Southeastern Louisiana University

IN THIS ISSUE ... 
First doctoral degree approved
SMF: music, food, rides fun
Rock 'n Roar March 11
Career Fair March 8
Great Jazz Divas March 7
Women's History Month underway
Chamber operas open Tuesday

First doctoral degree approved
The Louisiana Board of Regents on Feb. 23 approved a proposal by Southeastern and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette to begin offering a joint doctoral degree in educational leadership.
       The program, which has been in development by the two institutions for several years, is the Southeastern's first foray into doctoral education. As partners, the two institutions will form a consortium board that will jointly administer the program, offer classes and make decisions regarding program development and student participation.
       "This is an historic day for Southeastern, said President Randy Moffett. "We appreciate the Board of Regents' confidence in the proposal we developed jointly with the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. We look forward to working together to help develop a new generation of supervisors, principals and superintendents -- administrators who are visionary leaders, effective managers and change agents for improvement in our schools. 
       Moffett said Southeastern will submit the program to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) for review, since the doctoral program is a significant change in its current degree offerings. In December, Southeastern's accreditation by SACS was reaffirmed for another 10 years.
       "We do not anticipate that this review process will hinder our moving forward with the program, he said.
       "Our schools are under increasing pressure to improve student performance, Moffett said. "The burdens of attaining school success and individual student achievement are falling squarely on the shoulders of our school administrators. Today's school leaders must be prepared to focus time, energy and attention to changing what students are taught, how they are taught, and what they are learning. These challenges demand a new type of school executive, and this program was designed to prepare these new leaders.
       He said the intent is to develop a flexible delivery of course content to accommodate the needs of participants, most of whom are expected to be working professionals. The program will use a combination of traditional face-to-face classroom instruction, as well as distance education technologies such as compressed video, the Internet, and interactive desktop video. 
       "We intend to use the technology of our institutions to provide the convenience of on-line and other distance education strategies, while ensuring the highest level of academic achievement and program integrity, Moffett added.
       The degree program consists of 60 credit hours beyond the master's degree level, and will blend theory and practice by using both content courses to develop skills and knowledge with research-oriented field-based projects applied to specific problems or issues. The universities expect to begin enrolling students in the program starting next fall semester with the first graduates anticipated in three to four years.
       Both universities have identified and retained qualified faculty who bring both experience and expertise to the program, said Diane Allen, dean of Southeastern's College of Education and Human Development.
       "The faculty involved in this program have experience directing doctoral students, strong records of scholarly research, and a sincere interest in helping to change and improve the educational leadership of our primary and secondary schools, she added.
       Allen said a looming shortage of qualified school administrators presents a critical need for new doctoral programs such as the one approved. Surveys conducted in the regions around Southeastern and ULL indicate that about half of school-based administrators are eligible to retire in the next five years.
       "Those positions will need to be filled in the next several years, she said. "We are hoping to increase the pool of highly qualified and prepared administrators. We need to take steps now to recruit and prepare practicing educators in leadership if our schools are going to continue to improve.
       "We know that the success of students depends largely on having a qualified teacher in the classroom, she added. "But successful teachers need effective leaders who understand the challenges of the classroom and the need for ongoing professional development.
       Allen said surveys of students currently enrolled in graduate education courses and of principals and supervisors in the southern part of the state indicate considerable interest in the program. Both Southeastern and ULL currently offer programs leading to masters degrees in educational concentrations. 
       Both institutions are fully accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education. NCATE accreditation is a peer review process that involves a comprehensive evaluation of programs responsible for preparing teachers and other professional school personnel.       
       Southeastern is one of the state's largest producers of teachers and was the first institution in the state to guarantee the performance of its teacher graduates to area school system.
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SMF 2006 -- music, rides, food, fun on March 10
Join the Campus Activities Board on March 10 from 2-10 p.m. for this year's Southeastern Music Fest.
       The Student Union Park will be filled with music, food and fun, said CAB Coordinator Jason Leaders. Carnival rides and games will also be part of the festival.
       Musical acts include Stroke 9, Lil Boosie, Lindsay Cardinale and Chee Weez.
       SMF is free to Southeastern students, faculty and staff and $5 for all others. For more information, call CAB at 549-3805.
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10th Rock 'n Roar offers kids camps, carnival, fun for all Southeastern's annual campus-community festival, "Rock 'n Roar," will be full of fun for children and adults, said Alumni Director Kathy Pittman.        Scheduled for March 11 at the War Memorial Student Union, the festival will offer baseball, art and dance camps for children, carnival rides sponsored by the Campus Activities Board, and free children's identification packets -- finger printing and photo -- compliments of the University Police Department.        Now celebrating its 10th anniversary, Rock 'n Roar showcases Southeastern's fine academics and fun atmosphere for visiting District 8 Literary Rally high school students, alumni and community friends. This year's rally will also include about 500 additional students from 18 schools in the New Orleans area.        A camp for young baseball enthusiasts is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. at Alumni Field, the Southeastern Lion's baseball diamond. The camp is open to children ages 6-13 for a $5 fee. Participants are asked to bring their own baseball glove and will each receive a camp certificate.        Art education students will offer a hands-on art camp for children ages 6-14 from 9-11:30 a.m. The camp, which costs $5, will take place in Clark Hall.        The Lionettes, Southeastern's nationally ranked dance team, will host a dance camp for children ages 5-12 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Kinesiology and Health Studies Building. The camp's $15 fee includes refreshments, a keepsake and awards. The camp will end with a performance by the young participants for parents and other Rock 'n Roar guests. Participants are asked to dress comfortably and wear tennis shoes.        Camp applications will be available online at www.selu.edu/roarfest or at the Alumni Center, 500 W. University Ave., (985) 549-2150. Space is limited, so reservations should be made early. Rock 'n Roar, which is scheduled from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., also plans a variety of children's games, including CAB's carnival rides. Admission to the rides is $5 for the day and a number of rides are designed for younger age children.        Rock 'n Roar patrons of all ages can also enjoy food and music; plant and ceramics sales; a health fair, and educational displays by Southeastern departments.         For additional information about Rock 'n Roar Fest camps and contests, call the Alumni Association, (985) 549-2150 or 1-800-SLU-ALUM, or visit www.selu.edu/roarfest. Table of content

CAB presents Great Jazz Divas March 7

Women's History Month underway with lectures, performances, workshops

Brandon Wear, Christopher Giffin, and Emily Stokes rehearse a scene from The Face on the Barroom Floor.	Blair Abene of Hammond, right, has the title role in La Divina. Also shown are Betty Turner of Hammond, left, as Cecily, the maid, and Scott McDonough of Slidell, as Matthew, the manager.
Southeastern stages chamber opera, American-style Southeastern's Opera/Music Theatre Workshop is bringing opera, American-style, to the Pottle Music Building stage March 8-11 with two popular contemporary chamber operas. Conducted by workshop director Charles Effler and directed by Larry Gray, "An Evening of American Chamber Opera will feature "La Divina and "The Face on the Barroom Floor at 7:30 p.m.         While "opera for many calls to mind either Wagner's heavy melodies and helmeted female warriors and/or Pucinni's wonderful music and doomed young lovers, Effler points out that as beautiful as those composers' works are, "They don't represent the whole of the opera repertoire -- not by a long shot.        "La Divina and "The Face on the Barroom Floor, he said, are popular, frequently performed examples of contemporary works written with English librettos by American composers for smaller orchestras and casts.         "La Divina, composed in 1966, has been recently rewritten and re-orchestrated by composer Thomas Pasatieri. Effler said Southeastern's production marks the world premier of the revised version.        He said "La Divina, despite its Italian title, "is a quintessential American work. The plot hinges on the unraveling of a single joke about a temperamental diva's relationships with her maid, manager, conductor and adoring fans.        Blair Abene of Hammond has the title role of the diva, Madame Altina. A sophomore vocal performance and communication major, Abene appeared in the workshop's fall production of "The Sound of Music. She also recently captured the Miss Southeastern crown.        Betty Turner of Hammond, a senior voice major, and Kimberly Hilliard of Covington, a junior majoring in voice and piano, share the role of the maid Cecily. Marshall Dean, a junior voice major from Denham Springs, and Brian Martinez Jr., a junior vocal music education and percussion major from Montz, are double-cast as the young conductor. Scott McDonough of Slidell, a vocal music education major, appears as the manager, Matthew.        Turner and Dean will perform on Wednesday and Friday evenings, while Hilliard and Martinez take the stage for the Thursday and Saturday productions.        "The Face on the Barroom Floor debuted at in the Teller House Bar in Central City, Colo., in 1978. Effler said it is frequently performed in both theaters and in bars, where the audience sits at tables in the middle of the action.         Both the setting -- the West, past and present -- and the music are "unmistakably American, Effler said, and that the love triangle plot is complete with bar girls, cowboys and six-shooters. Cassandra Arnold of Ponchatoula and Emily Stokes of Covington, both junior voice majors, share the role of the bar girl. Arnold will appear in Wednesday/Friday performances and Stokes on Thursday/Saturday.        Brandon "Bean Wear of Slidell, a junior vocal education major, appears as Larry/Matt (tourist/artist), and freshman Christopher Giffin of Baton Rouge, also a vocal education major, has the roll of the bartender.         Set design is by Steve Schepker, costumes by Richard Walsh, lighting by Ellen Sovkoplas, and choreography by Alison Mariman.        Tickets, available only at the door, are $12 for adults; and $8 for senior citizens, non-Southeastern students, and Southeastern faculty, staff, alumni. Admission is free for Southeastern students with a valid university I.D.          For additional information contact the Department of Music and Dramatic Arts, 985-549-2184. Table of content

Psychology professor and author to present lecture March 9
Award-winning psychology professor and author Karen Huffman will present a lecture, "Do You Know What it Means to Miss New Orleans, March 9.
       A professor of psychology at Palomar College in San Marcos, Calif., Huffman will be a guest in the Southeastern Department of Psychology's lecture series, "Crossroads. Her free lecture, the third in the series, is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. in the War Memorial Student Union, room 216. The lecture is open to students, faculty, staff and the general public.
       In addition to teaching full-time, Huffman has written several editions of four introductory psychology texts published by John Wiley and Sons, including "Psychology in Action, which is among the texts used in Southeastern psychology courses. John Wiley and Sons is publishing a supplement that will be packaged with its texts to provide students with information on coping with stress.
       The supplement includes an interview with Southeastern sophomore Daniel Ippolito of New Orleans about his experiences during and after Hurricane Katrina. 
       She received the National Teaching Award for Excellence in Community/Junior College Teaching given by Division Two of the American Psychological Association (APA). She also was recognized with the first Distinguished Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching from Palomar College, and an Outstanding Teaching award from the University of Texas at Austin.
       Huffman has also published "Essentials of Psychology in Action, "Active Learning Edition Psychology in Action, and "Living Psychology and has authored or co-authored various ancillaries for psychology texts. 
       Her special interests are in active learning and critical thinking, and she has presented online web seminars and workshops throughout the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico.
The Crossroads Lectures are also sponsored by the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences and the Center for Faculty Excellence.
       For additional information, contact the Department of Psychology, (985) 549- 3984.
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250 college students will rebuild homes during spring break
Some 250 college students from the University of Louisiana System's eight universities will spend their spring break rebuilding homes that were lost during hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
        "Our students will trade their off-time for overtime as they work to help others by providing the basic need of a home. We are emphasizing service-learning as a component of our students' college experiences, and this project is a unique and meaningful way to emphasize that training, said UL System President Dr. Sally Clausen.
        "Extreme Spring Break 2006: Students Rebuilding Louisiana will run April 19-23 and will be hosted by Southeastern and McNeese State University in Lake Charles. Those regions of south Louisiana were heavily damaged by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
       According to a report by the Louisiana Recovery Authority and FEMA, the hurricanes displaced more than 1.4 million people, damaged 217,000 homes and 18,000 businesses, created $25 billion in insured losses, and created the equivalent of 50 years of coastal erosion in two days.
       ULS students say they can't fix everything damaged or destroyed by the hurricanes, but they'll do what they can, working during their Spring break instead of partying or getting a suntan on the beach.
       Students will work with Habitat for Humanity to build homes in affected Gulf Coast areas.  They will also spend their mealtimes learning about how to start or enhance student service programs back home on their campuses. 
       Paul Donaldson, Southeastern's SGA president, was forced to evacuate to Texas and Mississippi during Katrina.  Several members of Donaldson's SGA staff lost their homes while other staffers had friends who were in New Orleans during the aftermath of the hurricane.
        "We won't only build homes -- we will build lasting relationships and lay the foundation for service programs on campuses statewide to address other needs, said Donaldson.
Mallory Wall, SGA president at McNeese and ULS student board member, said she appreciates the help from fellow students statewide.  Wall's family evacuated to Monroe for two weeks during Rita and returned to a heavily damaged home and campus.
        "Our area needs so much help, and I am grateful to so many students who will spend their spring break helping our region.  I believe it will be a very fulfilling and emotional time for all of us, Wall said.
       The intensive service program is open to all students, faculty and staff in the UL System's eight universities and is being organized primarily by Student Government Association (SGA) presidents in conjunction with their universities and UL System staff.
       Extreme Spring Break will accept a total of 250 students from the eight ULS universities: Grambling State, Louisiana Tech, McNeese, Nicholls State, Northwestern State, Southeastern, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and the University of Louisiana at Monroe.
       Students will be accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis and may apply online at www.ulsystem.net. A $40 non-refundable fee covers the five days of housing, meals, programming, insurance and t-shirts.  Those students who don't require housing will only pay a $20 fee.
       The University of Louisiana System and its eight institutions are active participants of the American Democracy Project -- a cooperative initiative of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU), The New York Times, and AASCU Member-Institutions to increase civic engagement among college students.  The project involves 183 campuses representing more than 1.7 million students.
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Southeastern helps recruit foster parents
Southeastern's social work program has launched "Project Foster Homes, a program to help the Louisiana Office of Community Services (OCS) recruit and train critically needed foster parents.
       Funded by a three-year Title IV-E grant, Project Foster Homes represents an outreach program to the community as well as partnership with OCS, said Licensed Clinical Social Worker Jane Moncrief, training consultant for Southeastern's social work program in the Department of Counseling and Human Development.
       "Foster homes for children in the custody of the state are in very short supply, Moncrief said. "The shortage will soon reach a crisis point. The number of children needing homes grows daily.
Moncrief and Maurice Badon, social work program's Title IV-E coordinator, are coordinating Project Foster Homes activities in OCS's Covington Region, which includes the parishes of Tangipahoa, Livingston, St. Helena, St. Tammany and Washington.
       With the theme "Our best recruiters are happy foster parents, program activities include working with OCS to strengthen the region's Foster Parent Associations, and devising training methods to promote a positive and productive working relationship between foster parents and state appointed foster care workers.
       Moncrief said efforts are also being made to inform the public about the need for foster parents and to give clear information on the application process and expectations.
       Public outreach efforts, she said, have included designing posters and commissioning an informational video that will be used to recruit new foster parents.
       To produce the video, Moncrief last fall approached Southeastern communication professor Joe Burns. Burns said his broadcast communication students were admittedly hesitant about tackling the project in the midst of the hurricane-disrupted semester; however, they changed their minds once they began filming OCS personnel, social workers, foster parents and children and editing their interviews.
       The video was produced by Brett Bova of Hammond, Jamie Bass of Mandeville, Chris Brown of Metairie, Nyeisha Fisher of Baton Rouge, Regina Gillam of Harvey, Kelly Smith of Chalmette and Whitney Magee of Franklinton. It uses interviews to define foster care and foster parents, address the difficulty of recruiting foster parents, illustrate what foster care is like for children and parents, and explain the application and training process. 
       The students, said Burns, "just hit it out of the park. They just did a wonderful job and it was a great learning experience.
        In the eight-minute video, Home Development Case Manager Jessica St. Pierre describes a foster parent as "anybody in the neighborhood -- your neighbor, your pastor, people you see at the grocery store, people you work with. 
       Foster parent Rick Terrell, who described the job as both tough and rewarding, says he tells potential foster parents that they are "being a surrogate. They're being someone who is coming in to support a child that is at risk.
       "I've never done anything as difficult and I've never done anything as fulfilling, he said.
Moncrief said a Project Foster Homes steering committee of staff, students, foster parents and state foster care staff meets regularly at Southeastern to assess needs and plan for training and other activities to meet the goals of recruiting and retaining foster parents.
       For additional information about becoming a foster parent, contact the Louisiana Office of Community Services at 1-800-256-1918.
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Used textbook sale
Textbook Rental will host a used book sale March 13-17 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the War Memorial Student Union. All used rental textbooks are $1 plus tax. For information, call ext. 3780. 
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Alumnus plans book signing March 14
Southeastern alumnus Susan Mustafa will have a book signing at the University Bookstore on Tuesday, March 14, from 1-3 p.m.  
       Mustafa, who graduated cum laude with a degree in mass communication and journalism,  has also won several national awards nationwide for her work as a writer. Her recently released book, "I've Been Watching You -- The South Louisiana Serial Killer, follows the life of Derrick Todd Lee reveling his life up to his time in prison.  The book focuses on the truth surrounding the investigation from beginning to end when Lee was finally captured.
       Mustafa will be on campus to promote the book and talk to students and faculty.  
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Applications being accepted for Ferguson Scholarship for Southeastern employee dependent
Applications are currently being accepted for the Anne M. Ferguson Scholarship. To be presented for the current and subsequent semester, the scholarship provides financial support to a deserving student who is a dependent of a Southeastern employee and has a 2.50 GPA. 
       Applications may be obtained from the Scholarship Office located in Building B-Financial Aid. The deadline for applying is Wednesday, March 22.  For more information contact Pam Hoover at 549-5307.    
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Information sought on Taylor Hall fire
The Office of Student Housing is offering a $500 reward for information that results in the arrest and conviction of the person or group responsible for a fire inside Taylor Hall in the early morning hours of Saturday, Feb. 18.
       Anyone with information that may be useful may contact the Office of Student Housing at 985-549-2118, the University Police Department at 985-549-2222; or send an electronic mail message to police@selu.edu.  
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Outside/dual employment
The University of Louisiana System requires that all full-time Southeastern employees, including those who may become temporary full-time employees, annually disclose whether or not they participate in any outside employment activities. The policy recognizes employees' right to engage in outside employment, as long as it is within the proper parameters as established by Louisiana law.  Employees who are involved with contracts or agreements between Southeastern and an outside employer must submit a list of all such employment.
       The inclusive dates for outside employment for this reporting period are July 1, 2006 through June 30, 2007. Outside employment entered into any time during the reporting period must be reported.  
The online form is available at www.selu.edu/Administration/Depts/HumanResources/hrooutform.doc.
       Please copy the form to one page.
       Those who have completed forms since July 1, 2006, including as part of your employment packet, are not required to complete an additional form, unless you have entered into new outside employment since completing the original form.  Those of you who have not completed a form since July 1, 2006 are requested to do so now.
       If you have no outside employment, check "I do not have outside employment, sign and date the form where indicated and forward the form to your supervisor.
       If you do have outside employment, check "I do have outside employment and enter the name and address of the outside employer.  "Time Commitment Required must be specific; for example, Monday and Thursday, 6 p.m. until 10 p.m.; or Saturdays and Sundays, 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. "Inclusive Dates of Activity must reflect the dates you actually engage in this activity; for example, July 1, 2005 through Dec. 15, 2005; or July 1, 2005 through June 30, 2006.  Answer all five questions, sign and date the form where indicated, and submit it to your supervisor for approval.  The supervisor will forward the form to the department head who will forward the form to Human Resources Office, which will determine if additional approvals are required.
       An annual information report listing all outside employment that has been approved and is currently in force under this policy is kept on file at Southeastern.
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Criminal Justice program awarded FBI Foundation scholarship
In a ceremony in New Orleans on Feb. 23, the Former Agents of the FBI Foundation awarded the "J. Edgar Hoover Scholarship in the amount of $2,500 to Southeastern's Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice.
       In recognition of J. Edgar Hoover's pursuit of excellence in educational standards for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, former agents of the FBI and friends donate funds in his name. Each year, one member of the Society of  Former Special Agents of the FBI from each of the seven national regions is selected at random to choose a college or university to receive the J. Edgar Hoover Memorial Scholarships.
       This year the Criminal Justice Program at Southeastern was recognized out of  all other criminal justice programs in the state as being especially deserving of this award due to its continuing commitment to excellence in education.
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Spring 2006 Sponsored Research workshop schedule 
Registration is suggested, but not required for the following Sponsored Research workshops. For more information, please contact the Office of Sponsored Research and Programs at 985-549-5312 or e-mail madelmann@selu.edu.
       Writing Successful Grant Proposals - Wed., March 8 and Thurs., March 9, 2-3 p.m., Tinsley Hall, Room 103: Proven "key" elements of successful grant proposals, along with helpful hints for developing an outstanding proposal will be discussed.
       Making Your Grant Proposal Persuasive -- Wed., March 15, 10-11 a.m. and Thurs., March 16, 2-3 p.m., Tinsley, Room 103: Join Jack Bedell, associate professor of English, for a discussion on the use of creative and persuasive writing techniques that can make your proposal stand out among the competition.
       Preparing the Proposal Budget -- Wed., March 22 and Thurs., March 23, 2-3 p.m., Tinsley Hall, Room 103: The workshop will provide guidance in constructing a realistic budget that works. Personnel, fringe, travel, supplies, operating costs, acquisitions, & indirect costs are some of the categories that will be covered. Kinds of cost  sharing/matching fund items  will also be discussed. 
       Administering Your Grant Award - Wed., March 29 and Thurs., March 30, 2-3 p.m., Tinsley Hall, Room 103: Now that you have an award, what's next? Knowing how to coordinate with Grants Accounting, Human Resources, & Purchasing at Southeastern will make the administration of a grant easier. Representatives of these offices will be on hand to provide information on procedures and to answer questions.
       Writing Sub Contracts and More - Wed., April 5 and Thurs., April 6, 2-3 p.m., McClimans Hall, Room 204: Needing to sub contract grant activities? Learn how to navigate a Southeastern web site for consulting service contract and cooperative agreement examples and requirements from Ed Gautier, director of purchasing.
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SLWP Showcase of Best Practices in Teaching Writing March 18
The Southeastern Louisiana Writing Project will hosts its annual "Showcase of Best Practices in Teaching Writing" Saturday, March 18, in the Writing Center, located in D Vickers Hall, room 383. The showcase is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
       The showcase will feature workshops and poster sessions on teaching writing by experienced classroom teachers who are also Southeastern Louisiana Writing Project Teacher Consultants. The showcase is designed for K-12 teachers as well as prospective teachers who want new, classroom-tested ideas and methods for teaching writing.  Participants will be able to pick up handouts and assignments and to talk one-on-one with Teacher Consultants as well as take part in discussion circles and a writing workshop designed for teachers of all grade levels. Participants receive certificates verifying participation in four hours of professional development activities.
       Registration will start at 8 a.m. Poster sessions will last from 8:30- 9:30 a.m.; workshops and grade level discussions of teaching writing as well as a general writing workshop will follow.  Registration is $10 in advance or $15 at the door, and $5 for Southeastern students with I.D.
       Contact Richard Louth (rlouth@selu.edu or 985-549-2100/2102) for further information. Information is also available at www.selu.edu/orgs/slwp.
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News from the Center for Faculty Excellence
Workshops:  All workshops are held in Tinsley Hall, room 103, unless otherwise noted.  Registration is required 24 hours in advance of all workshops. Walk-ins are welcome, if space is available; please call the center to verify. For information, contact the center at ext. 5791 or e-mail us at center@selu.edu.
Tuesday, March 7, 1-3 p.m., Excel for Grade Keeping - Learn the basics of using Excel to make grade-keeping easier.
       Wednesday, March 8, noon-1 p.m., Brown Bag Lunch - Service Learning and Civic Engagement -- "Brainstorming New Projects."  Bring your lunch and a friend.  Drinks and dessert will be provided.
       Thursday, March 9, 12:30-1:30 p.m., Science & Religion BBQ Lunch and Discussion. Speaker this week will be psychology graduate student James Myers, who will discuss "The Relationship of Eastern Religions and Western Science." All interested faculty, staff and students are welcome, and as always, lunch is free.
Deadlines to Remember
Join us for the fifth annual Faculty Conference on Teaching, Research and Creativity, Wed-Fri, April 5-7.  The form to submit a proposal for the conference can be found at www3.selu.edu/center/FacultyConference
       Deadline for proposals has been extended to Tuesday, March 7.
Faculty Development & CITI Grants
       Due to recent budget cuts, funding is currently limited to $1,000.
       Faculty Development Grant Program: Proposals are now being solicited for scholarly projects requiring financial support during the 2006-07 academic year. The guidelines can be accessed at
www2.selu.edu/Academics/FacultyExcellence/Research/index.htm#FDGprogram
       The application forms can be accessed at www2.selu.edu/Academics/FacultyExcellence/Research/index.htm#FDGprogram_form
       Deadline for proposals: Friday, April 7. Proposals are to be hand delivered to the Center for Faculty Excellence, Tinsley Annex, Room 6. No proposals will be accepted after 4:30 p.m.
Innovative Teaching Initiative: The Center for Faculty Excellence is soliciting proposals to develop innovative courses or to integrate innovative teaching and/or assessment elements into existing courses.        Deadline date for proposals: Monday, April 10. Original proposal and four copies must be delivered to the Center for Faculty Excellence, Tinsley Annex, Room 6 by 4:30 p.m.
       For more information and the application form, please go to the Center's web site as shown below or visit our office in Tinsley Annex, Room 6. www2.selu.edu/Academics/FacultyExcellence/CITI/  
Mark Your Calendars: Lyceum Lights, Wednesday, March 29, noon-1 p.m., Twelve Oaks. In honor of Women's History Month, the center will continue to showcase Southeastern's authors with poet Alison Pelegrin.  RSVP by March 24.
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Coming up ...
       March 6
       Women's History Month: Annabel Servat, "Kitchen Stories: How We Learn What's Important," noon, Sims Memorial Library, third floor. Free. (985) 549-2100.
       March 7
       Women's History Month: Barbara Forrest, "'Evil, Evil Woman': What It Was Like to be the Only Female Witness in the Dover Intelligent Design Trial," noon, Sims Memorial Library, third floor. Free. (985) 549-2100.
       Women's History Month: Nicole McPherson, lecture and performance, "Feminine Aesthetics in Music: Life Experiences and Musical Ideas of Female Composers," 2 p.m., Sims Memorial Library, third floor. Free. (985) 549-2100.
       Christwood Arts and Lectures Series: JoAnne Barry and Kenneth Boulton "Music for Piano Four-Hands," 4 p.m., Christwood Retirement Community, 100 Christwood Blvd., Covington. Free.
       Veterans Upward Bound Program's College 101, free seminar for veterans, 5-8 p.m., North Campus Building B, room 203. Free. (985) 549-3386 or 1-800-616-2316.
       Women's History Month: Davis and Dow, "Great Jazz Divas," 7 p.m., Student Union Theatre (Sponsored by Campus Activities Board, 985-549-2233. Free. (985) 549-2100.
       March 8
       Career Fair 2006, 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Pennington Student Activity Center. Open to Southeastern students and alumni. Free. (985) 549-2121.
       Veterans Upward Bound Program's College 101, free seminar for veterans, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Delgado Community College Northshore Campus, 207 E. Lockwood S., Covington. Free. 1-800-616-2316.
       Women's History Month: "Women in Higher Education Administration," featuring Southeastern administrators Barbara Allen, Diane Allen, Bea Baldwin, Donnie Booth, and Tammy Bourg; noon, Sims Memorial Library, third floor. Free. (985) 549-2100.
       Opera/Music Theatre Workshop: "An Evening of American Chamber Opera ("La Divina" by Thomas Pasatieri and "The Face on the Barroom Floor" by Henry Mollicone), 7:30 p.m., Pottle Auditorium. Tickets (available at the door): $12, adults; $8, senior citizens, Southeastern faculty, staff, alumni, non-Southeastern students; Southeastern students free with ID. (985) 549-2184.
       March 9
       Women's History Month: "Women in Science," featuring Kellen Gilbert ("Women Who Eat Dirt: Cultural and Scientific Reasons for Geophagy") and Mary White ("Women: Mad Scientists, or Just a Little Annoyed?"); 12:30 p.m. Sims Memorial Library, third floor. Free. (985) 549-2100.
       Department of Visual Arts Student Exhibition: Opening reception, 5-6:30 p.m., Contemporary Art Gallery, East Stadium. Exhibit on display through April 13. Gallery hours: 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., weekdays. (985) 549-2193.
       Southeastern Lab School Annual Youth Art Month Exhibition: Opening reception, 6-7:30 p.m. (musical performance, 6:30 p.m.), Sims Memorial Library, first floor. Exhibit on display through April 9. (985) 549-2185.
       Opera/Music Theatre Workshop: "An Evening of American Chamber Opera ("La Divina" by Thomas Pasatieri and "The Face on the Barroom Floor" by Henry Mollicone), 7:30 p.m., Pottle Auditorium. Tickets (available at the door): $12, adults; $8, senior citizens, Southeastern faculty, staff, alumni, non-Southeastern students; Southeastern students free with ID. (985) 549-2184.
       March 10
       Women's History Month: John Richard and the DéJà Vu Cajun Band and the Cajun Dancers, noon, Student Union Theatre. Free. (985) 549-2100.
       Opera/Music Theatre Workshop: "An Evening of American Chamber Opera ("La Divina" by Thomas Pasatieri and "The Face on the Barroom Floor" by Henry Mollicone), 7:30 p.m., Pottle Auditorium. Tickets (available at the door): $12, adults; $8, senior citizens, Southeastern faculty, staff, alumni, non-Southeastern students; Southeastern students free with ID. (985) 549-2184.
       March 11
       Rock 'n Roar, 8 a.m.-2 p.m., Student Union Park. (985) 549-2150.
       Opera/Music Theatre Workshop: "An Evening of American Chamber Opera ("La Divina" by Thomas Pasatieri and "The Face on the Barroom Floor" by Henry Mollicone), 7:30 p.m., Pottle Auditorium. Tickets (available at the door): $12, adults; $8, senior citizens, Southeastern faculty, staff, alumni, non-Southeastern students; Southeastern students free with ID. (985) 549-2184.
       March 13
       Women's History Month: Ross Ettle, "Desperately Seeking Simonetta: Efforts to Identify Botticelli's Venus," noon, Sims Memorial Library, third floor. Free. (985) 549-2100.
       Veterans Upward Bound Program's College 101, free seminar for veterans, 3-6 p.m., Delgado Community College, 320 Howze Beach Rd., 1-10 Service Road, Slidell. Free. 1-800-616-2316.
       March 14
       Women's History Month: "Women and Literature Through the Ages," featuring Ruth Caillouet, Katherine Kolb, Robin Norris, and Sarah Spence; 12:30 p.m., Sims Memorial Library, third floor. Free. (985) 549-2100.
       Booksigning: Susan Mustafa, "I've Been Watching You-The South Louisiana Serial Killer," 1-3 p.m., University Bookstore (War Memorial Student Union). (985) 549-5393.
       Christwood Arts and Lectures Series: Margaret Gonzalez-Perez, "Female Suicide bombers," 4 p.m., Christwood Retirement Community, 100 Christwood Blvd., Covington. Free.
       Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts: Natalie MacMaster, 7:30 p.m., Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts, 210 E. Thomas St. Tickets: $32, Orchestra 1 and Loge; $28, Orchestra 2 and Balcony 1; $20, Orchestra 3; $19, Balcony 2. Online: www.columbiatheatre.org; box office: noon-5 p.m., weekdays, (985) 543-4371.
       March 15
       Women's History Month: Lucia Harrison, "Keeping Up With Tradition: Louisiana Women and the St. Joseph's Altar," noon, Sims Memorial Library, third floor. Free. (985) 549-2100.
       Women's History Month: Lin Knutson and Jayetta Slawson, "Performing Mardi Gras," 1 p.m., Southeastern Writing Center, D Vickers Hall, room 383. Free. (985) 549-2100.
       March 16
       Encore!: Nicole McPherson, flute, 7:30 p.m., Pottle Auditorium. Free. (985) 549-2184.
       Women's History Month: "Women and the Media," featuring Betty Attaway-Fink, Carol Madere, and Cheryl Settoon; 12:30 p.m., Sims Memorial Library, third floor. Free. (985) 549-2100.
       March 17
       Women's History Month: Christina Vella-"Intimate Enemies: The Two Worlds of the Baroness Pontalba," noon, Sims Memorial Library, third floor. Free. Free. (985) 549-2100.
       March 18
       Women's History Month: Teachers Workshop, "Founding Mothers and Struggling Sisters: Women in United States and Louisiana History," 8 a.m.-3 p.m., Location TBA. (985) 549-2109.
       Southeastern Louisiana Writing Project "Best Practices in Teaching Writing," 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., D Vickers Hall Writing Center, room 383. Registration: $10, advance; $15, door; $5, Southeastern students. Information: Richard Louth, rlouth@selu.edu or (985) 549-2100/2102.
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This week in athletics
The Southeastern men's and women's basketball teams will compete in the 2005-06 O'Reilly Auto Parts Southland Conference Tournament during this week in Southeastern Athletics.
       Since Southeastern joined the Southland Conference prior to the 1997-98 athletic year, this is the first season that both the men's and women's basketball teams have advanced to the postseason in the same year.
       The Lions (16-11, 10-6 SLC) earned the third seed in the Southland Conference Tournament with road wins over McNeese State and Lamar to close out the regular season. Southeastern will host Lamar on Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the University Center in first round action. Reserved tickets are available for $10, while general admission tickets are on sale for $7. Southeastern students and students from other SLC institutions get in free with a valid student ID. Children ages five and under also will be admitted for free.
       The Southeastern ticket office is located at Gate 3 of the University Center. The office is open 7:45 a.m.- 4:30 p.m., weekdays, and the office phone number is (985) 549-5466. The doors will open an hour before tip-off for Tuesday's game.
       Tuesday's game  and all of Southeastern's subsequent postseason games will be broadcast live in the Hammond area on KSLU 90.9 FM and on the Internet at www.LionSports.net. The first round winners will advance to the semifinal round on Thursday at 7 p.m. Sunday's championship game is set for 1 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN2 and Sirius Satellite Radio Channel 122. All tournament games will be played at campus sites with the highest remaining seeds hosting.
       The Lady Lions (11-15, 8-8 SLC) finished the regular season with three consecutive losses, but will make their first SLC Tournament appearance since 2001-02. Southeastern, the tournament's No. 6 seed, will face third-seeded Texas-San Antonio on Monday at 7 p.m. in the UTSA Convocation Center.
       Monday's game  and all of Southeastern's subsequent postseason games will be broadcast live in the Hammond area on KSLU 90.9 FM and on the Internet at www.LionSports.net. The first round winners will advance to the semifinal round on Wednesday at 7 p.m. Saturday's championship game is set for 3 p.m. and will be broadcast on Fox Sports Southwest. All tournament games will be played at campus sites with the highest remaining seeds hosting.
       The Southeastern baseball team (7-6) will open Southland Conference play this week, hosting perennial league power Lamar for a three-game set at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field. The series opens Friday at 6:30 p.m. and will continue on Saturday at 3 p.m. Sunday's series finale is scheduled for 1 p.m. 
      If the Lady Lions advance to the Southland Championship game, Saturday's game will not be broadcast. Should the Southeastern men's basketball team advance to the Southland Conference Tournament championship game, Sunday's game will not be broadcast.
       The Southeastern softball team (4-10, 0-3 SLC) has a busy week with five games on the schedule. On Wednesday, the Lady Lions will be in Oxford, Miss. for a 5 p.m. doubleheader with Ole Miss. Southeastern will then open its SLC home slate with a three-game weekend series with league foe Texas State at North Oak Park. A 3 p.m. doubleheader will begin the series on Saturday, while Sunday's first pitch is scheduled for noon.
       The Southeastern men's golf team is scheduled to compete in its third tournament of the spring this week. On Monday and Tuesday, the Lions will be in Lafayette to compete in the Louisiana Classics.
       The Southeastern men's tennis team (5-1, 3-0 SLC) will look to stay undefeated in Southland Conference play this week. The Lions will host two-time defending SLC Champion and 63rd-ranked Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Friday at 2 p.m. at the Southeastern Tennis Complex.
       The Southeastern women's tennis team (6-2) will open Southland Conference play. The defending SLC Tournament champions will host three SLC matches this week, beginning on Tuesday when they host Nicholls State at 2 p.m. at the Southeastern Tennis Complex. Texas-Arlington will be in town on Saturday for a 10 a.m. match. The Lady Lions close out the week with a 10 a.m. match on Sunday versus Sam Houston State.
       The Southeastern men's and women's track and field team will be in action this week. The Lions and Lady Lions are slated to compete in the USM Indoor Invitational on Saturday in Hattiesburg, Miss.
       Monday, March 6
       Women's Basketball, at Texas-San Antonio (SLC First Round), San Antonio, Texas, 7 p.m. (KSLU 90.9 FM)
       Men's Golf, at Louisiana Classics, Lafayette, All Day
       Tuesday, March 7
       Men's Basketball, vs. Lamar (SLC First Round), University Center, 7 p.m. (KSLU 90.9 FM)
       Men's Golf, at Louisiana Classics, Lafayette, All Day
       Women's Tennis, vs. Nicholls State, Southeastern Tennis Complex, 2 p.m.
       Wednesday, March 8
       Women's Basketball, SLC Semifinals, TBA, 7 p.m. (KSLU 90.9 FM)
       Softball, at Ole Miss (DH), Oxford, Miss., 5 p.m.
       Thursday, March 9
       Men's Basketball, SLC Semifinals, TBA, 7 p.m.
       Friday, March 10
       Baseball, vs. Lamar, Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field, 6:30 p.m. (KSLU 90.9 FM)*
       Men's Tennis, vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Southeastern Tennis Complex, 2 p.m.
       Saturday, March 11
       Women's Basketball, SLC Championship, TBA, 3 p.m. (Fox Sports Southwest) (KSLU 90.9 FM)
       Baseball, vs. Lamar, Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field, 3 p.m. (KSLU 90.9  FM)
       Softball, vs. Texas State (DH), North Oak Park, 3 p.m.
       Women's Tennis, vs. Texas-Arlington, Southeastern Tennis Complex, 10 a.m.
       Men's and Women's Track and Field, at USM Indoors, Hattiesburg, Miss., All Day
       Sunday, March 12
       Men's Basketball, SLC Championship, TBA, 1 p.m. (ESPN2) (Sirius Satellite 
       Radio Channel 122) (KSLU 90.9 FM)
       Baseball, vs. Lamar, Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field, 1 p.m. (KSLU 90.9  FM)
       Softball, vs. Texas State, North Oak Park, 12 p.m.
       Women's Tennis, vs. Sam Houston State, Southeastern Tennis Complex, 10 a.m.
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Professional activities
The latest novel by Writer-in-Residence Olympia Vernon, A Killing in This Town, has was selected as an Editor's Choice pick in the New York Times, released on Sunday, Feb. 19.
       Several faculty members of the Department of English participated in the annual conference of the Modern Language Association, held Dec. 27-30, in Washington, D.C. Dr. David Hanson presided at a panel hosted by the Council of Editors of Learned Journals titled, "'Passing the Flame': Journals in Editorial Transition. As outgoing president of the Council, he also delivered farewell remarks. Dr. Hanson also served as presider for "What Editors Want: Writing for Interdisciplinary Journals, a panel hosted by the Council of Editors of Learned Journals. Dr. Robin Norris chaired a session organized by Allen J. Frantzen and Scott DeGregorio entitled, "Comparative Spirituality: Old and Middle English Texts and Traditions. The papers examined Anglo-Saxon manifestations of affective piety, a movement which did not become prominent until the later Middle Ages.At the same conference, Dr. Denelle Cowart presented a paper, "Exploring the Edith Oenone Somerville Archive at Drishane at a session sponsored by the American Conference for Irish Studies.
       Dr. Debbie Johnson (Counseling and Human Development) attended the Council of Administrators in Family and Consumer Sciences meeting in Memphis, Tenn., Feb. 16-17.
       Members of the Department of General Business faculty presented papers and served as discussants at the annual conference of the Academy of Economics and Finance in Houston, Feb. 9-11: Yu Hsing, Russell McKenzie, and David Ramsey, "Application of the IS-MP-AS Model to Output Determination for Hungary"; Yu Hsing, Sang H. Lee, James Barktus, and Babatunde Odusami, "Effects of Macroeconomic Policies on a Developing Economy: The Case of Guatemala"; Yu Hsing, Aristides Baraya, Shael Wolfson, "Analysis of Macroeconomic Fluctuations for a CAFTA Country (The Dominican Republic): Application of an Extended Open Economy Model"; Babatunde Odusami, "Estimating Interest Rate Volatility Using Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroscedasticity (GARCH)-Jump Models."
       C. Roy Blackwood (Visual Arts) recently was the keynote speaker at Sapelo Island, Georgia, R.J. Reynolds Mansion for the Georgia Council of Art Administrators annual meeting. Blackwood spoke on the "State of the Arts in Louisiana Higher Education Post Katrina. Sapelo Island, a barrier island accessible only by ferry and with a lengthy and rich history, still has a thriving population speaking the Gullah language.
       Dr. Barbara Forrest (History and Political Science) was the guest speaker at the monthly dinner meeting of the Baton Rouge Area Society of Psychologists (BRASP) on Feb.  21. She spoke about the history of the intelligent design creationist movement. She also discussed her experience as an expert witness for the plaintiffs in the first legal case involving intelligent design, Kitzmiller et al. v. Dover Area School District. The case was decided on Dec. 20 with a ruling in favor of the plaintiffs. Dr. Forrest also participated in a panel discussion at Columbia University in New York City on Feb. 27. Entitled "The Politics of Intelligent Design," the presentation was sponsored by the Columbia Political Union, a non-partisan student organization. 
       June Williams (Counseling and Human Development) presented the keynote address at the Georgia College Counseling Association at St. Simon's Island, Ga., on Feb. 1.
       Dr. Brian S. Canfield (Counseling and human Development) has been elected president of the American Counseling Association. The American Counseling Association, with more than 48,000 members, is the national association that represents counselors and the counseling profession throughout the United States.
       Dr. Mike Budden (Marketing and Finance) and Heather Budden (Admissions) have had their paper, "Assimilation Conundrum: Austrian Befriends Americans in  Costa Rica," accepted for presentation and publication in the Proceedings of  the Teaching and Learning Conference.
       Dr. Martin Kearney (English) recently published "Lady Gregory (nee [Isabella] Augusta Persee), a chapter in the book Irish Women Writers.  The book, published by Greenwood Publishing Company, came out in 2005.
       Dr. George Dorrill (English) participated in a session entitled "Not Either/Or but Both: Grammar and Writing Meet on Common Ground at the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) held in Pittsburgh. The title of his presentation was "Learning Grammar by Writing About Grammar. Dr. Ruth Caillouet (English) also presented a paper entitled "Teaching the Thing You Think You Cannot Teach: Race, War, Puberty, and the Big C. The session offered suggestions in using literature and writing to help students understand difficult and controversial topics. Dr. Caillouet was also recently asked to be the state representative for ALAN (Assembly on Literature for Adolescents) for the NCTE.
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