshop,” she said. “It seemed like the perfect marriage of careers I had.” Located in downtown Monroe, Worsham’s Man in the Moon bookshop operated for nearly three years. Along with selling books, Worsham hosted community events like movie nights, birthday parties and craft activities at the store. “It was located in the center of town and served as a bookstore for the whole community,” she said. During the latest economic recession, Worsham closed the store and turned to library sciences. It was a comfortable fit after years in the bookselling business. “I loved bookselling, but I prefer the library since it’s a quieter environment,” she said. “I enjoy the calming atmosphere of being in the science library.” Though Worsham has switched roles throughout her career, she has remained committed to a favorite pastime: service work. For over 25 years, she has traveled domestically and internationally to aid in disaster relief efforts and mission trips. “When I was 24, I was a volunteer in Puerto Rico, where I taught kindergartners,” she said. “Since then, I’ve enjoyed traveling, serving and learning about other cultures.” Worsham’s past service trips include
FACTS Vicki Worsham Library Associate I UGA Science Library At UGA: Three years, four months
visits to China, Honduras, Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina and Indonesia after the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami. “Service work is in my heart,” she said. “I love being there for people in their time of need.” A recent trip included mission work in West Virginia, where she helped donate clothing, toys and food to residents. She said that whenever she hears of opportunities to travel and serve, she seizes them. “I’m always looking for new ways to do service work,” she said. “I’m able to help others and see the world at the same time.” Though she has served extensively, Worsham plans to take a well-deserved vacation this spring. She and her sister will travel to the Omni Grove Park Inn in Asheville, North Carolina. While there, they’ll go to the Biltmore Estate and visit a Downton Abbey exhibition, which has more than 40 costumes from the popular television show. “We’re big fans of the show,” she said. “When I’m not working, I enjoy knitting, gardening and watching an episode of Downton Abbey.”
DIVISION OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS
Former Emory administrator named interim news service director A former senior communications and marketing administrator at Emory University has joined the UGA Division of Public Affairs in an interim position. Janis D. Gleason is serving a oneyear appointment as interim director of the university’s news service, which includes media relations, Web communications and Columns. Gleason is taking over for Cynthia Hoke, who will be on a one-year leave of absence. During this time, Hoke will serve as senior adviser and special assistant to the president of Albany
State University. Her work in the office of President A rthur N. Dun ning will begin April 1. Dunning was vice president for public service and outreach at UGA Janis Gleason from 2000-2010. A graduate of Albion College who went on to earn a master’s degree in public relations management from Syracuse University, Gleason has
been in leadership positions in Emory U niversity’s public relations and marketing offices since 1985. “We are pleased to welcome to UGA’s Public Affairs Division a recognized leader in our field to fill this important position on an interim basis,” said Tom Jackson, UGA vice president for public affairs. “Jan’s experience as editor of Emory’s f aculty-staff newspaper, director of their news service, associate vice president for public affairs and assistant vice president for marketing over a 30-year career will be invaluable to us.”
DIVISION OF DEVELOPMENT AND ALUMNI RELATIONS
columns.uga.edu March 30, 2015
‘Part of the change’
University staff members win 3 CASE awards
Alumni Association’s executive director ushering in new era of giving By Aaron Hale
aahale@uga.edu
Meredith Gurley Johnson’s entire adult life has been spent studying at or working for UGA—and oftentimes both. Johnson, executive director of the UGA Alumni Association, graduated from the university’s College of Family and Consumer Sciences in 2000. She’s also working on a master’s degree in adult education in the College of Education. As an undergraduate student, Johnson wanted the kind of career path that would let her “make a difference.” While still studying for her bachelor’s degree, she took a full-time job in the central development office where she learned about the connections between students, alumni giving and the university’s success. That’s when Johnson found her life’s work in higher education advancement. “I wanted to be part of the change,” Johnson said. “I wanted to be part of what made it better.” Now Johnson is helping foster a new era for alumni giving through her leadership at the Office of Alumni Relations. Looking ahead, Gurley plans to set measurable goals for alumni engagement and help the university better tell the story of how giving makes UGA stronger for generations to come. UGA President Jere W. Morehead and Kelly Kerner, vice president for development and alumni relations, have stressed the importance of increasing alumni participation in giving to the university. Kerner, who recently implemented a reorganization in the division, said the Office of Alumni Relations’ ability to build connections is key to the success of the university’s comprehensive campaign goal to raise no less than $1 billion. “If we do a good job engaging our alumni, they are more likely to be open to the idea of giving,” Kerner said. “I see alumni relations as the connective tissue for the group.” Johnson said the key to engaging alumni and encouraging them to give is to translate the passion for
Paul Efland
Meredith Gurley Johnson, executive director of the UGA Alumni Association, plans to set measurable goals for alumni engagement and help the university better tell the story of how giving makes UGA stronger for generations to come.
UGA that moves alumni to wear red and black on game day and hang power-G flags on their house into giving on a personal level. “As an alumna, I would love to see our alumni participating,” Johnson said. “I would love to see our peers investing back into the institution at any level.” That participation starts with building a narrative directed at both current students and alumni, she said. “We need to tell the story that alumni engagement with the university makes a difference,” Johnson said. “Just by making gifts every year—they don’t have to be large gifts—that participation builds over time and allows the university so much more freedom in recruiting and retaining top faculty and in making the student experience even more amazing.” This strategy was showcased in the 2015 Dawg Trot 5K for Scholarships, a charitable race across campus held March 21 by the UGA Alumni Association. At 10 points in the race, organizers showcased posters that told the story of how the
WEEKLY READER
Book examines national identity of Brazil
Cinema, Slavery, and Brazilian Nationalism By Richard A. Gordon University of Texas Press Hardcover: $36.85
A unique contribution to film studies, Richard Gordon’s Cinema, Slavery, and Brazilian Nationalism is the first full-length book on Brazilian films about slavery. By studying Brazilian films released between 1976 and 2005, Gordon, a professor of Brazilian and Spanish-American literature and culture in the Franklin College of Arts and Science’s Romance languages department, examines how the films define the national community and influence viewer understandings of “Brazilianness.” Gordon, who is director of the Latin American and Caribbean Studies Institute, outlines five key aspects that each film incorporates, which describe their shared formula for and role in constructing social identity. These elements include the films’ attempts to create links between the past and the viewers’ present.
money raised for scholarships helps students. One poster read, “Because of giving, 39.3 percent of full-time undergraduates are able to receive need-based financial aid.” Others featured messages from current scholarship recipients such as one from mechanical engineering major Derrik Chamlee, from LaFayette, which read, “Our communities are improved because of you and lives are touched because of your contributions, thank you so very much!” Johnson said it’s also important to tell the story of alumni giving to current students, she said. The expectation is that if the story sticks with students, they are more likely to be lifetime supporters of the university after they graduate. With the Division of Development and Alumni Relations’ reorganization taking effect in December along with Johnson’s appointment as executive director, the Office of Alumni Relations now is working toward setting measurable goals for alumni engagement and communication. Part of this starts by working with the board of directors of the UGA
Alumni Association to align goals around engagement and participation from alumni, Johnson said. The office also is moving to work more closely with other alumni relations and communications units across campus, an effort Johnson called “wrapping our arms around campus.” “We’re all in this together, and we can be communicating and sharing strategically,” Johnson said. Faculty and staff can help the effort, Johnson said, by sharing their stories with the alumni relations office. “This a big campus. There are a lot of fascinating things taking place,” Johnson said.“I want (faculty and staff) to know alumni relations is here to advocate for them.” The more the Office of Alumni Relations knows about what faculty and staff are up to, the better Johnson’s staff can weave stories that speak to alumni. So the work of faculty and staff is crucial to alumni relations’ goals. “Really, we’re here to brag on them,” Johnson said. “And I want them to know that.”
By Matt Chambers mattdc@uga.edu
UGA communications, photography and design professionals were recognized with three awards at the Council for Advancement and Support of Education District III conference Feb. 15-18 in Orlando, Florida. Wade Newbury, a senior graphic designer in the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources; Andrew Davis Tucker, a photographer in the Division of Public Affairs’ broadcast, video and photography unit; and the Discover UGA website were winners of district awards. Newbury designed the recruitment brochure “A Classroom With a View,” which won the Award of Excellence in the graphic design unpublished works category. Newbury and his colleagues put together a pocket folder with a magazine-type interior that included descriptions of Warnell programs, admission procedures, Warnell clubs and other student resources. Tucker, a photographer in the Division of Public Affairs’ broadcast, video and photography unit, won a Special Merit Award in the photography-series category for “Medical Partnership Fourth Year.” Tucker’s series covered the final year of the first-ever class of the GRU/UGA Medical Partnership. The images included scenes of students in rotations in doctors’ offices and hospitals; students learning and teaching in a volunteer community health clinic; students finding out about their residencies on Match Day; and students celebrating on graduation day. The university also was honored with a Special Merit Award in the category of electronic and digital media online innovation/experimentation for the Discover UGA website, http://www.discover.uga.edu. Discover UGA, a project of the Public Affairs news service, is published based on a different theme every month. Themes are based on UGA’s 2020 strategic plan and other institutional priorities. Discover UGA includes photographs, articles, news releases and infographics pertaining to each topic.
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
Premedical Studies Program site updated http://premed.uga.edu
The Premedical Studies Program has launched a new userfriendly website to help students interested in pursuing a medical career. The site includes information on health care career paths, steps to applying for medical, dental and optometry schools, learning opportunities outside the classroom and a calendar of events.
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The Premedical Studies Program counsels and meets directly with UGA students and alumni, providing guidance with the medical school application process. The office also works closely with staff and faculty advisers who assist students with course registration. The Premedical Studies Program is a unit of the Office of the Vice President for Instruction.
Senior Reporter Aaron Hale Reporter Matt Chambers Copy Editor David Bill 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 March 30, 2015 columns.uga.edu INITIATIVE from page 1 full potential,” Whitten said. “To that end, the Women’s Leadership Initiative Planning Committee and I will take an unvarnished look at barriers to diversity in campus leadership positions and spearhead efforts to advance gender equity at the University of Georgia.” Members of the Women’s Leadership Initiative Planning Committee are: • Meg Amstutz, associate provost for academic programs. • T.W. Cauthen, assistant vice president for academic, campus and community partnerships in the Division of Student Affairs. • Michelle Garfield Cook, associate provost for institutional diversity. • Sarah Covert, interim director of faculty affairs and professor in the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources. • Maritza Soto Keen, senior public service associate in the J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development. • Stefanie Lindquist, dean of the School of Public and International Affairs. • Kathy Pharr, chief of staff for the president. • Michael Raeber, executive director of legal affairs. • Kecia Thomas, professor of psychology and associate dean for faculty leadership development and diversity in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences. • Lindsey Van Note, senior manager for special projects at UGA Human Resources. In the past year, the university has implemented a series of initiatives that aim to ensure that women on campus experience a supportive environment within which to learn and work. Shortly after Whitten joined UGA as provost in spring 2014, she expanded the mission of the Office of Institutional Diversity to include women’s issues. OID has launched several key datagathering initiatives, including a gender equity study and a campus climate survey
that will address issues associated with race, ethnicity and gender. In fall semester, the president and provost launched a three-pronged Women’s Resources Initiative to enhance awareness of the resources available to women and to look for ways to improve programs and services. The Women’s Resources Web portal (http://women.uga.edu/) places information about women’s services, organizations, programs and events in a single location, and Chris Linder, an assistant professor in the College of Education whose research involves women and gender issues, serves as the central point of contact for students, faculty and staff with regard to women’s resources. Linder also chairs the newly formed Women’s Resources Coordinating Committee, which includes faculty, staff and student representatives and is charged with gathering feedback from the campus community and recommending ways to enhance the visibility of resources for women at UGA. The third and final component of the initiative is expanded programming, such as bystander intervention training and participation in the national “It’s On Us” campaign to end sexual assault on college campuses. To broaden the pipeline of potential leaders and to support existing leaders, Whitten has launched a series of leadership development programs. New Administrators Training is offered annually in fall semester, and Current Administrators Training is offered each spring. Future Leaders Workshops offer information to faculty interested in exploring leadership roles in higher education. “Gender inequities in higher education and elsewhere are deep-rooted and complex, and I don’t anticipate easy answers or quick solutions,” Whitten said. “But I am confident that a concerted and sustained effort can move this institution toward greater diversity and inclusion for the benefit of the entire campus community.”
Bulletin Board SecureUGA training
SecureUGA, an online, self-paced security awareness training program mandated by University System of Georgia policy, is available for all UGA employees to complete by March 31. This training is required for all employees, including student workers, and contractors. Current employees who previously have completed SecureUGA can select one of three options to meet the training requirements for SecureUGA: a brief refresher module, an opt-out quiz or the SecureUGA core module series. UGA employees who completed SecureUGA on or after Sept. 1, 2014, have completed their SecureUGA training requirement for this cycle. Those employees are not required to take SecureUGA again during this annual training cycle. Visit http://secure.uga.edu for more information or to take the online training.
EITS computer fair
UGA students, faculty and staff can bring their personal laptop computers for free security checks at Enterprise Information Technology Services’ spring Computer Health and Security Fair. The fair will be held April 7-8 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the second floor rotunda of the Miller Learning Center. During the fair, technical volunteers will provide security checks and free virus and malware removal for personal PC and Mac laptops. They also will install the latest software and security updates, ensure that firewalls are enabled and update antivirus and operating systems. They
will examine other software problems, such as slow performance and unknown error messages as well. Technical volunteers will handle requests on a first-come, first-served basis. Comprehensive health and security checkups can take 30-60 minutes, and at times, there may be a short wait prior to visiting with a technician. Technical volunteers will give laptop owners instructions for how to fix issues that will take more than one hour to resolve. UGA-issued computers will not be checked at the fair.
UWC fashion show
Macy’s will showcase spring and summer clothes modeled by members of the University Woman’s Club during “Styles of the Season” April 14 at 11 a.m. The event, which also includes a luncheon and the installation of new UWC officers, will be held at the Athens Country Club, 2700 Jefferson Highway. Guests are welcome, and tickets are required. The deadline to purchase a ticket, which costs $25, is April 7. A portion of the proceeds from ticket sales will support the UWC scholarship fund for women in their academic pursuits at UGA. Those interested should contact Corey DeLamater, assistant treasurer, at 706-548-5543, to purchase tickets. Members and guests with special dietary requirements should call Tommie Mullis at 706-395-6389 before April 7. Visit www.womansclub.uga.edu for more information.
New FMD maintenance zones
The operations and maintenance department in the Facilities
Dorothy Kozlowski
IT’S A MATCH—Georgia Regents University/UGA Medical Partnership Class of 2015 students
grab the letters that tell them where they will be spending their residencies. The letters were opened in George Hall during Match Day, March 20.
COMMENCEMENT from page 1 present-day British aristocracy for “Secrets of the Castle: Beyond Downton Abbey.” Some of her most notable coverage at ABC includes visiting Nigeria to interview Malala Yousafzai, a 17-year-old who was in the African country as part of a campaign to free hundreds of captive schoolgirls. Robach reported live from South Africa just days after the shooting of Oscar Pistorius’ girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp and covered the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia; the birth of Prince George in London; the one-year anniversary of Superstorm Sandy; and the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. Originally from Lansing, Michigan, Robach graduated from UGA with honors and a degree in broadcast journalism. Bertsch retired from UGA in 2010 as the director of the Center for International Trade and Security, a UGA-based program conducting international research, teaching and outreach to promote economic prosperity, international peace and security. He founded the center, known as CITS,
in 1987, beginning his tenure on the UGA faculty in 1969 as an undergraduate adviser in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences and undergraduate director and graduate director in the political science department. CITS is recognized worldwide and has generated more than $30 million in external funding. In 1995, Bertsch was designated a University Professor, the university’s highest recognition for distinguished service. He served on the board of trustees of the UGA Foundation from 1994-2004 and the board of directors of the UGA Research Foundation from 1987-1997. After his retirement from UGA, Bertsch founded TradeSecure LLC. He also serves as a Distinguished Visiting Professor at China Foreign Affairs University in Beijing. Visit http://commencement.uga.edu/ for more information on spring C ommencement, Both ceremonies will be streamed live at http://www.ctl.uga.edu/ctlcable and broadcast live on Channel 15 of the university and Charter cable systems.
INSTRUCTION from page 1 Management Division will soon complete the transition to a zone maintenance structure that places multi-craft shops at key locations on campus dedicated to the maintenance needs of the buildings and customers within those zones. The transition started March 12 with the addition of four zones (north, central, south and off-campus). The zone teams of approximately 15 craftsmen will be responsible for nearly 40 facilities. The teams will provide the first response for all work orders, minor work orders, preventive maintenance and work order coordination for customers. The Facilities Management Division will continue to have specialty central shops for projects and major mechanical, electrical and plumbing infrastructure repair. The O&M Work Control Center will continue to be the first point of contact for customers to generate a work request. There are no anticipated delays to the completion of work orders during this transition. Customers should call the work control center for emergencies or other work required and can use the work request site for nonemergency situations. For work requests, call the Facilities Management Division weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 706-542-7456. After hours and on weekends, call the UGA Police Department at 706-542-2200. For questions about zone maintenance, send an email Zach Schiff at zachls@uga.edu. Bulletin Board is limited to information that may pertain to a majority of faculty and staff members.
associate vice president for instruction, to improve levels of support for students. The Office of the Vice President for Instruction oversees units and programs that promote student success. Norman has directed the University of Georgia Excavations at Carthage (Tunisia) project since 1992 and is director of UGA’s Reacting to the Past Program, an awardwinning pedagogy that gives students a unique opportunity to engage in active learning. She has received major grants, fellowships and awards from the American Philosophical Society, American Council of Learned Societies, the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Kress Foundation to support her research, as well as over $490,000 since 1981 in internal and external funding and in-kind support for the Carthage excavation and other research projects. “Dr. Norman has an exemplary record of scholarship and instruction, and I am delighted that she has accepted this key leadership position,” said Pamela Whitten, senior vice president for academic affairs and provost.
EARLY from page 1 and created the cutting-edge WorkFirst program. The program has since helped more than 90,000 welfare-dependent Georgia families enter the workforce. In 1997, Thurmond became a lecturer at UGA’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government. The following November, he was elected commissioner of the Georgia Department of Labor and subsequently served three terms as commissioner. While commissioner, one of his main accomplishments was to institute the Georgia Work Program, which has earned national praise and bipartisan support. The lecture honors the legacy of Mary Frances Early, the first African-American to earn a degree from UGA. Early graduated with a master’s degree in music education in 1962 and completed her specialist in education degree in 1967.