winter 12-13 THE MAGAZINE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH VOL. 22 NO. 3 Stories WITHIN STORIES Exploring the University’s rare book collection THE GROUCHO MARXIST: THE ART OF PROFESSOR SAM WILSON PAC12 CALIBER: U ATHLETICS BUILDS FOR EXCELLENCE THE SHIFTING TIDE: U HEALTH CARE READIES FOR BIG CHANGES LESSONS OF THE BONES: AN ALUM FINDS FOSSIL CLUES Continuum_Winter12_Cover4.indd 1 11/7/12 3:53 PM About now, it’s comforting to know one of the nation’s finest health systems is just down the hill. Check into University of Utah Health Care With all the recreation options around here, it’s possible you may find yourself in a situation needing some unexpected care. Fortunately, the specialists — from cardiologists to neurosurgeons to, yes, orthopedic surgeons — at University of Utah Health Care are just minutes from local ski resorts. And, for the third year in a row the University was ranked among the country’s top 10 academic medical centers in quality and safety. So, go ahead, opt for the chutes over the blue cruisers, but please, no snowplowing. It just looks bad. ski.uofuhealth.org 801-587-1150 Continuum_Winter12_Cover4.indd 2 11/6/12 11:23 AM winter 12-13 contents 2 Feedback Your comments 4 Campus Notebook News of the University 34 Alum Profile U alumna Lindsay Zanno seeks clues to the future in the fossils of the past. 8 Spotlight By David U professor Sam Menconi Wilson melds whimsy and 40 Association News discipline in his e U Alumni art. Association By Elaine Jarvik annually gives $400,000 in scholarships; 2012 Merit of Honor Awards; Homecoming Miller festivities August raise funds for by The Book of Commandments, containing an account by Mormon church founder scholarships Joseph Smith, is one of the most valuable pieces in the U’s rare book collection. Photo 44 Through the Years Keeping up with FEATURES alumni 48 And Finally… Stories Within Stories 20 A Monumental 14 Sidelines Tradition Utah Athletics e U has one of the top, and most accessible, rare book collections in the West. has a ve-year By Kim M. Horiuchi plan to bring U Visit continuum.utah. facilities to the edu for additional Pac-12 level. The Shifting Tide 26 photos, videos, By Stephen e U health care system is preparing for the Aordable Care Act’s many changes. and more. Speckman By Jennifer Dobner Continuum_Winter12_feedback3.indd 1 11/7/12 2:38 PM feedback Publisher William Warren Executive Editor Your Comments M. John Ashton BS’66 JD’69 Editor Jason Matthew Smith Managing Editor Julianne Basinger BA’87 MA’91 LOOKING AT THE LOGO A PIONEER FOR EQUALITY Associate Editor I just nished reading the “Heartbeat of the In the Fall 2012 issue of the Continuum, Kim Marcia C. Dibble People” article in the [Fall 2012] Continuum, and the M. Horiuchi wrote a very good article, “Leveling Advertising Manager following comments/questions are stirring within the Playing Field,” on Norma Carr, a U alumna Bill Lines BS’83 me. I attended the U in the “Runnin’ Redskins” and former coach, and her struggle to participate Art Direction/Design era and was saddened when that nickname went in sports before, and even after, passage of Title David E. Titensor BFA’91 away. Now, it seems that “Utes” and the “drum and IX in 1972 giving women equal access to intercol- Corporate Sponsors feather” logo are not politically correct. e issue is legiate sport as men. What the author neglected ARUP Laboratories not with the Ute Tribe but with people not raised in to mention is the woman primarily responsible Continuing Education at the University of Utah the shadow of the U and the tradition of the Native for the passage of Title IX, Congresswoman Patsy David Eccles School of Business at American culture. e warrior mascot has been Takemoto Mink (D-Hawaii). In fact, Title IX is [now] the University of Utah replaced by a red-tailed hawk whose name brings known as the Patsy T. Mink Equal Opportunity in Homestead and Zermatt Resort Intermountain Healthcare to mind a certain athletic shoe. How will the teams Education Act. … Physician Recruiting of the U be named if the changes become eective? Moran Eye Center Rowland Hall What would be the next target? e colors of the U? Robert Moriguchi BS’54 University Credit Union ... It seems like rewriting history. My ve yearbooks Granada Hills, California University of Utah are no longer correct with their references to unac- Development Oce University of Utah Health Care ceptable nicknames, mascots, and logos. Just some A MEMORABLE PROFESSOR Van Cott thoughts. I am very thankful for the education and Such a wonderful article on a truly amazing Editorial Advisory Committee enjoyment that the University of Utah has aorded man [“e Way of Motion,” Fall 2012]. I was a Marc E. Day BS’76 Jim DeGooyer BFA’96 me for all these many years. member of the Actor Training Program when Jerry Kelli Fratto BS’99 [Gardner] rst came on board, and there are few Rosemarie Hunter PhD’04 Mike Lageschulte Steven M. Hansen BS’66 people who leave an impression on your life so Holly Mullen BS’81 Traci O’Very Covey BFA’83 Richmond, Texas strong that 12 years later you still hear their voice Jodi Patterson Keven M. Rowe BS’83 JD’86 in your head, dropping lessons and insight. Jerry is Kathy Wilets BA’89 My heart goes out to everyone attached to the certainly one of them. I miss him out here in NYC, Craig Wirth BS’73 Ute name and the drum and feather logo. As an but his lessons are always there. Continuum is published in summer, fall, winter, and spring undergraduate alumna of a school (e College by the University of Utah Alumni Association and University of William and Mary) that was so proud of its Chris VanDijk BA’99 Marketing & Communications. two-feather logo when I attended, it has been Comment submitted via continuum.utah.edu Subscriptions are available to U faculty/sta (visit continuum.utah. hard to accept its replacement. Yet for the current edu/subscribe.php) and through membership in students there, they embrace the new symbol and the Alumni Association ($40/year). Call (801) 581-6995 mascot wholeheartedly because it represents their We’re eager to hear from you. Please for more information. college. ough my heritage is remotely Native Opinions expressed in Continuum go to continuum.utah.edu/contact-us/ are not neccessarily those of the American (1/16 Seminole), I was proud to support for our contact information. University of Utah administration. the tribe and am still uncomfortable with the Copyright ©2012 by the University of Utah Alumni Association. e “tomahawk chop” arm motion used by students at Visit continuum.utah.edu University of Utah is an equal opportunity/armative sporting events. It is likely that the abuse of Indian to see more letters from readers action institution. imagery will persist in our time. Even without it, on the Fall 2012 issue. For advertising opportunities, some will continue to be oended by the Ute name please call Bill Lines and logo. Should the Board of Trustees choose to at (801) 581-3718. replace them, at least we alumni can consider our Standard postage paid at Salt Lake Ute gear and paraphernalia to be rare classics in City and additional mailing oces. years to come! Send address changes to: Continuum Alumni House Debbie Martin-James MS’96 University of Utah 155 S. Central Campus Drive Dana Point, California Salt Lake City, UT 84112 winter 12 Continuum 2 Continuum_Winter12_feedback3.indd 2 11/12/12 10:14 AM Continuum_Winter12_feedback3.indd 3 11/2/12 4:39 PM campus notebook Knudsen Trina by Photo U Dedicates Honors Housing n September 21, the e building also incorporates e living quarters are four- or eight- University of Utah dedi- classroom and collaborative workspaces person apartments, which appeal to new cated the Donna Gar that host the honors learning model. at students and particularly upperclassmen, Marriott Honors Residential model is based on small, intensive courses, who typically gravitate to apartment ScholarsO Community, the newest solution led by a team of distinguished faculty living as they get older. to the U’s growing need for on-campus across disciplines, and often with involve- “Research shows that students housing. e dorm provides apartment- ment by non-academic experts from the who live on campus stay engaged, do style living to 309 honors students in all local community. better academically, and graduate years of the program. earlier than those who live elsewhere,” “ese are not old-fashioned dorm says Torti. “is building makes it easy rooms,” says Sylvia Torti PhD’98, dean of for students to engage our four-year the Honors College. “e buildings were program.” designed to create a seamless living and e design makes optimal use of learning environment under one roof. the site with ample use of natural light, Student apartments, classrooms, faculty and includes windows that open to take oces, a library, easy transportation advantage of canyon breezes. Proximity access—even a market—all in one place to the TRAX line provides easy access to draw together the traditionally segmented shopping and attractions. components of campus life. Importantly, “e seven-minute ride downtown the dynamic atmosphere created here could and secure bike storage with bike-in, become the new model for an engaged bike-out access make having a car on this student experience throughout the U.” campus obsolete,” Torti notes. e complex is located on the e apartment wing is private, but eastern side of campus, adjacent to a the building entry and the amenities on TRAX light rail station, and a short walk the rst oor are open to everyone on to the Honors Center in Fort Douglas, campus.