Greetings,

I am pleased to announce that our diversity Web site and our Resource 25 calendaring and scheduling procedure are now available for all users. Both have been in the development process for some time now.

First, the diversity Web site. Although we've had a number of initiatives to promote diversity and inclusion on our campus, members of the newly created President's External Diversity Council told us last October that they had trouble finding evidence of our diversity initiatives on our Web site. Their concern speeded up the development process that already was underway as a result of recommendations from our internal diversity council. Nancy Howard and Keith Champagne have taken the lead on this project and now invite you to log on to www.cwu.edu/~cwu_diversity to see the product of their work. You can also click on the large red D that appears on the CWU homepage to access the site. If you are aware of additional links that would strengthen the page, please be in touch with Nancy or Keith. Thank you, Nancy and Keith, for your dedication to one of our most important core values: "Excellence achieved through a diversity of ideas and people."

Second, Resource 25 (R25). For many years, we've talked about improving our calendaring and scheduling system. We wanted a system that was online, user friendly and inclusive of all activities on our campus. We wanted a system that was accessible to all of us who work and study here, but we also wanted one that worked for the local community and for visitors to our campus. And, we wanted to have a system that took full advantage of the power of the Web as an advertising tool.

We already had implemented Schedule 25 to assist in scheduling classroom space and had purchased Resource 25, its companion scheduling and calendaring software, at the same time. For more than a year, a committee has been at work to enter all the information the R25 system requires to easily schedule, calendar and display campus events. We are particularly indebted to Cherie Wilson, Kerrie Nelson, Chris Selby, Tedd Hanson, Linda Mahaney and Mary Smith for their tireless efforts to get the system up and running.

To make the calendar useful and to be sure we don't double book space, we will now be scheduling all events taking place on the Ellensburg campus -- other than in classes and private offices -- using this software. This includes university-sponsored and externally sponsored events. An event can be one of many types of activities: meetings, athletic events, musical events, theatrical events, lectures, club events -- all the activities that might make up a typical day at CWU.

All spaces - both indoor and outdoor - that can be scheduled on campus and their amenities are now entered in the system. A webviewer allows all interested parties to view the campus calendar in numerous ways: by the day, by the month, by the type of event, by the building, by available rooms and so forth. If you're interested in athletic events for the week, for example, select the athletics filter on the right hand side of the page and then check the "week" option. One can access the webviewer by clicking on "Campus Calendar" on the CWU Web home page. Wait time for the day's schedule to load is between 5 and 10 seconds.

Campus users who wish to request space will select "My Request" on the R25 webviewer and enter their GroupWise usernames and a password that has been registered by the Scheduling Center (x1641). A series of questions about the space request allows Scheduling Center staff to tailor a response to the requester's needs. Once a request is submitted, staff in the Scheduling Center will check space availability and schedule accordingly. They will provide a confirmation and a list of any anticipated charges to the requester. Subsequently, the event and pertinent details will be posted immediately to the Campus Calendar. Those who have not yet received a password can request space by going to the Scheduling Center Web site at www.cwu.edu/~schedule/ and clicking on "Schedule an Event."

Like any new software, this one will take some getting used to. While both the scheduling form and the webviewer are relatively easy to use, Cherie Wilson and Kerrie Nelson are available to provide individual or group training on the use and capabilities of the webviewer. In addition, please report any difficulties you have in accessing the webviewer or in scheduling an event directly to Cherie or Kerrie.

Jerilyn McIntyre
President

The January/February 2005 issue of "School Construction News" named CWU's new music building as its "Facility of the Month." In a three-page spread, titled "Symphonic Sails," the magazine lauds the facility, noting, "Throughout the design process, there was a conscious effort to make the architecture a visual and spatial reflection of music itself." Hava Leisner, the article's author, further stated, "Melody is not just symbolic within the interior; the landscape surrounding the building is intended to convey composition." The full article can be viewed online at: www.schoolconstructionnews.com under "Facility of the Month."

CWU has received continuing university-wide regional accreditation from the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) based on a fifth-year interim evaluation report and visit.

NWCCU is an independent, non-profit membership organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation as the regional authority on educational quality and institutional effectiveness of higher education institutions in the seven-state Northwest region of Washington, Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon and Utah.

The visiting team also reviewed and approved for continuation new or modified programs that had been submitted since the last accreditation visit, including the general studies baccalaureate degree offered in Ellensburg and at CWU-Lynnwood and CWU-Des Moines.

Central was also given authorization for continued collaboration with Green River Community College for a pilot program to offer a bachelor's degree in education at CWU-Des Moines.

NWCCU stated in its report to Central that the university is in substantial compliance in all areas, but also listed educational assessment, faculty evaluation and graduate programs as areas for continued improvement.

While noting that educational assessment at CWU is a work in progress, NWCCU requested Central complete one review cycle while, at the same time, researching the experience of other colleges and universities to help Central refine its review process and designs assessment metrics.

Regional accreditation of postsecondary institutions is a voluntary, non-governmental, self-regulatory process of quality assurance and institutional improvement. Accreditation by a postsecondary regional accrediting agency qualifies institutions and enrolled students for access to federal funds to support teaching, research and student financial aid.

NWCCU oversees regional accreditation for 156 institutions. Its decision-making body consists of 26 commissioners who represent the public and the diversity of higher education institutions within the Northwest region.

CWU will prepare a progress report in spring 2007 to address the commission's recommendations.

"Hey Picasso will you paint my broken heart, I think the pieces would make a lovely work of art."

So go the defining lyrics of "Picasso," written by Josh Schroeder, a senior music business major at CWU. Schroeder's song is the Washington state finalist in the national John Lennon Songwriting Scholarship contest.

The contest offers one $10,000 grand prize scholarship and two $5,000 runner-up scholarships to university students who write the best original compositions for vocal-instrumental performance with the broadest popular appeal.

Established in 1997 by Yoko Ono, the scholarship program honors the memory of John Lennon, one of the preeminent songwriters of the 20th century. It is co-sponsored by BMI and the National Association for Music Education (MENC). Only students at colleges that have a MENC chapter can enter the contest.

According to Vijay Singh, CWU music professor, "Picasso" is more musically sophisticated than most pop songs, incorporating a medley of folk elements and contemporary song writing.

Inspired by the work of his favorite artist and his own personal heartache, Schroeder wrote "Picasso" while studying abroad in London two years ago. "It came from my feeling that you can turn a broken heart into something creative, and something beautiful," Schroeder says. He recently performed his work for the CWU board of trustees.

A native of Salem, Ore., Schroeder chose the CWU program because of Singh, a mentor, teacher and friend. In high school, Schroeder commuted from Salem to Portland every week to take voice lessons from Singh, a well-known vocal jazz director and composer at Portland State University. When Singh moved to CWU in 1999, Schroeder decided to follow him.

Today, Schroeder writes songs with his Seattle rock band, Oxbow Scar. He often writes as many as three songs a week, ranging in style from folk and blues to rock.

The band spent nearly three months recording their first EP (extended play), released this month under an independent Seattle label called Undersea Records. Schroeder wrote all six of the songs on the release.

Bruce BAGAMERY, business administration, CWU-Lynnwood, presented a paper, "Valuation Problems Involving Finite Growing Annuities and Annuities Due: A Comprehensive Analysis of Solutions Using Financial Calculators," at the annual meeting of the Academy of Economics and Finance, in Myrtle Beach, S.C., on Feb. 10. Eldon JOHNSON, business administration, CWU-Lynnwood, co-authored the paper.

Robert FORDAN, communication, submitted a paper, titled "Measuring Convergence in Journalism Programs at Broadcast Education Association Institutional Member Universities and Colleges," to the BEA Courses, Curricula and Administration Division Paper Competition. It was selected for inclusion in the BEA 2005 Scholar to Scholar Competitive Poster session at the BEA National Convention in Las Vegas, April 21-23.

Levente FABRY, chemistry, was awarded a $2,000 CWU Seed Grant by the Faculty Development and Research Committee for his project "Molecular Modeling of Inhibitors for Therapeutically Important Enzymes."

Mark GREEN, a graduate of the William O. Douglas Honors College (DHC) and a CWU philosophy major, has been accepted to the Ph.D. program in philosophy at the State University of New York at Stony Brook, with full funding. Green, from Olympia, has been informed that his DHC thesis and reading list were instrumental in his being selected for the prestigious program.

Anne JOHANSEN, chemistry, was invited to give a seminar in the Oceanography Department at the University of Washington Feb. 4. Her seminar title was "Is Iron Speciation in Windblown Dust Affected by Marine Biogeochemical Feedback?" While there Jim Murray from UW and Johansen discussed the details of collaborating on a scheduled cruise to the Equatorial Pacific in 2006. This work involves the cycling of iron in the ocean and atmosphere. Johansen was also invited to Eastern Washington University on Feb. 22 to present a seminar on "Dust and Global Climate" to their chemistry students and faculty, and to discuss the CWU graduate program. She presented a slide on the lab activities of each of the active research faculty. This trip was funded by the Office of Graduate Studies, Research and Continuing Education.

Terry MARTIN, English, has an article on teaching poetry in National Council of Teachers of English Women in Literature journal, "WILLA," and an article on teacher identity/teacher stance in the composition classroom forthcoming in "Inland: A Journal of English Language Arts." Her poems appear in the most recent issues of "Calyx," "Rattle," "Rosebud," "Tundra," "ByLine," "MaryJanesFarm" and the "Washington English Journal."

Megan MATHESON, psychology, has an article in press in the journal "Primates." The article, titled "Response to Novel Housing in Two Groups of Captive Tufted Capuchin Monkeys (Cebus apella)," was co-authored by Dorothy Fragaszy, of the University of Georgia, and Julie Johnson-Pynn, from Berry College.

Ovidio GIBERGA, as a recipient of a 2004 College of Arts and Humanities Summer Scholarship/Creativity Grant, will present an artist slide lecture of his work in Science Building 142 on May 24 at 4 p.m. This new work will also be included in a group exhibition, titled "Pygmalion's Gaze Re-Imagined," at the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts in Baltimore in March.

FORMER U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY TO SPEAK AT CWU

At the next event in the CWU Presidential Speaker Series, William J. Perry, the 19th U.S. Secretary of Defense, will present an address in Ellensburg on Wednesday, April 20, at 7 p.m. in McConnell Auditorium.

Perry served in the Clinton Administration from February 1994 to January 1997. For his work, President Clinton honored Perry with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

NEW GREENHOUSE HOURS

The CWU biological sciences greenhouse is now open Thursdays from 3 to 5 p.m. The greenhouse includes a newly renovated head house. When you visit, you also may get the chance to taste some Washington bananas, grown in the greenhouse.

LEN THAYER SMALL GRANTS

Tuesday, March 1, at 5 p.m. is the deadline to apply for a CWU Foundation Len Thayer Small Grant. The program has a total of $5,000 to award this academic year. An application packet may be downloaded from the Small Grant Web site at: www.cwu.edu/~smgrants/

Applications without the appropriate dean's signature will not be accepted. For more information contact Karrie Hansberry at x2764 or Vicki Dicken at x2760.

CWU EMPLOYEES

Civil Service new hires: Maxine Groves, Custodian, Conference and Retail Services; Crystal Buchholz, Secretary Senior, College of Arts and Humanities; Monica Reece-Bruya, Office Assistant III, Academic Achievement Programs; Jennifer Day, Office Assistant II, Public Safety and Police Services; and Sharon Talley, Secretary Senior, Graduate Studies, Research, Continuing Education (GEAR-UP).

Civil Service job changes: Stephanie Hubbard, Credentials Evaluator II, Registrar Services; Richard Spencer, Electronic Media Producer II, Multimedia Technology and Instructional Support; Robert Pieters, Waste Collector, Facilities Management; Tamara Morrill, Information Technology Applications Specialist II, Registrar Services.

Exempt job changes: Sheryl Grunden, Interim Associate Registrar, Registrar Services.

CWU GRADUATE STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP

The CWU Retirement Association's "Graduate Student Scholarship" is available this year in the amount of $1,000. The scholarship may be used for tuition, fees and books.

Applicants must have an earned bachelor's degree from CWU, be admitted to a master's degree program at Central and cannot already hold a graduate assistantship or fellowship.

To apply, submit a letter of application that specifies the Retirement Association Scholarship Committee may review your master's program application materials.

Applications are due by May 1 in the Office of Graduate Studies, Research and Continuing Education in Barge 305 (Mail Stop 7510).

SHARED LEAVE NEEDED

Paula Dietrich, CWU-Wenatchee site manager, is in need of shared leave donations. If you have leave you can't use, consider donating your leave.

Leave can be donated to those out because of serious accident or illness. Without significantly increasing the cost to the state for leave, the purpose of the leave-sharing program is to permit state employees to come to the aid of another state employee:

1. who is suffering from or has a relative or household member suffering from an extraordinary or severe illness, injury, impairment, or physical or mental condition; or,
2. who has been called to service in the uniformed services; and,
3. where the fact of either 1) or 2) has caused or is likely to cause the employee to take leave without pay or terminate his or her employment.

You may donate annual leave, accrued sick leave, or personal holiday.

• Donations are normally processed in blocks of eight hours, with a minimum total donation of eight hours required;
• Do not contribute annual leave hours which would reduce your balance to less than 10 days (80 hours), or the prorated equivalent if you are less than full time, or contribute any excess annual leave hours that you would otherwise be unable to use because of an approaching anniversary date;
• Do not contribute accrued sick leave hours that would reduce your balance to less than 167 hours. (Exempt employees on the sick leave accrual plan are the only exempt employees who are eligible to contribute sick leave. Disability Leave Bank hours may not be counted toward the minimum balance or donated for Shared Leave use.); and,
• All or part of your personal holiday may be donated.

To donate, download the form available at: www.cwu.edu/~hr/forms and return it to human resources.

Tuesday, March 1
Classic Film Series: "Good Bye, Lenin!" (Germany, 2003, 121 minutes, comedy/drama) 7 p.m., McConnell Auditorium, $3, $12 bargain pass
Theatre: "Dr. Betty Evans Original One-Act Festival," 7 p.m., Milo Smith Tower Theatre, $5

Wednesday, March 2
Music: Symphonic Wind Ensemble Concert, 7 p.m., Music Building Concert Hall
Theatre: "Dr. Betty Evans Original One-Act Festival," 7 p.m., Milo Smith Tower Theatre, $5

Thursday, March 3
Theatre: "Dr. Betty Evans Original One-Act Festival," 7 p.m., Milo Smith Tower Theatre, $5

Friday, March 4
Theatre: "Dr. Betty Evans Original One-Act Festival," 8 p.m., Milo Smith Tower Theatre, $5

Saturday, March 5
Men's Basketball: CWU vs. St. Martin's, 7 p.m., Nicholson Pavilion, $8 general admission, $5 students and seniors Music: CWU Choral Concert, 7 p.m., Music Building Concert Hall
Theatre: "Dr. Betty Evans Original One-Act Festival," 8 p.m., Milo Smith Tower Theatre, $5

Sunday, March 6
Music: CWU Orchestra Concert, 4 p.m., Music Building Concert Hall
Music: CWU Percussion Ensemble, 7 p.m., Music Building Concert Hall

Tuesday, March 8
Classic Film Series: "Fog of War" (USA, 2003, 95 minutes, documentary) 7 p.m., McConnell Auditorium, $3, $12 bargain pass

Wednesday, March 9
Music: Composers' Concert, 7 p.m., Music Building Recital Hall

Thursday, March 10
Dance: Orchesis Dance Concert, 7 p.m., McConnell Auditorium, $8 general admission, $5 students
Music: CWU Symphonic Band, 7 p.m., Music Building Concert Hall

Friday, March 11
Baseball: CWU vs. Grand Canyon, 3 p.m., CWU baseball field
Music: Guitar Ensemble Concert, 7 p.m., Music Building Recital Hall
Dance: Orchesis Dance Concert, 8 p.m., McConnell Auditorium, $8 general admission, $5 students

Saturday, March 12
Baseball: CWU vs. Grand Canyon, noon, 2 p.m., CWU baseball field
Music: Jazz Nite I, 7 p.m., Music Building Concert Hall
Dance: Orchesis Dance Concert, 8 p.m., McConnell Auditorium, $8 general admission, $5 students

Sunday, March 13
Baseball: CWU vs. Grand Canyon, noon, CWU baseball field
Music: 2nd Sunday Faculty Chamber Series "THREE," 4 p.m., Music Building Recital Hall
Music: Preparatory Strings Concert, 6 p.m., Music Building Concert Hall
Music: Horn Studio Recital, 7 p.m., Music Building Recital Hall

Tuesday, March 15
Final exams begin

Friday, March 18
Winter quarter ends

Saturday, March 19
Baseball: CWU vs. Colorado Mines, 1 p.m., CWU baseball field

Sunday, March 20
Baseball: CWU vs. Colorado Mines, 1 p.m., CWU baseball field
Softball: CWU vs. Simon Fraser, 2 p.m, 4 p.m., CWU softball field

Monday, March 21
Baseball: CWU vs. Colorado Mines, 1 p.m., CWU baseball field

Tuesday, March 22
Baseball: CWU vs. Colorado Mines, 1 p.m., CWU baseball field

Tuesday, March 29
Spring quarter begins

Wednesday, March 30
Baseball: CWU vs. Whitman, 2 p.m., CWU baseball field

For other calendar items, visit: www.cwu.edu/~schedule/calendar/