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INSIDE:Alumni EventsCalendars1, 2, 28Education & HumanServices3Foundation7Student Services8Arts & Sciences12Business & Technology 17Class Notes21Athletics 10Obituaries5, 11, 19, 26Spring 2010USPS 679-980Fine Arts &Communications 14University Libraries 15Western NewsAlumni News and Notes from Western Illinois UniversityCorbin/Olson renovations tobegin Fall 2010Call it “Extreme Makeover: Residence Hall Edition.” Aspart of Western Illinois University’s University Housingand Dining Services (UHDS) Master Plan, Corbin andOlson halls—two of the Macomb campus’s longeststanding residence halls—will be completely rehabbedand renovated beginning October 2010. The project meansCorbin and Olson halls will no longer be available forHomecoming or hotel-style housing and should reopenin Fall of 2012 as traditional residence halls. Accordingto UHDS Director of Residential Facilities Matt Bierman‘97 MBA ‘03, renovations and reorganization of theUniversity’s 10 residence halls are two of the primaryfocuses of the UHDS Master Plan.As part of the plan, Wetzel Hall closed following thecompletion of the Spring 2009 semester, and with the startof the Fall 2009 semester, Tanner Hall, once anupper-division hall, was transformed into a traditionaldouble-occupancy building that houses both freshmanand upper-division students. Tanner is currently alsoconsidered an FYE (First Year Experience) hall.Since the 2007-2008 school year, UHDS staffworked to develop its master plan for currentand future housing facilities. According toBierman, the decision to take Wetzel Halloff-line and renovate Corbin and Olsonhalls first fit into the plan, as well as into theUniversity’s Master Plan.“We are implementing changes andrenovating facilities to better serve our studentsby providing outstanding, up-to-date housingoptions,” Bierman explained.Corbin/Olson, two of the Macomb campus’s longest-standingresidence halls, were built in the early 1960s.Major upgradesThe Corbin-Olson update, which will be fundedthrough a bond issue, includes renovating the shareddining center and upgrading the heating and airconditioning system, plumbing, lighting, bathrooms andfurniture. In October 2009, the WIU Board of Trusteesawarded the bid for the architectural design work for theCorbin/Olson halls renovation project to FGM Architects,Inc., Oak Brook (IL), not to exceed 1.8 million.John Biernbaum, assistant vice president for studentservices-student life, said the project will also includesecurity and access control, as well as upgrading commonareas and the Fine Arts living communities. In addition, aninternational floor, which was discontinued in 2004, will bere-introduced as part of the renovation.Biernbaum added that a programming study wasContinued on p. 8State reimbursement causing cash flow issues at state universitiesA delay in reimbursements from the State of Illinoishas many state universities and agencies, includingWestern Illinois University, operating on reserve fundsuntil state dollars arrive. In Western’s case, as of March 1,the University was still expecting reimbursements fromthe State of Illinois totaling 30.1 million, which representsnearly 50 percent of Western’s appropriations.“The lack of state payment is shifting the cost of highereducation to our students and their parents,” said WIUPresident Al Goldfarb. “We are living on our incomefunds, such as tuition; however, these funds will only beavailable for so long. It is imperative that the state fulfillsits obligations to state universities and students as hasbeen promised.”Last month, a Senate panel endorsed Senate Bill 416,which would allow eight public universities the abilityto borrow funds to deal with the current cash flow crisis.The plan, which advanced to the full Senate on an 8-5vote, would give Western and the other Illinois publicuniversities included in the bill the ability to borrowup to 75 percent of payroll and other expense voucherssubmitted to the state but unpaid 30 days prior toMarch 201025 . . . . Burlington, IA27 . . . . Burbank, ILApril 20109-10. . . Track & FieldReunion9 . . . . . Chicago, IL10 . . . . Aurora, IL19 . . . . Homewood, IL20 . . . . Libertyville, IL21 . . . . LaGrange, IL22 . . . . ArlingtonHeights, IL23 . . . . Forest Park, IL29 . . . . Galesburg, ILContinued on p. 16See pages 2 & 28 for entire calendar and complete details!May 201014-16. . Commencement Weekend20 . . . . Champaign, IL22 . . . . Warsaw, ILJune 20109 . . . . . Columbus, OH11 . . . . Naperville, IL12 . . . . Chicago, IL14 . . . . Woodridge, ILWe’recomto a c inginear tyyou!WIUAlumniUpcoming Alumni & Friends Eventsborrowing. Universities would be required to pay back theloans within 18 months.“While borrowing would help Western and otherinstitutions pay bills, this is an option of last resort and onewe do not wish to use as the University would be chargedinterest in the repayment of the loan,” he said. “We wouldtake advantage of this borrowing option only if cash flowproblems would prevent the University from meeting ourpayroll obligations and instructional obligations for ourstudents.”
2 Western NewsDirector’s CornerNews from Your Alumni AssociationDear Alumni & Friends:As has been the case over the past several months,your University and every area of campus have struggledto deal with the significant cash flow crisis the State ofIllinois is facing. You will see in the following pages ofWestern News that WIU is still going strong despite thisdifficult time. President Goldfarb continues to communicatewith students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends about thesituation, and many of you have asked, “What can we do tohelp?” If you live in Illinois, please contact the Governor’soffice to share your concerns. If you live out of state butremain in contact with friends or family in Illinois, wehope you will encourage them to do the same. Finally,your continued financial support of Western is greatlyappreciated. All areas of campuslife are effected by the budgetcrisis, so if you are interestedin making an additional gift,please consider giving to studentscholarships, your department,your college, athletics, the artsor even the Alumni Association.As we have said, the collectivestrength of our 107,000-strongAlumni Association can havea tremendous impact. We lookforward to hearing from you!Amy Spelman MS ’98WIU Alumni & FriendsWestern News2010 EventsSpring 2010, Vol. 62, No. 3USPS 679-980Western News is published quarterly (March, June, September,December) by the Alumni Association,1 University Circle, Macomb, IL 61455-1390.Periodicals postage paid at Macomb, IL and at additionalmailing offices. Distributed to WIU alumni.Postmaster: Please send address changes to WIU AlumniAssociation, 1 University Circle, Macomb, IL 61455-1390.Alumni Association Phone: (309) 298-1914A-Association@wiu.eduwiu.eduEditorial staff/contributors:Darcie Dyer Shinberger ’89 MS ’98, director ofUniversity RelationsAmy Spelman MS ’98, alumni directorBonnie Barker ’75 MS ’77, assistant director ofUniversity RelationsCaren Bordowitz, graphic designerJessica Butcher MS ’96, assistant to the vice president forStudent ServicesBryce Dexter, director of development, College of Arts andSciencesMichael Jones, assistant alumni directorTeresa Koltzenburg ’92, public information specialistAlison McGaughey, editorial writerSchuyler Meixner ’98 MBA ’04, director, communications andexternal relations, College of Business and TechnologyDana Moon ’98 MBA ’01, assistant to the dean, College ofEducation and Human ServicesJulie Murphy ‘94 MS ‘95, director, Foundationcommunications/donor stewardshipCathy Null, assistant to the dean, College of Fine Arts andCommunicationJessica Ruebush ‘09, graphic designerPhyliss Self, dean of LibrariesAmanda Shoemaker, associate alumni directorHave tips, questions or comments for Western News?A-Association@wiu.eduwesternnews@wiu.edusee “Send Us Your News” (page 27)Need to update your address?wiu.edu/alumniTel (309) 298-1914Fax (309) 298-2914Printed by the authority of the State of Illinois.3/2010 98,500 100002March 201025 . . . . . . B urlington, IA Alumni & Friends Event - Burlington Golf Club27 . . . . . . Black Alumni Black Tie Scholarship Gala - Martinique Banquet Complex, Burbank, ILApril 20108 . . . . . . . Grad Prep Day, WIU-Quad Cities, Campus Foyer9. G rad Prep Day, WIU-Macomb, University Union Concourse9 . . . . . . . Chicago Alumni & Friends Event - Complimentary Social at The Art Institute of Chicago9-10 . . . . Track & Field Reunion in conjunction with Lee Calhoun Invitational, Macomb, IL10 . . . . . . 3rd Annual All Leatherneck Reunion AND Leatherneck Football Spring Scrimmage in Chicago - Ballydoyle Irish Pub & Restaurant, Aurora, IL/Naperville North High School19 . . . . . . Homewood, IL Alumni & Friends Event - 5th Quarter Sports Bar & Grill20 . . . . . . Libertyville, IL Alumni & Friends Event - Mickey Finn’s Brewery21 . . . . . . LaGrange, IL Alumni & Friends Event - Mambo Room Latin Grill22 . . . . . . Arlington Heights, IL Alumni & Friends Event - La Tasca Tapas Restaurant 23 . . . . . . All Greek Reunion - Doc Ryan’s Bar & Grill, Forest Park, IL 28-May 6 . Alumni Travel Abroad Program: Amalfi – The Divine Coast29 . . . . . . Galesburg, IL Alumni & Friends Event - McGillacuddy’sMay 201014-16 . . . C ommencement/Distinguished Alumni Award/Young Alumni Excellence Award 18-26 . . . Alumni Travel Abroad Program: Italy’s Lake District20 . . . . . . Champaign, IL Alumni & Friends Event - Jupiter’s At The Crossing22 . . . . . . Warsaw, IL Alumni & Friends Event - Warsaw BreweryJune 20109. C olumbus, OH Alumni & Friends Event11 . . . . . . Naperville, IL Alumni & Friends Event - BlackFinn American Saloon12 . . . . . . Chicago Alumni & Friends Event at The Cubby Bear – Watch the Chicago Cubs vs. Chicago White Sox Baseball Game14 . . . . . . “The Western Open,” Chicago Area Golf Outing – Seven Bridges, Woodridge, IL15-23 . . . Alumni Travel Abroad Program: Italy’s Lake District21 . . . . . . Quad Cities Golf Outing – TPC Deere Run, Silvis, IL25 . . . . . . Peoria Area Golf Outing – WeaverRidge, Peoria, ILJuly 20108 . . . . . . . Washington D.C. Alumni & Friends EventAugust 20106-8 . . . . . Black Alumni Reunion Weekend - Chicago, ILSeptember 2010From the PresidentAs we are midway throughthe 2009-10 academic year, it isamazing to recall just what hasbeen accomplished this year and take a look at what liesahead.Before I touch upon ouraccomplishments, I would beremiss if I did not first discussthe continuing serious cashflow situation facing our greatUniversity, along with all other public universities andstate-funded agencies in the State of Illinois. Please knowthat we remain committed to continuing to provideoutstanding academic opportunities and services toour students, as well as provide a quality, affordableeducation. We are also committed to retaining ouremployees. While the cash flow situation has reachedwhat I believe is crisis-level, the University is doingeverything possible to control expenditures and conserveresources. We continue to work with our legislators andother public university presidents and chancellors tokeep this dire situation at the forefront. Please know that Igreatly appreciate all of the support during these difficultbudgetary times. I encourage you, as alumni and friendsof this great institution, to contact Illinois Gov. Pat Quinnand your legislators about this critical fiscal situation[visit www.ilga.gov to obtain the name and contactinformation for state representatives and senators].It is truly amazing just what this University hasaccomplished thus far despite economic challenges anduncertainties. The University began offering its newengineering and nursing degrees in Fall 2009, and weopened our new Multicultural Center prior to the start ofthe fall semester. The Illinois Board of Higher Educationrecently approved our request for a new master’s degreein biology with a zoo and aquarium focus, which willinclude hands-on classes at John G. Shedd Aquarium inChicago.More than 950 students earned academic degrees afterthe Fall 2009 semester. Western Illinois was designated aMilitary Friendly Institution by GI Jobs Magazine, and forthe second consecutive year, Western was named to theU.S. President’s Honor Roll for Community Service andVolunteerism. A delegation of WIU resident assistantsattended the 2010 Illinois State Resident AssistantAssociation (ISRAA) conference and came home withseveral top awards, including “Top 10 Program” and“School of the Year.” Gov. Quinn released capital fundingfor the Quad Cities Riverfront Campus, and the officialgroundbreaking for Building One on that campus will beheld later this month.The University banded together following thedevastating earthquake in Haiti to raise funds tocontribute to Haitian relief efforts, and Western’s PeaceCorps Fellows Program, which was the first communitydevelopment program of its kind in the nation, celebratedits 15th anniversary. These accomplishments are but afew of the many that have occurred on this campus sincethe Fall 2009 semester, and I am proud of the dedicatedfaculty, staff, students and alumni for their continualefforts in making WIU an outstanding university.Thank you for your continued support of Western. Ihope to meet many of you at Alumni Association eventsthis summer.11 . . . . . . W IU vs. Purdue Pre-Game Social & Football Game - West Lafayette, IN23 . . . . . . Founder’s Day & Honorary Alumni Award Presentation24-25 . . . WIU Homecoming/Reunion 2010All my best wishes,April 2011Al Goldfarb Celebrating Town & Gown
Western News 3College of Education and Human ServicesExpanding UnderstandingProfessor’s trip results in agreement between WIU and Ethiopian universityBy Teresa Koltzenburg ‘92Among the outcomes of Fetene Gebrewold’s recenttrip to Ethiopia is a memorandum of agreement betweenWestern Illinois University and Haramaya University inDire Dawa. Gebrewold, a professor in Western’s healthsciences department, traveled to his homeland lastsummer and spent his time there teaching public healthcourses and visiting health clinics in the Hararge region.The memorandum that resulted from his journey, aresearch and teaching trip made possible through fundsprovided by a Rotary Grant for University Teachers, willprovide for a structured relationship between the twoinstitutions of higher learning. Gebrewold hopes thememorandum will ultimately build greater understandingbetween the U.S. and Ethiopia.“The administrations of the universities agreed uponthe objectives identified in the memorandum and signedit, making it official. The agreement will develop theenrichment of teaching and research between Western andHaramaya University, and it will strengthen and expandthe contact between the two institutions,” Gebrewoldexplained.Gebrewold hopes that expanded contact between WIUand Haramaya University will contribute to internationalpublic health knowledge. He noted that the Rotaryprogram brings much-needed help to the people andinstitutions of this developing country in east centralAfrica.“All the areas I visited in Ethiopia have shortages inmedical supplies, water and computer resources. As adeveloping country, it faces many public health problems,including HIV/AIDS, maternal and child health issues,malaria, tuberculosis and malnutrition.”Gebrewold noted that the causes of the manyproblems Ethiopia faces includepoor sanitation, waterborne diseases,limited access to health care, lack offood and inadequate infant and childfeeding practices.“Child malnutrition is theunderlying cause for more than 50percent of deaths in children underthe age of five,” he said. “But thereare more positive outcomes expectedto materialize in the near future,such as drilling water wells of thevarious health clinics that I visited. Iam hoping the relationship between WIU and HaramayaUniversity will also contribute to many more positiveoutcomes for my homeland.”Gebrewold is now giving presentations at WIU and toRotary Clubs around Illinois to promote the memorandumof agreement and to encourage people to contribute or getinvolved to help. He said that once people learn about theproblems the people of Ethiopia face, there are many waysto become actively involved to help.“On my way to the airport in Chicago to travel toEthiopia, I stopped in Dwight (IL) at Route 66 FamilyRestaurant for breakfast. The hostess and a server thereasked me where I was going, and once I explained to themFetene Gebrewold with students from Harewa Rural Elementary Schoolwhat the purpose of my trip was, they gave me 30 to giveto a needy child. Once in Ethiopia, I gave the money to acontact that could be sustained in order to direct futurehelp. So, through local teachers, I was able to find TizibitKasahun, an eight-year-old orphan girl attending thirdgrade. Tizibit lives in a small shack with her grandmother,who has been diagnosed with HIV/AIDS.”Gebrewold noted that Harewa Rural ElementarySchool is in need of student desks, books, notebooks,pencils, pens, typewriters, computers and, in general,funds for supplies, water and for the possibility of arenovation, which may cost up to 10,000.“Right now, there are manythings in the planning stages,and through the memorandumof agreement, I will continue towork to strengthen and expand therelationship between the institutions.I am grateful for the Rotary GrantI was awarded, as it helped enablethe agreement and will, hopefully,ultimately help contribute to a betterlife for those in Ethiopia.”According to the RotaryInternational website, applicantsmust be sponsored from a local Rotary Club chapterin order to be considered for the competitive grantapplication. Gebrewold’s application was sponsored bythe Bushnell (IL) chapter. The website also noted that atits April 2009 meeting, the Rotary Foundation Trusteesdecided to end some Rotary programs, including theRotary Grant for University Teachers.For more information about how to help TizibitKasahun or Harewa Rural Elementary School, contactGebrewold at (309) 298-1531 or F-Gebrewold@wiu.edu.“I hope the relationshipbetween WIU andHaramaya Universitywill contribute to manymore positive outcomesfor my homeland.”Three Ethiopian children and their mother by the roadsideMelake Damena, dean of health sciences department atHaramaya University, left, with Fetene Gebrewold
4 Western NewsCollege of Education and Human ServicesThe expedition ofa lifetimeRPTA program one of a kind inthe nationBy Teresa Koltzenburg ‘92Imagine trying to put the finishing touches on a paperyou are writing for a college course while sitting on abathroom floor in a U.S. national park. You are using theelectrical outlet to plug in your laptop. Or, maybe, it isone of the only warm places you have been able to find inrecent days, and you use it so that you can write with anysort of efficiency. For 12 Western students in Fall 2009—aswell as for past students and alumni of the recreation,park and tourism administration (RPTA) department’sEnvironmental Conservation and Outdoor EducationExpedition (ECOEE) program—this image is among themany memories they will keep for a lifetime.Started in 1976 by Frank Lupton, professor in what wasthen WIU’s recreation and park administration department,the ECOEE program began as a way to provide studentswith practical experience in outdoor leadership andeducation and wilderness travel skills. Since then,hundreds of WIU students havecompleted the ECOEE, a semesterlong experience that entails 18credit hours of coursework,traveling to and camping, as wellas working in, locations throughoutthe U.S., and Canada and Mexico.“This is the only program inthe country that offers this—totake a semester and be on theroad for almost the entirety ofit,” Jeff Tindall MS ‘90, ECOEEcoordinator/instructor, explained.“Typically, other university orcollege programs offer this type ofinstruction in time blocks during asemester, or offer the wilderness aspect during the su
Dana Moon ’98 MBA ’01, assistant to the dean, College of Education and Human Services Julie Murphy ‘94 MS ‘95, director, Foundation . Libertyville, IL Alumni & Friends Event - Mickey Finn’s Brewery 21 . . . . . . LaGrange, IL Alumni & Friends Event - Mambo Room Latin Grill
