Recent News and Accomplishments from Ozarks Faculty
Dr. Rickey Casey, professor of management and business and executive director of the international studies program, and Dr. Jay Robbins, Professor of Management, Ouachita Baptist University just had a paper entitled A Comparison of the Elements Of Motivation In The Hospital Industry versus the Retail and Manufacturing Sectors accepted for presentation at the Clute Institute for Academic Research in San Antonio, Texas in March 2009. The article is out for blind review to be included in the Journal of Management and Diversity.
Dr. Daniel Taddie, senior vice president for academic affairs and dean of the faculty, and his wife, Ann Killebrew Taddie, attended the Council of Independent Colleges Chief Academic Officers Institute in Seattle, Wash., Nov. 1-4, 2008. For the spouses' program, Mrs. Taddie led a discussion on new books worth reading, based upon a list of submissions by other spouses of Chief Academic Officers. Dr. Taddie led two roundtable discussions for new Chief Academic Officers and a breakfast roundtable discussion on the subject of "Developing Adjunct Faculty" at the general meeting. Following the meeting, Dr. Taddie was invited to serve on the Chief Academic Officers Task Force for the period 2009-2011. This group plans the annual Chief Academic Officers Institute.
Dr. Rickey Casey, professor of management and business and executive director of the international studies program, presented a seminar on Nov. 10 to directors and employees in the Guatemala Office of Bank Supervision. The seminar was entitled “The Perfect Storm.” The seminar discussed the current banking crisis in the United States and what changes may occur in the near future in the banking industry. Also discussed was what caused the current mortgage meltdown and financial crisis.
Dr. George C. Stone, professor and chair of the Division of Education, recently presented a paper to the Society for the Philosophy and History of Education conference in San Antonio, Texas. The paper was entitled, “The School of Education as a Vocational, Working Class, Trade School." Dr. Stone was President of the Society for the Philosophy and History of Education in 2004-2005.
Dr. William Eakin, professor of philosophy and German, often explores issues of philosophical inquiry in an imaginative way through his genre fiction (some 70 professionally published short stories). In 2008, he questioned what it means to be human through the animation of a fake mummy (a manikin wrapped up in knee bandages) in his story “LOOB,” currently appearing in Albedo One (issue 34, 2008), one of Ireland’s most prominent science fiction magazines. His story “Bob and the Mermaid,” which analyzes desire and commitment, was sold to Realms of Fantasy, one of the biggest magazines in that genre in the U.S. (available on newsstands sometime in 2009). He also sold stories to a number of anthologies, including New Writings in the Fantastic #2, forthcoming from the U.K.
Dr. Brian McFarland, assistant professor of chemistry, gave an oral presentation at the Spring 2008 American Chemical Society meeting in New Orleans. Dr. McFarland’s paper was titled, “Microencapsulation of Free-Radical Initiators and their Use in Frontal Polymerization.” Students Alissa Ferrara and Jessica Reed accompanied him and each gave poster presentations.
Tammy Harrington, associate professor of art, recently had an artwork accepted to be part of the 2009 Arkansas Artist Engagement Calendar. Artists from or living in Arkansas were invited to submit one artwork to this competition. The title of her work is “Oriental Princess II” (see picture) and it is an intaglio print. The calendar is a project of the Arkansas Governor’s Mansion Association and Arkansas First Lady Ginger Beebe. The calendars were distributed to the artists and sponsors during a Preview Reception and book signing at the Governor’s Mansion on Sept. 10. Harrington and her husband, artist Neal Harrington, attended the reception.
Dr. Kendrick Prewitt, associate professor of English, and Dr. David Strain, professor of English and French and the chair of the Humanities and Fine Arts Division, presented papers at the southwest regional meeting of the Conference on Christianity and Literature in early October 2008 at Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee, Okla. The title of Dr. Prewitt’s paper was “Richard Wilbur Calls Us to the Things of This World” Wilbur’s Materiality.” The title of Dr. Strain’s paper was “Doubting Doubt: Materiality in Richard Wilbur’s ‘A Dubious Night.’ ”
Dr. Robert Hilton, business and management professor and chair of the Division of Business, Communications and Government, was recently elected as vice chair on the board of directors of the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE). Hilton, who has taught at U of O since 1984, will serve as the IACBE board’s vice chair for 2008-2009 before stepping up to take the chair’s position during the 2009-2010 term. His three-year term expires in 2011. “IACBE is the premier professional accreditor for business programs in student-centered colleges and universities throughout the world,” said Hilton. “It exists to promote, develop and recognize excellence in business education. Being asked to serve as an officer of the board at this critical time in IACBE’s history is indeed an honor and a privilege. I look forward to this challenge and appreciate the support of the U of O administration in this endeavor.”
Dr. George Stone (pictured), chair of the Division of Education, was invited to present a paper at the 20th annual Oxford Round Table held at Pembroke College in Oxford, England, in August. Dr. Stone’s paper was titled “John Dewey’s Philosophy of History as a Guide to the International Order.” The Round Table’s theme was History and International Politics: Nations and Empires an Interdisciplinary Perspective. Stone, who earned his undergraduate, master’s and Ph.D. degrees from Southern Illinois University, has taught at U of O since 2001.
Dr. William Clary, assistant professor of Spanish, was featured in an Aug. 4, 2008, article in the Fort Smith Times-Record for his work as a certified court interpreter for the state of Arkansas. Last summer Dr. Clary presented an informative lecture for prospective candidates for the Spanish Language Court Interpreting Certification in Fort Smith. Dr. Clary’s session focused on the preparation for different court procedures in the circuit and district courts, as well as juvenile courts and civil cases. He also participated in simulated workshops devoted to the different modes of foreign language interpreting in the courtroom. Dr. Clary has been a certified court interpreter since 2000 and is certified in both Arkansas and Missouri. He is one of approximately eight certified foreign language court interpreters in Arkansas. Dr. Clary earned his bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate degrees from the University of Missouri and has taught at U of O since 2006.
Dr. Rickey Casey, professor of management and business and executive director of international studies, recently teamed with Dr. Jay Robbins, professor of management at Ouachita Baptist University, to publish two articles that focused on motivation and diversity in the retail and manufacturing sectors. The articles appeared in the Journal of the International Society of Business Disciplines and the Journal of Management and Diversity. Casey and Robbins are currently working on another article that will look at The Hackman and Oldham model of job motivation and redesign in the health care industry. A graduate of Ozarks, Casey earned his D.B.A. from Nova Southeastern University. He has taught at Ozarks since 1987.
Susan Edens, director of broadcasting, recently completed a video program for the Picture Them Home Campaign, a cooperative effort between the Morgan Nick Foundation and the Clarksville Police Department designed to find missing or abducted children from the region by prominently placing their pictures across the back windshields of patrol cars. Edens compiled video from news conferences about the project into a long form news story and placed it on YouTube. The piece can be found by typing in Picture Them Home or University of the Ozarks on YouTube. Edens first met Colleen Nick when she was a reporter for News Talk 1320 KWHN in Fort Smith, Arkansas, shortly after her daughter, Morgan, was abducted from a ballpark in Alma. Although, her daughter has not been found, Colleen works on the behalf of all missing children and their families at the local, state, and national level. The Picture Them Home Campaign program was started in late spring and within 10 days the first child, a runaway, had been located because of the program. Since that time one other child has been found. Edens earned her undergraduate degree from U of O and her master’s degree from Arkansas Tech University.
During the April 2008 Board of Trustee meeting, several faculty members received promotion as well as promotion and tenure. Being promoted from associate professor to full professor were Music Professor Dr. Sharon Gorman and Theatre Professor Bruce Brown. Receiving promotion and tenure were Mathematics Professor Matt Myers and Art Professor Tammy Harrington.
Dr. Doug Jeffries, professor of biology and environmental studies, was a speaker at the International Master Gardener’s Conference held in Arkansas in 2007. Jeffries’ topic was The Lichen/Human Symbiosis. Jeffries, who earned his Ph.D. from Arizona State University, has taught at Ozarks since 1991.
Artwork by Associate Professor of Art Tammy Harrington (pictured) was displayed as part of the Art Across Arkansas project in the Clinton Presidential Center in Little Rock during the summer of 2007. Harrington’s artwork that earned the distinction was a linoleum relief print titled Sustenance. Harrington, who earned her M.F.A. from Wichita State University, has taught at Ozarks since 2002.
Dr. Jesse Weiss, assistant professor of sociology and environmental studies, was quoted extensively as a sociology expert in a Nov. 2, 2007, article in the Fort Smith Times-Record. The article focused on mob mentality. Weiss, who earned his Ph.D. from Utah State University, has taught at Ozarks since 2004.
University Chaplain Rev. Nancy Benson-Nicol wrote a liturgy titled “Celebrate the Gifts of Women 2008” for the Presbyterian Church (USA) that appeared in the November/December 2007 issue of Horizons magazine. The liturgy celebrated the diversity of spiritual and cultural gifts of the young women who are active in the Presbyterian Church.
Julia Frost, director of the Jones Learning Center, recently completed all requirements for recertification as a Nationally Certified School Psychologist. This designation reflects a strong commitment to the field of school psychology.
Dr. Bruce Elmore, professor of physical education, was selected in 2007 to serve on the Praxis Physical Education National Advisory Committee in Princeton, N.J. Elmore, who earned his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois, has taught at Ozarks since 1988.
Bruce B. Brown, associate professor of theatre, recently published a photography book titled, “Orchids Through Our Eyes.” It is available for purchase on Borders and Amazon.com. Brown serves as the vice president of the Orchid Society of the Ozarks.
Dr. Bill Doria, assistant professor of Chemistry, recently helped the science department secure a grant for a Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectrophotometer, a piece of equipment that will help students determine the structures of molecules using infrared light.
Dr. Donna Wake, assistant professor of education, presented a paper titled “Digital Storytelling as a Vehicle for the Exploration of Modern Art” at the International Conference for the Society for Informational Technology in Teacher Education in San Antonio, Texas, in March of 2007. She was also awarded the 2007 CollegeReading Association’s Dissertation Research Award. She presented her research at the CRA National Convention in Salt Lake City, Utah, in November. Also in 2007, Wake was awarded the Alumni Association Faculty Enrichment Award and used it to help fund a trip with 11 students to visit museums in New York City and Philadelphia during Spring Break.
Dr. William Clary (pictured), assistant professor of Spanish, was invited to attend the annual SCOLAS (Southwest Conference on Latin American Studies) conference which was held in Merida, Yucatan, March 15-17. He presented a research paper devoted to Central American Literature. Clary also had an essay published in the May-June 2007 online edition of World Literature Today.
Dr. David Strain, professor of English and French, was selected to attend a seminar during the summer of 2007 in Washington D.C. titled “Homer Across the Curriculum,” which involves exploring ways to incorporate “The Odyssey” into various arenas of academic inquiry.
