Central Washington University's accounting program continues to shine as one of the region's most successful.

The latest news strengthens that claim. In Washington state, four of the top 10 scores on the most recent Certified Public Accountant exam were recorded by Central alumni. Michelle Noland, who studied at CWU-Lynnwood, posted the state's top score. Other CWU top 10 finishers are Jeffrey Buege, James Ramborger and Hyun Lee, in the fourth, fifth and 10th spots, respectively.

Central's accessibility also becomes clear after a closer look at the exam results. Noland and Ramborger studied at CWU-Lynnwood, Lee at CWU-SeaTac and Buege in Ellensburg. Noland, Buege and Lee received college degrees in the 1980s and returned to school for accounting courses.

CWU professor Ronald Tidd said the maturity factor in returning students can serve as motivation.

"We have a solid program with lots of motivation on the part of students," Tidd said. "We give a good foundation in (accounting) basics and the ability to teach themselves. Our students have a combination of good preparation in academic studies and maturity, dedication and motivation."

Tidd said that Buege, who graduated from college in 1980, owned a store in Yakima before attending CWU for accounting classes. Buege now works as an accountant in Yakima.

Professor Mike Ruble said accounting students at CWU-Lynnwood are typically non-traditional: older, married with families, attend night classes, many have a degree and are retooling.

"They are a diverse group," he said. "Some are looking for another credential so they can slide into a different career. Central is recognized as the place to come for accounting. We have a rigorous program that turns out quality students who are received well by employers. We attract good students."

Ruble said enrollments in CWU-Lynnwood courses have increased since the new Snoqualmie Center opened on the Edmonds Community College campus. "We are bursting at the seams in the new building," he said.

A total of 330 CWU students currently are majoring in accounting, including 147 at CWU-Lynnwood, 83 in Ellensburg and 80 at CWU-SeaTac.

New York Times best-selling author J.A. Jance will discuss her journey as an author and provide insight into her stories and fictional characters during a presentation at Central Washington University Tuesday, Feb. 24 at 7 p.m. in the Samuelson Union Building on the Ellensburg campus.

Her lecture will be followed by a question and answer period and then an author book signing.

Jance, a former high school teacher and K-12 librarian, says she actually knew she wanted to become an author in second grade after reading the Wizard of Oz.

As a divorced mother with two children and working full time selling life insurance, she says her first three books were written in the early morning hours.

Her first Seattle homicide Detective Beaumont book, "Until Proven Guilty," was published in 1985. Jance, who lives in Seattle, has now produced more than 30 mystery and thriller titles, including the 2003 release "Exit Wounds," part of the Joanna Brady series set in southeastern Arizona, where Jance grew up.

The free, public event is sponsored by the University Store, College of Arts and Humanities, and CWU English department.

For more information, or for persons of disability to arrange for reasonable accommodation, call (509) 963-1353, or (for the hearing impaired) TDD (509) 963-2143.

Twenty-two teachers from five school districts in central Washington -- Easton, Kittitas, Thorp, Toppenish and Wahluke -- are participating in a new program designed to improve their knowledge, skill and appreciation relative to teaching American history.

The program's originator is Central Washington University alumnus Tom Christian, who wanted to help teachers look at American history in new and different ways. Christian, from the Thorp School District, received a three-year, $900,000 Teaching American History Grant from the U. S. Department of Education for the program, titled "America's Past Kindles Our Future."

From a survey of teachers in rural central Washington, Christian found that many were teaching out of their field, just as he had done since he began his career in 1965. He studied speech, drama and business at Northern Illinois University, but accepted a high school teaching position in history and English. He became fascinated with history and has taught the subject for more than 30 years.

Through the program, participating teachers learn from historical experts and college professors through monthly CWU workshops about the years 1750 to 1865, including topics such as the westward movement and the Louisiana Purchase.

Only three of this year's 22 grant participants are history majors, including Mike Tuben from the Kittitas School District. He received a bachelor's degree in history education from CWU in 1969, with an emphasis on eastern European history.

Tuben said American history is out of the realm of his expertise, so the grant allows him a chance to learn from those with expertise in the field, mostly college professors.

"There is a lot on Western settlement, and that goes very nicely with what we are doing," Tuben said. "If I learn just one new thing then it's worth the time. I've learned six or seven positive things from each meeting."

Christian added that many participants are already instilling what they learned in their classroom. The one-day monthly sessions, each with two historians presenting, will continue through June.

Additionally, the program includes a summer workshop, a trip to the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture in Spokane, $1,500 per participant for field trips and an opportunity to observe veteran history teachers or to meet in groups and discuss methodology.

"They are very excited about it," Christian said. "These teachers love knowledge, and they are out looking for information."

Program participant Sara McCoy, a second grade teacher at Easton Elementary, said: "It is a good opportunity to learn and share. I am enjoying the lectures. A lot of the content is interesting, and I have been able to use some of the ideas and concepts."

The grant project will continue with different groups of students and new topics each year. American history from 1865 to 1945 will be discussed next year, followed by 1945 to the present.

CWU departments involved in the grant program include the history department, College of Education and Professional Studies, curriculum and supervision, library services, continuing education, electronic media production, center for teaching and learning and university relations.

The services provided include program evaluation, methodology teaching, videotaping of workshops and private interviews with historians. In addition, "Moments in American History" - a documentary series - will be developed to air on PBS affiliates and produced on two interactive CDs.

Andrew DOWNS, Psychology, had a paper accepted for publication in Rehabilitation Psychology, an APA journal. The title is "Wellness Promotion in Persons with Disabilities: Physicians' Personal Behaviors, Attitudes, and Practices." His collaborators on the publication are Nancy Wile, Gloria Krahn, and Anne Turner.

Jeff PENICK, Psychology, had an article titled "Purposeful Aging: Teleological Perspectives on the Development of Social Interest in Late Adulthood" accepted for publication in the Journal of Individual Psychology.

Law and Justice professors Mike OLIVERO and Jim ROBERTS, and student Chris TREVINO presented a paper titled "Domestic Violence: Dyadic Death" at the National Social Science Association meetings last November.

Yvonne CHAPMAN, Law and Justice, has received a grant from the Northwest Professional Educators to establish a teen youth court in connection with the CWU-Lynnwood campus. The court, which will be established under the national teen court delinquency diversion model and will follow a restorative justice directive under the authority of Washington youth court legislation, will provide Law and Justice majors with educational experiences in the youth court process.

Three Central Washington University students have set a precedent for the Kittitas County Democratic Precinct Caucus. Thanh RIEDEL, Phola SUN, and Linda TETETH volunteered to provide child care services during the Feb. 7 caucus. According to Bob Johnson, Kittitas County Democratic Party Chair, child care had never been available during previous caucuses. The students, all officers in the Student Support Services Club and participants in the university's Student Support Services (SSS) program, met a need for parents with young children. All three saw this not only as a way that the SSS Club could help out in the community, but also as an opportunity to see first-hand the Washington political process at work.

CWU STUDENT ENJOYS STUDENT TEACHING ABROAD

Typically, aspiring teachers at Central Washington University do their student teaching at school districts within the state. Brandy Peters, from North Bend, was an exception. Not only did she do her student teaching out of state, she did it out of the country.

Through a contract between CWU and the Department of Defense (DoD), Peters was placed in a fourth grade classroom at Patrick Henry Elementary School, at the Patrick Henry Village military housing base, in Heidelberg, Germany. It is one of the DoD "dependent schools," charged with teaching children from America's military families.

"It was amazing to meet these people who are fighting for our country," Peters says. "It really taught me a lot about our country and how thankful I need to be. I also had the opportunity to discuss perspectives of the United States with European citizens."

The so-called DODDS system actually ranks as the 11th largest U.S. school system, with a population of about 140,000 students studying at 273 schools located in 23 countries.

The daughter of military parents, Peters was herself born in Fulda, Germany.

"I've had a goal of getting back to Germany," she adds. "So, when I learned that I could do my student teaching abroad, I thought 'That would be phenomenal!' It really wasn't something I had thought about until then."

That was in February 2003. But, it wasn't until three months later that Peters knew for sure that she would be going overseas.

"You have to apply through the Department of Defense and they find you a position somewhere," Peters adds. "It's not based on countries. On the application, you are allowed to select the top three bases where you would like to go. They then write back and tell you where you will be placed."

Student teaching her 26 pupils wasn't that different from what she would have taught in Washington, according to Peters, with the exception of the "host nation" class, in her case, involving Germany.

"German citizens taught the students about the culture, language and history of the country they're living in," she says. "I had the opportunity to sit and observer a few host nation classes. It was extraordinary."

Her classes included some students who had both parents serving in Iraq.

"You'd really have to watch what you would say when you were teaching lessons," Peters recalls. "That was something that was very different for me. We also had some students who were born in Germany, who had one parent in the military and the other was a German citizen. Some had been going to German schools for their education, so this was their first experience in an American school."

Away from class, Peters took advantage of travel opportunities. She saw her German birthplace and visited 12 other countries throughout Western Europe, including Poland, where she visited the Nazi concentration camp at Auschwitz.

"It was one of the most horrifying things I've ever seen," she admits. "I've read about it and we've learned about it for years. But, I was really seeing history. It's part of my ancestral history; my mom's mother is from Israel and was Jewish, so this helped me to understand and allowed me to feel and experience it for the first time in my life."

Peters also recalls hiking the Swiss Alps, standing on the London Bridge and visiting the Eiffel Tower. She rates her time overseas as a "10-plus," adding, "It was one of the best experiences in my life. If I could teach through the Department of Defense I would be jumping at it right now."

Instead, Peters is planning to get into sales, at least in the short term, in order to pay off her student loans. Then, she wants to pursue a master's degree.

"I really like politics," she notes, "and a future goal of mine is to get into politics and be part of education reform. Right now, I want to explain to others the opportunities that are available and how passing up an experience like I had would be a mistake. Honestly, this is one of the best choices I've ever made. I'm so thankful for every single experience I had. And, I will definitely stay in touch with some of my students."

'THE PERFORMING ART OF BEIJING OPERA' TO BE DISCUSSED AT CWU

Beijing Opera is an art form that has been in existence for more than 200 years. Widely regarded as among the highest expressions of the Chinese culture, it was originally staged for the Chinese royal family and later presented during public performances. At one point, nearly every province of China had at least one Beijing Opera troupe.

It differs from traditional western opera in that it also contains elements of ballet and acrobatics set in a historical context. However, in recent years Beijing Opera reportedly has been on the wane, because of other available entertainment and the lack of historical and theatrical knowledge of young Chinese.

"The Performing Art of Beijing Opera" will be the focus of a presentation by Xiaolin Li Friday, Feb. 13, at 8 p.m. in Hertz Auditorium at Central Washington University. It is sponsored by the CWU English, foreign languages and music departments, College of Arts and Humanities and office of international studies and programs.

Li, an associate professor of Western literature and comparative literature at Zhejiang University in China, is currently serving as a visiting scholar at Indiana University. Her interests include comparative literature, western feminist criticism, adaptations of Shakespearean plays into Chinese opera, and the performing art of Beijing Opera, for which she has been a professional actress for eight years.

She will discuss traditional roles in Beijing Opera; its "comprehensive performance style" involving singing, dialogue, action and acrobatics; "techniques of expression," such as supposition, exaggeration and symbolism; and the Beijing Opera in China today.

For more information about her free, public presentation, or for persons of disability to arrange for reasonable accommodation, call (509) 963-1598, or (for the hearing impaired) TDD (509) 963-2143.

SUPER BOWL COMMERCIAL BASED ON CWU MUSIC PROJECT

Central Washington University music professor Mark Polishook's ground-breaking idea to use Palm Pilots as a way to help students compose is now the basis for a palmOne commercial, which aired in select markets during Super Bowl XXXVIII.

"To be able to showcase our music students and have their work referenced in a television commercial that airs during the Super Bowl is wonderful," Polishook says.

The idea for the commercial derives from an unusual project created by Polishook, who directs the music and theory program in CWU's music department. In this project his students receive handheld computers and music software, which they use to compose music. Among the outcomes of the handheld composing project was a new collection of pieces written by CWU composition students. This work has been presented at concerts in Ellensburg and Spokane.

In its commercial, palmOne has chosen to feature an excerpt from "Pilot This!" written by CWU graduate students David Blink, from Las Vegas, and Joyce Barnes, Federal Way, and performed by CWU music students.

SCHOLAR AWARD NOMINATION ANNOUNCED

Faculty nominations are being accepted for the 2003-2004 Phi Kappa Phi Scholar of the Year Award. Phi Kappa Phi honors those who exemplify scholarship according to the following criteria: a long-term and noted scholarly record at CWU, visibility in fostering interest in their field, and a devotion to learning that places a strong emphasis on intellectual breadth.

The nominee must be able to make a public presentation of his or her work to a general audience sometime in April or early May. The Scholar of the Year does not need to be a member of Phi Kappa Phi prior to the award, and will be inducted into the Society at the June award ceremony. Nominations, a general letter including reasons for your recommendation and the nominee's vita should be sent to Barry Donahue, curriculum and supervision -- 7410 (or e-mail donahue@cwu.edu) by March 8, 2004.

'BUS STOP' TO OPEN AT CWU

Central Washington University's production of "Bus Stop" opens Feb. 26 under the direction of George Bellah, chair of the CWU theatre arts department.

The play chronicles the events of a Kansas bus stop that has become the haven for an unusual mix of characters during a vicious snowstorm. As the travelers fight, talk and fall in love, renowned playwright William Inge weaves together a sweet and humorous tale of human interaction in the face of loneliness and desire for freedom.

"Bus Stop" runs Feb. 26 and March 4 at 7 p.m., Feb. 27, 28 and March 5, 6 at 8 p.m. and Feb. 29 at 2 p.m. in the Milo Smith Tower Theatre. Tickets are $12 general admission, $10 for senior citizens and $8 for students. Senior citizens are those persons 65 and older. All students with valid student identification qualify for student pricing.

For more information, or for persons of disability to arrange for reasonable accommodation, call the box office at (509) 963-1774, or (for the hearing impaired) TDD (509) 963-2143. The box office is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays and one hour prior to each performance. Tickets can also be purchased by phone with a VISA or MasterCard.

"Bus Stop" is recommended for audiences 12 and older.

CWU EMPLOYEES

Civil Service new hires: JoAnn Page, Office Assistant III, Admissions.

Civil Service job changes: Veronica Coates, Secretary Senior, College Assistance Migrant Program; Lisa Pannell, Fiscal Technician III, Student Financial Services; and Ladine Pidgeon, Fiscal Technician III, Accounting.

CWU JOB OPENINGS

Searches are under way for the following positions. You can access the CWU home page (www.cwu.edu/~hr/jobs) or the Job Line at (509) 963-1562.

Faculty:
Accounting, Assistant/Associate Professor, Jay Forsyth, 509-363-3340;
Accounting, Assistant/Associate Professor, CWU-Lynnwood, Mike Ruble, 425-640-1574;
Biology or Chemical Education, Assistant Professor, Martha Kurtz, 963-1422;
Business Administration, non-tenure track, Tinja Wyman, wymant@cwu.edu;
Cornerstone and GEAR UP Mathematics Coordinator, Trish Swanson, 963-2103;
Creative Writing: Fiction and Poetry, Assistant Professor, English Department, 963-1546;
Earth Materials/Mineralogy, Assistant Professor, 963-2801;
Earth Science Education, Assistant Professor, Martha Kurtz, 963-1422;
Electronics Engineering Technology, Assistant Professor, westside, 963-1756;
Foreign Language, Spanish, Rodney Bransdorfer, 963-1218;
History Education/History, Assistant Professor, Roxanne Easley, 963-2344;
Information Technology, Assistant/Associate Professor, Catherine Bertelson, 963-2611;
Law and Justice, Assistant Professor, Barbara Demory, 963-3208;
Law and Justice, Assistant Professor, CWU-Lynnwood, Barbara Demory, 963-3208;
Management Information Systems, Assistant/Associate Professor, Tinja Wyman, symant@cwu.edu;
Mathematics, Assistant Professor, W.D. Curtis, 963-2103;
Middle School Specialist, Curriculum and Supervision, Tina Clark, 963-1465;
Music History, Assistant Professor, Peter Gries, 963-1216;
Mycologist, Assistant/Associate Professor, Holly Pinkart, 963-2710;
Orchestral Activities, Director, Peter Gries, 963-1216;
Political Science, Visiting Assistant Professor, non-tenure track, 963-2408;
Professional Field Supervisor, Curriculum and Supervision, Tina Clark, 963-1465;
Sociology, Assistant Professor, Laura Appleton, 963-2344;
Special Education, Assistant Professor, non-tenure track, Velma Henry, 963-1357.

Exempt:
Academic Advisor (Pre-College), Angie Candido, 509-574-6895;
Admissions Recruiter, West Side, Tina Morefield, 963-3012;
Dean, College of the Sciences, Caroline Onstot, 963-1400;
PANGA Network Engineer, 963-2701;
Residence Hall Coordinator, Karen Koontz, 963-2735;
Special Education Technology Specialist, 963-3350.

Civil Service:
Database Administrator, March 1;
Information Technology Technician I (Help Desk), March 4.

Temporary
Instructors, High School Equivalency Program (Ellensburg and Yakima);
Medical Technician;
Registered Nurse;
Tutors (in Yakima).

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13
Meeting: CWU Board of Trustees, 1 p.m., Barge 412
Theatre: "The Vagina Monologue," 7 p.m., SUB Ballroom, $10 general, $5 students

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 14
Women's Basketball: CWU vs. Alaska Anchorage, 7 p.m., Nicholson Pavilion

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 16
Presidents' Day Holiday

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17
Art Exhibit: "John Hawkins/drawings, woodcut, collage," 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays, noon to 3 p.m. weekends, Spurgeon Gallery in Randall Hall, through March 5
Workshop: Cooperative Problem Solving, 9 a.m., location to be announced, presented by CWU's Dispute Resolution Consultation and Training team
Classic Film Series: "Northfork" (U.S., 2003, 115 minutes, drama), 7 p.m., McConnell Auditorium, $3, $12 bargain pass

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18
Papa John's Coffehouse: music by the student group Estelle, 8 p.m., SUB Games Room
Presentations: Bubble Planetarium, astronomy, events at 7 p.m. and 8 p.m., Science Building main entrance

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19
Career Fair: Construction Management, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., SUB Theatre, presented by career services
Film Series: "The Autobiography of Malcom X," 7 p.m., Black 151
Men's Basketball: CWU vs. Western Washington, 7 p.m., Nicholson Pavilion

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20
Family Weekend: "Viva Las Central," through Feb. 22
Presentation: "HR 2005 - part 2," civil service reform, 9 a.m., location to be announced
Natural Science Seminar Series: "Impact of habitat fragmentation on gibbon ecology and conservation," by Lori Sheeran, CWU Anthropology, 4 p.m., Science Building 147, presented by CWU Biology Club
Family Weekend Film: "National Lampoon's Vegas Vacation," 6 p.m. and 8:15 p.m., SUB Club Central, free
Concert: Jazz Concert Nite, 8 p.m., Hertz Auditorium

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21
Swimming: Last Chance Meet, time TBA, CWU pool
Family Weekend: snowshoeing ($12) and innertubing ($15), meet at SUB recreation window by 8:45 a.m., reservations, 963-3512
Family Weekend Chimposium: one-hour educational workshop, 10:45 a.m., CHCI Building, $10 adults, $7.50 students, reservations, 963-2244
Family Weekend Snowshoeing: meet at SUB recreation window by 12:45 p.m., reservations, 963-3512, $12
Basketball: CWU vs. Seattle Pacific, 7 p.m., Nicholson Pavilion
Family Weekend Fantasy Casino: 9 p.m. to 1 a.m., SUB, $19.95 general, $9.95 CWU students

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22
Family Weekend Snowshoeing: meet at SUB recreation window by 8:45 a.m., reservations, 963-3512, $12
Family Weekend Chimposium: one-hour educational workshop, 12:30 p.m., CHCI Building, $10 adults, $7.50 students, reservations, 963-2244

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24
Workshop: Cooperative Problem Solving, 9 a.m., location to be announced, presented by CWU's Dispute Resolution Consultation and Training team
Lecture: J.A. Jance, a New York Times best selling author of mysteries and thrillers including "Exit Wounds" and "Partners in Crime," 7 p.m., SUB Ballroom
Classic Film Series: "Russian Ark" (Russia, 2002, 96 minutes, drama/fantasy), 7 p.m., McConnell Auditorium, $3, $12 bargain pass
Concert: CWU Chamber Ensemble, with Margret Gries, 8 p.m., Hertz Auditorium

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25
Papa John's Coffeehouse: Open Mic Night 2, 8 p.m., SUB Games Room

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26
Brown Bag Lunch Series: "La Alberca, a High Altitude Caldera in Central-West Mexico: Geology, Archaeology, and the Communidad IndIggena of Parangaricutir," by Steve Hackenberger, CWU Anthropology, and Lisa Ely, CWU Geology, noon, Black 150
Women's Basketball: CWU vs. Northwest Nazarene, 7 p.m., Nicholson Pavilion
Film Series: "Eyes on the Prize," selections from the award-winning series on the Civil Rights Movement, 7 p.m., Black 151
Theatre: "Bus Stop," directed by George W. Bellah 3rd, 7 p.m., Milo Smith Tower Theatre, $12 general, $10 senior citizens, $8 students
Dance Celebration: GANSANGO: African Dance Troupe, 7 p.m., SUB Theatre

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27
Theatre: "Bus Stop," directed by George W. Bellah 3rd, 8 p.m., Milo Smith Tower Theatre, $12 general, $10 senior citizens, $8 students
Performance: Greek Peak: Stepp'n Out at Central, 7 p.m., Nicholson Pavilion

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28
Women's Basketball: CWU vs. Saint Martin's, 7 p.m., Nicholson Pavilion
Theatre: "Bus Stop," directed by George W. Bellah 3rd, 8 p.m., Milo Smith Tower Theatre, $12 general, $10 senior citizens, $8 students

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 29
Theatre: "Bus Stop," directed by George W. Bellah 3rd, 2 p.m., Milo Smith Tower Theatre, $12 general, $10 senior citizens, $8 students
Concert: "Rhapsody in Blue," CWU Orchestra, with John Pickett, 8 p.m., Hertz Auditorium