ANNOUNCING SPHERES OF DISTINCTION

It was in 2003 that I first asked divisions, student groups, and employee groups to assist the university in identifying "centers of excellence." By centers of excellence, I meant "innovative and resourceful approaches to academic, student, and campus life giving regional, national, or international prominence to Central Washington University." Over the past two years, various groups on campus have discussed centers. As questions arose, I encouraged the university community to think broadly and to come up with general categories within which specific initiatives could be included. I discouraged forwarding names of individual departments or academic programs, even though many certainly were excellent.

As the discussions progressed, the Division of Academic Affairs recommended that we change the name to "areas of distinction." They made a convincing case that we should focus on categories in which we were distinctive (as well as excellent) because it would allow us to carve out a smaller group of programs and activities for promotion. And they also correctly noted that we might be overusing the word "centers." However, the word "areas" just didn't appeal to me and to many others. Consequently, I went to Roget's Thesaurus to see if I could find a better label for the image I had in mind. The word "sphere" caught my eye. A sphere is variously defined as "a course or path encompassing a center; a field of action; the area in which something acts, exerts influence, has its being or significance." One reference was to "a happier region in the future." The definition fit perfectly with what I had envisioned.

Divisions and student and employee groups continued to provide input on the categories, though they often focused more on specific programs and initiatives that the university might want to promote. As I reviewed their suggestions, several themes or "spheres" emerged which captured most, if not all, of the recommendations that had been forwarded. Today, I am happy to announce five "spheres of distinction" that will serve as broad categorical areas within which innovative and resourceful programs and initiatives of the university can be supported and promoted. They are:

1. Interdisciplinary Programs and Research
2. Preparation of Professional Educators
3. Programs and Activities Nurturing the Development of Students as Individuals, Scholars, Artists, and Citizens
4. Activities Addressing Regional Needs and Enhancing Regional Resources
5. University Centers

In this year's budget, I set aside funds that division heads can use to support already-existing programs and activities that fit within these categories. In future budget years, units and departments will have the opportunity to propose innovative and distinctive initiatives that they believe should be considered for special support and promotion.

Thank you to all of you who assisted in this effort. It has taken us a while to fully understand where we're going with this, but I think we're now on our way.

Jerilyn S. McIntyre
President

Washington Learns is an 18-month comprehensive study that will examine the state's existing education system - from early learning through higher education - and recommend ways to improve it now and in the future. Last month, Gov. Christine Gregoire convened an education summit in preparation for Washington Learns.

Gregoire is chairing the 13-member Washington Learns Steering Committee, which will work closely with early learning, K-12 and higher education advisory committees, to identify, review and make recommendations on pertinent issues. The higher education advisory panel will include Dr. Elizabeth Street, CWU psychology professor and executive assistant to the president. She was selected for her expertise in the areas of educational psychology, teacher preparation and professional development.

Based on its successful hosting of the first tri-state lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) meeting last April in Ellensburg, CWU will be featured in an upcoming issue of "Concepts and Connections," a quarterly newsletter of the National Clearinghouse for Leadership Programs (NCLP) at the University of Maryland, College Park.

Leslie Webb, director of the CWU diversity education center, was contacted by NCLP to write an article for its spring edition, which will be entirely dedicated to LGBT issues, including research, training and literature. CWU will be featured in the program highlights section.

"They did a national search and selected our program to highlight due to its content and focus on ally development, gender awareness and leadership," Webb points out.

"The Power of One: LGBT Leadership Conference" also included and educational track - "Stop the Hate" - led by Shane Windmeyer, a nationally recognized campus bias and hate crime prevention specialist. The keynote speaker was Elizabeth Birch, former director of the Human Rights Campaign.

The goal of the conference was to offer learning opportunities and leadership development to members of the LGBT community and their supporters.

Through developing cutting edge resources, information sharing, and symposia, NCLP's mission is to support leadership development in college students by serving as a central source of professional development for leadership educators. It also works to connect leadership educators and aid developing community leadership programs.

NCLP has published "Concepts and Connections" since 1992. CWU will be highlighted in the 36th edition in the series.

Dr. Paul BAKER, vice president for university relations, took part in the "Institute for Education Management" at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. The two-week long course provides opportunities for senior-level administrators to examine critical leadership challenges facing higher education and encourages participants to work with colleagues to think beyond the confines of their own areas of formal responsibility.

Rich CORONA, vice president for business and financial affairs, participated in the annual meeting of the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) in July in Baltimore. The theme of the event was "Building Organizational Capacity."

CWU President Jerilyn S. McINTYRE served as a featured "faculty" member at the 30th annual Snowmass Institute in Aspen, Colo., in July. The conference was based on the theme "Achieving Strategic Excellence." McIntyre was invited to discuss strategic excellence in higher education based on the themes outlined in her 2004 state of the university address and the CWU strategic plan, according to Richard Ireland of the Snowmass Institute.

An NCAA-commissioned study determined that Division II institutions would not gain financially by spending more on athletics or reclassifying to Division I status. The study, "Empirical Effects of Division II Intercollegiate Athletics," was unveiled June 25 at the Division II Chancellors and Presidents Summit in Orlando. Study figures indicated there was actually a decrease in average net revenues in Division II athletics departments that increase spending or reclassify divisions. McINTYRE was one of 150 higher education leaders who attended that summit.

BATTLE IN SEATTLE TICKETS NOW ON SALE

Tickets are now on sale for the third annual Wells Fargo Battle in Seattle, presented by Comcast, football game Saturday, Oct. 8, at 6 p.m., at Qwest Field in Seattle between arch-rivals Central and Western Washington University.

Tickets are priced at $35 reserved with Club access, $25 reserved and $15 general admission.

Tickets can be purchased at the University Store and CWU Ticketmaster outlet in the Samuelson Union Building, by calling ext. 3537, or on-line at http://cwubookstore.collegestoreonline.com/.

Central won the first Battle in Seattle in 2003, defeating WWU 29-20 before 16,392 fans, a record for a non-NCAA Division I collegiate football game in the state of Washington. Western won last year's meeting 28-21, with 11,458 in attendance.

Athletic officials from both schools are expecting upwards of 20,000 to attend this year's battle.

CWU EMPLOYEES

Civil Service new hires: Linda Cox, Secretary Senior, Student Affairs and Enrollment Management; Karen Hill, Office Assistant II, Office of International Studies and Programs; Jeremy Lambeth, Office Assistant II, Admissions; Colby Sherrill, Sports Equipment Technician, Athletics; Bette Ekiss, Fiscal Technician III, Accounting; Alexandra Lange, Secretary Senior, Enterprise Information Systems.

Civil Service job changes: Teresa Miller, Sports Equipment Manager I, Athletics; Tinja Wyman, Secretary Supervisor, Music; Steve Johnson, Program Manager B, University Housing and New Student Programs; Shannon Reider, Animal Technician III, Chimpanzee and Human Communication Institute.

Exempt new hires: Andrea Easlick, Academic Advisor, Academic Advising.

Exempt job changes: Robert Ford, Assistant Director, Campus Recreation/Intramurals, Campus Life; Cherie Wilson, Assistant Director, Campus Life Operations, Campus Life; Michael Launius, Executive Director of International Studies and Program, Office of International Studies and Programs; Marjorie Morgan, Dean, College of Arts and Humanities, College of Arts and Humanities.

To view current job openings at CWU, go to http://www.cwu.edu/~hr/jobs/index.html.

SHARED LEAVE NEEDED

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 176 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.

The shared leave donation form can be downloaded from the HR forms section of the Human Resources home page: http://www.cwu.edu/~hr/index.html or requested from the HR office by calling 1202. Requests to donate leave must be approved by your supervisor before forwarding to HR and are subject to approval by your department head and Human Resources.

Monday, August 1
Discover: Transfer Student Orientation

Tuesday, August 2
Discover: Transfer Student Orientation

Friday, August 5
Summer six-week session closes
Student Voice Recital: Patricia Rose, 5 p.m., Music Building Recital Hall

Friday, August 19
Summer second and full sessions close

Thursday, August 25
Soccer: CWU women vs. Chico State, noon, university soccer complex

Saturday, August 27
Football: CWU vs. University of North Dakota, 1 p.m., Tomlinson Field

For other August 2005 calendar items, visit: http://www.cwu.edu/campuscalendar.html