Newsflash
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David G. Carter, president of Eastern Connecticut State University for the past 17 years, was named chancellor of the Connecticut State University System on Dec. 16. Carter takes over the position from Dr. William J. Cibes, Jr., who is retiring on Feb. 1, 2006 after serving as chancellor for the past 11 years. Carter becomes the fourth chancellor of Connecticut’s largest public university system.
“With his decades of experience in education and an exceptional reputation for thoughtful, creative leadership, David Carter is a superb choice as chancellor of the Connecticut State University. I commend the CSU Board of Trustees for its diligent search,” said Connecticut Gov. M. Jodi Rell.
“I am honored that the Board of Trustees has entrusted me with stewardship of the Connecticut State University System,” said Carter in accepting the new appointment. “The system’s four universities have a long and rich tradition of serving the educational needs of Connecticut students and residents, and I am proud to have been asked to continue that tradition. I look forward to working closely with the presidents of our four institutions and the Board of Trustees to advance the role of higher education in improving the quality of life and economic vitality of the state of Connecticut.”
Pictured above: CSU Trustee Ronald J. Pugliese; Dr. Sandra Holley; Dr. Carter;
Lawrence McHugh, chairman of the CSU Board of Trustees; and David Carter, Jr.
December Graduates Lauded
On Dec. 15, 259 undergraduates and 52 graduate students were special guests at a reception honoring them for completing their academic requirements in December. “The number of December graduates has grown steadily over the years and many of the graduates leave Connecticut and are unable to participate in the May Commencement ceremonies,” said Dimitrios Pachis, vice president for academic affairs, whose office organized the reception. “For this reason, it is important to recognize their accomplishments in a public gathering and provide them with the opportunity to meet with their professors, friends, and family members.”
“You are Eastern’s new generation, and we are confident you will make us proud,” K. Umesh Vig, vice president of the Alumni Association’s board of directors, (shown here) told the graduates. Other speakers included Debra Anderson, senior class president; Phillip Elliott, professor of biology and Eastern’s 2005 Distinguished Faculty Member; and Eastern President David G. Carter.
Jones-Bamman Named Fulbright Scholar
Richard Jones-Bamman, professor of performing arts, has been selected as a Fulbright Scholar for the Spring 2006 semester. The U.S. Scholar program, one of several grant programs administered by the Fulbright Program, distributes grants to approximately a thousand American scholars and professionals each year who travel to more than 130 countries to lecture and/or conduct research in a wide variety of fields. From January to July 2006, Jones-Bamman will teach and conduct research at the Sami Studies Department at Umea University in northern Sweden, where he conducted his doctoral research in 1991 and 1992. Jones-Bamman also won a Fulbright grant when he was in graduate school to do his research. In 1995, he assisted in implementing a new graduate program at Umea University: “That was a real honor.”
“I have been working off and on for the past 15 years with a particular population of people who live in northern Norway, northern Sweden, northern Finland and even parts of Russia — they’re called the Sami,” said Jones-Bamman. “I’ve been fascinated with their culture, specifically their music, for at least 15 or 16 years.”
One of Jones-Bamman’s future goals is to bring Eastern students to Sweden. “In my experience, the best way to learn about yourself and where you come from is to go some place else. Just like any experience abroad, above and beyond the class work that a student does is the opportunity to really reflect on who we are, our own culture.”
Higginbotham Awarded National AAUP Post
Ann Higginbotham, professor of history at Eastern Connecticut State University, has been selected chairperson of the National Committee on the Status of Women in the Academy of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP). This post is widely considered to be the premier national leadership position for the AAUP dealing with women’s issues in the academic community, including family leave and balancing family with work.
Higginbotham has developed the web-based workshop, “Faculty Have Families Too,” as a forum that fosters a family-friendly workplace by encouraging academicians to balance their scholarly and career pursuits with the rigors of raising a family. The guidelines Higginbotham uses work in accordance with the AAUP’s “Best Practices” policy statement and she hopes the site goes a long way to ensure that institutions implement her family-friendly recommendations.
Higginbotham’s post will require her to travel around the country to several conferences to unveil the workshop, including the annual meeting of the AAUP in Washington, D.C. in June 2006; a conference at Southern Connecticut State University; and the December meeting of the Association for Jewish Studies.
Chatterton Wins CTAHPERD Award
Charlie Chatterton, assistant professor of health and physical education and winner of the Connecticut Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance’s (CTAHPERD) 2005 Professional Honor Award (center) with Robert Horrocks, (left) chairperson of the Department of Health and Physical Education, and Michael Gerich, member of the executive committee of CTAHPERD. The CTAHPERD Professional Honor Award is the association’s highest honor. It is awarded for meritorious service to the profession as noted by his commitment to the profession, to social justice, to advocacy, and to service in the field.
Lashley Receives Research Grant
Brian Lashley recently received an Ambassador Award at the North East Association for Institutional Research (NEAIR) Conference in Saratoga Springs, NY. Ambassador grants provide matching funds for NEAIR members to attend a conference other than the NEAIR conference, with the aim of broadening the horizons of both the attendee and the NEAIR membership at large. The maximum award is $800.
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