AU REPORT May 8, 2000
Headlines Samford cites AU's progress Redfields to receive President's Award Muse staying at AU Task force considers library update

Samford: Efforts to improve quality pay off for AU

Emphasizing signs of progress at Auburn, Jimmy Samford, president pro tem of the AU Board of Trustees, told the Administrative and Professional Assembly last Wednesday that the university is stronger than at any other point in its history.

Samford said the progress and quality of the university should not be obscured in the discussions of other issues. "Auburn is a fine institution today. Perhaps it is in as good an overall condition as it has ever been -- by almost any measure," said the Opelika native and 1972 AU graduate.

He cited such improvements as:
* Implementation of "Peaks of Excellence" to raise the national stature of a select number of academic programs and increased funding for other academic programs in all colleges and schools.
* A stronger financial picture, with more funds to make salaries more competitive and to improve facilities.
* A commitment to placing and keeping Auburn at the forefront of modern technology for its academic programs and business operations.
He noted that Auburn has received a record number of applications for the freshman class despite a drop in enrollment at other institutions nationally and in Alabama.

Samford cited improvements in facilities and investment in programs over the past two decades as signs of the strength of the university. However, he added, Auburn's biggest advantage is its people. "The board is committed to retaining and rewarding the dedicated, quality faculty, staff and administrative and professional personnel who continue to serve this university," he said.

The Board of Trustees has had to deal with sometimes difficult issues, he said, because of an Alabama political and economic environment that is not always favorable to the university. The state has too many demands on too few education dollars, he noted. Given that environment, he said, "It is nearly impossible to expect any meaningful reform in higher education funding to come out of Montgomery.

"The board is committed to Auburn controlling its own destiny regardless of the financial conditions in the state," Samford stressed. For instance, he said, the board made a commitment eight years ago to protect and improve Auburn's physical plant despite many years of meager state support for such improvements. As a result, he noted, the university will budget $7 million next year to address deferred maintenance, approximately 10 times the amount allocated in the early '90s.

The university has to wisely manage its resources to enhance and protect its core programs, Samford said. One major goal, he said, is to keep Auburn programs and technology responsive to a rapidly changing environment for its students.

The university risks criticism by being innovative, but that is a price of progress, Samford said. Noting that the board, because of its responsibility to set policy, has become a lightning rod for criticism, Samford said, "There may be differences of opinion about the future, and I respect that, but the board's motives and aspirations for Auburn are as positive and genuine as those of anyone."

The board, he said, is committed to the highest level of quality for Auburn. "We expect Auburn to take its rightful place among the finest public universities in the nation."

Celestine Prophecy author, wife to receive award

The AU President's Award for Humanitarian Service for 2000 will go to authors James and Salle Redfield, who have developed a worldwide following for their works on the search for greater spirituality in the modern world.

The Redfields will present a lecture, "Spirituality in the New Millennium," at 4 p.m. Thursday, May 25, at the Dixon Conference Center.

Following the lecture, AU President William Muse will present the President's Award, which was established in 1999 to recognize exceptional service to humanity by Auburn alumni. Last year's recipient was Millard Fuller, founder of Habitat for Humanity.

"At a time when others speak of wars and human conflict, James and Salle Redfield are devoting their lives to reminding people around the world of humanity's higher calling and potential," said Muse. "Their humanitarian service is exemplary."

A native of Shelby County, James Redfield earned two degrees from Auburn before authoring the metaphysical novels The Celestine Prophecy and The Tenth Insight, which were among the most widely read and thoroughly examined books in the world in the 1990s.

Redfield's latest work, The Secret of Shambhala: In Search of the Eleventh Insight further explores a philosophy in which spiritual enlightenment is possible through a series of insights and steps that can be mastered through intention, prayer and trust in divine guidance.

Andalusia native Salle Merrill Redfield, who attended Auburn in the 1970s, has published a series of works which examine the role of meditation in attaining a higher level of spiritual enlightenment. Her most recent book is Creating a Life of Joy: A Meditative Guide. She also wrote and recorded the audio programs "The Joy of Meditating," "The Celestine Meditations" and "Meditations for the Tenth Insight."

After earning a bachelor's degree in sociology in 1972 and a master's degree in counseling and counseling psychology in 1975 from Auburn, James Redfield worked as a therapist until he began writing The Celestine Prophecy in 1989. He first self-published the book in 1992, and after it crossed a very rare self-publishing threshold - 100,000 copies, it garnered the attention of the major publishing houses and subsequently, Warner Books secured the publication rights. Publishing Trends listed the book as the number two international bestseller in 1995 and number one in 1996.

The Tenth Insight, published in 1996, also became a bestseller, and demand for the two books made Redfield the best selling hardcover author in the world that year.

In pulling together the concepts behind The Celestine Prophecy and his later works, Redfield drew from a mix of his professional training and experience, Western and Eastern religious philosophies, interactive psychology, science, futurism, ecology, history and mysticism.

After helping her husband launch the first book, Salle Merrill Redfield published The Joy of Meditating in 1995 and three subsequent works on the role of meditation in the search for spiritual fulfillment.

Muse staying at Auburn after UF interview

AU President William Muse announced on May 1 that he had withdrawn his name from consideration as president of the University of Florida, where he had interviewed the week before.

"I have notified the chancellor of the State University System of Florida that I do not wish to remain a candidate for the presidency of the University of Florida," Muse said. "I enjoyed my visit to Gainesville and appreciated the opportunity to consider that possibility.

"I feel, however, that my time and talents can best be used at Auburn. I have been gratified by the support provided to me by Auburn people and their encouragement to remain here. I look forward to continuing my work at Auburn."

After Muse and a second finalist for the Florida presidency -- Anthony Catanese, president of Florida Atlantic University -- withdrew, the Florida Board of Regents decided to reopen the search.

Promoting Asian-Auburn ties
Among those participating in a ceremony marking the gift of a Chinese painting by Chinese master artist Wan Ko Yee as well as a scholarship and a fellowship to AU were, from left, College of Liberal Arts Dean John Heilman; Judy Kwan, representing the artist; Nancy Hartsfield, head of the AU Department of Art; Michael DeMarsche, director of the Jule Collins Smith Art Museum; AU President William Muse; and David Wu, president of the Ritz Foundation.


Foundation donates student aid, Chinese art

Auburn University has received support from a California-based international foundation to promote cultural exchanges with Asian countries.

David Wu, president of the Ritz Foundation of Pomona, Calif., presented the University with a painting by Chinese master artist Wan Ko Yee and signed an agreement to fund a scholarship in art and a graduate fellowship in the College of Liberal Arts.

In a meeting with AU President William Muse and other AU administrators and faculty, Wu described the occasion as the beginning of closer cultural ties between Auburn and Asian artists and scholars.

The painting was offered as a gift to AU's new Jule Collins Smith Art Museum, which is due to open in 2002.

The Chinese art master will likely visit Auburn for an extended stay in the future, Wu said. Due to the popularity of his work on the West Coast, Yee is interested in a more serene environment in which to pursue his work while in the United States, Wu said.

Liberal Arts Dean John Heilman, who arranged contacts between officials for the Ritz Foundation and those for the university, said several AU liberal arts programs and students throughout the university would benefit through exposure to Asian artists and their work.

"Auburn has long had strong ties in the sciences with institutions and individuals throughout Asia, but most of our students have had limited exposure to the depth and breadth of the arts in Asian culture," Heilman said.

"By building closer cultural ties with Asia, we can help students gain a greater appreciation for life in a multicultural world," he added. "At the same time, we hope to create more awareness of Auburn and the Southeastern United States in the cultural community of Asian countries."

Michael DeMarsche, director of the AU art museum, described the painting as "a very elegant work and a superb example of traditional Chinese landscape painting." DeMarsche said the painting could be part of a small, high-quality collection of Asian art that the museum could acquire over a period of years.

"We are very honored that the Ritz Foundation chose us to receive the painting," said DeMarsche. "We hope to have a longterm, continuing relationship and cultural interaction with a number of Asian artists through the foundation."

The first contact between Auburn and the Ritz Foundation came through a meeting in Taiwan between Wu and AU Electrical Engineering Professor John Wu, who is unrelated to the foundation president. David Wu said he liked the way the Auburn professor described the university. As a result of that discussion, he said, Auburn came to mind when the foundation started looking to the Southeast as a new area of the United States in which to support stronger ties with Asia.

The Ritz Foundation is a non-profit organization that fosters artistic and cultural exchanges between the peoples of North America and Asia.

Task force considers changes in libraries

Changes may be on the horizon for AU Libraries in an effort by library faculty and staff to better serve patrons in the age of information technology.

The Reconfiguration Task Force, a committee of library faculty and staff and university faculty, will make its recommendations to Dean Stella Bentley, based on months of research and discussion with library leaders across the nation.

The recommendations will address many aspects of library use and function, said task force chair Helen Goldman, a Librarian II at RBD. "We've been very forward thinking in our recommendations," she said, adding that the task force looked at each issue as to how it would affect the library's design, technology advances and staffing.

The task force used several tools in developing the recommendations, including seeking input from focus groups, input from library faculty and staff, hiring an external reviewer to review library services and staff and tours of other libraries at comparable universities. In addition, the task force had Open Friday sessions where others could attend, listen and ask questions about the task force's work.

"It has been more than 10 years since the current configuration of the RBD library was designed," Goldman said. "During the ensuing years, we have seen tremendous changes in the ways we provide information resources to the campus community, the types of resources that we provide and the ways in which the campus community uses the library."

Shauna Buring, chair of the University Library Committee and an assistant professor in the Department of Clinical Pharmacy Practice, said the recommendations will plan for the future of AU's libraries.

"The task force looked at all issues from the user's perspective," she said. "They didn't look at issues as to how it would affect their job, but how best could patrons be served in making any recommended changes."

RBD adds more than 35,000 volumes to its collection annually, and collections in other formats also increase. "We're looking at issues like how can the library grow and stay in the confined space," Buring said.

The task force's recommendations will focus on how AU's library system should position itself for the next five years. "We thought that was a far as we wanted to look because of the many changes we face," Goldman added.

Sullivan Awards
AU President William Muse, second from left, congratulates winners of the 2000 Algernon Sidney Sullivan Awards, from left, Chad Chandler, Emily Melvin and Emily McClanahan.

Melvin, students earn latest Sullivan Awards

Emily Melvin, associate professor and assistant dean of the Auburn University College of Education, has received one of three Algernon Sydney Sullivan Awards at AU for 2000.

The other awards went to Chad Chandler, a senior marketing major; and Emily McClanahan, a senior in international business.

The awards, presented Thursday in a campus ceremony, are given annually to at least one AU student and one other person, usually either a faculty or staff member or an alumnus.

Auburn is one of several Southern universities that present the award -- sponsored by the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Foundation -- to recognize faculty, staff or students who exhibit the award namesake's ideals of "excellence in character, service to humanity, scholarship or other activities" or alumni who perform "conspicuous and meritorious service of any nature to humanity."

Melvin joined the Auburn faculty in 1976 and has been assistant dean since 1993. She has received two Fulbright-Hays awards, using them to study the culture of India in 1981 and the Indian education system in 1983. She has also founded and chaired state committees on public school curricula, served on numerous AU committees and been active in various professional and civic organizations.

Algernon Sydney Sullivan was a prominent New York lawyer in the 1800s and the first president of the Southern Society. The first Sullivan awards were presented at Peabody College in Nashville, Tenn., now a part of Vanderbilt University. Auburn has been recognizing Sullivan Award winners since 1951.

Smith performs at Carnegie Hall

Thomas Smith, professor of music and director of Choral Activities at Auburn University, recently conducted at the nation's premier concert hall, Carnegie Hall in New York.

Smith was invited to participate by Field Studies International, Inc., an organization which brings conductors to New York to work with high school choirs from across the nation.

Smith led one 300-member choir composed of 15 high school choirs. That choir was one of three that performed April 16 at Carnegie Hall. His high schoolers were members of the Association of Christian Schools International Youth Chorale.

For the past 28 years, Smith has served as director of Choral Activities at AU and has traveled all around the world with the AU Singers, AU Concert Choir, Men's Chorus and Women's Chorus.

In addition to his duties as director of Choral Activities, Smith teaches choral conducting, choral arranging, choral techniques, and choral literature at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Gateway required for AU units to collect payment on web

Anticipating a surge in electronic commerce, Auburn has implemented an e-commerce management policy to protect the security of all AU Internet web sites that conduct credit transactions.

The policy was designed to ensure the appropriate and timely processing of electronic financial transactions, especially credit card payments via the web, according to AU administrators. To achieve that purpose, the policy requires any unit conducting financial transactions over the university's web server to use the central web payment gateway implemented by AU's Division of Information Technology.

The secured central gateway meets the industry standard for privacy protection and oversight to protect against abuses of credit card information, said Charles Bruce, director of Treasury Services, which administers the e-commerce policy.

The gateway is the only one permitted for on-line payments on the university's web server. AU web pages developed by department personnel or subcontractors are required to use the gateway for acceptance of credit card numbers or other related personal information from credit cards.

Applications for access to the gateway are reviewed by a committee of representatives from Treasury Services, Bursar, Controller, Business and Finance and Information Services. For information, check the web site or contact the Office of Treasury Services, Samford 13, or telephone 844-4610.

Crocker, Pettit receive awards for creative research

Two Auburn faculty members whose research is in the areas of family and child development and mechanical engineering are recipients of AU's Creative Research Award for 2000.

Malcolm Crocker, a Distinguished University Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, and Greg Pettit, an Alumni Professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies, and will be honored at 7 p.m. Friday, May 12, at Dixon Conference Center.

Sponsored by the AU Research Advisory Council -- a group of private business and industry leaders -- the Creative Research Award carries a $5,000 cash prize and a plaque.

In announcing the winners, Michael Moriarty, vice president for research said, "These awards are our way of providing extra recognition to Auburn's outstanding faculty researchers. Candidates are nominated from within their departments by their peers, and the winners are selected based on the merits of their work and career achievements.

Pettit is recognized as one of the leading scholars and researchers in the field of child development. His work has received national and international acclaim, and he is consistently among the top externally funded researchers in the College of Human Sciences.

Pettit has garnered more than $3 million in extramural research funding from the National Institutes of Health and other funding agencies. The author of more than 50 articles and book chapters, his writings have been published in some of the field's leading and most prestigious scholarly journals.

Pettit has been on the Auburn faculty for 10 years and was named an Alumni Professor in 1998.

Crocker is recognized as a leading expert in the field of acoustics and noise control. He joined the Auburn faculty from Purdue University in 1983 as head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering and in 1990, was named a Distinguished University Professor.

He has been named chairman of the Seventh International Congress on Sound and Vibration, scheduled in Germany this year, and has served as editor-in-chief of three internationally recognized texts in the field, including the Encyclopedia of Acoustics, which won the Award for Excellence from the Association of American Publishers for Professional and Scholarly Publishing.

Crocker's research program at Auburn in acoustics and noise control has generated more than $2 million in extramural support.

Nobel laureate to speak at AU

Nobel Prize-winning physicist William D. Phillips will present the final 1999-2000 Littleton-Franklin Lecture in Science and Humanities at 4 p.m. Thursday, May 18, in the Dixon Conference Center auditorium.

A physicist at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Phillips received the 1996 Albert A. Michelson Medal and the 1997 Nobel prize in physics for his experiments on the cooling and trapping of atoms by laser beams. The technique brought about the synthesis of a new form of matter, a Bose-Einstein condensate.

The Littleton-Franklin Lectures have been sponsored since 1968 by the John and Mary Franklin Foundation of Atlanta. The series also recognizes the services of Mosley Professor Emeritus Taylor Littleton.

COSAM faculty earn awards for teaching, advising

The College of Sciences and Mathematics honored two faculty members and two graduate teaching assistants at its annual awards banquet April 28 at the Dixon Conference Center.

James Bradley, professor of biological sciences and director of the Human Odyssey program, was honored as the outstanding COSAM teacher. Bradley has been at Auburn since 1976 and was similarly honored in 1984 with the outstanding faculty member award from AU's Cardinal Key honorary.

Jack Rogers, professor of mathematics and director of AU's Honors College, was honored as COSAM's outstanding advisor. Rogers, who has been on the AU faculty since 1973, was cited in letters of nomination for the award for his open-door policy toward students and his willingness to advise them on academic and social matters beyond course selection.

Atif Abueida and Brett Jones were honored as outstanding graduate teaching assistants. Abueida teaches courses in discrete and statistical sciences and Jones in biological sciences.

Spirit of Excellence
AU presents Spirit of Excellence Awards to four different employees each month in recognition of exceptional service. Recipients for April were, from left, Wynadine Morris of the Department of Educational Foundations, Leadership and Technology; Karen Brown and Tammie Patterson, both from Information Systems Support; and, not shown, Virginia Shealey of Facilities.



Book explores role of Auburn grad in Mexican artistic revival

The life of Auburn alumnus and silversmith William Spratling, who helped revive the Mexican silver industry during that country's artistic renaissance in the 1920s and 1930s, is explored through a new book by an AU emeritus faculty member.

The Color of Silver: William Spratling, His Life and Art by Taylor Littleton, the W. Kelly Mosley Professor of Science and Humanities Emeritus at AU, was published this month by the Louisiana State University Press.

Spratling, a native of New York who lived with his grandfather's family outside Auburn in Gold Hill, refined his childhood artistic skills as an AU student and instructor of architecture under professor Frederic C. Biggin from 1918-1922.

In this illustrated biography, Littleton reintroduces one of the most fascinating American expatriates of the early 20th century. Best known for his revolutionary silver designs, Spratling influenced an entire generation of Mexican and American silversmiths and transformed the tiny village of Taxco into the "Florence of Mexico."

Littleton widens the context of Spratling's popular reputation by examining the formative periods in his life and art that preceded his brilliant entrepreneurial experiment in the Las Delicias workshop in Taxco, which left a permanent mark on Mexico's artistic orientation and economic life.

Littleton, a longtime AU faculty member and administrator, is W. Kelly Mosley Professor of Science and Humanities Emeritus at Auburn and the coauthor of Advancing American Art: Painting, Politics and Cultural Confrontation at Mid-Century and Athletics and Academe.

Seminar to discuss use of teaching technologies

Bringing theory and practice together in engineering classrooms will be the focus of a workshop at Auburn on Thursday-Saturday, May 11-13.

The workshop will be led by P.K. Raju, Distinguished Professor of Mechanical Engineering, and Chetan S. Sankar, Distinguished Professor of Management in the College of Business.

The session is sponsored by the university, AU's Laboratory for Innovative Technology and Engineering Education and the National Science Foundation. Raju says the workshop has attracted interest from engineering faculty at MIT, Georgia Tech, the University of Pittsburgh, Texas Tech, University of Windsor in Canada, University of Alabama at Huntsville, Alabama A&M and Tuskegee University.

The workshop will teach "effective strategies to prepare students for real-world problem-solving situations and train them in team building, interaction, and interdisciplinary skills," he said "All case studies discussed in the workshop were developed in partnership with an industry-agency," said Raju.

Children's Champions award
From left, Darwin Liverance and Albert Snipes of Human Resources and Lynne Hammond of the AU President's Office receive the Children's Champions award on behalf of the university from Gail Piggott, ECCA Manager.

AU honored for leadership in ECCA

Auburn University and the East Alabama Medical Center have been recognized by the Employers Child Care Alliance for leadership in the alliance's efforts to improve child care quality and availability in Lee County.

AU and EAMC received employer awards from the alliance at its Children's Champion Recognition Dinner on April 25 at the Dixon Conference Center.

The university was cited for "its simple and clear description of the obstacles often faced by working parents in their effort to be effective and responsive parents" and for efforts to promote a family friendly workplace.

"Becoming a more family friendly workplace does not necessarily have to involve large expenditures," said ECCA Manager Gail Piggott, who noted AU's active support of alliance initiative.

"Understanding and responding to families' needs regarding their children and addressing issues such as child care, illness and school or center activities can help employers become respected and appreciated by a more loyal and dependable workforce," she added.

The ECCA is a cooperative alliance of leading Lee County employers in development, enhancement and improved availability of high-quality, affordable child care for their employees. For information about or assistance in locating child care services, contact the ECCA at 749-8400.

AU Theatre presents 'Arcadia' this month

The Department of Theatre will present the comedy "Arcadia" at Telfair Peet Theatre this month, the final offering of the 1999-2000 season.

Performances will be May 18-20 and May 24-27 at 7:30 p.m., with a matinee performance on May 27, at 2 p.m. Tickets for each show are $12 for general admission; $10 for AU faculty, staff and senior citizens and $8 for AU students.

For more information or to reserve tickets, call the Telfair Peet Ticket Office at 334/844-4154. Telfair Peet Theatre is on Auburn's campus at the corner of Samford Avenue and Duncan Drive.

The play, written by Tom Stoppard, offers teachers of both mathematics and the humanities the opportunity to join forces in a unique and rewarding way. The play features two mathematicians, and the mathematical ideas they are involved with form one of the main subthemes of the play.

In addition to the play and because of its academic nature, several AU faculty members from a variety of disciplines will participate in a pre show discussion May 19, and a post-show discussion May 25.

The pre-show will be at 6:30 p.m. in the Theatre Upstairs. Phil Shevlin, professor of Chemistry at AU and chair of the Littleton-Franklin Lecture series, and John Fleming, a theatre faculty member at Southwestern Texas State University and Stoppard scholar, will preside. They, as well as Joe Perez, professor and head of Physics; Brooks Appelbaum, an instructor of English; and German Mills, an associate professor of Chemistry; will answer questions and speak informally on themes and issues raised in the play.

Campus Roundup

Forum discusses possible merger
The AU Chapter of the American Association of University Professors will host a forum on the proposed merger of the Journalism and Communication departments at 4 p.m. Thursday, May 11, in Tichenor 206.
Scheduled participants are Provost William Walker, College of Liberal Arts Dean John Heilman, Communication Department Chair Mary Helen Brown, Journalism Associate Professor Judith Sheppard and John Stevenson, publisher of the Randolph Leader newspaper in Roanoke.

Kosolapoff Award Lecture set for May 9
The AU Chemistry Department and the Auburn Section of the American Chemical Society have selected Chemistry Professor Josef Michl from the University of Colorado as the recipient of their annual G.M. Kosolapoff Award. Michl's Award Lecture, "Molecular 'Tinkertoy' Construction Sets," will be at 8 p.m. Tuesday, May 9, in Chemistry Building room 151. He will also present the lecture "Chemistry with Anions and Radicals" at 3:45 p.m. Wednesday in the same location. The award is named for a former AU professor who was one of the world's leading authorities in chemistry in the mid-20th century.

Alumni Association president to speak to AAUP
Bill Porter of Birmingham, president of the Auburn Alumni Association, will speak at 3:30 p.m. Friday, May 12, to the AU chapter of the American Association of University Professors in Tichenor 206. Porter will discuss the status of legislation to restructure the Board of Trustees and opportunities for alumni and faculty to work together for the betterment of the university. The meeting is open to the public. The AAUP will have a short business meeting for its members following Porter's remarks.

BC/BS representative on campus
AU's Blue Cross/Blue Shield representative will be on campus in Ingram 212 from 10 a.m.-noon on Tuesday, May 9, to meet with faculty and staff who have questions or need assistance concerning their BC/BS insurance coverage. No appointment is necessary.

Wylie to present piano concert
Roy Wylie, associate professor in the Department of Music, will present a piano concert at 8 p.m., Friday, May 12, in Goodwin Recital Hall. He will perform works from Mozart, Listz, Debussy and Poulenic. He is president elect of the Southern Division of the Music Teachers National Association and has performed throughout the United States and in Europe. Admission is free.

Subject of book to speak at veterinary college
Patricia Moehlman, the subject of the book Jackal Woman, will speak at noon Friday, May 12, in Greene 203 at the College of Veterinary Medicine. Moehlman will speak on "The Behavioral Ecology of Jackals and the Evolution of Cooperative Breeding in Canidae." She has studied jackals on the Serengeti Plain in Tanzania, Africa, for more than 30 years, and her articles and photographs have appeared in books, scientific journals, and in National Geographic. Moehlman's presentation is sponsored by the Joy Goodwin Lecture Series.

Reception for Lafayette authors May 11
A signing activitiy is set for Thursday, May 11, at 6 p.m. at Pebble Hill to honor Lafayette High School students who wrote, edited and published the LaFayette High School Literary Magazine. The students were under the direction of poet and AU English professor Natasha Trethewey and writer Mary Moran, and the project was funded through Alabama Voices V, a project of the Center for the Arts and Humanities.

Campus Views: Changes needed in proposed trustee bills

By W. James Samford Jr., President Pro Tempore, AU Board of Trustees
Auburn University is headed in the right direction -- in the classroom and on the field. The Board of Trustees, of which I am proud to serve as president pro-tem, has worked with the administration, faculty, students and alumni to confront some difficult decisions about our academic programs. These decisions, prompted by deep cuts in state funding, have led to a refocusing of our assets on the classroom needs of students and improving faculty salaries.

As a result of action by our trustees, our new "Peaks of Excellence" programs in transportation, information technology, detection and food safety, biological sciences, fisheries and allied aquaculture, poultry science and forestry and wildlife sciences will set the tone for other universities nationally.

Freshmen entering Auburn have the highest entrance test scores in the state. In fact, Auburn is so attractive to high school seniors that the university was forced to cut off admissions earlier than usual for fall 2000. We are expecting a record enrollment of freshmen in August. We have made major strides in maintaining and upgrading our facilities campuswide.

Our athletic programs are on the upswing. The nationally recognized Sears Cup ranked Auburn's athletic programs overall as No. 1 in the state and in the top 20 nationally. More importantly, our student-athletes are graduating at a higher rate than any other public university in the Southeastern Conference -- even higher than the general student population at Auburn.

There are many more facts available that could demonstrate the progress being made at Auburn these days. This is the result of a team approach by everyone associated with Auburn University.

In addition to revising Auburn University's academic programs, we are also in agreement that the process for selecting future board members should be changed.

Our board supports a two-term limit, a reduction in the length of terms from 12 to eight years, expansion of the membership to permit out-of state residents to serve and the creation of a selection system that would involve the governor, the trustees and the alumni with confirmation by the Alabama Senate.

What we do not support, however, are provisions in the legislation pending in the Senate that we frankly believe are not in the best interest of Auburn University and would further politicize the trustee selection process.

The most troubling aspect of this legislation -- and one that I cannot support -- is a provision that would remove the Auburn trustee selection process from the Alabama Constitution.

This is a very shortsighted view of what is best for the longterm future of Alabama's largest university. It would mean that next year or any year in the future, the Alabama Legislature could change the process again through a simple law -- without the citizens of Alabama having an opportunity to vote.

This point of concern has been repeatedly raised to myself and other trustees by Auburn alumni and supporters. We must have the protections guaranteed by inclusion in the constitution -- protections also given to the University of Alabama.

Several weeks ago, I joined with several others in discussing a possible compromise bill that would include the needed reforms but would keep the selection process in the constitution. Unfortunately, our efforts have been unsuccessful. It is improbable that such a compromise could be thoughtfully fashioned, debated and passed by the House and Senate with only a few days remaining in the current legislative session.

We must not do anything hastily that would damage the future of one of Alabama's most valuable assets and one of the nation's premier land-grant universities. We must be sure that we have absolutely the best solution to the selection process. In my view, this issue can be resolved with a compromise that will have across-the-board support in the next legislative session.

The best alternative now is for people of goodwill who love and support Auburn University and care about its future to come together to begin working on a new proposal that can move forward with broad support from all segments of the Auburn Family.

The future of this great university is too important to do anything less.

Unsung Hero: Kristin Kammerman, office assistant

This week's Unsung Hero is Kristin V. Kammermann, office assistant in the Department of Pathobiology, where she has been for her five and a half years at Auburn. She was asked:

What do you do in your current job? "I assist the people in my department with secretarial jobs they need completed."

What is the most rewarding part of your job? "I enjoy being able to help other people. My job provides me with a lot of opportunities to do that."

What is the most challenging part of your job? (no response)

If you were not doing this job, what would you most like to do? (no response)

What makes Auburn special? "I believe the people make Auburn special. I know when I first came to work at Auburn the people in the Department of Pathobiology made me feel welcome and had a lot of patience and understanding with me."

What was your first impression of Auburn University? "I remember driving through the campus with my family when I was a child. I thought most of the older buildings were architecturally attractive."

How has that impression changed? "I still believe Auburn has a pretty campus."

What words best describe Auburn as a work environment, learning environment or just a place to be? (no response)

What do you like to do when not at work? "I really enjoy watching old movies."

What person or persons do you most admire and why? "My maternal grandmother is the person I admire the most. She went through a lot of difficult times growing up and did not enjoy good health as she got older, but she always kept her sense of humor and had so much love for us. She died this January, but I am glad I have so many wonderful memories of her."

What is your favorite line from the Auburn Creed and why? "'I believe in the human touch, which cultivates sympathy with my fellow men and mutual helpfulness and brings happiness for all.' I believe in this age of technology it is easy to forget how important or helpful it can be to deal with a human, whether it be a smiling face or a friendly voice on the phone."

AU Report Editor: Roy Summerford. Contributing editors: Bob Lowry, Janet McCoy and David Granger. University Relations Executive Director: Pete Pepinsky. The AU Report is the faculty/staff newsletter of Auburn University and is published by the Office of University Relations at Auburn University. Direct correspondence to AU Report, 23 Samford Hall, Auburn University, Ala. 36849-5109. Telephone 334/844-9999. Electronic mail: summero@mail.auburn.edu