Inside Webster-October 2005

B.L. Ochman and Dean Debra Carpenter share a laugh during the PR Institute lunch break. Photo by Gary Ford.

Will blogs eventually replace traditional Web sites? According to nationally recognized Internet marketing strategist B.L. Ochman, the answer to that question is a resounding yes. Ochman was on campus Oct. 17 leading a one-day public relations seminar sponsored by the School of Communications, "In the Fog About Blogs?"

In a recent posting on her What's Next Blog, Ochman said she plans to remove her "static" Web site soon and operate only with her blog. The posting, "Trend Forecast: Blogs Replacing Websites," explains how Union Square Ventures, an early stage venture capital firm, recently turned its site into a blog. Because the thesis at the heart of the firm's site is always evolving, the article explains that the best thing to do is to "publish the conversation," and the best way to do that is with a blog.

"Very few companies can benefit from a static Web site any longer," Ochman said. "That's because nobody has the time or interest in a thesis. We all want just the facts, ma'am."

The PR Institute and the blog seminar were the brainchild of Special Events director Nancy Higgins, as part of her master's thesis. Gary Ford, assistant professor, Communications and Journalism, was Higgins' faculty mentor. "Nancy presented her thesis proposal for a PR Institute to Dean Debra Carpenter and me," Ford said. "We were excited about starting such a program and, in the interest of attracting professional practitioners from the area, we wanted to make sure the topic addressed was cutting edge and compelling."

The topic of blogging filled the bill. Thirty-five attendees came from companies and organizations such as Anheuser-Busch, The National System Inc., The Hughes Group Inc., SSM Cardinal Glennon Childen's Hospital, Ascension Health, the Humane Society of Missouri and Logan College of Chiropractic.

In her presentation, Ochman, whose speciality is corporate blogging, said blogs are a way for companies to establish personal contact with their customers. "They are absolutely perfect for public relations and media relations." In addition, she said they enhance brand development and provide information and knowledge to a wide audience.

Ochman defined blog (an abbreviated form of "Web log") as a database-driven, interactive, searchable Web site, frequently updated and generally used for online journaling. She said, "Of the 17 million or so blogs in the world, only about 1,000 have any real audience."

"The point is to keep it as interesting as possible. It isn't about getting people upset; it's about engaging the broadest group of people. We really try to make it as user friendly as we can."

Ochman said a good blog:

• Allows comments. "Blogging is a conversation between people, and in order to have a conversation, they have to talk, too."

• Can be searched by category.

• Has trackbacks, linking it to others' comments, thus increasing traffic and enlarging the conversation.

• Has blog rolls linking to other blogs. Ochman said search engines "love links to and from your site."

• Has RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feeds. By subscribing to RSS feeds, bloggers can read publications and other information by clicking on a link sent to their blog, which cuts down on email and allows them to decide what and when to read the material. Ochman said her blog gets up to 4,000 hits per day, but more people than that read it from RSS feeds.

In addition to Ochman, other presenters at the institute included Francis Slay, mayor of the City of St. Louis; Kurt Greenbaum, online news director for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch; and Craig Hildreth, M.D.

Krissi Dean blogs during Kurt Greenbaum's presentation. Photo by Gary Ford.

Mayor Slay's blog was started by election campaign volunteers who wanted a fun way to chronicle life on the campaign trail. "It got to be fun, not just for the campaign workers to read, but for other people," Slay said. "After the campaign was over, I wanted it to continue."

The mayor's blog offers regular updates on issues he wants to raise with his constituents, covering topics as serious as minority recruitment to city jobs to those as light-hearted as whether or not Slay should add an earring to his wardrobe.

Slay explained that his blog does not allow for comments because he doesn't have the staff to check out the validity of identities or to deal with comment spam. "The point is to keep it as interesting as possible," he said. "It isn't about getting people upset; it's about engaging the broadest group of people. We really try to make it as user friendly as we can."

The institute about blogging was blogged while in session by graduate student Krissi Dean and Professor Ford. You can see the results and learn more about the sessions conducted by Greenburg and Hildreth at prinstitute.blogspot.com.

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Masidonski in front of the Tom Sawyer riverboat, location of SBT-hosted Sept. dinner cruise for worldwide directors. Photo by Karen Burch.

Inside Webster recently sat down with Pat Masidonski for an update on her first year with the School of Business and Technology. You can read last year's interview here.

Inside Webster: Last October — shortly after your arrival as the new associate dean for the School of Business and Technology — Inside Webster introduced you to our readers. At that time, your main focus was to serve as a liaison with the extended campus sites on all matters relating to academic programs in order to bring about the goal of curriculum consistency. How is it going?

Pat Masidonski: We are making great progress working with the extended campuses, and the directors have been wonderful in embracing the goal and making it work. There is so much to do because curriculum consistency is the prelude to academic assessment. We are getting there, but it's probably a bit more of a challenge than I anticipated a year ago.

IW: You made a presentation to the extended campus directors during their campus visit in September. What did that include?

PM: It outlined a pilot assessment program that will begin this term and go until at least the summer of 2007. Also, guidelines for the procedures we're using so far, of course, and the reassurance that what we are asking of them is doable — that we're starting small and working forward. Assessment is a little scary because business schools have never had to do it before. Both North Central and the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) made assessment a requirement for accreditation about three years ago, so everyone is scrambling to comply. We are creating procedures and figuring things out as we go along, which is the nature of assessment. It's a continual improvement process that focuses on student learning.

"Another collective success for SBT is the fact that our faculty have established faculty course guides and sample syllabi for 70 percent of our courses, and the remaining courses will be done by the end of the year."

IW: Have you consulted or networked with other institutions to see how they are handling assessment?

PM: Our extended site structure and the sheer scope and scale of what we do create challenges most of our competitors don't have. About 18 months ago, the School of Business and Technology sought the assistance and experience of Dr. Susan Hatfield to help guide us through the reaffirmation process. [Editor's note: Hatfield is Coordinator of Assessment at Winona State University in Minnesota. She serves as a peer reviewer for the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association and presents workshops and serves as a consultant on assessment.] And, of course, the University now has Kathy Marlock, who joined the Academic Affairs office about six months ago, as director of assessment for Webster.

IW: Now that we've talked about the challenges, how about successes?

PM: One would have to be my work with the Regional Academic Directors' Committee. Neil George put together this committee to focus on improving communication and identifying best practices that contribute to greater academic effectiveness as we proceed with creating one curriculum for Webster. We worked on all kinds of academic endeavors, including assessment. I am working with the European academic directors on similar matters. I've learned a lot from my colleagues about how things work at the campuses and what their concerns and issues are.

Another collective success for SBT is the fact that our faculty have established faculty course guides and sample syllabi for 70 percent of our courses, and the remaining courses will be done by the end of the year. This was a huge project that will benefit both the consistency project and assessment. The faculty have done so much work in such a short time.

IW: What campuses have you visited so far?

PM: I've attended meetings at the Geneva and Leiden campuses and visited the regional campuses in Orlando, San Antonio, San Diego and South Carolina. I've spoken at a couple of graduation ceremonies, and I've had the honor of tagging along with Randy Wright and Dick St. Clair to a couple of MIVERs (Military Installation Voluntary Education Reviews). Eventually, I would like to visit every campus.

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• Two Webster alumni are featured in the Oct. 24 issue of Newsweek magazine in a special report highlighting 20 American women leaders. Profiled in the issue are Brigadier General Sheila Baxter (MA '86), commander of Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma, Wash., and Eileen Collins (MA '89), NASA astronaut and commander of the space shuttle Discovery.

• The student-produced magazine The Ampersand, Spring '05, placed in several categories at the Associated Collegiate Press/College Media Advisors National College Media Convention held in Kansas City on Oct. 30. Both the magazine's cover and contents pages won first place awards and the magazine won an overall third place award in the Best of Show category. Karen Burch, adjunct professor, School of Communications, is faculty advisor for The Ampersand.

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Contributed by Shawn Arbogast, Student Editorial Assistant

Since 1995, consumers have used the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food Guide Pyramid as a tool to promote healthier eating. More than a decade later, Harvard's School of Public Health has created a new Healthy Eating Pyramid.

Harvard's new pyramid is an alternative to the USDA's version, with a new structure and a more interactive format. According to Harvard School of Public Health's Web site, the new pyramid is "based on the best available scientific evidence about the links between diet and health."

The foundation of the new pyramid is daily exercise and weight control, which are elements that greatly influence a person's chance of staying healthy. Exercise and weight control reduce the risk of many serious health conditions, such as heart disease, high cholesterol and stroke.

The building blocks of the pyramid and recommended daily portions are:

• Whole grains: at most meals;
• Plant oils: improve cholesterol levels and also can protect the heart from sudden and potentially deadly rhythm problems;
• Vegetables: in abundance;
• Fruit: 2 to 3 times a day;
• Fish, poultry, and eggs: 0 to 2 times a day;
• Nuts and legumes: 1 to 3 times;
• Dairy or calcium supplement: 1 to 2 times a day;
• Red meat and butter: use sparingly;
• White rice, white bread, potatoes, pasta and sweets: use sparingly;
• Multiple Vitamin: daily multivitamin or multimineral supplement;
• Alcohol: in moderation.

General Tips for Healthy Eating:

• Balance food and physical activity
• Get the most nutrition out of calories
• Make smart choices from every food group

For additional information on Harvard's Healthy Eating Pyramid or the USDA's "My Pyramid" food pyramid go to www.hsph.harvard.edu or www.mypyramid.gov

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Domesticas

WEBSTER FILM SERIES
Latin American Film Now!

This special program of films coincides with the 2005 Midwest Association of Latin American Studies (MALAS) Conference and reflects some of the best cinema being produced in the abundant and diverse cultures of Latin America.

Nov. 3 to 9
• Nov. 3, La Sierra, 9:30 p.m.
• Nov. 4, Artist of Resistance, 9:30 p.m. Visiting filmmaker Penelope Price will be present for Q&A following the film.
• Nov. 5, La Ciénaga (The Swamp), 5 p.m.; Romantico, 7 p.m.; 25 Watts, 9 p.m.
• Nov. 6, Nada más (Nothing More), 7 p.m.; 1809-1810 mientras llega el día (1809-1810 As the Day Arrives), 9 p.m.
• Nov. 8, Domesticas (Maids), 7 p.m.
• Nov. 9, Más allá del mar (Beyond The Sea), 7 p.m.

Moore Auditorium

Admission
• Adults: $10
• Seniors/alumni/non-Webster students: $5
• Webster students, faculty and staff with I.D.: Free

Special three-admission passes are available for $15 and a pass for all nine films is $40. Passes are available at the box office and the film series office or by calling 968-7487.

For more information, go to www.webster.edu/filmseries.

Theatre students Ben Mason, Adam Henry and Maria Tholl appear in "Bye Bye Birdie." Photo by Theresa Arnold

CONSERVATORTY PRODUCTION
Bye Bye Birdie

As it tells the story of rock 'n' roll icon Conrad Birdie, who is about to go into military service, Bye Bye Birdie satirizes American society, rock 'n' roll and celebrity worship.

• Nov. 18 to 22, 8 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m.
• Browning Theatre, Loretto-Hilton Center

Admission
• Adults: $10
• Seniors/alumni/non-Webster students: $5
• Webster students, faculty and staff with I.D.: Free

For more information or to reserve tickets, call the Fine Arts hotline, 968-7128.

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Contributed by Shawn Arbogast, Student Editorial Assistant

Thuy Witt. Photo by Claudia Burris

OCTOBER 2005 SPOTLIGHT AWARD

Thuy Witt, recruitment representative, College of Arts and Sciences, is the winner of the Employee Spotlight Award for October.

Witt joined Graduate and Evening Student Admissions as department associate in September 2003. Her main responsibility is responding to student inquiries on the telephone. According to her nominator, "Witt is an ambassador of first impressions at Webster University."

The nominator praises Witt's patience and ability while fielding "literally hundreds of calls per week." Witt listens with empathy and makes sure to answer each question with care, the nominator adds.

Witt puts in extra time at the end of the day to make sure all the days' inquiries have been entered, so the students will get their information in a timely manner, says another nominator. "Thuy puts the students and their needs first," the nominator says. "In fact, she actually defines the term 'service to students.'"

Witt, who was recently promoted, says her new office team opted for a creative way to tell her the good news about winning the spotlight award. She wasn't sure what to think when Dean David Wilson, Associate Dean Bruce Umbaugh and Coordinator Debby Miller came to her office saying they had an issue to discuss. When they told her she had been chosen for the spotlight award, Witt says, "I was so relieved and surprised, I hugged them."

"I believe in education, and it's easy to work for a place that promotes a purpose I believe in," Witt says. She adds that she enjoys her time with the students and working closely with the University community, faculty and agencies.

Witt has chosen a day off with pay as her prize. She also shared that winning the day off means a lot to her because she used all her vacation time on a trip home to Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina.

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

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Editor's Note: The Kampus Kudos listings appear in the order they are received. If your information is not in this issue, it will appear in a future issue.

Barry Hufker, associate professor, Electronic and Photographic Media, recorded the audio for a new DVD release by guitarist John McClellan, adjunct professor, Music. The release, titled "Chet Licks," was recorded on location at a photo studio owned by Dan Dreyfus, adjunct professor, Photography. Audio Production students Chelsea Van de Drink and Matt Allen assisted Hufker with the recording. Hufker also recorded the first concert of the Saint Louis Chamber Chorus' 50th season performed at the Saint Louis Abbey and conducted by Allen Larson, professor, Music, and past director of the Chamber Chorus.

Don Harris, adjunct professor, Louisville Metropolitan Campus, was profiled in the Sept. 16 issue of Forty Under 40, a supplement to Business First, a Louisville weekly. The Louisville top 40 were chosen from a group of 180 nominees described as entrepreneurs, high-level business executives, volunteers, dedicated spouses, parents and rising stars. Harris started his own advertising company, Alexander + Hughes, in 1999 and runs marathons in his spare time.

Ed Bishop, editor, St. Louis Journalism Review, is the host of a new talk show on KDHX radio in St. Louis, Mo. "Reality Now" will examine the critical relationship between the media dissemination of news and other information and the viability of our democracy. Guests will include everyone from authors and journalists to philosophers and politicians, with perspectives across the spectrum — left, right and center.

The Memphis Naval Supply Activity, Millington, Tenn., held a student appreciation day in conjunction with seven other schools located in the Navy College building. The students were provided with dinner and snacks before class and the opportunity to enter a drawing for a gift basket filled with donated collegiate items.

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

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

Nancy Bender, coordinator, Bursar/Cashier, 10 years

Jennifer Broeder, assistant professor, Nursing, 10 years

Grant Chapman, associate vice president and director, International Programs, Academic Affairs, 10 years

Cindi Foder, supervisor, Payroll, 10 years

Sharon Conner, office manager, Ozarks Metropolitan Campus, Mo., 5 years

Alex Fritts, assistant coach, Athletics, 5 years

Colisha Johnson, service clerk, Registrar, 5 years

David Heil, public safety officer, Public Safety, 5 years

Lois Hunleth, department associate, Academic Resource Center, 5 years

Carrie Indelicato, representative, Undergraduate Admissions, 5 years

Kathleen Mickey, department secretary, Leigh Gerdine College of Fine Arts, 5 years

Sharon Rhodes, department associate, Biological Sciences, 5 years

Rosalind Robinson, representative, Columbia Metropolitan Campus, S.C., 5 years

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We extend warm welcome to the newest members of the Webster family:

Jeannie Barton, accounting assistant, Finance, (314) 961-2660, ext. 7181, replaces Valerie Reynold's former position.

James Bradburne, Desmond Lee visiting professor of global awareness, School of Education, (314) 961-2660, ext. 6906.

Erick Brooks, computer technician, Little Rock Metropolitan Campus, Ark., (501) 375-1511 or speed dial #6 064, replaces Larry Dempsey.

Shane Collier, help desk assistant, Information Technology, (314) 961-2660, ext. 5995.

Yolynda Cooley, department assistant, Fort Sam Houston, Texas, (210) 226-3373 or speed dial #6 027, replaces Alex Riojas.

Joe Exposito, assistant swim coach, Athletics, (314) 961-2660, ext. 7547, replacement position.

Monica Johnson, coordinator, community relations, Winghaven Campus, (636) 561-2400, ext. 3105, or speed dial #6 119, replaces Della Besher.

Erin Manning, service clerk, Winghaven Campus, (636) 561-2400, ext. 3601, or speed dial #6 119, replaces Pamela Aleshunas's former position.

Timothy McDoniel, coach, assistant men's basketball, Athletics, (314) 961-2660, ext. 7529, replacement position.

Judy Olivier, department assistant, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, (210) 658-0707 or speed dial #6 080, replaces Charmaine Petty.

Michael Ostrowski, lab assistant, Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark., (501) 988-5331, or speed dial #6 011, replaces Kelly Howell.

Sharon Phillips, service clerk, Academic Advising, (314) 961-2660, ext. 7674, replaces James Crews.

Susan Pickles, coordinator, Deans Office, School of Education, (314) 961-2660, ext. 6906, replaces Caprice Moore's former position.

Mary Ruth, secretary, Space Coast Metropolitan Campus, Fla., (321) 449-4500 or speed dial #6 008.

Curtis Smith, representative, Albuquerque Metropolitan campus, N.M., (505) 292-6988 or speed dial #6 061, replaces Maurine Andrews.

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

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The University extends its sympathy to the family and friends of long-time facilities operations employee, Herman Jones, who will be fondly remembered by his friends and co-workers at Webster.

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CREDITS
Marianne Kirk, Editor
Marketing & Communications

Dominik Jansky, Contributor
Marketing & Communications

Patrick Powers, Contributor
Marketing & Communications

Claudia Burris, Editor and Photographer
Marketing & Communications

Casey Conroy, Graphic Designer
Marketing & Communications

Pete McEwen, Technical Advisor
Information Technology

Betsy Schmutz, Director
Human Resources

STUDENT EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS
Shawn Arbogast