News University of Northern Colorado

Marketing Professor Receives Lifetime Achievement Award

Wed, 08 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

The American Marketing Association's Collegiate Chapter Division has awarded its Faculty Advisor Lifetime Achievement Award to Vish Iyer, professor of marketing in the Monfort College of Business.

Candidates for the award must have at least 20 years of advising experience, be actively involved in AMA activities, participate in annual reports judging, showcase national leadership and foster a successful student chapter.

Iyer joined the faculty at UNC in 1985 and has been the advisor for UNC's marketing club for 25 years. Under his guidance, the club has been named Best Chapter in the Western Region multiple times. This year the chapter received the award for Best Chapter Plan.

He's been voted by students as the marketing professor of the year in 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2012, received the 2008 Hormel Meritorious Teaching Award from the Marketing Management Association, and was the Alpha Kappa Psi—Xi Phi Chapter Professor of the Year in 2010.

Iyer received the award from the AMA Collegiate Chapter Council during a ceremony at the 35th Annual Intercollegiate Conference in New Orleans.

The American Marketing Association is one of the largest marketing associations in the world, with more than 30,000 members who work, teach and study in the field of marketing across the globe.

Chemist Selected as Young Observer Fellow by National Academy of Sciences

Thu, 02 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

University of Northern Colorado Associate Professor Robin Macaluso is one of 10 chemists nationwide to be selected a Young Observer Fellow by the National Academy of Sciences.

As a Young Observer Fellow, Macaluso will participate in the 47th International Union for Pure and Applied Chemistry General Assembly and 44th World Chemistry Congress on Aug. 8-16 in Istanbul, Turkey.

The selection of Young Observer Fellows is a highly competitive process held biennially. Young Observer Fellows are chosen as a new generation of distinguished researchers who will address international scientific policy issues.

Macaluso also leads a grant-funded project exploring the next generation of efficient lighting, which could result in more affordable, longer-lasting options for light-emitting diodes, or LEDs, in the future. Read More

Macaluso, who earned her Ph.D. in inorganic chemistry from Louisiana State University, has taught at UNC since 2006. Her research focuses on the synthesis and characterization of magnetically interesting materials with emphasis on solid-state materials.

Magazine Names UNC Jazz Band, Orchestra Among World's Best

Thu, 02 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

The country's leading jazz magazine has once again recognized a UNC jazz band and the university's symphony orchestra among the world's best.

UNC's Jazz Lab Band I (Best College Big Band) and the University Symphony Orchestra (Best College Classical Ensemble) were winners of DownBeat magazine's 36th Annual Student Music Awards, "Setting the Pace, Raising the Bar."

UNC jazz ensembles have received more than 100 DownBeat awards. UNC Jazz Lab Band I, directed by Dana Landry, has won seven DownBeat awards in the past nine years — four of those awards were for "Best College Big Band." Landry said the following recorded performances were submitted as part of the application for the award:

Everything I Love, composed by Cole Porter and arranged by UNC alumnus Steve Owen.
Wail, composed by UNC Jazz Studies Associate Professor Erik Applegate.
Sneak Out, composed by David von Kampen and published by UNC Jazz Press.

For the University Symphony Orchestra, directed by Russell Guyver, the award marks the 10th time since 1999 the group has been named best college orchestra or classical ensemble. Guyver said they submitted recordings of live performances of excerpts from Ravel's Daphnis et Chloé, Symphonie fantastique by Berlioz, and Stravinsky's Symphony in Three Movements.

"This is an international award, any college classical ensemble is eligible to enter, so this represents a significant achievement for the UNC School of Music," Guyver said.

The winners were announced in Downbeat's June issue available at http://www.downbeat.com/defaultl.asp?sect=magazine.

More online:
- Lab bands: http://www.unco.edu/arts/music/areas/jazz_studies/ensembles.html#lab_bands
- Orchestras: http://www.unco.edu/arts/music/ensembles/orchestras/default.html

UNC in Photos: An April Retrospective

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT

A slideshow of events and activities on campus.

UNC Recognizes Students’ Research Projects

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Winners of the University of Northern Colorado's annual Research Excellence Awards, based on presentations given on April 11 as part of the school's annual Research Day, have been announced. The winner in each category will receive a $100 gift card. Award categories and presentations receiving awards were:

Undergraduate Research Excellence Posters

Winner: Elizabeth Maxey
"An Examination of the Cytotoxic Effects of Snake Venom on Human Colon Cancer Cells"
Faculty Sponsor: Stephen Mackessy

Second Place: Evelyn Ortega
"How Individuals who Stutter, Graduate Student Clinicians, and an Experienced Speech-Language Pathologist Perceive Success in Fluency Therapy"
Faculty Sponsor: Kimberly Murza

Finalists: Ana Caudillo, Kittra Gonzales, Kristen Holm, Valerie Nirschl-Coats, Shaina Rush, Kyle Yeager

Graduate Research Excellence Posters

Winner: Traci Parry
"Cardiac Dysfunction in the Tumor Bearing Rat"
Faculty Sponsor: Reid Hayward

Second Place: Eric Bredahl
"Effects of a Resistance Training Model on Doxorubicin-Induced Muscle Dysfunction in the Rat"
Faculty Sponsor: David Hydock

Finalists: Fatimah Alebrahim, Jessica Brown, Noah Gibson, Karen Traxler and Mary Siegrist

Undergraduate Research Excellence Oral Presentations

Winner: Matthew Karp
"Out From Under the Cosh: The Impact of Football on English Working Class Identity through Cartoons, 1900-1925"
Faculty Sponsor: Steven Seegel

Second Place: Caitlin Miller
"Somali Refugee Interpretations of Trauma-Related Mental Illness: Similarities and Differences between the Somali Concepts of ‘Murugo Joogto' and ‘Qulub' and PTSD"
Faculty Sponsor: Theodore Bashore

Finalists:
Amber Rea, Aly Archuleta and Katey Morrison, Lauren Koppel, Austin Seeley, Jamie Walter

Graduate Research Excellence Oral Presentations

Winner: Anthony Saviola
"Molecular Basis for Prey Relocation in Viperid Snakes"
Faculty Sponsor: Stephen Mackessy

Second Place: Danya Carroll
"American Indian Youth Perspectives on Traditional Food Systems"
Faculty Sponsor: Teresa Sharp

Finalists: Corrie Groesbeck and Emily Schroeder, Rick Adams, Nat Warning

The Research Excellence Awards program was established to encourage and reward those Research Day presentations that exemplify the highest levels of excellence in research. Only a limited number of presentations were accepted into the awards program, and each was evaluated on Research Day by a team of faculty judges.

Research Day is part of Academic Excellence Week, an annual event to celebrate and honor academic excellence throughout the university. AEW is coordinated and sponsored by the Center for Honors, Scholars and Leadership in conjunction with various academic programs and offices across the campus.

Judges

Angela Henderson, Robert Mondi, Janice Dickensheets, Mel Moore, Josh Packard, Susan Hutchinson, Brian Iannachionne, Lauryn Benedict, Thomas Smith, David Gilliam, Anna Ursyn, Wendy Highby, Juliet Fried

City Recognizes UNC's Environmental Efforts

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT

The University of Northern Colorado has been named one of three recipients of the city of Greeley's sixth annual Environmental Stewardship Awards, marking the second time that the school has been honored since the awards' inception.

The awards recognize individuals and businesses for outstanding efforts and strategies that protect and enhance local environmentally quality.

The accomplishments leading to UNC's selection included:

More than 180,000 pounds of paper, nearly 139,000 pounds of cardboard, and more than 47,000 pounds of co-mingled plastic and aluminum were collected in 2012.
The recent installation in high-traffic areas around campus of 20 outdoor recycling kiosks made from recycled materials is expected to increase recycling totals by 10 percent.
Thirty-two bottle-filling water stations installed the past year across campus have already diverted more than 500,000 plastic water bottles from landfills.
The student-run and -funded Student Leaf organization has several education programs around campus and is actively engaging students as well as staff in resource conservation efforts.
Over the past two years, more than 20 old refrigerators have been replaced with new energy-efficient models.
The UNC Sustainability Council and its subcommittees, comprised of faculty, staff and students, take a multi-faceted approach to sustainability, from energy conservation and eco-efficient landscaping, to student activities and coursework.
An Environmental and Sustainability bachelor's degree program was added to the university's offerings in 2011.

Future plans include additional performance contracting to identify more energy conservation opportunities, more on-site renewable energy and replacement of parking lot lights with LEDs.

More information about UNC's resource conservation program is available on the Resource Conservation website.

Academic Excellence Week: Research Day

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT

More than 350 undergraduate and graduate students from nearly every academic discipline at UNC will share information about their research projects during 258 presentations from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Thursday, April 11, throughout the University Center's second floor.

Top research projects in undergraduate and graduate oral and poster presentations will be selected for recognition through a competitive judging process and winners will be announced at the Research Excellence Awards and Graduate School Celebration of Research from 4:45-5:30 p.m. in the Mount Evans ballroom. The winner in each of the four categories will receive a $100 cash prize.

The Research Day program, which includes information about the finalists in the competition and a complete list of presentations is available on the Research Day website.

Research Day is one of several activities during Academic Excellence Week April 7-13. Other activities promoting academic excellence and recognizing student, faculty and staff scholastic achievements include:

Teaching and Learning Fair: Faculty from a variety of disciplines will exchange ideas, strategies, assignments and other tools that foster academic excellence through teaching and learning during the fourth annual Teaching and Learning Fair from 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday, April 9, in the University Center Panorama room and Aspen suites. Schedule.

Hewit Distinguished Professor of History Lecture: Susan Schulten, professor of History at the University of Denver and the 2013 Hewit Distinguished Professor of History at UNC, will present "The Meaning of Maps," a free public lecture and book signing at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 10, in the Panorama room at the University Center. Full details.
Distinguished Scholar Luncheon: UNC's Faculty Research and Publications Board will honor the 2013 A.M. and Jo Winchester Distinguished Scholar, college scholars and faculty achievements from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Monday, April 8, in the University Center Panorama room.
College- and School-Hosted Events: A variety of UNC's colleges, schools and programs will honor faculty and student academic achievement with convocations, banquets and other events during the week.

For a complete schedule of activities or additional information about UNC's celebration of academic excellence, visit http://www.unco.edu/hsl/aew.html or contact the Center for Honors, Scholars and Leadership at 970-351-2940.

Academic Excellence Week is coordinated and sponsored by the Office of Undergraduate Research; the Center for Honors, Scholars and Leadership; and the Graduate Student Association along with academic departments and programs across campus.

Academic Excellence Week: Hewit Distinguished Professor of History Lecture Wednesday

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Susan Schulten, the 2013 UNC Hewit Distinguished Professor of History, will present "The Meaning of Maps" at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 10, in the Panorama Room of the University Center,

The lecture, open to the public free of charge, will focus on an American culture that is saturated with maps, from Google Maps to geographic information systems.

Schulten, professor and chair of the University of Denver's History Department, will examine how maps came to be used in the 19th century United States, not only to identify locations and represent the landscape, but also to analyze information.

Through maps of the weather, the population, the economy, disease, and even their past, Americans gradually learned to view themselves and their nation in altogether new ways.

A signing of her newest book, Mapping the Nation: History and Cartography in Nineteenth-Century America will follow the lecture. For more, please see http://www.mappingthenation.com/.

The William E. Hewit Endowment, the UNC History Department and Phi Alpha Theta are sponsoring the event.

The lecture is one of several activities during Academic Excellence Week April 7-13. Other activities promoting academic excellence and recognizing student, faculty and staff scholastic achievements during the week include:

Teaching and Learning Fair: Faculty from a variety of disciplines will exchange ideas, strategies, assignments and other tools that foster academic excellence through teaching and learning during the fourth annual Teaching and Learning Fair from 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday, April 9, in the University Center Panorama room and Aspen suites. Schedule.
Research Day: More than 350 undergraduate and graduate students from nearly every academic discipline at UNC will share information about their research projects during 258 presentations from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Thursday, April 11, throughout the University Center's second floor. Top research projects will be selected for recognition. List of presentations.
Distinguished Scholar Luncheon: UNC's Faculty Research and Publications Board will honor the 2013 A.M. and Jo Winchester Distinguished Scholar, college scholars and faculty achievements from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Monday, April 8, in the University Center Panorama room.
College- and School-Hosted Events: A variety of UNC's colleges, schools and programs will honor faculty and student academic achievement with convocations, banquets and other events during the week.

AEW Kicks Off with Distinguished Scholars Luncheon, Teaching and Learning Fair Tomorrow

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Academic Excellence Week begins today with the annual luncheon honoring UNC's Distinguished Scholars. Tomorrow, April 9, faculty from a variety of disciplines will exchange ideas, strategies, assignments and other tools that foster academic excellence through teaching and learning during the fourth annual Teaching and Learning Fair from 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday, April 9, in the University Center Panorama room and Aspen suites.

The fair includes a luncheon and accompanying discussion about teaching and learning that will be led by UNC's Teaching and Learning Faculty Fellows.

RSVPs for the luncheon were due April 5, but all members of the university community are welcome to attend the poster/display session from 10:30-11:30 a.m. and either of the two concurrent 90-minute breakout sessions featuring several guest presenters from 1:30-3 p.m. Schedule.

The fair is one of several activities during Academic Excellence Week April 7-13. Other activities promoting academic excellence and recognizing student, faculty and staff scholastic achievements during the week include:

Hewit Distinguished Professor of History Lecture: Susan Schulten, professor of History at the University of Denver and the 2013 Hewit Distinguished Professor of History at UNC, will present "The Meaning of Maps," a free public lecture and book signing at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 10, in the Panorama room at the University Center. Full details.
Research Day: More than 350 undergraduate and graduate students from nearly every academic discipline at UNC will share information about their research projects during 258 presentations from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Thursday, April 11, throughout the University Center's second floor. Top research projects will be selected for recognition. List of presentations.
Distinguished Scholar Luncheon: UNC's Faculty Research and Publications Board will honor the 2013 A.M. and Jo Winchester Distinguished Scholar, college scholars and faculty achievements from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Monday, April 8, in the University Center Panorama room.
College- and School-Hosted Events: A variety of UNC's colleges, schools and programs will honor faculty and student academic achievement with convocations, banquets and other events during the week.

National Report: UNC’s School of Special Education Responds to Shortages

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT

The University of Northern Colorado's School of Special Education was recognized for preparing "high-quality special educators in significant numbers" in a study conducted by the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education.

In the report, "The Changing Teacher Preparation Profession," AACTE acknowledges UNC for responding to the high-need field through recruitment strategies, which include strong relationships with area school districts, and for providing "ample support" for teacher candidate throughout the program.

"One way the school has strengthened the support it provides candidates is through its use of an ‘early warning system' to identify early on those teacher candidates struggling in the program and to develop professional improvement plans to support them," the report stated.

The note on UNC appears in the report's findings that "teacher production shortages persist in key areas" — specifically, English language acquisition, mathematics, science and special education. Among the findings, the report recommends:

Better alignment between teacher production and workforce needs
Improving induction programs and working conditions to ensure that highly trained professionals remain the teaching field

For more information, including key findings of the report, visit the AACTE website.

To download the full report (the UNC entry appears on Page 14), visit secure.aacte.org/apps/rl/res_get.php?fid=145

Academic Excellence Week: Distinguished Scholars to be Recognized

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT

The Faculty Research and Publications Board, College Deans and Office of Sponsored Programs will recognize faculty achievement in research and other academic pursuits at the Distinguished Scholar Luncheon on Monday, April 8. RSVPs for the luncheon were due

Nine faculty will be presented with awards.

Rick Adams, professor of Biological Sciences, will receive the 2013 A.M. and Jo Winchester Distinguished Scholar award - given annually to a faculty member who's consistently demonstrated outstanding scholarly performance.

Awards for college scholars will be presented to: Robyn Hess, professor of School Psychology; Nicholas Syrett, assistant professor of History; Isaac Wanasika, assistant professor of Management; Robin Macaluso, associate professor of Chemistry; Melissa Malde, professor of Music; and Jennifer Leffler, associate professor and manager of Resource Maintenance at the University Libraries.

In addition, Paula Conroy, associate professor of Special Education, will receive the Outstanding Achievement in Sponsored Programs Award, and Jill Bezyak, assistant professor of Human Rehabilitative Services, will receive the Sponsored Programs New Faculty Recognition Award.

Read honorees' profiles.

Other activities promoting academic excellence and recognizing student, faculty and staff scholastic achievements during the celebration include:

Teaching and Learning Fair: Faculty from a variety of disciplines will exchange ideas, strategies, assignments and other tools that foster academic excellence through teaching and learning during the fourth annual Teaching and Learning Fair from 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday, April 9, in the University Center Panorama room and Aspen suites. Schedule.
Hewit Distinguished Professor of History Lecture: Susan Schulten, professor of History at the University of Denver and the 2013 Hewit Distinguished Professor of History at UNC, will present "The Meaning of Maps," a free public lecture and book signing at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 10, in the Panorama room at the University Center. Full details.
Research Day: More than 350 undergraduate and graduate students from nearly every academic discipline at UNC will share information about their research projects during 258 presentations from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Thursday, April 11, throughout the University Center's second floor. Top research projects will be selected for recognition. List of presentations.
College- and School-Hosted Events: A variety of UNC's colleges, schools and programs will honor faculty and student academic achievement with convocations, banquets and other events during the week.

UNC Faculty Recognized for Research, Scholarly Work

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT

The University of Northern Colorado's Faculty Research and Publications Board, College Deans, and the Office of Sponsored Programs recognized faculty achievement in research and other academic pursuits at the Distinguished Scholar Luncheon on April 8.

Rick Adams, professor of Biological Sciences, received the 2013 A.M. and Jo Winchester Distinguished Scholar award - given annually to a faculty member who's consistently demonstrated outstanding scholarly performance.

Awards for college scholars were presented to: Robyn Hess, professor of School Psychology; Nicholas Syrett, assistant professor of History; Isaac Wanasika, assistant professor of Management; Robin Macaluso, associate professor of Chemistry; Melissa Malde, professor of Music; and Jennifer Leffler, associate professor and manager of Resource Maintenance at the University Libraries.

In addition, Paula Conroy, associate professor of Special Education, received the Outstanding Achievement in Sponsored Programs Award, and Jill Bezyak, assistant professor of Human Rehabilitative Services, received the Sponsored Programs New Faculty Recognition Award.

About the recipients:

Rick Adams' research encompasses the ecology, evolution and development of bats. His field research is predominately based in Colorado but also takes him to the Caribbean islands, South Africa, Botswana and China. He is best known internationally for his research on the importance of water sources to natural bat populations as well as for using ontogeny (growth and development) as a surrogate for novel insights into the evolutionary origin of bats 60 million years ago. He recently published articles in two of the highest ranking international ecology journals (Journal of Animal Ecology, and Ecology) showing how bats are "canaries in a global coal-mine" for predicting negative ecosystem effects of climate-change. Adams has four books either already published or in-press, and 39 peer-reviewed publications including journal articles, book chapters and monographs. For more about Adams, visit www.unco.edu/news/?3713.

Robyn Hess' research interests are in the areas of school dropout/completion, especially among Latino students; culturally responsive assessment and intervention; systemic interventions; and stress/coping in children. She and a colleague recently started a project to evaluate the effects of cultural adjustment groups on the social and school adjustment of Somali refugees. Her recent articles have appeared in Best Practices in School Psychology-V and The Journal of Special Education. She has co-written two books, Counseling Children and Adolescents in Schools and Public Health Problem-Solving to Address Children's Mental Health Needs. Hess is actively involved in many different school psychology professional organizations in her roles as chair of the School Psychology Specialty Council, chair-elect of the American Academy of School Psychology, and co-chair of the School Psychology Leadership Roundtable.

Nicholas Syrett teaches and researches the history of women, gender and sexuality in the United States. He's the author of The Company He Keeps: A History of White College Fraternities, published by the University of North Carolina Press in 2009, and has published journal articles in American Studies, Genders, and The Journal of the History of Sexuality, and has articles forthcoming in GLQ: A Journal of Gay and Lesbian Studies, The Journal of the History of Childhood and Youth, the Pacific Historical Review, and a number of edited collections. He has been interviewed about his research by Newsweek, Out Magazine, The New York Times and local and national newspapers and radio programs. He's currently on sabbatical writing a book about the history of child marriage and the regulation of children's sexuality in the United States.

Isaac Wanasika's research interests include strategic deception, transaction cost economics, base-of-the-pyramid strategies and strategic leadership orientations. He's collaborated with internationally-known scholars in the GLOBE studies, the largest international study in management involving 62 countries. His research has been published in prestigious journals such as the Journal of World Business, Journal of Strategic Innovation and Sustainability and the Journal of Managerial Issues. His work has been presented at national and international management conferences including the Academy of Management.

Robin Macaluso has established a research program at UNC that focuses on the synthesis and structural characterization of intermetallic compounds. More recently, she's begun a research program in the synthesis of novel oxynitride compounds for solid-state lighting technology. Hess has published 11 journal articles in the field of solid-state chemistry and has earned more than $1.5 million in external grants, including a highly competitive CAREER grant from the National Science Foundation and funding from the Petroleum Research Fund from the American Chemical Society. For more on Macaluso, visit www.unco.edu/news/?4076.

Melissa Malde has performed with numerous orchestras and opera companies throughout the United States, including Kentucky Opera, the Bangor Symphony and Opera Colorado. She has sung abroad with the Moscow Chamber Orchestra, the Prague Radio Symphony, the Bad Reichenhall Orchestra, and Vancouver Opera. She's licensed as an Andover Educator to teach Body Mapping and the book she has co-authored on that subject titled What Every Singer Needs to Know about the Body is in its second edition. She is an active clinician and presenter at national conferences for organizations including the College Music Society, the Multidisciplinary Rehabilitation of the Performing Voice and the Physiology and Acoustics of Speech.

Jennifer Leffler is known as the "master of unraveling challenges in user access" because of the leadership she's provided in integrating new applications of technology to library operations resulting in processing efficiencies and enhanced access to resources. She's shared that expertise through presentations at regional and national conferences and in articles in peer-reviewed journals relating to her areas of interest: technical services work flows, use of technology in technical services, use of software tools such as web conferencing and building collections in support of new interdisciplinary degree programs. She's a member of the national editorial board of the Journal of Electronic Resource Librarianship, and serves as a copy editor for UNC's Undergraduate Research Journal.

Paula Conroy has been the project director on several U.S. Department of Education personnel preparation and research grants in the area of culturally and linguistically diverse students with visual impairment, helping to prepare teachers for working with this unique population of student, and has received numerous grants from other organizations in the areas of assistive technology, training and in-service and pre-service teacher preparation. She's published book chapters, juried articles, juried special/technical reports and has conducted numerous professional presentations in her areas of expertise, and has studied the importance of physical education and activity for students who are blind and visually impaired.

Jill Bezyak is a certified rehabilitation counselor with a wide array of clinical interests including psychiatric rehabilitation, substance abuse counseling and counseling individuals with physical disabilities and chronic illness. Her research interests include health promotion of individuals with disabilities, evidence-based practice in rehabilitation counseling and education and implementation strategies for the Americans with Disabilities Act. She currently directs a U.S. Department of Education grant for long-term training in Rehabilitation Counseling. She has numerous juried publications and presentations in her areas of academic expertise, in addition to several non-juried presentations and guest lectures to community health education and vocational rehabilitation programs and groups.

For more information, visit the Office of Sponsored Programs online at: http://www.unco.edu/osp/ or http://www.unco.edu/osp/news/dslunch.html.

UNC to Celebrate Academic Excellence April 7-13

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT

The University of Northern Colorado will celebrate academic excellence with a variety of activities and ceremonies during the school's annual Academic Excellence Week, April 7-13.

The highlights of the many activities promoting academic excellence and recognizing student, faculty and staff scholastic achievements during the celebration include:

Teaching and Learning Fair: Faculty from a variety of disciplines will exchange ideas, strategies, assignments and other tools that foster academic excellence through teaching and learning during the fourth annual Teaching and Learning Fair from 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday, April 9, in the University Center Panorama room and Aspen suites. Schedule.
Hewit Distinguished Professor of History Lecture: Susan Schulten, professor of History at the University of Denver and the 2013 Hewit Distinguished Professor of History at UNC, will present "The Meaning of Maps," a free public lecture and book signing at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 10, in the Panorama room at the University Center. Full details.
Research Day: More than 350 undergraduate and graduate students from nearly every academic discipline at UNC will share information about their research projects during 258 presentations from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Thursday, April 11, throughout the University Center's second floor. Top research projects will be selected for recognition. List of presentations.
Distinguished Scholar Luncheon: UNC's Faculty Research and Publications Board will honor the 2013 A.M. and Jo Winchester Distinguished Scholar, college scholars and faculty achievements from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Monday, April 8, in the University Center Panorama room.
College- and School-Hosted Events: A variety of UNC's colleges, schools and programs will honor faculty and student academic achievement with convocations, banquets and other events during the week.

UNC AVP, Dean of Students Earns National Award

Wed, 27 Feb 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Katrina Rodriguez, assistant vice president for Student Engagement and dean of Students at UNC, recently earned the 2012-13 Wise Woman Award by the American College Personnel Association Standing Committee for Women.

Rodriguez was nominated by a former student for the annual award and selected "based on the history of her contributions toward women in student affairs and on her efforts to promote the professional and personal development of women." She has served at UNC since 1998, holding positions as coordinator and assistant director of Residence Life and director of the Stryker Institute for Leadership Development. She's also received a number of teaching and service awards as assistant professor of Higher Education & Student Affairs Leadership. A member of many professional organizations, she has published numerous research articles on topics such as equity and access to higher education in academic publications and has received a number of awards for outstanding teaching.

Rodriguez holds a Ph.D. in Higher Education & Student Affairs Leadership from UNC, a master's degree in Counseling and Human Relations from Northern Arizona University, and a bachelor's degree in General Studies and Business Administration from Northern Arizona.

The Standing Committee for Women each year presents four awards for service, research and scholarship, and emerging professional.

Rodriguez will be presented with her award during the association's annual international convention March 2-7 in Las Vegas, Nev.

UNC Honored Nationally for Noise-Induced Hearing Loss Prevention Program

Fri, 22 Feb 2013 00:00:00 GMT

The University of Northern Colorado is among the winners of the 2013 Safe-in-Sound Excellence in Hearing Loss Prevention Awards, announced today by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), in partnership with the National Hearing Conservation Association (NHCA).

The innovation award honors the university for its collaboration on Dangerous Decibels, a multi-faceted, evidence-based intervention program dedicated to the prevention of noise-induced hearing loss and tinnitus.

The program is being recognized for the development, widespread dissemination and cultural adaptation of innovative training strategies shown to positively change knowledge, attitudes and behaviors in youth and adults, including occupational settings (www.dangerousdecibels.org), and applying solid scientific and theoretical basis into all program aspects. The program includes science museum exhibits, virtual exhibits, K-12 classroom programs, educator training workshops, public outreach tools and research. Dangerous Decibels emphasizes the need to protect hearing for a "lifetime" and bridges the occupational and non-occupational noise risks.

Built upon partnerships among the Oregon Health & Science University, Portland State University, UNC and the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, the program has received widespread funding and dissemination support by numerous organizations. At UNC, Audiology faculty Deanna Meinke and Don Finan have led related campaigns.

Presented at the 38th Annual Hearing Conservation Conference on Feb. 22 in St. Petersburg, Fla., the awards honor organizations that have shown dedication to excellence in hearing loss prevention practices in the work environment and beyond. The other winners are Vulcan Materials Company and Johns Mansville.

"This year's recipients confirm that the benefits of noise control go far beyond the prevention of hearing loss and make good business sense, as a safe and healthy workforce benefits workers, employers, and the U.S. economy," said NIOSH Director John Howard, M.D. "We are pleased to have the opportunity to highlight the innovative work of companies who serve as leaders in this area."

To view the award recipient presentations visit http://www.safeinsound.us/winners.html. For further information please visit www.safeinsound.us.

About the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
NIOSH is the federal agency that conducts research and makes recommendations for preventing work-related injuries and illnesses. Mention of any company or product does not constitute endorsement by NIOSH. More information about NIOSH can be found at www.cdc.gov/niosh. NIOSH recommends removing hazardous noise from the workplace whenever possible and implementing an effective hearing loss prevention program in those situations where dangerous noise exposures have not yet been controlled or eliminated. For more information about noise and hearing loss prevention research at NIOSH please visit www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/noise.

UNC’s Head of Diversity Efforts to be Honored by Education Group

Thu, 21 Feb 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Anita Fleming-Rife, special assistant to the president for Equity and Diversity at the University of Northern Colorado, will be presented the 2013 Distinguished Educator Award by The Education Center, a Denver-area nonprofit provider of training and programs supporting African-American education, at the center's annual awards presentations March 1.

The award, considered by the center to be equivalent to an "educator hall of fame award," honors an outstanding black educator who exemplifies the highest standard of excellence in the field of education and has dedicated his or her life to teaching, inspiring and motivating students, parents and other educators to become lifelong learners.

Past recipients of the award include Marie Greenwood, the first African-American woman to be tenured by Denver Public Schools, and who like Fleming-Rife, is a UNC alumna.

Fleming-Rife, who earned a bachelor's degree in Communications and a master's in Journalism from UNC, received her doctorate in Journalism from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale. She returned to UNC to teach from 1995-1998 and again from 2008-2010, when she served as visiting professor of Africana Studies and Journalism before being named to her current position.

She previously held teaching positions and was involved in issues of diversity and inclusiveness at Penn State University and Southern Illinois University, and held communications management positions with the United Nations.

As a member of UNC President Kay Norton's executive team, Fleming-Rife helps connect diversity and community building efforts across the university,.working closely with the Dean of Students, Human Resources Office, Equity and Diversity Council and campus governance groups. She also represents UNC in discussions about diversity, climate and equity in the broader community.

Read more about Fleming-Rife's career at http://www.unco.edu/diversity/flemingrife.html.

Grad's Group Nominated for Two Grammys

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 00:00:00 GMT

University of Northern Colorado alumna Neyla Pekarek and the band she joined after graduating, the Denver-based indie group The Lumineers, were nominated for two 2013 Grammy Awards.

The group, which performed during the live TV broadcast of the awards on Feb. 10, received nominations in the Best New Artist and Best American Album categories, but came up short in voting.

The Lumineers are touring in front of sell-out crowds and have enjoyed multiple television appearances over the past two months including a recent performance on Saturday Night Live.

Pekarek earned her bachelor's degree in Music Education in 2010.

Read more about Pekarek in a story on the Greeley Tribune's website.

Grad's Group Nominated for Two Grammys

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 00:00:00 GMT

University of Northern Colorado alumna Neyla Pekarek and the band she joined after graduating, the Denver-based indie group The Lumineers, have been nominated for two 2013 Grammy Awards.

The group, which is scheduled to perform during the live TV broadcast of the awards on Feb. 10, received nominations in the Best New Artist and Best American Album categories.

The Lumineers are touring in front of sell-out crowds and have enjoyed multiple television appearances over the past two months including a recent performance on Saturday Night Live.

Pekarek earend her bachelor's degree in Music Education in 2010.

Read more about Pekarek in a story on the Greeley Tribune's website.

Arbor Day Foundation Names UNC a 2012 Tree Campus USA

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT

The University of Northern Colorado is a Tree Campus USA for the first time, the Arbor Day Foundation announced today.

Tree Campus USA is a national program created in 2008 to honor colleges and universities for effective campus forest management and for engaging staff and students in conservation goals.

UNC achieved the title by meeting Tree Campus USA's five standards, which include maintaining a tree advisory committee, a campus tree-care plan, dedicated annual expenditures toward trees, an Arbor Day observance and student service-learning projects.

"We're thrilled to receive this designation as we take great pride in the beauty of our trees, which serve as an outward reflection of the vibrant education and community here," said UNC President Kay Norton. "This distinction represents not only an acknowledgement of sustainability through the years but also validates the foresight of previous campus leaders, whose shared vision transformed a barren landscape in the 1890s into the thriving tree-lined canopy that it is today."

Last summer, UNC Manager of Landscaping & Grounds Pat McDonald and colleague Brent Engel canvassed the 246-acre campus on foot to officially catalog by hand 3,695 trees — about 1,300 more trees than previously estimated from combining a 1987-88 survey with a tally of new and deceased trees since 2002.

UNC is home to the Colorado Tree Coalition state champion trees based on their size:

a Kentucky coffee tree (northwest of Frasier Hall)
two Amur cork trees (north of Gray Hall and south of Gray Hall in the parking lot island)
a pecan tree (northeast of the intersection of 9th Avenue and 19th Street).

The university plans on designing a self-guided walking tour of the campus arboretum using the information collected by Engle and McDonald, who also leads groups of student volunteers that plant trees on campus throughout the year, including annually on Arbor Day/Earth Day.

The Arbor Day Foundation and Tree Campus USA sponsor Toyota have helped campuses throughout the country plant hundreds of thousands of trees, and Tree Campus USA colleges and universities invested $23 million in campus forest management last year. More information about the program is available at arborday.org/TreeCampusUSA.

UNC Director of Sport and Exercise Science Earns Lifetime Achievement Award

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT

The Southern Sport Management Association has selected David Stotlar, director of the School of Sport and Exercise Science at the University of Northern Colorado, as the recipient of the 2013 Sport Management Scholar Lifetime Achievement Award.

The award will be presented at the Ninth Annual Southern Sport Management Conference scheduled for April 10-12.

Stotlar has been a professor at UNC for more than 25 years and UNC's Sport Management program was recently ranked no. 5 in the world. He has had more than 90 articles published in professional journals and has written more than 50 textbooks and book chapters in sport marketing and management. During his career, Stotlar has given more than 300 presentations and workshops at national and international professional conferences.

Stotlar has not only been a productive scholar but has also served as a consultant to many multinational corporations and Olympic Committees on sport sponsorship. Previous recipients of this award include: Packianathan Chelladurai, William "Bill" Stier, Janet Parks and William "Bill" Sutton.