Rhode Island College Digital Commons @ RIC What's News? Newspapers 11-15-2004 What's News At Rhode Island College Rhode Island College Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.ric.edu/whats_news Recommended Citation Rhode Island College, "What's News At Rhode Island College" (2004). What's News?. 54. https://digitalcommons.ric.edu/whats_news/54 This Book is brought to you for free and open access by the Newspapers at Digital Commons @ RIC. It has been accepted for inclusion in What's News? by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ RIC. For more information, please contact [email protected]. What’s News at Rhode Island College Vol. 25 Issue 5 Circulation over 50,000 November 15, 2004 Highlights Biomedical research at RIC: an experiment In the News guaranteed to succeed Biomed research underway at RIC by Rob Martin RIC/URI residence hall What’s News Managing Editor referendum approved State Home Project honors former residents he name of a research project Poverty Institute symposium usually lacks the succinct ap- Tpeal of a book or song title. on economy set for Dec. 6 So “Functional Analysis of the As- cidian MyoD-Family Gene” is prob- Features ably not as memorable as The Sun Mary Olenn’s anti-smoking Also Rises. And certainly “Methyl efforts continue on campus Tertiary-Butyl Ether Causes Tes- ticular Injury” is less catchy than, London Course students’ trip say, Oops!…I Did It Again. But the to Europe memorable results of these biomedical stud- ies – now underway at RIC – could Foundation/Alumni some day have lasting appeal in the field of human health. Two RIC alums receive Indeed, biomed is beginning to Milken Foundation awards boom at RIC, where grad and un- dergrad students are participating Sports in the above projects, both funded Soccer star Kyle Teixeira by the National Institutes of Health through programs specially de- breaks RIC record for goals signed for colleges such as RIC. Where Are They Now? Tom Meedel, professor of biol- ogy, is heading up the ascidian Jessica Arrighi ’01 and Andy gene project after receiving an NIH Coughlin ’96 Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA). The grant is allocat- Arts/Entertainment ed primarily to four-year colleges RIC undergrad Justin for “people who have valuable re- search with a chance of succeeding Krakowsky’s talent for and the ability to involve under- impersonation in spotlight grads,” said Meedel. Nov. 20 The project’s objective is to un- derstand how the myogenic regu- Growing Stage’s Greater latory factor (MRF) gene operates Tuna has comical flavor in in ascidian marine animals. Ascid- performances Dec. 2-5 ians are filter-feeding creatures (sometimes called sea squirts) that Nugent + Matteson equal a resemble clams without the shell. lively dance concert Dec. 3 “The experiments in the study,” said Meedel, “will address an RIC Wind Ensemble adds important gap in our understand- twist to music of Bach in ing of MRF gene function.” They MOUSE TALE: Grad student Crystal Gantz weighs an albino mouse as Professor Dec. 3 performance will attempt to determine whether Eric Hall looks on. Hall, Gantz and others are involved in biomedical research the MRF gene of ascidians – a Borromeo String Quartet studying the offspring of mice who have been exposed to the gasoline additive transitional animal group on the MTBE. and RIC’s Judith Stillman evolutionary ladder between combine skills for Chamber invertebrates and vertebrates – is these regulatory genes appear to aspect of this work,” said Meedel. Music Series show Dec. 8 required for muscle development. have very little to do with develop- However, he noted, because the In the case of vertebrates – in- ing muscle. MRF gene has human counterparts, RIC Symphony Orchestra cluding humans – MRF genes play “I consider the evolution of the the study should also be able to and guest Philip Martorella an essential part in muscle devel- role of this gene in muscle devel- present music by “The opment. In invertebrates, however, opment to be the most important Continued on page 3 Pianist” Dec. 6 Index Largest bond issue in College’s history — Looking Back 2 Rhode Island voters approve bond referendum for The World at RIC 2 Focus on Faculty/Staff 2 new residence hall at RIC Alumni News 4 On Nov. 2, Rhode Island voters, by a plurality of from Question 5 is dedicated to residence hall (Not Just) Academically nearly 9,000 votes, approved Question 5, which improvements at URI. Speaking 5 included $30 million in funding for construction According to the Rhode Island Board of Elec- of a new residence hall at Rhode Island College. tions, the vote totals, still unofficial but including Faces of RIC 7 The share slated for Rhode Island College out 15,158 mail ballots, were 188,802 in favor and Sports 9 of the $50 million total approved in Question 5 179,810 opposed. represents the largest single bond issue ever ap- The bond issue was strongly supported by the Arts/Entertainment 10-12 proved for the College. The remaining $20 million Continued on page 5 Page 2 — What’s News, Monday, November 15, 2004 Looking Back The World at RIC Here at What’s News we will feature historical photos from the Col- dows at a differ- lege’s past. Please go to your scrapbooks and send us photos with as This regular feature of What’s ent landscape. much information as possible. All photos will be handled carefully and News looks at the links between the At RIC those returned to sender. world and Rhode Island College. The story below was written by working with Joan Glazer, professor emerita of students recog- elementary education, who spent nize the impor- the 2002-03 academic year as a tance of a global view. Many pro- Fulbright scholar in Norway and fessors, like myself, have traveled who currently chairs the Ridgway widely and bring to the classroom F. Shinn Study Abroad Committee. first-hand experience with other cultures. My year as a Fulbright Both my parents were born and scholar in Norway, a time when raised in Ohio, and neither ever I worked with both teachers and visited another country, nor, in students in 60 schools in over 30 fact, ever traveled west of the different cities in Norway, let me Mississippi River. I was born and speak knowledgeably to my RIC raised in Ohio and by age 35 had students about the people and visited four countries and 30 the educational system of an- states, and now, at an undisclosed other country. My work with the older age, have visited 29 coun- International Board on Books for tries, often working with residents Young People helped me interact of those counties, and every state on a personal basis with teach- except Hawaii. ers, librarians, and writers from As our world shrinks, becom- many countries, and again bring ing a global neighborhood, our these experiences, and books from own outlooks and experiences those countries, to my classes. must expand. Each generation of The Dept. of Elementary Education Americans must have a broader, sends some students to England more inclusive perspective than for student teaching and several the ones preceding it. We must Study Abroad programs encourage know our neighbors as people RIC students to venture into the who speak a different language, wider world. For students as well who dress in a different style, who as teachers, RIC is both going out make decisions based on different to meet the world and inviting the criteria, who look out their win- world home. – Joan Glazer Focus on Faculty and Staff Faculty and staff are encouraged to submit items about their profes- sional endeavors to What’s News, Office of News and Public Relations, Kauffman Center, or email them to [email protected]. Roger Clark, Physical Education, Recreation and professor of Dance at The Murray Center. Fac- sociology, has ulty and students from the Depart- had an article ment of Health and Physical Educa- cited in the tion were highlighted throughout Chronicle of the conference. Karen S. Castagno, Higher Edu- associate professor, and Robin cation. The Kirkwood Auld, assistant profes- article, “Picture sor, were awarded The Presidential FASHION PLATES: Sporting the latest in RIC fashions for circa 1968, new This: A Multi- Citation – Castagno for her work letter sweaters, are Jim McGetrick (left) of Providence and Pete Emond of cultural Femi- as treasurer of the organization for Pawtucket. Both juniors at the time, McGetrick and Emond became captains nist Analysis of the past eight years, and Auld for of the Anchorman basketball team the following year. ROGER CLARK Picture Books her six-year tenure as membership for Children,” had been co-au- chair. Ben Lombardo, professor, thored with a recent Rhode Island and Karen Berard-Reed, assistant College sociology major, Heather professor, presented a session RIC Art Auction set for December; Fink ’02. It had appeared in the cur- titled, “How donated works requested rent issue of Youth & Society. The to Become a Chronicle (in its Oct. 13 online ver- Cooperating sion) cites the article for showing Teacher for the The 32nd Annual Art Auction at how “picture books for children can HPE Depart- Rhode Island College will be held deal with themes of oppression and ment at Rhode Friday, Dec. 3 at 7 p.m. in the Art resistance in ways that are distinct Island Col- Center, room 8A. Previews will from other types of literature.” lege.” Students begin at 4 p.m. The article is the third Clark has majoring in Alumni and friends of RIC are published with student co-authors health educa- encouraged to donate works of art from RIC in the last year.