Campus Connections

Issue Date: June 6, 2005

News and Notices

Wrapping up the first academic year

The Board of Trustees met on May 20. Here are excerpts from President Hochstettler’s report to the board:

I approach the end of my first year at Lewis & Clark with many things accomplished and with many tasks remaining yet to be done. The successful completion of the two senior searches—those for the new Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and the Vice President for Institutional Advancement—are among the signal events of this academic year. We have been most pleased to have recruited Dr. Julio de Paula from Haverford College as the new undergraduate Dean and Philip Akers from Eastern Washington University as the new Vice President for Institutional Advancement. … Let me take this opportunity to express how grateful I am to the current senior staff for their indefatigable support of me during my initial year, and particularly to those who will be stepping aside at the end of this academic year. Although Jane Atkinson, Curtis Johnson, and Jim Walker have acted on an interim basis during this last year in fulfilling their respective roles—chief development officer, undergraduate dean, and chief finance officer—their dedication and accomplishments were in every way of absolutely the highest professional caliber.

Please let me list here several highlights from this last semester:

• The faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences have adopted a new first-year common course format, Exploration and Discovery, to replace the course Inventing America. The new course retains the emphasis on great ideas, on civic responsibility, and on teaching writing and analytical skills that were essential parts of Inventing America. The new course, however, will be designed to encourage collaborative teaching and to permit the incorporation of a wider range of thematic materials than was earlier the case. Beginning in fall semester, 2006, Exploration and Discovery will be required for all new first-year students;

• In early April, the Graduate School of Education and Counseling passed with highest praise its accreditation review with the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and the State of Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission;

• John R. Howard Hall has now been placed in service, housing the Departments in the Division of Social Sciences, as well as the Religious Studies and Philosophy Departments. On Friday, April 22, 2005, the building was dedicated, with both Ruth and John Howard in attendance and with appropriate reflections on the past and the future. It is a wonderful facility and expresses the best traditions of Lewis & Clark;

• The Lewis & Clark School of Law has been ranked number one in the nation in the field of environmental law by U.S. News & World Report. This distinction reflects the values and intellectual engagement not only of the School of Law but also of the entire institution. In this regard, I had the pleasure on Earth Day, April 22, 2005, of signing on behalf of the College the International Talloires Declaration, a document that affirms the commitment of the 310 signatory colleges and universities worldwide to promote environmental education and to embrace sustainable business practices. Lewis & Clark is the first private institution in the Pacific Northwest to sign the Declaration;

• Finally, the Princeton Review and the Campus Compact this month named Lewis & Clark as one of the 81 colleges of conscience, nationwide. Lewis & Clark is the only private institution in Oregon to be so designated. This classification recognizes and affirms the strength of the outreach programs of the College and our commitment to contributing to the common good both within our local community and beyond.

Looking forward to the new academic year, I remain most optimistic about the prospects of our College in every regard. I look forward to working with the Board with renewed enthusiasm and confidence as we pursue our mission of world-class education, scholarship, and service.

Respectfully submitted,

Thomas J. Hochstettler

President

Note: With the selection of Denis Ransmeier as the College’s new vice president for business and finance, the senior leadership team at the College is in place. More information about Ransmeier is included below, under People News.

Biology department gets good marks

Every 10 years, curricula in Lewis & Clark’s departments and programs undergo review, both internally and externally. The reviews help the College objectively understand its strengths and needs.

A recent external review of the biology department yielded high praise from Thomas Bultman, professor of biology at Hope College, and Joseph Pelliccia, biology faculty associate at Bates College. They stated that Lewis & Clark’s program “was among the 20 to 25 best biology programs at liberal arts colleges in the nation.”

The opinion resonated with Lewis & Clark’s department. “It was satisfying to hear our reviewers recognize the dramatic changes in our program that we’ve put in place since our last review,” says Paulette Bierzychudek, William Swindells Sr. Professor of Natural Sciences and chair of biology. “We have hired terrific young faculty and crafted a progressive curriculum that incorporates current advances in science pedagogy; our students don’t just learn about biology, they create new knowledge themselves. We’re very proud of our program and of the achievements of our students.”

Picnic in the campus’s parklike setting

Revel in Lewis & Clark’s beautiful campus and get social with fellow staffers at the annual staff picnic on Tuesday, June 7, between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. President Tom Hochstettler hosts the gathering.

“Join with your hard-working colleagues in celebrating the end of another successful academic year,” says Hochstettler.

If the weather holds, the picnic takes place by the outdoor pool; if Mother Nature doesn’t cooperate, the picnic moves indoors to Fields Dining Room.

In living color: Executive Council approves new stationery design

Lewis & Clark’s new stationery will sport a fresh, colorful look come September. In May, Tom Hochstettler and the College’s executive officers approved the updated design, which uses orange and black on letterhead (.pdf) and business cards (.pdf). The new design replaces a look developed in 1992 and will be printed on recycled paper.

Staff in Public Affairs and Communications have collaborated with Hochstettler and key stakeholders across the institution through the planning and design phases of the redesign, which will be available through a new Web-based ordering system. The logo (shield) is not changing.

More information will become available closer to the changeover in September. For further details, contact pubs@lclark.edu or ext. 7970.

Improvement projects gets underway

Several projects are scheduled over the summer to improve accessibility and safety around Lewis & Clark.

• Sidewalks and curbs: Beginning Monday, June 6, a half-street improvement project will add sidewalks and curbs to the north side of Palater Road. Once completed, the walkway will provide safe pedestrian passage between the Fir Acres and law school campuses and tie them together visually. The work is expected to last approximately eight weeks.

• Paving and painting: Pavement repair work is scheduled for Fir Acres, Pamplin, Akin, Hartzfeld, and law school parking lots. Restriping will be done in the Fir Acres, Evans, Campus Safety, Pamplin, Hartzfeld, and Howard Residence Hall parking lots. The work will take place between June and early August. Look for e-mail notification and updates on these projects; barricades with advisory signs will also be posted in advance at each project site.

Check run reminder

The deadline is looming to submit all invoices and check requests for the 2004-05 budget year. The deadline applies to all invoices dated on or before May 31, 2005. Accounts Payable must receive all these documents by 4 p.m., Monday, June 13. The last check run of the just-completed fiscal year will be the following Friday. For more information, contact Darlene Koumentis at ext. 7815 or Shannon Ehlers at ext. 7809.

Lewis & Clark joins Haverford Group

Lewis & Clark has joined the Haverford Group. This select group of 25 institutions throughout the country is “bonded by philosophical compatibility and the desire to provide an informed perspective to intercollegiate programs that promote the academic priorities of our institutions and support the educational interests of our students.” The group encourages the development of member institution athletics programs and works to “positively influence the thinking and direction of Division III sports.”

Members of the group include Bridgewater College, Bryn Mawr College, Carleton College, Carnegie Mellon University, Centre College, Clark University, Colorado College, DePauw University, Grinnell College, Haverford College, Lawrence University, Macalester College, Occidental College, Pomona-Pitzer Colleges, St. Mary’s College of Maryland, Skidmore College, Smith College, Swarthmore College, Tufts University, Washington & Lee University, Wellesley College, Wesleyan University, Whitman College, College of Wooster, and the American Council on Education.

IT offers summer classes

Information Technology offers ongoing computer training courses. During the next five weeks, these classes are available: FileMaker Scripts and Calculations, Trillium, Photoshop Elements, and Beginning PowerPoint (two-part course). For more information, contact IT at ext. 7020

Historical snapshot

In 1982, the College of Arts and Sciences adopts a new student governance model, which includes Student Academic Affairs Board. SAAB’s responsibilities include helping formulate student policy on academic issues and granting funds for student-motivated research. View more College milestones online.

People News

Ransmeier tapped to become chief financial officer

Denis Sirera Ransmeier, vice president for finance and investments at Seattle University, has been named as the new vice president for business and finance and treasurer of Lewis & Clark. He was selected after a nationwide search and will take up the post on August 1.

“Denis Ransmeier clearly has the depth of experience and breadth of knowledge that are critical to Lewis & Clark College,” says Tom Hochstettler, president. “For more than 25 years, his career path has taken him to both educational and business environments, where he has served with distinction and integrity. This progressive leadership experience will serve him and Lewis & Clark well in the coming years.”

Ransmeier, 57, has been Seattle University’s vice president for finance and investments since 1986. As a member of the university’s executive team, he has contributed to its strategic long-range vision and planning processes. Under his leadership, the university’s endowment fund grew from $21.5 million in 1986 to $159 million in 2004. He helped the university achieve and maintain an investment-grade credit rating, provided oversight on major building construction and remodeling projects, and managed the university’s acquisition of its law school. He also managed or provided oversight in related areas including finance administration, information services, facilities, and human resources. Prior to that, he served as assistant dean and director of administration at Georgetown University Law Center, and earlier was a staff accountant for Price Waterhouse.

“I jumped at the opportunity to become a part of what Tom Hochstettler and the Board of Trustees envision for the future of Lewis & Clark, which already has a well-deserved reputation for educational quality,” says Ransmeier. “I think the institution’s clarity of mission is one of its major assets.”

He is a member of the National Association of College and University Business Officers, the Northwest Independent Colleges Business Officer Association, Society of College and University Planners, and College and University Personnel Association, and is past president of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities Financial Officers Conference.

Active as a community volunteer, Ransmeier most recently served on the board of Seattle’s downtown YMCA and has been an active member of the Seattle University Chorale. He also served as a faculty adviser to the university’s crew team.

He earned his bachelor’s degree from Amherst College, master’s in education at Boston College, and master’s in business administration from Columbia University. He and his wife, Ethel, have four daughters and two granddaughters. His wife is an investigator with the state of Washington’s Division of Employment Services. He enjoys gardening and other outdoor activities.

Association honors Ray Warren

Ray Warren B.A. ’65, M.A.T. ’71, associate dean of students and director of ethnic services, touched many lives before he succumbed to cancer in December 2004. Among the many honors Warren received during his career was the Sister Shawn Marie Barry Distinguished Service to Youth Award, the highest award from the Pacific Northwest Association for College Admissions Counseling. During its annual conference last month, the association posthumously honored Warren with a special award. The elegant plaque reads “To honor and to thank Ray Warren. Thank you for 20 years of outstanding, dedicated and faithful service to youth and Lewis & Clark College, May 2005.” The plaque has been delivered to the Warren family.

Published, presented, honors and achievements

Faculty and staff serve as ambassadors for the College through their publications, presentations, awards, grants, and other accomplishments. Recent highlights include:

Jim Kopp, director of the Watzek Library, received a grant from the Oregon Council for the Humanities. The $5,000 award “encourages scholarly inquiry that contributes significantly to work within the disciplines of the humanities and to a broad public discourse in scholarly ideas.” His research project is the first comprehensive compilation and documentation of sources relating to utopian communities throughout the history of Oregon, from the late 19th century through “post-1965 communal experiments in the state.”

Peter Mortola, associate professor of counseling psychology, collaborated on a chapter in a new text book about gestalt therapy. The forthcoming book is titled “Gestalt Therapy: History, Theory and Practice” (Sage Publications, 2005).

The Oregon State Library exhibit titled Literary Oregon: One Hundred Books, 1800-2000 includes “Ruined Cities” (Carnegie-Mellon University Press, 1987), a volume by Vern Rutsala, professor emeritus of English.

In April, Tod Sloan, professor and chair of counseling psychology, gave an invited address at the Western Psychological Association meeting in Portland. His presentation was titled “Dialogue and Deep Democracy: Critical Roles for Psychologists.”

Elliott Young, associate professor of history, has been named a 2005 Millicent C. McIntosh Fellow by the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation. Young’s award includes a $15,000 stipend for research over a two-year period.

Rishona Zimring, associate professor of English, is organizing the 15th annual conference on Virginia Woolf. The conference, titled “Virginia Woolf: The Art of Exploration,” takes place at Lewis & Clark in June. The conference is supported by a grant from the Oregon Council for the Humanities.

More listings of faculty and staff achievements can be found in our online pressroom.

L&C in the news

College faculty and staff are in the news on a regular basis. Recent mentions include:

The Oregonian: Article reports on Erin Brockovich’s commencement remarks to law school graduates. May 29, 2005.

The Oregonian: Notebook listing mentions U.S. News & World Report’s top ranking for the law school’s environmental law program. May 26, 2005.

Portland Monthly (Portland, Ore.): Light-hearted column titled “The Perfect Party” lists “who we’d like at our table this month.” Tom Hochstettler, president, is on the wish list, which includes David McCullough, historian; Rachel Scdoris, Oregon Iditarod musher; and Molly Bordonaro, recently nominated U.S. ambassador to Malta. June 2005.

Jewish Review (Portland, Ore.): Sylvia Frankel, visiting instructor in religious studies, comments on the definition of Jewish identity in the post-Holocaust era. May 15, 2005.

For a sampling of how and where Lewis & Clark is mentioned by media outlets across the nation and around the globe, visit the online pressroom.

Events

Throwing a big party for Virginia Woolf

Virginia Woolf’s lyrical descriptions of the ordinary are still compelling six decades after her death. Approximately 300 scholars and casual readers from around the world are expected to gather for the 15th annual conference on Virginia Woolf, scheduled for Thursday, June 9, through Sunday, June 12, at Lewis & Clark. The conference, held for the first time in Oregon, is titled “Virginia Woolf: The Art of Exploration.”

“Virginia Woolf, like many of her contemporaries, was aware of her role as both an artist and a public intellectual—she knew that art had something to say about the world,” says Rishona Zimring, associate professor of English and Woolf conference coordinator. “Her writings are filled with insight and engagement with the world around her. That’s one reason why her voice and her writings are still so compelling today.”

The conference offers a variety of events—including panel discussions, readings, and paper presentations—focused on the works of Woolf, the English modernist author, feminist essayist, and critic, who lived between 1882 and 1941. In addition, the four-day conference features an exhibit of selected items from the working personal library of Leonard and Virginia Woolf (now housed at Washington State University), works from Australian artist Suzanne Bellamy’s Virginia Woolf series, and a one-woman theatre performance about Virginia Woolf, presented by Kathleen Worley, professor of theatre at Reed College.

The conference is supported, in part, by a grant from the Oregon Council for the Humanities, a statewide nonprofit organization and independent affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, which funds council grant programs.

All events will take place on campus. Featured lectures, library and art exhibits, and the theater performance are free and open to the public. Other events require registration. For registration or other information, call Zimring at ext. 7405 or e-mail vwoolf05@lclark.edu.

Panels, readings, and presentations focus on writing and culture

Four visiting writers and an editor/publisher will discuss the writer’s art and the influence of culture during the Writing Culture Summer Institute at the Graduate School of Education and Counseling.

Marilyn Bowering, Ruben Martinez, Wang Ping, and Paul Stoller will take part in a panel discussion, readings, and a reading and performance Tuesday through Friday, June 21–24. Ruth Gundle will offer thoughts on editing and working with an editor. The events are free and open to the public.

Tuesday, June 21, 1:30 p.m. Panel discussion: “Writing Culture: Meanings and Misinterpretations.” Marilyn Bowering, Ruben Martinez, Wang Ping, and Paul Stoller. Albany Quadrangle, Smith Hall, Lewis & Clark.

Wednesday, June 22, 7 p.m. Reading: Paul Stoller and Wang Ping, First Unitarian Church (1011 S.W. 12th Ave.).

Thursday, June 23, 1:30 p.m. Presentation: “Working With an Editor and Editing Your Own Work.” Ruth Gundle, editor and publisher of Eighth Mountain Press. Albany Quadrangle, Smith Hall, Lewis & Clark.

Friday, June 24, 7:30 p.m. Reading and Performance: Marilyn Bowering and Ruben Martinez. Milagro Theater (425 S.E. 6th Ave.).

For information, contact Patty Brooks at ext. 6161 or pbrooks@lclark.edu.

Upcoming

Visit the campus Web calendar for events coming up in June and July.