Western Today for Wednesday, May 27

Garcia named to Bowman Distinguished Professorship

Joseph Garcia has been named to the Bowman Distinguished Professorship in Leadership and will be director of the new Karen W. Morse Institute for Leadership at Western Washington University, WWU Provost Dennis Murphy announced today.

A $1 million gift from Jack and Jo Ann Bowman endowed the Bowman Distinguished Professorship in Leadership that will be dedicated to curricular innovation, teaching, and scholarship that advances the understanding and application of leadership.

The Bowman gift, along with other major contributions from David and Denise Cole and Rick and Sylvia Haggen, also allows for the creation and endowment of the Karen W. Morse Institute for Leadership, named in honor of WWU President Emeritus Karen Morse.

WWU moving to online-only course catalog

Did you know WWU was moving to an online-only course catalog, fully replacing the printed version? The PDF of the 2009-2010 catalog is available for download or viewing on your web browser, and a more interactive "e-catalog" system will be in place by early August. Questions? Contact Lisa Zuzarte in the Registrar's Office at x6275.

EO Office extends deadline for submissions for the new Diversity Handbook to June 5

WWU's Equal Opportunity Office is compiling the 2009-2010 Diversity Handbook for the university. This handbook allows colleagues across campus to better understand and be able to more effectively collaborate on diversity efforts (see the previous handbook here). It also serves as a useful recruitment tool in our efforts to recruit prospective faculty, staff and students.

If you are engaged in diversity efforts through classes, programs, activities or projects, we would like to be sure to include your important work and would most appreciate your submission to the 2009-2010 Diversity Handbook. Please complete the 2009-2010 Submission Form and email to the EO office - EOO@wwu.edu no later than June 5.

Western Libraries seeking feedback on its strategic plan

Western Libraries is engaged in a strategic planning process this year to develop a three-year plan aligned with the university’s strategic initiatives. This plan will guide the library in its expenditures and actions throughout the budget crisis.

Students, faculty and staff from various areas of campus were involved in the process, and broader input and feedback is now being sought. The plan is available here, and comments are being taken on Viking Village until June 5. Let them know what you think!

Zombies on campus!

The Western Washington University Associated Students club WWU Humans Vs. Zombies will play host to a game of tag on campus from today, May 27, through May 31. Game hours are from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. (daylight hours) daily.

Humans Vs. Zombies Tag is a game in which a group of pre-registered players (humans) attempt to survive the growing zombie infestation on campus (posed by other players tagging the humans). The human players will be fending off the zombie players by throwing balled-up socks and launching foam Nerf darts at the zombie players. Humans will wear bright yellow armbands on the upper arm, and zombies will wear yellow bands on their foreheads. The use of specific Nerf blaster models has been approved through proper Student Activities channels in conjunction with University Police. These toy blasters are very brightly colored and do not resemble realistic weapons. The game is not allowed to take place inside campus buildings and will be confined to exterior spaces on campus.

Anchorage Daily News

Trio of WWU rowers part of a dynasty
A trio of Alaska women is aiming to help Western Washington University extend a tradition of excellence that's approaching ridiculous.
Western Washington will take aim at a fifth consecutive NCAA Division II National Rowing Championship beginning Friday on the Cooper River in Camden, N.J. Four consecutive national titles is the longest active streak by any school in any NCAA division.

The Bellingham Herald

Three WWU rowers honored by the NCAA
Three Western Washington University women's rowers - Audrey Coon, Madeleine Eckmann and Casey Mapes - have been named National Scholar-Athletes by the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association.
Coon is the No. 7 seat, Eckmann the No. 2 seat and Mapes the stroke in the Vikings' varsity eight shell, which ranks No. 2 nationally in the USRowing/CRCA/NCAA Division II Coaches Poll.
It is the third time that Coon has been recognized and the second time Eckmann has been honored.
Trio get another shot at baseball
Dan Skillman, Alan Kennedy and Tim Niebruegge didn't wind up with quite as many memories of baseball at Western Washington University this season as they had hoped for. Not long ago, though, the local trio thought their diamond days were over for good. Western's club baseball program has given former Nooksack multi-sport standout Skillman and onetime Sehome standouts Kennedy and Niebruegge a chance to stay involved in the game.
Professor disciplined for abusive remarks to get new hearing
A tenured Western Washington University theater professor with a reputation for making abusive and derogatory remarks will get a new disciplinary hearing, a state court ruled Tuesday, May 26.
Professor Perry Mills, who once brought knives to class and has repeatedly berated students and faculty, wasn't afforded all of his rights to an open disciplinary hearing, the state's Division One Court of Appeals ruled.
But the appeals court rejected Mills' other arguments, including that the university violated his contract and his free speech rights and that the Faculty Code of Ethics is unconstitutionally vague.

KIRO-TV

Evergreen police ask for more powerful rifles
Police at The Evergreen State College said they need rifles and heavy body armor to protect students if someone opens fire on campus.
Some students are fighting the request saying it's the campus police who really need to be feared.
Sgt. Tim Marron trains and works to protect the students and staff at The Evergreen State College and every day, he thinks about mass shootings like the one at Virginia Tech where a gunman killed 32 people.
"I come to work every day and I think, I hope it's not today," Marron said.
In Bellingham, Western Washington University Police now have rifles which are more powerful and accurate than handguns and they also have heavier body armor and bullet proof helmets.
"It's equipment that's just life and death," said Chief Randy Stegmeier of the Western Washington University Police.

WWU News Releases

The fine print: Western Today is compiled and edited by John Thompson and Matthew Anderson in the Office of University Communications. Some links have time limitations and may not be accessible in the near future. A few articles may require registration to view. If you prefer to be removed from this list, please let us know via the link at the bottom of this document. For upcoming events, faculty research, or faculty and student achievements you would like publicized, please reply to this e-mail; click here to submit news online, or click here to submit entries to our online calendar of events. For the latest Western athletics news and schedules, see http://wwuvikings.cstv.com/. For more on faculty and staff news, see the new FAST Online at http://fast.wwu.edu/.

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