ByLion -- March 20

IN THIS ISSUE ... 
$30,000 awarded for mentoring
Library book sale April 1-3
Readings at the library Tuesday
Chefs Evening most successful ever
Golden Silence April 1
Retirees honored tomorrow
'Oleanna' opens Wednesday

Strain presents Morrison lecture
'ASK KHS' April 2
'WAR' at the Columbia
Evenson presents recital
Guitar Festival marks ten years
Get the 'dish' on dining
Turtle Cove repairs underway
Electronic suggestion box

TW Fest author to speak tonight
Developing a motivated work group
Recycling reminder
Center for Faculty Excellence news
FCS students partner with Cortana
This week in the arts
This week in athletics
Professional activities


From left, President John L. Crain; UL System Board Chair Elsie Burkhalter, Tena Golding, Southeastern director of Faculty Excellence; Janice Vicknair of the Southeastern Department of Teaching and Learning; Ollie Tyler, deputy superintendent of the Department of Education; and UL System President Randy Moffett. President John L. Crain, left, accepts a $30,000 check to be used in a university-sponsored education mentoring program. The funds are part of a $240,000 grant made to University of Louisiana System institutions by the Louisiana Department of Education and the University of Louisiana System. From left, Crain; UL System Board Chair Elsie Burkhalter, Tena Golding, Southeastern director of Faculty Excellence; Janice Vicknair of the Southeastern Department of Teaching and Learning; Ollie Tyler, deputy superintendent of the Department of Education; and UL System President Randy Moffett.
$30,000 awarded to Southeastern by ULS
The Board of Supervisors for the University of Louisiana System awarded Southeastern Louisiana University 30,000 for its After School Achievement Program as part of a $240,000 package of grants to its eight universities to establish or enhance mentoring programs.
     The programs, which are funded by Learn and Serve America and the Louisiana Department of Education, will link college students with at-risk youth to improve literacy, mathematics and interpersonal skills.
     The nine mentoring programs are designed to link 400 mentors with almost 1,000 at-risk students, enhancing the Louisiana Department of Education's College and Career Readiness programs. The Department of Education contributed $80,000 towards this partnership.
     Southeastern's After School Achievement Program (ASAP) will link 150 teacher candidates and 300 elementary students over three years. The collaborative project between the university and a variety of community partners is designed to enhance the preparation of elementary students by using teacher candidates to provide an after-school support program for at-risk students who need assistance in mathematics.
     "We appreciate this support, because it will allow us provide valuable hands-on learning experiences for our elementary education teacher candidates while also providing a much-needed service to area school children in helping them improve their understanding of math," said Southeastern President John L. Crain.
     Crain said starting in fall 2009, 25 Southeastern teacher candidates will engage 50 students in grades 1-6 from four elementary schools in Tangipahoa Parish in a support program that includes tutoring, mentoring activities, LEAP assistance, and personal development activities. Each semester, an additional 25 teacher candidates will be paired with an additional 50 elementary students.
     To ensure that the service-learning component is appropriate and effective, an advisory committee will be formed with representatives from the Southeastern Office of Field Experiences, the Department of Mathematics, the Tangipahoa Parish School Board, the Tangipahoa Alcohol and Drug Abuse Council (TADAC), and the Miller Memorial Library Family Center.
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Shelf full of books and nothing to read?
Come stack up on some good books at exceptionally good prices! Sims Memorial Library will hold its annual used-book sale April 1-3. The sale will offer a large and varied fiction section, as well as books on cooking, music, sports, politics, history, business, and many more. Some VHS tapes, DVDs, and music CD's also available.
     The book sale will be set up in the lobby of Sims Memorial from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday, and from 8 a.m.-noon on Friday. Most books will be priced between 50 cents and $1, and sales will be cash only (sorry no checks or credit cards).
     Come and browse through the tables of bargains and treasures! For additional information please call 549-2027, or visit www.selu.edu/library.
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Join in 'Readings at Sims' April 2
As part of Sims Memorial Library's celebration of National Library Week, the campus and community are invited to an evening of readings on Thursday, April 2, 6 p.m., on the library's third floor.
     "The annual 'Readings at Sims' event showcases the many talented community writers and encourages literacy through listening," said library Director Eric Johnson. "Join us as we have the pleasure of listening to five local writers read selections from their creative works."
     This year featured writers are Mackie Blanton, retired associate dean and associate professor of English, University of New Orleans, and an adjunct member of the Southeastern English Department; Southeastern English professor Richard Louth, director of the Southeastern Louisiana Writing Project; Slidell High School English teacher Brant Osborn, an SLWP teacher-consultant; and Richard Wallace and Hillary Warren, 2008 master's degree recipients at Southeastern.
     Light refreshments and drawings for door prizes will follow the readings. For information, contact Dayne Sherman 549-3965, dsherman@selu.edu.
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Chefs Evening sponsorsCorporate sponsors for Chefs Evening 2009 were recognized by President John L. Crain, right. Pictured are, from left, front row, Stacie Richardson and Ronaldo Hardy of La Capitol Federal Credit Union and Kristin Williams, First Guaranty Bank; back row, Darryl Ferrara and Cindy Shelton, Hancock Bank; Stan Dameron, American Bank and Trust; and Cheryl Brumfield, First Guaranty Bank. Not shown is Eric Gray of Gray Insurance Company, a Gold Sponsor of the event.
Chefs Evening most successful ever
The proceeds from Southeastern Louisiana University's first Chefs Evening funded some pressing needs in 1984: two electric typewriters, a copy machine, and a camera to preserve "Piney Woods People," the university's collection of turn-of-the-century photographs printed from glass negatives.
     This year, the Southeastern Development Foundation's "dinner party for a good cause" has not only reached a new high in fund-raising record, but is also being hailed by many of its faithful attendees as the best event overall in its 25-year history.
     More than 600 people attended Chefs Evening, held earlier this month at a new venue, Southeastern's Pennington Student Activity Center.
     "Many people told us how much they enjoyed the new location, which allowed us to provide a more comfortable venue and more tables to accommodate the crowd," said Director of Special Development Activities Lynn Horgan, who coordinated the event.
     Chefs Evening this year raised more than $50,000 with funds being distributed among the university's five colleges and Division of Basic Studies to enhance academic endeavors. The Southeastern Development Foundation is also dedicating a portion of the event's proceeds to help endow a scholarship in memory of the Southeastern students and former student who were killed earlier this month in a tragic accident.
     The record amount of funds raised was due, in part, to the addition of several corporate and community sponsors who helped underwrite expenses associated with the event. Gold Sponsors this year were First Guaranty Bank, The Gray Insurance Company and La Capitol Federal Credit Union; Silver Sponsors included American Bank and Trust and Hancock Bank.
     Recognized at the Patron Party preceding Chefs Evening were the three individuals most closely associated with launching the event: Duane Shafer, Howard Nichols and Dr. Joe O'Neil, who served as the first chairman in 1984.
     "The three of us are immensely gratified that Chefs Evening has stood the test of time," said O'Neil, who is now with the LSU School of Dentistry's Department of Orthodontics. "It has flourished in recent years with tremendous support from participating restaurants and the community. I'm confident the university can look forward to another quarter century of success in Chefs Evening."
     Also recognized at the Patron Party were the four area restaurants that have participated in the event over its 25-year history: Don's Seafood, Trey Yuen, and Jacmel of Hammond and Benedict's Plantation in Mandeville.
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'Golden Silence' memorial Wednesday
The Alumni Association will host "Golden Silence," a program to honor deceased Southeastern alumni, students and faculty and staff or their family members. The annual ceremony is scheduled for Wednesday, April 1, at 6 p.m. in the War Memorial Student Union park.
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Retirees to be honored March 31
Please plan to attend the 2008-2009 Retiree Reception on Tuesday, March 31, at 2 p.m. in the Alumni Center.
     The following retirees will be recognized: Marie Billings, Donnie Booth, Joseph Bravata, Roland Brewer, Linda Buras, Gloria Burton, Mark Cook, Betsy Creel, Bobbye Davis, Fred Dembowski, Patricia Duplessis, Tom Giluso, Paul Goodwin, Mary Heleniak, Jessie Hill, Daniel Hotard, Edward Johnson, J. W."Hoppy" LaCroix, Ann Nauman, Joann Pagan, Glenda Pickard, Sarah Ross, Loudes Salisbury, Jharna Sengupta, Sarah Spence, and Shelia Tregre.
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Jovetta White and Jaren MitchellJovetta White, left, and Jaren Mitchell, two of the cast members of Oleanna, rehearse for the April 1-4 production at 7:30 p.m. in Vonnie Borden Theatre.
Southeastern Theatre presents Oleanna April 1-4
Theater-goers can expect a different view on a popular drama when Southeastern Theatre stages Oleanna, David Mamet's powerful, controversial play about academic politics, student/teacher relationships, and sexual harassment, April 1-4 at 7:30 p.m. in Vonnie Borden Theatre.
     The play is really about perspective, said Jim Winter, Southeastern theater instructor and director of Oleanna. Since the two-character play would require a "tour de force" performance from undergraduate actors, Winter has cast three actors in each role.
     "They shift in and out throughout the play, giving the audience a different 'perspective' every few minutes," Winter said.
     Oleanna premiered in 1992, shortly after the infamous United States Supreme Court confirmation hearings of Clarence Thomas brought the term "sexual harassment" into the national spotlight.
     "The play deals with a male professor and a female student who are arguing over her grade in his class," Winter added. "By the play's end, both of their lives have changed forever - and not for the better."
     Winter conducted his master of fine arts thesis work on Mamet and has been waiting for the opportunity to apply his research to a Southeastern Theatre production.
     "Every time I have seen Oleanna, the audience members are arguing about it in the lobby after the show," Winter said. "It really pushes some buttons."
     Winters has cast Aaron Griffin of New Roads, Jaren Mitchell of New Orleans, and Drew Zeringue of Pearlington, Miss., as the tenured professor John, and Naomi Howard of Gonzales, Rachael Johnson of Mandeville, and Jovetta White of New Orleans as his student Carol.
     Tickets -- $10, adults; $5, senior citizens, faculty, staff, alumni, and non-Southeastern students - will be available at the theater box office in D Vickers Hall. Southeastern students are admitted free with their university I.D.
     For ticket information or reservations, contact Chad Winters at (985) 549-2115. For additional information contact Winter at (985) 549-3546 or James.Winter@selu.edu.
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Mike StrainCommissioner Mike Strain to present Morrison Lecture April 2
Commissioner of the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry Mike Strain will present Southeastern's annual James H. Morrison Lecture on Politics and Government Thursday, April 2, at 10 a.m. in the Student Union Theatre.
     The free lecture, which is open to the public, is sponsored by Southeastern's Center for Southeast Louisiana Studies and the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. The event honors the late James H. "Jimmy" Morrison, the Hammond native who represented Louisiana's Sixth Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1943-1967.
     The lecture explores critical and topical themes pertaining to public policy. Previous speakers have included U.S. Senators John Breaux and Mary Landrieu, U.S. Representatives Lindy Boggs and W.J. "Billy" Tauzin, state Senators John Hainkel and Melvin "Kip" Holden, state Rep. Henry "Tank" Powell, and Louisiana Public Service Commissioner Jack A. "Jay" Blossman Jr. and Secretary of State Jay Dardenne.
     Strain was elected to his current position in 2007, having served two terms as state representative for House District 74. While in the legislature, he served on the Agriculture Committee and chaired the Legislative Rural Caucus, the largest legislative caucus in the state. The St. Tammany Parish Alliance for Good Government named him Legislator of the Year.
     A native of Covington and a veterinarian, Strain maintained a large animal practice in St. Tammany Parish and remains involved in herd health consulting. He was one of three veterinarians from Louisiana chosen to train in a bioterrorism awareness programs sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2003, the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine presented him its Distinguished Alumni Award.
     For additional information about the Morrison Lecture, call the Center for Southeast Louisiana Studies, 985-549-2151.
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Kinesiology and Health Studies hosts professional development day April 2
The Department of Kinesiology and Health Studies will host its annual "ASK KHS Student Symposium," a professional development day for students on Thursday, April 2.
     Department Head Eddie Hebert said all Southeastern faculty, staff, and students as well as community members are invited to attend the series of presentations by professionals in the fields of fitness, health education, athletic training, teaching and coaching, and health care.
     The free symposium is scheduled from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. in the Kinesiology and Health Studies Building.
     Speakers will include New Orleans Saints athletic trainer Reggie Stone, New Orleans Zephyrs owner Ron Maestri, Southeastern Athletic Director Joel Erdmann, and retired Louisiana State University athletic director and baseball coach Skip Bertman.
     Bertman will give the keynote address at 11 a.m. The speakers, who Hebert said reflect the diverse career paths of kinesiology and health studies majors, also include Mary Martin Nordness, director of communication for the Southeast Dairy Association. Nordness has been selected as the department's 2009 Alumnus of the Year and will be among the Southeastern graduates honored at the College of Nursing and Health Sciences convocation in April.
     Stone and Maestri are scheduled to speak from 8:30-9:20 a.m. along with Ecole Classique School teacher and coach Wally Scott.
     The schedule also includes:
     9:30-10:20 a.m. -- Erdmann; Conrad Earnest, exercise physiologist, Pennington Biomedical Research Center; Errol Gauff, basketball coach, St. Thomas Aquinas High School; Tammy Swindle, health educator, Cancer Association of Greater New Orleans.
     12:45-1:45 p.m. - Nordness; Dawn Braud, fitness director, Woman's Hospital; and Noel Smith, teacher, Hurst Middle School in St. Charles Parish School.
     2-2:45 - Jane Eason, LSU physical therapy professor; a representative from Our Lady of the Lake Physician Assistant School; and Southeastern kinesiology professor Charlotte Humphries, who will give a presentation on the online PASS-PORT system used in university education courses.
     For additional information, contact ASK KHS coordinator Josh Yellen, jyellen@selu.edu, 985-549-2276.
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WARColumbia Theatre presents 70s funk group 'WAR' April 3
WAR, one of the most popular funk groups of the 1970s, is coming to the Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts April 3.
     Celebrating its 40th year, the celebrated band will perform at the historic downtown Hammond theatre at 7:30 p.m.
     Nominated this year for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, WAR released 19 albums and achieved 10 top "Billboard" pop and rhythm and blues singles during the past four decades.
     WAR's performance at the Columbia will include classic hits such as "Cisco Kid," "Why Can't We Be Friends," and "Low Rider."
     Created in the late 1960s by Jerry Goldstein and Eric Burdon of The Animals, WAR's career skyrocketed in the early 1970s. In the tumultuous eras of Vietnam, Watergate, and racial strife, WAR's music resonated with millions of Americans.
     The band's songs have been used in national advertising campaigns by companies such as Kodak, Chevrolet, Nokia, Burger King and Miller Lite. WAR songs can also be heard in motion pictures such as "Beverly Hills Chihuahua," "Gone in 60 Seconds," "Lethal Weapon," "Boogie Nights," and "Fridays."
     Tickets for WAR are $39, Orchestra 1 and Loge; $33, Orchestra 2 and Balcony 1; and $29, Balcony 2. They are available online at columbiatheatre.org or at the Columbia box office, 220 E. Thomas St., 985-543-4371. Box office hours are 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and one hour before performance times.
     For information about upcoming events in the Columbia Theatre, visit columbiatheatre.org or call (985) 543-4366.
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David EvensonPianist David Evenson to present recital April 5
Pianist David Evenson, head of the Department of Music and Dramatic Arts, will present a piano recital April 5, at 2 p.m. in the Pottle Music Building Auditorium.
     Evenson will perform works by Haydn, Beethoven, Czerny and Liszt. The recital is free to campus and community.
     "The theme of the recital is the most famous 'musical tree' in music history," Evenson said. "Each composer taught the next one on the program -- Haydn taught Beethoven, who taught Czerny, who taught Liszt."
     Evenson said Haydn's "Sonata in B Minor" is an example of what has been called his "storm and stress" style, an early precursor to 19th century romanticism. "Beethoven's 'Sonata in C Minor, Op. 10, No. 1' continues the 'storm and stress' gesture that Haydn pioneered and shows Beethoven's debt to Haydn in a number of other ways, including an approach to composition that uses short musical motives to unify."
     He said the least known piece on the program is Carl Czerny's "Variations on a Theme of Rode."
     "Czerny is mostly known as a tireless composer of hundreds of piano exercise pieces (etudes), but his serious compositions are performed with increasing frequency," he said.
     Evenson called Liszt's "Sonata in B Minor" "a landmark in piano literature. My hope is that listeners will detect its forerunners, such that the Haydn 'Sonata in B Minor' will 'morph' into Liszt's 'Sonata in B Minor,' like a developing Polaroid photo."
     For additional information about the recital, contact the Department of Music and Dramatic Arts, 985-549-2184.
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Lily AfsharDavid and Jessica BryanSoutheastern Guitar QuartetFrom left, Lily Afshar, David and Jessica Bryan, Southeastern Guitar Quartet
Guitar Festival celebrating first decade with performances throughout April
Southeastern is marking the tenth anniversary of its popular Southeastern Guitar Festival, which encompasses six concerts throughout April showcasing a variety of styles and presentations of guitar music.
     The festival opens April 7 with a performance by the Southeastern Guitar Quartet, and will also include guest artist Lily Afshar; the husband-wife duo of guitarist David Bryan and soprano Jessica Bryan, the Southeastern Guitar Ensemble, and another installment of "All Styles Night on the Circle."
     "Ten years - not bad!," said Festival Director Patrick Kerber of Southeastern's Department of Music and Dramatic Arts. "Our formula of scheduling Southeastern guitarists, local performers, and a prominent guest artist on various dates throughout April has proven to be a successful vehicle for presenting outstanding guitar concerts in a very accessible manner.
     All Southeastern Guitar Festival events are free.
Read more …
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New Web site details campus dining
Students, faculty and staff can now visit a new web site to help them choose between the university's variety of dining menus and venues.
     The new site, www.selu.edu/campusdish, expands upon the previous site by offering greater content and a number of interactive features, said Robin Parker, marketing director for Southeastern Auxiliary Services.
     CampusDish gives diners complete information on each of the campus dining venues offered through the university's partnership with food service provider ARAMARK. There are daily menus for each location -- the "all you care to eat" Cayman Café, Java City, Roomie's and Starbucks coffee shops, the "Mane Market" convenience stores, the "Lion's Den" food court and national outlets such as Popeyes, Burger King, Taco Bell, and Subway.
     Detailed meal plan options are also available on the site, including those offered to commuter and resident students, as well as faculty and staff. There are plans to add an eCommerce section in the near future that will allow commuters, faculty and staff to purchase meal plans online through CampusDish.
     The menus include extensive nutritional information on each item, Parker added, plus interactive forms such as ordering "Hip Kits" gift baskets, leaving feedback, signing up for promotional emails, and even sharing recipes.
     Visitors will also find links to information on Southeastern-ARAMARK sustainability initiatives such as going trayless," fresh and healthy lifestyle tips, and on upcoming campus dining events.
     "We hope our campus community will enjoy the new features," she said. "It's all part of our goal of providing current and relevant information regarding the tasty, healthy food options made available through Campus Dining."
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Eroded bulkheadsRobert Moreau and Hayden RenoRobert Moreau, director of Turtle Cove, indicates where erosion has eaten away land since the destruction ofbulkheads. He and Station Manager Hayden Reno survey destroyed walkways.
Southeastern begins $4.8 million, four-phase renovation of Turtle Cove
Renovation and repair of Southeastern's Turtle Cove Environmental Research Station is getting underway, three and a half years after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita battered the century-old building on Pass Manchac, headquarters for university wetlands research and environmental education and outreach programs.
     Turtle Cove Director Rob Moreau said the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has committed to fund an estimated $4.8 million in four phases of renovation projects -- replacement of bulkheads and docks (approximately $3 million), replacement of boardwalks leading to research sites in the Manchac Swamp ($600,000), repair and elevation of the three-story main building ($800,000), and construction of a new elevated caretaker's building ($400,000).
     "This is great news, not just for Southeastern but also for our entire region," said President John L. Crain. "It means the educational programs and vital wetlands research our scientists, graduate and undergraduate students are conducting in the marsh will take a major step forward after the setbacks suffered in the hurricanes of 2005."
     "This is just fantastic," Moreau said. "We have been without all of this for so long."
     Leased to the university by the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries since 1981, Turtle Cove has served as a research setting for Southeastern faculty and student scientists investigating wetlands ecology and restoration as well as a wide variety of other scientific and history-related projects. The facility, located at the tip of the 8,300-acre Manchac Wildlife Management Area in northwestern St. John the Baptist Parish, has also served as an outdoor classroom for educational outreach programs for area teachers and their pupils.
     Moreau said he and Ken Howe, director of facility planning at Southeastern, have worked closely with the state architects and engineers to map out plans for Turtle Cove repairs and secure FEMA funding.
Read more …
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Electronic suggestion box eyes savings
Since January, the University of Louisiana System has had a cost containment committee reviewing ways costs can be reduced and revenues enhanced collectively by institutions in the University of Louisiana System. An electronic suggestion box has been set up for receiving ideas that you may have to reduce costs and enhance revenues.
     The email address for the electronic suggestion box is save@uls.state.la.us. The messages received will be received by a staff member of the System Office and shared with the Board Office for merit warranting suggestion to the cost containment committee.
     Your ideas can possibly make a difference with better managing reductions in budget ahead.
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TW Fest author Richard Ford to speak tonight
As part of the renowned Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival's partnership with Southeastern, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Richard Ford on will comment on and read from his work in the Student Union Theatre at 6 p.m. tonight (March 30). A book signing and reception will follow his hour-long presentation.
     Ford is the author of six novels and three collections of stories and is best known for his trilogy of novels: The Sportswriter, Independence Day, and The Lay of the Land. He was awarded the Pulitzer Prize and the PEN/Faulkner Award for Independence Day, making him the first writer to win both awards for a single work. His short story collection, Rock Springs, contains several widely anthologized stories.
     Among his many awards and honors, Ford has received a Guggenheim Fellowship, two grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, an American Academy of Arts and Letters Award for Literature, and the 1994 Rea Award, which is given annually to a writer who has made a contribution to the short story as an art form.
     For additional information on the Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival at Southeastern, contact the English Department, 985-549-2100.
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Developing a motivated work group
The Comprehensive Public Training Program (CPTP) is sponsoring a free seminar for supervisors, "Developing a Motivated Work Group," Wednesday, April 8, in University Center room 139
     The one-day class, scheduled for 8:15 a.m.-3:30 p.m., will examine motivation and goal setting as components of managing work group performance. Participants will learn how to link goal setting with individual action plans, strategies, objectives and goals of the agency. Class exercises will enable participants to use practical techniques to improve and maintain motivation.
     Advance registration and supervisory approval are necessary for attendance. This and other CPTP programs can be used toward a variety of state certifications. For more information and to register, contact Jan Ortego, Jan.Ortego@selu.edu, ext. 5771.
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Southeastern recycling reminder
Got white office paper to recycle? Southeastern Recyling accepts either shredded paper or sheets. Call ext. 3452 for pick up. Please remember to label bags and boxes "Recycle" so the custodial staff does not grab them by mistake.
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News from the Center for Faculty Excellence News
The Center for Faculty Excellence invites you to Southeastern's eighth annual Faculty Conference on Teaching, Research, and Creativity. The conference will consist of poster sessions that will begin on Thursday, April 2, at 12:30 p.m. and end at 2 p.m. on Friday, April 3. The purpose of this conference is to provide a forum for sharing the successful practices, projects, creative endeavors, and research of our faculty.
     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, reservations, contact the center, ext. 5791 or center@selu.edu.
     Tuesday, April 7
     12:30-1:30 p.m. -- Lyceum Lights: Teaching and Learning professors Dr. Colleen Klein-Ezell and Dr. Camille Yates, will discuss their Learn and Serve Grant "Cooking up a Storm." A $5 fee for lunch will be charged at the door. Please RSVP by April 3 by calling ext. 5791 or emailing center@selu.edu.
     2-3 p.m. - CUTL: Sharing and Celebrating Your Work - To earn certificates for university teaching and learning, Southeastern faculty created a mini course-portfolio over a series of four workshops. This semester's participants include Amy Acosta, Michaelyn Broussard, Corie Hebert, Leslie Hendricks, Heidi Kulkin, Georgina Little, Ephraim Massawe, Tiffany McFalls, Melanie Norwood, Heather O'Connell, Kristie Riddle, Peter Shrock, Allison Singleton, and Lu Yuan. For the mini course-portfolio, each participant chose and described an individual innovative or effective teaching practice, gathered evidence from a course to describe and document the practice, and reflected on the teaching and learning outcomes.
     The mini-course portfolios will be presented by faculty on Tuesday, April 7, at 2 p.m. and Wednesday, April 22, at 11 a.m. in Tinsley Hall, room 103. Everyone is welcome.
     Thursday, Apr. 9, 12:30-1:30 pm -- Science and Religion Brown Bag Discussion: These discussions are lead by Dr. Matt Rossano, head of the Department of Psychology. All faculty and staff are invited to bring your lunch and a friend. Cookies and drinks will be provided.
     2009-2010 Call for Proposals -- Deadline Quickly Approaching
     The Center for Faculty Excellence announces funding opportunities for 2009-2010.
     All full-time university faculty members holding academic rank, excluding those currently holding administrative appointments above the level of department head, are eligible to apply for the following.
     The Center's Innovative Teaching Initiative (CITI) -- Have an idea for enhancing your teaching and students' learning in a new or existing course? Funds are available for projects and activities contributing to the advancement of teaching and learning. Projects may promote service-learning, link community engagement and civic responsibility to the classroom, enhance courses with technology, encourage faculty-student or student-student research and interaction, or create K-12 and business partnerships for learning. Proposals are limited to a maximum of $2,000.
     Professional Development Grants -- The grants will provide funding for projects and activities contributing to the evolution of the individual faculty member. This program provides grants up to a maximum of $2,000 for developing the professional competencies needed to enhance your productivity and effectiveness as a scholar and teacher. Faculty may request funds for training materials and/or participation in workshops on teaching, student learning, writing for publication, faculty mentoring, course design, etc.
      Application forms are available on the center's web site. Please hand-deliver one original and three copies to the Center for Faculty Excellence, Tinsley Annex, room 6, by 4:30 p.m. on April 9. Absolutely no proposal will be accepted after the deadline.
     NOTE: Awards reflect monies from the upcoming fiscal year and depend on next year's budget. If awarded, funds will be available after July 1 and must be spent/encumbered by April 15, 2010. These funds may not be used for certifications, reassign time, travel for presentations or to increase faculty salaries.
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From left, are Jackie Didier, Kristen Renfrow, Tess Guerra, Tiffany Rogers, Cheryl Runez, Brittny McKay, Amanda Rodriguez, Whitney Briggs, Ashleigh Nicosia, Kristen McNab, Jessica Reibe and Dori Young. Fashion merchandising professor Jackie Didier and JC Penney Visual Specialist Dori Young join the members of Didier's fashion promotion class that partnered this semester with Cortana Mall and JC Penney. From left, are Didier, Kristen Renfrow, Tess Guerra, Tiffany Rogers, Cheryl Runez, Brittny McKay, Amanda Rodriguez, Whitney Briggs, Ashleigh Nicosia, Kristen McNab, Jessica Reibe and Young.
Students partner with Cortana Mall for hands-on Lessons in fashion promotion
A group of Southeastern students have gotten a hands-on, behind the scenes taste of the real world of fashion promotion this semester through a partnership with Baton Rouge's Cortana Mall.
     With a slower economy and more customers hoping to get the most out of every dollar, Cortana Mall teamed with the students to show shoppers how they can get the brand names they want that will fit any "recessionist's" wallet.
     "Fashion Chic for Cheap" challenged students in Family and Consumer Science faculty member Jacqueline Didier's upper level Fashion Promotion class to wisely create a current, high-fashion look with only a $40 budget. The students are majoring in Family and Consumer Science with a concentration in Fashion Merchandising.
     "This exercise is giving our students real-life experiences in understanding the principles of merchandising fashion goods and services while working with experienced professionals in a work-related setting," said Jacqueline Didier, who teaches the course at Southeastern. "This reinforces the concepts of time and money management, ideals that never go out of style!"
     Cortana's Director of Marketing Monique Hester created the experience in conjunction with the launch of a Cortana advertising campaign. The students had to research and identify emerging trends from fashion magazines, entertainment shows, celebrity style magazines, and pop culture, then recreate those looks on a realistic budget.
     Didier said the 10 students divided into teams to create looks in four categories - socialite, spring break, Easter, and "special occasion" such as prom.
With a $40 mall gift card in hand, the students were challenged to put together the looks with items from stores throughout the mall.
     "In retailing, the brand is the full experience plus value for money. Who better to show our shoppers that Cortana has the brands they want at the value they need than college students," said Hester. "This exercise takes education out of the textbook and into the real world to illustrate what a mall marketing director and fashion merchandising expert do every day."
     Students involved in the project were Whitney Briggs and Jessica Reibe of Baton Rouge, Tess Guerra of Ponchatoula, Brittny McKay of New Orleans, Kristin McNab of Covington, Ashleigh Nicosia of Slidell, Kristen Renfrow of Watson, Amanda Rodriguez of Houma, Tiffany Rogers of Prairieville and Cheryl Runez of New Orleans East.
     The students said the hands-on experience complemented their coursework, opening their eyes to a number of aspects of the fashion business - including the hard work. The teams purchased outfits, wrote a narrative for a television segment about the trends featured, and modeled their looks in a professional photo shoot at Cortana.
     Hester is using the photographs to discuss items available at the different mall stores in various interviews - including an upcoming appearance April 4 on Baton Rouge televison station WAFB's Saturday Morning, hosted by Southeastern graduate Kellee Hennessy.
     Reibe was part of the team that tackled the "spring break" look, assembling an outfit of "shiny white jeans, cute wedge shoes, a flowing graphic top."
     "It was really fun and interesting to see how a fashion shoot works from backstage and be part of a team in carrying out a vision," she said."
     "It's easier to learn when you're actually doing it - and you get to say 'I did that!'" said Nicosia.
     "The marketing campaign to promote Cortana Mall as an 'ideal' shopping experience in Baton Rouge is an 'ideal fit' to translate classroom learning into to a real world service activity," Didier said. "This has been a unique experience for our students, one that they can put on their resume - and who knows where it will take them."
     The partnership with the students "really worked for us," said Hester. "The students were fantastic to work with. We knew they would contribute a fresh perspective to our center. They really improved upon what we are trying to do - communicate new campaign."
     In addition to the partnership with Cortana, Didier's students also completed two days of visual merchandising at the JC Penney store in Hammond and will attend the Fashion Group International Dallas Career Day April 17.
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This week in the performing arts
Mark your calendar for an exciting week of music and dance, compliments of the Department of Music and Dramatic Arts. Unless otherwise noted, the events are scheduled for the Pottle Music Building Auditorium and are free.
     On Monday graduate student Meghan Pound will present a graduate flute recital at 7:30 p.m.
     Wednesday through Saturday, Southeastern Theatre will present performances of Oleanna in the Vonnie Borden Theatre, 7:30 p.m. Set entirely in a college professor's office, the play deals with a debate over a student's grade that goes horribly wrong. Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright David Mamet's intense 1992 drama is guaranteed to have audiences talking long after the theatre lights go down.
     On Thursday, 7:30 p.m., Martie Fellom will present "Tap In," Southeastern's first all-tap concert, dedicated to Southeastern's first dance director, Katie Planche-Friedrichs.
     On Friday Southeastern music majors take to Pottle's stage in a series of recitals: Maggie Probst, mezzo-soprano, will present a junior recital, while Jane Rownd, mezzo-soprano, and Amy Adams, clarinet, will present senior recitals.
     On Sunday, Music and Dramatic Arts department head David Evenson will present a faculty piano recital, the theme of which is the most famous "musical tree" in music history -- each composer taught the next one on the program (Haydn taught Beethoven who taught Czerny who taught Liszt). The program culminates in Liszt's Sonata in B Minor, a landmark in piano literature.
      Monday, March 30
     Graduate recital: Meghan Pound, flute, 7:30 p.m.
     Wednesday - Saturday, April 1-4
     Southeastern Theatre: Oleanna by David Mamet; Jim Winter, director, Vonnie Borden, 7:30 p.m. nightly (Rated PG-13 for mature themes). Tickets: $10 adults; $5 seniors/faculty/staff/non-Southeasterns students; Southeastern students free with ID
      Thursday, April 2
     Martie Fellom: Tap In, Pottle, 7:30 p.m.
      Friday, April 3
     Junior recital: Maggie Probst, mezzo-soprano, Pottle, 5 p.m.
     Senior recital: Jane Frances Rownd, mezzo-soprano, Pottle, 6 p.m.
     Senior recital: Amy Adams, clarinet, Pottle,7:30 p.m.
      Sunday, April 5
     Faculty recital: David Evenson, piano, Pottle, 2:30 p.m.
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This week in athletics
The baseball, softball, golf, track and tennis programs will all be in action during this week in Southeastern Athletics.
     The Southland Conference-leading Lion baseball team (17-9, 8-4 SLC) will hit the road for four games this week. In its only midweek action of the week, Southeastern will face No. 24 Alabama on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Looking for its fourth straight SLC series win, Southeastern will open a three-game set at UT Arlington on Friday at 6:30 p.m.
     The series continues on Saturday with a 2 p.m. contest, followed by the series finale on Sunday at 3 p.m. All of this week's games will be broadcast live in the Hammond area on KSLU-FM (90.9) and on the Internet at www.LionSports.net.
     While the Southeastern baseball team will hit the road, the Lady Lion softball team (13-19, 3-12 SLC) will host four games. Fresh off their first SLC series win of the season, the Lady Lions will host Louisiana-Monroe on Wednesday at 5 p.m. at North Oak Park. Defending SLC Tournament champion Stephen F. Austin will visit over the weekend, opening a three-game series with a 3 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday. First pitch for Sunday's series finale is set for 12 p.m. Live stats for all of this week's games will be available at www.LionSports.net.
     After a strong third-place showing on its home course at last week's Carter Plantation Intercollegiate, the Southeastern men's golf team will return to the links this week. The Lions will compete in the UALR/First Tee Collegiate Classic on Monday and Tuesday in Little Rock, Ark. The first two rounds are scheduled for Monday at 8 a.m. with the final 18 holes set for Tuesday at 8 a.m.
     The men's tennis team (6-7, 0-2 SLC) will look to pick up its first SLC victory this week. Before returning to league action, the Lions will head to Mobile, Ala. to play Troy in a 2 p.m. neutral-site match on Monday. On Wednesday, Southeastern welcomes conference foe Nicholls State for a 2 p.m. match at the Southeastern Tennis Complex. SLC rival Lamar visits on Friday with first serve set for 2 p.m.
     The women's tennis team (6-6, 2-2 SLC) will attempt to continue its climb up the SLC ladder this week. UT Arlington visits on Saturday for a 10 p.m. contest and Texas State comes to town on Sunday with first serve scheduled for 10 a.m.
     After seeing five student-athletes qualify for the NCAA Mideast Regionals at last week's Tiger Relays, the Southeastern men's and women's track and field team will return to action this week. The Lions and Lady Lions will head to Austin, Texas to compete in the Texas Relays, which is one of the nation's most prestigious meets. The four-day meet runs Wednesday through Saturday.
     For ticket information on all Southeastern Athletic events, contact the Lion Ticket Office at (985) 549-LION (5466) or visit www.LionSports.net.
     Monday, March 30
     Men's Golf, at UALR/First Tee Collegiate Classic, Little Rock, Ark., 8 a.m.
     Men's Tennis, vs. Troy, Mobile, Ala., 2 p.m.
     Tuesday, March 31
     Baseball, at Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Ala., 6:30 p.m. (KSLU)
     Men's Golf, at UALR/First Tee Collegiate Classic, Little Rock, Ark., 8 a.m.
     Wednesday, April 1
     Softball, vs. Louisiana-Monroe, North Oak Park, 5 p.m.
     Men's Tennis, vs. Nicholls State, Southeastern Tennis Complex, 2 p.m.
     Men's and Women's Track and Field, at Texas Relays, Austin, Texas, All Day
     Thursday, April 2
     Men's and Women's Track and Field, at Texas Relays, Austin, Texas, All Day
     Friday, April 3
     Baseball, at UT Arlington, Arlington, Texas, 6:30 p.m. (KSLU)
     Men's Tennis, vs. Lamar, Southeastern Tennis Complex, 2 p.m.
     Men's and Women's Track and Field, at Texas Relays, Austin, Texas, All Day
     Saturday, April 4
     Baseball, at UT Arlington, Arlington, Texas, 2 p.m. (KSLU)
     Softball, vs. Stephen F. Austin (DH), North Oak Park, 3 p.m.
     Women's Tennis, vs. UT Arlington, Southeastern Tennis Complex, 10 a.m.
     Men's and Women's Track and Field, at Texas Relays, Austin, Texas, All Day
     Sunday, April 5
     Baseball, at UT Arlington, Arlington, Texas, 1 p.m. (KSLU)
     Softball, vs. Stephen F. Austin, North Oak Park, 12 p.m.
     Women's Tennis, vs. Texas State, Southeastern Tennis Complex, 10 a.m.
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Professional activities
As a fundraiser for upcoming activities, Southeastern's Italian Club organized a sale of homemade Italian cookies at the first Sicilian Heritage Festival in Independence, March 13-15. In spite of the inclement weather, the Italian Club booth was visited by hundreds of people, who enjoyed a variety of traditional Italian cookies such as chocolate balls, cherry winks, anise, snowballs, or gigalanies (seed cookies), all homemade. Italian Club members -- including faculty advisor Dr. Lucia Guzzi Harrison, faculty members Dr. Francesco Fiumara and Ms. Elisabetta Lejeune, and administrative assistant Virginia Creel (Foreign Languages and Literatures) helped in turn at the booth, sharing with the visitors, not only recipes and information, but also their infinite love for Italy and its culture. The Italian Club Cookie Sale was such a success that not even a cookie remained unsold at the end of the three-day festival.
     InSideOut Productions, the production company of Southeastern theater instructor Jim Winter (Music and Dramatic Arts) has been nominated for eight Big Easy Awards. The company received two nominations for Best Drama and Best Director for "Coyote on a Fence" and "Side Man," as well as nominations for Best Supporting Actor and Actress in a Drama and Best Actor and Actress in a Drama. Winners will be announced at the Big Easy Theatre Awards Gala at Harrah's New Orleans Casino on Monday, March 30.
     Dr. Mary Ballard and Dr. Hunter Alessi (Counseling and Human Development) presented a paper at the American Counseling Association conference in Charlotte, N.C. The paper was entitled "Cognitive Impairment and Substance Abuse: Implications for Families and Counselors." Also at the conference, Dr. Alessi presented a session on "Relationship Infidelity: Helping Couples Understand and Heal."
     Dr. Stuart Stewart and Karen E. Powell presented "Louisiana Ready Campus: Mobilizing Campus Communities to Respond in Times of Crisis" at the state Citizen Corps Conference in Lafayette last weekend, an event that drew approximately 100 people from around the state to discuss disaster preparedness and emergency response. Stewart and Powell's presentation highlighted much of what Louisiana Campus Compact and faculty/staff at member institutions have accomplished during the past year under programs funded by the Louisiana Board of Regents and the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness.
     Drs. Alan Cannon, Kent Neuerburg, Gary Walls, and Linhong Wang (Mathematics) attended the Southern Regional Algebra Conference, March 20-22, at the University of South Alabama, Mobile. Dr. Wang presented a paper entitled "Noetherian Skew Inverse Power Series Rings," Dr. Neuerburg presented "Rings Determined by Cyclic Covers of Groups," and Dr. Walls presented "On Orbits of Automorphism Groups II."
     The Department of Mathematics hosted two invited speakers, Professors Joel Mague of the Tulane University Department of Chemistry, on Feb. 13, and Gestur Olafsson of the LSU Department of Mathematics, on March 13. Mague talked about "Single Crystal X-ray Diffraction; Principles and Practice," while Olafsson's talk was titled "Wavelet Sets, Tiling, and Groups." The talks were supported by a CITI grant.
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ByLion
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