Ronnie Bastin, police chief for Lexington-Fayette Urban County, was recognized as the College’s Distinguished Professional and LaDonna Thompson, commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Corrections, was presented with the Dean’s Award.

However, the highlight of the evening was the presentation of the Distinguished Graduate Student award to First Lt. Heath Bergmann from the School of Safety, Security and Emergency Management.

Bergmann, Active Duty Army Officer, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Ft. Campbell, Ky., currently stationed in Afghanistan, received a standing ovation from the audience as he appeared live via Skype on the video screens in the Perkins Conference Center. His wife, Lynze, accepted the award on his behalf.

Bergmann, who earned his undergraduate degree and commission from EKU, is continuing to work on his Safety, Security and Emergency Management master’s degree online during his deployment.

The Distinguished Undergraduate Student award recipient from the School of Safety, Security and Emergency Management was Emily Kinney from Decatur, Ill.

From the School of Justice Studies, Polina Karpova, from Omsk, Russia, was named the Distinguished Graduate Student, and David Crawford, a criminal justice major attending the Hazard campus, received the Distinguished Undergraduate Student award.

Criminal justice and political science major Justin “Seth” Henderson received the Student Dean’s award.

Randy Shaw, a 1979 graduate now serving as an advanced health, environmental and safety professional with Marathon Petroleum Company, received the Distinguished Alumnus award.

The Outstanding Faculty Awards went to Dr. Scotty Dunlap, program coordinator of the Online Master’s Program in the School of Safety, Security and Emergency Management, and Dr. Kristie Blevins, associate professor from the School of Criminal Justice.

The Distinguished Staff award went to Administrative Operations Officer Jennifer Goins, a 2009 graduate.

The gift will support the Rutledge-Dowerman Endowed Scholarship Fund and benefit deserving EKU students for years to come. Combined with past contributions, the estate gift makes Dowerman, a 1933 graduate of Eastern Kentucky State Teachers College, one of the University’s most generous benefactors.

A Richmond native who spent much of her life in Florida before retiring to Danville, said in 1996 when she established the scholarship fund that she “always had a great love for Eastern. First of all, you get a wonderful education there, as good as any college. And I made some wonderful friendships there that lasted a lifetime.”

Dowerman’s father, Dr. John Hunt Rutledge, and her brother, Dr. Harold Rutledge, both practiced medicine in Richmond. Both of her brothers, Dr. Harold Rutledge and Dr. Charles Rutledge, also earned degrees at Eastern.

After graduating from Eastern, Dowerman served as a librarian at her alma mater and then at Broward Community College in Florida, where she was active in college and community fine and performing arts activities and helped her husband, Jake, run the family farm. Not long after her husband passed away, she moved to Danville, where she was similarly involved in the community. She passed away in October 2012 at the age of 100.

She also earned a degree from Vanderbilt University Peabody College and attended graduate school at the University of Wisconsin. In 1997, Dowerman was inducted into the EKU Hall of Distinguished Alumni and received an honorary Doctor of Letters degree from the University. In 2000, when she served as grand marshal of EKU’s annual Homecoming Parade, Dr. Skip Daugherty, then associate vice president and executive director of the University’s Alumni Association, said, “Mrs. Dowerman is one of those special people whose love for Eastern is contagious.”

The resulting documentary, “Two Brothers,” which Jason, 33, co-directed and co-produced with Fitch, will be shown on KET this summer and is slated to be screened at two national film festivals in May: the Grand Rapids (Mich.) Film Festival and the Sunset Film Festival of Los Angeles (where it has been awarded honorable mention).

The story of the 27-year-old Kentucky National Guardsman who served two tours of combat duty in Iraq before returning to Harlan, Ky., is told from the perspective of Jason, a sophomore broadcast and electronic media major at EKU and the eldest of three brothers, who said that the brother who returned in 2008 was not the same brother he had known before – which gave him the film’s title.

In video clips of interviews, Joe tells of the nightmares, anxiety, depression and drinking that came with PTSD. Participating in making the documentary has been part of Joe’s exposure therapy, which involves talking about all of one’s issues. But Joe told the Richmond Register he also wants it to be an example for other veterans to see there is help and hope for them.

Jason and Fitch accumulated more than eight hours of interviews with Joe, his parents, his VA therapist and his fiancée, which was used to create the 30-minute documentary. They began work on the project in June 2012 and the final version was finished in March. The project was funded by EKU and private donors through the fundraising website, Kickstarter.

The short film features original music composed by Emmy Award-nominated recording artist Rench, who composed the theme song music for the FX network show, “Justified.”

“When I first agreed to work with Jason on this project, I had no idea that it would turn into a personal and professional labor of love,” Fitch said. “I usually just supervise EKU film projects, but this time I decided to take a hands-on approach as a director and producer. I feel that this story is important.

“With almost a million vets returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, it’s now essential to talk about taking care of those who’ve sacrificed so much for us,” he continued. “It’s an honor to have worked on this project, and I’m proud of EKU for being such a supportive community for veterans. The Kentucky National Guard, the Veterans Administration, and GotYour6.org have also been extremely supportive of this project.”

In 1941, when Merton entered the Abbey of Gethsemani, a Trappist monastery near Bardstown, monks were allowed to write two half-page letters four times a year. At the time of his death in 1968, Merton had become one of the most prolific writers of the 20th century, publishing poetry, religious writings, an autobiography, essays, reviews, and photography. At his death, he left 800,000 words of unpublished personal writings, letters and journals, and tape recordings of talks he had given, which have since been transcribed, edited and released.

“What we know about Merton is that his life was a paradox,” Morehead said. “He was a man who loved the silence afforded a monk, yet needed the political platform of a social activist. So he wrote about the beauty of the world, the individual’s search for meaning, the unity of creation, silence and contemplation; and he wrote about the atrocities of the modern world: the nuclear bomb, Hitler’s death camps, protest against the Vietnam War, and frustration over his country’s racism. This lecture will take a close look at Merton’s poems written from both the contemplative and the activist sides of his nature. For Merton these two poles, which became inseparable, were each vital for salvation.”

Morehead has published four collections of poetry: “In a Yellow Room,” “A Sense of Time Left,” “The Melancholy Teacher” and “Late August Blues: The Daylily Poems.” Another book, “Our Brothers’ War” with Pat Carr, is a collection of poems by Morehead and stories by Carr based on the lives of Kentucky women during the Civil War.

In addition to the collections, individual poems have appeared in numerous publications. Morehead’s work is featured in “The Kentucky Anthology: Two Hundred Years of Writing in the Bluegrass State,” “Conversations with Kentucky Writers II” and “Kentucky Voices: A Bicentennial Celebration of Kentucky Writing.” Her writings also appeared in "Place Gives Rise to Spirit: Writers on Louisville" and “Savory Memories.

For more information, contact Chautauqua Lecture Coordinator Dr. Minh Nguyen at minh.nguyen@eku.edu.

“We are so pleased to receive this national recognition,” said Susan Fister, executive director of BCHC and professor of nursing at EKU. “This recognition represents a staff committed to quality care for the patients we serve. The achievement of the standards required for this recognition is particularly impressive given that most of our patients are poor, uninsured, and non-English speaking.”

The patient-centered medical home is a model of care emphasizing care coordination and communication to transform primary care into “what patients want it to be.” Research shows that medical homes can lead to higher quality and lower costs, and improve patients’ and providers’ reported experiences of care. The PCMH identifies practices that promote partnerships between individual patients and their personal clinicians, instead of treating patient care as the sum of several episodic office visits.

Each patient’s care is tended to by clinician-led care teams, who provide for all the patient’s health care needs and coordinate treatments across the health care system. Medical home clinicians demonstrate the benchmarks of patient-centered care, including open scheduling, expanded hours and appropriate use of proven health information systems.

“The patient-centered medical home raises the bar in defining high-quality care by emphasizing access, health information technology and partnerships between clinicians and patients,” NCQA President Margaret E. O’Kane said. “Recognition shows that the Bluegrass Community Health Center has the tools, systems and resources to provide their patients with the right care at the right time.”

A non-profit Federally Qualified Health Center, BCHC provides patient-centered preventive and primary healthcare for pediatric, adult, and geriatric patients in Fayette, Madison, Clark, Scott, Bourbon, Woodford, Jessamine and Garrard counties through its two Lexington clinics: 1306 Versailles Road, Suite 120 and 151 N. Eagle Creek, Suite 220. BCHC provides services to the uninsured and accepts Medicaid, Medicare and many private insurance plans. Most BCHC patients are charged on a sliding fee scale based on the family size and income (federal poverty guidelines).

To receive recognition, which is valid for three years, BCHC demonstrated the ability to meet the program’s key elements embodying characteristics of the medical home. The standards are aligned with the joint principles of the Patient-Centered Medical Home established with the American College of Physicians, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Osteopathic Association.

For more information about BCHC services, call 859-977-7470.

Commissioner Comer; President Whitlock; state Rep. Rita Smart (D-Richmond); Jacob Garrison, a member of the EKU student Green Crew sustainability group; and officials with Kentucky Proud and EKU cut a maroon ribbon to open a kiosk featuring Kentucky Proud products in the university bookstore.

“This is a very special day for Kentucky agriculture and the Kentucky Proud program,” Commissioner Comer told the gathering, adding that campus shoppers throughout the Commonwealth should be on the lookout for many more such displays. “We’re going to work with all the colleges and universities in Kentucky to get more Kentucky Proud products on the shelf in the bookstores in special Kentucky Proud sections like you have here … [and] also to get more Kentucky Proud products in the cafeteria.

“It’s very fitting that we announce this initiative today at Eastern Kentucky University because you have so many good students who are into sustainability. You have so many teachers and professors who are committed to educating students about agriculture and training future leaders in agriculture in rural Kentucky.”

“Aramark is committed to increasing the number and volume of Kentucky Proud products that we serve in our food service operation,” Whitlock said. “This is the right thing to do for the Kentucky agricultural community, and it’s the right thing to do for our students.”

In addition to using more shelf-stable Kentucky Proud products, EKU executive chef Todd Pagan said he is working to source more raw commodities, such as meats and produce, from Kentucky Proud producers. EKU’s dairy products are already Kentucky Proud, sourced from Borden Dairy in London, Ky.

Under the Farm to Campus program, the Kentucky Department of Agriculture will partner with EKU and other Kentucky colleges and universities to help with their buy-local efforts. Over the next two years, the department will target college campuses to put more shelf-stable Kentucky Proud products in their bookstores and gift shops, and more farm-fresh Kentucky Proud products in their cafeterias and food service systems.

“Not only are you buying food that’s fresher and healthier, and keeping your money in your local economy, but you’re reducing your carbon footprint,” Commissioner Comer said. “That’s a big part of sustainability.”

The KDA will also work with the universities and student sustainability groups, such as the Green Crew, on Kentucky Proud/buy local efforts in Richmond and other college towns.

“This is really kind of a milestone for our university,” Garrison said. “To teach students how to be more sustainable in life – where better than on a campus to do that?

“By adopting sustainable choices – whether it be through food purchases, recycling, whatever – I think we’re certainly making an impact.”

Conference attendees will explore up-and-coming career opportunities in science, technology, engineering and math, and learn proactive steps to help girls overcome roadblocks to their success in these fields.

Keynote speakers include Dr. Tracie Prater, materials engineer at United Launch Alliance; Dr. Suzanne Smith, director of NASA Kentucky Space Grant Consortium and NASA EPSCoR Program at the University of Kentucky; and Dr. Tanea Reed, assistant professor in EKU’s Department of Chemistry. A panel session of experts in “What Works” includes Kristy Fehr, Kentucky’s Outstanding Elementary Science Teacher 2012; Cynthia Warner from Kentucky Educational Television; Liza Holland of “STEM Sparks” from Tates Creek Middle School; Wendi Eads, chemistry faculty member and coach of the Madison Central High School’s Science Olympiad Team; and Jen Carter from Space Science Center at Morehead State University. A second panel session will include successful females from middle school, high school, college, industry, and academia, including Dr. Kristen Brennan from Alltech.

Registration for the conference will be online only from May 1 to May 31 at www.ngcproject.org/kentucky-girls-stem-collaborative-annual-conference. The registration fee for the conference is $30 per person.

In conjunction with the conference on June 7, EKU will host a Girls STEM Day from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Girls who will be in grades 6-12 in Fall 2013 are eligible to attend. Participants will have an opportunity for hands-on exploration into science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

STEM practitioners and educators will lead girls through activities that mirror real-world STEM tasks and highlight creative and innovative problem solving. Participants will also learn how to best prepare themselves to study STEM fields in high school and college.

The registration for the Girls STEM Day will also be online only May 1-31 at www.ngcproject.org/kentucky-girls-stem-collaborative-girls-stem-day-0. The registration fee for the “Girls STEM Day” is $15 per person.

Exhibitors from prominent Kentucky industries, as well as girl-serving organizations and programs, will be available to meet with conference attendees. Lunch for both events will be provided.

Check-in for both events begins at 8:30 a.m. at EKU Hummel Planetarium. The conference and Girls STEM Day begin at 9 a.m.

The Institute focuses on the practice of leadership and the development and implementation of policies that drive and sustain reform at the school system level. It provides administrators with rigorous content to develop knowledge and skills and professional development that improves the quality of instruction and leadership.

Crawford, who currently serves as Director of Secondary Schools for Shelby County Public Schools, has been a United States Fulbright Scholar to Japan and a Mississippi Teacher Fellowship Program Scholar.

Valedictorian of her undergraduate studies at Rust College, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics, Crawford is a graduate of the Educational Leadership Administration Master’s program at University of Mississippi. She also holds the distinction of being a National Alliance of Black School Educators alumnus in the Aspiring Superintendents Summer Institute program.

She is a recent recipient of the American Association of School Administrators (AASA) Educational Administration Scholarship Award and holds Kentucky Principal Level II, Supervisor of Instruction Level II, Superintendent and Advanced Placement Calculus AB Certifications.

Before heading to New York, Smith and Jones will attend a one-week orientation at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta. They will spend the following nine weeks based at the Columbia University Medical Center. All expenses are covered by the program.

“I am most excited about gaining hands-on experience in the field of public health,” Smith, a 2009 Knox Central High School graduate, said. “With our competitive job market now, this experience will set me apart from other potential employees. I will have the opportunity to learn from some of the most prestigious public health leaders and network with people who could open other doors for my career.”

“Being at Eastern has given me so many opportunities,” Jones said. “I’ve become a part of student organizations and met so many amazing people. All the professors in the department want us to achieve the highest goals possible.” She credited Dr. Michelyn Bhandari, in particular, for pointing her to the Columbia Scholars Program.

Jones, the daughter of Amy Webb and Randall Jones, is a 2009 graduate of Corbin High School. Named last year as EKU’s Outstanding Junior in Community Health, she maintains an overall GPA of 3.54, is a member of Eta Sigma Gamma Honor Society and the secretary of the campus chapter of the Kentucky Public Health Association. She will graduate this December.

Smith, the daughter of Darrell and Lynn Smith and granddaughter of Patty and Russell Smith, was recently named the Outstanding Senior in Community Health at Eastern. She maintains a 3.4 GPA in addition to her active role in the Alpha Delta Pi sorority, in which she has held several leadership positions. Smith also represented the Eta Sigma Gamma Honor Society on EKU’s Homecoming Court last fall.

Smith also credited faculty in the Department of Health Promotion and Administration for that growth.

“(They) have all made a huge impact on the success of my college career,” she said. “Laurie Larkin, Karen Hunter and Michelyn Bhandari have always provided me with encouragement and support to excel in public health. I could not be more thankful to have them as mentors.”

After the summer program, Smith plans to return to EKU to begin studies in the University’s Master’s of Public Health Program toward her goal of working with an international health agency.

For now, though, her heart and mind are on the upcoming summer in one of the world’s greatest cities, a place she has never visited.

“I am looking forward to experiencing what it is like to live in the city and in such a diverse part of our country,” Smith said. “I already have a countdown set, and I can’t wait to take full advantage of the amazing experiences I will have.”

Jones said she is uncertain of her career plans, adding they might include working for the CDC or, for a time, as a Peace Corps volunteer.

For now, though, she’s looking forward to what promises to be a memorable summer.

“I’ve never been to New York City,” she said, “but I’ve wanted to go forever.”

Henderson was selected from among a large pool of applicants to the competitive program.

“I applied through the Leadership Alliance,” Henderson said, “and among the four schools I sent applications too, Harvard was one that I knew I probably would not be accepted to, but I decided there was no trouble in applying.” In Summer 2012, only 16 students were accepted into the program. “When I received the notification of acceptance, I was shocked and had an overwhelming feeling of thankfulness to my educators and mentors who have given me exceptional advice.”

During his stay at Harvard, Henderson, a 2009 graduate of Berea Community High School, will research under government professor Dr. Jennifer Hochschild. “This experience will expose me and prepare me for graduate school work,” Henderson said. “I know the benefits will be tremendous and the networking opportunities will be crucial for my future. I have no doubt I will be more prepared after the program.”

Henderson will also attend weekly faculty lectures, weekly group meeting discussions of student research and will participate in the Leadership Alliance National Symposium. The program will provide all research and course-related expenses, room and board, travel to and from the program and a stipend of $3,000.

“I have ambitions to go to graduate school and, being part of the McNair Scholars program at EKU, I was motivated to participate in summer research to get an early start on what graduate school has to offer.”

Summer Research Opportunities at Harvard is offered for currently-enrolled undergraduates who are considering Ph.D. careers in the humanities, social sciences and life or physical sciences, who have already had at least one summer (or equivalent term-time) of research experience, and who have taken at least one upper-level course in their field of study.

This particular win clinched another Ohio Valley Conference title for the Colonels, and Ridenour, then sports editor for The Eastern Progress, “merely wanted to see the celebration.”

The decision by Head Football Coach Roy Kidd to allow Ridenour in the locker room – after warning his players to keep their clothes on – was more momentous for the fledgling reporter than either possibly could have imagined at the time.

The 1978 EKU graduate went on to a distinguished career in sports journalism, breaking more barriers wherever she went. In 1981, for example, she became the first female to cover the Cleveland Browns and began entering the locker room on a daily basis. That was before the NFL mandated that women could enter team locker rooms – when she covered the 1982 Super Bowl, she could only cover the opposing San Francisco 49ers because the Cincinnati Bengals would not grant her access.

And Ridenour never forgot how one simple gesture from a legendary coach made it all possible. “I have often said I might have given up my dream to be a journalist if Coach Kidd hadn’t been so gracious to me during those two years,” Ridenour said. “I even remember him saying at the post-season banquet that I showed him a woman could know more about football than he ever imagined.”

The two were reunited recently when Ridenour was inducted into the Kentucky Journalism Hall of Fame, and Kidd, a member of the College Football Hall of Fame himself, was in the audience with wife Sue, who had helped convince her husband to allow female reporters into the locker room.

Well before graduating, Ridenour acquired her first sports writing job at the Lexington Herald-Leader, where she covered women’s sports for four years. “That’s why they hired me.”

Ridenour’s arrival coincided with the hiring of Debbie Yow as the University of Kentucky’s first full-time women’s basketball coach. But her relegation to women’s sports is also why she left. “One of my friends overheard one of the newspaper execs saying women couldn’t cover men’s sports,” Ridenour said. “So in a sense, the Progress and Coach Kidd helped me break through that barrier.”

Her time at the Lexington paper did result in one of her most prized possessions: a sketch of Kidd by one of the paper’s artists. The coach signed it to “Marla, one of my favorite sportswriters.”

Since 1999, Ridenour has written for the Akron Beacon Journal, still covering the Browns, as well as the Cleveland Indians, Cleveland Cavaliers, University of Akron, Kent State and high school sports. She has been the paper’s sports columnist the past three years.

And she’s welcome in any locker room.

The outdoor activities for children and adults, led by EKU faculty, staff and students, will be available at no charge at the University’s natural area. Planned events include a “Creek Crawl” to explore the stream ecosystem and learn about its diverse inhabitants, a woodland creature hunt, a composting workshop, a “back country cooking” workshop, and a hunter safety workshop, among other activities. Lunch concessions will be provided by the Environmental Service Learning Group. The event is co-sponsored by Bluegrass PRIDE.

Several all-day activities will also be offered (pre-registration for these events not required):

• Slithering Friends. Learn how to distinguish venomous snakes from the non-venomous variety.
• Outdoor Adventure (slack line, tree climbing, fishing and hiking).
• Nature Games and Crafts. Enjoy a variety of games and crafts (suitable for all ages) to learn more about the natural environment.

Morning and afternoon sessions require pre-registration. Participants may attend any of the planned outings; however, space is limited for many, so early registration is urged.

Morning, 10 a.m.-Noon

Dr. Deborah Whitehouse, dean of EKU’s College of Health Sciences, says the new offering is a practice doctorate focused on clinical leadership and the use of evidence-based practice to enhance the delivery of care.

“The importance of this kind of research is phenomenal in terms of patient outcomes,” Whitehouse explained.

Offered by the EKU Department of Occupational Therapy, which is currently ranked 31st nationally by “U.S. News & World Report,” the degree can be tailored to individual interests and completed in as little as two years. Because the program is online, the courses are available to not only practicing occupational therapists in rural Kentucky, but potentially those worldwide.

Those in Kentucky will be able to complete a practicum experience where they work. Doctoral students in other states may have the same opportunities as well.

Eastern has given students the opportunity to earn fully accredited online degrees since 2006. EKU Online students have many benefits designed to help them succeed, including a personal advisor who creates a graduation plan that allows them to meet both their individual academic goals and their professional obligations. Moreover, they have the ability to study anytime, from anywhere and to progress at an accelerated pace. Most online courses are completed in just 8 weeks as opposed to 16 weeks for traditional on-campus courses.

Dr. Colleen Schneck, chair of the Department of Occupational Therapy, said Eastern is ideally suited to offer a doctoral degree in occupational therapy because of an “incredible and highly motivated faculty who offer diverse specialties. We are very aware of the level of academic challenge we need to provide to our students,” Schneck said, noting that EKU is in the 12th year of a joint doctoral program in rehabilitation sciences with the University of Kentucky.

Graduates of the doctoral degree program will have an increased understanding of legislative, policy and administrative issues affecting the profession, and health care delivery, with a particular emphasis on the needs of unique and underserved populations. Classes begin every eight weeks. For more information, call 859-622-7927 or visit go.eku.edu/EKUOTD.

Named one of the Top 10 Online Colleges in the Nation by "Best Colleges" in 2010, EKU strives to make quality education accessible to everyone. EKU is a fully accredited, brick-and-mortar institution celebrating more than 100 years of student success. EKU Online offers more than 20 degree options in a variety of fields, including Nursing, Education, Psychology, Paralegal Studies, Police Studies, Corrections, Juvenile Justice, Occupational Safety, Fire Protection and Homeland Security.

Why did you choose to run for Faculty Regent?
I saw this as an opportunity to help ensure that the University’s resources are used in a responsible manner - that they are used not only to ensure the mission of the University but are also used to enrich the mission of the University.

From a faculty perspective, what are the biggest challenges facing the Board and University?
The immediate challenge facing the Board and the University is to finalize the reallocation of 10% of the University’s operating budget. The second challenge facing the Board and University is to determine how the plan will be expressed to the University community, both in terms of method and content. The greatest degree of care and sensitivity must be exercised when unveiling a plan that will impact thousands of people (employees and students). The next challenge is determining how to execute the plan so it does ensure and enrich the mission of the University.

As you step into this new role, what can you promise the faculty that you represent and the University community?
As I step into this new role, I promise the faculty and the University community that I will serve to the best of my abilities. What I do not know, I will learn. When I need to, I will ask. I will continue to stay engaged with the faculty and the University community and to continue to serve at all levels.

You spoke at length at a candidates’ forum about the importance of shared governance. As the University’s new Faculty Regent, what does that mean to you?
To me, shared governance refers to the process of bringing key players to the table to discuss issues, engage in the problem-solving process, and participate in decision-making. Research indicates when people impacted by a decision participate in the decision making process, they are more likely to support the decision and follow through. Why wouldn’t we want to bring key players to the table and include them in decision-making processes that directly impact them?

Your areas of expertise include facilitation, mediation and conflict resolution. How might those skills prove beneficial as Faculty Regent?
My work in the field of conflict resolution and mediation has taught me how to bring people together, help them voice concerns, uncover underlying issues, problem-solve and move toward resolution. Also, knowing how to separate the people from the problem and move from positions toward interests helps establish a positive working environment. As Faculty Regent, this skill set will help me effectively navigate difficult discussions and deliberations.

You’ve also served on several key University committees that have dealt with General Education, assessment and the like. How have those experiences prepared you to serve as Faculty Regent?
In 18 years, I have served on more than 20 different committees at all levels of the university. Experience is the best educator; with each committee, I learned a little more about the University and its policies and procedures. More importantly, this service gave me the opportunity to work with an amazingly diverse set of people from all departments and colleges across the campus. Without this type of experience and understanding of the University, I am not sure I would have felt as confident running for Faculty Regent.

You also talked at the recent forum about the issue of salary equity for faculty. How big an issue is that and what can be done to address it?
Salary equity is an enormous issue for EKU faculty. In fact, the Faculty Senate Budget Committee collected survey data from faculty asking about salary equity issues. The data indicate faculty view salary equity as a “very important” concern. Compression (when there becomes little difference between a senior and junior faculty member’s salary) and inversion (when, because of lack of salary increases, new hires and junior faculty salaries become higher than senior faculty) issues are a significant problem for faculty at EKU. Salary inequities have a negative impact on faculty morale and retention. EKU must address. While everyone is in need of an across the board salary increase, EKU must also identify a pool of money for salary adjustments.

Awang, Faridah; Shafie, Z.; and Pearl, Ryan. “The Multicultural Organizations: Perceptions of Diversity Challenges and Initiatives.” Academic and Business Research Institute Conference, Orlando, Fla., Jan. 3, 2013. Conference Proceedings, 13 pgs.

Bhandari, Michelyn Wilson; Hunter, Karen Marie; and Phillips, Kathleen. Practical Application of Entry-Level Health Education Skills. 2nd ed. Burlington, Mass.: Jones and Bartlett, 2013.

Bradley, M.J. Comparing Place Attachment and Environmental Ethics of Visitors and State Park Employees in Oklahoma. [Technical Document Publication]. State Parks Division of the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department, Oklahoma City, Okla., 2013.

Bradley, M.J. Identifying Levels of Place Attachment and Environmental Ethics: Natural Resource Visitors and Employees. [Technical Document Publication]. Quartz Mountain Nature Park in the Quartz Mountain Resort, Arts, and Conference Center, Lone Wolf, Okla., 2013.

Liu, H.L., and Bradley, M.J. “Place Attachment of Oklahoma State Park Visitors.” Northeastern Recreation Research Symposium, Cooperstown, N.Y., April 8, 2013.

Chalkidou, T., and Bradley, M.J. “Self-Supervision, Planning, and Evaluation: Seven Essential Tips to Help Young Managers Enhance Performance.” Parks and Recreation. Vol. 48, No. 2 (February 2013), pgs. 33-35.

Bradley, M.J., and Liu, H.L. “Understanding Management Preferences of Natural Resource Visitors.” National Outdoor Recreation Conference & International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) Conference on Forests for People, Traverse City, Mich., May 20, 2013.

Bradley, M.J., and Liu, H.L. “Utilizing Environmental Ethics for Land Planning – An America’s Great Outdoors Investigation.” National Outdoor Recreation Conference & International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) Conference on Forests for People, Traverse City, Mich., May 23, 2013.

Bradley, M.J. “What Does It Mean to Be a Great Supervisor?” Kentucky Recreation and Park Society (KRPS) Quarterly. Vol. 62, No. 4 (Winter 2013), pg. 7.

Liu, H.L., and Bradley, M.J. “Wildlife Related Recreation: Urban and Rural Perceptions.” Northeastern Recreation Research Symposium, Cooperstown, N.Y., April 7, 2013.

Brisman, Avi, and South, Nigel. “A Green-Cultural Criminology: An Exploratory Outline.” Crime Media Culture. (Published online before print Jan. 6, 2013), 21 pgs. DOI I0.1177/1741659012467026.cmc.sagepub.com/content/early/2013/01/01/1741659012467026

Brisman, Avi. “The Violence of Silence: Some Reflections on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making, and Access to Justice in Matters Concerning the Environment.” Crime, Law and Social Change. Vol. 59, No. 3 (April 2013), pgs. 291-303. DOI 10.1007/s10611-013-9416-3.

Carpenter, Russell; et al. “Designing Writing Spaces for the 21st Century Composition Student.” Conference on College Composition and Communication (CCCC), Las Vegas, Nev., March 13, 2013.

Bowdon, Melody A., and Carpenter, Russell. “Guest Editors’ Introduction: Community Literacy and Digital Technologies.” Special Issue on Community Literacy and Digital Technologies. Community Literacy Journal. Vol. 6, No. 1 (Fall 2011), pgs. 1-4.

Littlejohn, Sara; Carpenter, Russell; Wilder, Stacy; and Cuny, Kim. “Multiliteracy Discussion.” National Association of Communication Centers Conference, Greensboro, N.C., April 19, 2013. Invited Panel.

Carpenter, Russell. “Remixing Communication Center Spaces: Pushing the Boundaries of Pedagogy and Practice.” National Association of Communication Centers Conference, Greensboro, N.C., April 19, 2013. Keynote.

Coleman, David. “Of Corsairs, Converts and Renegades: Forms and Functions of Coastal Raiding on Both Sides of the Far Western Mediterranean, 1490-1540.” Medieval Encounters. Vol. 19 (2013), pgs. 167-192.

Custer, M.G. ; Huebner, R.A. ; Freudenberger, L.; and Nichols, L.R. “Client-Chosen Goals in Occupational Therapy: Strategy and Instrument Pilot.” Occupational Therapy in Health Care. Vol. 27, No. 1 (Jan 2013), pgs. 58-70. DOI: 10.3109/07380577.2012.747120.

Gray, K.L. “Diffusion of Innovation Theory and Xbox Live: Examining Minority Gamers’ Responses and Rate of Adoption to Changes in Xbox Live.” Bulletin of Science, Technology and Society. Vol. 32, No. 6 (December 2012), pgs. 463-470.

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