COLLEGE OF HUMANITIES AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS NEWSLETTER

Missouri State University

VOLUME 6-1   Fall 2003

In this Issue:
Dean's Corner
Start of Semester Events
Student Achievements and Activities
Public Affairs Activities
Faculty Forums
Transitions
Would You Like to Contribute?

 I am pleased to report to you that even with increased tuition this semester, the University has a record enrollment.  This, of course, speaks to the quality of education that Missouri State provides its students.  However, those of us in higher education are certainly aware that as the state economy flounders and Missouri public universities are forced to make very deep cuts in their budgets, a larger and larger financial burden is placed on the backs of students and their parents.  I feel strongly that families should not have to mortgage their homes to send their children to college, nor should students have to assume huge debt to pursue a college degree.

 Consequently, Missouri State, like most other state universities, is becoming increasingly dependent on external money to fulfill our educational mission.  The Campaign for Missouri State – the first comprehensive fund-raising campaign in the University's history -  officially kicked off in September, and we have high hopes as we attempt to meet (or exceed) our $50 million goal.  We hope that our alumni will join us in the coming months in raising this amount of money.  The CHPA has identified a number of priority projects for the campaign, and we are always appreciative of any gift – large or small- that allows us to emphasize our public affairs mission and prepare "educated citizens."

 Happy Fall, and we hope to see you at homecoming on October 17 -18.

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Dean Stone opened the fall 2003 semester with an all-College meeting.  This occasion proves an opportunity for goals to be set and accomplishments to be acknowledged.  This includes a ceremony in which College Award winners are honored with a plaque and recognized by the Dean and their colleagues. In addition, the three new department heads (Michael Sheng - History; Pam Sailors - Philosophy; Karl Kunkel - Sociology/Anthropology) were introduced to the faculty.

VPAA Bruno Schmidt also used the occasion to make a few remarks on the importance of an "engaged faculty" to the public affairs mission of the university.  A full transcript of Dean Stone's remarks may be seen at http://www.missouristate.edu/chpa/Dean's%20Vision%20Statement.htm.

Rear row: Michael Sheng (HST), Andrew Lewis (HST), Mark Ellickson (PLS), Margaret Buckner (SOC), and Ken Rutherford (PLS)

Front row: Robert Jones (REL), Suzanne Walker (SOC), John Chuchiak (HST), Ahmed Ibrahim (HST), and not pictured - Jeff Nash (SOC/ANT) and Thomas Dicke (HST)

The College of Humanities and Public Affairs was also well represented in the presentation of University Awards at the All-Faculty Luncheon, hosted by President John Keiser.

Once a month Dean Stone hosts an informal get-together with the faculty, offering donuts and an opportunity for faculty and staff to meet and interact.  Many times the faculty in the various departments are isolated from each other.  These occasions bring them together to talk about current events and discuss their own disciplines.  This has proven to be a popular occasion with faculty and staff free to come and go as they please.

New Faculty Join the College

The History Department has added three new faculty.  Dr. Elena Osokina received her Ph.D. from Moscow State University in 1998. She already has an impressive publication record (in English, French, and Russian) and will be teaching Russian History courses as an Assistant Professor.  Dr. Dale Streeter received his Ph.D. degree in medieval history in 2002 from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  He will replace Dr. Katherine Hammerton for this academic year as a Visiting Assistant Professor in French History.  Stephanie O'Neal has an M.A. degree in History from Missouri State and has taught per course for the department since 1990. She will serve as a Lecturer in American History and assist in supervising the BS.Ed. student teachers.

The Sociology/Anthropology Department has added three new Assistant Professors.  Dr. Gayle Rhineberger, originally from Thief River Falls, Minnesota, received her Ph.D. in Sociology from Western Michigan University in 2003.  Her dissertation involved a comprehensive test of systemic social disorganization theory.  Using data from the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods, she tested how conditions associated with social disorganization impacted the interaction among neighborhood residents, and how this interaction in turn impacted victimization rates within and between neighborhoods.  Jeff London grew up in Miami, Florida. After receiving his M.A. from the University of Florida, he began the Ph.D. program at University of Colorado in Boulder (CU). Under Dr. Rick Rogers' supervision and tutelage, he worked for the Center of Population Studies with the Institute of Behavioral Sciences writing SAS command files, combining large public health databases, and engaging in advanced statistical analysis.  Dr. William Meadows holds a Ph.D. degree in cultural anthropology from the University of Oklahoma. He has performed fieldwork and published in the subfields of cultural anthropology, linguistic anthropology, and archaeology. In addition, Dr. Meadows has conducted cultural and linguistic fieldwork in Japan and in North America with the Kiowa, Comanche, Naishan Apache, Cheyenne, and Crow tribes. He has also participated in archaeological fieldwork in the Midwestern United States.

The Political Science Department has added two new Assistant Professors to their faculty. Dr. Denise Dutton received her Ph.D. from Princeton and works in the field of political theory, reading and wrestling with ancient, modern and American political thought. Her  research considers what it means to be an individual and how that meaning gives shape to political relations  and to the quest to live freely.  Dr. Kevin Pybas holds a Ph.D. degree from the University of Georgia as well as a J.D. degree from the University of Tulsa.  He practiced corporate law for several years before pursuing his Ph.D.

The Religious Studies Department has hired Dr. Kevin Wanner received his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago in History of Religions, with primary emphasis on comparative religion and aspects of Medieval Christianity from the Scandinavian perspective.  He will serve as visiting Assistant Professor while Dr. Jack Llewellyn is spending this academic year in India on a Fulbright-Hayes fellowship. 

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 Student Achievements and Activities
 

Washington Internship in Rep. Blunt's Office

Matt Howell, a Political Science major, had the opportunity this summer from June 16 to July 15 to serve as an intern in the Washington, DC office of Rep. Roy Blunt,  the House Majority Whip.  In discussing his experience he stated that "in that one month I learned more about how government works than in a year of civics classes."  He noted that his task was generally to answer the phone and guard the staff's time. However, there were the times when something needed to be done and a staffer wasn't available.  Committee hearings, Lexis Nexus searches, Congressional Research Service requests, presentations by interest groups and lobbyists, and serving the people of Southwest Missouri, were the jobs given to the interns.  In the off hours, the staff was more than willing to explain the goings-on of the Capitol. He summed up his experience by saying, "Politics in person is about the people and their reputation, not classroom debate."

Archaeological Field School

by Dr. Gina Powell (CAR)

Between 1821 and 1831, around two thousand Delaware Indians lived in the James River Valley southwest of Springfield, Missouri. At least two trading posts were erected within or near this settlement.  This area is still known as "Delaware Town." Three summer archaeological field schools, under the direction of staff from the Center for Archaeological Research, have explored a significant portion of the James River Valley searching for Delaware Town. During previous summers we succeeded in locating several locations of early nineteenth-century artifacts, which might represent a few of the household clusters and homesteads strung along the river.

This past summer we gained access to a property which was thought to be a likely location for one of the main household clusters. The students excavated shovel probes on the floodplain but found only prehistoric artifacts. We moved to a slightly higher landform and found artifacts diagnostic of an early nineteenth-century occupation. Several of the artifacts, such as brass tinkle cones and glass beads, indicated a Native American rather than Euro-American origin. On the last day of excavation we uncovered a trash pit filled with well-preserved Delaware artifacts, including British gunflints, hand-painted ceramics, glass beads, and a brass bell.

Shannon Western (Anthropology major; Antiquities minor) participated in the summer archaeological field school directed by Dr. Gina Powell of the Center for Archaeological Research.  She noted that "during this summer's field school, we learned more than just how to dig.  We learned about different soil types, how to use the transit and metal detectors, how to set up a grid, how to identify various things (such as bone, different types of ceramics and glass, different types of metal, and stone tools and projectile points), and about the Delaware and the European settlers of the area." 

She went on to explain that "most of us had some sort of archaeology class before, but the hands-on training was a whole new experience.  It was hard work, but it was worth it; we learned a lot, made a lot of friends, and attained a better understanding of archaeology."

Research is ongoing. Two public talks have been given and a symposium paper is to be presented at the Midwest Archaeology Conference in Milwaukee. Working with the Delaware of Bartlesville, Oklahoma, the Center for Archaeological Research will be submitting a grant proposal this winter to continue the search. Further investigations are considered urgent since suburban Springfield and Nixa are spreading rapidly in the direction of Delaware Town.

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Public Affairs Activities

Hot Topics Series at The Library Center

Dr. Martha Wilkerson gave a presentation in the "Hot Topics" series that is co-sponsored by the College of Humanities and Public Affairs and Springfield-Greene Country Library Center on South Campbell.  She spoke on the topic "Changing Faces: Hispanics Finding a Home in Rural America" to a crowd including community members, faculty and students.  The impetus for this presentation was the 92% growth in the Hispanic population in southwest Missouri (80% in urban areas and 147% in non-metro areas). Throughout the state, about 24% of Hispanics reside in rural areas and communities. Hispanics reflect diverse origins, social and economic characteristics, English language proficiency, and residency patterns. This has brought opportunities and challenges to the educational, religious, health care, and economic institutions in rural as well as urban Missouri.  Among the efforts being made are the hiring of bilingual tutors, provision of Spanish speaking interpreters in government and legal offices, and the establishment of a Spanish language radio station.  As these new immigrants settle in the area and "make a commitment to living in America," Wilkerson notes that they will want to take advantage of higher education opportunities and this means the public schools and universities will have to be ready to meet their needs.

Taiwan Conference

Over the weekend of September 5-7, Dr. Dennis Hickey (PLS) attended the Annual Conference on Taiwan Issues. The conference is organized, sponsored, and hosted by the University of South Carolina (USC). It brings together experts from the US, Taiwan, and China to discuss issues related to political, economic, and military developments in Taiwan.  In a departure from past years, USC held the conference in Charleston, South Carolina. While there, Dr. Hickey presented the paper, "The Making of Taiwan's Foreign Policy in the Post-Martial Law Era." After the meeting, he toured the area with his wife. The image shows Dr. Hickey aboard the USS Yorktown which is now part of a military museum in Charleston.

Public Affairs Week -- Panel on the United Nations

The important role played by the United Nations in post-conflict situations around the world was highlighted in a panel discussion on Wednesday, September 24th as part of the first annual Public Affairs Week at Missouri State.  The panel, which was jointly sponsored by the World Affairs Council at Missouri State and the local chapter of the United Nations Association of the USA, featured presentations by three Missouri State professors, Dr. Shahin Gerami (SOC/ANT), Dr. Ken Rutherford (PLS), Dr. Janice Windborne (Broadcast Journalism), and Dr. Maxim Matusevich of the Drury University history department.  Each has had experience with United Nations agencies or non-governmental agencies in post-conflict states.  Dr. Rutherford discussed the lessons learned when the United Nations did not function as a completely neutral party in the Somali conflict.  He noted that the disastrous result of the pull out of forces under the threat of further violence was the creation of a "Somali-syndrome" that affected subsequent foreign policy decisions by the United States, the European states, and the United Nations.  Dr. Matusevich agreed with this conclusion, noting that the experience in Somalia contributed to the inaction of most of the world as Rwanda became inflamed with civil strife in 1994 and 800,000 persons were killed within a matter of months.  He noted that the member nations of the United Nations repeatedly delayed a vote on a resolution to intervene in this conflict, allowing the killing to continue. 
     The dangers to peace keepers and those who work to rehabilitate a war-torn area was discussed by Dr. Windborne, whose experience was with the ethnic Albanians of Kosovo.  The ethnic cleansing policies of Serbian president Slobodan Milosevic had created a refugee crisis and a general breakdown of services and public order.  Trying to work in these conditions was a challenge, but Windborne insisted that the United Nations was an essential factor in bringing this area back from its wounded state.  Another example of the work accomplished by United Nations relief agencies was documented by Dr. Gerami, who worked with Afghani refugees in Iran.  She explained that among the problems faced by that country as it attempted to rebuild was the lack of a strong central government (with war lords dominating most of Afghanistan), a long drought, and an economy that is 50% based on the growth of poppies and the sale of opium.  This drug actually serves as a medium of exchange in much of the country, she noted.  The work that is going on in  refugee camps and in the countryside includes the rebuilding of high schools and a Mobile Disarmament Unit that collects weapons and attempts to convince the people to commit to the principle of a peaceful, demilitarized country.  Although each speaker touched on the problems of working in countries where war has totally disrupted the normal economic and governmental activities, they felt that the United Nations could be a positive force in future world crises.

Donation of Books

In the month of September of 2003, the Economics Club donated approximately 30 books on Economics and related fields to Hem Sheela Model School located in Durgapur, India. The books were delivered to Dr. R.N. Roy, the Founder-President of this nonprofit organization who, in turn, shipped them to India.  Dr. Mahua Barari (ECO) visited the school in the summer of 2003 and made a presentation on "excellence in academics." She stated that she was very impressed with the sprawling campus and the enthusiasm she noticed in the students. She is confident that the high school students will strongly benefit from the books.

Beirut Conference on International Disability Rights

In September, 2003, Dr. Ken Rutherford (PLS) joined Adnan Al Aboudi, Director of the Landmine Survivors Network in Jordan, in participating in an Expert Working Group To Draft a United Nations Treaty on the "Rights Of People With Disabilities." The working group includes States' Parties and NGO representation and it will offer a draft for discussion at  theThird Ad Hoc Committee On UN Convention in June, 2004 at UN Headquarters In New York City. "We look forward to the next stages of the UN Convention process," said Dr. Rutherford. "The question before us is no longer whether to have a convention on the human rights of people with disabilities, but when, and what are the key elements. Ten percent of the world's population, 600 million people, have disabilities. The human rights of people with disabilities are often abused or ignored. In many countries, they are barred from education and employment. In some countries persons with disabilities cannot inherit property or adopt children." "People with disabilities," said Mr. Al Aboudi- a double amputee who lost both legs in 1989- "are among the most marginalized and vulnerable populations in the world."

As a leader, winning the Nobel Peace Prize for his work in the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, Dr. Rutherford is applying lessons learned from the Mine Ban Treaty process to this campaign. Mr. Al Aboudi and Dr. Rutherford are pleased with the establishment of the Working Group. However, they cautioned that still more representation from persons with disabilities is needed. "Many nations failed to include representatives from disabled peoples' organization in their delegations this year," said Mr. Al Aboudi. "The most important thing is that the treaty drafting process also reflect the saying: 'nothing about us without us.'"

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Faculty Forums Share Expertise

Anthropology Colloquium on the Middle East

Each year since 1997, the Missouri State Anthropology program has organized a series of informal monthly colloquia.  The colloquium is explicitly interdisciplinary, with speakers invited from all over the Missouri State campus as well as the outside community.  It focuses on a different theme each year.  This year it will include a  diverse series of presentations on aspects of the Middle East.  Dr. Juris Zarins (SOC/ANT) gave the initial presentation in the series with a discussion of "The Diversified Nomad: A Lifestyle Worth Settling For."  Tracing the archaeological evidence and textual material available from both the ancient Near East as well as modern Bedouin groups, Zarins noted that this lifestyle is extremely resilient, able to adapt to climatic and topographic conditions and the regime changes that have been typical of the Middle East over the centuries.

History Forum Sponsored by Phi Alpha Theta

Each month Phi Alpha Theta, the History Honor Society, will sponsor a presentation by a member of the faculty to share their current scholarly activity, discuss the methods used by scholars in doing their research, and explaining how research translates into classroom presentations.  Dr. John Chuchiak served as the first presenter in this series with a discussion of "Secrets behind the Screen: Solicitantes in the Colonial Diocese of Yucatan and the Sexual Conquest of the Yucatec Maya, 1570-1790."  He provided copies of the court documents from the colonial office of the Inquisition, explaining the process from accusation by persons who claimed to have been sexually abused by priests during the sacrament of confession, to arrest and imprisonment, fact finding, and either restoration or expulsion from their priestly office.  He noted that the large number of cases in this 200 year period (over 38,000, of which 46.7% were solicitation and sexual crimes of the clergy or 17,670 cases/investigations/or denunciations) indicates how seriously the church and the colonial government took these charges and how it may also have been a method used, in some cases, by the indigenous people to rid themselves of their priests.

Philosophy Club Features Indepth Discussions

Kicking off a series of presentations by faculty from across campus, the Philosophy Club featured a discussion of "Morality and Discourse" by Dr. Daniel Kaufman (PHI).  He explained that philosophy, traditionally, has thought that morality must be approached from a distance.  This is meant in two senses: (1) that the moral actor is one who takes a disinterested stance towards morally significant situations; i.e. he distances himself emotionally from the circumstances of and actors involved in the situation at hand; (2) that the moral actor is one who follows moral rules that are derived from moral theories, which characterize the nature of rightness and wrongness from a theoretical distance; i.e. taken abstractly.  Classic moral theories from Kantianism to Utilitarianism advocate involvement in this kind of "moral distance," as does our "official morality," meaning that which governs the public discourse on moral subjects. There is, however, a contrary philosophical tradition--one that can be identified partly, with Aristotle, Hume, Ross, and some contemporary feminists--which takes the position that it is closeness rather than distance that morality requires.  That the moral actor must care--i.e. must be emotionally invested--in order to act and that the moral significance of actions lies in their particularity and cannot be captured in the abstract, from a theoretical distance. His presentation, which compared these two traditions and offered some arguments in favor of the second sparked a great deal of discussion among the students.

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Transitions

Defense & Strategic Studies Professor Dies

Dr. Ulrike Schumacher, 51, passed away on June 25, 2003.  She joined the Defense and Strategic Studies Department as a Visiting Associate Professor in fall 1999 and became a regular faculty member in fall 2002 as an Associate Professor. Schumacher had an international reputation as a scholar in European integration, regional security, the former Soviet Union, African Studies, and terrorism. Her work was crucial to the development of an outstanding curriculum in the Federal Republic of Germany that brought together students from diverse backgrounds and many parts of the world for intensive study of security issues. She worked for a number of years with students and faculty from many countries, thus demonstrating a capacity for diplomacy and tact, as well as academic excellence.  She will be remembered as an engaging, hardworking, and meticulous teacher and scholar. She is survived by her husband, Dr. William Van Cleave (DSS). With the assistance of her former DSS graduate students and a group of Dr. Van Cleave's former students at the University of Southern California, a scholarship fund has been established in her name and contributions may be made to the Ulrike Schumacher Scholarship Fund, c/o Missouri State, 901 S. National Ave., Springfield, MO 65804.

Emeritus History Faculty Member Dies

Dr. Leo E. Huff, 85, passed away on Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2003, in his home from a short illness. In 1964, he began his career as a history professor at Missouri State, specializing in military and civil war history. He remained at Missouri State until his retirement in 1988. Considered to be among the "Who's Who" of Civil War scholars, his incredible knowledge of details concerning battles, participants, and circumstances made Civil War history come alive for his students at Missouri State.  Dr. James Giglio (Distinguished Professor of History) noted that "Huff's Civil War history course was arguably the most popular offering in the department during the 1970s and 80s. He reached out to Civil War buffs in the community by playing a major role in promoting the Civil War roundtable." As a service to the community, Huff would patiently examine all sorts of rusty old weapons and dirty military buttons, which their owners were certain were of Civil War vintage.  Another colleague, Dr. Dominic Capeci (Distinguished Professor of History) stated that Huff was "serious about teaching and departmental matters, he also possessed a witty personality and a wonderful gift for telling stories and jokes.  He reminded everyone that there was more to life than the immediate, pressing issue of the day and, in his own way, helped to put things in proper perspective.  As much as any faculty member on campus, he also built bridges to the community through his love of Civil War History." Both Dr. William Piston and Dr. Wayne Bartee spoke of Huff's sense of humor, noting that he was a great story-teller, and loved puns and bad jokes.  Contributions may be made to the Leo Huff History Scholarship Fund, c/o Missouri State, 901 S. National Ave., Springfield, MO 65804.

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University embarks on comprehensive fundraising campaign

By now, it is well known that Missouri State University is embarking on its first comprehensive fundraising campaign, The Campaign for Missouri State, to raise $50,000,000 by the University's Centennial Celebration in 2004-05.  A successful campaign will help assure that Missouri State thrives in the 21^st Century. The four goals of the Campaign include (1) supporting the student body, (2) promoting faculty development, (3) assuring continued program support, and (4) enhancement of the learning environment.

The College of Humanities and Public Affairs has assembled specific goals that will help fulfill the University's statewide mission in public affairs and ensure the College's students, faculty and staff will continue to succeed in an ever-changing world. The top three goals for the College are (1) endowed graduate scholarships, (2) the Bernice S. Warren Humanities and Public Affairs Lecture Endowment, and (3) a college enhancement fund. 

     Expanded graduate programs: additional scholarships are needed to attract the most outstanding students to the College.  This endowment would help fund graduate scholarships in Religious Studies, History, Defense and Strategic Studies and Political Science.
 

     The Bernice S. Warren Humanities and Public Affairs Lecture Endowment: established in 1999 to honor longtime Missouri State faculty member and Dean Emeritus Bernie Warren, the fund is used to bring in regional and national speakers on a variety of topics throughout the year.  

      College enhancement fund: would support and enhance department and College operations, maintenance, and travel budgets, as well as recruitment and start-up activities of highly qualified faculty.  With the difficulties in the State of Missouri budget and decreasing state appropriations, this additional support is more crucial than ever before.
 

Other CHPA goals include; endowed chairs, public affairs visiting faculty fellowships, sculpture/artwork for Strong Hall, endowed scholarships for undergraduate scholarships, women's history month fund endowment, and a new Center for Archaeological Research.

True to its past, these goals are not modest.  The goals will stretch the institution beyond anything it has achieved before.  They will move the University to once again excel to a higher level. For more information on how you can become involved in the Campaign for Missouri State, please call Robert Beumer at 417/836-4547 or e-mail at rfb131t@missouristate.edu.