AU REPORT October 5, 1998

Although official enrollment numbers will not be tabulated until after the tenth class day of the quarter (Oct. 5), the preliminary count through Thursday also indicates total enrollment rose 1.9 percent from 21,505 last fall to 21,781.

"Our goal is to increase our enrollment at least one percent each year," Golson said. "So, although we had hoped for a record enrollment, the increase over last year meets and slightly exceeds our objective."
Auburn's all-time record for total enrollment is 22,122, set in the fall of 1995. If the preliminary numbers hold up, this year's total enrollment will be the third highest all-time, behind fall 1995 and fall 1991's total of 21,836. The 1998 enrollment reverses two consecutive years of declines.

The preliminary freshman enrollment total of 3,675 is an increase of 470 students over last year and exceeds the fall 1995 record of 3,612. The freshman numbers are the result of strong recruiting effort and the power of the Auburn University name, Golson said.

"The Auburn name is still very powerful," Golson said. "People recognize it and know that it is backed by academic excellence."

Preliminary numbers for freshman enrollment also indicate Auburn is making great strides in attracting black students. Black freshman enrollment increased from last year's 475 to 695, a 46 percent rise.

James Brown, executive director of Minority Advancement, credits the increase to Auburn's enrollment management staff's increased efforts toward attracting qualified black students.

"The enrollment management staff and the recruitment strategies that they've set up have aided us in ensuring that an Auburn education and the Auburn experience are more attractive to African-American students,"
Brown said. "Auburn continues to work to provide the kind of access that is necessary to build a very strong African American enrollment and establish an espirit de corps not only within the black student population, but in their interactions with other segments of the student body.

"With the kinds of things that the enrollment management office and Darryl Hale on my staff have set in motion, we expect this growth in black enrollment to continue."

The preliminary totals also indicate that the freshman class includes an increased number of National Merit and National Achievement Scholars. National Merit Scholars enrolled increased from 22 last year to 26 and National Achievement Scholars (limited to minorities) rose from zero to four.

Golson said these increases were likely a result of "Merit Monday," a program begun last year by the scholarship office which invites these scholarship winners to Auburn for a day to see the campus, participate in classroom and laboratory activities and meet academic advisors.

Preliminary numbers also show an increase in new international students over last year from 19 to 39 and an increase in transfer students from 1,618 to 1,630.

Among the few numbers that decreased were graduate school enrollment, which fell, for the third consecutive year, from 2,772 to 2,605 and black transfer students, which fell slightly from 108 to 96.

Preliminary numbers on in-state and out-of-state students were not available.

"We've begun to see the results of some of our hard work, but, at the same time, we realize that there is still a lot of work to do," Golson said.

Two thirds in survey oppose pedestrian campus core concept

Nearly two-thirds of faculty and staff responding to a University Traffic and Parking Committee survey want to keep at least some traffic flowing through the core of campus. Thirty-four percent favor turning the campus core into a pedestrian mall.

Sixty-four percent of respondents favor some traffic restrictions in the center of campus as a means of improving pedestrian safety, with some favoring more restrictions than others, said committee chair Bill Trimble.
The results are based on 1,232 responses to 4,400 questionnaires the committee mailed out last May, for a 28 percent response rate. Trimble said the level of response indicates that traffic and parking are high on the list of faculty and staff concerns.

Of those who favor the total elimination of traffic in the core campus, most of the respondents want to see traffic removed from the entire core, which the survey defined as the area including Haley Center and the Quad dorms. Those who wanted select elimination of traffic favored so on Roosevelt and Thach between Mell and Duncan.

Among those who favor restrictions but not elimination of traffic in the center of campus, 56 percent preferred restricting traffic in the campus core to delivery vehicles, buses and bicycles. A slight majority within the group (52 percent) preferred buses, delivery vehicles and bicycles only on selected streets during class hours.

Eighty-six percent of respondents like the idea of bike lanes on selected streets and want to see more of them, while a slim majority (52 percent) wants additional restriction or elimination of on street parking in the campus core. Seventy percent of the respondents want lower speed limits and stricter enforcement of traffic regulations, and 89 percent want to expand the bus service, with the emphasis on outlying parking lots.

Many of the people who sent the questionnaire back provided comments. Trimble said some considered the questionnaire hopelessly flawed. Other responses ranged from those who wanted everyone to "walk who can" to
"I'm not interested in the campus becoming a pedestrian mall." Another said that the best thing we as a committee could do was "to leave things alone." One person commented that she could not walk very far in her high heels and needed to be able to park close to her place of work.

Generally people seemed concerned about pedestrian and traffic safety and wanted to see more rigorous enforcement of existing regulations, Trimble noted. A large number thought that prohibiting freshmen and sophomores from having cars would help with many of the traffic and parking problems and an equally large number thought the bus service was one of the best things Auburn had done in years. Trimble said virtually no one thought it a good idea to raise parking fees (one person's response was "God, no!").

Trimble warned that, as with all such surveys, it is possible to interpret the results in many ways. The University Traffic and Parking Committee thinks that the questionnaire results indicate that a fair number of the faculty and staff at Auburn would like to see changes to improve the existing traffic and parking situation, he said. These changes may include additional restrictions on cars in the core campus and more emphasis on buses and bicycles.

United Way kicks off annual campaign at AU

AU has kicked off its 1998-99 United Way campaign with a goal of $110,000.

The AU target is part of an $800,000 goal for United Way of Lee County to benefit 41 local human service agencies. Both the Lee County and AU goals remain unchanged from last year, noted campus campaign coordinator Susie Hall, who is executive assistant in the Office of Administrative Services.

The slogan of this year's United Way campaign is "Heart at Work-- Building a Healthy Community."

The United Way's strong point is that 92 percent of the money raised during the annual campaign remains in Lee County for services to the people who live here, said Hall. Local agencies that depend on United Way for funds provide relief or services to the needy, the disabled, youth groups, sick or injured persons and others in need of assistance.

United Way agencies, which are listed on literature distributed to all AU employees, range from the Achievement Center for training of disabled individuals and the American Heart Association to the Salvation Army and the William Mason Emergency Fund for the needy.

For the AU part of the campaign, volunteers are distributing pledge cards to faculty and staff, who may choose to make donations through payroll deduction.

This year's campus leadership team members and their divisions are:
Bill Compton, Administrative Services; Mahasin Ahmad, Office of the President; Christine Eick, Business and Finance plus Facilities; Vicki Meetze, Athletics; Margaret Manley, Provost; Julie Nolen, Alumni, Development and University Relations; Thina Biblis, University Outreach; Giovana Brannan, Research; Pat Harris, Student Affairs.
Janine Slick, Agriculture; Cathy Simmons, Architecture, Design and Construction; Dianne Townsend, College of Business; Sandy Davis, Education; Donna Kelly, Engineering; Kent Hanby, Forestry; Phyllis Harris, Human Sciences; Karen Williams, Nursing; Alison Franks, Liberal Arts; Shauna Buring, Pharmacy; Stewart Schneller, Sciences and Mathematics; Fred Harshbarger, Veterinary Medicine; Tasha Worden, Cooperative Extension; and Jeanne Amling and Susan Booker, Library.

Flynt to read from his prize-winning book on Alabama Baptists

A book on the history of Alabama Baptists by Auburn University historian Wayne Flynt has won a top prize from the University of Alabama Press.

Flynt, a Distinguished University Professor at AU, was awarded the Ann B. and James B. McMillan Prize from the UA Press for his book Alabama Baptists: Southern Baptists in the Heart of Dixie.

Flynt will discuss and read from his book at 4 p.m. Oct. 20, at AU's Center for the Arts and Humanities, Pebble Hill on DeBardeleben Street.

The exhaustively researched book, written for the 175th anniversary of the Alabama State Baptist Convention, is the first Baptist history to be written by a professionalhistorian. The McMillan Prize was established in 1994 by the former director of theUniversity of Alabama Press to attract the best scholarship in the fields of Alabama and Southern history and culture. The 768-page book was issued earlier this month by the press.

Flynt says the book was fun to research and write because he found some interesting and surprising facts about the state's largest evangelical denomination. "There are all sorts of little interesting twists and turns that Baptist history takes, primarily because Baptists are so independent, individualists and congregationally driven," said. "Basically individual Baptists congregations can do and believe anything they want, and as a result Baptists are a very diverse people. You'll find enormous differences of opinion and beliefs.

Outreach awards five 'Do Something' grants

The Office of the Vice President for University Outreach has awarded more than $100,000 to fund five proposals received in the "Do Something" faculty-competitive grant program to increase educational, economic, health care and leadership opportunity in Alabama's Black Belt.

The program was announced and a workshop held last spring for more than 80 AU faculty members who expressed interest in submitting a proposal. A panel of West Alabama community and civic leaders came to Auburn to inform faculty about the area's needs. A requirement of the proposals is collaboration in West Alabama.

By the June 15 deadline, 16 proposals had been received by a review committee which recently made its recommendations to Outreach Vice President David Wilson. Eight principal investigators (and numerous other faculty supporters) were informed last week that they had been awarded a "Do Something" grant.

"These five projects have the potential of making a noticeable dent in some of the intractable challenges in West Alabama," said Wilson.
"Through these projects, more than 35 Auburn University faculty will partner with close to fifty individuals, organizations and associations in West Alabama to create change in the region.

"Anytime you get a collection of people together who possess the expertise and commitment to make a difference, something positive will happen," Wilson said, adding, "I think over the next three to five years, we will see some real progress in the Black Belt as a result of the collaboration and partnerships Auburn is establishing with towns, agencies and people in this much neglected area of the state."

Wilson also recognized the difficult task the review committee had in culling five proposals from the 16 submitted.

"I carefully examined all of the proposals submitted, and I know first hand what a tough job the Faculty Review Committee had in selecting the top five. I extend their appreciation to the committee for its efforts, particularly to its chair, Jim Bryant of the College of Engineering."

A summary of proposals funded, amounts granted and principal investigators includes:

Gaining Access to Pharmacy Services
Principal investigators Debbie Byrd and Charles Taylor, PharmD faculty in the Department of Clinical Pharmacy Practice, received a $25,000 grant to create a medication screening, assistance and education program for Hale County residents not eligible for other health programs, such as Medicaid. Working with the Hale County Family Resource Center's Mobile Health Clinic, a pharmacist will travel in rural Hale County one afternoon a week with a nurse and social service worker to screen applicants for a Medication Assistance Program. A Policy and Procedures manual and a computerized MAP database will be created to provide pharmacist directed, health-related services. Medications for eligible patients will be delivered via the Mobile Health Clinic.

West Alabama Entrepreneurship and Leadership Program
Principal investigators Keenan Grenell, associate professor of Political Science, and Cal Clark, professor of Political Science, received a $25,000 grant to build an entrepreneurial approach to economic development in West Alabama through partnerships with public and private organizations. The proposal has two objectives -- to establish an Academy of Entrepreneurship to get youth involved with entrepreneurial activities, and to establish a chamber of commerce to promote economic development and business enhancement. The academy will establish a training program in entrepreneurship and leadership for high school students, which combines academic sessions with student micro-businesses. In addition, the students will participate in the Youth Empowerment Day of the African-American Entrepreneurship Summit, and a select few will be sent to the Youth Entrepreneurship Symposium in Philadelphia next spring.

Grow Your Own Jobs
Principal investigator Robin Fellers, assistant professor of Nutrition and Food Science, received a $21,500 grant to convert an existing kitchen and cafeteria in a closed-down school in Thomaston (Marengo County) into a food processing plant. The pilot plant, which will process fruits and vegetables, would enhance ongoing efforts by government and private initiatives to stimulate production on small, minority-owned farms. AU faculty will provide expertise for renovating the existing kitchen to meet the Alabama Code for processing plants; training local people to operate and work in the plant; testing products and labeling; and evaluating the effectiveness of the endeavor. The project, with plans to develop niche markets, will be a vital link in efforts to vertically integrate agribusiness and open new markets for products from underserved, minority-owned businesses.

West Alabama Aquaculture Honors Program
Principal investigators Len Vining, training specialist in the Department of Fisheries and Allied Aquacultures, and Greg Whitis, extension aquaculturist with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, received a $20,000 grant to help reverse the exodus of talented youth from West Alabama. Specifically, the grant will be used to support a summer camp at AU to introduce 25 rising high school juniors and seniors recruited from nine West Alabama counties to natural resource-based job and career opportunities, with emphasis in aquaculture, fisheries and soil and water conservation. The summer camp, which is part of a larger program, will attract high-quality students to AU programs and supply promising students to the intern and learn program -- one of the thrusts of the overall program. The larger program, established on the economic infrastructure of the catfish industry, will provide job/career information to large numbers of high school students; link talented youth with potential employers in the catfish industry through an intern program; and recruit a few promising students to undergraduate programs at AU's Department of Fisheries and Allied Aquacultures.

Creating the Leadership Sumter County Program
Principal investigator William Sauser, associate dean of Outreach in the College of Business, received a $10,000 grant to create a leadership development program for adult community leaders in Sumter County, implement the program and complete two program rotations during a period of initial project funding. The funds will also be used to provide stipends for Sumter County college students to work in leadership and industrial development and to create a youth leadership development program. Sessions will include face-to-face discussions with community leaders and visits with experts from organizations and institutes. Topics for the sessions will include agriculture, business and economic development, education, government, health and human services, justice and public safety, local history, culture and opportunities.

Food drive coincides with football game

When the Auburn Tigers football team takes on the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs Oct. 24 in Jordan-Hare Stadium, the battle on the field won't be the most important one for thousands of people in the stands that day.

Those alumni, students and fans will be combining a day of tailgating and football with the eighth annual Make A Difference Day, a national day of helping others. The day is set each year on the fourth Saturday in October.

All facets of the university -- alumni, students, faculty and friends -- are gearing up to collect nonperishable food items for the East Alabama Food Bank.

The goal is ambitious -- collect as many pounds of canned goods as there are seats in Jordan-Hare Stadium, 85,214. To achieve that goal, every ticket holder for that game needs to bring one canned good.

Collection barrels will be placed around campus -- at the Auburn Alumni Association's Tent, at the corner of Roosevelt and Duncan drives across from the stadium; at Tiger Team Village, located at the Plainsman Park parking lot; the War Eagle Aviary; on the Concourse by Haley Center; Cary Hall; Dawson Building (AU Police Department); Pharmacy Building; and Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum parking lot.

The idea of combining AU Tiger football and Make A Difference Day for a food drive came from Charles Hendrix, an associate professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine.

Martha Faupel, director of the East Alabama Food Bank, says Make A Difference Day comes at a crucial time in the fall when the food bank is usually low on donations.

Air Force ROTC named best campus unit in Southeast

Auburn's Air Force ROTC unit has been named the winner of the 1997-98 High Flight award as the outstanding collegiate unit in the southeastern United States.

The AU unit was selected as the top program from among the 37 in the region because it performed well in all areas, said Col. Richard E. Butler, southeast regional commander of Air Force ROTC.

"Most of the other units in the region ranked high in some of the objective areas we consider and not so well in others," Butler said. "Auburn did well in all areas. That was what set them apart."

Butler said some of the factors used to determine the High Flight winner are academics, physical fitness, the quality of the unit's administration, unit initiative and the promotion of ROTC outside the unit.

Auburn's development of a manual for instructors of ROTC was one of the highlights of its year, Butler said.

Col. Danny Rehm, commander of Auburn's 111-cadet unit, said the award is a tribute to a professional staff and high-quality cadets.

The Auburn Air Force ROTC unit has long been one of the most outstanding in the nation. It won the High Flight award in 1994 and in 1996 captured the Right of Line Award, symbolic of the top program in the country.

Bus service catches on fast, reduces traffic

AU's Tiger Transit, after a highly successful first year, has added more and larger buses for busy routes during class hours and an escort security shuttle for student use at night.

Heavy use of the buses has led to a reduction of stress on overcrowded parking areas, as measured by tickets for parking violations. Citations fell from 95,000 in 1996-97 to 84,000 in 1997-98, the first year of the system.

The transit system this year has doubled its buses to 14 since a year ago and increased bus sizes from 22-passenger to 38.

Gregg Lund, manager of transportation services, says students, as intended, are the vast majority of riders. But faculty, staff and campus visitors also may ride the internal campus buses. Ridership is free within the campus perimeter and to and from the veterinary campus.

"It is better to catch the bus to get across campus than to move a vehicle once it is parked and add to traffic congestion while you look for another parking place," Lund said.

Although numbers are not kept on faculty and staff ridership, Lund said few faculty and staff appear to be using the buses to get around campus.
Students, however, have taken to the new system in far larger numbers than planners originally expected. "When we started, we thought it would start slow and then gain momentum, but we had 5,600 the second day of fall quarter last year," Lund noted. The average soon rose to 6,000 riders a day and is expected to increase more this fall before leveling off, he added.

Buses on the internal route run every 10 minutes from 7 a.m.-6 p.m. with stops at Haley Center, Draughon Library, Ag Hill, the Arboretum, the Hill Dorms and Allison Lab.

While the internal bus routes proved popular immediately, Lund said the transit system has also seen continued increases in ridership on off campus routes as students in most high-density student residential areas in the city learned about service to their apartment complexes.

The nightly security escort is a new service, which provides transportation from 6 p.m.-2 a.m. for students traveling from dormitories and parking lots to the library and other buildings and back.

Students support the transit system through a $10 a quarter transit fee. Faculty and staff wishing to ride off campus other than to and from the College of Veterinary Medicine must purchase a $10 pass for the academic term.

As ridership and routes stabilize this year, Lund said the next stage of improvements will be to erect covered bus stops to protect riders from the elements while they wait. In addition, he said, maps showing the routes will be posted.

Shevlin named Mosley Professor

Philip Shevlin, a professor of chemistry, has been named the W. Kelly Mosley Professor of Sciences and Humanities at AU, interim Provost William Walker has announced.

He succeeds Taylor Littleton, who has retired and assumed the rank of professor emeritus.

"Professor Shevlin is an outstanding teacher and researcher," Walker said. "I can think of no one more deserving of the honor of being named to this prestigious professorship."

As part the professorship, Shevlin will oversee the Littleton-Franklin Lecture Series in the Sciences and Humanities, which celebrated its 30th anniversary earlier this year.

Shevlin is the author of more than 90 publications and is co-author of the book, Concepts of Science, printed in 1993 and again in 1995. In addition, he has directed 25 doctoral dissertations at Auburn.

He is a graduate of Lafayette College in Easton, Penn., where he earned a bachelor's degree, and Yale University, where he earned master's and doctoral degrees.

A full professor since 1979, Shevlin joined AU in 1970 as an assistant professor. He previously served as a research associate at the Brookhaven National Laboratory and served in the military.

Shevlin's research is concerned with investigating the properties of highly energetic molecules and has been continuously supported by the National Science Foundation since 1975.

In 1993, Shevlin was elected as one of 29 American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellows for his "pioneering research on the chemistry of atomic carbon; and for outstanding contributions in science education."

Pursells endow chair in business ethics

James T. Pursell Sr. of Sylacauga and his family have endowed a chair in business ethics in AU's College of Business.

The James T. Pursell Sr. Eminent Scholar Chair will be awarded to a senior faculty member this quarter.

Pursell, former chair of the state Ethics Commission and the 1995 Distinguished Alumnus of the AU College of Business, is now chairman of the board of Pursell Technologies, Inc. Pursell got his B.S. degree in business administration from Auburn in 1952.

"Private support is more important than ever before because we must rely on our alumni and friends to help us enhance the quality of Auburn's programs," said AU President William Muse. "Mr. Pursell's success in business is well known and he has been a tremendous help in the success of the College of Business. Our college is fortunate to have his friendship and support."

Pursell, a former member of the Auburn College of Business Advisory Council, said, "The importance of values and ethics in the business world has reached an all-time high. I know from all my years in business that
any company takes on the values and personality of its leaders, and that's why it is so important to teach Judeo-Christian values to young people as part of their business education."

The faculty member selected for the Pursell Chair must have demonstrated exceptional scholarly work in the areas of values, leadership, ethics and corporate responsibility. The chairholder will provide formal course instruction to undergraduate and graduate students across the business curricula, including MBA and Ph.D candidates.

"Auburn University has the opportunity to move into a leadership position in the study and teaching of business ethics," said
Wayne Alderman, dean of the College of Business. "The James T. Pursell Sr. Ethics Scholar will spearhead the college's initiative to provide students across the curriculum with an education in value-based decision-making."

The faculty member awarded the chair will create the course for business majors. The course will focus on topics such as privacy of employee information, treatment of specific demographic groups, sexual harassment and compensation fairness.

"I've seen first-hand how a focus on values can impact a company and its people," said Pursell. "In 1977, we assembled all the employees at Pursell and told them from that point forward we would strive to operate the company using Christian principles in all aspects of our business. That Christian stand made us a better company, and I know it made me a better leader.

"That's why I think this type of values in education is so vital. And it is a little bit selfish, too," he added. "The students who take these courses will be the ones we hire to come to work for us, and they'll be the ones working for our customers and our suppliers in the future."
The Pursell chair will be awarded by the dean of the College of Business. The recipient will hold the chair for five years and may be reappointed by the dean. The endowment qualifies for matching funds from the Alabama Endowment Trust Fund for Eminent Scholars Program.

Pursell Industries, established in 1904, is one of the oldest ongoing fertilizer manufacturers in the United States operating under the originating family management.

A Talladega native, Pursell was a member of the Auburn track team. He served in the Air Force as a bombardier/navigator. He began working for his father-in-law, the late Howard Parker, in 1956 at Parker Fertilizer Co., which manufactured fertilizer and operated five cotton gins. Pursell became president of the fertilizer company in 1964 when Parker died. The company split into two operating divisions -- Pursell Industries and Pursell Technologies -- in 1997.

Pursell is married to the former Chris Parker of Sylacauga. His older son, Taylor, is president and chief executive officer of Pursell Industries, while his other son, David, is president and CEO of Pursell Technologies. Each of Pursell's sons, and his daughter, Chris Fleming of Montgomery, attended Auburn University.

Tickets available for theatre's 54th season

Season tickets are still available for the Auburn University Theatre's 54th season, which starts in November.

The first of four productions, "The Skin of Our Teeth", will be presented Nov. 11-20. The comedy takes a historical look at the ability of the human race to survive while emphasizing the value of art, literature and philosophy. The playwright, Thornton Wilder, is best know for "Our Town."

The American classic musical "Guys and Dolls" will be presented Feb. 15 20. Ralph Miller directs the musical with Tom Smith and David Alexander in a 25th anniversary celebration of the first time the three AU faculty members directed the musical at Auburn in 1974. The musical features songs and dance as it portrays a love interest between two people.

"A Raisin in the Sun" by Lorraine Hansberry will be presented April 27-30 and May 1. This classic was the first play produced on Broadway by an African-American woman. Set in 1959, the play follows the struggles of a black family trying to adapt to a changing world.

The final production of the season is Christopher Marlowe's "Edward The Second" which will be presented May 19-22 and 26-29. The historic play deals with the controversy surrounding the notorious English ruler and the reaction of nobles who are associated with Edward.

Show times are at 7:30 p.m. in the Telfair Peet Theatre. Sunday matinees will also be scheduled. For information on individual play or season tickets, call the ticket office at 844-4154.

In another activity, Telfair Peet Theatre will be haunted for the seventh annual "Stagefright" on Oct. 22-23 in a fundraiser for the AU Players, a group of students interested in theater and dramatic arts.
The theater will be open from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. both nights. Admission will be $3 at the door.

Professor assesses U.S. technology in report

High-tech investment has paid dividends for productivity in the U.S. manufacturing sector, but it can do even better with improved worker skills and training, says an AU expert.

A 26-page report on the use of 17 different manufacturing technologies -- written by Paul Swamidass, professor of operations management and associate director of the AU-based Thomas Walter Center for Technology Management -- was released recently by the Washington, D.C.-based National Association of Manufacturers.

The findings of the report serve as a benchmark for manufacturers interested in comparing their own use of technology with the national average.

The report -- the third in the "Technology on the Factory Floor" series -- shows the extent to which manufacturers have embraced productivity enhancing practices such as computerized integration, manufacturing cells and just-in-time manufacturing, and the resulting benefits. Swamidass concluded that education is the key component to continued progress in the effective use of technology in manufacturing.

Among the key findings in the study:
* Profitability showed strong gains. Return on investment stands at 16.9 percent, compared to 13 percent in the previous study conducted in 1993.
* Paced by the transportation industry, inventory turnover rates increased to 9.7 percent, up from 8 percent in 1993.
* Exporters use more manufacturing technology, adding a measure of competitive advantage to U.S. exporters.

Krueger wins national pharmacy award

Kem Krueger, an assistant professor of pharmacy care systems in AU's School of Pharmacy, has won the 1998 Pharmacy Practice Research award, given annually by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists Research and Education Foundation.

Krueger won the award for a paper he co-authored titled, "A Pharmoeconomic Model of Enoxaparin Versus Heparin for Prevention of Deep Vein Thrombosis After Total Hip Replacement." Krueger's co-authors were David Hawkins of the Medical College of Georgia and Paul Langley of the University of Colorado.

Newton, Ennels to discuss Maxwell history

Historians Wesley Newton and Jerome Ennels will present a program on the history of Montgomery's Maxwell Field and its role in American aviation at 4 p.m. Oct. 13 at AU's Center for the Arts and Humanities on DeBardeleben Street.

Newton and Ennels are authors of The Wisdom of Eagles: A History of Maxwell Air Force Base, which was published by Black Belt Press in 1997. Their work is the first comprehensive study of a U.S. military base.

Montgomery and Maxwell Field, site of today's Maxwell Air Force Base, played a major role in American civilian and military aviation, said Allen Cronenberg, director of the Center for the Arts and Humanities.

"The Wright Brothers came to Montgomery to fly their early planes," said Cronenberg, "and during World War II, so many aviators trained at Maxwell Field it was said that 'the road to Tokyo goes through Montgomery'."

Ennels is director of Maxwell Air Force Base's Office of History. Newton, who retired in 1987 from AU's Department of History, is a leading authority on the history of American air power. He pioneered the development of a popular AU undergraduate course in the history of aviation.

Copies of The Wisdom of Eagles: A History of Maxwell Air Force Base, will be available for purchase and signing by the authors. A reception will immediately follow the lecture.

Alabama Authors readings to start Oct. 18 in Tuskegee

Phyllis Alesia Perry, Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper editor and author of an acclaimed first novel, Stigmata, will give a reading at the Macon County-Tuskegee Public Library on Oct. 18.

The program is the first in the 1998-99 Alabama Voices IV, an annual series that brings writers to communities across the state. It is sponsored by AU's Center for the Arts and Humanities, the Alabama African-American Arts Alliance, the Alabama Writers' Forum. The Alabama State Council on the Arts funded this year's series.
Perry, a native of Tuskegee who now lives in Atlanta, will read at 4 p.m. from her book, which is a Book-of-the-Month club selection and a finalist for the Quality Paperback Book Club's New Voice Award. It is set in Tuskegee and Macon County and follows the life of Lizzie, whose life is changed forever when she inherits her grandmother's handmade quilt.

Other writers in this year's series are Nanci Kincaid, whose new novel, Balls, was just published by Algonquin; celebrated scholar and writer C. Eric Lincoln; and editor and writer Patricia Foster, whose books include Sister to Sister and The Healing Circle.

For more information, call the AU Center for the Arts and Humanities at 844-4946.

Use 'Auburn, AL' for return address on mailings from campus

AU has been advised by the U.S. Postal Service that the widely used address "Auburn University, AL 36849" is not a permissible mailing address.

The university is being permitted to continue using the nonstandard address until letterhead supplies are exhausted but, according to Postal Service guidelines, future letterhead should bear an address with the city, state and zip code on the bottom line.

The correct return address for future orders of letterhead and stationery is:
Department name
Auburn University
Building number and name
(or street address)
Auburn, AL 36849-****
**** departmental code (where applicable)

Campus Views: Don't forget lesson of the dirty sandals
By Herbert Rotfeld, Professor, Marketing & Transportation

Parents send children to college because they are told that it increases future earning potentials, often without understanding just what it is about college that makes it valuable. With President Clinton stating a desire that two years of college become as universal as high school graduation, the focus has been on credits earned and degrees awarded, not on education. As a special Commission, a task force and the Board of Trustees debate the nature and future of Auburn as a university, the faculty and courses often seem to get tossed into the discussion as interchangeable line units. As faculty depart and are not replaced, those left behind find some courses scheduled with less-than-optimal matches between content and instructor expertise, presenting a view that it is only the course credit which has value.

In Rebecca Goldstein's novel Mazel, a brief story within the story tells of a traveling peasant who encounters a windstorm. As the peasant walked along the path afterward, he discovered that he now possessed a wonderful new understanding of all mysteries of life. When he later took off his sandals to rest and stretch, the knowledge left him, only to return when he put the sandals back on. The peasant realized that his footwear was the source of his wisdom, but he did not know that the windstorm had blown a leaf from the Tree of Knowledge out of the Garden of Eden and it had become stuck to the bottom of one sandal.

As such stories often go, the king's daughter was gravely ill and the peasant used his new wisdom to provide a cure which saved the princess' life. The king wanted to know how a lowly peasant came to possess such abilities and the peasant said, "It is my sandals." A strange statement like that might be hard to believe, but once persuaded, the king offered the peasant half the kingdom in exchange for those sandals. The peasant readily made the trade, but no king wants to wear dirty sandals.
And when ordered to clean the sandals, the king's servants scraped off the leaf from the Tree of Knowledge with the rest of the dirt. As a result, wearing the sandals failed to make the king any wiser or more insightful than he was before.

The valuable leaf was buried in the dirt, but the king wanted the sandals, not realizing it was the dirt that carried the real value. Too many college students, like that king, only want the sandals. Even worse, they go to great lengths to avoid all dirt, never even taking a chance on acquiring the important leaf.

And yet, the students, their parents and other potential supporters of the university are not fully at fault, since so little is done to tell them the truth. To an extent, the universities have only themselves to blame. Listen to university advertising campaigns (not just ours) and you'll see that faculty and administrators often are selling only the clean sandals. Students are told that they need to go to school for future earnings and they never understand that it is what they learn in the process, learning how to learn more, which has the value. Admittedly, it is hard for schools to sell something as abstract as "learning," but that is the only real college benefit that students can carry into life.

A lot has been said about the need for our students to be able to deliver a presentation, work in groups and know the proper "form" for a business letter. But sometimes even the faculty forget that it is even more important that they must also know how to compile and analyze information that would go into the presentations, group meetings and letters. As a result, it should surprise no one that few students are desiring to read a book and answer questions unless they are first told what they need to know and what is important to remember.

It wasn't that long ago that universities were primarily concerned with the organization and dissemination of knowledge, not the accumulation and bestowing of credit. In-class job training or a collection of credits provides value for future employers only if it represents a developed ability to think. And learning to learn is what will serve both students and their employers for the rest of the students' lives.

Campus Roundup

Nominations sought for Alumni Teaching Awards
The Auburn Alumni Association is seeking nominations for Undergraduate Teaching Excellence Awards. Students, alumni and others may nominate faculty from each of Auburn's colleges and schools. Award winners will receive a plaque and a $500 honorarium. To nominate a faculty member or to support a nomination, send a letter describing the instructor's teaching performance, knowledge of subject, impact on nominator's personal educational experience and influence within AU to Liz Peel, Alumni Teaching Awards, Auburn Alumni Center, campus. Deadline for nominations is Dec. 14. Call 844-1146 for additional information.

Seminar set on retirement supplement
A seminar to brief faculty and staff on the university's tax deferred annuity program will be at 10 a.m., Oct. 14, in Foy 213. The annual seminar provides information and assistance to employees who are participating in the tax deferred annuity plan or are eligible and considering participating. The seminar is conducted by representatives of companies approved by the university to handle the retirement annuities, and representatives from Payroll and Employee Benefits will be on hand to provide assistance. Employees who participate in the program have up to 5 percent of the first $18,000 of their annual pay deducted from their paychecks; that amount is matched by the university and put in a TIAA-CREF or other approved annuity of the employee's choosing as a retirement supplement.

Stressed out? Group offers help
A free, structured stress management group is being organized by the Student Success Center and will serve faculty, staff and students. The group meets Tuesdays from 3-4:30 p.m. in Foy 189. Call Vern Russell at 844-5123 for details.

BC/BS representative visits scheduled
AU's Blue Cross/Blue Shield representative will be at Payroll and Benefits, Ingram 212, from 10 a.m.-noon, Oct. 12, to answer questions about health insurance coverage and other Blue Cross/Blue Shield benefits. No appointment is necessary.

Volunteers sought for study
The Child Development Lab in the Department of Psychology seeks volunteers for a study involving children, ages 6-11, and their parents. Participating parents will complete questionnaires, and the children will take part in one lab procedure. Participants will be compensated up to $70 for their time and effort. Contact Mona El-Sheikh or graduate assistants at 844-6905.

Business Office changes ledger subcodes
The Business Office has revised the list of subsidiary ledger subcodes, effective Oct. 1. Information about the revisions has been mailed to departments campuswide. Notify Accounts Payable at 844-3620 if you do not receive this information by either e-mail or campus mail by Oct. 10.

Achievements

Vivian Larkin, an academic program assistant with Rehabilitation and Special Education, and Shirley Barnes, a career development counselor, were recently recognized for their excellence for services provided to the AU Minority Engineering Program. Both serve as outreach participant volunteers with the program. Barnes has assisted the program director and students on a volunteer basis and has helped the Southeastern Consortium for Minorities in Engineering annual Science, Mathematics, Engineering and Technology contest for middle and high school students. In addition, she has facilitated several seminars conducted by the National Society of Black Engineers and Society of Women Engineers.

Kelley D. Alley, an associate professor of anthropology, has been elected treasurer for the Society for Urban National and International Anthropology.

Michael Solomon of the Department of Consumer Affairs, recently delivered a series of invited lectures in Sweden. In addition to offering seminars for advanced graduate students and faculty at the Stockholm School of Economics, Solomon gave a public lecture on "Symbolic Consumption and Marketing Communications."

Sridhar Krishnamurti of Communication Disorders, has been selected as a recipient of a New Investigator Research Award for 1998 by the American Academy of Audiology.

Donna Angarano, associate dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine, has been named president of the American College of Veterinary Dermatology.

Charles Sox, an associate professor in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, has received the Institute of Industrial Engineers' Transaction Award for best paper in scheduling and logistics focused issues. The paper, entitled "Optimization-Based Planning for the Stohastic Lot-Scheduling Problem," was co authoried by John Muckstadt, a professor in the School of Operations Research & Industrial Engineering at Cornell University. The award promotes excellence in industrial engineering research applications.

Kelly D. Jolley, an associate professor of philosophy, recently spoke at the Lewis White Beck Memorial Conference at the University of Rochester in New York.

Harry Cullinan, professor and director of the Department of Chemical Engineering based Pulp & Paper Research & Education Center, has been elected president of the newly formed Pulp and Paper Education and Research Alliance.

Unsung Hero: Jesse Smith, AU Building Services

This week's Unsung Hero is Jesse Smith, supervisor I, floor care technicians, with Building Services. He has been at AU for 20 years. He was asked:

I get the greatest satisfaction in my job when... "we have the opportunity to serve our customers then receive a letter of appreciation for a job well done, and working closely with my supervisor, assistant supervisor and employees."

In my job area, quality is measured by... "giving good services, using quality products, getting the employee to put forth maximum effort while performing his or her job, and maintaining a positive attitude."
If I could change one thing about Auburn, it would be... "having more parking decks on campus."

I've always wondered why... "we stopped visiting other universities to compare floor care products and equipment and to get more ideas on housekeeping."

When people come to this campus, I want them to... "visit the entire campus because this is a beautiful place, and people are courteous, pleasant, friendly and they have good attitudes when dealing with customers. This shows respect."

In my spare time I like to.. "spend time with my grandkids, fish and travel."

Upcoming Events
Tuesday, October 6
* University Senate: 3:10 p.m., Broun Hall Auditorium.
Friday, October 9
* Deadline to register for Oct. 28 Fred Pryor Seminar, "Evelyn Wood Reading Dynamics." Contact Sheila Lett or Pat Dorsey at Human Resources, 844-4145.
Monday, October 12
* Blue Cross/Blue Shield representative available for consultation. No appointment necessary. 10 a.m-noon, Payroll & Employee Benefits, Ingram 212.
* Toastmasters International communication skills development, 5:30 p.m., Comer 109.
* Student Success Center Presentation: "Major In Success," featuring "success coach" Patrick Combs, 7 p.m. Success Center Showcase, 6 p.m.
Tuesday, October 13
* University Faculty Fall Meeting: 3:10 p.m., Broun Hall Auditorium.
* Career Development Services Career Expo, 2-9 p.m., Conference Center.
Wednesday, October 14
* Seminar on tax deferred annuities, 10 a.m., Foy 213.