March 14, 2000 - Vol. 4 No.40

Third Distinguished Scholar to Visit Truman


Minner Hired as Head of Education Division

Parent Donations Provide New Laptops

Military Science Presents Colin Powell

Census 2000 Forms to Arrive this Week

Walther to Visit

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Early Admission to Law School Available

Medical Scholarships Available
 
 

Departments
On Campus
Notes
 Notables
Contact Us
 

Third Distinguished Visiting Scholar to Visit

    Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky will visit campus March 21-23 as Truman’s third Distinguished Visiting Scholar for the 1999-2000 academic year. Pinsky was selected to serve an unprecedented third term as U.S. Poet Laureate in 1998. and is the 39th individual to hold the seat.
     Pinsky is currently focusing his efforts toward a “Favorite Poem Project,” which is the production of an audio/video archive of thousands of Americans reading their favorite poems. Pinsky hopes to promote poetry in schools and to send the message that poetry is for everyone’s enjoyment. The project has stimulated over 400 community readings and nearly 18,000 submissions, and the initial phase of the tapes will be presented to the Library of Congress at a special bicentennial conference from April 3 to 4, 2000.
     Pinsky is the author of numerous books, many of which have won multiple awards. The Figured Wheel: New and Collected Poems 1966-1996, won the Ambassador Book Award of the English Speaking Union, the 1997 Lenore Marshall Poetry Prize, and is a nominee for the Pulitzer Prize in poetry. His book-length poem An Explanation of America, was awarded the Saxifrage Prize when it was first published in 1980 and has since been published by Princeton University Press. William Pritchard called Pinsky’s early works, “the best work by any younger poet within recent memory.”
     History of My Heart, another work by Pinsky, was chosen for the 1985 William Carlos Williams Prize of the Poetry Society of America. In addition, The Inferno of Dante, Pinsky’s book of translation, appeared on the Best Seller’s List of The Boston Globe and New York Newsday. His collection of poetry, Jersey Rain, is due out from Farrar, Straus & Giroux later this year.
     Pinsky also currently serves as poetry editor of Slate, an on-line magazine, and regularly contributes to “The News Hour with Jim Lehrer” on PBS. In April 1999 Pinsky appeared at the White House for a series of presentations celebrating American creativity and ingenuity.
     Pinsky attended Rutgers College and Stanford University, where he held a Stegner Fellowship in Creative Writing. He is currently a professor in the graduate writing program at Boston University and resides in Cambridge, Mass., with his wife, Ellen.

Schedule of Events

March 21
7:30 p.m., Public Poetry Reading, 
Violette Hall 1000
8:30 p.m., Public Reception, 
Violette Hall 
Second Floor Lounge

March 22
12 p.m., Faculty Development Luncheon, SUB 
Down Under
7:30 p.m., “An Explanation of America,” 
Ryle College Lounge
Book signing to follow

March 23
10:30 a.m., ”The
 Inferno of Dante,” 
SUB Georgian Room

For more information,
 call 785.4016.

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Minner Hired as Head of Education Division

     Sam Minner has been named as the new head of the Education Division, Vice President of Academic Affairs Garry Gordon announced Monday. Minner will begin his contract with Truman on July 1, 2000.
     With more than 23 years in the field of education, he has served in both faculty and administrative roles. Since 1997 Minner has held the James H. Quillen Chair of Excel-lence in Teaching and Learning at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City. From 1988-1997 he served in various capacities at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, including a four-year stint as chair of the Education Department. He received the prestigious President’s Award from that institution in 1996. Minner began his career as a special education/elementary teacher.
     He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville and completed his doctoral work at the University of Arizona in Tucson. He has over 70 publications and $2.6 million in grants to his credit.
     Minner and his wife, Joan, have two children, Brook, 21, and Sammy, 8.
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Parent Donations Provide New Laptops

    Truman students now have access to laptop computers thanks to donations by parents to the 1998 Parents Council project. Parent donations have provided several new resources in the past few years, including a multi-media computer lab in Violette Hall and technology for the University Career Center and Pickler Memorial LIbrary.
     Six laptop computers, five PCs and one Macintosh are now available to Truman students to check out and use for group presentations and other class work. The computers are equipped with the Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Powerpoint, Excel and other software.
     “There has been more and more interest in laptop computers,” Chief Information Officer Richard Coughlin said. “This is a resource the University could not provide without private gifts from Truman parents.”
     The laptops are available from the Instructional Technology Center in Kirk Building 133; however, students are encouraged to call in advance to make reservations. Laptops may be checked out with a student ID for a maximum of 46 hours, 22 hours during the last three weeks of the semester. This schedule provides a two-hour maintenance window so that computers may be reimaged to prevent viruses and clear any software that may have been loaded temporarily. Laptops are available at 3 p.m. and must be returned by 1 p.m. on the due date. They are designated for student use only.
     Two data projectors will also be available later this year. The projectors are used in conjunction with the laptop computers to present Powerpoint slides and other data to large groups. Right now, four earlier models of the LCD panels are available for this purpose.

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Military Science Presents Colin Powell

     The Military Science Department of Truman State University and the Reserve Officer Association will present General Colin Powell live via satellite from Washington, D.C. at 12:30 p.m., March 21, in the SUB Governors’ Room. 
     General Powell’s program will focus on core values, duty, honor, courage, leadership and integrity. He may also speak about his experiences as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Desert Shield/Desert Storm operations and his current humanitarian efforts with Empower America. 
     The program will include opportunities for viewers to ask questions. To do so, viewers may e-mail questions to the studio at powell@roa.org or call 800.528.2090 at the time of broadcast. Two phone lines will be available in the Governors’ Room. For more information, call Major Anthony at 785.4453.
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Census 2000 Forms to Arrive this Week

     Census takers will be distributing Census 2000 forms throughout Adair County beginning this week.
     About 83 percent of respondents should expect to receive a short form, which includes the subject’s name, sex, age, relationship, race, and housing situation. The Census 2000 short form will be the shortest form in 180 years.
     One out of six households will receive a longer form, with questions pertaining to 34 subjects including ancestry, employment and disability. It takes about 35 minutes to complete. The long form provides socio-economic details needed for various government programs and federal requirements. Locally, community leaders use the long form to plan a wide range of activities such as neighborhood revitalization and economic development.
     Gathering an accurate census count is crucial for Adair County since federal and state funds are distributed based on census figures. Forms should be returned by April 1.
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Walther to Visit


Joseph B. Walther,
associate professor of communication studies RENSSELAER POLYTECHNIC 
INSTITUTE, will visit March 15. A schedule is posted below.

10:30 a.m.
“Internet Addiction: Fact or Fiction?”
Violette Hall 1000

12:30 p.m.
“Innovative and Potential Uses of the Internet in the Classroom”
SUB Governors’ Room
Faculty Only

7 p.m.
“On the Internet No One Knows You’re a Dog: A Multidisciplinary Perspective on the Transformative Aspects of Communication Technology”
Violette Hall 1000

Call 785.4481 for details

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Early Admission to Law School Available

     Truman, in cooperation with the University of Missouri?Columbia School of Law, is offering an Honor Admission Program for Truman students.
     Qualified applicants will be guaranteed admission to the Missouri School of Law as Judge Ross T. Roberts Scholars, and will receive at least $1,000 in scholarships upon admission. Judge Roberts was a UMC Law School graduate who served with distinction on the U.S. Federal Court for the Western District of Missouri. 
     There is no application deadline for the program, but to be eligible students will need to apply to the program before completing 90 credit hours of college-level coursework, prior to taking the Law School Admission Test. Students must also have received an ACT score of 30 or higher or SAT composite score of 1300 or higher. To maintain admittance to the program, students must graduate from Truman with at least a 3.30 GPA. 
     For additional information and application materials, call the Division of Social Science at 785.4636.
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Undergraduate Research Symposium


 13th Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium 

8:00 a.m. - 8:15 p.m.
 Wednesday, March 22
Student Union

The Symposium showcases student involvement and
the diversity of
research on campus.

Students, faculty and staff are invited to attend any of the presentations. 
For more information,
contact James Padfield
at 785.4406.

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Medical Scholarships Available


Medical scholarships available:

Truman-KCOM Osteopathic Scholarship
Five advancing Truman sophomores with a minimum science GPA of 3.4, ACT composite of 28 or better, a B in Biology 107, 108, Chemistry 120, 121, and English 190, and enrollment in Chemistry 329 will be offered acceptance to KCOM upon achievement of certain academic 
standards.

Applications are available in Magruder Hall 118B.
Due March 24

Truman-University of Missouri-Columbia Rural Scholars Program
Two advancing Truman freshmen, plus two alternates, will be selected for this program. Applicants must have a small town or rural background, an ACT composite score of at least 30, and provide evidence of high academic achievement and extracurricular activities. 

Applications are available in Magruder Hall 118B.
Due May 1
 
 

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Notables

The Truman Debate Team won two national championship titles at the National Parliamentary Debate Association’s National Championship Tournament at Creighton University in Omaha, Neb., on Mar. 8-12. More information will follow next week.

Sal Costa, assistant professor of psychology, recently received the Outstanding Greek Professional Award from the Mid-American Greek Council Association. The purpose of this award is to recognize a Greek professional who has made a significant contribution to the Greek community within the Mid-America region.

Ryan Kennedy, junior political science major from Excelsior Springs, Mo., and Jacob Stutzman, junior communication arts major from St. Louis, took second place in the national collegiate honorary championship in parliamentary debate Feb. 28. They lost to a team from William Carey College by one ballot. In addition, Kennedy placed third in the nation in impromptu speaking and Stutzman placed third in parliamentary debate. Overall, Truman finished eighth in debate sweepstakes, combined debate and individual events rankings.

Huping Ling, associate professor of history, published an article titled “Family and Marriage of Late-19th Century Chinese Immigrant Women” in the Journal of American Ethnic History Winter 2000 issue. Her other article, “Myth and Reality of St. Louis Chinatown,” has also been accepted for publication in The New Missouri History anthology.

Christopher Maglio, associate professor of counseling, and Patrick Peck, assistant professor of counseling, presented “Supervising the PLPC and CIT: Counseling vs. Psychologist” at the annual meeting of the American Counseling Association of Missouri in St. Louis. Maglio also presented “Close Encounters of the Intimate Kind: An Exploration of the Effects of Parental Divorce on College Students” with counseling graduate Christopher Yunick, and “An Exploration of the Relationship Between Perceived Paternal Acceptance and Rejections and College Students’ Self-Esteem” with counseling graduate Christy Grissom.

John Martinez, sophomore music/pre-secondary education major from Northfield, Minn.; Karista Koehler, senior biology major from St. Louis, Mo.; and Amari Stuart, freshman music major from Clark, Mo., were chosen to perform solos at this year’s Gold Medal Concert on March 19. The students were chosen after several rounds of competitive auditions to perform with the Truman Symphony Orchestra.

Eric R. Schreiter, senior chemistry major from St. Charles, Mo., has been selected to present a scientific paper at the American Chemical Society National Meeting in San Francisco March 26-31. More than 8,800 papers will be presented at this meeting and over 18,000 people are expected to attend. ACS is the largest scientific society in the world.

Truman’s Panhellenic Council received awards from the Mid-American Greek Council Association for membership recruitment, philanthropy, community service and council management. The Interfraternity Council also received an award for self-governance and judicial affairs. 

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On Campus 

15 Wednesday
10:30 a.m.-“Internet Addiction” lecture, Violette Hall 1000; see p. 2.
12:30 p.m.-Faculty Development Luncheon, SUB Governors’ Room; see Notes
2 p.m.-Softball vs. Columbia College
3:30 p.m.-21st Century Leadership Program informational meeting, Violette Hall 2451; see Notes
7:00 p.m.-“Internet” lecture, Violette Hall 1000; see p. 2.

16 Thursday
7 p.m.-University Art Gallery reception; see Notes
8 p.m.-Faculty Recital, Baldwin Auditorium; see Notes

17 Friday
TBA-SAB movie, The Sixth Sense, Baldwin Auditorium

18 Saturday
12 p.m.-Baseball vs. South Dakota
8 a.m.-Income Tax assistance, Violette Hall 1010; see Notes

19 Sunday
1 p.m.-Baseball vs. South Dakota
3 p.m.-Truman Symphony Orchestra Gold Medal Concert, Baldwin Auditorium; see Notes

20 Monday
11 a.m.-McNair Program, SUB Conference Room; see Notes
4:30 p.m.-Video tour of Ger-many, McClain 306; see Notes

21 Tuesday
12:30 p.m.-Colin Powell teleconference, SUB Governors’ Room; see p. 2.
2 p.m.-Softball vs. SIUE
4 p.m.-Agriculture career panel, Career Center; see Notes
7:30 p.m.-DVS poetry reading Violette Hall 1000; see p.1. 
 
 

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Notes

The Kohlenberg-Towne Lecture, originally scheduled for March 20, has been postponed until a later date TBA, due to a scheduling conflict of the lecturer.

The Faculty Development Lunch Series continues from 12:30-1:30 p.m., March 15, in the SUB Governors’ Room. “Innovative and Potential Uses of Internet in Classroom Environments,” will be presented by Joseph Walther, associate professor in communication studies at Rensselaer Polytech-nic Institute.

An informational session on the 21st Century Leadership Training Program will be held at 3:30 p.m., March 15, in Violette Hall 2451. Four Truman women will be selected to attend this program designed to teach women leadership skills. It will take place at the University of Missouri?St. Louis from May 21-26. For more information, or to obtain an application, call Cynthia Rowland at 785.4106.

The Physics Department will hold a colloquium at 1:30 p.m., March 16, in Barnett Hall 251. Ian H. Redmount from the department of physics at St. Louis University will present an advanced talk on insights of 20th century physics. 

The University Art Gallery will hold a reception at 7 p.m., March 16, for its exhibit titled “The Subversive Needle.”

Sheri Mattson will perform a faculty recital at 8 p.m., March 16, in Baldwin Auditorium.
Free income tax assistance is being offered by the Accounting Club and Beta Alpha Psi from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., March 18, April 1 and April 8 in Violette Hall 1010. All faculty, students and community members may use this service.

The Truman Symphony Orchestra will perform its annual Gold Medal Concert at 3 p.m., March 19, in Baldwin Auditorium. The program will showcase three outstanding student performers from the music department who were chosen after several rounds of auditions. Admission is free. For more information call Sam McClure at 785.4434.

The McNair Program will present workshops and question/answer sessions on mentoring students for all faculty from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and 12:30-1:30 p.m., March 20, in the SUB Conference Room. Dr. Greg Aloia of Illinois State University will be speaking about methods in becoming a more effective mentor and enhancing the mentor/mentee relationship. Please RSVP to the McNair Program by noon on March 16 at 785.5393. 

The German Club will present a video tour of Germany at 4:30 p.m., March 20, in McClain 306. All students are welcome to visit “The Romantic Road,” a 30-minute video of cultural insights and practical tips about Germany.

The Collegiate Farm Bureau and University Career Center will host an agriculture career panel at 4 p.m., March 21, at the Career Center. Ashley Davison, USDA soil conservationist; Ken Perkins, AFS Services agronomist; and Mike Kelly, Kirksville High school vocational/agriculture instructor, will be panel members. For more information call 785.4353.

The Student Activities Board will present “African Acrobats” at 7 p.m., March 22, in Baldwin Auditorium. For tickets and more information call 785.4SAB.

A Women’s Studies Conference, “Women on the Edge,” in honor of Women’s History Month, will be held from March 23 to 25 in Violette Hall. The event is sponsored by the divisions of Language/Literature and Social Science. A complete schedule will appear in the next issue of the Truman Today. 

Nomination applications for the 2000 Leadership Awards are due by 4:30 p.m., March 24, in the CAOC office. Twelve leadership awards will be presented at the Leadership Recognition Program at 7 p.m., April 19, in the SUB Georgian Room. Several awards for students, organizations and advisors are available. Applications are available in the CAOC office, lower level SUB.

The Division of Social Science is conducting a workshop titled “Deciding About Graduate and Professional Schools” for sophomore and junior social science majors at 2:30 and 3:30 p.m., March 29, in the SUB Alumni Room. The workshop will outline steps students must take to keep their graduate school options open.

The application deadline for Language and Literature Summer and Fall 2000 internships/practicums is April 14. Applications can be found in the Lang/Lit Division office and must be submitted to David Fortney’s mailbox in McClain Hall 311 by 5 p.m. For more information contact David Fortney at 785.4415.

Detours winter issues are now available. Cost is $3.50 per issue or $10 for a subscription. Detours, “an explorer’s guide to the midwest,” is a student-produced publication. Magazines are available at the Truman Bookstore, Patty’s University Bookstore, Edna Campbell’s Book Store and Hastings. For subscription or advertising details call 785.7438.

CDs of Truman’s Chorus and Symphony Orchestra’s performance of Handel’s Messiah are available for $10 at the cashier’s window in McClain Hall. Call 785.4443 for details. 

Garden plots will be available at the University Farm for faculty, staff and students. Standard plots are 300 square feet; tillage and water at the site is provided. To reserve a plot contact David Lesczynski at 785.4411 or Barnett Hall 156. Participants will be notified of assignments ASAP.

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