AU REPORT March 11, 2002
Headlines AU Senate takes stand for diversity AU begins renovation of Biggin Hall Provost announces promotions,tenure

Adding lighting
Workers prepare to erect a new lighting fixture near Cater Hall. The fixture was one of 80 recently added to the main campus. Another 30 are being added to the Veterinary campus. The work is part of a campaign to improve campus security and safety.

Campus lighting upgrades on campus near completion

Phase One of a campus lighting upgrade i s nearing completion.

The improvements are financed in large part by AU's deferred maintenance fund -- a special account established in the late 1990s by the Board of Trustees to improve campus facilities. The lighting upgrade is intended to identify areas where students, faculty and staff might be at risk of injury or assault and to correct those deficiencies, said Christine Curtis, associate provost for facilities.

The university responded to three reports of sexual assault last spring and summer by hiring eight additional police officers. Administrators also have been working with groups of students, faculty and staff to make the campus less appealing to criminals. Curtis noted that students and administrators on walking tours of campus identified many poorly lighted areas in which assailants could hide. "The purpose of all these efforts has been to make the campus safer and more secure for everyone on campus," she said.

Curtis said the dimly lit areas are being addressed with the addition of new lighting and, where needed, trimming or removal of overgrown shrubs. Crews installed some lighting and made safety related landscaping improvements last fall, and the university began a major upgrade of campus lighting this semester.

The new lighting touches virtually every area of campus. Since Jan. 14, Floyd Service Co. of Auburn has installed 80 new light fixtures on the main campus and is installing 30 to the Veterinary Medicine campus. Ray McCain, who is managing the project for Facilities, said the final count could be higher as university representatives identify some remaining spots that need additional lighting and related improvements.

Once the $325,000 project is complete, university groups will again walk through campus looking for additional spots in need of lighting. The university then will upgrade lighting in other problem areas that are identified in that inspection, Curtis said.

In another safety matter financed by the deferred maintenance fund, the Facilities Division has directed the rerouting of a sidewalk to and from the Max Morris parking area at Magnolia Avenue and Donahue Drive. The sidewalk now leads to the corner, where a signal is present. The previous sidewalk routed pedestrians to the middle of the block.

While the lighting and sidewalk measures have been warmly received, another safety measure, removal of parking on some streets, is less popular.

Curbside parking was dropped from Samford Avenue following the recent repaving of that street, and similar action is planned for Thach Avenue west of Haley Center. Curtis, noting that many students cross all along those streets between class changes, said those pedestrians are in danger as they step into the street from between parked vehicles.

Faculty Senate issues statements supporting diversity

The University Senate last week adopted resolutions condemning intolerance and supporting movement toward increased acceptance of diversity on campus.

The resolutions on March 5 expressed the sentiment of the faculty's elected representatives and were the latest activity in support of diversity awareness since pictures of Ku Klux Klan and blackface costumes at fraternity parties last Halloween refocused campus attention on the issue.

Previously, the university withdrew its recognition of the two fraternities and initiated disciplinary action against students who wore the racially divisive costumes. Those decisions have since been challenged in lawsuits in Lee County Circuit Court. Interim AU President William Walker also elevated a campus committee on diversity to university committee status as the Multicultural Diversity Commission.

The administration has also initiated a diversity training program under sponsorship of the Russell Corporation, and Walker has asked interim Provost John Pritchett to work with faculty to incorporate diversity awareness more broadly into academic programs.

At last week's session, the faculty representatives adopted the following resolution condemning racist actions: "The University Senate deplores racism and intolerance in any form. It calls upon the central administration to work with others in the university community to develop and adopt policies and procedures that embrace, nurture and protect diversity in the educational and work environment at Auburn University."

The senate also adopted a statement submitted by the Multicultural Diversity Commission: "Auburn University as an institution of higher learning holds that every person has worth as an individual and is entitled to dignity and respect, regardless of race, color, gender, religious preference, national origin, ability/disability, age or sexual orientation. Through education and community building, Auburn University, as a whole, will promote tolerance and understanding supported by clearly defined policies and practices."

Members of the Auburn Black Caucus, meanwhile, asked the University Senate to bring a more-detailed resolution out of committee for a vote by the senate. After a vote by the senate on that request revealed that a quorum was no longer present, Senate Chair Jim Bradley promised to work with the senate rules committee to place the item on the agenda for the senate's meeting in April.

AU research grows rapidly, counter to state funding woes

Despite proration and a statewide funding crunch, Auburn researchers have achieved an average growth rate of 44.5 percent during the past three years in the competitive arena of contracts and grants support, says Michael Moriarty, vice president for research.

"This growth in the competitive arena of research sponsorship is a solid example of positive achievements at Auburn, and is a heartening success story in our present climate of economic uncertainty," said Moriarty.

Contracts and grants -- sponsorship from corporate and government agencies -- provide most of AU's research program support. Competitive contracts and grants reached an all-time high in fiscal 2001 of $56.5 million.

Faculty researchers receive contracts and grants awards based on the merits of research proposals submitted by them to granting agencies. The average amount of individual awards also has grown from about $47,000 in fiscal 1999, to $69,500 in fiscal 2001.

"This steady growth trend is a direct testimony to the caliber and dedication of Auburn's faculty," said interim President William Walker. "It's no wonder that our undergraduate enrollment and the demands on this institution's resources continue to grow."

Private sources of sponsorship make up the backbone of Auburn research, Moriarty said. Auburn's total research program, determined by AU's investment in research, is valued at more than $100 million.

New Poultry Science Building
Groundbreaking for the Poultry Science building will be at 2 p.m. Thursday, March 21, on the site south of the Hill Dorms. Details may vary, but the architect's rendering shows the style of the building. The new building will mark a move back toward styles of campus buildings at AU before 1950. Buildings erected in the latter half of the 20th century were in the "modern" and "post-modern" styles of that era. The return to older architectural styles follows adoption by the Board of Trustees of guidelines recommended by IDEA image consultants.

Deferred maintenance fund aids Biggin upgrade

Biggin Hall, the first building many visitors see when they enter the Auburn campus, is undergoing major renovation as it begins a new century.

The renovation will produce little change to the exterior of the building which has been hailed by some architecture critics -- and condemned by others -- as a classic example of "modern" architecture from the mid-20th century. However, the interior will be restored to like-new condition and building's heating, cooling and lighting systems will be replaced in the renovations which began Jan. 14, says Christine Curtis, associate provost for Facilities.

Most financing for the $4.8 million project comes from AU's deferred maintenance fund, a special account established by the Board of Trustees in the late 1990s to renovate aging buildings and upgrade the quality of other facilities.

The Art Department has moved most of its offices and classrooms to Haley Center during the year-long project. Some parts of the department are also in the new 3-D arts building off Samford Avenue near the Facilities Division headquarters. The work is scheduled for completion in time for the department to move back to Biggin in December and resume classes there in January 2003.

Named for Frederick Child Biggin, head of the Department of Architecture from 1916-43, the building won acclaim from critics and national recognition as a leading example of the then-popular International Style upon its completion in 1951. However, from the beginning, the style clashed with the more ornate, 19th century styles of its neighbors in Samford Park, and popular sentiment toward the building has been mixed as the popularity of "modern" architecture declined in later decades.

The Art Department has inhabited the building since 1977, when the School of Architecture moved to Dudley Hall.

The major exterior change will be replacement of drafty, rusted-out windows with doublepane glass sealed against the weather. The better windows and accompanying miniblinds will provide faculty and students with more control over lighting for their work, said Art Department Professor and Head Joseph Ansell.

"The building had some major problems, and we will be happy to see those problems corrected," said Ansell. "This will provide a much better environment for teaching and exhibitions."

In one major change, the exhibition gallery and department offices will switch places, returning to the original configuration. Ansell said a return to the original gallery site, next to main entrance, will provide a better display area for art exhibitions than the elongated room that has served that function in recent decades.

State Senate kills tuition bill AU opposed

Proposed legislation to grant tuition breaks to out-of-state students at some Alabama universities died in the Alabama Senate last week amid strong opposition from Auburn and the University of Alabama. Interim AU President William Walker warned legislators that the legislation would unfairly burden Alabama taxpayers and further deplete limited state funding for higher education.

The Alabama Senate voted 19-12 to defeat the proposal by Sen. Gerald Dial of Lineville. Dial's bill would have exempted some institutions from reform legislation passed in 1996 that requires institutions to charge out-of-state students two times the tuition they charge students who are Alabama residents.

Institutions with declining enrollments wanted to attract more students from other states to fill their empty classrooms and dorms, but AU and UA officials argued that institutions that are overbuilt should reduce their inventory of programs.

"It is not fair to the taxpayers of Alabama for institutions to subsidize out-of-state students, especially when there is not enough money to adequately provide for the students whose parents pay taxes in this state," said Walker.

Out-of-state students should not be offered discounts to boost the numbers of programs with declining enrollments, he added.

"A state that has to struggle financially to educate its own students cannot afford to pick up the added expense of educating students from neighboring states," said Walker. "We have no problem with out-of-state students attending any institution as long as they pay their own way."

Walker noted that AU charges out-of-state three times the tuition of Alabama residents in order to spare Alabama taxpayers the expense of educating those students. The higher fees have not hurt out-of-state enrollment at Auburn because its programs are recognized as high-quality, he added.

Although the institutions seeking passage of the bill argued that it would enable them to use excess capacity, Buddy Mitchell, AU's executive director of governmental affairs, said the state would have had to pick up the cost of the additional students.

"That hurts our case for additional money for higher education when some institutions want to use part of it to subsidize students from other states," Mitchell said. "Out-of-state students should pay their fair share so that we can use state funds to educate our own students."

Mitchell noted that the institutions that would have benefited from repeal of the out-of-state tuition requirement already extend instate tuition benefits to residents of neighboring states when any part of their counties fall within a 50-mile radius of the institutions. Although AU is within 50 miles of several Georgia counties, the university does not grant the exemption to students from those counties.

Staff Council officers
The Staff Council last week elected Vic Walker, left, to be its chair-elect for 2002-03. Walker, a medical records transcriber in the College of Veterinary Medicine, will be Staff Council chair in 2003-04. This year's chair is Candace Bourne, center, of Laboratory Pathology. She succeeds Harold Cummings, right, of General Construction in the Facilities Division.

Veteran librarian at Auburn named interim library dean

Sheri Downer, with more than 30 years of library administrative experience, has been named interim dean of AU Libraries .

"I am delighted that Sheri has accepted the challenges of this most important position during this transitional period," said John Pritchett, interim provost and vice president for academic affairs, in announcing the appointment. "Her extensive experience and knowledge of our University community will serve our faculty, our students, and our entire community in an exemplary fashion."

Downer's appointment was effective March 1 and she replaces Stella Bentley who resigned earlier this year to accept a position at the University of Kansas.

Downer, who joined AU Libraries in 1978, served most recently as assistant dean for Technical Services and Systems. During her Auburn career, Downer has also served as head of the Systems Department and Circulation Department. She holds degrees from George Williams College and Rosary College, both in Illinois, and has done graduate work at Lewis University in Illinois and at Auburn.

Sumners named director of AU institute

Joe Sumners has been named director of Auburn's Economic Development Institute. David Wilson, associate provost and vice president for University Outreach, made the appointment effective March 1. Before his selection as director, Sumners served as EDI associate director for two years. Before that, he served as training and policy research coordinator for AU's Center for Governmental Services.

Sumners has 12 years experience providing technical assistance and training in community development and strategic planning for Alabama cities and counties. He has directed strategic planning efforts for communities throughout Alabama, including Northport, Sylacauga, Brewton, Gadsden, Uniontown, Evergreen and Eufaula. He has conducted more than 125 workshops for Alabama state, county and municipal officials on topics such as economic development, strategic planning, leadership development, public management and supervision, performance measurement and the Alabama Constitution.

Sumners is the author of Governing Alabama: The People's Choice, an issues book that examines topics related to state and local government. He edited and contributed to Alabama Issues 1998, a collection of essays and articles on statewide issues for the 1998 elections. Sumners earned bachelor's and master's degrees from Auburn and a Ph.D. from the University of Georgia.

AU unit named state's Center for the Book

The Library of Congress has named the Center for the Arts and Humanities at AU as the Center for the Book for Alabama.

"This new partnership is a welcome development," said Center for the Book Director John Y. Cole. "Alabama is our 42nd state center affiliate in a network that also includes the District of Columbia. The sixth state center located in a humanities organization, it also will be closely allied with the Alabama Public Library Service."

"The establishment of our center represents a committed, concerted effort to promote books and reading throughout Alabama -- a state with a lively literary community," said Allen Cronenberg, director of AU's Center for the Arts and Humanities.

Initially the Alabama Center for the Book will focus on disseminating information about the programs of its partner organizations and cosponsoring and promoting existing projects. Included in the partnership to establish AU's Center for the Arts and Humanities as the Alabama Center for the Book are the Alabama Humanities Foundation, the Alabama State Council on the Arts, the Alabama Writers' Forum and other universities groups.

Rouse assumes interim leadership post in Fisheries

David Rouse is the new interim head of the Department of Fisheries and Allied Aquacultures in the College of Agriculture. He replaces John Jensen, who was recently selected to serve as interim head of the college.

"I have personally worked side by side with Dr. Rouse for 20 years and am confident that he can lead the diverse and world renown teaching, research and extension interests of our Department of Fisheries and Allied Aquacultures," Jensen said. "Dr. Rouse is dedicating himself to the needs of our citizens throughout Alabama. Through his leadership and the continuing strong support of our aquaculture, recreational fishing and conservation partners, we know that this department will continue to accomplish greatness."

Rouse is an Auburn native and holds degrees from AU and Texas A&M. He worked seven years for the State of Alabama in the area of aquatic ecology before returning to school at Texas A&M to complete his doctorate in aquaculture.

On the AU faculty since 1981, he has taught classes and conducted research on a variety of fish and shellfish. He has presented research findings in more than 75 scientific meetings and 50 journal publications.

Premed student at Auburn named to USA Academic Team

Cyndee Carver of Huntsville, an Auburn senior, has been named to USA Todayıs All-USA College Academic Team, featured in the newspaper's Feb. 27 edition.

Carver, named an honorable mention team member, is majoring in applied mathematics/pre-medicine at Auburn and carries a 4.0 grade-point average. She plans to attend medical school and pursue a career as a research physician.

Before medical school, however, Carver will study for one year in England at Cambridge University as a Gates-Cambridge Scholar. Gates-Cambridge Scholarships are awarded to elite students by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Carver was nominated to the USA Today team by William Buskist, an AU alumni professor of psychology who is also Carverıs faculty advisor, and Mary Winkler, a Spanish instructor at AU who is the faculty advisor to Alpha Chi Omega, Carver's social sorority.

In addition to excelling in the classroom, Carver was also the sole undergraduate member of a research team headed by Stewart Schneller, dean of the College of Sciences and Mathematics. The group's research, which has been funded by a grant from the National Institutes of Health, is aimed at finding antiviral agents for the orthopoxvirus family, which includes smallpox.

CHS workshop to place focus on mentoring for diversity

A workshop this week by faculty in the College of Human Sciences will focus on identifying and mentoring junior faculty and graduate students who are planning research careers in the human and developmental sciences.

The workshop, "Research Careers in the Developmental and Human Sciences: Enhancing Diversity through Mentoring and Collaboration," will be at the Hilton Garden Inn in Auburn. After a reception on Thursday, the agenda begins Friday with panel discussions in the morning, followed by a 1:30 p.m. session on "Creating an Atmosphere in your Department/College Supportive of Research Careers."

James Jones, professor of psychology at the University of Delaware and director of the Minority Fellowship Program at the American Psychological Association, will give a keynote address at 5:30 p.m. on "What We Know is Linked to Who We Are: The Function of Human Diversity in the Human Sciences and the Need for a Diversity Academy."

The workshop ends Saturday, following a panel discussion on "Getting External Funding for Faculty Research: Federal Sources."

Museum staff win design awards

Although the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Art at Auburn has yet to welcome its first visitors, it nearly swept the Alabama Museum Association's annual design awards, winning the top prize for design at the association's annual conference last month in Tuscaloosa.

Judges for the design competition, which included entries from most of the major art museums in Alabama, evaluated design and originality of the museums' printed materials, including educational, promotional and marketing publications.

The Jule Collins Smith Museum of Art received top awards in five design categories and the association's Overall Excellence Award for Design.

"The work had a distinct crispness and clarity that made it stand out from all the other entries," said Miah Michaelson, executive director of Art at the Kentuck Museum and one of the judges for the competition.

"It had a level of professionalism that made it stand out above all the other entries. The work had a consistency from piece to piece. I could tell at a glance that each piece was a part of a whole, which is difficult in such a variety of formats."

Michael De Marsche, director of the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Art, expressed great satisfaction and some surprise at the success of the museum's material in the competition. "The awards come some 14 months before we've even opened. I think that surprised everyone," De Marsche said. "I know the judge mentioned it when awarding us the prizes."

De Marsche added, "The museum staff works very hard on our publications because we want them to set the tone of what our museum will represent when it opens. Quality and excellence will be the hallmark of our facility, and I think our published material already represents that to the Auburn community as well as to the state. Its effectiveness is demonstrated daily by our expanding membership."

Auburn to share grant for library network access program

AU Libraries, in cooperation with the University of Alabama and the Alabama Department of Archives and History, will serve as a central digitizing center through a leadership grant awarded by the Network of Alabama Academic Libraries.

"The Cornerstone Project: Building the Foundation for Sharing Unique Treasures" is a collaborative statewide initiative that will make historical treasures electronically accessible from Alabama's archives, libraries, museums and other repositories, said Sheri Downer, interim dean of AU Libraries.

"The Cornerstone Project will initially digitize historically significant materials from the collections of the Auburn University Libraries, the University of Alabama, the Alabama Department of Archives and History and the Birmingham Public Library, she said. "However, any interested repository in the state of Alabama can participate in digitizing its own unique collections."

Even though the project is still in the planning stage, Auburn Libraries are already digitizing two AU collections.

"The first is the Edward Rickenbacker collection of video and audio recordings on the history of aviation." Downer said. "The second is the Hardy T. Frye audio collection. This is a set of interviews recorded between 1972 and 1978 relating to the history of civil rights."

As the first project priority, about 15,000 items will be digitized to enrich Alabama Moments, an online guide that encourages teachers to introduce Alabama into the state history curriculum required of all 10th and 11th grade students. The online address for Alabama Moments is www.alabamamoments.state.al.us

"This project will enable the libraries to coordinate a statewide program to digitize unique historical resources held in the repositories and to work with these repositories to develop long-range plans to make their resources accessible online," she said. "The central library digitizing centers will provide training to assure that librarians, archivists and other staff attain the knowledge to successfully plan, implement and complete their digitizing projects."

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