Washington University Record, April 27, 1995

Washington University School of Medicine Digital Commons@Becker Washington University Record Washington University Publications 4-27-1995 Washington University Record, April 27, 1995 Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.wustl.edu/record Recommended Citation "Washington University Record, April 27, 1995" (1995). Washington University Record. Book 688. http://digitalcommons.wustl.edu/record/688 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Washington University Publications at Digital Commons@Becker. It has been accepted for inclusion in Washington University Record by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons@Becker. For more information, please contact [email protected]. WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN ST LOUIS Vol. 19 No. 29 April 27, 1995 Employees embrace 'Service for Success' After only seven months, "Service for Success" administrators say they are well ahead of their goal of training every University staff member in the program's principles by 1997. Since September, more than 400 employees have participated in the training program, which stresses communication and other skills in providing exceptional service and working more effectively. "The level of participation has far surpassed our original goals," said Tena Combs, "Service for Success" administrator. "Employees are reporting that the program has helped them both profession- ally and personally. At the rate we're going, all University employees will have gone through the program well before our original goal of 1997." The "Service for Success" program was introduced to Washington University last February after employees said, in focus groups, they wanted training that would help them do their jobs better and learn about other areas of the University. The program was developed with the help of Mary Ammerman, a service training Greg Messina, a junior business major from Long Island, N.Y., paints the Congress of the South 40 facade for Thurtene Carnival. The carnival, held last weekend, is the largest and oldest student-run carnival in the nation. Event proceeds will consultant with Ammerman Associates benefit the St. Louis Transitional Hope House, which helps families break the cycle of homelessness. Inc., based in Wayne, Pa. It is being car- ried out by about 40 University employees who were trained in the program's principles last summer. According to the mission statement, their goal is "to pro- A model of cooperation vide an ongoing service training program for the benefit of those whom we serve Universities pool resources to offer innovative engineering degree (students, parents, alumni, faculty, col- leagues and others) and to help us all be They're 30-something, married with availability of an affordable engineering Rolla and Columbia, located in central more effective in what we do in support of children, burdened with bills to degree to demographic groups who ordi- Missouri, are University of Missouri the mission of Washington University." pay and twin diminishing re- narily would be lost in the academic shuffle. System campuses with engineering cur- In September, Hilltop Campus employ- sources — time and money. Many of These groups encompass, among others, ricula. Each is at least a two-hour drive ees received a letter from Chancellor them punch a time clock and work more "mature" students, with an impressive from St. Louis. The University of Mis- William H. Danforth inviting them to than 40 hours a week, yet they're beset representation of women and minorities. souri-St. Louis and Washington Univer- participate in the program. Immediately, with a simmering drive to change their "There just hasn't been an engineering sity are only about 15 minutes apart from requests came pouring in from every lives. So, why not change course in mid- education alternative in the St. Louis each other via interstate. school, department, division and office on life and become an engineer? region for the kind of student enrolled in "The program provides an opportunity campus. The training, which involves five That's the profile and logic of typical the joint program," said William P. Darby, for students who are place bound to get half-day sessions, is being conducted at students enrolled in one of the most Ph.D., professor and chair of the Washing- an engineering degree at reasonable the West Campus Conference Center. distinctive engineering programs in the ton University Department of Engineering tuition rates," said Nancy Shields, Ph.D., During the sessions participants learn world, the University ofMissouri - and Policy and dean of the joint program. University of Missouri-St. Louis assistant how to communicate better, provide better St. Louis/Washington University Joint "When the two institutions were consider- professor of sociology and associate dean service, manage communications and Undergraduate Engineering Program. ing creating the program, we looked all of the program. "This is the first time handle difficult situations. A concept as innovative as the creation around for a model and couldn't find one. anything like this has been available in St. Training sessions emphasize experien- of the junior college system after World We've pretty much crafted the program Louis, a region of 2.3 million people. The tial techniques, including real life simula- War II, the joint program began very based on combining the strengths of the University of Missouri-St. Louis has tion, problem-solving and case studies. modestly in early 1993 with a tiny enroll- two schools to give students an opportu- wanted an engineering program for more Universal themes, such as cultural diver- ment of eight students. In less than two nity that wasn't available before. than 20 of its 31 years, and now through sity and empowerment, are included. years, the program has expanded phenom- "These aren't the kinds of students who this cooperation, there finally is one, and Classes are composed of heterogeneous enally to 188 students — 65 upper divi- are going to pack up and move out of state a very good one at that." groups, crossing departmental and role sion students and 123 pre-engineering or even to Rolla or Columbia and live two The program provides bachelor's boundaries, as well as different types of students. It is unique among all known years in the dorms. These are people who degrees in electrical, mechanical and civil service areas to encourage communica- engineering programs because it combines are literally installing car stereos or selling engineering. There also is a minor in tion and cooperation among the adminis- the efforts and resources of two contrast- computer software during the day, punch- environmental engineering available. tration, departments and schools. ing universities with differing flavors and ing out at 5 p.m. and taking courses at 5:30 In the collaborative program students "The training helped me see service and missions to achieve a common goal: the at night, footing the bill on their own." Continued on page 8 its purpose here at Washington University in a new light," said Lina Yong, an adminis- trative assistant at the Career Center. "Not Knock on wood only did it help me develop better commu- Horticulturist helps preserve campus5 age-old trees Continued on page 5 There is a giant Scotch Elm just east bark is not characteristic of the tree; it's Three of four beautiful elms planted in In this issue ... of Brown Hall. Its heavy branches characteristic of people climbing on the Brookings Quadrangle were removed grow not up, but out and down. tree." when they fell victim to Dutch Elm dis- Heart pang's........................ 2 Their gnarled fingertips brush the ground Norman, the University's one-man ease. The American Elm in the southwest Study shows patients' attitudes in a wide circumference. A footpath horticultural staff, is about one-third of the corner is one of the few remaining large about chest pain vary; findings winds between the 80-year-old trunk and way through a detailed inventory of trees specimens of this once common species. could affect angina treatment its wide, arching tentacles, allowing on campus. Since he started seven years Until the 1960s, when Dutch Elm disease pedestrians hustling from the parking lot ago, 60 trees have had to be removed for a killed off almost all large examples of this The role of nutrition 3 to campus the fleeting feeling of being variety of reasons, including disease, safety tree, the American Elm was the traditional Saulo Klahr's research showed that deep in a primeval forest. threats and plain old age. The University backbone of college landscape design. kidney function is markedly de- It is one of horticulturist Paul tries to replace every tree it removes. "We do not know why this remaining creased in people who are chroni- Norman's favorite spots. "The unique thing about this campus is example in the quad has stayed in rela- cally malnourished "When I first saw this tree, I thought it its age. That also hurts us. Some of our tively good health," said Bill Wiley, man- had been struck by lightning, but its trees are at the end of their life expect- ager of maintenance operations. "This 'The latest In attitude'........ 5 growth habit is naturally horizontal in- ancy," Norman said. "They begin to break specimen may have unique genetic char- stead of vertical," said Norman. "My down, need repairs and to be replaced. acteristics that are providing a defense Fashion students premiere designs guess is that it was planted around 1906- Like a human, the healthier a tree is, the against

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