Accomplishments
Dr. Richard Baker, professor of English, delivered his paper, "Humanistic Existentialism in Native Son" at the American Literature Association in San Francisco on May 22. He was invited to do so by the Richard Wright Circle. Wright's 1940 novel propelled him to fame and fortune. Baker's paper focused on three distinctive characteristics that illuminate the literature of humanistic existentialism. First, this literature must work with myth; second, it must concern itself with the basic situations in which human freedom affirms itself; third, it must have a keen sense of social responsibility. If these characteristics hold true, then, Native Son must be put to the test in order to see if it merits the existentialist label and an inclusion into a study of the absurd.
For the third time in seven years, Chris Day was selected the J.W. Campbell/Con Marshall Sports Information Director of the Year, as voted on by the RMAC's 14 sports information directors. He will be recognized at the 2008 RMAC Hall of Fame and Awards banquet July 12 at the Cheyenne Mountain Resort in Colorado Springs.
Day is the Grizzlies' associate athletic director and sports information director. In his sports information director role, he serves as the media relations liaison, department statistician and is the webmaster for ASC's official website. He is also charged with promoting the many accomplishments and successes of ASC's student-athletes and coaches in each of the department's 14 athletic programs.
In his associate athletic director role, he is the department's point man on the corporate partnership program that has set fundraising records in each of the last two years. He also oversees many of the Grizzly Club's functions and chairs the Athletics Hall of Fame Committee. In addition, he is in charge of athletic event scheduling and serves on the department's leadership team.
A member of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), Day serves on CoSIDA's committee on committees. His list of committee experience includes the Don Hansen's Weekly Football Gazette All-America/Region selection committee and the NCAA's Southwest Regional Advisory Committee for volleyball.
Dr. Richard Goddard, assistant professor of social studies, will again head research at The Fort Garland Archaeological Field School, which begins its fifth season on June 16th. Geology Department faculty will also participate this year. Twenty students from all over the United States and as far away as England will spend six weeks learning the techniques of archaeological data recovery while finding out what the old fort can tell us about life on the 19th century frontier. Visitors are welcome.
This year marks the 150th anniversary of the fort and the week end of June 20, 21, and 22 will be marked by special festivities. Visitors to the fort that weekend can not only visit the archaeological investigations, but can observe historical reenacting / living history groups from several states that will be there to celebrate the event.
Archaeological work at the Ft. Garland Field School.
Library Technician Murleen Goodrich has had her book "Red Boots" published by Tate Publishing Co. It is a short children's story for pre-school ages about a little boy who gets his first pair of cowboy boots and how his feet feel. The book can be ordered directly from Tate Publishing Co. http://www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore/book.php?w=978-1-60462-559-2, or Barnes & Noble or Amazon.com; or from Alamosa's Narrow Gauge bookstore.
Public Safety Officer Alycia Riggs serves on the EUDL (Enforcement of Underage Drinking Laws) committee as the ASC Police Department representative. ASC PD is a collaborator on this grant-funded project to reduce underage drinking. Other agencies represented are Alamosa Police, Alamosa Sheriff's Office, and the SLV Regional Mental Health Center.
Public Safety Officer Tresa Rupright completed recertification as a POST certified instructor. This allows her to teach in police academies and in other POST certified courses. Rupright and Officer Layne Hall completed a course on investigation of identity theft. Officer Johnny Romero completed a course in Improvised Explosive Devices recently, as well as a course on warrant applications.
Dr. Joel F. Shults, director of Public Safety, participated in the International Association of Chiefs of Police - Violence Against Women Institute, held in San Francisco in May. The Institute was hosted by Chief Heather Fong of the San Francisco Police Department and IACP president Ronald Ruecker, former Superintendent of the Oregon State Police. Shults was selected from a nationwide pool to be one of the 17 police officials selected for full funding of the Institute at no cost to ASC. Participants engaged with national experts on problems related to domestic violence, harassment, stalking, and sexual assault. Also, Shults was a featured writer in two electronic law enforcement journals published in May. "How to Get the Most Out of Any Training" was featured on the PoliceOne.com site and "Knowledge is Power: Knowing is Weakness" was featured in Calibre Press' Street Survival Newsline newsletter.
New Faculty & Staff
Dr. Mark Joyce began his duties as chair of the Teacher Education Department June 2.
He most recently served as Director of Post Baccalaureate Licensure at Mesa State College.
Syed Masood Ahmad, director of Student Engagement and Success
Laura Tucker, admin. asst. I, Mailroom
Tony Maestas, electronic specialist intern
Lisha Bustos, admin. asst. I, Enrollment Management
Paul Boice, grounds & nursery III
Melissa Dickman, Upward Bound academic skills coordinator
Nicole Bullock, assistant women's basketball coach
