May/June 2004

Faculty/Staff Breakfast Highlights

Commencement 2004

Eastern Campus Faculty Spend “Spring Break” in Orlando

Staff Salary Grades and Ranges Revised

New Webster Staff Alliance Officers Announced

Kampus Kudos

St. Louis Calendar Highlight

Employees of the Month

Service Anniversaries

New Employees

Condolences

Faculty/Staff Breakfast Highlights

Neil George, executive vice president, Academic Affairs, introduced the faculty honored with 2004 Kemper Awards: Marlene Birkman, professor, Learning and Communications; Connie Fuller, adjunct professor, Human Resource Development and Management, Crystal Lake, Ill. Metropolitan Campus; Ted Mayer, faculty coordinator, Interdisciplinary Studies, Webster Thailand; and John Wylie, professor and technical director, Conservatory of Theatre Arts.

Van McElwee, professor, Electronic and Photographic Media, received the Wilma and Roswell Messing Jr. Faculty Award. McElwee will use the funds to conduct international research on the 50-year history of experimental video art. He will then recommend 20 key pieces of international art for acquisition and inclusion in the Emerson Library video archive, which he will curate.

This year the Staff Member of the Year award was shared by two people: Ginnie Schuermann, database manager, Administrative Computer Services, and Barbara Hillerman, undergraduate advisor and mentor of the Art Program, Vienna campus. Schuermann was praised for being customer-oriented, friendly and eager to serve, as well as for her ability to understand programming needs and provide information. Hillerman was cited for her tireless service to students, for overseeing five new art exhibitions each academic year, and for helping make Webster Vienna an integral part of the Viennese art and music scene.

In his year-end review, President Meyers listed among the top accomplishments:

• The opening of the Emerson Library and the award-winning Luhr to Emerson Library book chain event.
• The increase of enrollments to 22,000 students, making Webster the tenth-largest private university in the country in the number of students served.
• The 9th Annual WebsterWorksWorldwide Community Service Day, involving 1,400 volunteers, 49 campuses, 5,600 hours and 158 projects.
• The signing of the Old Post Office lease agreement for use of 33,000 square feet in the historic building.
• The outstanding success of the 2004 commencement held for the first time in the Edward Jones Dome.

Anna Barbara Sakurai receives crystal vase from President Meyers

After presenting presidential citations to individuals and groups who made extraordinary contributions to the University during the past year, President Meyers said: “Each year we raise the bar on our expectations and, thanks to all of your efforts, we have reached and exceeded those goals every time. As I look out at this exceptional group of dedicated members of the Webster family, I am confident that the future holds wonderful things for us.”

Commencement 2004

NEW VENUE RECEIVES TOP HONORS

The blue shirts were just one of many signs that Webster had made the Dome its new commencement home. Congratulatory banners, both inside and out, greeted the graduates and guests as they arrived. Backdrops of main campus buildings were strategically placed in corridors to give graduates and their family and friends photo opportunities to mark the day. Jumbotron screens flanking both sides of the main stage featured video highlights of the past academic year, as well a montage of photos from Friday afternoon’s commencement warm-up party on the main St. Louis campus.

Given that it was the University’s first year in a new venue, the event went smoothly. While some tweaking will be done for next year’s ceremony, all in all, it was a great day for Webster—the first college or university to hold its commencement in the Dome.

Thanks to everyone for the hard work that made the day possible, particularly the Commencement Committee members:

Benjamin Akande, Mary Birkenmeier, Jim Brasfield, Karen Burch, Jamal Bussey, Debra Carpenter, Colette Cummings, Deborah Dey, Brenda Fyfe, Neil George, Jen Gerhardt, John Ginsburg, Marilyn Heaven, Nancy Higgins, Ted Hoef, Jennifer Jezek-Taussig, Greg Little, Dawn McCracken, Gil Morales, Don Morris, Jan Murray, Linda Nottestad, Dan Pesold, Peter Sargent, Jeff Smithson, Reba Snavely, James Staley, Joanne Vogler, Jim Ward, David Wilson and Al Wiman.

We’re looking forward to an even bigger and better celebration in 2005!

Eastern Campus Faculty Spend “Spring Break” in Orlando

FROM DOMINIK JANSKY, CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Attendees from the University's annual regional faculty conference.

More than 240 faculty and site directors from 25 eastern U.S. campuses gathered April 23-24 in Orlando, Fla., for the University’s annual regional faculty conference. Faculty, administrators and national education experts led each other through a weekend of instructional workshops and seminars. The event gave adjunct faculty from numerous locations a chance to interact with their peers from other campuses and with home campus department chairs and administrators. Neil George, executive vice president, Academic Affairs, offered introductory remarks, while Benjamin Akande, dean, School of Business & Technology, and Brenda Fyfe, dean, School of Education, were among those leading breakout sessions.

In addition to providing professional development and networking opportunities, “the weekend also gave Academic Affairs an opportunity to publicly applaud the successes of the adjunct faculty and affirm their importance to the University,” said Linda Nottestad, associate vice president, Academic Affairs, and director of metropolitan campuses.

The event featured two external presenters, Allison Morrison-Shetlar, director, University of Central Florida’s Center for Teaching and Learning, and outside consultant, Craig Weber of Webster Consulting (not affiliated with the University). Weber discussed various ways to engage students in the classroom, while Morrison-Shetlar described how to align classroom goals and objectives with institutional assessment and interactive teaching techniques. The two presenters were well-received, Nottestad said. “Many attendees told us they would have enjoyed even longer sessions with them.”

The adjunct faculty and site directors were more than mere observers, however; many helped lead the weekend’s interactive breakout sessions, which covered such topics as ethics, student perspectives, teaching effectiveness and faculty coordination and mentoring. “Part of the event’s success was that it was participative,” Nottestad explained.

The annual conferences are held on a rotating basis in the three U.S. regions—western, central and eastern—and hosted by a Webster extended campus in that region. Last year’s western region conference was held in San Diego; next year’s conference will be held at a host campus in the central region to be named later.

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Staff Salary Grades and Ranges Revised

NEWS FROM HUMAN RESOURCES

More than 450 staff members throughout the University’s U.S. campuses will receive salary adjustments in the new fiscal year, thanks to a recently concluded evaluation of the Staff Classification and Compensation Program, which covers job grades and salary ranges at Webster’s domestic campuses.

Human Resources undertook the evaluation over a year ago to bring staff salaries more in line with market levels. The resulting changes, which take effect June 1, 2004, mark the first major revision to the classification and compensation program since 1997.

“The changes were needed to help the University continue to attract and retain talented employees,” explains Betsy Schmutz, director, Human Resources. “We’re grateful to the administration for funding these changes and hope to be able to review the program every two to three years so that University salary grades and ranges stay current with market levels.”

Staff members who fall under the minimum of their new salary range will automatically have their salaries increased to the new minimum. Those who have been in their current classification since 2002 or earlier and who fall below the midpoint of their new salary range will receive a salary adjustment based on their length of service in their current classification. The salary adjustments will range from 0.5 percent to 2.5 percent, based on employees’ length of service in their current classifications.

Employees affected by the program changes will be informed of the adjustments when they receive their 2004-05 merit increases.

Human Resources announced recently that the merit pool increase for the 2004-05 fiscal year is 3 percent. “At a time when inflation is only 1.8 percent, we’re pleased to be able to offer our employees a 3 percent merit pool increase,” Schmutz says.

Because staff raises are based on performance, some employees may receive more than 3 percent, while others may receive less.

The increases take effect June 1 and will appear beginning in the June 11, 2004 paychecks.

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New Webster Staff Alliance Officers Announced

At the May 13 WSA meeting, Shana Wilson, outgoing chair, introduced the newly elected officers. They are: Chair—Nancy Higgins, Special Events Office; Secretary—Kathleen Crabdree, Administrative Services; and Compensation Chair—Milo Gitchoff, Facilities Operations. The new officers join associate chair Dorothy Nootbarr, special events chair Matt Nolan and membership chair Cathy Heidemann to fully comprise the WSA Board.

Wilson was elated to see the large group attending this year’s final general meeting, especially since one of her top goals as chair was to increase meeting attendance. She reported that there has been a 110 percent growth in participation during those two years and thanked everyone who helped make the increase happen. WSA meetings are suspended for the summer and will resume again in September.

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Editor’s Note: Each issue of Inside Webster includes 10 Kampus Kudos listings, which appear in the publication in the order they are received by the Office of University Communications. If your information is not in this issue, it will appear in a future issue.

Guillermo Rodriguez, director, International Projects, Study Abroad, has been elected secretary of the executive committee of the St. Louis Center for International Relations. Rodriguez has been a member of the center’s board of directors since 1999.

Jeri Levesque, associate professor and director, Webster Institute for Literacy, gave a presentation on scientifically based reading research and family literacy program evaluation at the National Center for Family Literacy annual conference in Orlando, Fla. She also presented, “Parent Child Interactive Literacy: From Performance Assessment to a Logic Model of Family Literacy Program Evaluation” at the International Reading Association annual conference in Reno, Nev. Levesque is a member of the Missouri Reading First Leadership Team.

Keith Welsh, associate professor, Interdisciplinary Studies, served as an external reviewer for the humanities department of Columbia College in Columbia, Mo. Welsh reviewed every aspect of the department’s work within the college, including teaching, service, scholarship, program development, collegiality and commitment to the future of the institution.

Akbar Sheik, adjunct professor, Memphis campus, recently completed the web site www.akshake.com. He is also launching a computer training program to train in JAVA-related technologies.

Connie Milner, department associate, Memphis campus, was a guest speaker at the American Society of Military Comptrollers luncheon. After a presentation on Steven Covey’s Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Milner, a member of Toastmasters International, was asked to return to lead a training session during the society’s annual training forum.

Debra Finkel, adjunct professor, Communications, received a Crystal Award of Excellence in the Communicator Awards 2004 Print Media Competition. The entry by Finkel’s team, “2003 Financial Literacy Campaign,” beat over 3,700 entries in the multi-audience campaign category. Finkel is president and principal of Finkel & Company Communications.

Gwyneth Williams, professor, History, Politics and Law, presented a paper entitled, “Looking at the Joint Custody Debate: The Language and Influence of Attorneys,” at the Midwest Political Science Association conference held in Chicago, and the Policy History Conference, held in St. Louis. The paper explores the ways in which family law attorneys view the divorce process and their roles within it, as well as how these views influence matrimonial lawyers on the issue of joint custody.

John Buck, assistant dean of students, Student Affairs, was a keynote speaker at the 50th Annual Conference of the National Association of College and University Residence Halls (NACURH), Inc. NACURH is the largest student-run, non-profit association in the country. Over 2,800 attended the conference hosted by Saint Louis University.

Bert Barry, director of ESL & International Services, has had poems published in Bellowing Ark, Green’s Magazine and The Mid-America Poetry Review. Barry also co-presented at two immigration/visa workshops: “F-1 For Beginners – Intensive English Programs” in Long Beach, Calif., and “F-1 for Beginners” in St. Louis.

Brian Kennelly, associate professor, Foreign Languages and Literatures, presented his paper, “Promoting, Politicizing and Defending French Culture,” at the 57th annual Kentucky Foreign Language conference. He has had seven book reviews published in French Review since 2003. His article, “Rewriting, Rereading Récidive” will appear in Dalhousie French Studies later this year.

Keep us posted on your professional activities and send us your story ideas by completing the UFO form.

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St. Louis Calendar Highlight

The Hubleys: First Family of Animation…

From "The Hubleys: First Family of Animation"

Webster University’s Film Series presents “The Hubleys: First Family of Animation,” with special guest Emily Hubley, Friday through Sunday, June 4, 5 and 6 at 8 p.m. in the Moore Auditorium. Join renowned animator Emily Hubley, daughter of Academy Award–winning independent animators Faith and John Hubley, for a retrospective of the wonderfully imaginative films of Hubley studios. Fifteen different films will be screened over the three nights, including a full-length feature film, “Everybody Rides the Carousel,” on Sunday.

Admission is $6 for the general public, $5 for seniors, Webster alumni and students from other schools, $4 for Webster University staff and faculty. Webster students with proper I.D. get in free. Call 314-968-7487 for updated information.

For more information on St. Louis events, check the online calendar.

Employees of the Month

May 2004 Spotlight Award

FROM THERESA ARNOLD, UNIVERSITY COMMUNICTIONS WORK-STUDY STUDENT

Congratulations to the May Employee Spotlight Award winners: Judi Smith, department associate, School of Communications, and Bonnie Schwarenholz, academic advisor, Kansas City Metropolitan Campus.

Judi Smith has worked for the University for nearly eight years and has been with the School of Communications for nearly five years. Because of her experience, Judi brings a great deal of expertise and knowledge about Webster to her job. According to her nominator, Judi is adept at troubleshooting problems as well as fixing them. She is also a friendly, familiar face in the department. “She has a caring way of dealing with all faculty, always going out of her way to try to be helpful,” her nominator says. “Due to her caring attitude, the students love her.”

Judi said she was surprised to have won the Spotlight Award. She enjoys working in the School of Communications and working in the Kirk House. “This is the best department anyone could work in,” says Judi. “The whole University is great. At this time in my life, it’s the best place I could be.” Judi enjoys working with the students and faculty in the department and says the people are the best part of her job.

At the time this article was written, Judi had not yet selected her prize. “I keep going back and forth,” she says, “trying to decide which one to choose.”

Bonnie Schwarenholtz has been with the University for six years. Her nominator says that Bonnie is always willing to help whenever she can. “She has a wonderful rapport with students, putting them at ease and making them feel like like a wanted part of Webster University,” said her nominator. “Bonnie epitomizes what all Webster employees should strive to be.”

Bonnie was “stunned, flattered and humbled” when she learned she had won the Spotlight Award. She was working in her office, when the office staff in came marching in, clapping and cheering, “like a restaurant birthday,” says Bonnie. She credits her fellow employees for winning the award. “No award is earned as an individual,” says Bonnie. “You can’t accomplish anything without a good group of people.” She loves her job as an academic advisor because she enjoys helping people and finds the position fulfilling and rewarding. “I have never had a job I enjoyed more,” she says.

Bonnie chose a savings bond as her prize.

Employees everywhere are eligible for the monthly Employee Spotlight Award. Using the nomination form is easy!

Service Anniversaries

May/June 2004

The University extends its appreciation to the following individuals who have ably served the institution for many years:

Jessica Key, assistant director, Financial Aid Office, 10 years

Kenneth Calhoun Jr., lab technician, Jacksonville Metropolitan Campus, five years

Ann Fernandez, department associate, School of Business & Technology, five years

Ellen Windhauser, office manager, Jacksonville Metropolitan Campus, five years

New Employees

A warm welcome to the newest members of the Webster family:

Robin Assner, assistant professor, Art, replaces John Hilgert.

Sherrolyn Bean, officer manager, Fayetteville Metropolitan Campus, 479-571-1511 or speed dial #6 110, replaces Kara Powers.

Cheryl Breig-Allen, assistant professor, Learning & Communications, replaces Brenda Fyfe.

Gayle Cross, representative, Crystal Lake Metropolitan Campus, 815-356-9619 or speed dial #6 081, replaces Heather DiCicco.

Rosalind Lanthorne, specialist I, Space Coast Metropolitan Campus, 321-449-4500 or speed dial #6 008, replaces Rodrique Heron.

Lillian Merrill, department associate, Palm Bay Metropolitan Campus, 321-956-6859 or speed dial #6 103, replaces Debra Taylor.

Tangela Nichols, service clerk, Columbia Metropolitan Campus, 803-699-0900 or speed dial #6 083, replaces Sharon Webster.

Dan Perkins, editor, Marketing, ext. 5967

Cynthia Poston, assistant professor, Learning & Communications, ext. 7110

Cheryl Rankin, department secretary, Charleston Metropolitan Campus, 843-760-1324 or speed dial #6 054, replaces Winnifred Barber.

Marsha Shinkman, assistant director, Bolling AFB, 202-561-4382 or speed dial #6 068, replaces Janet Knouse.

Maureen Stroer, department associate, Career Services, ext. 6982, replaces Carol Connor.

Patricia Graves-Warner, academic advisor, San Diego Metropolitan Campus, 858-458-9310 or speed dial #6 072, replaces Stephanie Becerra.

Buck West, general clerk, Mail Center, ext. 7420, replaces Nathaniel Hawthrone.

Paula Witkowski, assistant professor, Learning & Communications, School of Education, replaces Carol Kemper.

To learn more about job opportunities at Webster, go to the Human Resources Jobs site.