Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper will be on campus Saturday, May 19, to sign into law House Bill 12-1080, which will officially designate Adams State a university. More details on this historic event will be released as they are finalized.

“We are very excited about entering a new phase as a university,” said Adams State President David Svaldi. The college’s Board of Trustees voted to pursue the name change Aug. 26, after exploring the issue for three years. The change will be official Aug. 7, 2012, effective with the fall 2012 semester (2012-13 academic year).

The “Our Great Story Just Got Better” celebration of the name change is planned for August, beginning with the Welcome Back Luau on Thursday, Aug. 23, and continuing through Friday, Aug. 24. Special events will include faculty art exhibits, concerts, and poetry readings, with new works commissioned to commemorate the name change. There will also be a planetarium show, free public concert, and a Gala dinner to raise scholarship funds. More details will be released later in the summer.

Read more.

Jones named emeritus professor

Dr. Marty Jones, professor of chemistry, was awarded emeritus status upon his retirement this spring after 23 years at ASC. Jones, known throughout the campus and outlying community for his involvement and positive attitude, will be missed by students, faculty, and staff. Briana Lewis, a senior music major, took Jones’ introduction to chemistry class this semester after a friend convinced her to take his class. She went from dreading chemistry to enjoying the subject. “Dr. Jones shows examples of chemistry in the real world and does not over complicate the subject.”

Emeritus Professor of Chemistry, Dr. Marty Jones

Benson, Centeno & Robison named Presidential Teachers

2012 Presidential Teacher Award winners: Dr. Beth Robison, Dr. Rob Benson, Dr. Mari Centeno

A quarter decade of combined experience and a shared purpose to foster the love of learning — Adams State College professors Dr. Rob Benson, professor of earth science; Dr. Mari Centeno, associate professor of political science; and Dr. Beth Robison, assistant professor of music, received the 2012 Presidential Teacher Award, recognizing outstanding undergraduate teaching, advising, and mentoring.

All had similar reactions upon hearing they were selected. Benson: “shocked and honored,” Centeno: inspired to “further live up to the honor,” and Robison: “surprised, humbled, and grateful to her students.”

Read more.

Faculty tenure & promotions

The following faculty were recently promoted and/or tenured this semester: Dr. Jared Beeton, tenured associate professor of earth science; Dr. Laura Bruneau, tenured associate professor of counselor education; Dr. Zena Buser, associate professor of business; Dr. Mark Finney, tenured associate professor of mass communication; Dr. Aaron Abeyta, full professor of English; Dr. Robert Demski, full professor of psychology; Dr. Richard Goddard, full professor of social studies.

Exemplary Faculty

Dr. Brent King

Dr. Leslie Alvarez and Dr. Brent King,both associate professors of psychology, were recognized for exemplary performance in view of their teaching effectiveness, scholarly/creative activity, and service.

Dr. Leslie Alvarez

Employees honored for service to ASC

The 2012 Adams State Employee Recognition Ceremony, held April 25, recognized the contributions and years of service of the following employees

25 Years

• Rex Filer
• Donna Griego

20 Years

• Linda Jones
• Lori Laske
• Tammy Lopez
• Ken Marquez
• Liz Martinez
• Paul Newman
• Brent Ybarrondo

15 Years

• Rob Benson
• Beneranda Chacon
• Sherry Duran
• Otis Hager
• Margery Herrington
• Mary Hoffman
• Charlie Johnson
• David Mazel
• Demetrius Vigil
• Grace Young

10 Years

• Traci Bishop
• Roger Eriksen
• Dick Goddard
• Karla Hardesty
• Heather Heersink
• Joe Mestas
• Tracy Rogers
• Donna Stout

5 Years

• Lorraine Aragon
• Jared Beeton
• Renee Beeton
• Lisa Brown
• Laura Bruneau
• Zena Buser
• Mark Finney
• Melissa Gastinger
• Dale Goodrich
• Larry Joe Hunt
• Robert Lopez
• Renee Monaghan
• Diane Mondragon
• Michael Mumper
• Jenna Neilsen
• Michael Rael
• Stephen Roberds
• Roselie Schlaufman
• Jeremy Taylor
• Jamie Van Valkenburg
• Joel Shults
• Dervin Taylor
• Dolores Vigil
• Manny Wasinger

Includes High Altitude Events Center

Adams State will soon begin another $12.7 million worth of campus additions and renovations, including a new High Altitude Events Center, according to President David Svaldi. At its Feb. 9 meeting, the college’s Board of Trustees approved bond financing to continue residence hall renovation and develop facilities for the college’s expanding athletics program.

The financing includes $6.9 million to renovate three wings in the Coronado and Girault residence halls, as well as $3 million to construct the High Altitude Events Center. An additional total of $2.77 million will support:

• Development of a baseball complex
• Conversion of the football practice field to synthetic turf
• First phase renovation of the East Campus (formerly Evans School) to house the Human Performance & Physical Education Department
• Renovation in Plachy Hall to create more locker rooms and meeting rooms
• Repair of the Plachy Hall parking lot

Read more. 

Adams State will award 215 degrees at this spring’s Commencement ceremony, 10 a.m., Saturday, May 12, in Plachy Hall. The Commencement Address will be given by Lee White, executive vice president and manager for George K. Baum & Company at its Denver Public Finance Headquarters. His talk is entitled, “Why Intentional Listening and 10,000 Hours of Work on Your Passion Will Make You an Outlier.” More about White.

Adams State to honor veterans at Spring Commencement Ceremony

After much discussion, rumors, and debate, the Board of Trustees determined not to include recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance at this spring’s commencement ceremony. The issue will be formally discussed and put to a vote by students and faculty during the fall semester, according to President David Svaldi.

Adams State’s upcoming spring commencement ceremony will open with presentation of the colors by the college’s newly formed Veterans Club. The group will then lead a moment of silence in memory of the fallen, as well as those currently in harm’s way.

Read more.

The final program at Zacheis planetarium, prior to closing this summer for renovation, is planned for Saturday, May 5. The program will detail two upcoming celestial events: the May 20 annular solar eclipse visible from Albuquerque, and the June 5 passage of Venus in front of the Sun for the last time during our lifetimes.

The free, 30-minute program will give some background on both eclipses and transits. It will also explain several ways of observing solar events safely. The program inside the theater will be offered at 2 p.m., 2:45 p.m., and 3:30 p.m. Telescopes and other safe Sun-viewing methods will be available outside the planetarium from 1:30 – 4:30 p.m. The telescopes will permit views of sunspots, solar flares, and surface filaments. Other methods of viewing the Sun will also be on display.

The U.S. Department of Education awarded ASC’s Teacher Education Department a five-year grant for English Language Acquisition: National Professional Development Program. The grant totals just under $2 million; funding for the first year is $396,227, according to Dr. Joel Judd, professor of Teacher Education.

The campus Cinco de Mayo celebration, May 5, will feature a fundraiser on the Richardson Hall lawn, where ASC student clubs will be selling a fiesta of food. The Spanish Flamenco Dance Troupe, Luna Moruna, will perform in Carson Auditorium at 7 p.m. Admission is $5 per person, free to children 12 and under.

Ken Marquez, assistant VP of Student Affairs, announced the appointment of Berna Hostetter to the new position of campus events coordinator, effective May 1. She will continue as summer conference coordinator for Housing, a position she’s held for seven years, as well.

Marquez explained the position was created in response to the growing demand for use of campus facilities and the need, therefore, to have a single point of contact for such special events and conferences, including all campus-sponsored events.

“We are seen as the institution in the SLV that can invite and host all types of events, particularly since our major campus renovations. Many of these events have a recruitment incentive that comes with it,” Marquez explained.  Recent large gatherings include the state FFA conference, Wildfire Academy and All State Games.

“It became apparent that there was a real need to have a person who is responsible for all events, rather than administrative assistants being asked to take on the lead role for a particular event. In her new role, Berna will schedule all events, update the campus calendar, and help organize overall event planning for the campus,” Marquez added.

Hostetter’s new responsibilities include scheduling and coordinating all public and athletic events, seminars, conferences, and services for campus and/or community organizations, including those sponsored by the college. She will arrange various aspects of events, such as security, room reservations, technical requirements, parking, and staffing.

For assistance in event planning, please contact Berna Hostetter at ext. 7273.

This is part of a series of informational contributions from The Office of Equal Opportunity.

• Be aware and believe in your intuition. Stalking is a crime. Ask for help.
• Stalking is defined as: A pattern of behavior directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to feel fear.
• A perpetrator can threaten someone without using threatening words or behavior. Also, they may utilize E-mail, texting, give gifts, or make surprise visits. Most stalkers use some form of technology to stalk their victims.
• There is a connection between stalking and sexual assault. Perpetrators of sexual assault often “groom” victims through voyeurism, surveillance, and information gathering.

Key Facts

• Nationally, 13% of female college students have been victims of stalking.
• College campuses provide an ideal environment for stalkers. Campuses are relatively closed communities where daily routine behavior can be easily monitored.
• Nationally 83% of students who were stalked did not report it to campus authorities.
• 42% of stalkers were boyfriends and ex-boyfriends of the victim.
• 24% of stalkers were classmates.
• Three out of ten victims reported emotional or psychological injuries.

What should you do if you are being stalked? Call the police and if in immediate danger dial 911. Also, contact Joel Korngut, Title IX Coordinator, at 587-8213 or 719-480-4487.

Participants from 20 colleges and universities attended the spring conference of the Colorado Association for Developmental Education (CoADE) April 13 on campus. Sessions covered Reading Across the Disciplines, including reading readiness in math and science classes. The keynote speaker, Dr. Karen Patty-Graham, gave examples of classroom strategies to help students become better readers and thinkers. The morning began with a special welcome from 12 upper class ASC students who began their course work in developmental courses, sharing their ‘great stories’ of unique challenges they overcame and their plans for the future.

The Fall CoADE conference will be held at Ft Lewis College, Oct. 12, with keynote speaker Dr. Douglas Sicker, Chief Technology Officer for the National Telecommunications & Information Administration. For more information, contact Karen Lemke, CoADE president.

Psych faculty and students present research at a regional convention

Three faculty and six students represented Adams State College’s psychology department at the 82nd annual Rocky Mountain Psychological Association convention. Psychology majors are encouraged to conduct, present and stay current in psychological research. Attending and presenting at conferences allows students to network with other psychology majors, potential graduate schools and learn from experts in the field. Students attend talks and workshops as well as present their own research completed in class or as research assistants to faculty mentors.

Megan Hart, Laura Hopkins, Tucker Jones, Rachel Lundgren, Chris Olance, and Justin Takajjart  traveled to Reno, NV, to attend this year’s convention. All students received financial support through Psi Chi/Psychology club and four of these students (Chris, Megan, Tucker, and Rachel) were awarded regional travel grants by Psi Chi (the International Honor Society in Psychology).

Dr. Robert Demski presented a poster titled, “The effects of attachment style and gender on emotional intelligence,” on behalf of psychology majors Paloma Lopez and Raina Walters (not in attendance). Tucker Jones and Laura Hopkins presented a research poster completed in conjunction with Dr. Leslie Cramblet Alvarez and the EPIC (Engage, Persist, Innovate, Celebrate) program funded by the Wal-mart Minority Success Initiative, “A profile of first-generation college students at a Hispanic-serving institution.” In addition, Tucker Jones gave an oral presentation under the supervision of Dr. Jeff Elison, “Validity testing of the CoSS: Differences between rejection and fear.” The Department of Psychology is proud to recognize these students and faculty and their accomplishments.

HEAL graduates first cohort

The first cohort of 11 students the Master’s in Higher Education and Administrative Leadership program (HEAL) will graduate at Commencement, May 12. Program Director Melissa Freeman shared the following student achievements for this academic year:

Nicola Donaven and Jonathan Macias, with Dr. Melissa L. Freeman, presented “The Use of Social Media from a Student Perspective for Active Learning” at the 2012 NMHEAR Conference in Albuquerque in Albuquerque, NM

Andrew Garcia was promoted to the new position of Welcome Center Manager/Tour Coordinator at Community College of Denver

Jonathan Macias was promoted to Grant Administrator at the University of Texas, El Paso. In addition, he was named to the 2012 E. Kika De La Garza Fellowship Program of the Hispanic-Serving Institutions National Program. He also moderated a panel on “Student Access and Use of Technology” at the 8th Annual Innovations in Online Learning Conference in San Antonio, in May.

Aaron Miltenberger was promoted to Assistant Director of Student Life and Leadership at Adams State, and Awarded Excellence in Extra-curricular Advisement Awards 2012. He presented “The Mentoring Helix: A New Family Support for Latino Students” at the 2011 Mentoring Conference UNM with Karen Lemke. He also assisted Freeman in developing two undergraduate higher education leadership courses: Event Planning and Leadership and Applied Student Leadership. He also created ASC’s Summer Latino Leadership Summit for Regional High School students.

Stacy Righini presented “Factors Affecting the Decision to Matriculate or Not to Matriculate for Hispanic High School Students” at Retention 2011: International Conference on Student Success in San Diego, CA, with Freeman.

Students in the second cohort have also been busy:

Angela Benfatti was promoted to Assistant Director of Financial Aid at Otero Junior College

Victoria Obregon was promoted to the Coordinator of teaching and recruitment for Project Destiny 2 HEP Migrant Program at Colorado State University-Pueblo. She was also approved by the Dean of CHASS to Co-Teach a US151 class for Latino/a students. She presented “Connecting the Fields to the Academic Factory: Migrant Farm Worker Students at a Hispanic Serving Institution” at the National Association for Chicano/Chicana Studies at the Palmer House in Chicago, Illinois, as well as “Hands in the Field” at the Road of Imagery Conference  at the Antlers Hilton in Colorado Springs Colorado

Cristina Sandoval, was promoted to Dean of Faculty at Intellitec College

Pat Bryson, of Adams State, presented “Developmental Education: Costs, Results, and a Proposed Solution” at the Rocky Mountain Association for Institutional Research Conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

College Readiness seeks understanding of student challenges

The Adams State Office of College Readiness is working to identify the unique challenges our students face in preparing to take college level classes, especially math and English. On April 25, ASC faculty met with local high school faculty at Alamosa High School to begin a conversation about the challenges we see from both sides: what Developmental Reading, English and Math faculty are seeing in the college classes and what high school and middle school faculty are seeing in their classrooms.

The Office of College Readiness seeks a broad understanding from multiple perspectives in crafting interventions to support students. If you are interested in joining this conversation, contact Karen Lemke. karenlemke@adams.edu

AmeriCorps completes third grant year at ASC

The AmeriCorps CSC program offers students an education award for completing internships in human service fields. Now completing its third grant year, the program is celebrating 23 students who successfully completed terms of service during the 2011-2012 grant year. They completed internships in student teaching, nursing clinicals, victim’s advocacy, K-12 school counseling, and various opportunities at La Puente. In the current grant year, the program has already awarded $29,372 in scholarship money to be used toward current, past, or future education expenses. An additional $60,000 in scholarships is expected to be awarded as the semester comes to a close. Contact ASC AmeriCorps   or see Erica Holmes in Nielsen Library at the Student Success Center to learn about the many opportunities it offers.

To the Dunes, and beyond

More than 100 people, including students and advisers, attended the sixth annual Mars Robotics Challenge at the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, April 7. The event is sponsored by the ASC Department of Chemistry, Computer Science and Mathematics and the Colorado Space Grant Consortium. George Sellman, asst. professor of computer science, organizes the challenge.

ASC's Robot Challenge Team

Open to all colleges/universities in Colorado and the general public, the event simulates an autonomous robot mission on Mars. It furthers robot development and challenges teams to learn about electronics, programming, and operating in a difficult environment. The robots used are autonomous — not remotely controlled.

 More info on Robot Challenge.

HPPE students present Special Olympics Basketball Showcase

A combination of area Special Olympians and Adams State students competed in a very exciting game during in this year’s Special Olympics Basketball Showcase, Feb. 26 in Plachy Hall gym.

The event held true to its mission and allowed the Special Olympians to showcase their skills and have a great time,

as well as educating the community about Special Olympics activities. Students enrolled in the HPPE 440 Organization and Administration of PE class taught by Peggy Johnson worked very hard to organize and run the event. Other volunteers included ASC’s JV men’s basketball, wrestling, football, and special education students, who contributed by officiating the game, coaching the teams, playing alongside the Special Olympians, and helping out wherever needed. Donations at the door exceeded all expectations and raised sufficient funds were to finance travel to the regional track meet in May.

Professional Accomplishments

Professors Renee Beeton, chemistry; Carol Guerrero-Murphy, English; and Mark Finney, mass communication, led a workshop on constructivist listening strategies in the classroom (such as dyads and Personal Experience Panels) at the 2012 On Course Conference for learner-centered educators in Long Beach, CA, April 27 – 28. The conference is presented by Cengage Learning and is hosted by several colleges and universities. The ASC professors will discuss their work with the Fast Track students in the June 2011 program funded by Title V. Beeton, Guerrero-Murphy and Finney all contribute to the CELT working group, which is committed to spreading strategies for promoting inclusion and equity.

Housing & Residence Life residence directors Kendall Clements, Alex Maffucci, Pete McDill, and assistant director Mark Pittman attended a15-hour mediation training, March 23-24 through the Center for Restorative Programs in Alamosa.

The following faculty and staff attended the 2012 Higher Learning Commission Annual Conference in Chicago, March 30-April 3:

• Dr. Frank Novotny, VP for Academic Affairs
• Andrea Benton-Maestas, director of Institutional Reporting
• Karla Hardesty, program director, Enrollment Mgt.
• Dr. Deborah White, director, Student Support Services
• Traci Bishop, asst. to the asst. VP for Extended Studies – Operations
• Dr. Susan Varhely, professor and chair of Counselor Education
• Walter Roybal, asst. VP of Extended Studies-Academics
• Ken Marquez, asst. VP for Student Affairs

The conference this year focused primarily on revision of the Criteria for Accreditation, as well as development of the Standard and Open Pathways for Reaffirmation of Accreditation. All attended the General Program, and several also attended the Pre-Conference Workshop specifically regarding the Open Pathway.

Dr. Jared Beeton, asst. professor of earth sciences, received a research grant from the Denver Museum of Nature and Science to conduct geoarchaelogical research with Adams State students this summer. The title of the grant is “The potential for Early Human Cultural Deposits in the San Luis Valley.”. He said the group will seek evidence of the first humans that arrived in North America, generally referred to as pre-Clovis. The objective of the field work is to evaluate the potential for early human (pre-Clovis) cultural deposits at three to four different Valley locations. Potential sites include the Villa Grove Mammoth Site, Magna Site, and the Mr. Peat Site. Adams State students from the earth sciences and anthropology programs will lead the investigations, under Beeton’s direction.

In addition, Beeton will serve as coordinator of the campus organization EARTH (Environmental Action for Resources, Transportation, and Health) for next year.

Murleen Goodrich, library technician, will have her second children’s book Think! Pete published soon by Authorhouse. The book tells of a 6-year-old boy whose feet are sometimes faster than his head; however it shows that kids are capable of deeper thought than we sometimes give them credit for. Her book, Red Boots, was published in 2008.

Dr. Tracey L. Robinson, professor of HPPE; Benjamin Kern, M.S., adjunct instructor of HPPE; and graduate student Dustin Holman recently attended the Rocky Mountain American College of Sports Medicine (RMACSM) conference in Colorado Springs. Robinson and Kern presented a poster of their research entitled “Effects of a 7-week beta-alanine supplementation on anaerobic power output in female collegiate soccer, softball, and volleyball players.” As a RMACSM Board member, Robinson was involved in many aspects of the conference, including planning the conference, organizing sessions, judging student posters, and networking with students and colleagues.

Eileen Tilton, admin. asst. for the Department of History, Government and Philosophy was nominated and approved for Honorary Membership into Alpha Zeta Kappa, the Adams State College Chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha, the National Political Science Honor Society. She will be officially initiated at a May 4 ceremony.

 New Employees

• Nathan Paul Pacheco, admin . asst. I, Counselor Education
• Nicole LeBoeuf, librarian, Nielsen Library
• Uriah Valdez, program asst., Title V
• Trevor Wikre, asst. football coach
• Cheryl Ravens, admin  asst. III, Art
• William Lindquist, asst. football coach
• Trevor Turner, transfer student coordinator, Records

Adams State recently launched a version of its website for mobile devices. It can be accessed at m.adams.edu. It was developed due to the rapidly increasing use of mobile devices, particularly by college age people. Smart phone sales have surpassed those of PCs.

A recent survey of 2,300 college-bound high school students found 94 percent use a mobile device at least once per week, and more than half have looked at a campus website on a mobile device.

Adams State College Environmental Action for Resources, Transportation and Health (EARTH) again sponsors Earth Week, April 16-22. The keynote speaker will be state climatologist Nolan Doesken. All events, with exception of the garage sale, are free.  Details.

Next EARTH meeting: Tuesday, April 3, noon, SUB Student Life Center

Adams State President David Svaldi was honored as a Friend of Youth by the Colorado Alliance for Boys & Girls Clubs at a March 27 banquet in Denver. The organization’s inaugural award recognized Svaldi’s leadership in making Adams State the first Colorado higher education institution to award full scholarships to the Boys & Girls Clubs Youth of the Year.

ASC has offered a full tuition scholarship to the State Youth of the Year since 2005. During the last three years, the scholarship has been available to any state finalist wishing to attend Adams State; two such students are now enrolled at ASC. The college also offers tuition & fee only scholarships to the San Luis Valley Youth of the Year

House Bill 1080, which proposes to rename Adams State College to University, passed a third reading in the Colorado House of Representatives, March 27.  It now goes to the Colorado Senate for a vote.  If successful there, it will go to the governor’s office for final approval. f approved by the full Colorado legislature and Governor, the change would be official Aug. 7, 2012, and effective with the fall 2012 semester (2012-13 academic year).

More on University name change.