Aging Work Force Prompts 'Wake-Up Call'

Aging work force prompts ‘wake-up call’

Expert to advise local employers on retaining skilled older workers

Free lunch and conversation with Helen Dennis, specialist on aging and employment 11:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 26 Embassy Suites, 110 W. Washington St.

As baby boomers reach retirement age, the decline in America‟s skilled work force poses an urgent challenge for employers. And as life expectancies increase, many employees want or need to continue working beyond the standard retirement age.

Both sides can benefit if employers recognize the value of recruiting and retaining older workers, said Helen Dennis, a nationally known expert on aging, employment and retirement.

“This is a wake-up call to business, to acknowledge the aging workforce and what they need to do to remain competitive,” said Dennis, a California-based corporate consultant and university lecturer. “The population is aging. We have fewer people coming through the pipeline. How do you get the best people?”

Dennis will make her case to central Indiana employers on Jan. 26, at an event sponsored by the University of Indianapolis‟ Center for Aging and Community.

The free luncheon talk is scheduled 11:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 26, in the Consulate Room of Embassy Suites, 110 W. Washington St. The event is free, but reservations are required. Contact Lisa Battiato at (317) 791-5936 or [email protected].

Promoting the importance of meaningful work for older adults is one of the core missions of the Center for Aging and Community, said Associate Director Ellen Miller. On April 15 in Indianapolis, the center will host a national conference for executives, “Managing the 21 st Century Workplace,” featuring talks by veteran broadcaster Hugh Downs and national experts in aging and work force issues.

“Aside from the emerging issues for employers, this change in the work force will likely create a serious economic issue for cities and states,” said Miller, an associate professor at the university with a background in physical therapy and gerontology. “Clearly, those in the baby boom generation are living longer and healthier, and many will lack the means to leave the work force entirely. Mutual accommodations such as flex time and phased retirement can help employers, employees and communities.”

Dennis, a CAC board member and editor of the books “Retirement Preparation” and “Fourteen Steps in Managing an Aging Work Force,” said the widespread elimination of middle- management positions during the 1980s and ‟90s created a gap in the work force that will make the looming demographic changes even more challenging for employers.

“Now we have to say, „Where have all the workers gone?‟” she said. “There are not enough younger workers to take those places at the same level of competency.”

About the Center for Aging and Community

Established by the University of Indianapolis in 2001, the Center for Aging and Community takes an interdisciplinary approach to developing partnerships between higher education and the broader community of business, government, service agencies and families. Its key focus areas are Aging in Place and Meaningful Work for Older Adults. The center also offers two graduate degree programs in gerontology. Find more information at http://cac.uindy.edu.

News coverage of the Jan. 26 and April 15 events is welcome, and Helen Dennis and Ellen Miller are available for advance interviews. Call (317) 788-3298 for more information.

Posted: January 1st, 2005 under Campus News.

Events explore African-American spirituality

University of Indianapolis to host lectures, national conferences for religious leaders

The authors of a forthcoming book on African-American Christian spirituality will speak Feb. 22 at the University of Indianapolis and will convene a new semiannual conference series on the topic for pastors, scholars and laypersons from around the country.

The Revs. Eugene Blair and Glandion Carney will deliver the university’s 2005 Showers Lectures in the Christian Religion. This year’s lectures, under the theme “African-American Christian Spirituality: Exploring the Heritage & Claiming the Promise,” are scheduled at 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. Feb. 22.

The following day, Feb. 23, Blair and Carney will convene the inaugural Gathering of African- American Sages, to be conducted twice yearly at the University of Indianapolis. The purpose of the gatherings is expressed in the West African concept of sankofa , which means “in order to move forward, you have to look backward.” African-American Christian spirituality looks to African culture and cosmology while at the same time embracing the presence of the Holy Spirit in congregational life and daily living.

Guest speaker for the inaugural gathering in Indianapolis will be the Rev. Abena Safiyah Fosua, a clergy member of the Greater New Jersey Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church and former missionary to Ghana, West Africa. Under her topic, “Living with Contradiction: A Second Look at African-American Spirituality,” she will probe the dichotomies experienced by African-American Christians and congregations. She writes weekly articles for the UMC’s General Board of Discipleship and is the author of books including Mother Wit: 365 Meditations for African-American Women (Abingdon Press, 1996) and Jesus and Prayer (Abingdon Press, 2002) .

The gatherings are part of a collaboration among the university, the Office of African-American Spiritual Formation of the Detroit Conference of the United Methodist Church, and the Upper Room Ministry in Nashville, Tenn. To complement the university conferences, Upper Room Ministries will host pilgrimages to Africa, and the Detroit Conference will host annual gatherings of the Sankofa Spiritual Formation Community. Blair currently serves as Director of African American Spiritual Formation for the Detroit Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. He also works as a congregational development consultant and has traveled, studied and preached in Africa, Israel, Mexico and Jamaica. Before entering the ministry and serving several pastorates, he was a police officer and community organizer in Minnesota.

Carney, based in Helena, Ala., is an ordained minister in the Christian Reform Church, a popular retreat leader and the author of seven books on spirituality. Since 2000, he has served as chaplain of the Christian Legal Society, an organization that works with lawyers, judges and other members of the legal profession to provide spiritual counsel and opportunities for spiritual formation.

Funding for the Gathering of African-American Sages is provided by The Crossings Project, a Lilly Endowment-funded program in theological exploration of vocation at the University of Indianapolis. For more information, contact Dr. Michael G. Cartwright, executive director of The Crossings Project and Dean of Ecumenical & Interfaith Programs at the university, at (317) 788- 2106.

EVENTS

“African-American Christian Spirituality: Exploring the Heritage & Claiming the Promise”

2005 Showers Lectures in the Christian Religion When: Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2005 The Rev. Eugene Blair, 4:30 p.m. The Rev. Glandion Carney, 7:30 p.m. Where: University Chapel, Schwitzer Student Center, 1400 E. Hanna Ave. Admission: Free and open to the public

First semiannual Gathering of African-American Sages

When: 8:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2005 Where: Good Hall, Hanna and Otterbein avenues Guest speaker: The Rev. Abena Safiyah Fosua, “Living with Contradiction: A Second Look at African-American Spirituality” Admission: Free and open to the public Lunch reservations: Contact the Office of Ecumenical & Interfaith Programs at (317) 788-2106 or [email protected]

Posted: January 1st, 2005 under Campus News.

Music convention is prelude to European tour

UINDY’s wind ensemble and orchestra begin whirlwind year

Performing at the Indiana Music Educators Association State Convention on Jan. 14 is a thrill for the University of Indianapolis Symphonic Wind Ensemble, but it won’t be the only one this year. The 65 members of the Wind Ensemble and Chamber Orchestra also will undertake a tour of Austria this spring, performing in Vienna, Vienna Woods, Salzburg and Innsbruck from May 12 to 21. Highlights will include a concert in Haydn Hall at Vienna’s Esterhazy Palace, as well as a sightseeing cruise on the Danube River and visits to castles, palaces and the famous “Composer’s Cemetery” where Beethoven, Brahms, Schubert and other notables are buried. The overseas trip is the first for the Chamber Orchestra. The Symphonic Wind Ensemble traveled in 1998 to Athens, Greece, where the university has a branch campus. Before that, however, comes the state convention performance, the first for a large ensemble from the University of Indianapolis. Director of Bands Thomas McCauley is enthused about appearing before the statewide audience of music educators and students from elementary school through the university level. The convention is scheduled Jan. 13 to 15 at the Indiana Convention Center and RCA Dome. “This is an unprecedented opportunity for us to spread the good news about all that is happening on our campus,” McCauley said. The Symphonic Wind Ensemble is comprised of both music and non-music majors from the university, selected through auditions. The 3:30 p.m. Jan. 14 performance will include works by Holst, Shostakovich, Edward Elgar, J.B. Arban and Warren Benson. Guest artist Anthony Kniffen, principal tuba from the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, will perform with the group. An IMEA panel selected the ensemble based on a submitted recording. Music department Chair Jo Ann Domb sees the invitation as yet another milestone for the university. “As a department of music grows in number and quality, there are important steps along the way to benchmark success,” she said. “Certainly, the selection of the Symphonic Wind Ensemble to perform at the Indiana Music Educators Association Convention is such a benchmark.”For more information, contact Jennifer Arbaugh at (317) 788-2183 or [email protected].

Posted: January 1st, 2005 under Campus News.

CELL awards IPS nearly $1.4 million for high school transformation

21 autonomous small high schools to be created on five campuses in ambitious district-wide reform

INDIANAPOLIS, IN – The Center of Excellence in Leadership of Learning (CELL) today announced grant funds of $1,380,400 to Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) for the creation of 21 small high schools (400 students or fewer per school) on the campuses of Arlington, Arsenal Technical, Broad Ripple, Emmerich Manual and Northwest high schools.

In making the funding announcement at Northwest High School this morning, CELL Executive Director Lynne Weisenbach noted that CELL and IPS’ partnership represents a rare and ambitious district-wide transformation. Most urban school systems reform one or two schools at a time. The IPS district itself is changing in order to support these new small high schools.

“The small schools model is innovative and imperative for us to implement,” Weisenbach said. “This reform work is a blend of teacher and administration development, student engagement and community involvement – three critical factors necessary to ensure that we close the achievement gap and help our youth to be prepared for college and life beyond high school.

“Thanks to the support and dedicated involvement of the IPS staff, the Indianapolis Education Association (IEA), parents, students and the community at large, education will be transformed, with autonomous, equitable small high school structures that allow for a rigorous curriculum aligned to state standards and individual school decisions on governance/policy, curriculum/assessment, staffing, schedules, budgets and use of facility space.

“In short, these 21 small high schools will be empowered to make decisions based on what is best for their own students,” Weisenbach said.

Because of the reduced student population, each student in a small school is well-known to teachers and peers. Education is directly related to the student’s life and individual achievement is monitored so that instruction can be adjusted accordingly. The small schools model is designed for all students to reach standards with no achievement disparities among racial or socioeconomic groups. Teachers in small high schools will be a part of an instructional team that meets regularly to discuss curriculum and teaching strategies. Teachers receive research-based, ongoing professional development directed at improving teaching and learning. The small school leaders (academic deans and facilitators of teaching and learning) serve as coaches and collaborators.

“IPS is changing the face of high school education in Indianapolis,” said Superintendent Duncan N.P. Pritchett, Jr. “Through our Small Schools Initiative, IPS will provide instruction that exemplifies the five Rs of small schools: rigor, relevance, relationships, resilience and responsibility.”

The funding announced today will support the design and preparation phase in the development of the small high schools (the third phase of the conversion process prior to implementation). CELL will release the funds as follows:

Small high schools on the campuses of Arlington (5) and Emmerich Manual (4) will receive full design and preparation phase funding of $200 per student (total of $345,000 for Arlington and a total of $240,600 for Manual) to spend January 2005-May 2006. Small high schools on the campus of Northwest (4) will receive full design and preparation phase funding of $200 per student (total of $267,600) to spend January 2005-May 2006 as soon as clarification is achieved in a couple of areas. Small high schools on the campuses of Broad Ripple (3) and Arsenal Technical (5) may receive funding of $200 per student (total of $214,200 for Broad Ripple and a total of $313,000 for Arsenal Tech). However, CELL initially will provide $35 per student at each of these schools, with the remaining $165 per student held until the schools’ plans are adequately revised on or before June 30, 2005. If these plans are deemed ready to move forward by June 30, then the remaining $165 per student will be released to these small schools for them to continue through the design and preparation phase.

According to IEA President Peggy Hattiex-Penn, the teachers’ association is in full support of the small high school concept. “The Indianapolis Education Association has signed a memorandum of understanding in good faith. We will continue to support our teachers as they work to improve instruction, raise test scores and close the achievement gap for all students. We are very excited about the promise of small schools as we work together to improve student learning,” Hattiex-Penn said.

The memorandum of understanding defined the autonomies of the small schools and was signed by CELL, IPS, the IPS School Board and the IEA. It will be in effect during the 2005-06 academic year as school leaders, teachers, students and parents:

focus on developing new small school cultures to improve student performance to be college ready; improve instruction to personalize education for all students; and re-engage the community in school improvement.

The nearly $1.4-million grant follows $1.3 million in funds provided to IPS by CELL since April 2003. CELL, in collaboration with the Indianapolis Mayor’s Office, received an $11.3-million grant in 2003 from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for development of small high schools. The foundation is dedicated to raising graduation and college-readiness rates for all students, especially minority and low-income youth.

The dollars CELL will administer to each school are based on IPS’ total enrollment minus magnet students who attend schools with entrance requirements. CELL does not fund schools that have entrance requirements. In addition to the IPS conversions, CELL has directed Gates funding toward the establishment of 12 small school start-ups involving public, private, charter and archdiocesan schools in Marion County.

CELL promotes excellence and equity in outcomes for all students in Central Indiana by enhancing the effectiveness of professional and civic leadership and promoting effective practices, institutional cooperation and community engagement.

Contact: Susan Nelson, CELL Communications Director (317) 791-5928 or [email protected]

Posted: January 27th, 2005 under Campus News.

University of Indianapolis MBAs get special shot at ‘The Apprentice’

University of Indianapolis business school alumni will be hoping to hear “You‟re hired!” when Donald Trump‟s casting directors come to town Feb. 24-26 scouting for the next Apprentice.

The university will host a private casting call for the hit-NBC series from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 24 that will be open only to master‟s of business administration graduates of U of I and Indiana University. The private casting session will be followed by a local call open to the general public on Saturday, Feb. 26 at WTHR studios.

“The Apprentice” series starts each season with 18 actual job candidates, divided into two teams, who are vying for a $250,000-a-year position in The Trump Organization. Each week the teams face a new competition, and one contestant is fired from the losing team. The third season, now under way, is featuring “book smart” college graduates versus “street smart” business professionals who do not have college degrees.

“The University of Indianapolis MBA program is an ideal training ground for „Apprentice‟ wannabes,” said Matthew Will, director of graduate business programs. “Our students are book smart and street smart. They come from a variety of educational and business backgrounds, and gain additional real-world experience here. Often that practical wisdom comes from top executives of local firms – among them Eli Lilly & Company – who teach many of our courses.”

Although the university casting call is closed, others interested in interviewing for the show may bring a completed application to the open call on Feb. 26 at WTHR, 1000 N. Meridian St. Wristbands will be handed out from 9 a.m. to noon, guaranteeing a meeting with the casting agents, and interviews will begin at 10 a.m. Contestants must be 21 years old, eligible to work in the U.S., and have business savvy or entrepreneurial experience. Full details and applications may be downloaded at www.NBC.com.

Posted: January 31st, 2005 under Campus News.

Two University of Indianapolis students to assist with forensic cases in South Africa

For the last two years, University of Indianapolis graduate students Nicolette Parr and Bobbie Leeper have had the opportunity to work alongside forensic anthropologist Stephen Nawrocki on various high-profile Indiana police investigations. Now, the young women are taking their skills to Pretoria, South Africa, where they will provide much-needed assistance to a university professor there.

With funding from U of I, Parr and Leeper will head to the University of Pretoria in March to work for two months with Maryna Steyn, one of the few forensic anthropologists in South Africa. In addition to helping her tackle a hefty backload of cases, the graduate students will do some teaching and research.

“Dr. Steyn has a massive forensics caseload,” Nawrocki explained. “She covers a huge geographic area, where they do not have many specialists for this type of work.”

“We work in a totally different system,” said Steyn, who hopes to one day send some of her students to work with Nawrocki in Indiana. “We have no certified forensic anthropologists here as you do in the U.S., but we have three universities in the country which offer physical anthropology as a subject. However, the University of Pretoria is the only one to do forensic casework on a regulated basis.”

Nawrocki, one of only about 55 certified forensic anthropologists in the United States, met Steyn last year when he lectured at the University of Pretoria and assisted with some of her investigations. The two began discussing the idea of student exchanges. “We felt it was important to send advanced graduate students who have a lot of experience with cases and have finished all of their coursework,” he said.

Both Parr and Leeper, who are finishing up master’s degrees in human biology, fit that category. Both have worked some 30 to 40 forensic cases with Nawrocki, including the identification of missing Indiana University student Jill Behrman in 2003. As the only active certified forensic anthropologist in Indiana, Nawrocki is called out when human bones are discovered, including the new Indianapolis-area case involving siblings Kenneth and Kari Allen, who confessed last week to killing their mother and grandparents. Parr has been working extensively on that case. “This is pretty somber work,” admitted Leeper, who was back in her Pittsburgh hometown when the Allen case broke, but who has had her share of heartbreakers. “Not everyone can do it, but I take comfort in knowing I’m trying to help the deceased and bring them justice.”

In addition to the investigative work they will do in South Africa from March 2 to May 2, Parr and Leeper are looking forward to the opportunity to broaden their research.

For her master’s thesis, Parr is studying how variations in the lower jaw can provide clues to ancestry. The University of Pretoria has a large collection of modern native African bones, for which the age and gender are known.

“There are only two collections in the United States where the age and gender are known, and I’ve been to both of them” said the 26-year-old Tampa native. After studying variations among the jaws of European-Americans and African-Americans in those two collections, Parr now will be able to compare her findings with the native African skulls she examines in Pretoria.

“It’s interesting seeing the variations you find in the human population,” she said. “I’m really excited about the trip. It will be an amazing experience.”

Leeper, 24, is expanding her own research in a similar fashion. She is looking at differences in rib shape and structure between males and females, and how those differences change as an individual ages. Adding the South African sample to her dataset will considerably strengthen her study.

The investigative work Leeper and Parr do with Steyn is more likely to be in the laboratory than out in the field doing a “recovery.” The police force does not have the staffing or funding to do painstaking recovery operations at each site where bones are found, Nawrocki explained. “More often than not the stuff gets sent in. It’s one of the challenges South Africa faces.”

“When we get called out, we can do a more systematic search of the site,” Parr noted. “The police have flagged pieces of bone, but we often can catch smaller bones that they have not seen.”

“I love using archeology to put the pieces together,” Leeper said.

Nawrocki noted, “Interpretation is important. Are the bones dispersed about a wide area because the body was cut up and scattered, or was it due to dogs? Was the body buried here or just dumped? An advantage to doing a recovery is that you can determine those types of things that you might not be able to discern by looking at photographs or descriptions the police have written.”

Although Parr and Leeper will not likely have those advantages during their work in South Africa, they expect to be kept plenty busy between the cases at the lab and their research. They plan to spend whatever free time they have getting acquainted with the landscape, inhabitants and culture of South Africa. “Hopefully,” Steyn said, “we will also be able to take them to visit the fossil sites in the Cradle of Mankind.”

“This is going to be a completely new and different experience and I am really looking forward to it,” said Parr.

Leeper echoed that sentiment, adding, “We are very grateful to the university for making this trip possible. I hope Dr. Nawrocki is successful in locating funding from external sources so that it can become a regular exchange and more students can have this opportunity. This is a win/win for all.”

Editor’s Note: Nicolette Parr has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida and will be returning there this fall to begin work on a Ph.D. in anthropology. Bobbie Leeper did her undergraduate work in anthropology, with a concentration in forensics, at Mercyhurst College in Erie, PA. After finishing her master’s degree at the University of Indianapolis, she intends to teach for a time before pursuing a doctorate.

Posted: February 15th, 2005 under Campus News.

Conference to explore aging workforce

National experts will address business leaders in Indianapolis

What employers don’t know can hurt them:

Nearly one-fifth of the U.S. workforce will be 55 or older by 2012. By that time, available jobs could outnumber skilled workers by 6 million, a gap that will continue to widen as baby boomers retire. Three-fourths of baby boomers want – or need – to work past standard retirement age. The workforce now includes four distinct generations of Americans with their own value systems, posing a serious management challenge.

The aging of the U.S. workforce poses huge challenges for employers, but experts say those who embrace the demographic changes can win the coming battle for skilled workers.

Futurist Ed Barlow, AARP benefits specialist Deborah Russell and other nationally known authorities will address those challenges and opportunities during an April 15 conference organized by the University of Indianapolis Center for Aging & Community. Emmy-winning network broadcaster Hugh Downs will deliver the luncheon address.

Aimed at executives, managers, HR professionals, financial planners, service providers and others affected by employment issues, the April conference will cover such topics as how to keep and compete for experienced workers in the face of a looming talent shortage; how to retain critical knowledge as more workers move toward retirement; how to successfully manage intergenerational issues and conflict in a diverse workforce; and how to plan for succession in small business and large corporate settings.

The program will begin with a breakfast talk, “Changing Demographics and the Workforce,” by Barlow, a Detroit-based consultant whose clients have included Federal Express, Hewlett Packard, the U.S. Navy, Lockheed Martin, Federal Reserve Bank Systems, Pepsi, the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

During the morning, attendees may choose two of five breakout sessions before hearing the lunchtime keynote address from Downs, former co-anchor of ABC’s 20/20 and author of five books on aging, health and psychological maturity. The cost for the full conference is $195 in advance, $250 after March 15. Attendance for the lunch talk with Downs is just $50.

The conference has been approved for 2.5 recertification credit hours toward PHR and SPHR recertification through the Human Resource Certification Institute.

Managing the 21st Century Workplace – 2005 Conference What: National experts analyze workforce trends When: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 15 Where: Indianapolis Marriott Downtown, 350 W. Maryland St. Cost: $195 in advance, $250 after March 15; $50 for lunch only Information and registration: (317) 791-5930 or http://cac.uindy.edu/workplaceconference.php

About the Center for Aging & Community

Founded in 2001, the Center for Aging & Community is one of Indiana’s leading gerontology centers, helping community organizations to serve older adults effectively in the key focus areas of Aging in Place and Meaningful Work for Older Adults. Using an interdisciplinary approach that draws from University of Indianapolis faculty and resources in health care, education, business and other fields, the center develops partnerships to promote older adults as community and family assets and to improve their quality of life. For more information, visit http://cac.uindy.edu.

Posted: March 8th, 2005 under Campus News.

University of Indianapolis taps Ball State administrator for presidency

After an exhaustive national search, the University of Indianapolis has selected a seasoned Ball State University educator and administrator as its next chief executive.

Beverley J. Pitts, provost and vice president for academic affairs at Ball State, will become the university’s eighth president, effective July 5. She succeeds Jerry Israel, who is retiring.

Pitts will be the first female president in the 103-year history of the comprehensive institution, which has 4,100 undergraduate and graduate students on its main campus and is affiliated with the United Methodist Church.

The selection of Pitts was based on her impressive leadership qualities, solid record of accomplishments, and outstanding communication skills, said Sue Anne Gilroy, chair of the Search Committee. In addition to 20 years as a communication professor and administrator at Ball State, Pitts skillfully shepherded that institution through an especially difficult period while serving as acting president in 2004.

“The goal of our Search Committee was to conduct an exhaustive national search that would be open and inclusive, resulting in the selection of a visionary and dynamic, experienced and entrepreneurial president who will guide the university to the next level of excellence, building upon the impressive accomplishments of Jerry Israel,” Gilroy said. “We found that person right here in Indiana.”

Pitts was among four finalists, culled from nearly 80 candidates, who were invited to campus for interviews with seven advisory committees representing students, faculty, staff, alumni and community leaders. “With every constituent group, she was the universal favorite,” said Christel DeHaan, chair of the Board of Trustees.

“I thoroughly have enjoyed working these last seven years with Dr. Israel and watching the university prosper under his remarkable leadership,” DeHaan said. “The university has made tremendous strides, and is well-positioned for even greater achievements ahead. The Board is convinced that Dr. Pitts is the one to carry the baton forward.” Pitts began her higher education career as an English instructor at Anderson University, where she received a bachelor’s degree in English in 1968. She subsequently earned two degrees from Ball State: a master’s in journalism and a doctorate in higher education.

While on the faculty at Anderson from 1977 to 1985, Pitts rose to assistant professor and became founding chair of the Department of Communication. She joined the Ball State faculty in 1985, where she moved through the ranks to become professor of journalism and assume increasing administrative responsibilities.

As provost and vice president for academic affairs, Pitts now has oversight of seven academic colleges and 900 faculty. She played a leadership role in developing the Freshman Connections program, which was identified as one of 13 Best Practice Programs in the Freshman Year by the national Policy Center on the First Year of College. Freshman retention at Ball State went from 67 percent in 1997 to 80 percent by 2003.

Pitts has been the designer or project director for five Lilly Endowment grants to Ball State totaling more than $36 million. Two of the projects have addressed student retention, and the most recent funded a new Center for Media Design.

“I tried to bring the small, liberal arts experience I had enjoyed so much in my years as student and educator at Anderson, to Ball State through the Freshman Experience and retention programs,” Pitts said. “Those experiences transfer well to the University of Indianapolis, which provides an important liberal arts foundation, as well as the opportunity for personal relationships between faculty and students that lead to retention and academic success.

“The university has come so far in the last few years. It has wonderful programs and great potential to serve Indianapolis and Indiana. It’s exciting to go to a university that’s in such great shape and has so many possibilities ahead. I am hopeful my communications background will help in telling the university’s story further, to bring it even greater visibility and prestige.”

“It’s reassuring to leave the university in such good hands,” said Israel. “I’m delighted that someone of Dr. Pitts’ experience and leadership ability has accepted the opportunity to become the next president. Her knowledge and visibility in Indiana will allow for a smooth transition and rapid development of her presidency.”

About Dr. Beverley J. Pitts

Dr. Pitts is widely published in scholarly journals, and has been active as a practicing journalist, writing consultant and reviewer. She has presented papers and speeches across the country on various aspects of writing, communication and media. She is a consultant to the National Football League Players Association, for which she has assisted with development of a scholarship program as well as the design and implementation of research projects. Results of her research for the NFL Players Association have appeared in more than 30 newspapers and magazines. She has received Ball State’s Distinguished Alumni Award and Journalism Hall of Fame Award, the NFL Players Association Award of Excellence, the Anderson University Outstanding Alumni Award, a Fulbright scholarship to study in Germany, the Ottoway Fellowship and the American Press Institute Fellowship.

Dr. Pitts is a member of the board of the Professional Athletes Foundation, the Sagamore Institute, the Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County, the Delaware County Chamber of Commerce, and the Indiana Youth Institute. She also is a former chair of the Indiana Humanities Council and former president of the National Association for General and Liberal Studies.

With two sons grown and on their own, Dr. Pitts and her husband, William, live in Yorktown, Ind.

Education

BA, English, Anderson University, 1968 MA, Journalism, Ball State University, 1971 Ed.D., Higher Education, Ball State University, 1981

Academic History

1997-1980 English instructor, Anderson University 1980-1985 Assistant Professor and Chair, Department of Communication, Anderson University 1985-1990 Associate Professor of Journalism, Ball State University 1991- Present Professor of Journalism, Ball State University

Administrative Positions at Ball State University

1985-1988 Director of Graduate Studies in Journalism 1988-1990 Director of General Studies (university-wide) 1990 Director of Academic Assessment and General Studies 1990-1992 Assistant Provost, Executive Director of Research and Undergraduate Curriculum Fall 1994 Acting Provost 2000-2001 Acting Supervisor for Information Technology 2001 (April-June) Acting Provost 1993-2002 Associate Provost 2002-Present Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs 2004 (January-August) Acting President

For more information visit http://www.uindy.edu/pitts

Posted: March 14th, 2005 under Campus News.

Payne to discuss child services overhaul

Now in state post, former judge will speak at University of Indianapolis

Former Marion County juvenile court judge James W. Payne will appear March 29 at the University of Indianapolis to discuss his new job of revamping Indiana’s oft-criticized child protection system.

Payne will speak to students and the public at 2 p.m. Tuesday, March 29, in Good Hall, located at the southeast corner of Hanna and Otterbein avenues.

A prominent and sometimes controversial voice on juvenile justice and family issues, Payne spent 20 years as presiding judge of Marion Superior Court, Juvenile Division, before being tapped by Gov. Mitch Daniels to direct the new, cabinet-level Indiana Department of Child Services. Payne assumed the post in January and now oversees the state’s child support, child protection, adoption and foster care programs. Among his stated goals is substantially increasing the number of qualified caseworkers serving families and children.

The presentation is sponsored by the university’s Phylis Lan Lin Program in Social Work, directed by Assistant Professor Jeffrey Bryant.

Posted: March 21st, 2005 under Campus News.

Logan named Division II Player of the Year

U of I’s senior guard also top conference player, led nation in scoring

University of Indianapolis senior guard David Logan has been named the 2004-05 Daktronics NCAA Division II Men’s Basketball Player of the Year, chosen by a wide margin in voting by Division II sports information directors.

The 6-1 guard led Indianapolis to a 19-10 overall record and a 14-6 Great Lakes Valley Conference finish. He departs as the all-time leading scorer at Indianapolis and in the GLVC, with 2,352 career points.

Greyhounds head coach Todd Sturgeon said the honor was no accident. Logan is the type who commonly shoots a thousand shots a day in practice and laps his teammates in running drills.

“David has worked harder than any player I’ve ever coached,” said Sturgeon, who thinks Logan could have a future in European basketball and possibly the NBA. “It gives me great satisfaction to see a guy who’s that driven and focused get recognition like this.”

A North Central High School graduate now majoring in management, Logan was the leading scorer in Division II this season with 28.6 points per game. He also was named the GLVC Player of the Year, marking his third straight year as a member of the All-GLVC first team. Logan made 291 of 605 field goals (48.1 percent), including 121 of 295 three-pointers (41 percent), and shot 126 or 160 from the line (78.8 percent) to finish the 2004-05 season with 829 points. He stands third in the country in three-pointers made per game.

Logan scored in double figures in all but two games this season, with game-highs of 46 points against Bellarmine and 42 versus Northern Kentucky. He also led the Greyhounds with 144 assists and 56 steals while pulling down 4.4 rebounds per game. The Greyhounds’ season ended in a loss to Ferris State in the first round of the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Regional at Findlay, Ohio.

The 22-year-old remains a finalist for the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award, given annually to the top point guard in the nation. He also is one of only 64 players from all three NCAA divisions and NAIA to be invited to the 53rd Annual Portsmouth Invitational Tournament, scheduled April 6 to 9 in Virginia. More than 200 NBA representatives from all 30 teams will be in attendance at the four-day event, which is the only postseason event prior to the NBA Camp in early June in Chicago.

For more details, visit the Department of Athletics online at http://athletics.uindy.edu.

Posted: March 22nd, 2005 under Campus News.

Regional science fair winners announced

Central Indiana’s brightest young minds compete at University of Indianapolis

More than 700 public and private school students from several counties participated in the Central Indiana Regional Science Fair, March 22 and 23 at the University of Indianapolis. The state’s largest regional science fair is conducted by the university faculty, staff and students, with financial support from the RB Annis Educational Foundation and the DJ Angus-Scientech Educational Foundation. For more information, visit http://www.uindy.edu/~sciencefair.

Top projects in the upper grades are eligible for state and international competitions. The Intel International Science and Engineering Fair is May 8 to 14 in Phoenix, Ariz. The Indiana State Science and Engineering Fair, which also sends top projects to the international fair, is April 2 at the Dow AgroSciences Global Headquarters, 9330 Zionsville Road, Indianapolis.

In addition to many individual honors awarded by various organizations, top award winners in the main competition were:

Day 1 – Tuesday, March 22 – Grades 1 through 5

First grade 1. Gabriel Paree-Huff, Lantern Road Elementary, Hamilton Southeastern 2. Robby Morelock, Central Elementary, Lebanon 3. Grace Brackemyre, Hoosier Road Elementary, Hamilton Southeastern

Second grade 1. Lauren Conley, Central Elementary, Lebanon 2. Lucus Debard, home school, Lebanon 3. Valeria Mejia, Alternative Learning Academy, Indianapolis

Third grade 1. Kirsten Pimley, Forest Hill Elementary, Noblesville 2. Blake Schwarz, Fishers Elementary, Hamilton Southeastern 3. Caroline Debrota, Sycamore School, Indianapolis Fourth grade 1. Jarod May, Smoky Row Elementary, Carmel-Clay 2. Zach Nichols, Hinkle Creek Elementary, Noblesville 3. Drew Raiford, Brentwood Elementary, Plainfield

Fifth grade 1. Marisha Wickrremsinhe, Guion Creek Elementary, Indianapolis 2. Annmarie Legge, St. Susanna School, Plainfield 3. Ryan Christe, St. Simon the Apostle, Indianapolis

Day 2 ? Wednesday, March 23 ? Grades 6 through 12

Junior Division (top three projects eligible for state science fair) 1. Meredith Kugar and Molly Wehlage, eighth grade, St. Luke Catholic School, Indianapolis 2. Alexander Sventeckis, seventh grade, Sycamore School, Indianapolis 3. Lauren Stephens, seventh grade, Sycamore School, Indianapolis 4. Jenny Provost, eighth grade, Heritage Christian School, Indianapolis 5. Katelyn Coner and Lauren VonStein, sixth grade, Indian Creek Middle School

Senior Division (top two projects eligible for international science fair; top five projects eligible for state science fair) 1. Melanie Huffman, 12th grade, Heritage Christian School, Indianapolis 2. Caaminee Pandit, 11th grade, Noblesville High School 3. Andrew Rumschlag, 10th grade, Noblesville High School 4. Sonal Sadaria, 11th grade, Noblesville High School 5. Tanner Bunt, 10th grade, Noblesville High School 6. Allison Lange, 10th grade, Noblesville High School 7. Jessica Kerns, 11th grade, Noblesville High School 8. Cameron Smith, 11th grade, Noblesville High School

Posted: March 28th, 2005 under Campus News.

Students win scholarships for marketing plans in real-life competition

Indianapolis, IN – Four University of Indianapolis students who designed complete marketing plans for a new diet aid have taken top honors in a competition designed to trim their college bills.

The four walked away from the real-life competition with a total of $16,500 in scholarship money, and the opportunity to present their ideas for an actual marketing campaign being developed by BDI Marketing, based in Carmel, Ind.

Ryan Manning, a junior from Dana, Ind., and Zachary Gadberry, a junior from Fort Wright, Ky., captured first place in the Richard and Donna Deer Marketing Creativity Scholarship competition, and will split a $9,000 scholarship. Manning is a business administration major and Gadberry is a psychology major.

Christopher M. Richey, a junior from Beech Grove majoring in marketing, took second-place honors and a $4,500 scholarship. Paulomi Brahmbhatt, a junior from Nairobi, Kenya, studying international business, won third prize and a $3,000 scholarship.

The competition, directed by Katharine Bohley Hubbard of the School of Business, asked students to use creativity and research skills to develop a plan to launch a new diet aid actually being developed by BDI, which markets and distributes over-the-counter pharmaceuticals and dietary supplements, primarily through convenience stores. The company intends to incorporate aspects of the marketing plans presented into a new product launch this fall, with its premiere scheduled for the National Association of Convenience Stores trade show in October.

Students were given a budget of $25,000 to $50,000 for product development and promotion, including the trade show debut, and had to create a formal presentation. Six finalists were selected to give their presentations to a panel of judges – business and communication professionals – from within the university.

BDI executives who watched the presentations said they were astounded by the professionalism and quality of the proposals. “We will incorporate many of their ideas, particularly those from the winning proposal, in our new product launch,” said Laura King, BDI vice president of marketing.

“Ryan Manning and Zach Gadberry did such a great job, we almost felt like we were listening to one of our competitors,” King said. “They looked at every angle of our industry and applied it very well. They obviously did their research.”

“All of the students worked very hard for months to prepare for the presentations,” said Hubbard. “I am very proud of them, and pleased and grateful that BDI allows this type of opportunity. This allows our students to take the knowledge they are gaining in the classroom and apply it immediately to real life.”

Posted: April 6th, 2005 under Campus News.

Commencement to honor diplomat, prison reformer

The 100th annual undergraduate commencement at the University of Indianapolis will honor the progressive superintendent of the Indiana Women’s Prison and a prominent diplomat and writer from India, among other notables.

This year’s commencement ceremonies will be the last for university President Jerry Israel, who is retiring after a successful seven-year tenure. Beverley J. Pitts, provost and vice president for academic affairs at Ball State University, will become the university’s eighth president, effective July 5.

Graduate programs commencement When: 7:30 to 9 p.m. Friday, May 6 Where: Nicoson Hall

Undergraduate commencement When: 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 7 Where: Nicoson Hall, Hanna Avenue and State Street

The featured speaker for the May 7 undergraduate ceremony is the Rev. Robert T. Baggott III, senior minister of the Community Church of Vero Beach in Florida. He previously served as senior minister of Wayzata Community Church in Wayzata, Minn., where he founded the Significant Pilgrimages program, leading trips to religiously significant sites in the Middle East and Europe. Baggott, who has been involved with the University of Indianapolis’ Mar Elias branch campus in Israel, also will receive the university’s International Citizen of the Year award.

The May 7 program also will include the awarding of honorary degrees to Pavan K. Varma and Dana Blank.

Varma, a best-selling author and newspaper columnist in his native India, will receive an honorary doctor of arts degree. His long career in public service has included diplomatic posts in the U.S. and Russia and stints as a government spokesman, speechwriter and presidential press secretary. He currently directs the London-based Nehru Centre, India’s cultural relations office in Britain. Blank, superintendent of the Indiana Women’s Prison, will receive an honorary doctor of humanities degree. She has gained national attention for her innovative health, education and counseling programs for incarcerated women and their families.

The speaker for the May 6 graduate programs commencement ceremony is the Rev. George A. Purnell, who has served since August 2003 as senior pastor of First United Methodist Church in Bloomington. He also will receive an honorary doctor of divinity degree.

Purnell previously served at Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Evansville and Pittsboro United Methodist Church. From 1978 to 1995, he worked and taught for the Indiana University School of Public and Environmental Affairs at IUPUI, where he received the SPEA students’ Outstanding Faculty Award five times. Aside from teaching, he provided management consulting services to organizations and professionals.

Posted: April 11th, 2005 under Campus News.

New liberal arts deans selected

Briere, Langdon will lead university’s College of Arts and Sciences

The University of Indianapolis has announced a new dean and associate dean for its College of Arts and Sciences.

Daniel H. Briere, Ph.D., was named dean of the college. An associate professor of modern languages, he has been serving as interim dean during the national search process. Briere’s academic interests include the Spanish language, medieval Spanish literature and the Hispanic community in Indianapolis.

John J. Langdon, Ph.D., was named associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, effective in September. He is a professor and chair of biology and a professor of anthropology. Langdon will direct the college’s graduate and international components.

The university’s College of Arts and Sciences includes departments of Anthropology, Art and Design, Biology, Chemistry, Communication, English, History and Political Science, Mathematics and Computer Science, Modern Languages, Music, Philosophy and Religion, Physics and Earth-Space Sciences, Social Sciences and Theatre, as well as the Institute for War and Diplomacy.

Posted: April 13th, 2005 under Campus News.

CELL awards grant to Fairbanks for recovery high school

New school to provide educational opportunities for substance-impacted students

The Center of Excellence in Leadership of Learning at the University of Indianapolis today announced a grant award of $12,000 to Fairbanks to begin development of a small high school especially designed for teens who are in recovery from drug or alcohol addiction.

The recovery high school will help keep those students from relapsing and from becoming dropouts, homeless or incarcerated.

The Exploration Grant from CELL, which supports start-up high schools through its Network of Effective Small Schools in Indianapolis, will help underwrite initial design development of the school.

“In addition to the new school’s educational services, students will be assisted in building support systems designed to help them remain drug- and alcohol free, committed to a life of recovery,” said Fairbanks President and Chief Executive Officer Helene Cross.

“We want to provide a safe, sober community for recovering students in grades nine to 12 who share a commitment to high academic success and personal growth, by integrating essential recovery principles into the daily educational curriculum and lives of students,” she said.

Studies show that the prognosis for many drug-abusing students, even those who complete treatment, is often poor, with relapse rates ranging from 35 percent to 85 percent. According to data from the Association of Recovery Schools, Indiana has more than 20,000 dropouts per year, who cost the state more than $500,000 annually in public assistance, health care and incarceration.

In 2002, the Indiana Department of Education estimated that 500 students in Marion County public schools who were impacted by drug use did not finish high school.

Fairbanks plans to open the new high school at its far-Northeastside facility in the fall of 2006, as a year-round school with three trimesters and a three-week break between trimesters. During the breaks, students will have the option of community service, summer camping experiences, internships and other activities. The school is being designed for 120 students. CELL’s high school initiative involves charter, archdiocesan and district schools in Marion County. With this grant to Fairbanks, 16 new start-up schools have met the essential elements necessary to receive CELL support to assist each in moving forward in its mission to create a new, more efficient and effective learning environment for Indianapolis students.

“Today’s business climate requires a high level of education from its employees in order to be successful,” said CELL Executive Director E. Lynne Weisenbach. “We must address the need for high schools to find a way to keep all students in school, learning and involved, so they can achieve and succeed in postsecondary institutions or as they follow non-academic pursuits. Community support and involvement at all levels is a critical element of each school’s success.”

Fairbanks’ recovery high school joins the following start-ups in the Network of Effective Small Schools: Lawrence Early College High School (partnership of Metropolitan School District of Lawrence Township and Ivy Tech State College-Central Indiana), Indianapolis Lighthouse Charter Schools (two pre-K-12 charter schools), Decatur Discovery Academy (Metropolitan School District of Decatur Township), a to-be-named urban preparatory school under development by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Indianapolis, Charles A. Tindley Accelerated School (a mayoral charter to Charter for Accelerated Learning, Inc.), Flanner House Higher Learning Center (a mayoral charter to Flanner House), George Washington Community School Early College High School (Indianapolis Public Schools), Indianapolis Metropolitan Career Academies #1 and #2 (mayoral charters to Goodwill Education Initiatives, Inc.), Harrison Center for the Arts (applying for a mayoral public charter), T.C. Howe Academy (two small high schools in IPS), 21st Century Charter School at Union Station (mayoral public charter), and 21st Century Charter School in Fountain Square (mayoral public charter).

Representing a significant shift from the traditional large high school philosophy and operation, each of these small high schools will have a maximum of 400 students and will be self-governing and characterized by high expectations for all students. The small high school concept emphasizes equity in student outcomes, shared decision-making among faculty, individualized instruction and attention, and a strong focus on the “new five Rs” – Rigor, Relevance, Relationships, Resiliency and Responsibility.

CELL’s grant funding of small high schools stems from $11.3 million that the center received in 2003 from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to develop new small high schools in Marion County and to help IPS restructure its five large high schools into 20 small high schools, all exemplifying the “new five Rs.”

Fairbanks was selected based upon recommendations from a national panel of education experts as well as CELL senior staff. CELL conducts quarterly reviews of new proposals. Applications received by September 1, 2005 will be considered for the next round of exploration grants – the first step in the start-up process.

Once the exploration phase is completed, schools may receive further funding to begin a design and preparation stage, during which they develop curriculum design and structure, and additional funding for the final stage of full implementation. CELL was established in 2001 by the university to promote excellence and equity in outcomes for all students in Indiana by enhancing the effectiveness of professional and civic leadership, and promoting effective practices, institutional cooperation, and community engagement.

More information about CELL, its community-based partnerships, and the high school reform initiative is available on the Web at http://cell.uindy.edu/nessi, or by contacting David Dresslar at (317) 791-5927.

For more information about the Fairbanks recovery high school, contact Fairbanks Communications Coordinator Erica Petty at (317) 572-9354.

Related links:

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation: http://gatesfoundation.org Indianapolis Mayor’s Office: http://indygov.org

Posted: June 16th, 2005 under Campus News.

University of Indianapolis announces endowed lecture in honor of President Jerry Israel and wife, Carol

Jerry Israel is retiring as president of the University of Indianapolis on July 8, but he and his wife, Carol, will not soon be forgotten. In recognition of their remarkable careers in education, lifelong commitment to learning and devoted partnership, the university has announced the creation of an annual lecture in their honor.

The new Jerry and Carol Israel Endowed Lecture in Public Policy will bring distinguished speakers to campus each year.

The retiring president, an historian, is concluding seven years as the university’s chief executive. Prior to moving to Indianapolis, he was president of Morningside College in Iowa and had served as a history professor and administrator at a number of colleges and universities over the course of a 38-year career in higher education. Carol, an educational consultant, is a former elementary and secondary teacher and school administrator who was assistant superintendent of Southeast Polk Community School District in Runnells, Iowa, while her husband was vice president at nearby Simpson College. She also has served as an adjunct instructor at several universities.

The endowed lecture, announced June 11 during Alumni Weekend, is the second honor for the departing president. Earlier this year, the university’s Office of Ecumenical and Interfaith Programs announced the establishment of a Jerry Israel Interfaith Service Award, to be given annually to an individual who continues the president’s legacy of fostering interfaith and intercultural understanding across campus.

The University of Indianapolis is a top tier private, comprehensive institution of higher education founded in 1902 and affiliated with the United Methodist Church. The 4,100 students are drawn from around the world to the academically challenging undergraduate, master’s and doctoral programs it offers, particularly in business, education and the nationally ranked health sciences. Small classes taught by respected faculty, and opportunities to apply knowledge in internships and other real-world experiences, are hallmarks of the university.

Posted: June 20th, 2005 under Campus News.

University of Indianapolis poised to welcome first group of students from campus in Israel

Indianapolis, IN-It was two years in the making, but the University of Indianapolis is poised to welcome the first group of students from its Mar Elias Campus in Israel, most of them traveling abroad for the very first time.

About 50 Christian and Muslim Arab students, accompanied by five faculty members and their families, are journeying from the Upper Galilee region of Israel later this week to arrive in time for the university’s second summer session. Classes begin July 5.

This will be the first group of Mar Elias students to study in Indianapolis since the university began offering three degree programs in their tiny village of Ibillin in 2003. Ibillin is near Haifa, not far from the Lebanese border.

The Arab students will have a full schedule of coursework, field trips, guest speakers and special activities during their seven-week stay. Many churches and organizations, including the Chicago-based arm of Pilgrims of Ibillin, have raised money to make the trip possible for these students of very modest means.

The students will be living in a residence hall and taking classes each Monday through Thursday. They’ll have guest speakers and excursions around Indianapolis on Fridays, and spend a weekend in Chicago hosted by Pilgrims of Ibillin. While in Indianapolis, the students will see museums, attend sporting events, go shopping and even visit the Indiana State Fair.

“We want to give these students a truly memorable experience both in and out of the classroom,” said Mary Moore, vice president for research, planning and strategic partnerships. “Ultimately, we want them to develop a broader understanding of America and Americans than what they’ve seen in the media, and we would like our students, faculty and staff to come away with a better appreciation for a very complex region of the world.”

Mar Elias Campus, the official name for the university’s affiliate in Israel, was conceived by the Rev. Dr. Elias Chacour as an apolitical institution that would bring baccalaureate programs to Ibillin while nurturing dialogue and understanding among students and faculty of all faiths. Chacour, a Palestinian Arab and Melkite priest, is founder of Mar Elias Educational Institutions- elementary and secondary schools and post-high school training programs that have been operating in Ibillin for nearly a quarter century. It was his longtime dream to create a college campus there as well.

As a result of Chacour’s affiliation with the university, the Israeli government granted accreditation for Mar Elias in 2003, as a branch offering the university’s degree programs in Communications, Computer Science and Environmental Science.

–>

Posted: June 28th, 2005 under Campus News.

Lilly Endowment $4.5 million matching grant opportunity gives UINDY campaign a boost in final stretch

Now entering the final stretch of a $65 million comprehensive campaign, the University of Indianapolis has received a major boost from Lilly Endowment Inc. in the form of a matching grant opportunity worth $4.5 million.

For each dollar the university raises, up to $3 million, between June 1, 2005 and Dec. 31, 2006, the endowment will contribute $1.50.

“The most difficult money to raise is that which is raised in the last six months of a campaign,” noted Michael Ferin, the university’s vice president for institutional advancement. “This is like a shot of adrenalin.”

The matching award opportunity comes through the endowment’s $96.5-million Special Initiative to Strengthen Philanthropy for Indiana Education Institutions-Phase II. It follows two initiatives in 2002 designed to help the state’s colleges and universities raise money. The first provided $1 for every $1 contributed by members of the institutions’ governing boards, up to a maximum of $1 million; the second matched each dollar donated by alumni, faculty, staff, students and parents, up to $3.5 million.

Grant provisions during this new phase are based on the extent to which each college or university took advantage of the earlier matching grant opportunities. The University of Indianapolis raised the full amount possible from each of the 2002 initiatives and is now among 14 schools eligible for the highest grant award of $4.5 million.

“The importance of the endowment’s generous matching grant initiatives cannot be overstated,” Ferin said. When the 2002 matching grants were publicized, one alumna came forward to offer a $100,000 gift, he noted. A 92-year-old alumnus who had intended to leave his estate to the university also made an immediate $100,000 gift, realizing that his contribution, matched dollar for dollar by the endowment, would have double the impact it might have at a later time.

“Challenge grants really work for a variety of reasons,” Ferin said. “They give incentives to the fundraisers, in addition to helping them in making solicitations. They also create a sense of excitement.” The university’s five-year, $65-million comprehensive Campaign for UINDY is scheduled to end in December. Although $66.5 million has been raised to date, some targeted areas remain shy of their goal. “This gives us an opportunity and a sense of urgency to meet this challenge coincident with the conclusion of the campaign,” Ferin said. “We are going to leverage this gift in unique and creative ways.”

Posted: July 5th, 2005 under Campus News.

University of Indianapolis to offer degrees at Galen University in Belize

Indianapolis, Ind., and Belize City, Belize-The University of Indianapolis has added Belize to its international sites, and will begin offering fully accredited degree programs at Galen University in the Central American nation this fall, both institutions announced today.

Officials at Galen University held a press conference in Belize City to announce the affiliation, which they hailed as a wonderful opportunity for the students of Belize as well as other international students seeking American degrees.

Nancy Adamson, provost and academic vice president at Galen, noted that the signing of this relationship signifies “that Belizean students can now earn a U.S. degree in programs relevant to Belize‟s development needs from a top-ranked university at a reasonable cost right at home.”

“Galen offers us the opportunity to enter the educational market in Central America and form a partnership with an institution that shares our commitment to „education for service,‟” said Mary Moore, University of Indianapolis vice president for research, planning and strategic partnerships. “Galen has made economic development its mission. It is committed to preserving the resources of the region, developing human potential and enhancing the quality of life there.”

The alliance also is exciting, said Moore, because “it offers new opportunities for study abroad and for faculty and student exchange.” Adamson emphasized the enriched learning experiences an international faculty and student body will afford the Belizean student.

Belize, situated east of Guatemala, just south of Mexico‟s Yucatan Peninsula and bordering the Caribbean Sea, is rich with natural waterways, rainforest and ancient Mayan ruins, making it an ideal location for the study of archeology, anthropology, and environmental science ? three of the undergraduate programs the University of Indianapolis will be offering at Galen, Moore noted. In addition to those programs, four undergraduate business majors will be provided: Economics and Finance, Marketing, Business Administration and International Business.

The University of Indianapolis recently secured North Central Association accreditation to offer programs at various locations around the globe. In addition to Belize, the university is currently in the process of working out a partnership with Ningbo Institute of Technology in China‟s Zhejiang Province. Ningbo is part of Zhejiang University, a highly ranked research institution. The university also is exploring a relationship with Jaipuria Institute of Management in India.

In addition, the university has a wholly owned branch campus in Athens, Greece. Since 2003, it also has been offering three degree programs in Israel‟s Upper Galilee in association with Mar Elias Campus, an institution founded to bring Jewish, Christian, Muslim and Druze together in teaching and learning. The first group of students from Mar Elias is taking coursework in Indianapolis this summer, and several faculty are co-teaching courses with their American colleagues.

The University of Indianapolis is a top tier, private, comprehensive institution of higher education founded in 1902 and affiliated with the United Methodist Church. The 4,100 students are drawn from around the world to the academically challenging undergraduate, master‟s and doctoral programs it offers, particularly in business, education and the nationally ranked health sciences. Small classes taught by respected faculty, and opportunities to apply knowledge in internships and other real-world experiences, are hallmarks of the university.

Galen University is an independent, free-standing institution chartered by the Belize government. Classes are taught by highly qualified faculty trained in the United States, Canada and Europe. The university prepares students for an increasingly multicultural and interdependent society. Students who attend Galen receive individual attention from faculty and staff.

Posted: July 6th, 2005 under Campus News.

Demographer to discuss Boomer trends

America’s largest generation and its pending retirement from the workforce are the subjects of an upcoming presentation by a noted demographer.

Duke University Professor Angela O’Rand will discuss “The Lives and Times of the Baby Boomers” at 10 a.m. Thursday, July 28, at the University of Indianapolis, 1400 E. Hanna Ave. A question-and-answer session will follow her one-hour presentation in Ransburg Auditorium. The free event is sponsored by the university’s Center for Aging & Community.

O’Rand is a professor of sociology and a senior fellow at Duke’s Center for Demographic Studies and its Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development. She co-authored a 2004 study, “The Lives and Times of the Baby Boomers,” which examined the generation born between 1946 and 1964 in terms of its history, education, work life, families and income, along with likely trends as it grows older. Other research papers by O’Rand include “Retirement,” “Theories of Aging and the Life Course” and “When Old Age Begins: Implications for Health, Work and Retirement.”

About the Center for Aging & Community

Founded in 2001, the Center for Aging & Community is one of Indiana’s leading gerontology centers, helping community organizations to serve older adults effectively in the key focus areas of Aging in Place and Meaningful Work for Older Adults. Using an interdisciplinary approach that draws from University of Indianapolis faculty and resources in health care, education, business and other fields, the center develops partnerships to promote older adults as community assets and to improve their quality of life. In April, the center hosted its first annual ��Managing the 21st Century Workplace�� conference, bringing experts from around the country to Indianapolis for presentations to business and community leaders. For more information, visit http://cac.uindy.edu.

Interview opportunities: Angela O’Rand and Center for Aging Director Ellen Miller are available for advance interviews. For more information, contact Scott Hall at (317) 788-3583 or [email protected].

Posted: July 11th, 2005 under Campus News.

Center to study meal programs for elderly

Grant will fund evaluation of services, needs in central Indiana

The Center for Aging & Community at the University of Indianapolis has been awarded a $16,000 grant to evaluate the capacity, effectiveness and sustainability of meal programs for elderly central Indiana residents.

The funding comes from the Indianapolis Retirement Home Fund of the Central Indiana Community Foundation. The Center for Aging & Community will complete a report by October for use by fund advisers, the meal providers supported by the fund, and other interested parties.

According to 2003 Census estimates, 100,000 Marion County residents are age 60 or older. Based on national averages, at least 10 percent of those residents will turn to not-for-profit food services to meet their daily needs.

The Indianapolis Retirement Home Fund is anticipating increased demand for such services and wants to make the best use of available resources, said Center for Aging senior fellow Helen Dillon, who is managing the project. Meal programs help older residents maintain their independence, she said, which is a focus area for the university gerontology center.

“Research has shown that good nutrition is essential to health, self-sufficiency and quality of life for older adults,” Dillon said. “Often these services offer a place for people to socialize, and they also offer nutrition lessons and physical activities, so it’s not just a good meal.”

Dillon comes to the project with five years of experience overseeing contracted food services for the elderly. Other center staffers will assist with basic research, data collection, and interviews and focus groups with service providers and recipients.

The center will develop a database of meal providers, create a map of food-service sites and delivery areas, identify unmet needs and opportunities for collaboration, and make recommendations for improvements based on best practices. The study also will examine the costs and funding sources of the various programs.

About the Center for Aging & Community Founded in 2001, the Center for Aging & Community is one of Indiana’s leading gerontology centers, helping community organizations to serve older adults effectively in the key focus areas of Aging in Place and Meaningful Work for Older Adults. Using an interdisciplinary approach that draws from University of Indianapolis faculty and resources in health care, education, business and other fields, the center develops partnerships to promote older adults as community assets and to improve their quality of life. For more information, visit http://cac.uindy.edu.

Posted: July 14th, 2005 under Campus News.

Alumni Association elects new board members

The University of Indianapolis Alumni Association has elected six new members to three-year terms on its Board of Directors. Serving more than 21,000 association members worldwide, the new directors are:

Suzanne Smith Davidson – Pittsboro Davidson (bachelor’s degree, liberal studies, 2002) is now pursuing a master’s degree in gerontology at the University of Indianapolis.

Michael Deemer – Greenfield Deemer (bachelor’s degree, computer information systems, 1998) is a financial adviser at Merrill Lynch in Indianapolis.

Gretchen Craft Fox – Carmel Fox (master’s degree, occupational therapy, 1993) has worked as an occupational therapist specializing in spinal cord injury rehabilitation and now is the administrator at the Rehabilitation Hospital of Indiana.

Mustafa Guven – Berlin, Germany Guven (master’s degree, business, 1999) is a diplomatic secretary for the Turkish Embassy in Berlin.

R. Jeffrey Irvin – Indianapolis Irvin (bachelor’s degree, history, 1965) recently retired from a career in the railroad industry.

Nicholas D. LaGuire – Lafayette LaGuire (master’s degree, business administration, 2004) is chief operating officer of Accord Residential.

Re-elected to a second three-year term were:

Marvin Pavlov – Columbus Pavlov (bachelor’s degree, psychology, 1998) is chief executive officer of Pavlov & Associates LLC in Columbus. Amber Harrison Stearns – Indianapolis Stearns (bachelor’s degree, education, 1995) works at WIDU/WZWZ radio in Kokomo.

David Swift – Greenwood Swift (bachelor’s degree, chemistry, 1972) works at Sensient Flavors & Fragrances Group in Indianapolis.

Amy Buskirk Zent – Indianapolis Zent (bachelor’s degree, education, 1958) is retired from a career in education.

Downloadable Photos Available at: http://www.uindy.edu/news/photoalbum/gallery.php?album=169

Posted: July 13th, 2005 under Campus News.

CELL receives new grant to support IPS in readying transformed high schools for Aug. 18 opening

Intensive training and new resources help teachers and staff prepare students for graduation and success in college and work.

Indianapolis, Ind.-The Center of Excellence in Leadership of Learning at the University of Indianapolis has received nearly $500,000 in new funds from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to provide intensive leadership training and support to Indianapolis Public Schools in preparation for the opening of 21 new high-quality high schools Aug. 18.

As part of a stepped-up strategy to improve achievement and increase graduation and college readiness rates, IPS is transforming its five comprehensive high schools into autonomous schools on the existing campuses. Each will have 400 or fewer students to enable a focus on new three Rs: Rigor, Relevance and Relationships. Each of the 21 emerging schools will operate under a new model of leadership consisting of a campus administrator, an academic dean and a facilitator of teaching and learning.”The big challenge for the new leaders and the teaching staff right now is adapting to an entirely different school structure, a more personalized relationship with students, and new approaches to instruction and assessment,” said Brandon Cosby, a CELL senior fellow assisting the schools. “We want to do all we can to prepare them for the best opening of school ever.”

The new Gates Foundation investment of $497,613 is supporting a series of training conferences and workshops for school leaders, staff and students. At each of the 21 schools, all staff as well as student representatives are meeting in a week-long planning session, coordinated by CELL, to prepare for the changes in mindset and practice that need to be in place before the first day of school. Earlier this summer, CELL conducted a two-week intensive leadership institute for administrators.

“The University of Indianapolis is very pleased to be able to assist in bringing resources to public education through CELL,” said President Beverley J. Pitts. “Indianapolis Public Schools is to be commended for undertaking this ambitious initiative designed to boost achievement and prepare all young people for the demands of a knowledge-based, 21st-century economy. As an educational institution committed to this city and its young people, we want to do everything we can to help ensure its success.” “IPS is facing the bitter truth about the success of our current high school structures: they’re not working,” said Superintendent Eugene G. White. “Last year, IPS committed to the full implementation of Small Schools to provide our students with a structure that is more relevant, personal and student-centered. We are committed to working with CELL, the Indianapolis Education Association and other partners to ensure we provide a rigorous curriculum that holds our students, teachers and administrators to high expectations. Our students can and will achieve at higher levels.”

The 2005-06 academic year is being considered a “residency” for the students, staff and parents of the district’s high schools as they make the transition to vastly smaller, more personal and autonomous schools that have control over their own governance, policy, budget, staffing, curriculum, student assessment, and scheduling, even while sharing a larger campus with three or four other schools.

In these more intimate schools of no more than 400 students each, teacher advisers will have the flexibility to counsel young people and monitor their progress throughout their high school career. With ongoing professional development and coaching, teachers also will have the resources to provide personalized instruction based on national, state and local standards, and ongoing assessments of student work. Parents and the community will have an active role in the educational process.

The CELL-facilitated summer training for each of the schools is intensely focused on preparing staff, students and community for this new high school paradigm, Cosby said. “If those students show up the first day of school and everything looks the same, feels the same and smells the same, we haven’t really done our job in preparing them for a truly different educational experience.”

Posted: July 25th, 2005 under Campus News.

Leppard returns to open faculty concert series

Maestro Raymond Leppard, conductor laureate of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, will lead a roster of University of Indianapolis faculty and guests Sept. 12 in the Gala Opening Concert for the 2005-2006 Faculty Artist Series.

The free concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 12, in the Ruth Lilly Performance Hall of the Christel DeHaan Fine Arts Center, now in its 11th season as one of the Midwest’s most acclaimed classical music venues. Leppard, artist-in-residence at the university, will join choral director Paul Krasnovsky at 7 p.m. for a preconcert discussion.

“We are indeed fortunate to celebrate the new season with a renewal of our longstanding and rewarding collaboration with Maestro Leppard,” said Richard Ratliff, professor of music and featured pianist for the concert.

The performers will include Leppard, conductor and pianist; Ratliff, piano; Kathleen Hacker, soprano; Anne Reynolds, flute; Dean Franke, violin; Thomas Gerber, harpsichord; Dennis McCafferty, cello; Harry Miedema, tenor saxophone; Joe Deal, bass; and the University of Indianapolis Festival Strings.

The first half of the program will be devoted to chamber collaborations, with Ratliff joining Leppard in two-piano works of Francis Poulenc. McCafferty and Ratliff will open the concert with the rhythmic energy of Alberto Ginastera’s Pampeana No. 2, and Miedema and Deal will play music of Gershwin.

Leppard, as conductor and pianist, will lead the Festival Strings in music of J. S. Bach, Handel and Holst. Bach’s exuberant Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 will feature faculty soloists Thomas Gerber, Anne Reynolds and Dean Franke. Director of Vocal Studies Kathleen Hacker will convey the drama of Handel’s Agrippina in three arias.

Maestro Leppard, one of the most respected international conductors of our time, has appeared with most of the world’s leading orchestras in his five decades on the podium. Educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, Leppard has conducted more than 170 recordings, earning five Grammy awards, a Grand Prix Mondial du Disque and an Edison Prize. The University of Indianapolis Faculty Artist Series brings the city’s top classical and jazz musicians to the Christel DeHaan Fine Arts Center, 1400 E. Hanna Ave., for Monday night concerts that are always free of charge. The 2005-2006 season features 19 events from April through May. The complete schedule is available at http://music.uindy.edu/performances/fas.php.

For more information, contact the arts center box office at (317) 788-2135.

Calendar Listing Gala Opening Concert, 2005-2006 Faculty Artist Series featuring Maestro Raymond Leppard with University of Indianapolis faculty and guests Sept. 12, Christel DeHaan Fine Arts Center, 1400 E. Hanna Ave. Concert, 7:30 p.m.; preconcert discussion with Leppard, 7 p.m. Admission: Free Information: (317) 788-2135

Posted: August 1st, 2005 under Campus News.

Many changes greet new students

The fall semester begins Aug. 29 at the University of Indianapolis, where a record number of freshmen are being greeted by a new president and several progressive changes in campus life.

Move-In Day, Aug. 24: The tradition continues

First-year students will meet the university community face to face on Aug. 24 during the meticulously organized annual ritual known as Move-In Day. The Movin’ Crew of faculty, staff and upperclass student volunteers will fan out across campus from 7:30 to 11 a.m. to help incoming students and their families unload their vehicles and get situated in the residence halls. Look for Dr. Beverley Pitts, who became the university’s eighth president in July, to join the effort around 8 a.m. at Cravens Hall, on the south side of Hanna Avenue.

The festivities will continue throughout the day with the Greyhound Welcome Picnic and live radio remote from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., the Welcome Week opening convocation and induction at 3 p.m., the New Student Social at 6 p.m. and the Block Party at 9 p.m.

Returning students will find many improvements around the university:

Food service: New chef, healthier menus and more choices

New Executive Chef Dan Phillips comes to the university from an award-winning stint as executive chef of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s Brickyard Crossing Inn. He promises fresher ingredients, seasonal local produce, healthier entrees and more options, including made- to-order stir fries and personal pizzas. The Street’s Corner grill and snack bar is expanding hours to meet demand, and the popular Perk coffee shop is adding gourmet sandwiches and salads.

Athletics: Let there be light

With six light towers just installed, the university’s Key Stadium will host its first night events this fall. The first official contests under the lights will be the men’s soccer game on Aug. 26, and the Greyhound football season opener against conference-rival Hillsdale at 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 27. Also at the Aug. 27 game, the university’s new costumed greyhound mascot will make its debut, with fans in the stands voting on a new name. Convenience: New ID cards work like cash

Students, staff and faculty alike will benefit from new university ID cards with magnetic stripes. The One Card gives students access to a revamped meal plan in the dining room, the coffee shop and the grill and snack bar. Like debit cards, the cards also can be loaded with cash value for use at the bookstore, vending machines and library copiers. The system allows administrators and food service managers to track trends and improve service.

Esch Hall: Beautified gateway to campus

The university’s main administrative and academic building, Esch Hall, has just undergone a $12 million expansion and renovation. A three-story, 50,000-square-foot addition features a dramatic atrium entrance and more space for Admissions, Financial Aid, the School for Adult Learning and other key departments. The building also houses new studios for public radio station WICR- FM 88.7 and offices for the university’s Center for Excellence in Leadership of Learning, which has been housed off campus.

Enrollment

Full-time undergraduate enrollment this fall is projected to top 2,300, including more than 700 freshmen. The university’s 2004 enrollment was 2,167.

Experts on call

Faculty experts, available for interview on a vast range of topics, can be located through a keyword-searchable online directory at www.uindy.edu/news/fac_search.

For information and interviews, contact the Office of University Communications at (317) 788-3298.

Posted: August 15th, 2005 under Campus News.

University of Indianapolis ranked ‘Top Tier’

For the fourth year in a row, the University of Indianapolis has been ranked among the nation’s “Top Tier” institutions of higher education in an analysis conducted by U.S.News & World Report.

Colleges and universities are grouped in several categories based upon regional location and types of degree programs offered. With a full range of undergraduate and master’s programs, as well as several doctoral programs, the University of Indianapolis is categorized as a “Midwest Master’s University.” U.S.News places it in the Top Tier in that category, with a ranking of 29-a position shared with four other master’s institutions in the region. (Benedictine University and University of St. Francis in Illinois, University of Michigan-Dearborn, and University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point). Seventy-two Midwest master’s institutions placed in the Top Tier; about an equal number placed in lower tiers.

The rankings will appear in the 2006 issue of the magazine’s annual guidebook, America’s Best Colleges.

The university’s reputation for academic excellence has been growing in recent years. Nationally ranked degree programs in physical therapy, occupational therapy and nursing, innovative new programs in business, and two Centers of Excellence have bolstered the institution’s vitality and visibility.

The University of Indianapolis is a comprehensive institution of higher education founded in 1902 and affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Its more than 4,100 students-4 percent of them international-are drawn to the academically challenging undergraduate, master’s and doctoral programs offered in a wide range of fields. Small classes taught by respected faculty, and opportunities to apply knowledge in internships and other real-world experiences, are hallmarks of the university.

Posted: August 18th, 2005 under Campus News.

Panelists to discuss Constitution, terror war

University of Indianapolis organizes events in response to new federal law

To mark the federally mandated Constitution Day observance, the University of Indianapolis has assembled a panel of prominent local thinkers to discuss the contemporary relevance of our nation’s guiding document.

“The Constitution and the War Against Terrorism” is the theme for the discussion, scheduled 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 15, in the university’s Good Hall, located at the southeast corner of Hanna and Otterbein avenues. Admission is free.

Each panelist is scheduled to speak for 10 to 15 minutes, after which the group will respond to questions from the audience. The panelists will be:

Milind Thakar, assistant professor of international relations at the University of Indianapolis; Pierre Atlas, assistant professor of political science at Marian College; Sheila Suess Kennedy, assistant professor in the School of Public and Environmental Affairs at IUPUI and former executive director of the Indiana Civil Liberties Union.

Just like the communist scares of the 1950s and the post-World War I era, our government’s current efforts to identify violent extremists have tested America’s commitment to individual freedom, said event organizer and moderator Stephen Graham, associate professor of political science at the University of Indianapolis.

“These are profound questions about the nature of our democracy,” Graham said. “Do people who are suspected of terrorism have the same rights as the rest of us? Do terrorism suspects who are U.S. citizens have more rights than those who are not citizens?”

A federal law passed in 2004 requires all educational institutions receiving federal funding to conduct an informative program about the U.S. Constitution each year on Sept. 17. The University of Indianapolis receives federal funding in the form of student financial aid.

The date, formally designated “Constitution Day and Citizenship Day,” marks the anniversary of the Sept. 17, 1787, signing of the historic document. When the date falls on a weekend or holiday, as it does this year, the law allows for the observance to be scheduled the preceding or following week.

Related activities from Sept. 13 to 16 at the university will include student government elections, films and information displays in the residence halls.

Posted: August 31st, 2005 under Campus News.

Arts community fall open house Saturday

The Wheeler Arts Community in Indianapolis’ historic Fountain Square neighborhood will host its fourth annual Fall Open House on Saturday, Sept. 17.

More than 25 artists who live and work in the building will open their studios to greet visitors from 5 to 10 p.m. Saturday, coinciding with the popular “Masterpiece in a Day” art contest in the surrounding streets. The evening also will feature musician Kevin Hiatt, classical flamenco dance and other performances.

The Wheeler’s University of Indianapolis Gallery, located in Room 118, currently features the UINDY/AMACO Summer Ceramics Workshop Exhibition, with clay tiles, masks and other ceramic works by artists and art educators from a multistate area.

Located in a former carburetor factory at 1035 Sanders St., the Wheeler Arts Community is a unique collaboration between the University of Indianapolis and the not-for-profit Southeast Neighborhood Development Inc. The building contains 36 studio/loft apartments, a performing- arts theater, classrooms, gallery space and offices for several arts organizations. For more information, visit www.wheelerartscommunity.com.

Calendar Listing: Wheeler Arts Community Fall Open House What: Studio tours, music and dance performances When: 5 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17 Where: 1035 Sanders St., just west of Shelby Street in Fountain Square www.wheelerartscommunity.com.

Posted: September 12th, 2005 under Campus News.

Event offers caregivers ‘A Day Away’

People who take care of aging loved ones need time to recharge themselves and regain perspective, and they can find it Sept. 24 during A Day Away, a free seminar and luncheon.

The event at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, 100 W. 86th St. in Indianapolis, will include presentations on such topics as “Alzheimer’s Disease,” “Ask an Attorney about your Future,” “Caring & Coping,” “Healthy Caregiver: Body, Mind & Spirit,” “Medication Alert” and “Movement and Safety.”

Participants may choose the morning session from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. or the afternoon session from noon to 4:30 p.m. Each includes the catered lunch from noon to 1 p.m., featuring a keynote talk, “All Stressed Up and Nowhere to Go,” by author and Indianapolis Star columnist Lori Borgman. Registration begins one hour prior to each session. Gift bags will be presented to each attendee.

A Day Away is hosted by Joy’s House not-for-profit adult day services, the Center for Aging & Community at the University of Indianapolis, the Alzheimer’s Association and CICOA Aging & In-Home Solutions.

Primary funding is provided by the Center for Aging & Community, drawing from a U.S. Administration on Aging grant. Executive Director Ellen Miller said the event supports the center’s goal of helping older adults to age in place, retaining their independence and living in the housing of their choice.

“Caregivers are often juggling work, family, church and community responsibilities, and the stress can become overwhelming,” Miller said. “This is our opportunity to participate in an event just for caregivers – a day of fun, relaxation, education and pampering when they can feel like they are not alone, and their efforts are appreciated.”

During the event, free adult day care will be available at Joy’s House, 2028 E. Broad Ripple Ave., but space is limited.

For registration and more information, contact Amy Henninger of Joy’s House at (317) 254- 0828.

Posted: September 13th, 2005 under Campus News.

University of Indianapolis names interim provost

Dr. Mary Moore has been named interim provost of the University of Indianapolis, effective Oct. 1.

Moore is the university’s vice president for research, planning and strategic partnerships and will continue her current responsibilities during the nationwide search for a new provost. Dr. Everette Freeman, who has served as senior vice president and provost since 2001, recently was named president of Albany State University in Georgia. The University of Indianapolis expects to fill the provost position by July 2006.

A Greenwood resident, Moore holds the faculty title of professor of sociology and previously served as the dean of arts and sciences and as associate provost. She earned a Ph.D. from York University in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and came to the University of Indianapolis in 1982.

Posted: September 19th, 2005 under Campus News.

Health, business programs lead enrollment gain

Highly regarded programs in business and health care are leading a continued rise in enrollment at the University of Indianapolis, where 2,304 full-time undergraduates are attending day classes this fall.

The university’s total fall enrollment of 4,324 includes 1,024 graduate students and 752 nontraditional students in the School for Adult Learning.

“This year’s new students have affirmed our belief that independent universities occupy a solid niche, even in fields often considered the domain of large, public colleges,” university President Beverley Pitts said.

A healthy job market and the university’s national reputation in the health sciences seem to be a strong draw for incoming freshmen and transfer students. The nationally ranked School of Nursing remains one of the university’s most popular, with 100 declared majors among this fall’s new undergraduates. Pre-med and athletic training also are increasingly popular.

The fastest growth, however, seems to be in physical therapy. The number of first-year undergraduates majoring in pre-physical therapy jumped to 84, a 47 percent increase from last year. The graduate program, ranked 16th nationally in U.S. News’ 2005 edition of “America’s Best Graduate Schools,” also exceeded expectations with 51 new students.

Associate Professor Pamela Ritzline, interim dean of the Krannert School of Physical Therapy, said interest in the field is booming now after a late-1990s drop that was prompted by cuts in federal healthcare reimbursement.

“There is an actual shortage of clinicians,” she said. “You can graduate, get a good salary and pretty much name the facility where you want to work.”

The University of Indianapolis’ physical therapy program, which awarded its first doctoral degrees this spring, is one of just three in the state, she noted.

“Students describe it as a family-oriented atmosphere,” Ritzline said. “They feel like they get personalized attention.” The School of Education remains among the university’s top attractions, with 101 new undergraduates majoring in such programs as elementary education.

The single most popular choice among this fall’s new undergraduates is the School of Business, where the number of new enrollees rose from 102 last year to 132 this year, a 29 percent increase. Top programs among freshmen include business administration and sports marketing, a program just in its second year but growing rapidly.

Associate Dean Matthew Will said the business faculty have been reaching out to area high schools for the past few years with innovative programs that stoke students’ interest in business- related disciplines and expose them to college life. These efforts include the Academy of Finance, which offers courses for high school students and hosts an annual conference that attracts more than 300 Indiana teens. A financial literacy program, organized in cooperation with the 100 Black Men of Indianapolis organization, teaches advanced investment concepts and encourages students to explore careers in money management.

“We do more than merely open our doors,” Will said. “These programs provide high school students with opportunities rarely experienced by other teenagers.”

NOTE TO EDITORS: University of Indianapolis full-time undergraduate day enrollment was 2,167 last year (2004-05) and total enrollment was 4,116.

Posted: September 21st, 2005 under Campus News.

Japanese-American novelist to open speaker series

Award-winning filmmaker and novelist Ruth Ozeki will speak at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 5, to open the 2005-2006 Kellogg Writers Series at the University of Indianapolis.

Ozeki, whose writing often explores her Japanese-American heritage, will read excerpts from her work and answer questions during the appearance in Room 010 of Schwitzer Student Center, 1400 E. Hanna Ave. Admission is free.

Her first novel, My Year of Meats (Viking Penguin 1998), probes the effects of mass culture through its tale of two women on opposite sides of the planet whose lives are connected by a TV cooking show. Chosen as a New York Times Notable Book, it has been translated into 11 languages and published in 14 countries. A film is currently in development.

A second novel, All Over Creation (Viking Penguin 2003), also was named a New York Times Notable Book and received a 2004 American Book Award from the Before Columbus Foundation and a WILLA Literary Award for Contemporary Fiction. Ozeki is currently at work on a new novel and divides her time between New York City and British Columbia.

In the world of film, Ozeki’s 1994 work Body of Correspondence won the New Visions Award at the San Francisco Film Festival and was broadcast on PBS. Her 1995 autobiographical film Halving the Bones, which details her journey to retrieve her grandmother’s remains in Japan, has been recognized at the Sundance Film Festival, the Museum of Modern Art, the Montreal World Film Festival and the Margaret Mead Film Festival.

The Kellogg Writers Series will continue at 7:30 p.m. March 28 with poet Patricia Johnson and fiction writer Crystal Wilkinson. The free event also will be in Room 010 of Schwitzer Student Center.

Downloadable image available at http://www.uindy.edu/news/photoalbum/gallery.php?album=176

Posted: September 22nd, 2005 under Campus News.

University to host talks on ‘War and Power’

War and Power: Defining the American State is the theme for the fall symposium hosted by the University of Indianapolis’ Institute for the Study of War and Diplomacy.

Distinguished history and political science scholars from across the nation will speak during the day-long event Saturday, Sept. 24, in the lower level of the university’s Schwitzer Student Center, 1400 E. Hanna Ave. The event is open to news media and invitees.

The schedule includes five sessions throughout the day and a luncheon address by Fred Anderson of the University of Colorado and Andrew Cayton of Miami University, authors of the acclaimed book, “The Dominion of War: Empire and Liberty in North America, 1500-2000.” A continental breakfast will be offered from 8 to 9 a.m., and lunch is from 12:30 to 2 p.m.

The individual sessions, each one hour long and followed by a roundtable discussion, are:

9 a.m.: “Rogue States Old and New: Gunboat Persuasion, Citizen Marauders and the Limits of American Imperialism,” Robert E. May, Purdue University

10:10 a.m.: “Billy Yank and Johnny Reb Take on the World: The Civil War Generation’s View on American Imperialism, 1865-1940,” Carol Reardon, Penn State University

11:20 a.m.: “From Vietnam to Iraq: The First Television War and Its Legacies,” Chester J. Pach, Ohio University

2:10 p.m.: “War and U.S. Systemic Leadership,” William R. Thompson, Indiana University

3:20 p.m.: “The Paradox of American Hegemony,” Steven W. Hook, Kent State University

For more information, contact the Office of University Communications at 788-3583.

For media assistance at the event, contact Dr. Lawrence Sondhaus at 502-8086.

Posted: September 22nd, 2005 under Campus News.

Dedication Oct. 1 for $12 million project

Esch Hall expansion creates new gateway to University of Indianapolis

The University of Indianapolis will dedicate its new gateway to campus in a Homecoming weekend ceremony at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 1.

The $12 million expansion and renovation of Esch Hall, the university’s main academic and administrative building, includes new state-of-the-art studios for radio station WICR-FM 88.7 and office space for the Center of Excellence in Leadership of Learning.

CELL, whose efforts include assisting IPS in the restructuring of its high schools, had been housed in downtown Indianapolis offices but is now reunited with the School of Education. Lilly Endowment provided $3 million in construction funding for the CELL offices.

Esch Hall’s 50,000-square-foot addition at Hanna and Otterbein avenues includes a two-story atrium entrance to the offices of Admissions, Financial Aid, the Registrar and the School for Adult Learning, creating a striking visual impression for prospective students and other visitors.

The atrium and its centerpiece, a glass sculpture of the university seal, were made possible by a $1.1 million gift from Zionsville residents Norman and Dottie Terry. An entrepreneur and former Fortune 500 executive, Norman Terry is a university alumnus, a member of its Board of Trustees, and chairman of the Campaign for UINDY.

Participants in the 2:30 p.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony will include university President Beverley J. Pitts, Board of Trustees Chair Christel DeHaan, and representatives of the schools of Education and Communication. After the 45-minute ceremony, the offices and common areas will remain open for viewing until 4 p.m., kickoff time for the Homecoming football game against Saginaw Valley State.

Posted: September 23rd, 2005 under Campus News.

Japanese-American novelist to open speaker series

Award-winning filmmaker and novelist Ruth Ozeki will speak at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 5, to open the 2005-2006 Kellogg Writers Series at the University of Indianapolis.

The Kellogg Writers Series will continue at 7:30 p.m. March 28 with poet Patricia Johnson and fiction writer Crystal Wilkinson. The free event also will be in Room 010 of Schwitzer Student Center.

Downloadable image available at http://www.uindy.edu/news/photoalbum/gallery.php?album=176

Posted: September 22nd, 2005 under Campus News.

Speaker explores baseball’s impact on culture

Links between baseball and literature will be among the topics Tuesday, Oct. 4, when the University of Indianapolis hosts two public talks by writer and scholar Peter Carino.

Carino, professor of English and Writing Center supervisor at Indiana State University, is the editor of “Baseball/Literature/Culture: Selected Essays” and has published extensively on the sport’s role in American fiction and history.

His 2 p.m. Oct. 4 lecture in the university’s Christel DeHaan Fine Arts Center is titled “Why Baseball Has a Literature: Family, Community, and Home.” His 4 p.m. talk in Recital Hall of Good Hall is titled “Post-Modern Architecture and the Ballpark Building Boom of the Last Fifteen Years,” and will include a discussion of Indianapolis’ Victory Field.

Carino’s visit is part of the Samuel A. Sutphin Lectures in the Humanities series. The University of Indianapolis is located at 1400 E. Hanna Ave.

For more information, contact Professor William Dynes at (317) 788-3512. Directions to the campus are available at maps.uindy.edu.

Posted: September 26th, 2005 under Campus News.

Wal-Mart executive joins university board

Linda Dillman, executive VP and chief information officer for Wal-Mart Stores Inc., has joined the Board of Trustees of the University of Indianapolis.

A Fort Wayne native who earned a bachelor’s degree from the university in 1976, Dillman has built an international reputation as the leader of technology initiatives for the world’s largest retailer. She was listed in Fortune Magazine’s “Top 50 Most Powerful Women in American Business” in 2003 and 2004, ranked first in Executive Technology magazine’s “Most Influential People in Technology” in November 2003, and also was listed among Wall Street Journal’s “Women to Watch” in 2004.

Dillman lives in Springdale, Ark., and enjoys jet skiing and travel.

The University of Indianapolis is a top-tier, independent, comprehensive institution of higher education founded in 1902. Personal attention and experiential learning are hallmarks of the university, which draws 4,300 students from around the world to its academically challenging undergraduate, master’s and doctoral programs.

Posted: September 26th, 2005 under Campus News.

Grant supports faith-centered career programs

University of Indianapolis receives $500,000 from Lilly Endowment

A $500,000 grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. will help the University of Indianapolis extend and sustain programs that encourage students to explore career paths based in faith and service.

The university’s Phase III Vocation Project will continue efforts in the theological exploration of vocations that have taken place during the past seven years in two phases, both of which also involved major support from Lilly Endowment. In Phase I, from 1998 to 2001, the university founded the Lantz Center for Christian Vocations and implemented a Christian Vocations curriculum. Phase II, known as The Crossings Project, established a youth ministry curriculum, a parish nursing initiative and other programs that reflect the university’s mission of “Education for Service.”

The programs have been directed by Michael G. Cartwright, dean of Ecumenical & Interfaith Programs and executive director of The Crossings Project. Cartwright said the next phase will create more opportunities for students to examine potential vocations in a learning environment with mentoring from faculty, staff and upper-class students.

“This grant will allow us to complete the process of giving traditional-age undergraduates access to these opportunities for exploration,” he said. “We feel privileged to be able to continue the work that we began on this campus in 1998.”

The Phase III goals include extending programs to a broader segment of undergraduates, providing professional development opportunities for faculty and staff, continuing relationships with curricular and co-curricular programs that promote community service, and sustaining programs with community partners that allow university students to engage in service or train for future service.

The new grant was among $17.8 million announced this month in Lilly Endowment’s Programs for the Theological Exploration of Vocation initiative. The initiative provides funding to church- related liberal arts colleges and universities across the country for programs that encourage students to draw on the wisdom of their religious traditions as they make career decisions. Institutions that received funding in the first two rounds were invited to request renewal up to $500,000 to cover up to 50 percent of overall program cost for the next three years. The University of Indianapolis’ Phase III project, which will run through June 30, 2009, also expects to receive approximately $700,000 in university funding and $15,000 in in-kind contributions from the Indiana Area of the United Methodist Church.

Posted: September 28th, 2005 under Campus News.

CELL announces $280,000 in grants to start-up high schools

Indianapolis, IN – The Center of Excellence in Leadership of Learning at the University of Indianapolis today announced the awarding of grants totaling more than $280,000 to four local start-up high schools that will provide personalized and rigorous education in the context of small student populations.

CELL has awarded a two-year implementation grant of $208,000 to 21st Century Charter Schools, which opened two high schools this fall to serve neighborhoods with particular academic and social needs. 21st Century already operates a K-7 school at Union Station. The new high schools, one in Fountain Square and the other at Fall Creek Parkway and Illinois Street, have mayoral charters and can serve a combined 320 students.

A $40,000 exploration grant has been awarded to Irvington Community School, which currently has students in kindergarten through eighth grade but plans to expand into grades 9 through 12. The proposed Irvington Community High School, chartered through Ball State University, is scheduled to open in August 2006 with a student capacity of 360.

Recovery High School at Fairbanks, scheduled to open in Fall 2006 with a capacity of 129, is receiving a $32,250 design and preparation grant. Under a mayoral charter, Fairbanks is creating a high school specifically for students recovering from alcohol or drug addiction.

The CELL grant announcement comes amid calls at the state and national levels to reform the secondary school experience, making high school more rigorous and keeping students in school so that they graduate fully prepared for college and the world of work.

“These schools will provide for distinct needs in the community,” said CELL senior fellow David Dresslar. “Irvington Community High School will provide a high school choice for that east side neighborhood, the Recovery High School at Fairbanks will provide a much needed option for students in substance-abuse recovery and the two 21st Century Charter High Schools will expand the high school option based on their successful downtown elementary experience.”

These grantees are among 15 start-ups in Marion County that are receiving funding from CELL and are in various stages of development. Each of the start-up high schools funded by CELL must have a community engagement component, Dresslar noted. The schools also must have high expectations for all students emphasizing the “new five Rs” of rigor, relevance, relationships, resiliency and responsibility. The climate and structure of the new high schools must include shared decision-making among faculty, personalized instruction and attention to students.

CELL also is providing funding and assistance to Indianapolis Public Schools to develop autonomous, smaller schools on each of the five comprehensive high school campuses. Those schools also are characterized by a high degree of community engagement, shared leadership among faculty, classroom rigor, and personalized education.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation awarded $11.3 million to CELL in 2003 to spearhead high school transformation in Indianapolis and Marion County through collaborative community efforts. The center formed a Network of Effective Small Schools in Indianapolis to achieve this goal.

CELL was established in 2001 by the university to promote professional and civic leadership for achievement of educational excellence and equity for all students.