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FALL 2011 • VOLUME 19 • No. 3 FOR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH ALABAMA Cover Story 10 ..... Thanks a Million, Harvey Robbins Features 3 ..... The Transition 14 ..... From Zero to Infinity 16 ..... Something Special 20 ..... The Sounds of the Pride 28 ..... Southern Laughs 30 ..... Academic Affairs Awards 33 ..... Excellence in Teaching Award 34 ..... China 38 ..... Words on the Breeze Departments 2 ..... President’s Message 6 ..... Around the Campus 45 ..... Class Notes 47 ..... In Memory FALL 2011 • VOLUME 19 • No. 3 for alumni and friends of the University of North Alabama president’s message ADMINISTRATION William G. Cale, Jr. President William G. Cale, Jr. The annual everyone to attend one of these. You may Vice President for Academic Affairs/Provost Handy festival contact Dr. Alan Medders (Vice President John Thornell is drawing large for Advancement, [email protected]) Vice President for Business and Financial Affairs crowds to the many or Mr. Mark Linder (Director of Athletics, Steve Smith venues where music [email protected]) for information or to Vice President for Student Affairs is being played. At arrange a meeting for your group. David Shields this time of year Sometimes we measure success by Vice President for University Advancement William G. Cale, Jr. it is impossible the things we can see, like a new building. Alan Medders to go anywhere More often, though, success happens one Vice Provost for International Affairs in town and not hear music. The festival student at a time as we provide more and Chunsheng Zhang is also a reminder that we are less than better educational opportunities. Allowing STAFF a month away from the start of another our students the chance to study abroad has Editor academic year. Freshmen have been coming been a long standing ambition of mine, and Carol Lyles (’70) to campus all summer to participate in certainly one for UNA. This year about 100 Designers SOAR and begin their matriculation. It is UNA students visited eight foreign countries The UNA Board of Trustees, concerns. I encourage everyone Karen Hodges (’84), Chuck Craig (’79) something to ponder what it feels like to as part of their academic programs, each on June 13, approved a resolution among our university family, alumni, be 18 at this moment in history. I hope trip under the careful guidance of one or Photographer the Shoals community and throughout Shannon Wells (’05) that most of these college freshmen will more faculty members. Cayla Buttram, one stating the university’s intent to move the region to support this transition as Contributing Photographers feel a sense of urgency to do well in their of 26 UNA students who spent the month to NCAA Division I status upon Carol Lyles (’70) studies so that they can become a part of of June in China , wrote these words as she completion of a series of benchmark we launch into a new era.” Contributing Writers the positive change that we need in our summarized her trip: goals. UNA currently competes in the UNA president pro tempore Steve Dennis Balch (’70) country. Ultimately, as Mark Twain once Gulf South Conference of the NCAA Pierce (’75) said the board’s decision William G. Cale, Jr. Many of you know by now that our said, “Travel is fatal to prejudice, Noelle Ingle Board of Trustees voted in June to take bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.” Division II. is a “visionary move for the university, Francis Koti The Board’s approval of the coming at a time when UNA is Jason Lankford (’11) the University to the Division I level in What better way to be globally Carol Lyles (’70) athletic competition provided that three prepared than to fi nd out just what resolution came on the heels of building and growing in so many Timmy Ray (’08) key benchmarks are realized during the next is beyond our borders? We have not several major advancement initiatives, exciting ways. This decision was not Josh Woods academic year. One is that we secure an only shattered many misconceptions including construction plans for a made for its immediate impact. invitation to membership from an NCAA about China and America through Send correspondence and Division I conference and comply with our travel, but we have also been new science and technology center “The full benefi ts of actions like address changes to: all other NCAA Division I membership given the distinction of study abroad and a new academic center and these are rarely seen for many years. UNA Magazine requirements. Another is that we raise students as we further our own student commons, as well as the This move, I am confi dent, will bring Offi ce of Alumni Relations through gifts and pledges commitments careers and hope to make a positive to this university and this area a level UNA Box 5047 groundbreaking for a new black-box of $3 million over the fi ve year period impact on our world. But, we walk theatre. of strength, of competition and of University of North Alabama beginning in June, 2012. The third is that away from the experience with more Florence, AL 35632-0001 “This is an exciting time in the growth that will be felt generations 2 we have an indication of support for this than just that distinction: we have, 3 e-mail: [email protected] undertaking from the Shoals community tucked away in our minds, a deeper history of UNA – a time of growth from now, long after each of us is through its government, business, and understanding of a country that and momentum, for academics, for gone.” STATEMENT OF NONDISCRIMINATION It is the policy of the University of North Alabama to afford equal opportunities civic leadership. The Board also adopted infl uences our daily lives in the U.S. in education and in employment to qualifi ed persons regardless of age, color, student life and for athletics,” said Dr. 2011 fall UNA Magazine 2011 fallcreed, UNA Magazine disability, national origin, race, religion, or sex, in accordance with all measures to insulate the university budget now and will increasingly do so in laws, including Title IX of Education Amendments of 1972, Title VII of the Civil William G. Cale, Jr., UNA president. Rights Act of 1973, Americans with Disabilities Act, Civil Rights Act of 1991, from increased athletic expenditures, and the future. BENCHMARKS and Executive Order 11246. The coordinators for nondiscrimination policies “As we move forward with the Board’s are: for students, Irons Law Firm, 219 North Court Street, Florence, AL 35630, to cap a phased-in student fee at $8 per Cayla will never be quite the same person. and for employees, the Director of Human Resources and Affi rmative Action, enrolled hour. Competition at the D-I level That’s what education does, and that is what decision today, I am excited about Benchmarks UNA must meet for 217 Bibb Graves Hall, telephone 256-765-4291 or email: [email protected]. has been a topic of conversation in our we all want for every student. We do that our future. We have a plan to move a transition include meeting the Information contained herein is as it currently exists but community for two decades. The Board has one by one, and it’s all but invisible. ahead strategically and to build upon new requirements for Division I is subject to change without prior notice. adopted an approach to this question that Hope you all had a great summer and our very successful athletics program. membership, capping institutional gives the community the opportunity over that we will see you at homecoming the next nine months to come forward and September 23-24. University concerns were heard from spending for athletics operations, support this transition. We are conducting BBUILDINGUILDING our faculty, staff, and students, and increasing athletics funding from a wide-ranging series of meeting to provide All my best, the resolution that was passed today outside sources, and capping a details and answer questions. I encourage Bill Cale TTHEHE PPRIDERIDE includes benchmarks to address those phased-in student athletics fee. The decision to move forward with changing landscape of Division II, Division II universities within a 3.5- during their transitions from Division Division I plans was made following especially in the Southeast. hour radius, as opposed to 21 Division II to Division I. Eleven percent several months of discussion, careful I universities. growth would also add $4.8 million research, and planning to ensure PLAYING OUR PEERS Linder added that, from a fi nancial to UNA’s annual budget to help offset the fi nancial feasibility of such a standpoint, even to remain at the cuts to state funding. transition. In addition to seeking an Pierce said a leading factor in the Division II level would become “UNA’s growth these past six invitation from an NCAA Division I Board’s decision was to better align increasingly expensive due to years has been phenomenal – for conference, UNA will have to pay a UNA with its peer institutions. “The increased travel. Increased travel, he the university and for the Shoals $1.42 million application fee to the public,” he said, “generally perceives said, can also impact the academic community. Each of us in the Shoals NCAA for a move to Division I. a university as being similar to the performance of student-athletes by community is benefi ting from what UNA plans for a six-year transition universities it keeps company with “requiring our student-athletes to has happened on this campus,” Pierce period to Division I, beginning with on the athletic fi elds and the athletic spend more time on the road and said.