UGA Columns May 23, 2016 by UGA Columns

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Collection of wood tabletop sculptures now on display at Georgia Museum of Art Vol. 43, No. 36

May 23, 2016

www.columns.uga.edu

Task force tackles alcohol, drug abuse on USG campuses By Aaron Hale

aahale@uga.edu

Rick O’Quinn

Ryan Seacrest waves to the crowd during the 2016 spring undergraduate Commencement processional. Seacrest encouraged the class to “Make sure you happen to the day instead of it happening to you.”

‘Make it happen’

Commencement speakers encourage graduates to make the most of the life that awaits them By Matt Chambers mattdc@uga.edu

Ryan Seacrest encouraged action as he addressed students, their family and friends, and faculty and staff at the undergraduate Commencement May 13. “Class of 2016, this is your day, and your amazing life is waiting for you. Go make it happen,” said Seacrest, who holds pre-eminent positions in broadcast and cable television as well as nationally syndicated radio and local radio. He attended UGA as a freshman. Seacrest told the more than 4,000 undergraduates that one of his favorite phrases is from poet John Ciardi who said, “The day will happen whether or not you get up.” “Make sure you happen to the

UGA GUIDE

day instead of it happening to you,” Seacrest told the Class of 2016. Seacrest, who received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree while at the ceremony between the hedges, shared his life code during his keynote address. The code included living your passion; trusting your gut; listening; laughing loudly, preferably at yourself; indulging curiosity; being prepared; being impatient; and giving back. “Be kind, be brave. Hold the door, look everyone in the eye. Say ‘thank you’ with meaning,” Seacrest also told the crowd. Karishma Sriram, who graduated with bachelor’s degrees in biochemistry and molecular biology from the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, took her c lassmates

down memory lane, reliving some of the important dates during their time at UGA. “While I’ve only shared a few dates from our past four years, every day that was in between has formulated and created you—you have started this amazing and beautiful narrative for yourself,” she said. “Today is not the end, it is just the very beginning.” Earlier in the day, an estimated 252 doctoral candidates and 957 master’s and specialist degree students were eligible to walk in the graduate ceremony in Stegeman Coliseum. Maurice Daniels, dean of the School of Social Work, addressed the graduates and guests. He spoke of how much of a distinction See COMMENCEMENT on page 8

ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

A University System of Georgia task force has provided recommendations to curb alcohol and substance abuse across the system’s colleges and universities. The USG Alcohol and Substance Abuse Task Force, which was co-chaired by UGA President Jere W. Morehead and Savannah State University President Cheryl Dozier, provided nine recommendations aimed at addressing alcohol and substance abuse. Those recommendations were targeted at student attitudes and culture, education and prevention, and town and gown relations. “Alcohol and drug abuse is a serious concern on campuses across the nation,” Morehead said. “Our task force members conducted surveys and focus groups, i nterviewed

experts and consulted best practices as we examined the issues over the course of the year. All of our 29 campuses are different, and resources are not the same, but we were able to identify common steps that we can take to address this issue.” Last July, USG Chancellor Hank Huckaby convened the task force in response to a 2015 recommendation by the USG Campus Safety and Security Committee, which found that “the abuse of alcohol and other substances is a significant contributing factor in many of the most serious public safety issues” and should therefore receive additional study. He charged the task force with developing recommendations related to alcohol and substance abuse at the system’s institutions. Earlier this month, the task force released its nine

See TASK FORCE on page 8

COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

USDA grant funds safety study of food stabilizing agent By Sharon Dowdy sharono@uga.edu

UGA food engineer Fanbin Kong has been awarded a $496,317 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture to study the safety of nanocellulose—a light, solid substance obtained from plant matter, generally wood pulp—and how it affects the way humans digest food and absorb nutrients. Kong developed models of the human stomach and intestine that realistically demonstrate the way food breaks downs in the human body.These models help him test the effectiveness of functional foods and develop new foods aimed at helping those with specific health issues.

“At UGA, we will use artificial stomach and intestine models to study how the nanocellulose will transform their size and shape in the digestive Fanbin Kong tract, and how they will interact with protein, lipid and starch molecules that affect their digestibility,” Kong said. Nanocellulose currently is used in the food industry as a stabilizing agent, as a functional food ingredient and in the production of food packaging. It “has big application potentials,” said Kong, an assistant

See GRANT on page 8

UGA Honors student receives Udall Scholarship GRADY COLLEGE OF JOURNALISM AND MASS COMMUNICATION geography from and professional experiences he has By Camie Williams camiew@uga.edu

UGA Honors student Jonah Driggers has been named a 2016 Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation Scholar.The scholarships of up to $5,000 are awarded annually to outstanding sophomores and juniors pursuing careers related to environmental or Native American public policy. Driggers is the ninth UGA student to be awarded the scholarship in the past six years. Driggers, a third-year student from St. Simons, is a recipient of the Foundation Fellowship, UGA’s premier undergraduate scholarship. He is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in

the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences and a combined master’s degree in conservation ecology from the Odum School of EcolJonah Driggers ogy. Following his graduation, Driggers plans to pursue a Juris Doctor to fulfill his career aspiration of working as a policy leader to help the U.S. transition to clean energy. “The University of Georgia is proud of Jonah and his outstanding accomplishment,”said President JereW. Morehead.“The impressive academic

gained as a UGA student prepared him well for this national competition and will continue to serve him as his career progresses. We look forward to great things from Jonah.” An avid outdoorsman and Eagle Scout, Driggers has explored his passion for environmental policy as director of the Center for Energy and the Environment, which is part of the UGA chapter of the Roosevelt Institute,a student-run think tank.He is a founder and co-executive director of The Energy Concept, an organization that stimulates discussion of interdisciplinary energy strategies, and he served as an intern in the Office of Climate Preparedness at the

See SCHOLARSHIP on page 8

Peabody Awards, Facebook launch Futures of Media Award

The Peabody Awards and Facebook have created a new prize honoring excellence and innovation in digital storytelling. The Peabody-Facebook Futures of Media Award initiative embodies shared core interests of the Peabody Awards and Facebook in recognizing stories that matter, educate and inspire social change. The name’s inclusion of “Futures” refers to the judges who choose the award—student Peabody Fellows at the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at UGA—and the role

young people play in shaping the two groups’ shared future as well as the honorees who are using digital technologies to blaze a trail for the future of innovative storytelling. The Futures of Media Award honored the year’s top five stories in digital media. The winners for 2015 are Ebola Outbreak (frontline), Halal in the Family (Sweet180 Productions), Inheritance (frontline), Life is Strange (Don’t-Nod Entertainment) and One Year in Ferguson (St. Louis Public Radio).

See AWARD on page 8

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Around academe

USG has $15.5B economic impact

The University System of Georgia’s economic impact on the state was $15.5 billion in fiscal year 2015, according to the most recent study conducted by the Selig Center for Economic Growth in UGA’s Terry College of Business. The system’s economic impact grew $1.3 billion, an increase of 9 percent, from fiscal year 2014 to 2015. Student spending in communities where USG institutions operate was a primary driver in the increase with overall higher student enrollment in the University System creating significant impact. The economic impact of the USG is a measure of direct and indirect spending that contributes to the regions served by the system’s colleges and universities. A separate study, conducted by UGA economist Jeffrey Dorfman, found that UGA has a $4.4 billion annual economic impact in the state. That study was released in January.

$21M gift to Harvard University funds new health and happiness center

A gift to Harvard’s public health school will fund a new center to find out exactly how being happier can help make people healthier. The Lee Kum Kee family announced a gift of more than $21 million to establish the Lee Kum Sheung Center for Health and Happiness at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The center will help to identify the psychological, social and emotional strengths and assets that may protect people against some diseases and enable them to enjoy longer, happier and healthier lives.

Add edible plants to new gardens

Gender equity study findings, methods discussed at University Council meeting By Jan Gleason

jgleason@uga.edu

A discussion at the May 3 meeting of University Council provided additional information on a recent gender equity study that found no institution-wide practice or pattern of paying faculty members differently based on gender. The university periodically conducts salary studies as part of its commitment to gender equity, and the 2015 study conducted by Florida-based Economic Research Services Group found that “across the university, on average, the female/male salary difference is not statistically significant at any rank.” Shortly after joining UGA as provost in 2014, Pamela Whitten asked Michelle Garfield Cook, associate provost for institutional diversity, to lead an initiative to assess gender pay equity at UGA. Deans from across campus were asked to nominate faculty members to serve on an eightmember committee to develop a request for proposals from qualified third-party consultants. The eight-member faculty committee chaired by Cook selected ERS Group, which has more than 30 years of experience working with universities such as Stanford, Virginia Tech and the University of Kentucky. The report was completed last year, and study author Mary Dunn Baker provided additional information this spring in response to questions from the Human Resources Committee of University Council regarding the study’s

methodology and the inclusion of rank and tenure status in the analysis. The addendum noted that the study used a statistical method known as multiple regression analysis, which the AAUP’s “Higher Education Salary Evaluation Kit” describes as the “gold standard” for compensation analysis.The technique allows the analyst to quantify any female/ male salary differences after filtering out differences that are attributable to factors that legitimately impact salary, such as academic discipline, rank and tenure status, education level, work experience and administrative assignments. Rank and tenure status undoubtedly impact faculty salaries, and most faculty salary studies include rank as an explanatory variable. Baker noted that their inclusion in the model enables “apples to apples” comparisons among similarly situated men and women. Robert Toutkoushian, a professor in UGA’s Institute of Higher Education who has completed gender equity studies for faculty at the University of Minnesota, the University of Cincinnati, Dartmouth College and the University of Missouri, among others, reviewed the ERS study and noted that its methods were consistent with best practices in higher education and that its findings were adequately explained. “I’ve been familiar with Dr. Baker’s work for the past 20 years, and her methods are industry-standard in higher education,” said Toutkoushian, who gave an overview of salary studies to the faculty

committee in 2014 but was not asked to conduct the study to avoid a potential conflict of interest. “Salaries are directly tied to faculty rank, and rank is also a proxy for faculty productivity and accomplishments. If rank were taken out of the model, there would be no remaining measure of faculty productivity, so that variable has an important reason for being in the model.” UGA has a long history of conducting gender equity studies. A 1990 study that did not distinguish between academic ranks in its analysis was followed by a 1993 report on the monitoring of salary equity that was authored by seven faculty members. The 1993 faculty report concluded that “rank and years in rank at the university are important variables for describing the distribution of salaries and must be considered in the modeling process.” The university plans to continue to review faculty salaries on a regular basis, at least every five years, but Cook emphasized that the most recent study found no evidence of an institution-wide practice or pattern of paying similarly situated faculty members differently based on gender. “The absence of institution-wide gender inequities in salary doesn’t preclude the occurrence of isolated incidents,” Cook said, “and I urge any faculty member with concerns about salary inequities to contact his or her department head, dean or the university’s Equal Opportunity Office.”

News to Use

When planting ornamental gardens, home gardeners should consider incorporating edible plants in their ornamental flower beds for a pretty, yet practical, plant mix. Edible plants can act as substitutes for annuals in the landscape, with some also coming in the form of shrubs, vines or small trees. If you’re looking for annual color, rainbow chard, kale and lettuce will add drama while calendula and nasturtium produce flowers that can add color to salads or can be incorporated into pestos. For height, look for plants like corn, okra and Jerusalem artichokes. Thyme, oregano and savory are excellent ground covers. If fruit is more to your taste, strawberries also spread to cover areas well. Blueberries don’t just grow delicious fruit but also provide spring flowers and fall colors. Apple trees maximize fruit output in small places; pomegranate, figs and jujubes also grow well in Georgia. Muscadine grapes, Malabar spinach and a variety of beans can climb trellises or arbors, adding visual interest to your garden while taking up minimal space.

UNIVERSITY COUNCIL

UGA dedicates cabins at Center for Research and Education at Wormsloe

Source: UGA Cooperative Extension

Why I Give Name: Whitney Prescott

Georgia Fund 2016

Position: Assistant director of social media and marketing and career consultant for the Terry College of Business At UGA: 2 /2 years 1

Whitney Prescott

Beneficiary of her gift to the university: The College of Education, where she was a career consultant

Why she contributes: “I support the College of Education because I want to invest in the next generation of educators. I believe in the college’s mission, its extraordinary faculty and its brilliant students. When I make a gift each month to the College of Education, I consider myself its partner in shaping the field of education.”

To make your contribution to the Georgia Fund, please contact the Office of Annual Giving at 706-542-8119 or visit give.uga.edu.

Rick O’Quinn

UGA held a dedication ceremony for the Center for Research and Education at Wormsloe cabins April 22 in Savannah. The two new three-bedroom cabins, measuring roughly 1,450 square feet each, will provide lodging for students and faculty immersed in experiential learning programs on site. The event’s speakers included UGA President Jere W. Morehead; Don L. Waters, regent of the University System of Georgia; Daniel J. Nadenicek, dean of the College of Environment and Design; and Ania A. Majewska, a doctoral candidate in the Odum School of Ecology.

SIGNATURE LECTURE SERIES

Nuclear threats discussed in Charter Lecture By Aaron Hale

aahale@uga.edu

The U.S. and the Soviet Union came horrifyingly close to nuclear disaster on several occasions during the Cold War, said former Secretary of Defense William J. Perry during the April 26 UGA Charter Lecture. However, Perry and former U.S. Sen. Sam Nunn said the world is no safer from a nuclear threat now than it has been in the 71 years since the last nuclear weapons were used over Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan. Instead, the speakers said the threat might be getting more acute with nine nations now believed to have nuclear weapons, plus the efforts by Iran and North Korea to acquire nuclear weapons and the threat of terrorists constructing and detonating a rudimentary

“dirty bomb” from radiological materials. “I believe the likelihood of a nuclear catastrophe today is higher than it was during the Cold War,” said Perry, who joined the lecture from Stanford University over a video feed. The Charter Lecture Series, established in 1988 and named to honor the high ideals expressed in the university’s 1785 Charter, was held in the Richard B. Russell Building Special Collections Libraries. Nunn and moderator Loch K. Johnson, Regents Professor and Meigs Distinguished Teaching Professor of International Affairs, sat together for a discussion in front of a capacity audience in the Russell Building auditorium as Perry’s live video feed was projected on a big screen. The title of the lecture was “Preventing Nuclear Catastrophe in an Age of

Terrorism,” a cause of deep concern for both speakers. Nunn, who represented Georgia as U.S. senator from 1972-1997, is the CEO of the Nuclear Threat Initiative, an organization that works with governments, partner organizations and leaders around the world to reduce reliance on nuclear weapons, prevent their spread and end them as a threat to the world. Perry, the Berberian Professor at Stanford University, also has worked with NTI. Perry and Nunn said they worried the nuclear threat would remain high as long as the U.S. and Russia continue to be at odds on the international stage. “We’re in a new era,” Nunn said. “We’re in a race between cooperation and catastrophe. We’ve got to find ways to build bridges even with countries we don’t agree with.”

RESEARCH NEWS

columns.uga.edu May 23, 2016

Digest Governor vetoes ‘campus carry’ bill

On May 3, Gov. Nathan Deal vetoed House Bill 859, the “campus carry” bill that would have allowed firearms to be carried at Georgia’s public universities. The governor issued an executive order directing the USG chancellor to submit a report about security measures at each public institution of higher education and for local law enforcement agencies “to review and improve, if necessary, their security measures in areas surrounding these colleges.” Chancellor Hank Huckaby pledged a commitment to campus safety. “The board of regents, our 29 presidents and campus police chiefs are fully committed to enhancing all aspects of our campus safety efforts across the university system,” Huckaby said. “We look forward to presenting our campus safety report to the governor, the lieutenant governor and the speaker of the House by Aug. 1, 2016.” Jason Landrum

Patricia Yager, left, an associate professor of marine sciences in UGA’s Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, and Debbie Steinberg of the Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences hold up a sample of water collected at the mouth of the Amazon River.

Shelf life

Scientists, including UGA researcher, discover new reef system at mouth of Amazon River By Alan Flurry

aflurry@uga.edu

A new reef system has been found at the mouth of the Amazon River, the largest river by discharge of water in the world. As rivers empty into the world’s oceans in areas known as plumes, they typically create gaps in the reef distribution along the tropical shelves—something that makes finding a reef in the Amazon plume an unexpected discovery. An international team, including scientists from UGA and the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, documented their findings in an April 22 study published in the journal Science Advances. Scientists on a recent expedition to investigate the Amazon River plume included a Brazilian research team looking for evidence of a reef system along the continental shelf. The Amazon plume, an area where freshwater from the river mixes with the salty Atlantic Ocean,

a ffects a broad area of the tropical North Atlantic Ocean in terms of salinity, pH, light penetration and sedimentation, conditions that usually correlate to a major gap in Western Atlantic reefs. Carlos Rezende from the State University of North Fluminense, Fabiano Thompson from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and Rodrigo Moura, a reef ecologist from UFRJ who has written extensively about richness of reef corals south of the Amazon River mouth, led the reef discovery team. “Our expedition into the Brazil Exclusive Economic Zone was primarily focused on sampling the mouth of the Amazon,” said Patricia Yager, an associate professor of marine sciences in UGA’s Franklin College of Arts and Sciences and principal investigator of the River-Ocean Continuum of the Amazon project. “But Dr. Moura had an article from the 1970s that mentioned catching reef fish along the continental shelf and said he wanted

to try to locate these reefs.” The difficulty of finding the old map coordinates with modern GPS notwithstanding, the team used multibeam acoustic sampling of the ocean bottom to find the reef and then dredged up samples to confirm the discovery. “We brought up the most amazing and colorful animals I had ever seen on an expedition,” Yager said. The Brazilian researchers then organized a full team and took a Brazilian Navy research vessel back to the site in 2014, when they were able to collect and fully describe the findings for the study. The Amazon River plume and its effects on the global carbon budget converged with the discovery of the reef system to provide scientists a wider view of the reef community, its variation and changes. Microorganisms thriving in the dark waters beneath the river plume may provide the trophic connection between the river and the reef.

FRANKLIN COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES

UGA researchers discover fate of meltwater By James E. Hataway jhataway@uga.edu

Over the past several decades, scientists have observed a significant increase in the melting of glacial land ice on the island of Greenland, spurring concerns about global sea level rise and the longterm effects of atmospheric warming. What has been less clear, however, is what happens to this meltwater once it enters the ocean. Now, a team of researchers led by faculty at UGA has discovered the fate of much of the freshwater that pours into the surrounding oceans as the Greenland ice sheet melts every summer. They published their findings in the journal Nature Geoscience. “Understanding the fate of meltwater is important, because research has shown that it can carry a variety of nutrients, which may impact biological production in the ocean,” said study co-author Renato Castelao, an associate professor

of marine sciences in UGA’s Franklin College of Arts and Sciences. “There is also evidence that large freshwater inputs could alter ocean currents and affect the normal formation of sea ice.” The researchers created a simulation that tracks meltwater runoff under a variety of atmospheric conditions, and they were surprised to discover that most of the meltwater found off the west coast of Greenland actually originated from ice on the east coast. “Meltwater from Greenland is directed by the surrounding ocean currents, but its fate depends on when and where the runoff occurs and the wind fields driving ocean currents,” said study co-author Thomas Mote, Distinguished Research Professor of Geography at UGA. According to the model, wind and ocean currents often transport meltwater around the southern tip of Greenland on a westward journey that can take upward of 60 days. After rounding the tip, the

meltwater is largely deposited into the Labrador Sea, an arm of the Atlantic between Canada’s Labrador Peninsula and the east coast of Greenland. Meltwater originating from the west coast of Greenland, on the other hand, is often kept pinned to the coastline by strong winds, which push it northward toward Baffin Bay. This isn’t always how meltwater from the Greenland ice sheet disperses, as shifts in the prevailing winds can produce very different effects. But scientists must be aware of these shifts to fully understand how meltwater will affect the environment, Castelao said. “The meltwater that comes from the east coast could have different qualities from the meltwater on the west coast, including different nutrient compositions,” he said.“We need to take the origins of this meltwater into account when we study the effects of ice sheet melt, as it could impact the oceans differently depending on where it comes from.”

New finance, HR administration system to be discussed at May 26 town hall

OneSource is UGA’s project to launch a new finance and human resources administration system that is integrated, efficient, modern and supports a data-driven environment. On Oct. 1, 2015, information was provided to the campus community regarding UGA’s commitment to proceed with a multiyear project to replace legacy finance and human resource administrative systems with version 9.2 of PeopleSoft, the financial and human resource solutions used across all institutions in the University System of Georgia as well as by other state agencies. A campus-wide town hall is scheduled for May 26 from 10-11 a.m. in Masters Hall of the Georgia Center. The meeting will be an opportunity for faculty and staff to learn more about progress to date and to ask questions about the OneSource project. Individuals also will be able to participate online via Collaborate (http://tinyurl. com/zsh2xq2) if they are not able to attend the town hall in person. Faculty and staff are encouraged to attend the town hall to learn more about the OneSource project. Information can be found at onesource.uga.edu.

Four UGA students awarded Boren Scholarships to study abroad

Four UGA students were awarded Boren Scholarships to study abroad during the 2016-2017 academic year. Boren Scholarships are funded by the National Security Education Program and offer up to $20,000 for language study abroad in areas of the world that are critical to U.S. interests. UGA’s 2016 Boren Scholarship awardees are Carver Goodhue, a junior Honors student and Foundation Fellow from Athens, majoring in anthropology and Romance languages in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences; Joanna Keen, a senior from Johns Creek, majoring in environmental engineering in the College of Engineering; Aaron Rawls, a junior and Army ROTC cadet from Hawkinsville, majoring in international affairs in the School of Public and International Affairs and minoring in military science; and Rebekah Worick, a junior from Dahlonega, majoring in international affairs in the School of Public and International Affairs. Goodhue was awarded a Boren Scholarship to study Wolof, a language commonly spoken in Senegal and to take classes in French and international development in Senegal through NSEP’s African Flagship Languages Initiative. Keen will study Swahili and complete an internship in Tanzania, also through the African Flagship Languages Initiative. Rawls will study Portuguese at Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro. Worick was awarded a Boren Scholarship to study Pashto in D ushanbe, Tajikistan, as part of the American Councils Eurasian Regional Language Program.

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4 May 23, 2016 columns.uga.edu

COLLEGE OF ENVIRONMENT AND DESIGN

STAFF COUNCIL

Staff Council elects officers for new terms By Aaron Hale

aahale@uga.edu

The UGA Staff Council elected officers for upcoming terms at its May 4 meeting. Michael Lewis was re-elected council chair for a two-year term. Lewis is an IT professional specialist in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences’ geology department. Marie Mize, circulation manager at the law library, was re-elected Staff Council vice chair for a one-year term. Mary Moore, a research analyst in the Office of Institutional Research, was re-elected coordinator for a one-year term. Teri Berryman, an administrative specialist in the Office of the Associate Dean for Extension, was elected treasurer for a one-year term. Kaelin Broaddus, a designer and production manager for the University of Georgia Press, was re-elected recording secretary for a one-year term. Kelly Cona, a human resource specialist at the Georgia Center for Continuing Education, was elected to the University Council HR committee for a three-year term. Kevin James, an academic advisor in the School of Public and International Affairs, and Laura Kelley, an administrative associate in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences’ human development and family science department, were elected to the University Council student life committee for three-year terms.

COLLEGE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE

Vet med professor named college’s associate dean By Kat Gilmore

kygilmor@uga.edu

Dr. Scott Brown has been named the UGA College of Veterinary Medicine’s associate dean for academic affairs. Brown first came to the college to complete an internship and residency in small animal internal medicine following his graduation from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine in 1982. He is board-certified in internal medicine by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine. In 1989, he received a doctorate in renal pathophysiology from UGA and subsequently completed a postdoctoral research fellowship at the Nephrology Research and Scott Brown Training Center of the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine. Brown has garnered numerous teaching and research awards during his time on faculty at the veterinary medicine college, including the Josiah Meigs Distinguished Teaching Professorship in 2003.

Shannah Cahoe Montgomery

A group of College of Environment and Design students explores a site that will be home to Camp Hooray, the first-of-its-kind, fully accessible overnight camp for children and young adults with developmental disabilities. The students created maps of the site while experiencing challenges that might be faced by ESP participants, such as dexterity and visual and audio impartments.

‘Not just a project’ UGA, Georgia Tech students present master plans for fully accessible camp

By Matt Chambers mattdc@uga.edu

A room full of people closed their eyes as Laura Whittaker, director of Extra Special People Inc., had them imagine they were 10 years old and entering a theme park. Whittaker walked the crowd through the park, going to rides only to find a closed door time after time. She then had them imagine how frustrated they’d be to have gone to this magical, exciting place to find the attractions and rides inaccessible and out of reach. That feeling is experienced by thousands across the U.S., Whittaker said. Children and young adults with disabilities are wanting to go to camp, but can’t find a place that can accommodate their needs. “If they do get to camp, they can’t get from place to place,” or face other challenges, she said. To help combat this issue, ESP teamed up with students from UGA’s College of Environment and Design and Georgia Tech’s College of Architecture to design Camp Hooray, the firstof-its-kind, fully accessible overnight camp for children and young adults

with developmental disabilities. The students presented three master plans for the camp April 25 at the College of Environment and Design. Located on a 70-acre parcel of land in Jackson County, the camp will offer traditional activities including music, sports and games, art, swimming, boating, archery, field days, talent shows and overnight stays—while providing a safe, fun and meaningful experience for campers of all abilities. The students worked to make the space sustainable and feature accessible design for residential cabins, outdoor spaces and common areas around a small lake. “The land is basically a blank slate, which gave us an opportunity to dream big,” said Grace Wooten, who is working to earn a bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture. The students started the project by researching disabilities, behavioral issues and how the environment can play a role in them. They also did a site analysis before splitting up to design master plans that covered everything from the look of the camp’s entryway to grading levels of the site. “It’s been real fun to watch this evolve,” said Pratt Cassity, director of

the CED Outreach Office. “We’ve really seen a lot of personal growth among the students.” Dean Dan Nadenicek said that the vision of a fully accessible camp is something special. Nadenicek also said he and the students, faculty and staff involved learned a lot about those who are part of Extra Special People. “What I wasn’t prepared for was how much we would learn from the campers every time we interacted with them,” he said. “This was a fabulous process.” For 30 years, Extra Special People, based in Watkinsville, has focused its mission on enhancing the lives of children with developmental disabilities and their families by emphasizing their abilities, not disabilities. Camp Hooray will only further access to the world for those children, Whittaker said. “(These plans are) 10, 20, 100 different ideas that Extra Special People can use to help hundreds of kids go to camp,” she said. “This process is far and beyond anything we envision it to be. “This is not just a project, not just a grade,” she also said. “This is a moment that is going to change lives for many, many years to come.”

COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

UGA, Khon Kaen University officials renew partnership By Denise H. Horton

denisehhorton@gmail.com

Sue Myers Smith

UGA President Jere W. Morehead and Khon Kaen University President Kittichai Triratanasirichai shake hands after renewing a partnership between the institutions.

Two UGA alumni traveled close to 9,000 miles recently to participate in the renewal of a partnership that dates back nearly 30 years between UGA and Khon Kaen University in Thailand. Monchai Duagjinda, dean of agriculture at Khon Kaen, and Virote Pattarajinda, associate dean for agricultural research and international affairs, joined KKU President Kittichai Triratanasirichai as part of an eightmember delegation that visited UGA April 21-22. UGA’s partnership with KKU dates back to the 1980s when the forerunner of the Peanut and Mycotoxin Innovation Lab was first established. During the 1990s, Duagjinda and Pattarajinda came to UGA to complete their doctorates as part of a partnership UGA established to provide postgraduate

training for KKU faculty members, according to Victoria McMaken, associate director of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences’ Office of Global Programs. “Dr. Duagjinda and Dr. Puttarajinda have been instrumental in keeping both the UGA-KKU relationships and the UGA Thailand alumni group strong,” McMaken said. “Not only have they maintained relationships connected to their own research, they have looked for ways to expand and deepen connections between our two institutions.” One of the most important ongoing collaborative activities with KKU is a joint graduate training program sponsored by the Thailand Research Fund, according to McMaken. Since 2009, the Royal Golden Jubilee PhD Program has provided funding for eight KKU students to spend a year at UGA conducting research as well as

allowing KKU and UGA faculty members to spend a week at their partner institutions. Currently, KKU doctoral candidate Watcharawit Meenongyai is studying with Alex Stelzleni, an associate professor in the animal and dairy science department. In addition to the Royal Golden Jubilee program, other collaborative activities have included research, faculty and student exchanges and graduate student training. KKU also has hosted UGA students for undergraduate and graduate internships. “Thailand is one of our focus countries for international collaboration, and KKU is one of our strategic partner universities,” said Amrit Bart, director of the Office of Global Programs. “Along with the programs already established, we are jointly developing a multinational proposal to develop a research network in Thailand.”

For a complete listing of events, check the Master Calendar on the Web (calendar.uga.edu). The following events are open to the public, unless otherwise specified. Dates, times and locations may change without advance notice.

UGAGUIDE madscb@uga.edu

Frank Hartley Anderson: Forging the Southern Printmakers Society. Through June 19. Georgia Museum of Art. Refining Realities. Through June 19. Georgia Museum of Art. Seeing Georgia: Changing Visions of Tourism in the Modern South. Through July 30. Special collections libraries. 706-542-5788, jhebbard@uga.edu . Turned and Sculpted: Wood Art from the Collection of Arthur and Jane Mason. Through Aug. 7. Georgia Museum of Art. (See story, right).

TUESDAY, MAY 24 TUESDAY TOUR A free, guided tour of the exhibit galleries of the Walter J. Brown Media Archives and Peabody Awards Collection, the Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library and the Richard B. Russell Library for Political Research and Studies. Participants should meet in the rotunda on the second floor of the Richard B. Russell Building Special Collections Libraries. 2 p.m. Special collections libraries. 706-542-8079, jclevela@uga.edu .

WEDNESDAY, MAY 25 MAY SESSION MIDTERM STAFF APPRECIATION DAY 2016 UGA will hold its second annual Staff Appreciation Day. This event will feature live music, food, games and door prizes. All staff members are invited and encouraged to attend. 10 a.m. Intramural fields. 706-542-6927, schupska@uga.edu . TOUR AT TWO A tour of Frank Hartley Anderson: Forging the Southern Printmakers Society will be led by Sarah Kate Gillespie, curator of American art. 2 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662, hazbrown@uga.edu .

THURSDAY, MAY 26 WITHDRAWAL DEADLINE FOR MAY SESSION

Turned and Sculpted

By Madison Bledsoe

EXHIBITIONS

columns.uga.edu May 23, 2016

The Georgia Museum of Art is displaying until Aug. 7 a collection of tabletop sculptures made from trees in the exhibition Turned and Sculpted: Wood Art from the Collection of Arthur and Jane Mason. The exhibition features 30 objects, all made entirely of sculpted wood, by some of the most renowned contemporary artists in the form. Although many of the forms were inspired by functional usage, they go beyond being bowls or vases, taking inspiration from their origins. The word “turned” in the title of the exhibition reflects the fact that many of the artists used a lathe to sculpt the wood, rotating the material on its axis to create a symmetrical, rounded form. “It fascinates me to see craft transcend utilitarian needs,” said Dale Couch, the museum’s curator of decorative arts, who organized the exhibition. “These pieces represent at UGA. 10 a.m. Masters Hall, Georgia Center. (See Digest, page 3). GALLERY DISCUSSION This event is preceded by a screening of The Meaders Family: North Georgia Potters. The 1978 Smithsonian documentary profiles Cheever and Lanier Meaders of Mossy Creek and captures the techniques of pottery making. Following the film, attendees will join local potters and Brittany Ranew, education program specialist, for a folk pottery discussion. 7 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662, hazbrown@uga.edu .

SATURDAY, MAY 28 CLASS: PLANT TAXONOMY Taxonomy is the branch of science that names and classifies plants, animals, fungi, microbes, etc. Using data from genetics, biochemistry, physiology and morphology (observations of leaves, flowers, roots, etc.), a plant taxonomist analyzes this information to reveal groupings, relationships and ultimately names. $105. 9 a.m. Visitor Center’s Classroom 2, State Botanical Garden. 706-542-6156, ckeber@uga.edu .

MONDAY, MAY 30 MEMORIAL DAY HOLIDAY No classes; offices closed.

TUESDAY, MAY 31

SWING DANCE NIGHT TOWN HALL MEETING IN THE GARDEN An information session about OneSource, This casual evening of social swing the project to launch a new finance and dancing starts with beginner and human resources administration system intermediate dance lessons at 8 p.m. Calendar items are taken from Columns files and from the university’s Master Calendar, maintained by Marketing & Communications. 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/.

a meld of technical virtuosity, aesthetic sensibility and respect for the medium of wood itself.” Couch also said that the breadth of the artists represented is part of what makes this collection special. The exhibition will function almost as an encyclopedia of great American woodturners and sculptors, including Georgia’s renowned Moulthrop family: father Ed, son Philip and grandson Matt, who is a UGA alumnus. Other featured artists include Garry Knox Bennett, David Ellsworth, Mark and Mel Lindquist, Todd Hoyer, Bob Stocksdale, Michael Peterson, Merryll Saylan and Marilyn Campbell. Objects range from the relatively traditional turned bowls of the Moulthrops to Robyn Horn’s geometric sculpture, Rod Cronkite’s topographic forms and Todd Hoyer’s works that use burning and distressing for symbolic reasons. Collectors Arthur and Jane Mason crafted this collection for decades before donating it to the museum. The gift has taken the mu-

seum’s holdings from almost nonexistent in this medium to nearly comprehensive, as was the Masons’ intent. A fully illustrated book, published by the museum, will accompany the exhibition. The Collectors of Wood Art, an organization that connects collectors and artists, will hold its annual forum June 7–9, beginning in Athens, with “A Day of Wood Art Celebration at the Georgia Museum of Art” June 8, including lectures, panel discussions, a reception and an opportunity to meet the artists represented in the Masons’ collection.The cost is $220 for CWA members, $295 for nonmembers, which includes meals and transportation to all events, including June 9 in Atlanta. For more information, visit http://collectorsofwoodart.org/news/ detail/952.

and a social dance at 9 p.m. Visitor Center, some of its modernist precedents. State Botanical Garden. 706-542-6014, Featuring the work of more than connicot@uga.edu . 90 artists, it includes powerful, representative work by some of the biggest names in the contemporary art world. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1 Georgia Museum of Art. hazbrown@uga.edu . TOUR AT TWO Highlights from the permanent collection. Led by docents. 2 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. STAFF COUNCIL MEETING 2:30 p.m. 207 Miller Learning Center.

FRIDAY, JUNE 3 CLASS “Summer Tree Identification.” In this class, students will learn to identify some of the most common summer trees by their leaves, bark, branching patterns and tree form. Students will learn to use a hand lens and a simple dichotomous key (decision trees) for woody plants to identify species. $50. 9 a.m. Visitor Center’s Classroom 2, State Botanical Garden. 706-542-6156, ckeber@uga.edu .

SATURDAY, JUNE 4 CLASS “Flower Portraits and Plants in the Landscape.” Students will enhance photography skills for both flower portraits and plants in the landscape in this hands-on workshop. $50. 10 a.m. Visitor Center’s Classroom 2, State Botanical Garden. 706-542-6156, ckeber@uga.edu . EXHIBITION OPENING Paper in Profile: Mixografia and Taller de Grafica Mexicana. Through Aug. 21. This exhibition offers an engaging survey of international contemporary art and

MONDAY, JUNE 6 MAY SESSION CLASSES END

TUESDAY, JUNE 7 ADVISEMENT AND REGISTRATION For Thru Term and Summer Short Session I. For new students attending final orientation who have not yet been advised and registered for classes. RAMADAN Islamic religious observance. MAY SESSION FINAL EXAMS CLASS ON SUMMER PERENNIALS A class focusing on plants that thrive during the longest and hottest days of the year. $20-$35. 3:30 p.m. Visitor Center’s Classroom 2, State Botanical Garden. 706-542-6156, krd87784@uga.edu .

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8 CLASSES BEGIN For Thru Term and Short Session I.

THURSDAY, JUNE 9 TEEN STUDIO Teens ages 13-18 will learn about the work of artists from the Mixografia workshop in the exhibition Paper in Profile: Mixografia and the Taller de Grafica Mexicana. To reserve a spot, email callan@uga.edu or call 706-542-8863. 5:30 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662, hazbrown@uga.edu .

SUNDAY, JUNE 12 SUNDAY SPOTLIGHT TOUR Highlights from the permanent collection. Led by docents. 3 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662, hazbrown@uga.edu .

MONDAY, JUNE 13 MAY SESSION GRADES DUE Due by 5 p.m. POETRY READING Keetje Kuipers, an award-winning poet and an assistant professor at Auburn University, will read from some of her poetry, which focuses on isolation, longing and loneliness. Her latest book, The Keys to the Jail, looks closely at the role of women and identity. Part of the Seat in the Shade Poetry Series. 7 p.m. Hendershot’s Cafe, 237 Prince Ave. cahnmann@uga.edu .

COMING UP EXTENDED SUMMER SESSION MIDTERM June 20. WITHDRAWAL DEADLINE FOR EXTENDED SUMMER SESSION June 20.

DROP/ADD FOR THRU TERM Through June 10.

WITHDRAWAL DEADLINE FOR SHORT SESSION I June 21.

DROP/ADD FOR SHORT SESSION I Through June 9.

SHORT SESSION I MIDTERM June 21.

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.

TOUR AT TWO Highlights from the permanent collection. Led by docents. 2 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662, hazbrown@uga.edu .

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.

NEXT COLUMNS DEADLINES June 1 (for June 13 issue) June 15 (for June 27 issue) June 29 (for July 11 issue)

6 May 23, 2016 columns.uga.edu

CAMPUS CLOSEUP

Cynthia Dillard, the Mary Frances Early Professor of Teacher Education, received the Henry T. Trueba Award for Research Leading to the Transformation of the Social Contexts of Education from the American Educational Research Association. The award recognizes a Cynthia Dillard scholar (or group of scholars) who has made “distinguished contributions leading to the transformation of the social contexts of education.” Dillard, head of the College of Education’s educational theory and practice department, was the unanimous winner among the nominees. She accepted the award during the division’s business meeting in Washington, D.C. Trueba was known as an advocate for expanding learning opportunities for those in the greatest need and for developing the talent of immigrant and marginalized populations. The award in his name is one of five given by AERA’s Division G. Laurie Fowler, executive director for public service and external affairs at the Odum School and director for policy of the UGA River Basin Center, received the State Bar of Georgia Environmental Law Section Award at the Environmental Law Section annual kickoff luncheon in Atlanta. Fowler, who also serves as an adjunct faculty at the UGA School of Law, leads the multidisciplinary Environmental Practicum, a graduate service-learning course she initiated in 1996 to bring students from law, ecology, environmental design and other fields together to use knowledge gained in the classroom to solve real-world environmental problems for local governments, agencies and nonprofit organizations. Billy Hawkins, a professor of kinesiology in the College of Education, is the recipient of the Robert Maynard Hutchins Award. The highest honor from the Drake Group, the award is given each year to faculty and staff members who take a courageous stand to defend academic integrity at their institutions, often risking job security in doing so. Hutchins, vice president of the University of Chicago from 1921-1951, vigorously defended academic freedom, opposed faculty loyalty oaths in the 1950s and was a strong supporter of the rights of minorities and women. Hawkins, who has worked in education for more than two decades, focuses his research on racial issues in the context of collegiate and professional sports. His award-winning book The New Plantation draws parallels between colonialism, the American slave system and the structure of the athletic industrial complex. 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.

Dorothy Kozlowski

Jennifer Lewis, outreach coordinator for the College of Environment and Design, acts as the self-described “air traffic controller” for the public service arm of the college by finding homes for community service projects.

CED outreach coordinator helps find homes for community service projects By Erica Hensley

erica.hensley25@uga.edu

When Jennifer Lewis and her husband, Adam, bought their Normaltown house 16 years ago, the neighborhood wasn’t the hip area it is today. It had the basics, some of which still exist like Normal Hardware, but Lewis said the neighborhood needed some TLC with a preservationist’s eye. “Being a historic preservationist, I could see the potential,” she said. The couple bought a fixer-upper, dug into the neighborhood and have been there ever since. And now, her part of town is one of the most sought-after markets in Athens. “Historic preservation is the ultimate sustainable design because you are reusing buildings and following neighborhood design that is already there,” she said. “You’re not tearing down, starting over and sending something to the landfill—you’re factoring in what’s already there as your community continues to grow.” Lewis, a graduate of the College of Environment and Design’s historic preservation master’s program, coordinates the public service and outreach office of the college with its director and Lewis’ mentor, Pratt Cassity. As the outreach coordinator for CED, Lewis acts as the self-described “air traffic controller” for the public service arm of the college by finding homes for community service projects. She details the scope of design problems and then pairs students with individual

smaller projects, like backyard erosion for a property owner, or classes with projects, like highway beautification or community trail design or faculty with projects that match their research interests. “Our college has a long history of doing real-world projects as part of our studios and our classes, and we like to give our students a practical application for what they are learning,” she said. Lewis also plans CED’s design charrettes, a nontraditional service-learning course that’s run more like an interactive field trip than a class. The course is a brainstorming and application workshop that gets students on the ground, face to face with real-life community design problems. The charrettes embody experiential learning and outreach extension, two university ideals that have long been practiced at CED. Charrettes pair design experts— CED students and faculty—with community members trying to solve a design problem. “We clear our schedules and focus on their problem for three days and come together to work as a team to solve the issues,” Lewis said. “The locals provide community knowledge that we wouldn’t have otherwise, and students provide design expertise learned in the classroom and now applied to a real community.” One recent charrette designed a series of boat launches along the North Oconee River that could connect to the North Oconee River Greenway trail and campus. Another partnered

FACTS Jennifer Lewis Outreach Coordinator College of Environment and Design Charrette System Certificate, National Charrette Institute, 2012 M.A., Historic Preservation, UGA, 2002 B.A., Art History and Studio Art, College of Charleston, 1995 At UGA: 20 years

with Georgia Tech’s architecture studio to design Camp Hooray in Jackson County, a fully accessible overnight camp for people with developmental disabilities. (See story page 4). Lewis knows how valuable the experience is to students, not only for finding a job after graduation, but also for learning to incorporate sustainable design into communities. She said the charrettes equally provide vital resources to smaller Georgia communities that otherwise wouldn’t have access to public design experts. “Sometimes this is (students’) first experience in their academic career to feel so incredibly valued by what they are learning and what they know, because many of these communities don’t have an expert in historic preservation or a landscape architecture firm in their town,” she said. “So to be able to bring in students who are knowledgeable about history, plants and design, and be able to draw out ideas, is pretty impressive.”

RETIREES April Twenty-nine UGA employees retired April 1. Retirees, their job classification, department and length of employment are: Regina M. Adams, graduate program administrator, Graduate School, 19 years, 6 months; Julie Amft, research professional III, Skidaway Institution of Oceanography, 30 years, 1 month; Shirley H. Berry, public service assistant, State Botanical Garden, 31 years, 4 months; William M. Blum, IT senior manager, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences-Griffin, Business Office, 35 years, 8 months; Dorothy A. Bolton, baker I, Oglethorpe Dining Hall, 28 years, 5 months; Melissa Bush, library associate II, libraries–general operations, 24 years, 9 months; Cornelia C. Collins, building services worker I, Myers

Hall, 18 years, 8 months; William M. Corry, associate vice president, Division of Development and Alumni Relations, 25 years, 6 months; Lisa J. Crowe, IT director, Georgia Center–tech support services, 23 years, 7 months; Kyle Fitzpatrick, plumber, Facilities Management Divisionplumbing shop, 29 years, 8 months; Julia K. Foster, administrative manager I, plant pathology, 30 years; Penny B. Gheesling, property control officer, property control, 28 years, 10 months; Earl Ginter, director, Division of Academic Enhancement, 30 years, 6 months; Kenneth Dale Goyen, student affairs specialist IV, residence hall facilities administration, 22 years, 8 months; David A. Hale, landscape design manager, Facilities Management Division–grounds department, 32 years, 4 months; Gwindolyn

W. Kerce, laboratory supervisor, College of Veterinary Medicine-department of population health, 17 years, 5 months; Lynn K. Manzione, graphics designer, Georgia Center–sales and marketing, 29 years, 8 months; Louise W. McElroy, building services worker II, Facilities Management Division-Building Services, South Campus, 29 years, 6 months; Joel H. Miller, laboratory technician III, College of Engineering, 11 years, 4 months; Sohayl Moshtael, IT contracts and licensing administration specialist, EITS-finance and business services, 28 years, 4 months; Michael Richter, marine superintendent, Skidaway Institute of Oceanography, 21 years, 1 month; Carol A. Roberts, academic advisor III, Office of the Vice President for Instruction, 28 years, 9 months; Linda

S. Rogers, application analyst specialist, EITS-administrative information systems, 31 years, 5 months; Susan Russum, lab animal care supervisor, College of Veterinary Medicine-animal resources unit, 28 years, 5 months; Susan G. Sheffield, administrative manager I, Institute of Higher Education, 33 years, 6 months; Patti J. Sisk, administrative associate I, Cooperative Extension-4-H and Youth, 12 years, 7 months; Richard Sixtos, skilled trades worker, Busbee Hall, 10 years, 8 months; Susan M.Varlamoff, public service assistant, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences-Office of Environmental Sciences, 17 years, 9 months; and S. J. Whitehead, building services worker II, Facilities Management Division-Building Services, North Campus, 10 years, 1 month. Source: Human Resources

OFFICE OF THE VP FOR INSTRUCTION, OFFICE OF THE VP FOR PUBLIC SERVICE AND OUTREACH

columns.uga.edu May 23, 2016

‘Grassroots effort’ Now 10 years old, UGA service-learning continues to grow

By Christopher James chtjames@uga.edu

Service-learning was happening at UGA a decade ago. But the establishment of the Office of Service-Learning brought the pedagogy out of the shadows. “There was no real support for it,” said OSL Director Shannon Wilder. “There was no way for UGA to know which courses were being taught. It wasn’t being tracked. I think the biggest issue was that faculty were really working in isolation.” Today, Wilder oversees a department, jointly supported by the Office of the Vice President for Instruction and the Office of the Vice President for Public Service and Outreach, which works with more than 8,000 students every year in all 17 UGA schools and colleges as well as the medical partnership. An office that began with just Wilder now has five full-time faculty and staff members and has recognized more than 100 Service-Learning Faculty Fellows since its inception. Jennifer Frum, the vice president for public service and outreach, was at UGA when the office was established in 2005. It’s a true example of how programs should start at a university, she said. “It was really a grassroots effort by a group of faculty who said we want to find other ways to engage our students outside of the classroom,” Frum said. “It came from students who said we want something more. It came from great community partners.” There were a number of proposals early in the new century to nurture service-learning at UGA, but it wasn’t until July 2005 that the Task Force on General Education and Student Learning formally established the office. The group, co-chaired by current UGA President Jere W. Morehead, recognized that service-learning was taking place on campus but opportunities needed to be expanded for students

to participate. OSL grew to be a pioneer in experiential learning at UGA, which becomes a requirement for all incoming freshmen next fall.The concept integrates community-based projects into academic courses to enhance teaching and learning and provide a benefit to the community. The university-wide support OSL produced was critical, said David Berle, an associate professor of horticulture who was part of the inaugural class of Service-Learning Fellows. “They’ve provided a place to get together with other faculty,” Berle said. “In a lot of the projects I’ve done—and still do—there’s some collaboration. Just that facilitating, the meeting and collaboration between faculty is a big role that they play.” OSL also supports programs that go beyond individual servicelearning projects to community partnerships based on important themes such as education and food issues. Both Campus Kitchen and Experience UGA are large-scale community partnerships housed within OSL that serve as hubs for multiple service-learning courses

WEEKLY READER

Former UGA football player writes book

The Magician’s Hat By Malcolm Mitchell Read With Malcolm $15.95

Shannah Cahoe Montgomery

Students Mellissa Pricher, left and Marissa Jones engage Leo Jackson in activities as part of a class that connects students with families coping with dementia.

David the magician loves to perform, but his favorite trick is not pulling a rabbit out of a hat or finding quarters behind the ears of children. Instead, David knows the magical power of books, which can explore dreams and develop creativity. Former UGA wide receiver Malcolm Mitchell, who recently was drafted into the NFL by the New England Patriots, wrote the children’s book The Magician’s Hat to promote excitement for reading. As a UGA student, Mitchell found his love for reading when he joined a book club run by Athens-area women. He has turned that passion for learning and reading into an effort to promote childhood literacy. The Magician’s Hat is the kind of book Mitchell said he wish he had access to when he was younger.

each year and support other experiential learning opportunities such as internships. The office also has hosted a network of AmeriCorps VISTAs that expanded this spring to include a volunteer in every middle school in the Clarke County School District who works to create additional service-learning links back to campus. Aiden Holley, a junior studying international affairs with an emphasis on international agriculture, said he never would have had the time to get so deeply involved with Campus Kitchen if not for the internship offered through OSL. It’s rewarding work that fit well with his career aspirations. “You get to form these special bonds with people in the community that you wouldn’t otherwise cross paths with,” Holley said. “(The internship) enables me to get a certain depth of experience with Campus Kitchen.” Holley will apply that experience during an internship with the Center for Agribusiness and Rural Development in Armenia this summer. Experiences like Holley’s helped create a model for experiential

UGA students Tara Cotton and Alec Cook present a science demonstration to children from around Clarke County as part of a service-learning program.

Shannah Cahoe Montgomery

Fourth-graders from Whit Davis Elementary learn to make catapults at the College of Engineering during an Experience UGA field trip.

learning at UGA. Wilder said her office’s reach can only expand when more students begin exploring meaningful connections between the community and classroom education. “We have created a community and standards for what a quality service-learning course looks like and how we can help faculty achieve that in partnership with

the community,” Wilder said. “Our goal every year is to find ways to support more faculty and build stronger partnerships that are making a difference in the community and giving students valuable real-world experiences. Fortunately, we’ve had 10 years to focus on building quality learning experiences. It’s such a great foundation for moving forward.”

ABOUT COLUMNS

CYBERSIGHTS

Columns is available to the campus community by subscription for an annual fee of $20 (secondclass 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 Dorothy Kozlowski

Greek Life revamps website greeklife.uga.edu

The four councils and 61 national Greek-letter men’s and women’s groups carry on a more than 150-year tradition at UGA. Greek Life’s new website will provide a new online home for the four Greek councils, including programs, forms and policies, a campus-wide chapter listing, event calendar and

information for parents. “UGA is proud of its established and robust Greek programming,” said Stan Jackson, director of communications for the Division of Student Affairs. “The new site will make learning about our great fraternities and sororities much easier.”

Senior Reporter Aaron Hale Reporter Matt Chambers The University of Georgia is committed to principles of equal opportunity and affirmative action. The University of Georgia is a unit of the University System of Georgia. I

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8 May 23, 2016 columns.uga.edu

TASK FORCE from page 1

Dorothy Kozlowski

Students celebrate prior to the start of the undergraduate Commencement ceremony in Sanford Stadium May 13.

COMMENCEMENT from page 1 holding a graduate or doctoral degree brings, but encouraged graduates to keep following their passions and to be bold and unrestrained in pursuit of their dreams. “Subscribe to whatever is true, embrace whatever is noble, do whatever is right,” he said. “I challenge you to remember the simple, but very profound words, of a Chinese proverb: ‘Let those who drink the water today remember with gratitude those who dug the wells.’ ” At both ceremonies, UGA President Jere W. Morehead told graduates that strong relationships among students, faculty, staff

and alumni are what sets UGA apart from other institutions. “The individuals who make up the University of Georgia care deeply about this institution, and they care deeply about one another. You build meaningful connections here as students, and together we are a family,” he said. “You have earned your degrees through your effort and determination, and, along the way, you have advanced knowledge with your professors, received assistance from staff members, collaborated with your fellow students, and—most importantly—you have given back to those around you.”

Bulletin Board Legion Pool summer season

Legion Pool at UGA will open May 26 for the summer season. Hours of operation are 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily through Aug. 1 and 3-7 p.m. Aug. 2-7. Use of Legion Pool is limited to students with valid UGACards who pay activity fees on the Athens campus; faculty and staff with valid UGACards; guests of students, faculty and staff; and Friends of Campus Life members. All guests must be accompanied by a UGACard holder. Admission is $3 for students, $4 for faculty and staff, $3 for children ages 3-15 (who must be accompanied by an adult) and $5 for guests and members of Friends of Campus Life. For more information, visit http://tate.uga.edu/legionpool or call 706-542-7774.

Chancellor’s Service Award

The University System of Georgia Service Excellence Program Recognition Committee is accepting nominations for the 2016 Chancellor’s Service Excellence Awards. The awards are part of a program created to honor employees who have gone “above and beyond” their normal job responsibilities in helping their internal and external customers and consistently promoting customer service excellence. Nominations should be submitted to http://tinyurl.com/ps7k9l3 by June 1. Email Catherine K. Shircliff at cks@uga.edu with questions or requests for additional information about the program.

ARCS Foundation applications

The Biomedical and Health Sciences

Institute is seeking applicants for the 2016-2017 ARCS Foundation Awards for doctoral students in the biomedical and health sciences. The deadline for application submissions is June 22. These awards, four of $7,500 and two in the amount of $10,000, will be granted during the 2016-2017 academic year. They are independent of any other funding, including university sponsored assistantships or stipends. Recipients of the ARCS Foundation Award, who maintain their academic standing, are funded for three years. The $10,000 Global Impact Award will be awarded to a scholar whose research does or will have an international effect and the other $10,000 award is in recognition of ARCS Foundation Atlanta chapter’s 25th anniversary. Guidelines for application submission are at http://www.biomed.uga.edu . For additional information, contact Laura Balkcom at 706-542-5922 or lbalkcom@uga.edu.

Parking registration

Registration for 2016-2017 parking permits is now open at www.parking.uga.edu. The deadline to register and be considered in the first and largest round of permit assignments is July 1 at 5 p.m. Fewer permit assignments will be available after July 11. Employees who do not register will not have a lot guarantee or “grandfathering.” Faculty and staff can continue to stay on the waiting list and upgrade their lot assignment throughout the year as assignments are made weekly, based on space availability. Email parking@uga.edu or call 706-542-7275 with any questions about registration or parking.

recommendations, which were approved by the board of regents. Among the recommendations were for each USG institution to assess student attitudes and culture about alcohol and other drugs on their campus; to develop comprehensive, evidence-based programs to reduce abuse; and to provide counselors and trained professionals to offer support and education. In addition, the task force recommended that the University System engage with the Department of Revenue to explore stronger penalties for the underage sale of alcohol and similar violations. Institutions were encouraged to promote greater interaction between officials involved in alcohol enforcement on campus and in the local community. Many of the service recommendations have long been in place at UGA through the University Health Center’s Fontaine Center for Alcohol Awareness. Part of the Division of Student Affairs, the center offers

a range of evidence-based prevention, early intervention and recovery support services to UGA students. Liz Prince, director of the Fontaine Center, also served on the task force. Although the work of the task force has ended, the group also proposed that each institution participate in regular, system-wide meetings to discuss trends and share best practices related to substance abuse. The Fontaine Center was listed as a resource for this future collaboration. In addition, the task force noted the importance of continuing to ensure that the voice of USG students is heard and is part of future discussions. Houston Gaines, president of UGA’s Student Government Association, was one of four USG student representatives serving on the task force. With the release of the recommendations, each of the USG institutions is charged with implementing policies to curb alcohol and substance abuse on their campuses.

GRANT

AWARD

from page 1

professor in the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences department of food science technology. “It could be added to packaging materials to strengthen them or added to food as a dietary fiber. It also greatly increases the viscosity of foods. We now have the technology to break down cellulose to nanoscale size, called nanocellulose, with a diameter of 1-100 nanometers. In comparison, human hair is about 80,000 nanometers in diameter.” Kong will collaborate with scientists at the University of Missouri who will conduct cell tests to determine whether or not the nanofibers can penetrate into intestinal cells and how they will impact the gut microflora Tailiang Guo, a toxicologist with the College of Veterinary Medicine, will use mice to validate the results from the simulation test, including examining any toxic effects caused by eating food that contains nanocellulose.

New UGA TOPS chapter

UGA now has its own chapter of the weight-loss program TOPS (Take Pounds Off Sensibly). Annual membership is $32, and the first visit is free. The nonprofit group meets Tuesdays from noon to 12:45 p.m. in Room 265 of the Chicopee Complex, 1180 E. Broad St. Pre-meeting, confidential weigh-ins are done from 11:30 a.m. to noon or by appointment. The UGA chapter started April 26 with eight members, who all came back for the second meeting and as a group lost 16.8 pounds. No one gained weight, and the chapter grew to 14 members. For more information, email LaVonne Goldschmidt lavonneg@uga.edu or Susan McCullough susancmc@uga.edu with questions or visit the TOPS website http://www.tops.org/TOPS/Default.aspx .

Campus Mail merger and move

The Campus Mail and Central Receiving departments, part of the Division of Finance and Administration, have merged and are now Mail & Receiving Services. Staff and equipment in Campus Mail have relocated to the Administrative Services Warehouse, 4435 Atlanta Highway. As part of the merger and move, the former Campus Mail Building at 240A Riverbend Road has been renamed the Environmental Safety Building. Finance and Administration’s Environmental Safety Division is the sole occupant of the building. Bulletin Board is limited to information that may pertain to a majority of faculty and staff members.

from page 1 This year’s award recipients represent a variety of approaches to digital storytelling, including a parody sitcom Web series challenging anti-Muslim bias, the immersive experience provided by virtual reality technology for understanding the Ebola crisis, an interactive Web documentary centered on memory, grieving and loss, a curated radio/audio-photography retelling of the complex story of Michael Brown and Ferguson, Missouri, and a nonlinear video game that combines and subverts classic genres while challenging how video game narratives are told. The Peabody Awards, the oldest and most prestigious award for electronic media, have recognized various forms of digital content since 2003. The Futures of Media Award, however, is a separate and distinct award from the main Peabody Awards. Jeffrey P. Jones, director of the Peabody Awards, noted the importance of the partnership. “I couldn’t be more pleased to have Facebook, one of the pre-eminent technology and media companies in the world, as our partner for these awards,” Jones said. “These award winners represent the cutting edge of how stories can be told in digital spaces. Facebook is at the forefront of shaping how we learn about, share, discuss and experience stories such as these.” The five Futures of Media winners were flown to New York City for a presentation luncheon at the Paley Center for Media on May 20, and then recognized at the Peabody Awards ceremony on May 21.

SCHOLARSHIP from page 1 White House Council on Environmental Quality. Driggers has participated in several research projects through the Center for Undergraduate Research Opportunities and also as a graduate student researcher at the UGA River Basin Center and in the lab of Meigs Professor James Porter. He is the head gardener for the Lunchbox Garden Project, a student-led organization that aims to educate schoolchildren about gardening, nutrition and environmental issues. “Jonah is a most deserving Udall recipient, and I congratulate him on earning this prestigious award,” said David S. Williams, associate provost and director of UGA’s Honors Program. “He has a strong record of service and achievement across the board—exploring and promoting innovative energy solutions at national, state and local levels. He is truly dedicated.” In addition to the scholarship of up to $5,000 for eligible academic expenses, the Udall award includes a four-day Scholar Orientation in Tucson, Arizona, as well as access to the Udall Alumni Network. The Udall Foundation was established in 1992 to honor U.S. Rep. Morris K. Udall for his 30 years of service to Congress, and 2009 legislation incorporated the name of his brother, former U.S. Secretary of the Interior Stewart Udall. The independent agency conducts programs that promote leadership, education, collaboration and conflict resolution in the areas of the environment, public lands and natural resources.