Board of Trustees "Kudos" Report
March 2004

Faculty & Staff

Photography adjunct instructor Sean Perry was awarded first place in photography at the Baker Arts Center's seventh annual National Juried Art Exhibition held Jan. 10-Feb. 29 in Liberal, Kan. Perry's entry, "and around...," is a toned gelatin silver photograph featuring in near silhouette a vintage fairground swing ride. Perry's work also has been added to the permanent collection of the Hubbard Museum of the American West, a Smithsonian affiliate in Ruidoso Downs, N.M.

Northridge Campus Building Attendant Wayne Johnson completed his Building Attendant Certification in December.

Dr. Cynthia Cone, dean of the Arts and Humanities Division, is the lead author of an article published in the winter edition of "The Department Chair" magazine. The article, Competition or Cooperation: Which Strategy Most Effectively Gains Optimal Funding?, addresses strategies employed when institutional operating funds are limited. It also discusses the disadvantages of internal competition among academic departments and opportunities presented through cooperation and resource sharing.

ACC School District Distance Learning Manager Debbie Fredrickson organized an international videoconference for Manor High School students. The conference connected Manor's Spanish students with a class in Spain so the students from both countries could converse in Spanish and learn about each other's lives.

The Houston chapter of the Society for Technical Communication has presented Learning Labs tutoring specialist Teresa Shu an "Excellence" award for her online document Help for xThink Calculator. The calculator is a level 3 type of software technology for the Tablet PC. It is pen-based and uses Intelligent Recognition technology that is expected to change the way math is learned and taught.

At the request of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, Health Professions Institute Director Kirk White will give a presentation on Distance Learning Nursing Refresher: Helping Nurses Reconnect with Health Care during the Seamless Transitions State Conference on March 8-10 in Dallas. The presentation discusses the Health Professions Institute's Perkins project, which provides access to nurses wanting to return to the clinical setting.

San Marcos-Lamar Center supervisor Sherry Priddy is serving on advisory committees for several San Marcos-area initiatives including: Computers for Learning, a pilot program that will provide refurbished computers, training, and repair for Hernandez Middle School fifth-graders; the Community Action Adult Education Program, which serves Travis County and nine surrounding counties; and the San Marcos/Texas State ENLACE Coalition's San Marcos College Assistance Fair, designed as a "one-stop" for area prospective college students. Priddy has also been scheduled as guest speaker for Community Action and the Hays County Literacy Action Council.

Barry Silverberg, director of the Center for Community-Based and Nonprofit Organizations, will serve on the review committee for the annual Governor's Volunteer Awards.

Photography adjunct instructor Nine François exhibited her work at the International Hereford Photography Festival in Hereford, England, where she displayed prints from her animal series and gave a lecture. The U.S. Embassy in London provided Nine a travel grant, and Cone's Press sponsored her work. Nine's work is also on display at Gold's Berry Gallery in Houston as part of the International Fotofest, and this semester she will be an exhibitor and guest speaker at the University of Central Arkansas.

The State Board for Educator Certification has appointed Computer Science Department Chair Mary Kohls to serve on the Computer Science 8-12 Test Framework Committee that is overseeing development of a certification exam to be administered to students wanting to teach computer science at the high school level. Kohls' committee will ensure the test's relevancy by looking at the framework domain and questions, accuracy of the answers, cultural bias, and the knowledge required to perform effectively in the classroom.

Photography adjunct instructor Kathryn Watts-Martinez has been notified that four Argyrotype process photographs she entered will be featured in the Yildiz Technical University International Exhibition of Photography in Istanbul, Turkey. One will be featured in the exhibit catalog. Kathryn's photographs are currently on display at the Texas State Capitol office of Rep. Jack Stick, as well as in galleries in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; Melbourne, Australia; and New York City.

Students

Photography students Leah Polkowske and Sheri Lane-Davis captured top honors from the Photo Imaging Education Association (PIEA) for their computer assisted images. Leah received grand prize in the computer assisted images category for her entry "Troll," while Sheri Lane-Davis earned second place for her entry, "Glass Apple," as part of PIEA's International Student-Teacher Photo Exhibition and Competition. You can view their images at www.pieapma.org/gallery/2004/college-university_assisted.htm.

Accounting Department faculty have received notice, accompanied with sincere thanks, from four students who passed all four parts of the Certified Public Accounting exam in November. They are Joan "Jiong" McNutt, Arlena Percival, Mark Ruiz, and Eric Friar.
Community

The Creative Writing Department took over 12th Street Books for an evening of student readings and musical entertainment. Twenty-three students attended the event, and many read from their work. Faculty participants included humanities adjunct Ken Fontenot, creative writing adjuncts John Herndon and Paige Deshong, and Creative Writing Department Chair Lyman Grant. Herndon, who is associate director of The Balcones Center for Creative Writing at ACC, organized the event and served as master of ceremonies.

The Health Sciences Division administrative staff created valentine favors for the teachers at two schools near the location of the health sciences programs—Oak Springs Elementary near the Eastview Campus and Allison Elementary near the Riverside Campus.

KLRU-TV will feature ACC in an upcoming series, "What Am I Going to Do with the Rest of My Life?," which informs a high school-age target audience about career opportunities. A segment in the 13-part series will spotlight the Visual Communication Department's computer animation education and the Continuing Education Division's video game design program.

ACC students Omar Alaryan, John Moss, Bertha Saldana, and Scott Stewart joined more than 40 other college students for a "Raise Your Voice: Student Action for Change" leadership training sponsored by the Texas Campus Compact, a coalition that supports campus-based community service in higher education. Student leaders have organized activities that celebrate and increase student civic engagement during the Feb. 15-March 20 campaign, including voter registration drives, classroom presentations on civic engagement, and volunteer fairs.

Austin Fire Department Capt. Joe Limon, of the Emergency Prevention Division, forwarded his commendations to General Services Project Manager Marcia Babin for her assistance during a fire inspection at the Highland Business Center. "You should be very proud to have someone like Marcia on your staff who represents ACC in a very professional and positive manner," Limon wrote the Facilities Department.

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