To the Campus Community:

Recent newspaper articles have described the downturn in applications to colleges in Washington state. As with any complex story, there are some accurate statements of fact in the reports and some important aspects of context for those facts that have been omitted.

So what are the facts? There has indeed been a downturn in applications at all public baccalaureate institutions in Washington, as well as at some private colleges and universities. This trend is also apparent in other states. Given what until recently was a projected upswing in high school graduates entering college, expected to last until 2008, this development is surprising. It's also troubling in light of the state's comparatively low participation rate at the baccalaureate level and the increasing demands of the economy for baccalaureate degree completion.

It is also true that CWU's applications have declined more than those of any other public baccalaureate institution in the state this year. Here, however, is where context is needed to counter some misunderstandings about what this means.

First, let me assure you that CWU anticipates enrolling a similar number of freshmen students this coming year as it did during the current year. In fact, we have received 3,832 applications to date and can only enroll about 1,425 of those. Our yield this year - the number of students who enroll out of those we accept - exceeds last year at the same time. As was the case last year, we are turning away unqualified students.

How do enrollments relate to the applications problem? Applications stand as a marker for enrollment but don't correlate perfectly with it. This is because students vary in the number of institutions they apply to: some to only one, others to several. The actual freshman enrollment is more closely tied to the number of students who are offered admission than to the number of students who apply. Last year, CWU had a record number of applications, mirroring a similar development nationally when - for some reason - applications were up dramatically at colleges and universities around the country. At CWU, that record number of freshmen applications also led to a record number of students being denied admission to the university. So this year's decline in applications is from an unusually high number last year.

The next question is obvious: why are applications down at CWU and other institutions? One possible explanation is the economy. It's a truism in higher education that when the economy is strong, some potential students "stop out" of their academic pursuits in order to take advantage of opportunities in the workplace. This has surely affected the state's community and technical colleges as well, where enrollment has been down for the past two years. And that decline in community college enrollments inevitably has an impact on upper division enrollments at the state's baccalaureate institutions.

Other circumstances may also affect the number of applications, and we suspect one in particular has played a role in this year's downturn: the application fee to Washington public baccalaureates increased from $35 to $50 since last year. We believe this may have made students more conservative about applying to multiple institutions. It might mean, for example, that students who would have listed three schools in the past will now list only two. This doesn't affect CWU's numbers for students who would have selected CWU among their top two choices. (75 per cent of students who enroll at CWU list it as their first choice.) However, the higher application fees might eliminate CWU for students who had listed it third behind other universities. The problem might have been exacerbated by CWU's relatively later cutoff date, which could have encouraged students to apply first to schools that had earlier deadlines.

Another possible factor is that this was the first year that EWU and CWU added an essay requirement for applicants. We thought the essay would be helpful for those cases in which a student's admission index (a function of SAT plus GPA) was below our cutoff and a comprehensive review process would be required for full admission. Though we don't have comparative data for 2005, we feel certain that the nearly 2,500 incomplete applications - most of which were completed up to the point of the essay requirement - were a function of this new requirement. The essay added significant preparation for which, it appears, some students weren't ready.

Importantly, despite these and possibly other factors influencing application behaviors, several facts remain true: CWU's freshman applications skyrocketed between 2001 and 2005, increasing by 54 percent, considerably more than our closest competitor, EWU, at 45 percent or WWU at 26 percent. This year's decrease evens out the picture a bit, but CWU continues to have the greatest increase in enrollments since 2001 at 28 percent, followed by WWU at 17 percent and EWU at 12 percent. Third, the entire state, but especially CWU, is witnessing a demographic shift in its high school-graduating class population base toward citizens - primarily low income and students of color - who have a lower participation rate in college than has been true in previous decades. This is a bigger problem to solve, and Central is working aggressively to do so through collaborative ventures with the P-12 schools.

Furthermore, CWU bases its enrollment projections not only on the number of freshmen who come to Central but also on retention of existing students and on transfer enrollments. CWU's freshman-to-sophomore retention numbers are well above the national average at just shy of 80 percent and upper division students are retained at well above 80 percent. In addition, we admit a larger percentage of transfer students than any other public baccalaureate as a function of our strong alliances with the state's community college system. We already have 100 more transfer student confirmations than we did at the same time in 2005 despite the recent decline in community college enrollments.

So, while it's true that the tide of applications we received last year has stemmed a little, there continues to be interest in and demand for admission to CWU.

Jerilyn S. McIntyre
President

Dr. Stephen Krashen, an expert in the field of linguistics, in particular language acquisition and development, conducted a half-day workshop and presented the keynote address at the Washington Association for Bilingual Education (WABE) annual conference May 12-13 at Central.

Krashen, who holds a Ph.D. in Linguistics from UCLA, is a professor emeritus at the University of Southern California. He developed the first comprehensive theory of second language development, is also an award-winning author of more than 250 journal articles and books, including "Condemned without a Trial: Bogus Arguments Against Bilingual Education."

"Dr. Krashen's recent work has documented how quality bilingual education programs have improved the academic and English language development of English language learning students (TESL)," says Dr. Craig Hughes, a CWU bilingual education/teaching English as a second language program professor.

CWU's bilingual education/TESL program has expanded significantly over the past five years, including a nearly $4 million training grant to better prepare mainstream teachers for working with English language learners, according to Hughes.

Dr. David Soltz, CWU provost/senior vice president for academic affairs, has announced that Bill Bryson's "A Short History of Nearly Everything" has been selected for the second year of the university's One Book, One Campus project.

While designed to cultivate reading and critical-thinking skills among first year students, the project encourages all Central community members to read the same book in the hope and expectation that a shared reading experience will generate discussion, both in and out of the classroom.

Various forums and events related to the book will be scheduled during the 2006-07 academic year. More specifics on events, book copies and other relevant information will be made available soon.

Information regarding the One Book, One Campus project can be found at www.cwu.edu/~provost/one_book/. The site will be updated over the summer as events related to the book are planned.

CWU is on the verge of offering a Bachelor of Arts sequence in film and video studies (FVS). As designed, the program is an innovative, interdisciplinary, undergraduate program in which students complete a sequence of core courses and chose a specialization in critical studies, production or both. Any student with a minimum grade point average of 2.4 may be admitted to this program.

The FVS interdisciplinary major has received approval from the university's academic advisory council, faculty senate and board of trustees. It is awaiting authorization from the state Higher Education Coordinating Board (HECB).

The minors are already listed in the fall quarter catalog and the major will begin "ramping up" this fall with the initial offering of FVS 250 Introduction to Film and Video Studies. Additional supporting curriculum will be introduced throughout the academic year, according to Dr. Michael Ogden, CWU communications professor.

CWU's Vocal Jazz I, Jazz Band I and Alumni Jazz Ensembles will be the featured performers at the John Moawad Jazz Scholarship Concert, Saturday, June 3, at 7 p.m. in Benaroya's Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall in Seattle. The tribute concert, presented by the College of Arts and Humanities is designed to help endow the John Moawad Jazz Scholarship, will also showcase the talents of CWU music students and alumni.

Tickets are $35 for general admission and $25 for students and seniors. They are available by calling the Benaroya Hall Box Office at (206) 215-4747, through any Ticketmaster outlet and on the Ticketmaster Web site at www.ticketmaster.com.

The concert is made possible through the CWU Foundation's Carrico Endowment.

A new campus attraction will be dedicated at Central on Friday, June 2, at 10 a.m. It will be one of the only open-air butterfly gardens on a college campus anywhere in the world, according to Nan Doolittle, CWU art and family and consumer sciences instructor.

The garden is her brainchild. Sadly, it was a brainchild born out of tragedy -- the death, two-years ago from bile duct cancer, of her then 31-year-old daughter. The garden will be named the "Leah Polacek Butterfly Garden" in her honor. It will be located on the east side of Mitchell Hall.

Polacek graduated in 1995 from CWU with a degree in education and special education endorsement. Before her death, she established the "Hawaiian Cowboys," a "Relay for Life" team benefiting the American Cancer Society.

Members of the CWU grounds crew and the Hawaiian Cowboys worked in conjunction planting shrubbery, comprised of vegetation native to Kittitas County and central Washington, for the butterfly garden. The Hawaiian Cowboys will maintain it in the future.

The garden will be an educational resource in that it will feature interpretive signs following the life cycle of the butterfly from egg to adult, while also designed to be a place of beauty and solitude for CWU students, faculty, staff and visitors to campus.

Darlene Sirrine, continuing education program assistant, was honored as the university civil service "Employee of the Month" for April. During surprise ceremonies, she received a certificate and $125 from the president's discretionary fund, through the CWU civil service employee recognition program.

Those nominating Sirrine said:

• "Darlene exemplifies the phrase 'grace under pressure.' With extraordinary competency, she attends to the administrative details of dozens of Continuing Ed. courses and programs. Darlene consistently provides excellent customer service. Continuing Education Program faculty work closely with Darlene and depend upon her competence, the program participants benefit from her warmth and patience and the Continuing Education staff appreciates her skill and spirit. I think of Darlene as the anchor of Continuing Education."

Initiated by the CWU civil service employee council, recognition goes to employees who foster a personalized environment that supports members of the university community as well as the mission of Central.

University students, faculty and staff, along with Ellensburg community members, are encouraged to make signed or anonymous nominations for employees of the month. Nomination forms are available from the CWU human resources office, employee council representatives and on-line at: www.cwu.edu/~hr/ec/index.html.

Teams from CWU placed third and sixth at the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Pacific-West Regional HR Games, which were held in April at the University of Hawaii at Manoa in Honolulu.

The Pacific-West Region competition includes teams from schools in the region, which encompasses Washington, Oregon, Idaho, California, Alaska, Hawaii, Montana, Nevada and Wyoming.

Seniors Kristine Forman and Morgan Pang, and junior Becky Gubser were on CWU-Red, which placed third. The sixth-place CWU-Black team was comprised of seniors Liz Westermark, Sarah Dunkinson and Stephen Johnson.

The competition involved a series of game-show style matches between teams, of up to three undergraduate students, which answer questions in categories similar to what is found on the Professional in Human Resources certification exam, include management practices, selection and recruitment, training and development, compensation and benefits, employee/labor relations and health, safety and security.

The CWU squads qualified to compete at the regional level after finishing first and third at the state HR Games in March in Seattle.

Karen BLAIR (history) has published her seventh book. Titled "Joining In: Exploring the History of Voluntary Organizations in America," it is part of the "Nearby History Series," founded at the American Association for State and Local History and produced by Krieger Publishers, of Melbourne, Fla. It allows researchers to investigate societies they belong to or those their ancestors joined. Ellensburg and Kittitas County history are also featured in Blair's new work, through photos taken by John Holmgrin, a CWU art graduate. They include service clubs' signage at the I-90 exchange, the Friday Morning Club clock in downtown Ellensburg, Roslyn cemetery, IOOF halls in Ellensburg and Cle Elum, and the bull sculpture in Ellensburg's Rotary Pavilion

CWU EMPLOYEES
Civil Service new hires: Diana Engels, Early Childhood Program Specialist 3, Early Childhood Learning Center - Rainbow Center; Brian Helliar, Student Union Building Coordinator, Campus Life; Deana Wanner, Early Childhood Program Specialist 3, Early Childhood Learning Center - Rainbow Center.

Civil Service job change: Bryan Bachman-Rhodes, Office Assistant 2, Education Department.

Exempt new hires: James Armstrong, Interim Director of Alumni Affairs, Office of Alumni Relations; Victor De Los Santos, Development Officer - Student Affairs & Enrollment Management, Development.

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

Michael BRAUNSTEIN (physics) and Steven WAGNER (biological sciences) received the Outstanding Faculty Mentor of Student Research awards at CWU's 2006 Symposium on University Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE).
SOURCE student awards were presented to:
Undergraduate student, oral presentation:

• Lindy MULLEN, biological sciences, WAGNER, faculty mentor -- "Consequences of Dissolved Oxygen and Temperature on the Respiration of Pacific Northwest Stream Associated Salamanders";
• Anthony SMITH, physics, Andy PIACESK, faculty mentor -- "Elastic and Vibrational Properties of a Regular Tensegrity Structure";
• Nicole PAULK, chemistry, Anne JOHANSEN, faculty mentor -- "Iron Photochemical Dissolution in Simulated Marine Aerosols";
• Joe WILLAUER, geography and land studies, Gina BLOODWORTH, faculty mentor -- "Urban Growth in The Columbia Basin";
• Lindsey GAY, Douglas Honors College, Sura RATH, faculty mentor -- " Toward the Romantic Sublime: Imagination and Creative Power in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein";
• Mikelle CHARLEBOIS, anthropology, Lene PEDERSEN, faculty mentor -- "Myths Across Cultures: Oedipus and the Great Flood"; and
• Tycy HUGHES, law and justice, Sarah BRITTO, faculty mentor -- "What's So Special About 'Law and Order: Special Victims Unit'?"

Graduate student, oral presentation:

• Shannon WILSON, English, Chris SCHEDLER, faculty mentor -- "Motherhood and Power in Toni Morrison's 'Beloved'";
• Jeff CHARBONNEAU, biological sciences, WAGNER, faculty mentor -- "Project CROAK! Community-Based Research";
• Daniel DIDRICKSEN, resource management, Anthony GABRIEL, faculty mentor -- "Using Benthic Macroinvertebrates to Evaluate Stream Habitat for Steelhead Trout (Oncorhynchus Mykiss) Reintroduction"; and
• Marc FAIRBANKS, resource management, Robert HICKEY, faculty mentor -- "An Examination of Geovisualization Using Building and Power Infrastructure Development Projects";

Undergraduate student, poster presentation:

• Stephanie BRYNER, chemistry, Carin THOMAS, faculty mentor -- "The Effect of Crystal Violet on Cellular Respiration";
• Callie HAYES, geological sciences, Carey GAZIS, faculty mentor -- "Teaching Geology Students about Water Quality: Integrating Chemical Data Analysis and Interpretation into General Education Geology";
• Amy BERKLEY, biological sciences, Mary POULSON, faculty mentor -- "Production of Dehydrin Proteins as a Mechanism for Enhanced Environmental Stress Tolerance in Plants Grown Under Ambient Ultraviolet-B Radiation"; and
• David HOANG, art, Brian GOELTZENLEUCHTER, faculty mentor -- "Transfigured";

Graduate student, poster presentation:

• Cooper BROSSY, geological sciences, Lisa ELY, faculty mentor -- "Fluvial Response to Intra-Canyon Lava Flows, Southeast Oregon."

For the past two years, as funds have permitted, the university's Technology Committee has made awards of up to $50,000 for requests related to providing technology resources and/or services to CWU students. Funded requests must be for general student use, not departmental only requests.

The committee, comprised of faculty, staff and students, has announced it will fund two requests this year to provide additional technology services to students across campus.

The first grant, of $37,500, is for the purchase of 25 new laptop computers for checkout from the Student Information Center in the new Student Union. They will replace the 15 laptops purchased three-years ago when the program began in the Samuelson Union Building, according to Dave Storla, technology fee committee advisor.

Combined with another 15 laptops recently purchased by the university's Scheduling Center, 40 laptops will be available for student use in the Student Union and Recreation Center by summer quarter.

Another $12,500 went to the Office of Academic Achievement Programs. That money will provide 400 hours of online tutoring in a test program designed to provide around-the-clock tutoring help to CWU students in specific subjects.

The award funding comes from a share of the $25 quarterly student technology fees, charged to recover the costs of providing and maintaining services to students that include access to the Internet, e-mail, computer and multimedia work stations and laboratories, computer software and dial-up telephone services.

Nominees are invited for the 2006-07 Mahajani International Scholar award. This annual honor goes to one international student each academic year in memory of Dr. Usha Mahajani, who served as a CWU political science professor from 1965 until her death in 1979.

The Mahajani International Scholar is an international student who best reflects Dr. Usha Mahajani's enthusiastic commitment to academic excellence, intellectual development and community service. Students are eligible to apply at the completion of their sophomore or junior year with the recipient receiving the scholarship the following fall quarter.

The Mahajani International Scholar for 2006-07 will receive $1,000, awarded at the beginning of fall quarter 2006. The recipient will be recognized with CWU student-scholar recipients during the spring 2007 Building Bridges scholarship ceremony.

Eligibility Requirements:

• CWU international, undergraduate, degree-seeking student who is in F-1 non-immigrant student status
• Academic excellence demonstrated by a cumulative GPA of 3.25 or higher.
• Campus, departmental and/or community service which demonstrates application of student's international perspective and academic interests.

To nominate an international student, e-mail his or her name to Nancy Vogel, vogeln@cwu.edu. An invitation to apply for the 2006-07 Mahajani International Scholar Award will then be forwarded to the student.

Randy Parks, custodian, Conference and Retail Services, and Lee Shapiro, broadcast technician, Multimedia Technology and Instructional Support, are need of shared leave.

CWU employees may donate leave to a fellow employee: 1) who is suffering from or has a relative or household member who is 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, 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 (vacation) and sick leave in eight-hour blocks. A minimum balance of 80 hours of annual leave must be maintained. Excess annual leave (that over 240 hours) that will otherwise be lost may not be donated. A minimum balance of 176 hours of sick leave must be maintained. All or a portion of your personal holiday may also be donated.

The shared leave donation form can be downloaded from the HR forms section of the Human Resources home page (www.cwu.edu/~hr/forms/shared_leave_donation_form.doc) or requested from the human resources office by calling ext. 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 HR.

Employees who accrue annual leave (vacation) will lose hours in excess of 240 hours on the first day of the employee's leave anniversary month (see below).

For example: if your leave anniversary month is June, your annual leave balance as of June 1st must be at or below 240 hours. If your annual leave balance exceeds 240 hours after your accrued time for May is added in, any hours above 240 will be erased from the record.

Leave balances and leave anniversary month are printed on your pay stub/advice. The leave balance that appears on the 25th paycheck is your leave balance as of the 16th of the month. It includes your accrual for the previous month and any leave taken between the 1st and the 15th of the month. It does not include the current month's accrual, nor does it include any leave taken after the 15th of the month.

Please resolve any questions regarding possible loss of vacation before reaching the 240-hour maximum. It is your responsibility to monitor your leave balances and know your leave anniversary month.

Classified staff - The first day of the month beginning the employee's most recent date of hire into state service.

Exempt Employees - The first day of the month in which the employee began his/her latest period of continuous employment in a vacation leave eligible position at CWU.

Questions concerning leave balances and anniversary dates should be directed to the timekeeper in your department. Policy or procedural questions may be directed to the Human Resources Office at ext. 1202.

THURSDAY, JUNE 1
Music Concert: Chamber Orchestra, 7 p.m., Music Building Concert Hall
Theatre: "Dr. Betty Evans Original One-Act Play Festival," 7 p.m., Milo Smith Tower Theatre, $5

FRIDAY, JUNE 2
Dedication Ceremony: "Leah Polacek Butterfly Garden," 10 a.m., east side of Mitchell Hall
Student Recital: Heather Hart, violin, 6 p.m., Music Building Recital Hall
Music Concert: Jazz Nite I, 7 p.m., Music Building Concert Hall
Theatre: "Dr. Betty Evans Original One-Act Play Festival," 8 p.m., Milo Smith Tower Theatre, $5

SATURDAY, JUNE 3
Senior Recital: Dan Taylor, piano, noon, Music Building Recital Hall
Music Recital: Horn Studio, 2 p.m., Music Building Recital Hall
Music Concert: Concert and Symphonic bands, 4 p.m., Music Building Concert Hall
Music Recital: Guitar Ensemble, 7 p.m., Music Building Recital Hall
John Moawad Jazz Scholarship Concert: CWU Vocal Jazz I, CWU Alumni Jazz Ensembles, and CWU Jazz Band I, 7 p.m., Benaroya's Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall, Seattle, $35 general admission, $25 for students and seniors
Theatre: "Dr. Betty Evans Original One-Act Play Festival," 8 p.m., Milo Smith Tower Theatre, $5

SUNDAY, JUNE 4
Joint Student Recital: Jamie Collins, piano, and Carilyn Thorne, voice, 2 p.m., Music Building Recital Hall
Music Concert: Symphony Orchestra, 4 p.m., Music Building Concert Hall
Joint Student Recital: Chris Thomas, trumpet, and Tiffany Lawrence, voice, 7 p.m., Music Building Recital Hall

MONDAY, JUNE 5
Final exams begin
Music Recital: Preparatory String Program, 6:30 p.m., Music Building Concert Hall

FRIDAY, JUNE 9
End of spring quarter
Meeting: CWU Board of Trustees, 1 p.m., Barge 412
Music Concert: Prep Choir, 7 p.m., Music Building Concert Hall
Honors Convocation: 8 p.m., McConnell Auditorium

For other June 2006 calendar items, visit: http://www.cwu.edu/wv3_cal

SATURDAY, JUNE 10
Commencement: Eastside No. 1, College of Education and Professional Studies and College of Business 9:30 a.m., Tomlinson Field
Commencement: Eastside No. 2, College of Arts and Humanities, College of the Sciences, and general and individual study majors, 1:30 p.m., Tomlinson Field
Music Concert: Ellensburg Music Teachers Piano Ensemble, 7 p.m., Music Building Concert Hall

SUNDAY, JUNE 11
Commencement: Westside, 6:30 p.m., Benaroya Hall, Seattle

MONDAY, JUNE 19
Summer first and full sessions begin

MONDAY, JUNE 26
Summer six-week session begins