Volume XXIV No. 38 • Sept. 22, 2000

Submit items to Campus Currents - Top

The Campus Currents is distributed every Friday. If you would like to include an item in the newsletter send it to Campus Currents, Unit 9512 or by e-mail to Campus Currents. Deadline is Thursday at 8 a.m.

Welcome to Black Hills State University - Top
  • Ryan Ogan, computer support specialist, computer center

Resignation - Top

  • Tasha Roberts, teacher aide, Child Care Center

CSA position open - Top

The following career service position is open:
  • senior secretary, Student Union
  • secretary with keyboarding, College of Business and Technology

For additional information, check the announcement bulletin or contact the personnel office.

Royer will be guest clinician/conductor for Wyoming music clinic - Top
Dr. Randall Royer, assistant professor of music at BHSU, will be a guest clinician and conductor for the Wyoming N.E. District Music Clinic, Nov. 17-18, 2000. The clinic will be held at Sheridan High School in Sheridan, Wyo.

Royer conducted the same clinic three years ago when it was held in Casper, Wyo. He will direct the Northeast District Symphonic Band, which includes approximately 120 musicians representing 17 different schools. Towns represented include Buffalo, Casper, Douglas, Gillette, Moorcroft, Newcastle, Sheridan, Sundance and others from the northeast district of Wyoming. The band will rehearse all day Friday and most of Saturday before presenting a final concert.

Also included in the clinic and final concert will be the northeastern District Honor Choir, directed by Dr. Pat Patton from 

Casper College, and the northeastern District Wind Ensemble, directed by Dr. Michael Griffith from the University of Wyoming in Laramie, Wyo.

Royer was also guest conductor of jazz band I for the University of Wyoming summer music camp in June. The jazz band included the top jazz musicians in the camp. The camp hosted approximately 180 middle school and high school students from around the Laramie region. Royer also taught classes in jazz history, jazz improvisation, and a jazz rhythm section, in addition to private saxophone lessons. The camp ended with final concerts from all the major performing groups and select ensembles that rehearsed throughout the camp.

Royer joined the BHSU faculty in 1997. He completed his doctorate in music education at the University of Utah in 1996.

Larsen will present a lecture-recital Sunday - Top
Dr. Janeen Larsen will present a lecture-recital on Sunday, Sept. 24, at 2:30 p.m. in Woodburn Auditorium.

The program, titled "Pictorial Imagery in Music," will be centered on selected works by MacDowell and Debussy. Larsen will demonstrate how these composers used specific elements of music to create visual images through their piano compositions. According to Larsen, "composers of orchestral music can use the great variety of instrumental tone colors available to them to help create moods and images. Piano composers have to be more creative."

Composers of the 19th century were particularly interested in using music to tell stories and paint pictures. MacDowell is the best known American composer of the 19th century, and Debussy is the best known French composer of the same century. Although MacDowell and Debussy were born only a year apart, their music is very different. Debussy was an innovator who started a whole new style of music called impressionism, while MacDowell stayed within the tonal framework of the Classical-Romantic music traditions. Larsen believed it would be interesting to compare and contrast music of the two composers, since they both were interested in using the piano to evoke images.

The lecture-recital is open to the public; there is no admission charge.

Student teacher meetings set at Black Hills State - Top
Black Hills State University students who are planning to student teach during the spring semester 2001 must attend one of the following registration/orientation meetings:
  • Monday, Oct. 2 at 7 p.m. in Jonas 301
  • Tuesday, Oct. 3 at 3:30 p.m. in Jonas 301
  • Wednesday, Oct. 4 at 7 a.m. in Jonas 301
 Potential student teachers should check their BHSU catalog to make sure they meet all requirements. For additional information call 642-6642.

Volunteers sought for Relay for Life - Top
Due to the weather forecast, Relay for Life will be moved to the Donald E. Young Sports and Fitness Center field house. Events begin Friday afternoon Sept. 22 and end at noon Saturday, Sept. 23. 

There is probably not a person at BHSU who has not been affected by cancer; consequently, faculty, staff and students are invited to consider helping with the local Relay For Life event.

This event celebrates life by honoring those individuals who have survived cancer and raises money for cancer research.

 BHSU faculty, staff, and students are asked to help by volunteering sometime during the 24 hours to help with the event. Possible tasks include: setting up for the event, cleaning up after the event, serving the spaghetti dinner on Friday evening, filling luminaries with sand and arranging them around the track, helping with hot air balloon rides, displaying team posters, and helping with the overall success of this wonderful event. If you have some time to offer, contact Kristi Pearce at 642-6405 or email her at <kristipearce@bhsu.edu>

Art demonstrations will be held - Top
Blacksmith, potter, stained glass and spinner demonstrations will be held at the Black Hills State University Student Union from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 27 and 28.

The arts festival, sponsored by the university 

programming fine arts committee and the Ruddell Gallery, will be held in the skywalk and Student Union lobby area on both Wednesday and Thursday.

For more information call 642-6418.

Theatre schedule announced at BHSU - Top
The BHSU theatre department will open their 2000-2001 season Oct. 19, 20 and 21 with "The Effects of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds." The plays are presented at 8 p.m. (with a special Sunday afternoon performance of the musical) in Woodburn Auditorium on the BHSU campus. Tickets are available the week of the play by calling the box office at 642-6171.

Other plays scheduled for the season include:

  • "The Diary of Anne Frank," Dec. 7, 8 and 9
  • "Tintypes," Feb. 22, 23, 24 and 25 and
  • "Isn’t It Romantic?," April 19, 20 and 21.

The first play "The Effects of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds" is a story of a frowzy, acid-tongued mother supporting herself and her two daughters by taking in a decrepit old boarder. One daughter, Ruth, is a pretty but high-strung girl subject to convulsions, while the younger daughter, Matilda, plain and almost pathologically shy, has an intuitive gift for science. Encouraged by her teacher, Tillie undertakes a gamma ray experiment with marigolds which wins a prize at her high school – and also brings on the shattering climax of the play. And yet, as Tillie’s experience proves something beautiful and full of promise can emerge from even the most barren afflicted soil.

"The Diary of Anne Frank" by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hacketts is a new adaptation by Wendy Kesselman. In this gripping new adaptation of the original stage play, newly discovered writings from the diary of Anne Frank as well as survivor accounts are interwoven to create an impassioned contemporary story of the 

lives of people persecuted under Nazi rule. She tries to maintain her belief in the general goodness of humanity, but as her world and traditions are destroyed, her optimism fades. Anne’s diary survives as a memorial to those killed and as a warning to future generations.

"Tintpes" by Mary Kyte with Mel Marvin and Gary Pearle chronicles the growing pains of a nation in a grand pageant of pre-World War I America told in the exuberant words and music of the day. The story of these changing times blazes to life in the tuneful, high-spirited brew of popular songs from 1890 to 1917 performed by five archetypes of the period: a beautiful music hall star, a notorious socialist, a black domestic worker, a Chaplinesque Russian immigrant and the outrageous Teddy Roosevelt, the youngest man ever to be elected president.

The final performance of the season will be the comedy "Isn’t It Romantic?" by Wendy Wasserstein. The play deals with the post-college careers (and dilemmas) of two former classmates, a short, slightly plump would-be writer and her tall, thin, gorgeous WASP friend. Both are struggling to escape from a lingering parental domination and to establish their own lives and identities. Told in a fast moving series of inventive, alternately hilarious and touchingly revealing scenes, the play explores their parallel stories with uncommon wit and wisdom – resulting, ultimately, in a heightened awareness which, while not providing all the answers, goes a long way toward achieving the maturity and self-assuredness both protagonists desperately desire.

Minutes of Sept. 19 graduate council meeting - Top

The graduate council met Sept. 19 in Jonas 309.

Present: Earley, Chrisman, Steckline, Mahoney, Austin, Alsup, B. Silva, Molseed, Erickson. Absent: Cook, Holsinger, Meek. Visitor: Farrokhi.

Moved adoption of guidelines - It was moved, seconded that the operational guidelines with corrections. Motion passed.

The director noted that Dr. Silva’s term ends in October and a new election was necessary. The director asked Dr. Chrisman and Steckline to conduct the election prior to the next meeting.

Molseed reported on the cohort organization of the MSCI - So far there is a total of 64 new students along the following lines: Spearfish teachers – 17, Spearfish – 21, Rapid City – 17, Hot Springs – 17. This is the largest entry group in the history of the institution.

Molseed reported that Dr. Pearce is working on the online delivery of the whole MSCI degree. 

Assuming that the approval process is completed, he projected that the degree will be online in the spring of 2001.

There was considerable discussion on the committee structure and resolution of conflict within the committee as proposed by Drs. Molseed and Farrokhi. The council agreed to the creation of a subcommittee with Dr. Austin (chair), Mr. Mahoney, Dr. Farrokhi, and Molseed. The committee will report to the council in October with a proposed policy for committees.

Molseed described the new process for admission to candidacy to the MSCI and stated given the number of new students that more faculty from outside the college of education should be included to fulfill the requirement of an outside member on each oral examination committee.

Meeting adjourned. The next meeting is Oct. 17 in Jonas 309 at 3:30 p.m.

Minutes of the Sept. 6 faculty senate meeting - Top
The faculty senate met Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2000, in Jonas 110 at 3:15 p.m.

Members present: Curtis Card, John Glover, Rob Schurrer, Colleen Kirby, Margaret Lewis, Steve Babbitt, Vincent King, Fred Heidrich, Tim Hightower for Dan Durben, and Crystal Muglia. (Absent: Rena Fay Norby, Dan Durben and Don Chastain.)

Meeting was opened by President Card.

Motion to approve the agenda was passed.

Motion to approve minutes for May 3, 2000, was passed.

Nominations for faculty senate secretary were made. Following the necessary motions and discussion, Dr. Dan Durben was unanimously elected. (VP Glover graciously offered to take the minutes in Dr. Durben's absence.)

Newly elected President Card moved directly to the agenda items.

Old Issues

President Card briefly described the proposed honors program. A general discussion followed raising concerns about financial support for additional responsibilities, the potential burden on new faculty, the extent of present faculty support for such a program and the need to circulate the proposal. It was decided that Dr. Martinez and Dr. Cook should be invited to discuss the proposal.

Professor Lewis explained the problems she encountered involving a intoxicated student and the lack of procedure and support for handling such individuals in the classroom setting. A general discussion followed which considered the need for specific guidelines to be possibly included in the student handbook.

President Card addressed the issue of student passwords and computer registration. He had been informed that the passwords had additional functions for accessing information. A general discussion followed which raised questions regarding the need for a waiver/disclaimer of responsibility to be signed by the student upon receiving the pin and whether faculty should issue the pins to their student advisees. President Card will check with Arnie Hemmingson to see if faculty distributions is feasible.

New Issues

A lengthy discussion involving the university curriculum committee and the new "short cutting" curriculum process occurred. Concerns were raised that the UCC authority was being usurped through the new process, especially for new proposals during the summer. It became clear that the UCC would have to develop a schedule, which may include summer meetings, to better handle the requests.

The process of nominating senate committee appointments was discussed. VP Glover indicated that the appointments committee would have its recommendations for the senate's Sept. 20, 2000, meeting.

Concerns were raised regarding the numbers of honor graduates over the last few years. The possibility of raising the requirements, establishing a cap or percentage, or establishing a minimum number of BHSU credit hours (60) was mentioned. The need for data involving trends and comparisons became apparent.

The need for a senate representative for the university assessment committee was discussed. A desire to designate an existing UAC member as the Senate Representative was articulated.

Meeting adjourned at 4:30 p.m.

Faculty research funds available - Top
The faculty-research committee has funds available for the current fiscal year. Write a short (about three-page) proposal. Proposal forms are available at the grants office or can be printed out from their web page: http://www.bhsu.edu/academics/grants/frcpick.html

It is anticipated that successful applicants will request support for faculty release time, research equipment, travel to research sites or research support for the production of creative work. Preference is given to new applicants particularly in the areas of education, business, social sciences and humanities. A three-hour release time is available for fall of 2001. You can apply now.

The applicants are encouraged to contact the committee members for advice prior to completing their proposals. The members are John Alsup, Steve Anderson, Lyle Cook, Tom Cox, Daniel Farrington, Abdollah Farrokhi, chair; Jim Hess, Kathleen Parrow, Shane Sarver and Rob Schurrer.

The research committee will not provide salary. The committee may approve payment to student or non-student research assistants. Deliver the original plus ten copies of your proposal to the grants office in Woodburn 218 or Dr. Farrokhi’s office in Woodburn 314 by Oct. 20.

Grants opportunities announced - Top
Below are the program materials received Sept. 14-20 in the grants office, Woodburn 218. For copies of the information, contact our office at 642-6627 or e-mail requests to us at grants@mystic.bhsu.edu. Fellowship information will also be posted on the Student Union bulletin board near the information desk.
  • National Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program. Department of agriculture cooperative state research, education, and extension service. Applications for FY 2001 national research initiative competitive grants program. Deadline: Nov. 15, 2000; Dec. 15, 2000; Jan. 15, 2001; Feb. 15, 2001.
  • Association of American Geographers. Small grants to support research and field work. Applications due Dec. 31.
  • Russell Sage Foundation. Supports research on the future of work, immigration, literacy, and the social psychology of social contact. Proposals are reviewed bi-annually in June and November. Proposals must arrive at least eight weeks prior to permit time to review.
  • Environmental Protection Agency. The environmental education grants program provides financial support for projects which design, demonstrate, or disseminate environmental education practices, methods, or techniques, including assessing environmental and ecological conditions or specific environmental issues or problems. Deadline Nov. 15. http://www.epa.gov/
  • Department of Education. Bilingual education: program development and implementation grants. Provide grants to develop and implement new comprehensive, coherent, and successful bilingual education programs or special alternative instructional programs for limited English proficient students. Deadline Oct. 20. http://www.ed.gov/
  • Department of Education. National institute on disability and rehabilitation research. Field-initiated research projects must further one or both of the following purposes: (1) develop methods, procedures, and rehabilitation technology that maximize the full inclusion and integration into society, employment, independent living, family support, and economic and social self-sufficiency of individuals with disabilities, especially individuals with the most severe disabilities; and (2) improve the effectiveness of services authorized under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended. Deadline Oct. 27. http://www.ed.gov/
  • The American-Scandinavian Foundation (ASF). Awards for Study in Scandinavia for U.S. graduate students. Due November 1. http://www.amscan.org/