kaleidoscope magazine summer 2006
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Kaleidoscope Magazine Summer 2006TRANSCRIPT
FOR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
SUMMER 2006
KaleidoscopeKaleidoscope
Annual Kaleidoscope EveningCelebrates A&S
George Henderson Retires
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Oklahoma Statehood DayNov. 16, 2007
Kaleidoscope
1 Annual Kaleidoscope Evening Raises Scholarships, Venerates Alumni and Friends
5 Emily Shannon Day Receives Carl Albert Award
District Judge for the Eastern District of Oklahoma Selected to Judicial Code of Conduct Committee
6 Stockdale, Fourth Recipient of Kinney-Sugg Award
7 Humanities
9 Natural Sciences
11 Professional Programs
13 Social Sciences
15 Class Notes
17 Retirees
19 On the Road With A&S Alumni and Friends
CONTENTS
University of OklahomaCollege of Arts and SciencesEllison Hall, Room 323633 Elm Ave.Norman, OK 73019-3118(405) 325-2077
ContributorsStaff WritersVon AllenJerri CulpepperLacey GrayAngela StartzDarci Tucker
Staff PhotographersVon AllenAngela StartzDarci Tucker
Graphic DesignerKristi Lasater
The University of Oklahoma is an equal opportunityinstitution. This publication, printed by The Ovid BellPress, Inc., is issued by the University of Oklahoma and authorized by Paul B. Bell Jr., dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. 59,328 copies have been prepared and distributed at a cost of $20,285.85 to thetaxpayers of the State of Oklahoma. © University of Oklahoma.
www.ou.edu/cas
SUMMER 2006
ON THE COVER:Participants in the Native American
Cultural Festival raise a tepee as part of a joint Native American Studies/Norman
Public Library exhibition.Photo courtesy of Gary Kramer.
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13
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1
$19,600 was raised for scholarships and to
support the Leadership Scholars Program, while alumni
and friends enjoyed an online auction, silent auction
and good food at the College of Arts and Sciences’
10th annual Kaleidoscope Evening Feb. 24. The event,
which was the largest to date, attracted 208 attendees.
In addition to being a fund-raising event,
Kaleidoscope Evening also provides a
venue to bestow the title of Distinguished
Alumnus or Alumna on four of the
college’s most outstanding alumni,
representing each of the four divisions of
the college. The award is given in
recognition of outstanding professional
achievement, public service and
commitment to academic excellence. The
Distinguished Service Award also is
presented during Kaleidoscope Evening
and recognizes friends or alumni whose demonstrated
service and commitment have significantly
contributed to the pursuit of academic excellence at
OU and in the college.
The 2006 College of Arts and Sciences
Distinguished Alumni honorees are George W.
Counts, M.D., representing the natural sciences;
David Hall, S.J.D., representing the professional
programs; Clara Sue Kidwell, Ph.D., representing
the humanities; and Gary D. Sandefur, Ph.D.,
representing the social sciences.
Jeanne Hoffman Smith and Jon R. Withrow are
the recipients of the college’s 2006 Distinguished
Service Award. They also received a
plaque at Kaleidoscope Evening.
Counts, a retired professor of
medicine and a native Oklahoman,
graduated from OU with a bachelor of
science degree in bacteriology in 1957 and
master of science degree in bacteriology in
1960 before completing his doctoral degree
at the University of Iowa in 1965.
In 1985, after training in internal
medicine and infectious diseases, Counts
became a professor of medicine at the University of
Washington. Later, he served at the National Institutes
of Health in Bethesda, Md., and at the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. In 2002, he
became senior adviser on special populations in the HIV
Vaccine Trials Network at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer
Annual Kaleidoscope Evening Raises Scholarships,Venerates Alumni and Friends
by Lacey Gray
Research Center in Seattle, where he retired in 2004.
Throughout his career, Counts has received
numerous honors and awards, most recently including
the 2006 American Society for Microbiology Founders
Distinguished Service Award.
“A simple ‘thanks’ is not enough to express my
deep appreciation for the extraordinary effort that you
and your colleagues put forth to assure that I had a
satisfying return to the campus,” Counts said. “While
we enjoyed it all, my most enjoyable time was the
session we had with the students.
Hall is a law professor at Northeastern
University who specializes in constitutional law and
racism, contracts and legal ethics. He received his
bachelor of science degree from Kansas State
University in 1972, master of arts in human relations
and juris doctorate degrees from OU in 1975 and
1978, and his master of laws and doctorate of juridical
science degrees from Harvard Law School in 1985
and 1988.
Before entering academia as a professor of law
at the universities of Mississippi and Oklahoma and
serving as associate dean, provost and senior vice
president of academic affairs at Northeastern
University School of Law, Hall served as an attorney
for the Federal Trade Commission’s regional office in
Chicago. He lectures nationally and writes on issues of
social justice, diversity, affirmative action, and equal
justice and educational transformation.
In 2003, Hall was appointed by President Bush
to serve on the Board of Directors of the Legal
Services Corp.
Kidwell, a professor of history and director of
Native American Studies at OU, received her bachelor
of arts degree in letters in 1962 and her master of arts
and doctoral degrees in history of science in 1966 and
1970, all from OU.
Before joining the university faculty in 1995,
Kidwell held appointments at the Kansas City Art
Institute, Haskell Indian Junior College, University of
Minnesota, Dartmouth College, University of
California-Berkeley and the Smithsonian Institution,
where she was associate director of cultural resources
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(Continued on page 3)
Counts Hall
Hoffman Smith Withrow
Kidwell Sandefur
2006 Distinguished Alumni Award Recipients
2006 Distinguished Service Award Recipients
Leadership Scholars Nika Spaulding, Chris Brown, KyleAlderson, Shannon Macko (left photo) and Ashlan Snyderand Whitney Bunch (above) pass out tickets and programsduring the 10th annual Kaleidoscope Evening.
ARTS AND SCIENCES
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3
at the National Museum of the
American Indian.
After arriving back on the
OU campus, Kidwell said she
could stand in the hallway of
her office on the eighth floor of
Dale Hall Tower and look down
on the roof of Sanger House in
Cate Center, where her family
“dropped her off” during her
freshman year.
“It gave me a sense of coming full circle,”
Kidwell said. “It was certainly something I would
never have dreamed of when I was a freshman.”
Sandefur is dean of the College of Letters and
Science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and
has led a distinguished career in academics for nearly
30 years. He received his bachelor of arts degree in
sociology from OU in 1974, and after completing his
doctoral degree from Stanford University in 1978,
returned to OU as an assistant professor in the
Department of Sociology.
Soon after being promoted to associate
professor in 1984, Sandefur left OU for a position at
the University of Wisconsin, where he has served as
director of the American Indian Studies Program;
chair of the Department of Sociology; provost;
associate vice chancellor and vice chancellor for
Academic Affairs; and most recently, dean of the
College of Letters and Science.
Hoffman Smith, the first of two honorees to
receive the 2006 Distinguished Service Award, is an
Oklahoma City social worker and native Oklahoman
who grew up in Chandler and graduated from Classen
High School. She earned her bachelor’s degree in
psychology from Oklahoma City University and gradu-
ate degrees from the University of Louisville, Ky., and
the Colorado Center for Psychoanalytic Studies.
From 1977 to 1981, Hoffman Smith worked at
the Central Oklahoma Mental Health Center, before
going into private practice in clinical social work. While
continuing her practice, she has served on numerous
boards, including the Mental Health Association of
Oklahoma County, Oklahoma State Film Commission,
World Literature Today, Presbyterian Health Foundation
Grants Committee and the Inasmuch Foundation.
Along with giving of her time, Hoffman Smith
has contributed generously to the college by funding
an endowment for the film program and establishing
the biennial $40,000 Creativity in Motion Thatcher
Hoffman Smith prize, which rewards individuals in the
process of developing creative ideas.
Withrow, the final honoree of the evening and
second Distinguished Service Award recipient, also is
a native Oklahoman who graduated from Seminole
High School and is the owner of Sundance Oil Co. in
Oklahoma City.
Withrow attended OU, earning his bachelor of
In addition to honoring the College of Arts and Sciences’ distinguished alumni andservice award winners, Kaleidoscope Eveningplays an important role in the LeadershipScholars Program. Proceeds from the eveninghelp provide scholarships to students andfunds to administer the program.
After expenses, the 2006 KaleidoscopeEvening generated nearly $20,000, a newrecord. These funds were the result of ticketsales; the online-only, the “buy now” andKaleidoscope Evening auctions; and outrightgifts from alumni and friends.
Thanks to everyone who helped make the 2006 Kaleidoscope Evening the mostproductive ever!
Board of Visitors members of the Kaleidoscope Committee pull off another successfulevening. Shown left to right are Judy Berry, Yves Badaroux, Carolyn Zachritz,Craig Adkins, Anne Workman and Barbara Thompson.
Annual Kaleidoscope Evening (continued)
science degree in petroleum engineering in 1954 and
his master of science degree in geological engineering
in 1963. Before establishing Sundance Oil in 1968,
Withrow worked with Humble Oil Co., Montgomery
Oil Co. and Sarkeys Inc.
Over the years, Withrow has been an active
contributor to the college. In 1999, he funded a
scholarship endowment that established the Jon R.
Withrow Arts and Sciences Scholarship. This
scholarship, given annually to up to five
undergraduate students, provides a minimum of
$1,200 in funding for the academic year.
Upon completion of Kaleidoscope Evening, a
number of individuals provided comments of support
for the event, including Board of Visitor member
Sandy Kinney.
“Kaleidoscope Evening was terrific,” Kinney
said. “Thank you to all the folks at A&S for making it
so much fun and so profitable for the students.”
4
Kaleidoscope EveningSupports Leadership Scholars
Kaleidoscope Evening, an annual fund-raising
event sponsored by the Friends Of the College of Arts
and Sciences (FOCAS), was created by the college’s
first Board of Visitors in an effort to
raise scholarship money for the
Leadership Scholars Program.
The Leadership
Scholars Program recognizes
and supports the college’s top
undergraduate students.
However, support goes beyond
financial assistance. Through the
program, students are provided with
mentors, internships and other personal, professional
and educational assistance.
If you would like to make a scholarship
contribution to the program or the college, contact
Von Allen at (405) 325-3724 or [email protected].
Board of Visitors Tightens Focusby Dan Evatt
To do something well, you must be focused, and focus is a key element for the College of Arts and
Sciences Board of Visitors this year as it concentrates on two key areas: Student Development and
Development and Outreach.
In the area of Student Development, we want to establish closer ties between the board members and
the Leadership Scholar students. We are establishing an online directory to allow both groups to find one
another easier and encourage interaction. We are now matching students and board members based on
mutual interests, and encouraging those relationships to be multi-year, to enable them to mature and deepen.
As the fund-raising arm of the college, our
board’s commitment to Development and Outreach is
best exemplified by our goal of raising $1.5 million
for scholarships by our February 2007 board
meeting. This date coincides with the centennial of
Oklahoma, and we are calling these our Second
Century Scholarships. To date, we have raised about
$600,000 in money and pledges, primarily from
members of the board. Going forward, we will be
meeting with businesses and foundations as well as
other individuals to speak with them about helping us
reach our goal. There is nothing we can do as a
board to better ensure Oklahoma’s future than to
raise scholarship monies that allow outstanding
students continued access to higher education.Board of Visitors Chair Dan Evatt with daughters Amanda,left, and Katie, right. Amanda is a senior at OU majoring inzoology and Katie is a sophomore at OU.
ARTS AND SCIENCES
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PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS
SOCIAL SCIENCES
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In 2003, Ronald A. White, BA ‘83, was confirmed as the U.S. District Judge
for the Eastern District of Oklahoma. This year, he was selected to serve on the
Judicial Code of Conduct Committee by the late Chief Justice William Rehnquist.
The Judicial Code of Conduct Committee is responsible for answering
inquiries by other judges on the topic of ethics, either formally or informally.
White graduated Phi Beta Kappa from OU in 1983 with a degree in letters,
after which he attended the OU College of Law, where he was a member of the
Order of the Coif Honor Society. He moved to Tulsa, where he worked for
17 years before his appointment to the federal government.
Ronald A. White
District Judge for the Eastern District of OklahomaSelected to Judicial Code of Conduct Committee
mily Shannon Day, a senior majoring in
physics with a minor in mathematics, is the
recipient of the 2006 Carl Albert Award,
presented each year to the outstanding senior in the
college.
Day, who graduated summa cum laude this
May with a 4.0 GPA, was presented the
$2,500 Carl Albert Award at a public recep-
tion April 11 in the Sandy Bell Gallery of
the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art.
While at OU, Day has received
numerous honors and awards, including
Regents’ Scholar, Conoco Scholarship,
Department of Physics and Astronomy’s
Award for Meritorious Scholarship, Homer
L. Dodge Award for Outstanding Scholarship,
Duane E. Roller Award for Outstanding
Scholarship and Big Woman on Campus.
Also, she received an Undergraduate Research
Opportunities Program grant, participated in Oklahoma
Research Day, was vice president of community
service for the national Society of Collegiate Scholars,
and was listed as a co-author on a paper published in
the International Journal of Nanomedicine.
Day worked with Lloyd Bumm, professor in the
Homer L. Dodge Department of Physics and
Astronomy, studying the synthesis and characterization
of flat silver and gold nanoparticles. She also worked
as a research assistant at the Center for Biological and
Environmental Nanotechnology at Rice University
during the summers of 2004 and 2005.
During her time at OU, Day has been active in
Alpha Phi Omega national service fraternity; Alpha
Lambda Delta; Gamma Beta Phi; Golden Key honor
society; Mortar Board; the National Society of
Collegiate Scholars; and Society of Physics Students.
Citing her father, a physicist, as the first
person to instill in her an interest in science, she
said it was not until high school that she
realized her full passion for science. Francis
Nine, her math and physics teacher, was
passionate about science, and this led to
Day’s decision to pursue physics in college.
After earning her doctorate, Day plans
to teach at the university/college level, where
she can impart the love of science to her
students and conduct research at the interface of
physics and biology with the aim of developing novel
technologies that allow for investigation of biological
systems and the treatment of diseases, including
cancer. She is particularly interested in biophysics and
the medical applications of nanotechnology.
The award, the most prestigious given to a
student by the college, is based on academics, moral
force of character and promise of future service to the
state and nation. First presented in 1966, the award
was established to honor Carl Albert, OU alumnus
and former U.S. Speaker of the House, for his
distinguished undergraduate career and national
service. Julian Rothbaum, former state regent and
longtime friend of Albert, endowed the award in 1965.
Emily Shannon Day Receives Carl Albert Award
by Jerri Culpepper
E
The fourth recipient of the college’s
Kinney-Sugg Outstanding Professor Award
was announced last October during the fall
faculty meeting.
Melissa K. Stockdale, associate
professor and coordinator of Russian and
East European Studies in the Department of
History, was stunned when Dean Paul B.
Bell, carrying a bundle of helium-filled
balloons, interrupted her class earlier in the
day to make the announcement that she was
the recipient for 2005.
“The award came as a complete
surprise, and I was very honored to be
selected,” said Stockdale. “I love both
teaching and scholarship and have always
enjoyed sharing the excitement of scholarly
discovery with my students.”
Robert Griswold, chair of the
Department of History, said, “Melissa is an
international authority on the history of
Russian liberalism and is an outstanding,
award-winning teacher who inspires students to think
deeply about a land that is utterly foreign to most of
them. She has worked tirelessly in many ways to
improve the history department, the college and the
university.”
The committee that chooses the Kinney-Sugg
award recipient includes one alumnus of the college
and one faculty member from each of the four
divisions of the college – humanities, natural
sciences, professional programs and social sciences.
Stockdale was chosen from a group of 11 nominees
to receive this prestigious award.
“She is a superb, world-class scholar and
teacher,” wrote one member of the selection committee.
Ed Sankowski, associate dean of the college
and committee coordinator, said Stockdale is a
top-notch scholar who has contributed an enormous
amount to the college and university, has a deep
concern for her students and is well respected within
the scholarly community.
Stockdale received both her doctoral degree in
history and master of arts degree in Soviet Area
Studies from Harvard after completing her bachelor
of arts degree in history from the University of Tulsa.
She has taught at OU for the past 16 years and is
working on a book, “A Hard Country to Love:
Patriotism and National Identity in Russia’s Great
War, 1914-1918.”
The Kinney-Sugg award, established in 2002
by OU alumna Sandy Kinney (’69) and her husband,
Mike Sugg, is given each year by the college in
recognition of outstanding professors. Past recipients
of the award include Dan Glatzhofer, associate
professor of chemistry and biochemistry; Harold
Grasmick, professor of sociology; and John Cowan,
professor of physics and astronomy.
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Stockdale, Fourth Recipient of Kinney-Sugg Award
by Lacey Gray
Melissa Stockdale, center, receives her plaque from award foundersMike Sugg and Sandy Kinney.
Dean Bell surprises Stockdale in her class with theannouncement of her award and a balloon bouquet.
ARTS AND SCIENCES
COLLEGE
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PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS
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7
The intent of the Dr. T.W. Adams
Distinguished Alumni Lecture Program is to bring
accomplished graduates back to campus to interact
with current students in A&S. While there have
been a number of speakers in the program since it
was implemented in 2004, Jun Fudano takes the
prize thus far for distance traveled to return to the
campus.
Holding two advanced degrees from OU in
the history of science, a master’s in 1987 and a
doctorate in 1990, Fudano currently teaches history
of science and technology and engineering and
science ethics at the Kanazawa Institute of
Technology in his native Japan. While visiting the
United States, he returned to campus March 24 to
speak during the History of Science Colloquium.
Additionally, he met with students studying
Japanese in the Department of Modern Languages,
Literatures and Linguistics.
Fudano’s recent publications and lectures
concentrate on ethical issues in engineering practice
and engineering education, a field in which he has
become an international leader. He currently serves
on the Committee on the Code of Conduct for
Scientists, which is charged with drafting a new code
for the entire Japanese research community through
the Science Council of Japan. He also serves as
editor in chief of the official journal for the “Japanese
Society for Science and Technology Studies.”
T.W. Adams earned two advanced degrees from
the College of Arts and Sciences and endowed the
program that carries his name. Retired after a career
in international business and government affairs, he
resides in Washington, D.C.
Japanese Scientist Returns as Professor-for-a-Day
Chinese LanguageStudy in China
This summer, students who areChinese language or East Asia studiesmajors will spend two months in thesouthwestern part of China studyingthe Chinese language.
Students selected will attendYunnan Normal University in Kunmingduring June and July. They will livewith a faculty family and have anative Chinese speaker as a learningpartner. For more information, visithttp://modlang.ou.edu/.
Jun Fudano; Pat Cross, Department of Mathematics; and KenTaylor, History of Science, mingle at a cookout during Fudano'sreturn to campus.
8
It is hard to imagine medical professionals using individuals as
guinea pigs for research without their knowledge, all with governmental
consent. However, this happened more than 65 years ago, when the U.S.
Public Health Service began recruiting rural Alabamans for a study on
how syphilis progressed in black men. Although it was determined these
men were infected with syphilis, they were not treated for the disease.
The so-called Tuskegee experiment, when divulged to the general
public in 1972, sparked debate concerning ethical use of human beings in
clinical experiments, ultimately leading to new government guidelines.
These issues were discussed as part of a Presidential Dream
Course offered through Kathleen Crowther-Heyck, assistant professor in
the History of Science Department.
“The Legacy of the United States Public Health Syphilis Study at
Tuskegee” was led by Vanessa Gamble, director of the Tuskegee
University National Center for Bioethics in Research and Health Care,
where interdisciplinary instruction, research and community outreach
initiatives address ethical issues impacting the health and well-being of
people of color and other minority populations.
Researcher Discusses UnethicalStudy on Human Subjects
KUDOSHumanities Faculty:
Hugh Benson, chair of the Departmentof Philosophy, was awarded an honorarycommendation by the Olympic Center forPhilosophy and Culture for his continuouscontribution to the study and exercise ofphilosophical thought at the center’s 16thInternational Symposium in Pyrgos, Greece,where he led a seminar on the Socraticmethod.
Barbara Boyd, director of outreach forthe Religious Studies Program and visitingassociate professor, was presented with theAward for Peace and Education by theInstitute for Interfaith Dialogue, a widelyrespected international organization based inTurkey.
Reinaldo Elugardo published ananthology, “Ellipsis and NonsententialSpeech,” as part of Springer’s highlyrespected “Studies in Linguistics andPhilosophy” series. The book is a majorcontribution to the understanding of ellipsisin natural language, which is a central topicin syntactic theory. It also is unique in that itapplies advanced work in theoretical linguistics to traditional philosophical questions about linguistic meaning andspeaker meaning.
J. Rufus Fears, David Ross BoydProfessor of Classics and G.T. and LibbyBlankenship Chair in the History of Liberty, isthe recipient of the Oklahoma Foundation forExcellence Medal of Excellence.
Allen Hertzke, director of the ReligiousStudies Program and professor of politicalscience, published a co-edited book titled“Representing God at the Statehouse:Religion and Politics in the American States.”
F. Jamil Ragep, professor and actingchair of the History of Science Department,presented the George Sarton Lecture at theannual meeting of the American Associationfor the Advancement of Science in St. Louis.His lecture was titled “What Can the Historyof Islamic Science Teach Us About Science?”
Shmuel Shpkaru, associate professorof Judaic studies and history, recently published “Jewish Martyrs in the Pagan andChristian Worlds” through CambridgeUniversity Press.
Zev Trachtenberg, associate professorof philosophy, co-edited and contributed tothe book “Swimming Upstream,” which isthe subject of a special panel at theAmerican Water Resources Association, theleading organization for professionals in government, industry and the academy concerned with water management.
TSI Longmire Prize Awarded To Grady Wray
Grady Wray, assistant professor of Spanish in the Department of
Modern Languages, Literatures and Linguistics, received the Longmire
Prize, presented at the 2006 Teaching Scholars Initiative Colloquium in
January.
The Longmire Prize is named for the late William and Jane
Longmire, who created a fund through their estates to improve teaching
at OU. Recipients are given a monetary award and a personal plaque.
Wray has taught at OU for six years, where he has touched the
lives of many students and instructors. In addition to teaching language
classes, he also is responsible for teaching a graduate seminar on the
pedagogy of teaching
foreign languages and the
required class for all
incoming teaching assistants
in his department.
Dean Bell presents a check toa surprised Grady Wray at the2006 Teaching ScholarsInitiative Colloquium.
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ARTS AND SCIENCES
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PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS
SOCIAL SCIENCES
omer L. Dodge was an influential man
during his lengthy career as chair of the
University of Oklahoma’s Physics
Department. During his tenure from 1919 to 1944,
he helped create one of the nation’s first engineering
physics program; identified the funds to construct a
building for the department; helped launch national
professional organizations for scientists and physics
teachers; and served as graduate dean. He was the
father of the OU Research Institute, an auxiliary
branch of OU that helped university scientists apply
their research to governmental and industrial needs.
Now more than 60 years after he left OU to
serve in the federal government’s World War II
scientific efforts, Dodge’s influence is as profound as
the day he walked on campus and discovered he was
the only physics teacher in the department he was
named to lead at the young age of 31.
In October 2005, the OU Board of
Regents voted to honor Dodge’s service to
the department and university by
naming the department the Homer L.
Dodge Department of Physics and
Astronomy. In addition to
announcing the department’s name
change, Provost Nancy Mergler
announced the department is the
recipient of a historic $6 million
gift from the Avenir Foundation.
Established by descendents of
Homer Dodge, the Avenir
Foundation’s gift – the largest to any
program in the College of Arts and
Sciences – will support students and
faculty as well as improve the facilities in
Nielsen Hall, home of the department’s
classrooms, laboratories and faculty offices.
“Naming the department after Homer Dodge
and the announcement of the Avenir Foundation gift
links our past to the future,” OU President David L.
Boren stated. “We are grateful that the Avenir
Foundation, which means ‘future’ in French, has
invested so significantly in one of our strongest
research and teaching departments. The gift certainly
ensures that this department’s future is bright.”
Dodge’s children, Alice Dodge Wallace and
Norton T. Dodge, attended the ceremony announcing
the departmental name change and gift. In brief
comments during the ceremony, Wallace, who
graduated from OU with a degree in French, said
she thought her late father would be proud of
the department’s accomplishments, and that
the Avenir Foundation’s gift would help
ensure the department remains one of the
leading programs in the nation.
“My father was a remarkable
man,” added Norton Dodge. “He had
such broad interests. He was very
proud of the department and the
research institute he founded here. He
also was a father who always had time
for his children. He was a great dad.”
Students and faculty will benefit
from the Avenir Foundation gift for
generations to come. Three endowed research
chairs in astrophysics, high-energy physics and
atomic, molecular
and chemical
physics will be
funded with
$1 million each.
Department of Physics and Astronomy Receives $6 Million Gift and Name Change
by Von Allen
Alice Dodge Wallace and Norton T. Dodge pose next totheir father's portrait that now hangs in Nielsen Hall.
Homer L. Dodge during his tenure aschair of the PhysicsDepartment. Photocourtesy of AmericanInstitute of Physics.
H
An additional $2 million of the
gift will help fund Phase III
renovations to Nielsen Hall. The
final $1 million will create a
student support fund, most of
which is to create significant
graduate student fellowships.
When the Oklahoma Regents for
Higher Education match the
$3 million for the chairs and the
university matches the $2 million
for Nielsen Hall renovations, the
total value of the gift will reach
$11 million.
During the naming
ceremony, College of Arts and
Sciences Dean Paul B. Bell Jr.
indicated that the gift to the
department is “transforming.”
Department chair Ryan Doezema
pledged that the faculty and
students in the department will
work to ensure that they are
worthy of their namesake.
10
How would you like to drive a pollution-free
automobile by the year 2020? Due in part to research
being conducted by a University of Oklahoma
professor, this is a very real possibility.
Lee Krumholz, professor in the Department of
Botany and Microbiology and research associate for
Sarkeys Energy Center’s Institute for Energy and the
Environment, was awarded a $690,000 research grant
last summer from the U.S. Department of Energy
Hydrogen Program.
The program, developed through President
Bush’s $1.2 billion Hydrogen Fuel Initiative, gives
researchers the funds to identify and understand
mechanisms of hydrogen gas production, with the hope
that hydrogen gas will power pollution-free motor
vehicles by the year 2020.
“I have been interested in understanding the
basic mechanisms of hydrogen production for a num-
ber of years,” said Krumholz. “When this opportunity
came up to understand the fundamental mechanisms of
the process with the ultimate goal of developing more
efficient means of producing hydrogen for use as a
fuel, I was happy to submit a proposal.”
With a sulfate-reducing bacterium, Krumholz uses
a mutagenesis technique developed in his laboratory to
identify genes utilized in hydrogen production.
Collaborators of the research project include OU
botany and microbiology professors Michael
McInerney and Tyrrell Conway, and biochemistry
professor at the University of Missouri, Judy Wall, who
received $130,000 of the award as a subcontract.
Krumholz received his bachelor of science
degree in 1982 from the University of Guelph, Guelph,
Ontario, and his master of science and doctoral degrees
from the University of Illinois in 1985 and 1988.
During the past 11 years, Krumholz has co-authored
more than 20 research articles and was involved in
establishing the Zodletone Spring Microbial
Observatory, a National Science Foundation-supported
observatory at Zodletone Mountain of western
Oklahoma, where microbial populations in the spring
are being studied.
KUDOSNatural Sciences Faculty:
Ola Fincke, professor of zoology,recently was cited in an article on dragon-flies in National Geographic Magazine.Fincke’s area of research is the evolution ofreproductive behavior in damselflies.
Dave Hambright, assistant professorat the University of Oklahoma BiologicalStation and in the Department of Zoology,recently had one of the texts he editedpublished. “Water in the Middle East,Cooperation and Technological Solutions inthe Jordan Valley” examines the significanceof water in Middle East conflicts from a variety of perspectives.
$690,000 Funding May Lead To Pollution-Free Motor Vehicles
Homer L. DodgeDepartment ofPhysics andAstronomy Chair RyanDoezema addressesNorton T. Dodge andAlice Dodge Wallaceduring a ceremonyannouncing a historic$6 million gift fromthe AvenirFoundation.Photo courtesy ofRobert Taylor.
Students in the Tulsa area now have a new degree program allowing them to complete hours at
Tulsa Community College and then transfer them seamlessly to receive a baccalaureate degree in the
College of Arts and Sciences at OU-Tulsa.
Articulation agreements between Tulsa Community College and OU provide for an effortless
transition toward a four-year degree in human relations. Tulsa Community College students can complete
general education requirements for the bachelor’s degree while completing core courses within the
Human Relations program, which complement upper-division coursework within the major field at OU.
For more information, contact the Human Relations program at (405) 325-1756.
ARTS AND SCIENCES
COLLEGE
HUMANITIES
NATURAL SCIENCES
PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS
SOCIAL SCIENCES
11
uliman Hawamdeh, a program
coordinator for the master of
science in knowledge management
at OU-Tulsa and professor in the School of
Library and Information Studies, delivered a
keynote discussion at the second phase of the
World Summit on Information Society in
Tunis, Tunisia, last November.
“The conference gave me a golden
opportunity to promote the University of
Oklahoma as one of the leading entities in
knowledge management,” Hawamdeh said.
Hawamdeh was invited to talk at the
conference in recognition of his work on the
role of information and communication
technologies and national information
infrastructure initiatives in e-government and
economic development.
WSIS is a formal U.N. Summit at
the level of heads of state and government,
further endorsed by the U.N. General
Assembly. The second phase of the summit,
which was held in November 2005, focused
on control of the Internet and bridging the
technological gap between richer and
poorer nations, also referred to as the
“digital divide.”
Seamless Transition Program Now Available at OU-Tulsa
Hawamdeh Speaks at U.N. Summit
by Lacey Gray
Suliman Hawamdeh,professor of library andinformation studies,enjoys the sights whileattending the WorldSummit on InformationSociety in Tunisia. Thisis Hawamdeh's secondjourney to the country.
S
I am delighted to have the opportunityto introduce the alumni and friends of thecollege to the Department of Health andExercise Science, one of four units in theDivision of Professional Programs. We havean energetic faculty that is dedicated to providing quality education and conductingmeaningful research in the areas of healthpromotion and exercise physiology.
Our strength as educators lies in our interdisciplinary approach to professional preparation in the scientific, socio-behavioral and educational principles of our fields. Many of our students aspire to helpothers live healthier lives, whether as medical/allied health practitionersor as health/exercise scientists. They work with diverse groups toimprove health, prevent disease and enhance physiologic/physical performance and function. Our strength as researchers lies in the directapplicability of our research for improvement of the quality of life of others by studying such real-world health problems as osteoporosis,aging and prevention of chronic disease.
12
KUDOSProfessional Programs:
Janette Habashi, assistant professorin Human Relations, along with Mary JohnO’Hair, Mark Nanny, Hazem Refai and RandaShehab, received a National ScienceFoundation grant to conduct a six-weeksummer study program for area high schoolteachers. These secondary school educatorswill work in conjunction with OU engineeringfaculty to conduct research in several engineering areas (industrial, environmental,electrical). At the conclusion, Habashi andO’Hair will assist the participants in translat-ing the experience into the classroom andevaluating the addition to their curriculum.
Janette Habashi also received a Childon the Wing Rockefeller FoundationResident Fellowship in the Humanities andthe Study of Culture Program at JohnsHopkins University. Hers was one of six fellowships awarded; she will travel to theconference in October.
Suliman Hawamdeh, professor in theSchool of Library and Information Studies,chaired the Second International Conferenceon Knowledge Management in Charlotte,N.C., in October.
Henderson Retires After 39 Years at OU
After nearly four decades of service to the university and
college, George Henderson, professor in the Department of Human
Relations, is retiring.
Henderson came to OU in 1967 and was the third African-
American appointed to a full-time faculty position. As a professor,
civil rights scholar and lecturer, Henderson has led a distinguished
career, authoring more than 30 books and 50 articles in his areas of
interest. He has attained many notable achievements, including four
distinguished professorships and 50 university and community
awards and honors. In 2003, Henderson was inducted into the
Oklahoma Higher Education Hall of Fame and the Oklahoma Hall
of Fame.
“I will miss being able to reach individuals who will be
community leaders and will shape my future and the future of
others,” Henderson said about his retirement. “I exist outside the
classroom. I live inside of it.”
After retiring, Henderson plans to do consulting and writing
for other human relations professionals.
Laurette TaylorA MESSAGE FROM
Taylor
Seminar DiscussesSocial, AcademicIssues Facing Teens
Educators interested in learning
about social and academic issues
facing today’s adolescents attended a
one-day seminar last October on
“Emotionally Intelligent School
Districts,” sponsored by the University
of Oklahoma – Tulsa’s Applied
Research Center. Recent scientific data
on emotional literacy implementation
in schools were discussed.
Seminar speakers included
Charles J. Wolfe, co-developer of the
Mayer Salovey Model of Emotional
Intelligence; Marc A. Brackett,
associate director of the Health,
Emotions and Behavioral Laboratory at
Yale University; and Bruce E. Alster,
emotional intelligence project leader
for the implementation of emotional
literacy in Valley Stream, N.Y.
This year’s FOCAS Distinguished
Lecture series brought three well-known
figures to campus to give presentations on
literature, folk culture and African dance.
The first lecture featured Simon Ortiz,
known for his American Indian poetry,
which gives voice to American Indians
through literature. His presentation,
“Indigenous Land, Culture and
Community,” was held Nov. 10.
Simon read from his published poetry
and from new work, including a new long
poem. He also sang a song in
response to songs presented by
Sigma Nu Alpha Gamma, a
Native American fraternity, who
performed at the beginning of
the event.
Ortiz has read his work
in settings as diverse as the
White House, tribal colleges
and reservation elementary
school classrooms.
Paul Vanderwood, the second FOCAS
Distinguished Lecturer to visit campus, is an emeritus
professor in Mexican history at San Diego State
University. He offered a look at the events that
motivated a rise in devotion to Juan Soldado, a
Mexican folk saint who was, in reality, a 24-year-old
soldier convicted and executed for the rape and
murder of an 8-year-old girl in Tijuana in 1938.
World-renowned dancer and choreographer
Charles “Chuck” Davis was the last lecturer to visit
OU. Davis offered two dance classes in March,
co-sponsored with the Weitzenhoffer Family College
of Fine Arts School of Dance. Davis, founder and
director of the Chuck Davis Dance Company,
brought several members of the African-American
Dance Ensemble to campus for an invigorating day
of drums and movement in the dance studios on
campus.
This series is funded through the generous
contributions of the Friends Of the College of Arts
and Sciences and the Barbara B. and William G. Paul
Enrichment Fund and James H. and JoAnn H.
Holden Enrichment Fund. For future lectures, visit
the college Web site at www.ou.edu/cas.
13
ARTS AND SCIENCES
COLLEGE
HUMANITIES
NATURAL SCIENCES
PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS
SOCIAL SCIENCES
New Master’s Degree May Save Native Languages
The Oklahoma State Regents for HigherEducation recently approved OU’s request to offer amaster’s degree in applied linguistic anthropology.The program, expected to be available in the fall of2007, will give students the opportunity toresearch endangered languages and understandthe importance of keeping them alive.
“This program will train a new generationof scholars to continue the documentation ofthese languages, especially native languages inour own backyard,” Chancellor Paul G. Rissersaid. “Oklahoma’s American Indian heritage is astate treasure and we must do whatever we canto preserve it.”
OU is the first university in the state to offersuch a program. Currently, students in the collegealso can learn Cherokee, Cheyenne, Choctaw, Creekand Kiowa. According to Morris Foster, acting chairof the Department of Anthropology, a total of 462students enrolled in these native languages duringthe 2005-2006 academic year.
Distinguished Lecture Series Welcomes Three Renowned Visitors to Campus
By Angela Startz
Visiting lecturer Chuck Davis leads anAfrican dance class in a warm-up routine.
George Henderson and Jeanette Davidson,welcome Davis to campus at a luncheon in his honor.
14
Last November, Norman
community organizations and the
Native American Studies Program
partnered together to celebrate
Native American Indian Heritage
Month.
The Native American
Studies Program hosted its third
annual Native Fest on Nov. 12.
As part of the partnership, the
inaugural Native American
Cultural Festival, sponsored by
the Norman Public Library,
Pioneer Library System, Norman
Public Schools, Jacobson House
and Native American members of
the Norman community, was held
on Nov. 13.
Jerry Bread, outreach
coordinator for Native American
Studies at OU, said he was pleased
the program could be a part of
developing the community.
According to Gary Kramer,
public information officer for the
Pioneer Library System, the
Native American Festival was a
very spiritual event.
“The stories, dances,
artwork, tepee and ritual blessing
of more than 40 Native American
educators from the Norman Public
Schools created an atmosphere of
solemnity and celebration,”
Kramer said. “It was a very mov-
ing and meaningful experience.”
Activities included a Native
American blues band, storytelling
and readings, Native American
books and curriculum exhibits,
arts and crafts displays, language
presentations and a drum
performance by the OU Society of
Native Gentlemen.
Women’s Studies Program CelebratesInternational Women’s Day
The Women’s Studies program celebrated InternationalWomen’s Day with several booths in Dale Hall on March 8.Participants included the Women’s Outreach Center, N.E.W.Leadership Project, Carl Albert Congressional and ResearchStudies Center, Women’s Resource Center, Episcopal Women’sHistory Project and World Neighbor’s Work of Women. Crafts produced by women in Africa, Asian and Latin America were onsale during that time.
KUDOSSocial Sciences Faculty:
Loretta Fowler, professor of anthropology, was elected president of theAmerican Society for Ethnohistory for 2005-2006. The society is one of the premierprofessional associations for anthropologistsand historians who explore the history ofNorth and South America.
Sarah Crichley, Betty Harris, director of Women'sStudies, and Stephanie Komardley, left to right, atthe many displays at International Women's Day.
Native American Studies and NormanCommunity Partner in Celebration
OU's Society of Native American Gentlemen leads a drum song at the inauguralNative American Cultural Festival. Photos courtesy of Gary Kramer.
A traditional tepee was one of the manyhands-on exhibits at the Norman PublicLibrary.
ARTS AND SCIENCES
COLLEGE
HUMANITIES
NATURAL SCIENCES
PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS
SOCIAL SCIENCES
15
CLASS NOTES
1930sMary Bashara Norris, ’36 BS Physical
Education, lettered on the women’s
rifle team before graduating and
moving to California, where she
taught for 32 years and retired from
the San Lorenzo School District. She
has fond memories of working for
Dr. Ellison’s family while he was the
physician at OU. “I’m happy to see
the Arts and Sciences’ office in the
Ellison Building,” she writes.
1940sCharlyce R. King, ’43 BS, ’49 MS,
’57 EdD, retired from OU in 1985
and recently was honored by her
students with a campus bench
bearing her name placed in the sitting
area surrounding the Class of 1935
fountain near Oklahoma Memorial
Union. She was given the “OU
Sooner Salute” at the OU vs. Oregon
football game in 2004.
Jack Slater, ’49 BS Chemistry, retired
as the director of research for the
agricultural chemical division of Kaiser
Aluminum and Chemical Corp. He
now serves as the president of Slater
and Associates Inc., which serves as
consultants to solving quality and
production problems in several foreign
and domestic chemical industries.
1950sJack B. Austerman, ’50 BS Zoological
Sciences, retired from the OU Health
Sciences Center in August 2005 and
was named clinical professor emeritus
in the College of Dentistry.
1960sWilliam C. McGrew, ’65 BS Zoology,
was elected as a fellow of the American
Association for the Advancement of
Science in October 2005.
James L. Owens, ’69 BS Chemistry,
’77 PhD, retired from the Naval
Reserves as a commander after 28
years of service. Currently he is a lab
manager at Flint Hills Resources and
is responsible for the plant’s ISO
9001 Quality Management System.
Owens credits his graduate experience
with Glenn Dryhurst, chair of the
Department of Chemistry and
Biochemistry, as a major factor in
his success in the chemical and
petrochemical industry.
Duane W. Roller, ’66 BA Letters, ’68
MA Latin, is a professor of Greek and
Latin at Ohio State University. He
recently published his seventh book,
titled “Scholarly Kings.” His eighth
book, “Beyond the Pillars of Herakles,”
will be published in London this fall.
Robert L. Talley, ’69 BA Pre-Dental,
DDS, has been named president of
the American Academy of
Craniofacial Pain for the second time
and will assume his duties in July.
His practice is limited to conservative
treatment of head, neck and facial
pain, temporomandibular disorders
and sleep disorders. Also, he recently
was named as a Diplomate of the
American Board of Dental Sleep
Medicine, one of 110 dentists across
the country and the only dentist in the
state of Oklahoma to receive this
certification.
Joanne L. Thompson, ’61 BA History,
retired from the San Diego City
Schools and now is teaching in the
gifted credentialing program for the
University of California, San Diego
Extension. She enjoys helping teachers
hone their skills. She also volunteers
as a tutor in reading at the Italian-
American Community Center for
mostly Hispanic elementary students.
1970sJeffrey Arnoldi, ’74 BS Chemistry,
works at ConocoPhillips as an adviser
to Lukoil, based in Moscow, where he
and wife Kerry now live.
ConocoPhillips has a strategic alliance
with Lukoil, and several U.S. citizens
now are located in Moscow. The
Arnoldi family enjoys living in Russia
and learning more about its people.
John Aulick, ’79 BS Psychology and
Pre-Dental, and wife Joan Aulick,
’79 Nursing, live in Highland Haven,
Texas, where John has his dental
practice. Son John is a senior and
recently won a national competition in
wakeboarding in Bakersfield, Calif.
He competed in the men’s advanced
division of the International Novice
Tour, placing first out of 17. He was a
member of Team Texas.
Elaine Green, ’71 BS Psychology,
EdD, serves as the director of a
supplemental education program
designed to help local under-repre-
sented youth become the first in their
family to go to college. The program
recruits students in the seventh grade
and offers free tutoring and education-
al enrichment activities throughout
high school. She lives in Salem, Ore.,
and enjoys fishing and hiking around
her yurt in central Oregon.
Ronald Ross King, ’71 BS Education,
’76 MA Human Relations, recently
retired from Oklahoma City Public
Schools after 30 years as a special
education teacher. He was active in
the American Federation of Teachers
and received the 2004-2005 Jane Orer
Award for Outstanding AFT Building
Representative. King is grateful to
George Henderson, professor of
human relations, for helping him to
prepare for his career in the urban
inner-city school environment.
Dean W. Woodard, ’77 BA Political
Science, ’93 MLS, currently is the
director of aviation industries for the
U.S. Department of Commerce. He is
leading the team for resolution of the
Boeing/Airbus trade dispute before the
World Trade Organization. Woodward
directs a staff of international trade
specialists and economists that shape
economic policy in the United States.
1980sStephen Flynn, ’87 BA Economics,
works as a compliance officer with
First United Bank and Trust. After
graduating from OU, he joined a
federal banking regulatory agency and
traveled for 14 years throughout the
16
south and east coasts. He joined the
privately owned community bank four
years ago.
Elizabeth Garrett, ’85 BA History,
recently gave a lecture titled “The
Promise and Perils of Hybrid
Democracy” for the Henry Lecture
Series at OU’s College of Law. She
currently is the Sydney M. Irmas
Professor of Public Interest Law, Legal
Ethics, Political Science and Public
Policy and the vice provost for academ-
ic affairs at the University of Southern
California Gould School of Law.
Larry D. Griffin, ’89 MA English, ’89
PhD, presented his paper, “Orality in
Walt Whitman’s First ‘Song of
Myself,” at the International
Celebrating Whitman Conference in
July, hosted by the University of Paris
7 - Denis Diderot, Paris. He also read
his poetry at Shakespeare and
Company and at the Paris American
Academy during that visit. Griffin
also presented his work at the Woody
Guthrie Folk Festival in Okemah,
Okla.; at the Missouri State Poetry
Society Annual Conference at
Southwest Baptist University in
Bolivar, Mo.; and at the Austin
History Center in Texas. Griffin is the
vice president for academic affairs at
Three Rivers Community College and
has published numerous works,
including The Blue Water Tower,
Larry D. Griffin Greatest Hits and The
Jane Poems.
GariAnn Rollins-Jacobs, ’85
Communication, completed her MEd
at OU in instructional leadership and
academic curriculum as a reading
specialist and is employed at Jefferson
Elementary in Norman as a language
arts resource specialist.
Larry Stein, ’80 Journalism and Mass
Communication, works in the
Oklahoma County Assessor’s Office.
He published a story in the September
issue of “Fair and Equitable,” pub-
lished by the International Association
of Assessing Officers, titled “Disaster
USA: A Perspective on the Aftermath
of Hurricane Katrina.” In the article,
Stein cited how Oklahoma assessors
responded to similar issues following
the tornado in May 3,1999, using
geographic information systems and
other technologies to ease efforts in
helping citizens resolve insurance
issues for property damage.
1990sAlexis Carter-Black, ’95 BA Political
Science, is the coordinator of grants
and contracts at Oklahoma City
Community College. She recently
published the book, “Getting Grants:
The Complete Manual of Proposal
Development and Administration,”
available through the Self-Counsel
Press.
Jennifer Allen Gresham, ’95 MS
Biochemistry, works full time as a
scientist with the Air Force Office of
Scientific Research. Her book of
poetry, titled “Diary of a Cell,” won the
2004 Steel Toe Books Poetry Prize,
judged by Charles Harper Webb.
Selections of the book were highlighted
on Garrison Keillor’s radio show, “The
Writer’s Almanac.” Gresham’s poetry
has appeared in such journals as “The
Atlanta Review,” “New York Quarterly,”
“The Edge” and “Poet Lore.”
Thomas Harrison, ’92 MA Journalism
and Mass Communication, lives in
Tulsa and recently opened a media
and communications agency, Media
Embassy, to serve his clients in
marketing and growth strategies. He
also serves as a faculty member for
the University of Phoenix in Tulsa,
teaching marketing, public relations
and communications.
Ronald Craig Hays, ’95 BA Political
Science, was promoted to the execu-
tive director of recruitment services at
OU. Prior to his promotion, he served
as the director of National Scholars
Programs at OU.
Huan Hoang, ’99 BS Biochemistry,
recently received a job as biomedical
engineer for Medtronics after working
for four years as a mechanical
engineer for Tinker Air Force Base,
Midwest City, Okla.
Michelle Tilley Johnson, ’99 BA
Political Science, ’02 JD, and husband
Rob Johnson, ’99 JD, welcomed their
first child, a daughter, to their family
in December. Proud grandmother is
Lynn Tilley, ’02 MA Library and
Information Studies.
John Martin, ’94 MA Health and
Sports Sciences, Sports Management,
has served for the past three years as
the assistant athletic director at
Coastal Carolina University. Prior to
his position there, he served in media
relations during the 1993, 1994 and
1995 U.S. Olympic Festivals; director
of basketball operations for the
Oklahoma City Cavalry; assistant
sports information director at the
University of Detroit Mercy; and
assistant sports information director at
Eastern Michigan University. He and
wife Lyndsey and their son, Cameron,
live in Conway, S.C.
Arthur H. Prince, ’96 PhD Philosophy,
is an associate professor of philosophy
and sociology at the Baptist Memorial
College of Health Sciences in
Memphis, Tenn. He recently was listed
in the publication, “Leading Educators
of the World,” and serves on the
University of Memphis College of Arts
and Sciences Board of Directors, from
which he received his bachelor’s and
master’s degrees in philosophy.
“I have always tried to emulate the
wonderful professors I had the pleasure
to study under at OU. They are the
ones who deserve the credit.”
Melanie Skipper-Relyea, ’96 Human
Relations, began her psychotherapy
private practice in Cedar Hill, Texas,
in May 2005. She and husband
Aaron, ’99 MHR, both are licensed
professional counselors and have two
children, Ariella and Gabriel.
Scott Stegmann, ’93 BA Geography,
works as the National Environmental
Policy Act coordinator in the
Oklahoma Department of
Transportation.
(Continued on next page)
Patricia Al-Mefleh Sutton, ’90
Political Science, recently relocated to
Oklahoma City and now works as a
human resource and safety manager
with Nomaco Inc.
Nola Veazie, ’91 MA Human
Relations, recently published “Relapse
Preventing 101: The Dawn of
Sobriety” and “Be a Thermostat:
Regulate Your Anger.” Her consulting
firm, VSolutions Consulting, strives to
enhance employee productivity
through psycho-educational seminars
and materials. They are located in
Santa Monica, Calif.
2000sBryce Baily, ’05 BA International and
Area Studies, is a second lieutenant in
the U.S. Air Force stationed in
Germany.
Dontae Bowie, ’02 BS Zoology, is
attending Oklahoma State University
College of Osteopathic Medicine as a
second-year medical student.
Erin E. Hayes Burt, ’01 BA English,
works as a writer, producer and sales
promotions coordinator at Raycom,
the CBS affiliate in Tucson, Ariz.
She and husband Adam have been
married for two years. “The Desert
Race,” a show produced by Burt, was
nominated for an Emmy Award from
the Academy of Television Arts and
Sciences.
Russell E. Goodman, ’02 PhD
Mathematics, is an assistant professor
of mathematics at Central College in
Pella, Iowa. He also serves as the
assistant women’s soccer coach for the
Central College Dutch.
Kenneth B. Hunter, ’04 MA Human
Relations, founded Hunter and
Associates, a human relations
consulting firm in Sierra Vista, Ariz.
They assist organizations by using
alternate dispute resolution and
conflict resolution techniques to solve
employee grievances. They also
specialize in the prevention and
eradication of sexual harassment,
unlawful discrimination and religious
accommodation.
Elizabeth Wiehle, ’04 BA
International and Area Studies, works
in the Office of the Attorney General
of Texas as a legislative information
specialist and legal secretary.
Michael E. Young, ’00 MA Human
Relations, serves as a colonel in the
U.S. Air Force and is stationed at
Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland.
He and wife Sandy and two children,
Adele and Mitchell, reside in Owings,
Md., where he also enjoys being an
assistant scoutmaster in the Boy
Scouts of America, Troop 429.
ARTS AND SCIENCES
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NATURAL SCIENCES
PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS
SOCIAL SCIENCES
17
(Continued)
Add another A&S mayor to the listIn the last issue of Kaleidoscope, three alumnae were featured as mayors of their communities. Add
another name to the distinguished list, as Kathryn L. Taylor recently was elected mayor of Tulsa in a contest
that included the largest voter turnout in city history.
After resigning from her position as Oklahoma’s Secretary of Commerce and Tourism to enter the
mayoral race, Taylor defeated the incumbent mayor. Her platform called for a more business-like approach to
running Oklahoma’s second-largest city.
Taylor earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism in 1978 and her juris doctorate in 1981, both from
OU. She serves on the College of Arts and Sciences Board of Visitors.
CLASS OF '78
CLASS NOTES
RETIREES2005-2006
Lois AlbertOklahoma Archeological Survey
30 years of service
Sandra RaganCommunication
22 years of service
Ronald RatliffHealth and Exercise Science
31 years of service
David LevyHistory
38 years of service
Kenneth TaylorHistory of Science38 years of service
George HendersonHuman Relations
38 years of service
Ed ClineMathematics
16 years of service
18
IN MEMORIAM
Fay Fagin Levinson, ’42 Home Economics, passed away Sept. 16, 2005. After graduating from OU, she
served as supervisor of nursery schools in Oklahoma before meeting and marrying Milton Levinson, a member
of the U.S. Air Force stationed in Oklahoma. They returned to his home state of Ohio, where they lived for 60
years. She is survived by her husband, three daughters, three granddaughters and one great-granddaughter.
Oklahoma Anthropological Society founder and former Department of Anthropology Chair
Robert E. Bell died Jan. 1, 2006, at the age of 91. He came to OU in the 1940s and remained on the faculty
until 1980, earning the nickname “Dr. Oklahoma Archaeology.” After retirement, he remained active in
research, publishing the results of work on the Bryson-Paddock site in 2004.
Bell was born on June 16, 1914, in Marion, Ohio. As an undergraduate at the
University of New Mexico, he participated in archaeological field work in Chaco
Canyon, San Jon and Sandia Cave. His doctoral research at the University of Chicago
helped pioneer the technology of tree-ring dating in the eastern United States.
Upon receiving his doctorate in 1947, he joined the Department of Anthropology
at OU as its sole archaeologist until 1969, where he taught and conducted research
until his retirement in 1980.
Bell’s intellectual interests spanned the prehistory of Wichita and Caddo people in
Oklahoma, ancient hunter-gatherers in Ecuador and the first archaeological research in
New Zealand. In 1952, he founded the Oklahoma Anthropological Society. In 1968,
he helped establish the Oklahoma Archeological Survey, still a division of the college.
His honors include the Excellence in Teaching award, George Lynn Cross Research Professorship, the
Plains Anthropological Society’s Distinguished Service Award and the dedication of the Sam Noble Oklahoma
Museum of Natural History archaeological collections area in his honor. He was preceded in death by his
wife of 66 years, Virginia.
Gene Levy, former chair of the Department of Mathematics from 1968 to 1977, died March 15, 2006. He
was born on June 15, 1917, in Muldrow, Okla. He began classes at OU in 1933, and received his bachelor’s,
master’s and doctoral degrees at OU. His area of mathematical interest was modern
abstract algebra.
Levy worked as a teaching assistant at OU in the spring of 1946, which
culminated in his receipt of the title of professor and appointment as chair of the
department from 1968 to 1977. Levy served on many departmental and university
committees and councils, including the Faculty Senate and the Council on
Instruction. His memberships included Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Eta Sigman, Pi Mu
Epsilon, Sigma Xi and the American Mathematical Society. Levy also served as a
member of the Board of Governors of the Mathematical Association of America.
He retired in 1986 and was named professor emeritus of mathematics.
He is remembered fondly by many members of the department. “During my
first few years in graduate school, he often coached me through difficult points with
abstract algebra. When I would become particularly frustrated with a problem, he
would say, ‘Why don’t we walk over to the Union for a Coke,’ and of course, when we returned I would have
my resolve back,” recalls Debra Strickland, a former student of Levy’s.
He is survived by his wife, Jean, two daughters and a sister.
With the classic Willie Nelson tune “On the RoadAgain” buzzing through their heads, a group of faculty and staff joined A&S Dean Paul B. Bell Jr. fora three-city, three-day tour to meet with alumni andfriends in Fort Worth, Tulsa and Oklahoma City inJanuary. In addition to hearing Dean Bell’s remarksregarding the state of the college and the need forscholarship funds, those who attended the programin Tulsa heard comments from legendary OU coachand broadcaster Merv Johnson. In Oklahoma City,A&S alumnus and Sonic CEO Cliff Hudson was thefeatured speaker. Local students from the A&SLeadership Scholars Program attended the programsas well. Plans are being developed now to take theshow on the road again, so look for the dean in acity near you soon!Photos by Darci Tucker.
19
On the Road With A&S Alumni and Friends
Enjoying the evening before the program in Oklahoma City are (from left)Nancy Cheek, Mike and Cindi Shelby and John Cheek.
Fort Worth host Tedd Webb (left) visits with Kevin andDebbie Roberts, parents of Chelsea, who plans to be afreshman at OU next year.
In Tulsa, Dean Paul Bell (left) enjoys a moment with featuredspeaker and OU football broadcaster Merv Johnson and A&S Board of Visitors Chair Dan Evatt.
Waiting for Cliff Hudson’s remarks in Oklahoma City are (from left)Dawn James, Angela Doakes-Bailey and Nancy Winans-Garrison.
A&S Leadership Scholars assisting in Oklahoma City include (from left)Clint Shaw, Ashley Boyd, Hossein Maymani and Anant Singhal.
Please clip and return this form to:University of OklahomaCollege of Arts and SciencesEllison Hall, Room 323633 Elm Ave. Norman, OK 73019-3118or complete the form online atwww.ou.edu/cas
20
Last year the University of Oklahoma experienced a milestone event – for the first time in our
history, the amount paid by students to attend OU exceeded the amount contributed by the State of
Oklahoma. This is the latest development in a national trend that affects not only Oklahoma, but all
of American public higher education. There was a time when the education of our young people was
considered to be of sufficient national good that public funding of higher education, through tax
dollars, was considered to be a wise investment in our nation’s future. Increasingly, higher education
is being treated as a private good, with students and their families being expected to pay for it from
their own resources. As a result, the cost to students and their families of attending a public college,
including OU, is increasing faster than the rate of inflation and faster than personal income. This, in
turn, is forcing students either to delay attending college or to work more hours a week while
enrolled in college to earn money to pay college costs. Both have a negative effect on students’ earning a college degree.
A recent national study showed that students who do not enroll in college within six months of graduating from high
school are much less likely to earn a college degree than those who do. OU’s own data shows that students who do not
graduate within six years of starting are likely never to graduate. Thus, there is increasing risk nationwide that more and
more of our young people will be denied the benefit of a college education – both to their own detriment and to the
detriment of American society as a whole.
In response to his growing concern about the rising cost to students of attending OU, President Boren launched a
campaign a year ago to raise $50 million to endow scholarships for OU students, particularly those from middle-income
families who are hardest hit by the growing cost of attending college. His goal is to ensure that all students who are
admitted to OU will be able to attend and graduate regardless of their families’ income. In conjunction with this campaign,
the College of Arts and Sciences launched its own Second Century Scholarship Campaign, with the goal of raising
$1.5 million by the end of 2007, the state of Oklahoma’s centennial year, to provide 100 new scholarships solely for Arts
and Sciences students.
Now, a year later, a $5 million gift from Cy and Lissa Wagner put OU over the top for its $50 million Scholarship
Campaign. Because the need for scholarships – particularly unrestricted and endowed scholarships – remains high,
President Boren said the campaign will continue during the next three years. Although we also have done well in Arts and
Sciences, having raised more than $700,000, our campaign also will continue since we still need to raise an additional
$800,000 during the course of the next year to reach our goal.
In this issue of Kaleidoscope you will find more detailed information about the Arts and Sciences Second Century
Scholarship Campaign. Please read it. As you do, I ask that you think first about how important your college education has
been to you. Then think about what you can do to help make it possible for today’s students to have that same experience.
There is more than just a single student’s education at stake. If we fail to invest in the future of the next generation, we
ultimately place the future of our nation at risk.
- Paul B. Bell Jr., Ph.D.Dean
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