August 2006

CLA UPDATE FOR FACULTY & STAFF

John Contreni

Dear Colleagues,

It's a sign of our complex world that we live within the rhythms of multiple calendar systems – civil, religious, fiscal year, academic year, and, in other areas of the world, even entirely different annual numbering schemes. For some, the sports calendar is paramount, as we move from basketball, through baseball, and, now into football season.

And while we usually anticipate new life and new beginnings when the calendar rolls around to spring time, here in the College, we see signs of newness all around us, during August's steamy days.

This week we welcome 29 new faculty colleagues to our ranks (see below). We are all anticipating the energy and new ideas they are bringing with them to the College's curriculum and to its research and artistic programs.

Although we will not have official numbers until September, it's likely that we will also be welcoming our largest class of new students to campus, the class of 2010. We already know that more of these students are non-Indiana residents than ever before and that they will enter our classrooms with their higher class ranks, grade point averages, and test scores.

Even our e-mail addresses are new!

What does all this newness (including a new dean) suggest for the future of the College?

As I've listened to department heads (and welcome, too, to Bill Harper, the new head of Health and Kinesiology), faculty (including our emeriti colleagues), alumni, and students, I've sensed a willingness to embrace change ... It seems that we have no choice – someone even said recently that "if you want to remain the same, you must change!"

Here are some of the "change items" I've been hearing about.

To start off with an easy one – no one seems fond of the College logo (quick, what does it look like?).

Distance courses – our students are taking them in droves (4,800 enrollments last year) from other universities. I'm convinced that distance education is well on its way to becoming a larger part of the pedagogical mix. Our students are ahead of us on this one. How do we catch up?

Interdisciplinary studies – once the province of a few faculty members who collaborated to share mutual research and teaching interests, interdisciplinarity now is one of the drivers of the University's Strategic Plan. How do we make interdisciplinarity systemic in the College?

Graduate studies – national higher education think-tanks such as the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation and the Pew Charitable Trust are pushing innovation in doctoral education, urging us to embrace the "responsive Ph.D." and to "revision" doctoral education. How do we respond?

Engagement – what we once called "outreach" presents the College with opportunities to engage the larger community through our scholarship and art. How do we do this effectively?

Internationalization – College faculty and administrators have made important contacts in India, China, Belgium, Italy, the United Arab Emirates, and elsewhere. How do we expand these initiatives and sustain them, increasing opportunities so that international study and research become routine for our undergraduate and graduate students?

So, welcome to a new academic year, to new questions, and, yes, to new answers that will lead us in exciting new directions.

Sincerely,

New Faculty Communication James Tyler, assistant professor, Ph.D., University of Massachusetts, 2006. English Dwight Atkinson, assistant professor, Ph.D., University of Southern California, 1993. Lance Duerfahrd, assistant professor, Ph.D., Yale, 2002. Tara Star Johnson, assistant professor, Ph.D., University of Georgia, 2005. Mary Leader, associate professor, Ph.D., Brandeis University, 2000. Bich Minh Nguyen, assistant professor, M.F.A., University of Michigan, 1998. Melanie Shoffner, assistant professor, Ph.D., University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, 2006 Foreign Languages and Literatures Weijie Song, assistant professor, Ph.D., Columbia University, 2006. Health and Kinesiology Jeffrey Haddad, assistant professor, Ph.D., University of Massachusetts, Amherst, 2006. Meghan McDonough, visiting assistant professor, Ph.D., University of British Columbia, 2006. Titilayo A. Okoror, visiting assistant professor of health and kinesiology and African American studies, Ph.D., Pennsylvania State, 2006. Philip J. Troped, assistant professor, Ph.D., University of South Carolina, 2000. History Jennifer Foray, assistant professor, Ph.D., Columbia University, 2006. Caroline Janney, assistant professor, Ph.D., University of Virginia, 2005. Dawn Riggs, assistant professor, Ph.D., University of California, Riverside, 2003. Philosophy Paul Draper, professor, Ph.D., University of California, Irvine, 1985. Psychological Sciences James LeBreton, associate professor, Ph.D., University of Tennessee, 2002. Donald Lynam, professor, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1995. Margo Monteith, professor, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1991. Robert Phillips, research assistant professor, Purdue University, 2000. Sociology and Anthroplogy Brian C. Kelly, instructor, Ph.D., Columbia University, 2006. Bert Useem, professor, Ph.D., Brandeis University, 1980. Sharon Williams, assistant professor, Ph.D., Ohio State University, 2004. Valentine Moghadam, director of women's studies, professor of sociology, Ph.D., American University, 1986. Speech Language and Hearing Sciences Hala Elsisy, clinical assistant professor, Ph.D., Purdue University, 2005. Patti and Rusty Rueff Department of Visual and Performing Arts Lisa Farooque, assistant professor, Ph.D., New School University, 2006. Seunghae Lee, assistant professor, Ph.D., Michigan State University, 2004. Maura Schaffer, assistant professor, Ph.D., Florida State University, 2000. Fabian Winkler, assistant professor, Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles, 2003.

Thank You Celebration! Enjoy the opportunity to meet Dean John Contreni, mingle with fellow faculty and staff, listen to music, and enjoy refreshments. Friday, August 25, 2006 3:30-5 p.m. Founders Park

NEWS AND RESEARCH

Children win with gift to sports camp

Purdue officials announced Tuesday (Aug. 15) a gift that will benefit hundreds of Tippecanoe County children participating in a Liberal Arts summer sports program.

Lacrosse at NYSP

June and John Scheumann, both Lafayette natives, contributed $250,000 to endow a youth sports fund that will benefit Purdue's award-winning National Youth Sports Program, an annual five-week program that promotes sports, healthy lifestyles, learning skills and community service. The fund will be named in honor of the Scheumanns.

"More than a thousand local children have participated in the program since 2002," says John Contreni, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts. "The June and John Scheumann Youth Sports Fund will help cover program costs so children will have an opportunity to continue learning about sports and how they can incorporate physical activity into their lives. The local school corporations report that these campers also benefit from the writing and computer skills they learn at camp, and we hope that these educational experiences and immersion in campus life will encourage them to build the goal of a college education into their futures. As a first-time visitor to this summer's camp, I was impressed and moved by what I saw."

About 400 children, ages 10-16, participated in this summer's program, which ended July 21. The program targets students who qualify for either free or reduced lunch programs as defined by federal guidelines. The students, in teams of about 15, rotate through activity stations that include basketball, tennis, softball, swimming, soccer and volleyball, as well as computer skills training, nutritional information, dangers of substance abuse, community service learning projects and career opportunities. The program is administered through the Department of Health and Kinesiology and directed by Bill Harper, head of Health and Kinesiology. More

Virtual reality world teaches deaf children math skills

Purdue is using technology employed in the films King Kong and Lord of the Rings to create colorful characters in a virtual reality world who teach deaf children math.

Computer Graphics Technology students and a Linguistics professor are working in Purdue's Envision Center for Data Perceptualization with high-tech cameras and "cybergloves" that can translate body and hand motions into digital images. The resulting cartoon rabbit, robot and pig use sign language in fun, interactive environments projected on the walls and floor of a "cave" of screens that surrounds the deaf students.

The virtual reality program is designed to provide early elementary school age students with disabilities with a number of active, individualized learning conditions.

For example, in a virtual candy store environment the student communicates to the storekeeper in sign language, some of which is specific to mathematics. Pinch gloves allow students to count candies and to add and subtract by putting candy on or off the counter. The task can be repeated over and over at the student's own pace while providing consistent and understandable feedback.

"Learning is the development of one experience into a new experience," said Ronnie Wilbur, professor and chair of Linguistics in the Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, who has served as a consultant to the College of Technology during the project. "Immersive learning environments such as this are more effective than traditional computer software." More

What tastes best may not be good for your ears

Consider what is best for your ears as well as your taste buds when eating out, says an audiologist.

Some restaurants are so noisy that customers' and employees' hearing can be affected over time, and loud restaurants can become impossible places for people with hearing loss to visit with friends and families, says Robert Novak, clinical professor of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences.

"There are roughly 25-plus million people in the U.S. with significant hearing loss, and that number is on the increase with the aging of the baby boomer population," Novak says. "Eating out may be one of the few opportunities older people have to socialize with others, and I am concerned that some of these noisy environments will keep people away from the important relationships in their lives.

"The restaurant industry should make sound a priority when considering its patrons and employees."

Novak, who also is interim head of Purdue's Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, says customers should maintain a list of restaurants that are quiet and make a point to patronize these establishments.

"And don't be afraid to ask them to turn down the music," he recommends. More

Resource helps start school in the 'write' direction

Faculty and instructors may observe that some students need a refresher in writing clear and well-organized papers after the summer break, and that's where the Writing Lab can help.

The Department of English's Writing Lab and its online version, OWL, can help students hone their writing skills.

"Writing can be intimidating for some students, and it's important that students keep working on their skills so they don't fall behind," recommends Linda Bergmann, associate professor of English and director of Purdue's Writing Lab.

The online resource provides more than 200 printable handouts on editing and revising, Web research, and research papers. These resources provide punctuation and grammar rules, and guides to effective organization, as well as the writing process and how to cope with writer's block. The site also includes style guides for the popular Modern Language Association and American Psychological Association citation formats.

Purdue students also can make a tutoring appointment by calling (765) 494-3723. The Writing Lab is free, but students should bring their student IDs. More

Expert talks about 'second hand' effects of drinking

Underage drinking has many "second hand" effects that can have a variety of short- and long-term consequences, reports an alcohol expert.

"Underage drinkers may know about the unhealthy effects of alcohol on their bodies, but they may not be aware how much or how often their behavior harms or inconveniences others," says Julia Chester, an assistant professor of Psychological Sciences.

College students report their study and sleep habits are disrupted when those around them drink, and the drinking also results in serious arguments, Chester notes.

"More seriously, bystanders can be victims of car accidents, property damage, unwanted sexual advances, or fights," Chester says. "Students report they drink because it is a social tool that facilitates interaction and the likelihood of meeting people, but underage drinking can have adverse effects on someone's social life."

Other possible consequences for underage drinkers are increases in alcohol dependency, as well as long-term and short-term cognitive effects, according to Chester, who studies the role of genetics in alcohol withdrawal and how stress influences alcohol consumption. More

Palmer evaluates effects of World Trade Center movie

The latest 9/11 film, which opens as the fifth anniversary of the Sept. 11 World Trade Center attacks approaches, is about the healing process as much as it is entertainment, says a film expert.

"9/11 was a frightening, tragic, deadly historical touchstone, but Oliver Stone has chosen to focus on the heroism and resilience of America in the face of those terrible events," notes William J. Palmer, an English professor. "That is what movies do best. They find human resilience and endurance in the midst of brutal reality."

Stone's World Trade Center opened in theaters on Aug. 9. The movie is based on the true story of rescuers and some of the last survivors trapped when the World Trade Center towers collapsed after two planes hit the structures during the 2001 terrorist attack.

When it comes to making movies about historical events, Hollywood has allowed more mourning time in the case of 9/11, waiting four years after the attacks before films began being released, Palmer says. There was only a two-year gap before films about the Vietnam War and Watergate opened, he says.

"This delay is probably a combination of being sensitive regarding when enough time had passed and a reality of the around-the-clock news coverage that closely followed the event," says Palmer, who is working on a book about the history of film in the 1990s and that focuses on Stone's role as a director. More

EVENTS

Theatre to pay tribute to 100 years of productions

Purdue Theatre will mark its centennial year in style as it presents the entire 2006-07 season in the new Nancy T. Hansen and Carole and Gordon Mallett theatres in Yue-Kong Pao Hall of Visual and Performing Arts.

"During the last century, thousands of students, faculty, staff, and theater lovers have contributed their talent, energy, and resources to bring the division to this stage," said Russ Jones, division chair and associate professor of Theatre. "With the addition of the building's elegant new front plaza, entry doors and convenient parking, we hope many members of the Purdue and local communities join us for this season's offerings."

Jones noted one of the season highlights includes the opening production Seven Guitars, which will be co-presented with the Black Cultural Center beginning Sept. 21. Written by August Wilson, the production is set in 1948 and weaves together the stories of seven African-American friends into a pulsing rhythm of hope, loss, jubilation, and despair. The drama features Floyd "Schoolboy" Barton, an aspiring blues musician, as he returns home to reclaim his woman and revive his career. Theresa M. Davis from the University of Virginia will serve as the guest director of the production that will run through Oct. 1.

A complete listing of Purdue Theatre's 2006-07 productions, show times, and ticket prices is available online.

Rueff Galleries announce fall exhibits

The Patti and Rusty Rueff Galleries will open the fall season with a variety of exhibits, including shows that feature oil paintings, portraits and work by African-American artists.

Rueff Galleries, located in the Yue-Kong Pao Hall of Visual and Performing Arts, are open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

West Gallery exhibits include: