Missouri S&T Magazine, Autumn 1994
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Missouri University of Science and Technology Scholars' Mine Missouri S&T Magazine Special Collections Missouri S&T Magazine, Autumn 1994 Miner Alumni Association Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsmine.mst.edu/alumni-magazine Recommended Citation Miner Alumni Association, "Missouri S&T Magazine, Autumn 1994" (1994). Missouri S&T Magazine. 399. https://scholarsmine.mst.edu/alumni-magazine/399 This Magazine is brought to you for free and open access by Scholars' Mine. It has been accepted for inclusion in Missouri S&T Magazine by an authorized administrator of Scholars' Mine. This work is protected by U. S. Copyright Law. Unauthorized use including reproduction for redistribution requires the permission of the copyright holder. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ~~~ - - ] ~~!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!~ A PUBLICATION OF THE MSM-UMR ALUMNI ASSOCIATION UNf\IEI!SIT1'OF ~i CHANCELLOR John T. Park MSM.U"R ALU"NI Robett V. WoIf, -S: EJlECUTiVE VICE P ilon'idG Brad",' The MSM A1umnU! logr<lphed. and de! UMR Department' ~1arkeJing , withth. U~lR Alumni Asso ASSOCl~1E EDIT( (Alumni I Undsay (features & News COt>'TRtBUTtNGV Laura Besl '94 John Kean 'larianne Ward SUPPORT STAFF Mary Helen Hunt. Ronda Peplow Photography Roberta Brown Me Dan S~fertiStone I M\~ IUSP UNIVERSITY OF M ISSOURI·ROLLA CHANCELLOR John 1. Park MSM·UMR ALUMNI ASSOC. PRESIDENT Robert V. Wolf, '51, '52 EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT Donald G. Brackhahn I N T H s s s u E The MSM Alumnus is written, edited, pho tographed, and designed by the staff of the UMR Department of Communlcations and Marketing, with the assistance of the MSM· UMR Alumni Association. EDITOR Kathy Fillmer ASSOCIATE EDITORS (Alumni) Lindsay Lomax Bagnall, '76 (Features & News) Andrew Careaga CONTRIBUTING WR ITERS Laura Best '94 Dick Hatfield John Kean Marianne Ward SUPPORT STAFF Mary Helen Hunter '94 COVER STORY: A Plan of Action Ronda Peplow Since John Park took office as chancellor three years ago. an annually updated strategic action plan has Photography Roberta Brown Morgan '87 been the blueprint for improving quality Dan Seifert/Stone House Photography and ensuring excellence .................... .. .. ...... .......... .. ... .. ... ...... ...... page 2 • Excel-erating A break from traditional studying .. ..... ........... ...................... page 4 MSM Alumnus • Bit by Bit-the campus makes progress in (USP5·323-500) networking personal computers for students. Issued four times per year (March. June, September, faculty and staff ............ .. ..... ... .. ..... ........... .. ............. .. ......." .. .. .. page 6 December) in the interest of the graduates and former students of the Missouri School of Mines and r-ictal • Innovations in teaching-taking a new lurgy and the UniverSity 01 Missouri-Rolla. The MSM Alumnusis published by the M5M-UMR Alumni Asso approach to teaching an old subject creates elation, Castleman Hall. University of Missouri-Rolla, Rolla, MO 65401-0249. Second Class postage paid a! excitement in the classroom ....... ... ....... .... .. .. ... .............. .. ..... page 7 Rolla. MO and additional mailing offices • Team Players-teamwork is the name of the POSTMASTER Send address changes to MSM Alum nus, Castleman Hall, University of Missouri-Rolla, game in teaching and preparing students for Rolla, MO 65401,0249. life outside the classroom ... .. ...... ........... .... .............. .. ....... .... page 8 Jennifer's Story: A "frosh" perspective on the first week of school from the viewpoint of Jennifer Campbell, daughter of Robert Campbell CE'71 , ..... .. ........... ... page 12 ON CAMPUS I Campus News .......... .... ....... .. ..... .. ..................................... ........ .. .. page 14 • Good News/ Bad News • EEC celebrates 30 years • Shocking new developments in earthquake·proof materials • Cutting up at the Rock Mechanics and Explosives Center Miner Sports ....... ................. ... .................... ... ... ........ ... ........ ........ ,...... .. ...... pa{1 e 18 I ALUMNI NEWS I Alumni Notes ............... ..... .... .. .. ..................................................... page 22 Alumni Profile: Brad Scott has Carolina on his mind ... ....... page 34 Section News .......... ........ .. ........ .................... .. .. .... .. ............... .. ... .. page 36 l Len it. In e much caps Q1 There budget ship pi inglyeJ Nott bad. I structee a/beau road m tion we aims to But ma lofty idea~ gathering many a ca UMR's reflects cr for a mOl doesn 't Wi schemes je know how "So oft, glorious go; not the m. says. "Whi what wecal ing that if \, that goal w That ph StrategicAe I UMR's PLANS ARE BAS NTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT s just no getting around sets forth realistic and attainable goals. The • Have clear-cut definitions for measuring ~ere ' success. it. blueprint, Park says, is challenging but not In academia, plans are as impractical. The group returns to campus with a rough much a part of the culture as "You want a plan to have stretch goals, but version of a plan, then sends that version caps and gowns at graduation. on the other hand you don't want to set goals back to the units for further review. The unit that are impossible," Park says. "We're trying directors and managers then deliver their There are enrollment plans, to make the strategic action plan a real plan comments to the chancellor's staff group, budget plans, student leader for accomplishment instead of a pipe dream. " which in turn crafts the final version of the annual plan. ship plans ... the list is seem Park describes the annual blueprint as a "continuous improvement plan"-a phrase ingly endless. familiar to those in total quality management How WE ' RE DOING Not that plans are inherently circles-with some modifications. And how are we doing? The record, after two years of strategic planning, is pretty good. bad. When properly con THE PROCESS Most of the first strategic action plan's 101 structed, a plan can be a thing Planning begins in the spring, when each action items have been completed. They in of beauty: concise and direct, a unit director answers the same question: What clude making the campus computer network can you accomplish next year that will con more accessible to students and faculty (see road map of where an institu tribute to UMR 's mission? That mission is story on page 8), initiating the UMR Excel tion wants to go and how it "educating leaders in engineering and sci group-learning program (see story on page 6) ence. " To accomplish it , the campus has set and completing the telephone registration aims to get there. forth 12 broad-based goals called "initiatives" process for students. Last year, the campus But many plans are unwieldy, too full of (see "The strategic plan at a glance," page 6). accomplished even more, including the cre lofty ideas. These are the tomes you see The directors or managers meet with oth ation of a group to study UMR 's curriculum gathering dust upon the office bookshelf of ers in their unit, gather ideas, and formulate (see story on page 9) , development of a many a campus administrator. annual goals-called "action items"-that will student leadership program, and several cos UMR 's Strategic Action Plan is different. It fit into the bigger picture. Those goals then go metic improvements, including the start of reflects Chancellor John T. Park 's preference to the next level of administrators- typically, construction of a new student recreation cen for a more down-to-earth approach. He the deans and vice chancellors-who then ter and the Campus Support Facility. doesn 't want to hear about your grandiose bring the information to the chancellor. This year's plan, still in draft form , con schemes to achieve excellence; he wants to In June of every year, Park and his staff get tains more exciting and ambitious projects. It know how you're going to do it. away from campus for three days to pow-wow includes strategies for new teaching experi "So often, universities set these grand and on these proposed actions. Park calls this ments and new research ventures, a proposal glorious goals-and they're so far away, there's "reality therapy," because the administrators for a new degree program, development of a not the motivation to achieve them," Park must decide which proposed projects truly money-saving energy management program says. "What we are trying to do is focus on meet the criteria to stay in the plan. on campus, and about 100 other items. How what we can accomplish over the year-know And those criteria keep the plan based in th e campus will fare on these projects remains ing that if we do that, five years down the line, reality. Action items must: to be seen, but rest assured: the campus will that goal will be accomplished. " • Be completed in a year's tim e. continue to smve toward excellence in all areas. That philosophy forms the basis for UMR 's • Be completed with existing funds and staffing. As Park puts it: "With this plan, I don 't Strategic Action Plan-a yearly document that • Advance one or more of the 12 initiatives. think we're short on work this year." • By Andrew Careaga Photos by Dan Seifert Stone House Photography enera THE STRATEGIC PLAN AT A GLANCE group -Slud For Rolla, Excel I normally wouldn 't have been around. It rete ntion ri UMR 's strategic action plan is bui lt on UMR 's helped me develop new fr iendships and also UMR is about as big a those prog trad itions of exce ll ence. It is composed of helped my grades. " break with tradition as was the open to all The mission: "Educat in g leaders in eng i Anderson is no exception. Students who arrival of lights in Chicago 's The ad nee rin g and science." This is the reason UM R volunteer fo r the program are more likely to ment- thrE exists. Wrigley Field. And much like that first stay in school-and make better grades The vision : UMR has a uni que environment nigh t game at Wri gley, Excel can be disarm than those who don 't.