At the General Assembly
Funding for VMASC and wind tunnel are top priorities
Securing funding for the Virginia Modeling, Analysis and Simulation Center (VMASC) and for the wind tunnel the university operates at NASA Langley Research Center are high on Old Dominion’s list of budget priorities for the current session of the General Assembly.

Before leaving office, former Gov. Mark Warner included $27 million in his proposed budget to expand modeling and simulation research capability in Hampton Roads and double the throughput of M&S graduate programs over the 2006-08 biennium.

ODU is hoping to get a significant portion of this proposed budget allocation for various VMASC initiatives, including increasing research capabilities in such modeling and simulation areas as transportation, medicine and emergency management training.

The former governor also proposed $1 million – and the university will seek an additional $3 million – to purchase a rolling road for the wind tunnel. This piece of equipment, which is described as a treadmill for cars, would greatly enhance ODU’s research capabilities with the automobile/truck manufacturers and motor sports industries, and would put the university at the forefront in North America in this unique area of research.

The addition of a rolling road is also seen as a benefit to the Peninsula, since companies have indicated they would move to the area or expand existing operations there to take advantage of the equipment.

Old Dominion is also forwarding the following proposed amendments for consideration:

• $1.3 to expand the Early Childhood and Learning Development Center. This would provide hands-on experience for teachers with young children and provide partnerships in early childhood education with Hampton Roads school districts, public and private K-3 programs, Head Start and similar preschool programs.
• $2.1 million to allow for the connection of videoconferencing in all of Virginia’s public high schools to ODU’s distance learning network, TELETECHNET. Courses and workshops could be offered to teachers in their respective schools. Also, part of these funds would allow high school students from remote parts of the state the same opportunity to take college credit courses that are more readily available to those who live near higher education institutions.
• $1.2 over the biennium to improve academic and related performance, along with the quality of instruction, in Virginia’s impoverished elementary and middle schools, initially those in the Chesapeake School District. This would be accomplished by working to improve content knowledge deficits in core subjects such as reading, mathematics and science through professional development, consultation and related academic services delivered by ODU.

Once accomplished, this model would be applied to other schools throughout the state. Back to top

Former hostage Terry Waite to speak Feb. 23
World-renowned diplomat and humanitarian Terry Waite will give the Marc and Connie Jacobson Raoul Wallenberg Humanitarian Lecture Feb. 23.

Waite’s talk, titled “Iraq, Guantanamo and Human Rights,” begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Mills Godwin Jr. Building auditorium. It is free and open to the public.

Long devoted to humanitarian causes, intercultural relations and cultural resolution, Waite garnered international recognition in the 1980s when he successfully negotiated the release of hostages in Iran and Libya.

In 1987, while negotiating the release of hostages in Beirut, Waite himself was taken hostage. In captivity for 1,763 days, four years of which were in solitary confinement, he was beaten, chained to a wall and subject to mock executions.

Released from captivity in 1991, Waite now devotes his time to humanitarian efforts around the world.

“What I have tried to do is take the positive side of the experience of being a hostage and build on it,” he says. “It has given me increased empathy with those who are victims of warfare or oppression.”

Since Sept. 11, 2001, the media have frequently called upon Waite for his expertise. He has been featured on national news networks, including CNN and BBC, to discuss the topics of Islamic fundamentalism, the treatment of prisoners at Guantanamo Bay and numerous hostage situations in Iraq.

Waite is the author of “Taken on Trust,” “Travels with a Primate” and “Footfalls in Memory: Reflections from Solitude.”

The university has also announced that Nobel Peace Prize winner and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel will speak on campus at 4 p.m. March 28. Back to top

COSMIC connection: Major Instrumentation Center underscores university’s increased emphasis on research
BY JIM RAPER

The word among geochemists is that Patrick G. Hatcher, Old Dominion’s new Batten Endowed Chair in physical sciences, should be 10 times more famous than he is. That is how he was described at the American Chemical Society’s national meeting last spring in San Diego when he was awarded the 2005 ACS Geochemistry Division Medal.

But Hatcher is more of a “scientists’ scientist” than a headline grabber, and the technical aspects of his work tend to defy snappy descriptions.

Not many people outside of organic and environmental geochemistry can appreciate Hatcher’s innovations with off-line tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) thermochemolysis, which segments large molecules for analysis by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. The same could be said about his vanguard use of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to define how certain macromolecules look and behave.

Suffice it to say that during the past 15 years or so, scientists from universities, hospitals, industries and government agencies have lined up to work with him on projects requiring chemical analysis of hard-to-analyze compounds. His research applies to some of our biggest 21st-century environmental and health challenges, such as global warming and the origins of disease.

Organic molecules – those originating with living organisms, as well as those that are synthesized – are typically very large and complicated in the relative scheme of chemical compounds, and their structures have been difficult to elucidate.

But Hatcher’s creative analytical strategies have given science a much better understanding of coal, petroleum and natural polymers, of the ways sediment and soil interact with pollutants at the molecular level, and of how natural organic material can thwart the treatment of drinking water. His work also has advanced biochemical studies of proteins and other biological compounds.

The university’s new College of Sciences Major Instrumentation Center (COSMIC@ODU), which is expected to be operational by March and will be directed by Hatcher, will be among the best equipped in the world. The centerpiece of COSMIC’s array of instruments is a 12-Tesla Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) mass spectrometer that promises to be a monument of sorts to the university’s increased emphasis upon research.

ODU’s 12-Tesla mass spectrometer is only the second of its type to be installed in a university facility in the United States, and the only one devoted to broad analytical use in earth sciences as well as life sciences.

The central component of the $1.3 million mass spectrometer is a four-ton superconducting magnet nearly 500,000 times stronger than the Earth’s magnetic field.

Also in the facility is a $500,000 400 MHz solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometer with the latest High Resolution Magic Angle Spin (HRMAS) capability. It contains a 9.4-Tesla magnet that is considerably smaller because of its design than the magnet in the FT-ICR mass spectrometer.

A 10-day startup procedure is required to cool the superconducting magnets, by means of liquid nitrogen and liquid helium, to temperatures approaching absolute zero (about minus 450 degrees Fahrenheit).

“We are providing state-of-the-art scientific equipment that will allow Dr. Hatcher and others in our colleges of sciences and engineering to perform the most advanced analytical research possible,” said President Roseann Runte. “COSMIC@ODU has one of the country’s top researchers as its director and is one of the best equipped facilities of its type in the world. We thank Frank Batten for the gift that enabled us to attract Dr. Hatcher, to create this facility and to take a giant step toward our goal to become a Top 100 public research university.”

Batten, the founder of Norfolk-based Landmark Communications Inc., gave $32 million in 2003 to promote research at ODU, paving the way for the university to plan a facility such as COSMIC and attract a highly qualified scientist to run it.

Hatcher earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from North Carolina State University, a master’s in marine chemistry from the University of Miami and, in 1980, a doctorate in chemistry (geochemistry) from the University of Maryland. It was while he was a graduate student that he began experimenting with new ways to use spectrometry and spectroscopy. He elaborated these experiments into a specialty while he was employed first by the U.S. Geological Survey in Reston, Va., then by Penn State University and Ohio State University. He and his wife, Susan, a mass spectrometry specialist, came to ODU earlier this month from OSU, where he directed the Environmental Molecular Science Institute and she worked in the chemistry department.

FT-ICR mass spectrometry provides chemical analysis by means of a sample’s molecules being ionized (electrically charged) and transferred to a cell in a strong magnetic field, which causes the ions to assume circular orbits in the cell. The radii of the orbits are directly related to the molecular weight of the ions divided by the charge (usually +1). Because the frequency of the orbits can be measured very accurately, the molecular weight can be measured very accurately, usually to an accuracy of five decimal places.

NMR is essentially the same as the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) used in medicine. By measuring the frequencies at which atoms absorb energy, NMR instruments provide scientists with clues about the local environment of each atom in a test sample that is dissolved in a solvent. From these clues, a computer can develop a three-dimensional image of a molecule.

Innovations to allow analysis of a wider variety of samples – such as those that require testing while in the solid state – came on line early in Hatcher’s career and he was quick to apply these processes to earth sciences.

Hatcher’s knowledge of analytical chemistry, of geology and oceanography, and of NMR and mass spectrometry technology has moved him to the head of the class in fundamental studies of environmental problems. “These technologies have been used in traditional fields with chemistry, and have flourished in molecular biology and proteomics, but they have not been utilized as much in peripheral areas such as environmental chemistry or oceanography,” Hatcher said.

One of his ongoing projects involves pollutants that have combined at the molecular level with organic particles in marine sediments or soils. This can make the pollutants hard to detect or analyze, and perhaps render them temporarily harmless. Until more is known about these compounds, many questions remain about the dangers they may pose to the environment. For example, what happens when the organic portion of the molecule begins to disintegrate?

“Our new instrumentation center will elevate ODU to a new level in earth sciences, to a level higher than most universities,” Hatcher said. “It will be a feather in the cap of the ODU ocean, earth and atmospheric sciences and chemistry and biochemistry departments. Certainly one major reason for our coming here was that ODU has seen fit to make available the latest technology.” Hatcher has a joint appointment to the two departments.

COSMIC and the arrival of the Hatchers, according to Richard V. Gregory, dean of the College of Sciences, will provide a major boost to ODU’s reputation as a research university. “We can attract outstanding faculty candidates as a result. We expect to establish new funded areas of research, to dramatically improve our own research infrastructure and to enhance our collaborations in research with EVMS and other institutions.” Back to top

Oxtail, catfish on menu for Unity Fest, Feb. 10
Traditional African, Caribbean and African American cuisine, including oxtail, fried catfish, meat patties and more, will be on the menu Feb. 10 at Unity Fest, sponsored by the Hugo A. Owens African American Cultural Center as part of Black History Month.

The free program, which starts at 6 p.m. in the North Mall of Webb Center, also features an art show, student performances, live music and special guest Juxtapower, a traditional South African song and dance troupe. The entertainment will begin at 7 p.m. in the North Cafeteria.

For more information call 683-5490. Back to top

Basic Scuba Diving course begins Feb. 17 at H&PE
The Darden College of Education’s Office of Programs for Continued Learning will offer a Basic Scuba Diving course Feb. 17 through March 31. The seven-week course will be held 6:30-9:30 p.m. Friday in room 203A and the pool of the Health and Physical Education Building. The cost is $89.

The entry-level course will cover the theory and practice of scuba diving. At the conclusion of the course, students will take part in local open water dives and be certified by a nationally recognized agency. Those ages 10-14 will receive a junior certificate.

Participants must bring a swimsuit the first night of class. Equipment rental and the purchase of mask fins and snorkel will be discussed. The course is taught by Richard Tarr, who was certified as a scuba instructor at ODU in 1973 and whose experience includes more than 2,000 dives.

To register call 683-4686; for more information call Tarr at 857-7751. Back to top

Scholarships targeted at top high school graduates
Old Dominion is now offering scholarships to all high school valedictorians and salutatorians. Students who qualify will receive $6,000 annually toward tuition and room and board, regardless of other awards or financial aid.

Alice R. McAdory, executive director of admissions, said, “This is our way of demonstrating our admiration and respect for these exceptional students who have achieved such high levels of academic success.”

Last year, admissions counselors learned that some prospective students who were at the top of their class did not qualify for certain scholarships because of slightly lower SAT scores.

“We want to reward students who have worked hard and shown tenacity. It’s not an easy feat to graduate first or second in your class,” said Lakeisha Phelps, assistant director for recruitment and scholarships. Back to top

Senate recommends flexibility in structuring certain minors
The Faculty Senate, at its Jan. 17 meeting, voted to recommend a proposal that calls for flexibility in structuring certain minors so that the requirements more closely resemble those of the clusters.

The proposed change to current wording in the University Catalog is as follows:

“For completion of a minor, an undergraduate student must have the following: (a) a minimum of 12 credit hours in a specified minor, normally at the 300 and 400 upper-level, (b) an overall grade point average of 2.0 or above in all courses specified as a requirement in the minor exclusive of prerequisite courses, (c) and six credit hours in the minor from Old Dominion University. No 200-level course that is designated as introductory or foundation, or as meeting a lower level General Education requirement, may be included, although such courses may be prerequisites for courses in the minor.

“Minors meeting these requirements may be proposed by departments and programs and must be approved by the appropriate college committee and dean, by Faculty Senate Committee A, and by the Provost. Interdisciplinary minors must be reviewed by all colleges and departments involved prior to submission to Committee A of the Faculty Senate.” Back to top

Nursing graduates post highest licensure pass rate
Graduates of ODU’s bachelor’s program in nursing achieved the highest licensure pass rate in the state last year among sizable baccalaureate programs, with an impressive 96.42 percent of graduates passing the exam on their first try.

Other schools in the state achieved scores ranging from 56.25 percent to the 96.42 percent standard set by Old Dominion on the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). Mary-mount University, with two students taking the exam, achieved a 100 percent pass rate.

This year 65 students from ODU took the exam in Virginia. Back to top

Caucus honors Janet Katz as Woman of the Year
The ODU Women’s Caucus recently named Janet Katz its 2006 Outstanding Woman of the Year Award. Katz, associate dean for the College of Arts and Letters, received a plaque in honor of her distinguished service to the university, particularly her continued support of women and women’s issues.

In presenting the award, Janet Bing, graduate program director of applied linguistics and president-elect of the caucus, recognized Katz for her accessibility, openness and courteous demeanor.

Katz received many nominations. One nominator cited her dedication and loyalty, noting her “complete and unadorned perspective of the university.” Another submission stated, “The wonderful environment for women in the college and the university is directly related to Katz’s service.” Back to top

Learn to relax during free sessions each Thursday
Has the new year already gotten hectic? Do you need to carve out a little time for yourself to get calm and centered? Then a new program offered by the Office of Counseling Services just may be for you.

Open to faculty, staff and students, Thursday Meeting of the Mind and Body will help participants explore different kinds of relaxation methods, including meditation, yoga and expressive art. The free drop-in sessions will take place from 12:30-1:30 p.m. every Thursday this semester at the Office of Counseling Services, located in the North Mall of Webb Center. Registration is not required.

Staff members from the Counseling Center and the recreational sports office will lead the sessions. For more information call Domenica Favero in the Office of Counseling Services at 683-4401. Back to top

Report looks at how students balance school, work and family demands
BY LISA SUHAY

The iconic image of full-time college students lazing around between classes, socializing and coasting through higher education has been debunked as a “myth” in a recent report issued by Old Dominion’s Center for the Study of Work.

According to the report, students today work longer hours, while juggling a staggering array of family and academic responsibilities.

The study, “Working Lives of College Students,” is based on a survey of more than 900 of ODU’s 15,000-plus undergraduates.

Two faculty members in the sociology and criminal justice department collaborated on the project, Leon Bouvier, who teaches the department’s capstone research course and Lucien Lombardo, who coordinates the Center for the Study of Work.

Bouvier and Lombardo wanted to explore how students balanced the multiple demands of school, work and family.

“This was something I felt most of us in higher education knew very little about and to which we paid little attention,” Lombardo said. “We often hear state-level government officials, legislators and even many in higher education administration complain about the seemingly low four- and five-year graduation rates. I always have the feeling when I hear these discussions that [they think] the only thing college students have to do is go to class.”

The study confirmed Lombardo’s suspicions: “It was clear to me that the undergraduate life of living in a dorm for four years and taking classes was not a luxury most students could afford. Indeed, it was not the way study, family and work interacted.”

Further, it underscores a growing national trend: the blurring of lines between “traditional” and “nontraditional” students. Indeed, working at least part time is a reality for 75 percent of the undergraduate population at U.S. colleges and universities.

Despite these stresses, ODU students reported that they received some support for their educational pursuits from both work and family. About three-quarters of on-campus and distance learning students said that their employers offered flexible schedules to accommodate their studies. Financial support from employers, however, was less common. Only 10 percent of on-campus students’ employers and 40 percent of distance learning students’ employers reimbursed tuition costs.

The authors note that, although on-campus students receive more financial assistance from their families than do distance learning students, nearly half of on-campus students pay their own tuition.

The fact that so many 18- to 24-year-olds are taking greater financial responsibility for their education further debunks the myth of the “typical” full-time student who does nothing but study, go to class and socialize, according to the authors. Back to top

Physics laureate to give lecture on March 13
William D. Phillips, who won the 1997 Nobel Prize in physics for his innovations with laser cooling of atoms, will deliver a lecture at 10 a.m. March 13 in the Ted Constant Convocation Center.

The multimedia presentation, “Time, Einstein and the Coolest Stuff in the Universe,” will appeal to a broad audience, ranging from schoolchildren to physicists, said Amin Dharamsi, professor of electrical and computer engineering, who established the lecture series in 1992. An open forum led by Phillips is also scheduled for the same day, 2:30-4:30 p.m. in the Rectors Room of Webb Center. Both the lecture and forum are free and open to the public.

Phillips, who did his doctoral and postdoctoral work at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, joined the National Bureau of Standards (now the National Institute of Standards and Technology) in 1978 and has been a NIST Fellow since 1996.

His presentation will address Albert Einstein’s view of time, as well as the eminent scientist’s theories about atoms cooled to incredibly low temperatures. Einstein’s ideas helped bring about the development of atomic clocks at NIST, producing the best timekeepers ever.

Today, atomic clocks are being improved because of Phillips’ experiments demonstrating just how effective radiation pressure from a laser could be at slowing and cooling a beam of neutral atoms.

His techniques for using laser light to cool and manipulate atoms led to the observation a decade ago of a new form of matter called atomic Bose-Einstein condensate. The discovery verified Einstein’s 1924 prediction that ultra-cold temperatures would send atoms of an ideal gas into their lowest energy levels and make individual atoms behave uniformly in a single quantum mechanical state. Back to top

American Physical Society taps Hyde-Wright as Fellow
Charles Hyde-Wright, professor of physics and a researcher at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility in Newport News, has been elected a Fellow of the American Physical Society.

No more than one-half of 1 percent of the APS membership become Fellows each year. Nine of ODU’s 25-member physics faculty are Fellows.

“We are very proud of Professor Hyde-Wright’s achievements,” said Richard Gregory, dean of the College of Sciences. “His election is more evidence of the important research being done by ODU physicists.”

Hyde-Wright’s work involves a new way of studying matter at its fundamental level. The fellowship citation notes his development of virtual compton scattering as a probe of the structure of the nucleon. Experiments he has coordinated at the Jefferson Lab atom smasher involve high-energy photon-on-proton collisions that reveal what he describes as “the wiggling internal structure” of the proton. Protons and neutrons—the building blocks of the atomic nucleus—are nucleons composed of three quarks each.

“Professor Hyde-Wright has been one of the leaders in the development of the virtual compton scattering experiments at Jefferson Lab,” said Gail Dodge, chair of the physics department. “These experiments continue to get more and more attention in the scientific community.”

Dodge noted that the promising field of study Hyde-Wright has initiated is one of the cornerstones of Jefferson Lab’s present initiative to accomplish a $250 million energy upgrade. Deeply virtual compton scattering (DVCS) “has become one of the highest priority fields of inquiry in nuclear physics, thanks also to the theoretical work of ODU’s Anatoly Radyushkin,” Dodge said. Radyushkin, professor of physics and eminent scholar, is also an APS Fellow.

The immediate goal of Hyde-Wright’s research is to make the first ever three-dimensional images of the quark waves that comprise the proton. “Our larger goal,” he said, “is to understand the origin of the mass of ordinary matter. Ninety-eight percent of the mass of ordinary matter comes from the quark—anti-quark and gluon waves in the atomic nucleus.”

He and many other scientists predict that the 21st-century economy will be dominated by the atomic manipulation of matter, resulting in the creation of products that are tinier, stronger or otherwise more useful than anything available today.

Hyde-Wright is also known on the ODU campus as an accomplished clarinetist and a proponent of science outreach. Back to top

SCHEV official named interim head of distance learning
Old Dominion recently announced the appointment of Nancy Cooley as interim vice provost for distance learning, effective Feb. 25.

Cooley, who currently is academic affairs and planning director for the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV), will serve under a term contract through June 2007. The university will conduct a search next year to fill the position on a permanent basis.

“Nancy Cooley is a very experienced administrator and faculty member,” said Thomas L. Isenhour, provost and vice president for academic affairs, who made the announcement.

“She brings a knowledge of distance learning in Virginia and help us move to the next generation of educational offerings. Several of us have worked with Nancy in her roles at SCHEV and are very pleased that she is joining us at Old Dominion.”

Cooley joined SCHEV in 2001 and from September 2003 to August 2004 served as the organization’s acting executive director.

As academic affairs and planning director, Cooley serves as liaison to the council’s Academic Affairs Committee. She chairs regular meetings of the chief academic officers of Virginia’s higher education institutions, and she serves as a member of the Roanoke Higher Education Authority Board of Trustees and the Advisory Board for Teacher Education and Licensure.

Prior to her arrival at SCHEV, Cooley was dean of the College of Education and Human Services at Ferris State University in Michigan. Before assuming the deanship, she held leadership positions in the offices of Information Technology and Academic Affairs, and the Department of Teacher Education and Professional Development at Central Michigan University. As a tenured faculty member and Edwin J. Towle Professor of Education at CMU, she led university initiatives in information technology.

Cooley has written many funded grant proposals and published articles and monographs focused on the integration of technology into teaching and learning. Her book (co-authored with Michelle Johnston), “Supporting New Models of Teaching and Learning Through Technology,” was published by the Educational Research Service, and a chapter from the book was featured in the 2003-04 Superintendents Briefing Book.

Cooley earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Central Michigan, an M.A.T. from Oakland University and a Ph.D. in curriculum, teaching and psychological studies from the University of Michigan. Back to top

Iranian women’s rights activist to speak Feb. 21
Journalist and Iranian women’s rights activist Mehrangiz Kar, who was jailed in April 2000 for her writings and speeches on women’s rights, will be guest speaker for the Friends of Women’s Studies Dinner Feb. 21.

She will address the legal constraints on Iranian women, the government’s efforts against them and the ongoing struggle for women’s rights in Iran.

The program will begin with a reception at 6 p.m., followed by dinner at 7, in the North Cafeteria of Webb Center. Reservations for the dinner, which is $20 ($10 for students), should be made with Kathy Pim, 683-3823, by Feb. 14.

A human rights attorney, Kar has published widely on women’s issues in Iran and was imprisoned in 2000 for participating in a conference in Germany at which political and social reform in Iran was publicly debated. Back to top

“Noise of the Street” coming to Stables Theatre
The University Theatre will perform “The Noise of the Street Penetrates the House,” directed by Gerald Schwarz and Natasha Bunnell, Feb. 24 to March 5 at the Stables Theatre.

An eclectic collection of theatrical pieces from the modernist era, the play explores the human response, both 100 years ago and today, to a world in radical transition. Virginia Woolf once remarked, “On or about December 1910, human nature changed, all human relations shifted – those between masters and servants, husbands and wives, parents and children. And when human relations change there is at the same time a change in religion, conduct, politics and literature.”

Performances are scheduled for 8 p.m. Feb. 24, 25 and 28, and March 1-4; and 2:30 p.m. Feb. 26 and March 5. All tickets are $10. Call 683-5305 for tickets and more information. Back to top

Art exhibit opens Feb. 11
The University Gallery opens “Burden of Proof,” a thesis exhibition by April Taylor-Martin, with a reception at 7 p.m. Feb. 11. The exhibition continues through March 5.

Her work includes color etchings, large-scale ceramic sculptures and short animations in DVD format. She explores emotional and expressive qualities in each medium using symbolism and narration.

Taylor-Martin, who holds a B.F.A. degree from Old Dominion, is well known in the Hampton Roads art community.

The University Gallery is located at 350 W. 21st St., Norfolk. Back to top

Freshman Class Council a new resource for students
BY STEVE DANIEL

The transition to college will be easier for ODU students in the coming years, thanks the creation of the Freshman Class Council.

Established last fall by the Office of Student Activities and Leadership, the organization was founded as a means to get students involved early in the life of the university.

OSAL director Don Stansberry, who advises the group with graduate student Tenesha Cobbs, said the idea for such an organization grew out of discussions on campus among various groups about how to get students more connected.

“The Freshman Class Council provides new students with an opportunity to join an organization of peers who are experiencing ODU for the first time, just like themselves,” Stansberry said.

“For some freshmen, the transition from high school to college can be difficult. It takes adjusting to new ways of learning and teaching, as well as handling independence. One of the goals of the FCC is to provide students with a forum to learn, share and grow together.”

The council initially is focusing on creating more social opportunities for freshmen, providing academic programming and support, giving students opportunities to meet administrators and student leaders, networking and performing community service.

The council, which has officers, an executive board and residence hall representatives, features a good mix of students in terms of majors, resident/commuter status and in-state vs. out-of-state, Stansberry said. It holds weekly meetings that are open to all freshmen. Up to 40 first-year students, on average, attend the sessions.

Issues discussed at past meetings have ranged from the NewPAGE class, to the need for more flexible meal times in the residence halls to social activities. Plans are under way to hold an academic seminar in March, which will focus on time management and study skills, and a dance later in the semester to celebrate the completion of the freshman year.

Charles Cook of Virginia Beach, a Bayside High School and Governor’s School for the Arts graduate, is president of the council. “I’m ecstatic about the support we’ve received from faculty and the administration. They’re our biggest fans,” he said.

He acknowledged, however, that the council needs to spread the word more among the freshman class about its existence. “We want more members,” he said. “We’re still a new organization, and a lot of freshmen don’t know about us.”

That will come with time, Stansberry believes. In addition to being a valuable resource for first-year students, the council is expected to have other benefits as well, he said. The student housing staff plans to use the council as an advisory group, and council members are partnering with the admissions office to talk to prospective students about the university.

Stansberry also sees the group as an incubator for future student leaders. In fact, members of the council have indicated that they want the organization to continue in some form in their sophomore year, so that they can help advise ODU’s next cohort of freshmen.

“This is an exciting organization, with lots of energy and ideas,” Stansberry said. “The possibilities are endless.” Back to top

M.B.A. students qualify for NASA national competition
BY SUSAN BECK

Two students from Old Dominion’s M.B.A. program, Jason McKernan and Erik Metzroth, were recently named as finalists in the 2006 NASA Means Business annual competition. They won a cash award and trips to Johnson Space Center in Houston Feb. 21-22 and Kennedy Space Center in Florida May 22-24.

The NASA Means Business competition calls for business students across the country to research, design and develop a communication and education plan for the organization. Competitors are tasked with developing an outreach plan in the form of a 30-second public service announcement and an Internet campaign.

The winning team will be chosen based on its success in communicating NASA’s vision by highlighting the agency's goals and incorporating its scientific research.

“When we heard about the competition, we thought this was an amazing opportunity and knew we had to enter,” said McKernan.

McKernan, of Knoxville, Tenn., and Metzroth, of Tiburon, Calif., began the project by conducting an informal survey of about 70 people in the local area. “We wanted to know what the average person knew about NASA,” McKernan explained. “We found the answer is 'not much at all.’”

The pair chose to focus on NASA’s applications in everyday life, which include everything from safety equipment to ski helmets and goggles to wireless technology.

McKernan and Metzroth, along with three other finalist teams, will travel to Houston to tour the NASA facility and gain access to the center’s extensive photographic and video archives. Material they collect on site will be used in their final presentations.

In May, the teams will visit Kennedy Space Center to review their strategic plans with NASA during four days of presentations and proposal work. The winning team will be announced May 24.

Students from the winning team will be awarded a trip to Washington, D.C., where they will present their plan to top NASA and government officials.

NASA developed the competition in the late 1990s after it determined that, while it had been successful in communicating the reasons for space exploration, the agency had not been as effective in relating its expectations and accomplishments to the public. NASA decided to turn to students across the country for help in this process.

“The average person witnesses a space launch once a year but has no idea what NASA does the remaining 364 days. With our proposal, we hope to bridge that gap,” said McKernan.

Library exhibit pays tribute to Black History Month
In recognition of Black History Month, ODU Libraries is featuring an exhibit, “Celebrating Community: A Tribute to Black Fraternal, Social and Civic Institutions.” It will be up through Feb. 24 in the main lobby of Perry Library.  

Highlights include an interactive CD, early photos of Ebony Impact, ODU’s gospel choir, and a tribute in words and images to Rosa Parks. A Web page is available at www.lib.odu.edu/exhibits/blackhistorymonth/2006.
• • •
For a listing of events celebrating National Women’s History Month, whose theme is “Women: Builders of Communities and Dreams,” go to womenctr@odu.edu. Back to top

Black History Month Calendar of Events
For more information about the following Black History Month events, call 683-4406.

Friday, Feb. 10
Featured Event: Unity Fest 2006 – 6 p.m., North Mall and Café 1201, Webb Center. Sample African, Caribbean and African American cuisine while enjoying a free art show. Then stay for Unity Fest, featuring African, African American and Caribbean culture. Enjoy student performances, live music and special guest Juxtapower, a traditional South African song and dance troupe. Sponsored by the Hugo A. Owens African American Cultural Center.

Tuesday, Feb. 14
“A Man’s Apology” – 7:45 p.m., River Rooms, Webb Center. A program where males show their appreciation of women through the use of spoken word, song, dance and other performance arts. Sponsored by Phi Beta Sigma fraternity, Minds About Progress and 3-Dimensional Men’s Group.

Wednesday, Feb. 15
“It’s Showtime at the Apollo” – 7 p.m., North Café, Webb Center. This annual event will showcase the latest talent in Hampton Roads. For audition information, contact ODU_BSA@yahoo.com. Sponsored by Black Student Alliance. $

Thursday, Feb. 16
Diversity Career Expo – 2-7 p.m., Ted Constant Convocation Center. Sponsored by National Society of Black Engineers and the Career Management Center.

“R & V: Rhythm and Voice” – 7:30 p.m., 162 H &PE Building. Part of the monthlong series on African dance and vocabulary.

Monday, Feb. 20
“A Time of Love: Black Relationships” – 7:30 p.m., James/Lynnhaven River Rooms. Skits, discussions on stereotypes and dating tips. Sponsored by 3-Dimensional Men’s Group and Delta Sigma Theta sorority.

Tuesday, Feb. 21
Health & Wellness Fair – 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., North Mall, Webb Center. Free capillary glucose screening, blood pressure and body fat testing. Cholesterol lipid profile testing available for a small fee. Sponsored by Student Health Services. HIV/AIDS outreach and testing provided by Tidewater AIDS Crisis Task Force.

“Black Jeopardy” – 7:30 p.m., James/Lynnhaven River Rooms. The classic Jeopardy with an African American twist. Sponsored by the Black Student Alliance.

Wednesday, Feb. 22
“Evolution of the Black Professional” – 7:30 p.m., location TBA. The truth about forgotten black professionals will be revealed in a series of informative tables and collaborations among professional organizations. Sponsored by the National Society of Black Engineers.

Thursday, Feb. 23
“R & V: Rhythm and Voice” – 7:30 p.m., 162 H&PE Building. Part of the monthlong series on African dance and vocabulary.

Friday and Saturday, Feb. 24-25
8th Annual East Coast Gospel Festival – Nationally known university and college choirs will perform, Ted Constant Convocation Center: 6 p.m. Feb. 24, fun night with gospel DJ; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Feb. 25, registration followed by workshops, panels and seminars; 6 p.m. Feb. 25, gospel concert featuring ODU’s Ebony Impact. $

Saturday, Feb. 25
“Greek Night Etymology” – 7 p.m., North Café. Open mic section for expression through word and a National Pan-Hellenic Council step show.

Monday, Feb. 27
“R & V: Rhythm and Voice” – 7:30 p.m., Hugo A. Owens African American Cultural Center. Part of the monthlong series on African dance and vocabulary.

Tuesday, Feb. 28
Dinner and a Movie with Destined – 7 p.m., Powhatan II Community Center. Join a group of determined, educated black women for dinner, a movie and fellowship. Open to all male and female students. Sponsored by Destined. $ Back to top

Couple’s memorabilia reflect their love of Lady Monarch basketball team
They’re not ODU alumni or parents of students, but for more than two decades, home game or away, Jean and Darrell Shepherd have been in the stands to cheer on the Lady Monarchs as part of their extended family.

“We went to our first Lady Monarchs game 25 years ago and, until they built the Constant Center, we were in the same seats for every game as season ticket holders. Now we fill the same seats at The Ted,” Darrell said proudly.

Having no children of their own, the Shepherds have sort of adopted the players in their hearts over the years. They follow the team on road trips and have even been there to cheer them on at the Final Four.

As further evidence of their devotion, the Shepherds have a Lady Monarch room in their Norfolk home, and at Christmas were given a specially commissioned tabletop-size Lady Monarch mermaid to add to their memorabilia. The little mermaid was a gift from Jean’s sister, Elizabeth Starnes, who retained local artist Georgia Mason for the project. Mason has made many of the 10-foot finned creatures seen around Norfolk.

“She (Elizabeth) told me that there weren’t any two people on Earth who loved that team more and when I saw their house, I believed it. They are just all about those Lady Monarchs,” Mason said.
Darrell explained, “You get to know them, the players, and they expect you to be there for them. You start going to the games and then you realize that they’re watching you, too, and you don’t want to disappoint them.

“You know every player by name and they look for you up in the stands. For us, it isn’t just a game to win or lose. It’s family. We just love them.”

– Lisa Suhay
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Newsmakers
“This is the exception – it’s rare, and therefore it becomes infamous. There’s no indication it’s the beginning of a trend.” (Mona Danner, associate professor of sociology, on the fatal rampage by a female ex-postal worker in California)

– “Calif. killings the exception to the rule”
Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Jan. 31

“In the early ’70s, visionaries were few and far between. I think Jim saw potential in the opportunity to promote women’s sports. And that, particularly in women’s basketball, there was a future for it.” (Wendy Larry, women’s basketball coach)

– “AD for life: Jim Jarrett’s 36-year tenure as Old Dominion’s athletic director
is a remarkable – maybe even unheard of – study in longevity”
Daily Press, Jan. 29

For Hampton Roads, “the defense drag is likely to accelerate in 2007 as the effect of base closures begins to take hold and the Department of Defense continues its reduction in the growth rate of defense spending.” (Gilbert Yochum, professor of economics)

– “Economic forecast calls for continued increases”
The Virginian-Pilot, Jan. 19

“We’re redesigning courses; sending faculty for training; poring over ethics cases, books and training materials; and seeking out every opportunity available to ensure that our students will be able to recognize when the company for which they work is an Enron or WorldCom.” (Nancy Bagranoff, dean of the College of Business and Public Administration, in an op-ed piece)

– “Learning right from wrong”
The Virginian-Pilot, Jan. 15

“There is no good reason, based on [economic] fundamentals, that the price of a barrel of oil should be where it is.” (Steve Yetiv, professor of political science)

– “Why are gas prices climbing?”
Richmond Times-Dispatch, Jan. 10

Also, the sheer volume of carbs that athletes can require means that some must usually come from energy drinks, white pasta, cereals and rice. (Melvin Williams, eminent scholar emeritus of exercise science, sport, physical education and recreation)

– “Put some muscle behind meals”
Los Angeles Times, Jan. 9

“I feel like I’m in a Dilbert cartoon sometimes.” (Katherine Rocca, instructor of English, on her temporary cubicle office space in the University Village)

– “ODU building improvements force some shuffling”
The Virginian-Pilot, Jan. 9

“ODU hasn’t totally lost its family feeling.” (G. William Whitehurst, Kaufman Lecturer of Public Affairs)

– “Anniversaries 2005: ODU”
Inside Business, Dec. 26
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