Inside Webster-December 2005

This year's E. Desmond Lee Visiting Lecturer in Global Awareness, James M. Bradburne, Ph.D., AADipl, is visiting the St. Louis campus at the invitation of the School of Education. Bradburne's area of expertise and research is informal learning, or learning in informal settings, such as museums, science centers, exhibitions and parks.

St. Louis philanthropist E. Desmond Lee established the lectureship in Fall 2000 to foster international understanding. Experts in the fields of ethnicity, international economics, international relations and global diversity are invited to campus to collaborate, not only with Webster, but also with local cultural organizations on projects promoting global awareness. Bradburne is the fifth visiting scholar to participate in the lectureship, which rotates through the University's five schools and colleges.

What is Informal Learning?

Bradburne says a good insight into informal learning can be found in a quote by Frank Oppenheimer: "...no one ever fails museum."

"When you show up at the museum on a Saturday morning, you don't have to take a test to determine whether you can go in," Bradburne says. "Nor do you have to fill out a test when you leave to show that you learned something. As much as we, in the informal learning business, want to know that people are learning, the measurement of that learning cannot be made a qualification for participation."

Bradburne says one of the challenges to informal learning is to create an environment rich with resources for the people who want to learn that doesn't impede the pleasure for people who prefer a more casual experience.

In addition, he emphasizes the social contributions of museums go far beyond the visitor. "Museums are collecting and preserving traces of the culture as we build it, and they are studying and interpreting them," Bradburne says.

Spring I Class in Informal Learning

During Fall II, Bradboune presented lectures at Webster and other local venues, such as the Magic House in Kirkwood, and for teachers in the Richmond Heights School District.

In Spring I, he will co-teach a graduate course, "Informal Learning and Learning in Informal Settings," with Brenda Fyfe, dean, School of Education. The 8-week evening course, targeted to pre-school, elementary and high school teachers, will present innovative approaches to learning developed in informal settings.

"We're going to look at the ways we can support people who like to learn just for the fun of learning, rather than for external reasons like grades, money or career advancement," Bradburne says.

To facilitate the class, Bradburne has visited a number of local museums and venues, including: the Art Museum, the Pulitzer Foundation, Missouri Botanical Gardens, the Saint Louis Zoo, the Museum of Westward Expansion Museum and the City Museum. "I'm going to museums not just because I love going to museums," he says, "but because I'm making agreements with them so the students will have their cooperation with an assigned project."

Bradburne says the course presents an interesting challenge for him because it's an opportunity to create a focus on informal learning for people whose experience has been primarily in the formal setting.

"The course is a working prototype," Bradburne says. "I've already constructed it as an online course that will be enhanced by lectures, rather than a lecture course being enhanced by online." He adds the course could be imported very quickly to the European campuses and eventually to other extended campuses.

Home Is Where the Heart Is

"Where is home?" is a difficult question for Bradburne. Originally from Toronto, he hasn't lived there for 25 years. "Currently, my wife and I have an apartment in Frankfurt, Germany, where for four years I was director of the Museum of Applied Art."

Bradburne continues to be a visiting fellow at the University of London's Institute of Education and at King's College in London, commuting from Frankfort to London on a weekly basis, so he considers London to be home as well.

"My heart is at home most in Paris, but then again, if 'home is where the heart is,' my heart is with my wife who is here with me in Webster Groves. So I guess home is in Webster Groves right now."

Bradburne's wife, Marina Turova, former costume designer for the Bolshoi Theatre in Russia, accompanied him to St. Louis. A renowned talent in her field, Turova presented a master's class in costume design for Webster's Theatre Department this term.

Bradburne says he is enjoying the collaboration with Webster colleagues, and he has high praise for the library and its staff. "I've never met such helpful people," he says. "It's a tremendously supportive campus."

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Now that most faculty, staff and current students have Connections I.D.s and webster.edu domain e-mail accounts, IT has posted a new e-mail policy, effective Nov. 15, 2005.

Here is the skinny:

• Official University communications to faculty, staff and students, sent via e-mail, will be sent only to webster.edu e-mail accounts.

• Official announcements also may be posted in the Connections portal.

• Faculty, staff and students are encouraged to check their webster.edu e-mail accounts and Connections home page frequently for important messages and/or announcements.

• Faculty should use the official Webster e-mail accounts for e-mail communications with students.

For the full scoop, click here.

A big complaint IT receives concerns the large volume of spam e-mail people must deal with on the webster.edu accounts. Larry Haffner, associate vice president, Information Technology, says spam filtering will be placed on the server this spring. Haffner emphasizes that people can opt in or out of the spam filtering, as some prefer to set up their own filters. More information about this will be coming soon.

Haffner says some people have the misconception that they have to use their Connections e-mail to access their webster.edu e-mail accounts, and that is not true. "There are a lot of other ways to read e-mail," he says. "People can still use Outlook or Netscape, or whatever provider they prefer."

Haffner adds that the new policy represents the culmination of efforts begun before he came to campus. "We are now closer to the point where we can have the expectation that when we send an e-mail out, the address it's going to is viable, and we are building the expectation that people will go there to look for those messages because they are aware that the University is communicating with them that way."

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BASS students pose with some of the teddy bears and stuffed animals collected for the Comfort Bear Program. Evelyn Buday is second from the right.
Photo by Claudia Burris.

A plea from Evelyn Buday, assistant professor, Behavioral and Social Sciences — on behalf of the Behavioral and Social Sciences Club (BASS) — requesting teddy bear donations for the St. Louis County Police Department's Comfort Bear Program yielded happy results. BASS, a student organization, collected new and/or clean teddy bears and other stuffed animals, which police officers distribute to children who have been traumatized by a car accident or crime.

In addition to the generosity of faculty and staff, the effort was helped a great deal by Maxine Clark, founder and CEO of Build-A-Bear Workshop, who was on campus Dec. 13 for a presentation for the School of Business and Technology's 2005-06 Success to Significance Speaker Series. Clark donated 70 Build-A-Bears to the cause, about half the number received.

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Each December since 1992, Webster University has recognized the contributions made by women employees through a Leader Lunch program hosted by the YWCA of Metropolitan St. Louis. The YWCA Leader Lunch recognizes area women for the roles they play in business, government, education, science and technology and the arts.

The Webster University women who receive the honor are nominated by the Faculty Senate, the Webster Staff Alliance, the Administrative Council and the president's office.

This year's honorees (pictured above) are: Mary Walls, database programmer /analyst, Administrative Information Systems; Terri Jones, assistant director, Information Services; Mary Krchma, development officer, Development /Alumni; Carey Smith, coordinator, Academic Affairs; Joan Finder, associate director, Admissions; Kathryn Smith Bowers, professor, Music; Polly Burtch, director, News and Public Information, Public Affairs and adjunct professor, School of Communications; Karen Burch, videographer, Marketing and Communications; Jahna Kahrhoff, director, Academic Distance Learning Center and co-director, Faculty Development Center; and Monica Moore, associate professor, Behavioral and Social Sciences.

Congratulations to all!

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Rick Foristel, director, Shanghai Campus, recently shared the above photo taken at the USMBA (U.S. Masters in Business Administration) Forum in Shanghai Oct. 26. Foristel says the USMBA Forum in Shanghai is the first one in China involving the U.S. Dept. of State and the Dept. of Commerce. Pictured at the forum (left to right) are: Foristel; Shirley Ping, PRC; Xiao Wu, PRC; Ping Tu, adjunct professor; Nelly Zhang, coordinator; and Max Liu.

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Kenny Sessions (standing) and some of the faculty attending Connections workshop.

The Memphis Naval Supply Activity held a Connections workshop recently for Spring 1 and 2 faculty members. Kenny Sessions, adjunct professor and MBA mentor, facilitated the workshop which was attended by 24 faculty members. The workshop provided hands-on instructions on using Webster's Connections program.

"It's such a great tool to access syllabi samples, course guides, text information, class calendars and email,' says Carol Nelson, Memphis director, "Overall they loved it!"

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Effective Jan. 1, 2006, employees can get a six-month supply of prescription drugs for free if they switch to GenericSelect drugs.

The drugs and refills — through the first six months of 2006 — are free for new prescriptions or current prescriptions switched to GenericSelect. Thirty-day prescriptions can still be refilled at a retail pharmacy and 90-day supplies can be ordered by mail.

If an employee takes more than one GenericSelect drug, the benefit applies in each case. However, if a prescription has ever been filled for a GenericSelect drug in the past, the benefit will not apply for that particular drug.

If your doctor prescribes — or if you are now taking — one or more of the brand name drugs listed in the second or third column of the chart below, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about changing to the generic drug listed. If you continue taking the generic drug after the 180-day free fill period, your Tier 1 fee will apply.

*GenericSelect drugs are on the current Prescription Drug List as Tier 1 drugs. Employees pay the lowest co-pay for Tier 1 drugs. Our Prescription Drug List and the list of GenericSelect drugs shown above can change at any time and without notice.

This benefit only applies if an employees medical and prescription drug benefits are provided through Blue Cross Blue Shield of Missouri.

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"Diamond Hill" by Michael Swoboda.

Annual Photography Faculty Exhibition
• Jan 20 to Feb. 17
• Opening Reception, Friday, Jan. 20,
5 to 7 p.m.
• May Gallery, Sverdrup Complex
• Gallery hours: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Mon. through Fri.; noon to 5 p.m., Sat. and Sun.
• Admission is free

Concert
A Celebration of Song
• Mon., Jan. 30, 7 p.m.
• A variety of popular songs will be performed by Steve Schenkel on guitar, Carolbeth True on piano, Justin Branum on violin, with vocals by Ashley Mason.
• Music Annex
• Admission is $3

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Contributed by Shawn Arbogast, Student Editorial Assistant

DECEMBER 2005 SPOTLIGHT AWARD

Joanne (Jody) Vogler, grounds supervisor, Facilities Operations, and Mary (Kim) Romines, representative, Louisville Metropolitan Campus, share the Employee Spotlight Award honors for December.

Jody Vogler's nominator says Vogler's efforts make coming to work a lot more enjoyable. "If I am stressed, I can take a walk around the grounds at lunch, and looking at all the wonderful things makes the stress go away. I think Jody is the best addition to Webster and she needs to know that her efforts do not go unnoticed."

"Her talent at picking out just the right kind of flower or plant is amazing and it adds a bit of tranquility to the campus," another nominator says. "If you have a question about a certain plant, she will explain how she planted it, why she planted it, and how to take care of it."

Vogler learned she had won the spotlight award when it was announced at a meeting. "I was very surprised — especially at this time of year when things are not as colorful — and with all the construction on campus," Vogler says.

She says the best part of her job is not being stuck in one place. "There is more to my job than plants and flowers." Vogler says. "Just being outside and getting to interact with employees and campus wildlife and critters are reward enough."

Vogler chose the savings bond — which she plans to give to her son — as her prize.

Kim Romines has been with Webster for ten years, first as an administrative assistant, and currently as representative at the Louisville Campus. During that time, she completed her undergraduate degree and is close to finishing her master's degree.

Her nominator says Romine's diligence, dedication and intelligence kept everything operating smoothly during the past two years when the Jeffersonville-Louisville campus underwent major changes, including moving to a new location.

Romines is credited for planning and coordinating that move in Fall 2004. "Her attention to detail, willingness to work extra hours, organizational skills and leadership assisted in making the move relatively smooth," her nominator says.

"Her dedication has been a major influence at our campus and she deserves accolades for what she has done and continues to do for Webster University."

Romines chose a day off with pay as her prize.

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

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Dan Hellinger, chair and professor, History, Politics, and International Relations, was elected president of the Midwest Association for Latin American Studies at the association's annual conference Nov. 3-5 at Webster University. He was invited to speak on the topic of the Venezuelan oil policy at the Natural Resources and Contemporary Conflicts Conference, hosted by the Raoul-Dandurand Chair of Strategic and Diplomatic Studies and the Department of Geography, University of Quebec at Montreal. Hellinger's chapter, "Venezuela," appears in the new edition of Politics in Latin America: The Power Game (Oxford University). In January, he accompanied a delegation organized by the Center for International Policy, a non-profit Washington, D.C.-based non-governmental organization, on a fact-finding trip to Venezuela. In addition, Hellinger recently made presentations on Venezuela to the Jefferson County Democratic Club, St. Louis Ethical Society and St. Louis Community College at Forest Park. He also was a guest on Open Source, a Public Radio International program on the topic of Venezuela and Hugo Chavez. To hear the program, click: www.radioopensource.org

Barry Hufker, associate professor, Electronic and Photographic Media, recorded Kirk Hanser playing an original, untitled composition on acoustic steel string guitar for an upcoming compact disc to be included with a future issue of Fingerstyle Guitar magazine. Hufker also recorded the winter production of the Gateway Men's Chorus, "A Holly Jolly Christmas," with audio production student Chelsea VandeDrink at the Grandel Theater. He also recorded "A Medieval Christmas," a concert by The Saint Louis Chamber Chorus at St. Margaret of Scotland Church.

Gene James, adjunct professor, San Diego Metropolitan Campus, was profiled in the Loss Prevention magazine, September/October '05. James is the director of asset protection for San Diego-based Jack-in-the-Box with responsibility for safety and security at close to 1,000 restaurants in 17 states. He currently serves as president of the National Food Service Security Council.

Anthony Brandenburg, adjunct professor, San Diego Metropolitan Campus, was recently named chief judge of the Intertribal Court of Southern California. He is currently developing educational programs for the many Indian tribes populating San Diego County, including "Indian Peoples Law School," and a "Native American Youth Law Forum."

Sandy McDonough, adjunct professor, San Diego Metropolitan Campus, recently became a partner at Paul, Plevin, Sullivan & Connaughton, a San Diego law firm that focuses exclusively on labor and employment law. He has been with the firm for six years.

Marilyn Simon, adjunct professor, San Diego Metropolitan Campus, recently completed the book, Dissertation and Scholarly Research: Recipes for Success, published by Kendal/Hunt.

David Chaudron, adjunct professor, San Diego Metropolitan Campus, authored the book, No More Darn Buzzwords: Keys to Successful Organized Change, Organized Change Publications, which has received critical acclaim as an accessible instructional guide for organizational planning. The book, which has been translated into French and is currently being translated into Korean, is available at Amazon.com.

Sam Bresler, adjunct professor, San Diego Metropolitan Campus, was recently named vice president for human resources, learning and leadership development, at Scientific Applications International Corp.

Alex Yates, community relations coordinator, San Diego Metropolitan Campus, was elected to a third consecutive term as president of the San Diego Education Consortium. The consortium allows for cooperation among the recruiters from more than 30 regional colleges that compete for students.

Katherine Hummel, adjunct professor, Orlando Metropolitan Campus, was selected Social Worker of the Year by the National Association of Social Workers, Central Florida Unite.

Kate Wiles, regional academic director, Orlando South Metropolitan Campus, recently earned the designation of Certified Senior Advisor from the Society of Certified Senior Advisor (SCSA). SCSA is an international organization which has trained more than 20,000 professionals to meet the changing needs of a growing senior population.

David Handrahan, adjunct professor, Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., was promoted to supplier program manager for Intel Corporate Technology Manufacturing Group Training. In this position he will manage all technical training development and delivery for systems used in the manufacturing of microprocessors at Intel sites worldwide.

Shaughna Vaughan, adjunct professor, Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., presented a class on 21st century communication to a group of inmates at the Lewis Prison. The skills learned will help prepare them to transition back into society.

Don Corrigan, professor, Communications and Journalism, was a recent guest on the KDHX-FM radio program "Reality Now." Corrigan was interviewed by program host Ed Bishop, adjunct professor, Communications and Journalism, who also is editor and general manager of the Saint Louis Journalism Review, which is housed on Webster's St. Louis campus.

Gina Jensen, assistant director, Forensics and Debate, edited Volume 35 of the Journal of the Speech and Theatre Association of Missouri, the association's refereed publication, which was distributed at the annual conference in Osage Beach, Mo., in September. Jensen also presented two papers at the National Communication Association Convention in Boston in November, "Why Us? Why Now?: An Examination of Recent Growth in National Parliamentary Debate Association Debate," and "Defining the Story We Tell: Shaping Community Expectations for Forensic Success," co-authored with Scott Jensen, associate professor and director, Forensics and Debate. In addition, Jensen directed and hosted the 19th Annual Study Break Debate Tournament on Dec. 3, 2005.

Scott Jensen, associate professor and director, Forensics and Debate, coordinated the United States tour of the British National Debate Team, Sept. 23 to Nov. 20, as a member of the Committee on International Discussion and Debate. The tour included debates and appearances on 25 campuses throughout the country, including at Webster University. Jensen presented two papers at the National Communication Association convention in Boston in November, "Rewarding Excellence at What Cost: A Critical Examination of the NPTE, Sweepstakes Systems, and NPDA Culture," and "Defining the Story We Tell: Shaping Community Expectations for Forensic Success," co-authored with Gina Jensen, assistant director, Forensics and Debate. In addition, Jensen recently served as an associate editor for the National Forensic Journal.

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:

Rita Braunegg, academic advisor, Jacksonville Metropolitan Campus, Fla., 5 years

Glenda Harris, representative, Fort Smith Metropolitan Campus, Ark., 5 years

Mable Landrum, general clerk, Registrar, 5 years

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

Cassandra Crews, representative/academic advisor, Moody Air Force Base, Ga., (229) 257-1775 or speed dial #6 122, replaces Juanita Walker.

Larry Davis, maintenance technician, Facilities Operations, (314) 968-6904, replaces Henry McCall.

Marlena Emokpae, secretary, Columbia Metropolitan Campus, S.C., (803) 699-0900 or speed dial #6 083, replaces Erin Weathersbee.

Denise McCluskey, coordinator, International Business Internship Exchange, (314) 961-2660, ext. 5979, replacing Karen Lynch.

Julia Parrish, communications dispatcher, Public Safety, (314) 961-2660, ext. 7040, replaces Ashley Allen.

Amy Quidley, department associate, Academic Affairs, (314) 961-2660, ext. 8775, new position.

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 Ellis Harbin, regional director, Fort Sam Houston, Texas, on the loss of his son, and to Sally Howald, assistant professor, Communications and Journalism, on the loss of her father.

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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