Inside Webster - April 2007

Inside Webster is published for Webster University's faculty and staff.

Message from President Meyers to the University Community, April 17, 2007:
The shocking and tragic events that took place yesterday at Virginia Tech University are nearly impossible to comprehend. In the past 24 hours I have heard from many colleagues, faculty members and administrators from Webster and other institutions near and far. Hopefully, some lessons will be learned from this tragic event—lessons that will help us understand the circumstances that led to yesterday's massacre. The loss of one life is dreadful; the loss of 32 lives is harrowing. I know every member of our Webster University community is grieving for the victims, their families and their friends, as well as for the students who survived and all members of the Virginia Tech community.

Campuses are usually safe havens of open intellectual pursuit. That this ring of safety was destroyed is part of the tragedy we all experienced yesterday.

Last night in Webster Groves, the only U.S. campus where we have residence halls, our public safety officers took extraordinary efforts to increase their normal level of visibility to help students feel safe and comfortable. This morning, we have been in contact with our local law enforcement officials to set up a meeting to review our existing emergency plans and procedures and make adjustments, if needed, based on yesterday's incident in Virginia. We also are seeking input on the best way to reach students, faculty and staff during an emergency given today's technology and individual communication preferences. Additionally, we are meeting with public safety directors from other universities in St. Louis to share plans and review strategies for catastrophic situations.

Many of you already have a copy of Webster's orange and black tri-fold Emergency Response Guide. If anyone needs additional copies they will be readily available around the campus and in the Public Safety office in Maria Hall. Neil George is also asking all extended campus directors and their staff members to review emergency procedures among themselves and with faculty and students.

I remember when the University of Texas-Austin was under siege so many years ago. Yet, as I still try to process what happened at Virginia Tech, I must tell you that in my entire life in higher education it was not until yesterday that I ever thought an event of this magnitude was even remotely possible again on a college campus. For more than three hours last night, Yakko and I talked about the Virginia Tech community and the effect their tragedy will have on all college campuses. I'm sure many of you had similar discussions with your family and friends.

We've all made many changes in our lives since 9/11. Now we will add Virginia Tech University to the list of acts of inhumanity we must deal with in our consciousness as we move forward.

Richard S. Meyers

Reflection service attendees line up to sign books and a banner to be sent to Virginia Tech. Photo by Jamison Ford.

Faculty, Staff and Students Attend Reflections Service
The University held a reflections service April 20 in the Moore Auditorium, as a response to the April 16 tragedy at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) in Blacksburg, Va.

Organized by Patrick Stack, director, Counseling and Life Development, the service featured comments and readings by senior Jeff Briggs; Rabbi Hershey Novack, Chabad on Campus; and Rev. Dr. Laurel Hayes, Stillpoint Campus Ministry. Music was provided by Webster jazz faculty Paul DeMarinis and Kim Portnoy.

As community members arrived for the service, flowers were handed out, along with lapel ribbons in Virginia Tech's school colors of orange and maroon. During the service, as Hayes read names of the 32 people who lost their lives in the tragedy, Webster students, staff, faculty and administrators carried the flowers —one for each person—to the front of the auditorium and placed them in vases.

Following the service, some attendees joined a procession taking the flowers across campus to the four Yoshino cherry trees planted near the bookstore in remembrance of the Webster students who lost their lives on 9/11. The flowers were placed under the trees, and a final moment of silence was observed.

To read more about the service, see The Journal, 4/25/07.

^ Return to Headlines

Ted Hoef, dean of students, makes a point during the Virginia Tech panel discussion. Photo by M. Kirk

Moderator Ted Hoef, associate vice president and dean of students, took faculty, staff and student attendees through a hypothetical series of distinct reports of troubling student behavior during a panel discussion April 23.

"We've all been affected by the news this past week of the tragedy at Virginia Tech," Hoef said. "What we are doing today is looking at a hypothetical scenario similar to what we now know about the shooter at Virginia Tech.

"This is not about how Webster responds when someone has a weapon in hand, but prior to that. We want to get a handle on how things are typically handled and create an awareness of how you can report troubling things you might see."

Hoef and the panel members discussed how the following student behaviors would be handled: writing a disturbing paper; exhibiting anti-social behavior in class or in the residence hall; verbally harassing fellow students; vandalizing University property; or stalking someone or threatening suicide.

Troubling student behavior should be reported to Colette Cummings, associate dean and judicial affairs officer, Student Affairs, who emphasized that faculty members have the right not to feel uncomfortable in their classrooms and that they have the right to ask a disruptive student to leave during a class.

The Classroom Disruption Policy provides a procedure for the faculty member to notify the dean of the appropriate school or college, who would then speak to the student themselves, or designate someone to speak on their behalf. The disruptive student could then be removed from the course permanently.

There is an At Risk Student Report form online faculty members can fill out to report concerns about students. The forms are forwarded to the Student Success Committee (formerly the At Risk Committee), which consists of more than 20 faculty and staff members from Student Affairs, the Counseling Center, Academic Advising, Academic Resource Center, the Business Office and Financial Aid.

SSC steering committee members are Kim Kleinman, academic advisor and adjunct professor, Academic Advising; Barbara Stewart, director, Academic Resource Center; and Hoef. The committee meets monthly and has the ability to triage quickly if an emergency situation arises.

Panel members (l to r) Don Morris, Colette Cummings and Patrick Stack. Photo by M. Kirk

Several faculty members attending the program emphasized all faculty members should be informed about the student procedures, especially the adjunct faculty who teach in the evening when University offices are closed.

Patrick Stack, director, Counseling and Life Development, said that if there is a problem with a student in an evening class, Public Safety can be notified and they would contact him. "There are evening counseling hours on Tuesday and Wednesday until 8 p.m.," Stack said. "And I am on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week."

In addition to those mentioned above, the discussion panel included Dan Pesold, director, Public Safety; Michael Erickson, associate professor, English; John Buck, associate dean and director of Housing and Residential Life, Student Affairs; and Don Morris, University registrar and FERPA expert.

An in-depth article about the panel discussion can be found in the April 25 edition of The Journal.

^ Return to Headlines

Webster TA's (l to r) Armelle DePays, Christine Salmen, Gisela Fortuna and Keiko Hata at a St. Louis restaurant.

"Every year we host a wonderful group of Teaching Assistants, or TA's, from four different countries in Asia, Europe and South America," says Graciela Corvalan, chair and professor, International Languages and Cultures. "Their contribution to our department and Webster's students is immense. I don't believe the department could function as well without their work and enthusiasm."

Each TA teaches one or two classes, plus some workshops, per semester. In addition some of them run or assist with the intensive weekends or culture courses. Even though their title is "assistant," they are in charge of teaching their classes while working closely with their supervisors.

Each of these young women—who left their home countries to become teaching assistants at Webster's St. Louis campus—has a different story.

From Hiroshima—via Portland—to St. Louis

Keiko Hata, from Hiroshima, Japan, came to Webster University through the Alliance for Language Learning and Educational Exchange (ALLEX), a non-profit organization in Japan. "They wanted 10 people to go to American schools to promote Japanese education," Hata says. "By doing so I am able to complete a master's degree at the same time."

Through the ALLEX group, Hata went to Portland, Ore., for a summer course and orientation in teaching Japanese, after which she came to St. Louis alone. Hata says the transition wasn't too difficult because she had spent two summers with U.S. families as part of a high school program.

"English has been my passion ever since I starting learning it," Hata says. "My purpose for coming here was to learn to use the language,"

In Japan, Hata taught English at private institutions to people as young as junior-high age, up to retirees. At the time, she thought teaching English would be her life's work, but she has now decided she wants to stay in the States and teach Japanese to American students.

Teacher, Student and Wife

Webster has a teaching assistant agreement with Gisela Fortuna's school, the Universidad Nacional de Cuyo in Mendoza, Argentina. "Basically, the student with the best GPA can come to be a teaching assistant at Webster," Fortuna says.

She admits part of her reason for seeking the TA position was personal. "My husband and I had been having a long distance relationship for two years while he worked for Emerson Electric in St. Louis," Fortuna says. "Now we are together."

In Argentina, Fortuna taught English while she was still a university student. She says she enjoys the relaxed environment between students and teachers at Webster. She is a student as well as a teacher, working on an MAT degree in Teaching English as a Foreign Language. During the next academic year, Fortuna will continue teaching Spanish in the ILC department while she studies at Webster. Eventually, she hopes that she and her husband will settle back in Argentina.

Austrian Go-Getter

Austrian native Christine Salmen spent a summer in 2005 working in the States as a nanny. "I realized that being in this country was a unique opportunity and that I wanted to stay—but not as a nanny—so I started looking for a position with a university."

She figured the best way to be hired would be to apply in person. "So I grabbed my curriculum vitae and applied to the German and ESL departments at several universities," Salmen says. Paula Hanssen, visiting professor and coordinator of German, happened to be on campus when Salmen applied at Webster, and she offered her a position.

"My original plan was to finish my master's degree and then come to Webster," Salmen says. "After thinking about it for one day, I signed the contract because I knew it was then or never. I have never regretted it."

Salmen is a year away from completing a master's degree in education at the University of Vienna. She has taught English since she graduated from high school and will complete her fifth year of teaching this summer.

"In Austria, I taught German and English, but mostly English to students aged 5 to 19," Salmen says. "It's more demanding here because I am closer in age to my students and because I'm in a different cultural setting. It's a great experience."

The French Connection

Armelle DePays learned about the TA position at Webster through Toulouse Le Mirail, her university in France. She visited the States before coming to St. Louis and has spent time in Mississippi, Louisiana and California.

Unlike the other TA's, DePays did not teach English in her native country. "It's hard to teach English in France unless you have a specific diploma for it," she says. "The difference between me and the others is that I am not specializing in English. I've studied Spanish and my degree is in teaching French."

DePays 1-year contract with Webster has been renewed, so she will be here for two years. Currently, she is teaching beginner and intermediate French. "I have the same students in the intermediate class that I taught as beginners, and I like that," she says.

In addition to her teaching duties, DePays is vice president of the Latin-American Association on campus and she teaches Salsa dancing workshops. DePays is considering a possible future with the tourism industry.

What We Like About Webster

"I think people are friendlier here than in other places in America," says Hata. "It's easier to get to know people at a smaller university, but on the other hand, there are many Japanese students here, so everybody knows what everybody else does," she says, laughing.

Salmen says Webster is fortunate to have such a big international presence. "That's the most fantastic thing," she says. "I have friends here from Japan, Mongolia, the Philippines and California. They are from all over the place and that is something you can't buy for any amount of money."

Summer Plans

As the academic year draws to a close, the International Languages and Cultures TA's consider what they will do during summer break.

Christine Salmen is looking for a summer job in a tutoring institution or preschool. "Ideally, I would stay here until the beginning of October and then go back to Vienna in time to start my last year of school," Salmen says. "But if that doesn't work, I have to go home at the end of May and work in Vienna."

"I may travel somewhere if I can—to discover a new country," says Armelle Depays. "For sure I will spend more than a month with my family in Toulouse, France."

Gisela Fortuna, who hails from Mendosa, Argentina, plans to stay in St. Louis and continue working on her master's degree in English as a Second Language (ESL).

Keiko Hata also plans to stay and continue teaching classes in Japanese at Webster.

^ Return to Headlines

SOC Dean Debra Carpenter with the four international students attending the Webbies: (l to r) Paul Krauskopf from Vienna, Austria; Marc VonWartburg from Geneva, Switzerland; and Kevin Loghran from Leiden, the Netherlands, who won several Media Excellence Awards. Photo by Karen Burch.

International Students Attend 18th Annual Webbies Ceremony
For the first time, this year's Webbies awards ceremony, held April 9, included entries from Webster's global network of campuses. The School of Communications sponsors the Webbies each year to showcase and honor outstanding work by Webster media students.

Math professors Anna Barbara and Ed Sakurai meet Kathleen Kennedy Townsend. Photo by Karen Burch

Holden Public Policy Forum Hosts Kathleen Kennedy Townsend
Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, adjunct professor, Georgetown University's School of Public Policy, and visiting fellow at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard, visited the St. Louis campus April 17 to discuss and sign her recent book, "Failing America's Faithful: How Today's Churches are Mixing God with Politics and Losing Their Way."

In her book, Townsend says, "I write this book as a way of sharing what my faith has meant to me, but more importantly as a way of reminding us how the United States has been shaped by progressive religious traditions. At its best this tradition has made America a more inclusive, just and fair nation. Christians and non-Christians alike can learn from this tradition to understand how faith can serve to unify our country rather than divide it."

The eldest child of the late Robert F. Kennedy and Ethel Kennedy, Townsend served two terms as the State of Maryland's first woman lieutenant governor.

^ Return to Headlines

Webster Student Film Festival
• A showcase of some of the School of Communication's brightest minds, curated by the Webster Film & Video Society. This year's selection of recent work from Webster's talented film and video students presents a broad representation of genres and themes.
• Sat., May 5, 7 p.m., Moore Auditorium, Free

M.A. Senior Thesis Exhibition - "Shady Acres"
• Opening reception, Sat., May 5, 6 to 8 p.m., Ceceille Hunt Gallery
• On display May 5–18. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday–Friday or by appointment.

^ Return to Headlines

APRIL 2007 SPOTLIGHT AWARD

Contributed by Ashley Marshall, student editorial assistant

Michele Boesch, academic affairs representative, Academic Affairs; and Stephanie Davis, department associate, Myrtle Beach Metropolitan Campus, S.C., share the April Employee Spotlight Award honors.

Michele Boesch

Michele Boesch has worked at Webster for 18 years in the Academic Affairs department. "In an age when we rely on e-mails so heavily for our communication, it is so easy to write a brief response," says Boesch's nominator. "Michele, however, never overlooks any detail and is an enormous help for our campus."

Boesch says the help from her co-workers makes things go smoothly. "I wouldn't be able to do my job successfully without all of the input I receive from my co-workers in Academic Affairs and the Extended Campuses," she says.

"I have some great friends and I enjoy my time here."

Boesch chose the day off with pay as her prize.

Stephanie Davis has worked at Webster nine years in the Counseling Program.

"During this past year, we've had several students that had house fires and lost everything," says Davis's nominator. "She established a fire fund and organized memorial services for lives lost."

When she realized the news of winning the spotlight award was not a joke, Davis was "very surprised and pleased."

Davis says they try to make the atmosphere enjoyable and laid back for students because they deal with enough stress already.

"Students love Stephanie for the way she respectfully handles them," says Davis' nominator. "She's always there to help no matter what their issues are at the time."

Davis chose the $100 U.S. savings bond as her prize.

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

^ Return to Headlines

Barry Hufker, associate professor, Electronic and Photographic Media, and Audio Production program alumnus Patricia Tolentino recorded the March 2007 performance of "Dreamboys" by the Gateway Men's Chorus. Hufker also recorded the St. Louis Chamber Chorus presenting a program of Italian music and music inspired by Italian compositional styles at St. Ambrose Church, located on The Hill, a St. Louis Italian-American neighborhood.

Martha Smith and Ali Ovlia, assistant professors, Math and Computer Science, presented "Building an Undergraduate Computer Science Curriculum" at the March meeting of the Association of Information Technology Professionals in Clayton, Mo.

Connie McConnaha, representative, Memphis Naval Supply Activity, Tenn., completed the Skillpath training seminar "Excelling as a First-Time Manager."

Monte Hancock, adjunct professor, Palm Bay Campus, Fla., has been elected to a second term as chairman of the Brevard Community College Computer Technology Advisory Panel (BCC CTAP). The panel, established by Brevard Community College in 2002, brings together an array of local commercial and industrial leaders who advice the faculty on the technology needs of the Florida Space Coast. Hancock is chief cognitive research scientist at Northrop-Grumman Essex.

Ted Green, associate professor, and Marlene Birkman, professor, both in the School of Education, presented "Jamestown, 'Beantown' and Beyond: the Stories We Share through Folklore, Personal Experience and Public History," at the National Council for History Education National Conference (NCHE) in Williamsburg, Va., April 14.

The Journal, Webster University's student newspaper, won best overall newspaper in Missouri at the statewide conference of the Missouri College Media Association. Webster students won 19 awards in 16 categories at the conference, including best Web site, best photo page, best editorial page, best advertisement, best investigative and best in-depth reporting. Don Corrigan, professor, Communications and Journalism, is faculty advisor for The Journal, and Joe Schuster, chair and associate professor, Communications and Journalism, is chair of the Publications Board.

Don Morse, assistant professor, Philosophy, was chosen by the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board to receive a scholarship for next year. Morse will use the scholarship to study the nature of philosophy in Eastern Europe and teach courses on American philosophy at Matej Bel University in the Slovak Republic.

The School of Business and Technology's online programs were featured in the article, "Online Degrees Increasingly Gaining Acceptance Among Employers," which appeared in the online publication Diverse Issues in Higher Education, 4/5/07.

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

^ Return to Headlines

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

APRIL 2007

Marjorie Doyle, director, Colorado Springs Metropolitan Campus, Colo., 25 years

Sam Shiplett, director, Andrews Air Force Base, Md., 20 years

JoLea Carroll, representative, South Orlando Metropolitan Campus, Fla., 15 years

Cathi Nolde, assistant director, Financial Aid, 15 years

Chris Bratschi, public safety officer, Public Safety, 5 years

Richard Connors, public safety officer, Public Safety, 5 years

Carolyn Corley, development officer, Development, 5 years

Nicole Roach, accounting assistant, Collections, 5 years

^ Return to Headlines

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

APRIL 2007

Elisa Blackwell, service clerk, Columbia Metropolitan Campus, S.C., (803) 699-0900 or Speed Dial #6 083, replaces Connell Manigault.

Janet Brunton, office manager, Irvine Metropolitan Campus, Calif., (949) 250-7855 or Speed Dial #6 097, replaces Felicia Kawalkowski.

Elizabeth Condon, student employment coordinator, Career Services, (314) 961-2660, ext. 7641, replaces Suzanne Jones.

Lori Clark, cashier, Finance-Bursar's Office, (314) 961-2660, ext. 7181, replaces Deb Sullivan.

Diane Dannenbrink, service clerk, Westport Campus, (314) 968-5955, ext. 3401, replaces Lois Whitley.

Katherine Erickson, service clerk, Tampa Bay Campus, Fla., (727) 570-9300, Speed Dial #6 #125, new position.

Barbara Grilli, academic advisor, San Diego Metropolitan Campus, Calif., (858) 458-9310 or Speed Dial #6 072, replaces Lisa Garcia.

Katie Munsell, department associate, Academic Affairs, (314) 961-2660, ext. 8775, replaces Amy Quidley.

Mayumi Helen Milan, department assistant, Registrar's Office, (314) 961-2662, ext. 7506, replaces Karen Miller.

Paige Myers, community relations coordinator, Tampa Bay Campus, Fla., (727) 570-9300 or Speed Dial #6 #125, new position.

Raymond McDaniel, department assistant, Fort Bliss, Texas, (915) 562-4400 or Speed Dial #6 032, replaces Shirley Rehrig.

Jason Pohlsen, community relations coordinator, Ocala Metropolitan Campus, Fla., (352) 861-9330 or Speed Dial #6 106, replaces Herbert Silverman.

Cindy Saunders, representative, Sarasota Metropolitan Campus , Fla., (941) 358-3840 or Speed Dial #6 114, replaces Mary Ellis.

Terry Schumacher, visiting professor, School of Business and Technology, (314) 968-5951

Karen Trinkle, professor, Music, (314) 968-7032, FDL replacement for Earl Henry

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

^ Return to Headlines

The University extends sympathies to Ann Fernandez, Westport Campus, in the loss of her mother; Dorothy Nootbaar, International Recruitment and International Services, in the loss of her mother; and Tom Lang, Art, in the loss of his mother.

^ Return to Headlines

EDITOR
Marianne Kirk, Editor
Office of Marketing

MARKETING OFFICE CONTRIBUTORS
Claudia Burris, Sr. Editor & Photojournalist
Casey Conroy, Graphic Designer
Dominik Jansky, Writer/Editor
Patrick Powers, Writer/Editor
Pete McEwen, Technical Advisor
Ashley Marshall, Writer

HUMAN RESOURCES CONTRIBUTORS
Betsy Schmutz
Gloria Barbre