Office of University Relations

February 2004 WMU News Archive
Stories are listed in descending order by release date, beginning with the most recent. Click on the headline for the full story.

Centennial Campaign brings in more than $162 million (Feb. 27) Nearly 50,000 donors contribute to largest fund-raising effort in WMU history, campaign exceeds goal by $37.8 million.

Trustees approve 2.4 percent tuition increase (Feb. 27) Board accepts president's recommendation, tuition will increase only 2.4 percent this fall, no increases in room and board.

Trustee leadership for 2004 elected (Feb. 27) Vernice Anthony of Detroit and Peter Aseritis of Williamsburg, Mich., elected to serve as chairperson and vice chairperson.

December doctoral recipients announced (Feb. 26) Complete list of 17 doctoral degree recipients.

Military science program ranks among nation's best (Feb. 24) WMU's ROTC program ranks 20th out of 271 programs at colleges and universities nationwide.

Interior design show draws on history to reflect the future (Feb. 24) Student exhibition in Trimpe Gallery through March 13 draws on the work of 1960s Pop Art movement.

Kuersten textbook analyzes law and gender issues (Feb. 24) Political scientist Dr. Ashlyn Kuersten authors "Women and the Law: Leaders, Cases, and Documents."

Event aims to improve Muslims-Christians relations (Feb. 24) Free activities, dinner and speaker promote better understanding March 11 in Bernhard Center. Reservations required by March 9.

Students focus on service during spring break (Feb. 24) Dozens of students participate in Alternative Spring Break and others represent WMU's faith and spiritual organizations.

Tuition increase recommendation tops board agenda (Feb. 24) Board of Trustees holds its annual public meeting at 8 a.m. Friday, Feb. 27, in the Bernard Center.

New Shanghai Circus returns to Miller Auditorium (Feb. 24) Astonishing athletes defy gravity and execute breathtaking feats in a spellbinding show Sunday, March 7.

Copperfield brings 'Grand Illusion' to Miller Auditorium (Feb. 24) Rescheduled from December, David Copperfield will dazzle audiences with two shows Monday, March 8.

Miller Auditorium presents a total violin experience (Feb. 24) Bowfire is 10 critically acclaimed violinists and fiddlers performing virtually every style of music March 10.

Bischof to lead therapy group (Feb. 23) Gary Bischof, counselor education and counseling psychology, is president-elect of the Michigan Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.

Parking lot at Faunce closing for road improvements (Feb. 23) Beginning March 1, the parking lot west of Faunce Student Services Building will be closed until completion of road improvements.

President schedules 'Time to Talk' with faculty and staff (Feb. 23) Location and time for first faculty session changed. No changes announced in sessions scheduled for staff.

Reginald Jones speaks on campus Tuesday (Feb. 21) Entertainer and entrepreneur addresses "Betrayal: Sold Out By the Civil Rights Movement," sponsored by WMU College Republicans.

Big, stinky flower garners international attention (Feb. 20) Studies by biological science's Dr. Todd Barkman on Rafflessia receive attention from scientific journals and major newspapers worldwide.

History profs to help high school teachers (Feb. 20) Four WMU history professors will provide instruction for nearly 100 U.S. history high school teachers in Southwest Michigan schools.

Expert explains changes in military packaging protocol (Feb. 20) Reservations required for free workshop on "Packaging, Barcoding and Marking" March 11 at the Innovation Center.

Wind Quintet performance features American music (Feb. 19) Dalton Center recital Tuesday, Feb. 24, includes compositions by Alvin Etler, Irving Fine, Jan Bach and Mark Schultz.

Wednesday recital features jazz pianist Fred Hersch (Feb. 19) Internationally acclaimed pianist gives Feb. 25 Dalton Center recital of original works plus jazz and Broadway standards.

Student account statements available online (Feb. 18) Paper statements will no longer be mailed to students. February account statements are available on the Web.

Guidelines for deployment of U.N. peacekeepers (Feb. 18) Dr. Timothy Carter examines how United Nations decides to intervene in conflicts during Feb. 19 lecture.

New film presents history of Jewish women in American sport (Feb. 18) WMU historian Dr. Linda Borish teams with filmmaker Shuli Eshel to document American Jewish women in sport.

Downtown development advocate offers Keystone lecture (Feb. 18) Ken Nacci of Downtown Kalamazoo Inc. is next speaker in Haworth College of Business breakfast lecture series Feb. 27.

Undergraduate research award recipients announced (Feb. 18) Complete list of 21 recipients of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities Awards and their faculty mentors.

United Flight 232 crash pilot to speak at Kellogg Auditorium (Feb. 18) United Airlines Capt. Al Haynes, hero of 1989 Sioux City crash, speaks March 17 at Kellogg Auditorium.

Conference serves as Midwest forum on educational technology (Feb. 18) More than 3,500 educators from the Midwest and Canada will gather in Grand Rapids at MACUL March 10-12.

Pilobolus Dance Theatre performs at Miller Auditorium (Feb. 17) Friday's performance culminates residency at Western Michigan University by acclaimed American dance company.

Pilobolus Dance offers free master class while at WMU (Feb. 16) Second of two master classes by Pilobolus Institute is free and open to the public, space is limited for Feb. 19 class.

Bailey establishes Open Office Hours for faculty, staff (Feb. 16) First sessions are Wednesday, Feb. 18, for staff members, and Wednesday, Feb. 25, for members of the faculty.

'Shattered Glass' is true story of complusive liar (Feb. 16) Western Film Society presents six screenings of "Shattered Glass," starring Hayden Christensen, at the Little Theatre Feb. 20-22.

Remington graphic design lectures are Thursday and Saturday (Feb. 16) Roger Remington gives slide lecture Thursday in Sangren Hall, lecture Saturday at Kalamazoo Valley Museum.

Goalball team is first to train at Olympic Training Center (Feb. 16) Two from WMU are members of first disabled team to obtain residency at U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.

Pirates dock at Shaw Theatre (Feb. 13) Gilbert and Sullivan's "The Pirates of Penzance" features theatre and music students, cameo appearances by local dignitaries Feb. 19-28.

Foulk is featured soloist for Symphonic Band concert (Feb. 13) Concert Feb. 22 in Miller Auditorium includes familiar compositions and new work, featuring soloist Lin Foulk.

Writer-in-residence Naeem Murr is next in reading series (Feb. 13) Gwen Frostic Reading Series presents author of "The Genius of the Sea," Thursday, Feb. 19 in the Little Theatre.

Traveling exhibition of Dutch design comes to Gallery II (Feb. 13) "A Roadshow of Dutch Graphic Design" featured in Sangren Hall exhibit through Feb. 24.

Downey selected for South Florida Folk Festival (Feb. 12) WMU's Allison Downey selected from 300 international applicants to perform in the singer/songwriter competition.

Scholars worldwide pen tributes to Tom Lawson (Feb. 11) New book of essays by some of the world's leading authorities on comparative religion honors WMU's E. Thomas Lawson.

Has welfare reform worked? (Feb. 11) Dr. Rebecca Blank, dean of the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, addresses "What Have We Leaned from Welfare Reform?" Feb. 18.

Bailey discusses ethical challenges facing universities (Feb. 11) President Bailey speaks Feb. 16 at Fetzer Center as part of Ethics in Society lecture series.

Celebration focuses achievements of female athletes (Feb. 11) Local celebration of National Girls and Women in Sports Day is Feb. 21 at WMU, with theme of "Play Fair.

Fleischer offers lecture and workshop for public school teachers (Feb. 11) Dr. Cathy Fleischer focuses on public education climate where more and more students are left out.

Spotlight is on Haiti during Black History Month (Feb. 11) Exhibit and lecture exploring the island nation of Haiti presented as an offshoot of the upcoming Francophone Film Festival.

Pritchard draws life lessons from passion for golf (Feb. 11) Michael Pritchard's latest book, "Golf Lessons--Links to Life," is unlike any of his works.

College of Education team is finalist for national award (Feb. 11) School-University Partnership Team is one of three finalists for the Distinguished Program in Teacher Education award.

Nominees sought for Staff Service Excellence Awards (Feb. 11) Deadline for nominations is Feb. 20 for semiannual awards to non-faculty staff members.

Newport Jazz Festival brings 50th anniversary show to Miller (Feb. 10) Jazz festival's anniversary tour stops at Miller Auditorium Saturday for one show only.

Top music students compete Sunday for Concerto honors (Feb. 10) Competition includes top students from each vocal and instrumental performance area at WMU.

Merling Trio and Tom Knific perform at Dalton (Feb. 10) Concert includes WMU premiere of composer Frank Proto's "Quartet for Piano and String Bass" Saturday, Feb. 21.

Concert Band gives free concert in Miller Auditorium (Feb. 10) Varied concert Feb. 17 includes works by Glinka, Antonio Lotti and John Philip Sousa.

Michigan anthropologist speaks about Arab Detroit (Feb. 10) University of Michigan's Andrew Shryock lectures Friday on "Arab Detroit and the Contradictions of Empire."

Everything you wanted to know about Sindecuse (Feb. 9) Next session on the Way Western Works for WMU employees will focus on Sindecuse Health Center.

Tamara L. 'Tami' Porter (Feb. 9) Retired budget anaylyst died Feb. 6.

WMU Magazine now on Web (Feb. 9) University magazine moves exclusively to online version as cost-saving measure. Features on composer Curtis Curtis-Smith and more.

Retirement reception Thursday for John Ferguson (Feb. 9) Dr. John A. Ferguson, executive director of Paper Technology Foundation honored at Walwood Hall reception.

President Bailey describes WMU's future (Feb. 6) Complete text of President Judith Bailey's State of the University address, delivered Feb. 5 at Western Michigan University.

Martha Warfield appointed to lead presidential initiative (Feb. 6) Assistant vice president for student affairs and director of multicultural affairs will lead campuswide Council on Institutional Diversity.

Lori Sims is first in series of named professor honorees (Feb. 6) Pianist Lori Sims named the John T. Bernhard Professor of Music in initiative announced Feb. 6 by President Bailey.

Three honored for excellence at Academic Convocation (Feb. 6) Distinguished Service Award goes to Gary Mathews, Elise de Doncker and Paul Szarmach named Distinguished Faculty Scholars.

Top high school seniors compete for $4 million in scholarships (Feb. 6) About 800 of the brightest high school seniors come to WMU Feb. 14 and 21 for Medallion Scholarship competition.

Sindecuse sets spring 2004 program schedule (Feb. 6) Partial list of health-related programs available during spring semester for WMU faculty and staff.

Bailey describes WMU's future in today's address (Feb. 5) President addresses State of the University, three outstanding members of campus community honored during Academic Convocation.

Bailey meets with students in Open Forum (Feb. 5) Students can ask questions of president and senior administrators during Tuesday's WSA-sponsored forum in the Bronco Mall.

Workshop is for people taking 'the next step' in a relationship (Feb. 5) "Something to Talk About: Committing to Your Partner" is a new Sindecuse workshop for employees and students.

Concert of Dance features works of Graham, Balanchine (Feb. 4) Department of Dance presents three performances of Winter Concert of Dance Feb. 13-14 at Chenery Auditorium.

Gary Mathews earns Distinguished Service Award (Feb. 3) Professor of social work and president of WMU chapter of AAUP will be honored at Thursday's Academic Convocation.

NSF grant supports undergraduate research in Latin America (Feb. 3) Department of Geography awarded $191,000 grant for undergraduate research on globalization and urban development.

Liberia is next topic for Portage discussion series (Feb. 3) Africana Studies' Dr. Lawrence T. Potter Jr. in next speaker in series at Portage Senior Center Feb. 10.

WIDR kicks off annual pledge campaign (Feb. 3) WIDR Week, Feb. 8-15, includes concerts, film screenings, stage shows, raffle events to benefit student-run radio station.

Broncos host College of Charleston in Bracket Buster (Feb. 3) Men's basketball team hosts College of Charleston Feb. 21 in first-ever nationally televised contest from University Arena.

'Vagina Monologues' at Dalton for two performances (Feb. 3) Eve Ensler's "Vagina Monologues" performed Feb. 14-15 as part of V-Day international awareness campaign.

Frostic Reading Series presents poet Major Jackson (Feb. 2) Award-winning New Orleans poet and author of "Leaving Saturn" offers reading Feb. 11 in the Little Theatre.

University Theatre presents a tale of forbidden love (Feb. 2) All-female cast of "The House of Bernarda Alba" set for seven performances Feb. 5-14 in York Arena Theatre.

University Symphony's Sunday concert is 'Romantic' (Feb. 2) Symphony Orchestra's free Feb. 8 performance features overtures from "William Tell" and "Oberon" and Berlioz's "Symphonie Fantastique."

Gold Company set for annual Miller Auditorium shows (Feb. 2) Award-winning vocal jazz ensemble shows feature comedy, costumes and choreography Friday and Saturday, Feb. 6-7.

Ohio University musicians offer free recital (Feb. 2) Trombonist Chris Hayes and tubist Jason Smith perform Friday, Feb. 6, in the Dalton Center Recital Hall.

Career Fair connects job seekers with 115 employers (Feb. 1) More than 2,000 job candidates expected at 26th annual Career Fair Thursday in the Bernhard Center.

Theatre students rack up honors in regional competition (Feb. 1) Larry Herron, Nylda John-Mark and Laura Cornish earn honors at American College Theatre competition.